SHARED FROM:
9 "HARMLESS" HABITS THAT AGE YOU
1. Keeping your
college bedtime
Too-little
sleep is proving to be really, really bad for your health: Research has linked
it to high blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, and even just looking tired
and older.
Make
sleep a priority more often and your body will thank you. Everyone's sleep needs are different. In order to find out what your sleeping needs
are, sleep experts recommend you turn off the alarm clock and when you're well
rested, see how long you naturally sleep.
For most people, it's 7 to 8 hours.
2. Have a
soft spot for sweets
Now
experts also believe that sugar-packed diet can make your skin dull and
wrinkled aside taking toll on your waistline.
"Glycation" is a natural process in which the sugar in the bloodstream
attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation
end products (AGEs). The more sugar you
eat, the more AGEs you develop. These will
damage surrounding proteins like collagen and elastin, which keep skin firm and
elastic. Once damaged, the springy and
resilient collagen and elastin become dry and brittle. It will then lead to wrinkles and sagging. The aging effects start at about age 35 and
increase rapidly after that, according to a study published in the British
Journal of Dermatology.
If
you're a 45-year-old woman of average height (5"4), that's 160 calories
(or 10 teaspoons) from added sugar—about the number in one 12-ounce can of
Coca-Cola or six Hershey's Kisses. Many
prepared foods contain hefty amounts of sugar, but it's hidden under
aliases—including barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate,
maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinado—on ingredient panels.
3. Stressed
more often than not
Stress
increases the concentration of the hormones cortisol and norepinephrine in the
bloodstream, kicking up blood pressure and suppressing immunity. Over time, stress that doesn't go away can
delay healing, harden your arteries, and possibly shrink areas of your brain
involved in learning, memory, and mood—talk about feeling older!
Stress
will never go away completely, but how you manage everyday blips can keep
hormones on a more even—and healthy—keel. Deep breathing is the top anti-stress pick of
Prevention advisor Andrew Weil, MD. Make
time for it at least twice a day. Exhale
strongly through the mouth, making a whoosh sound. Breathe in quietly through
the nose for a count of 4. Hold your
breath for a count of 7, and then exhale with the whoosh for a count of 8. Repeat the cycle 3 more times.
4. Only
exercise to lose weight
Research
shows that vigorous exercisers have longer telomeres—cellular biomarkers that
shorten as we age—compared with healthy adults who rarely work out. Being active consistently can help fight brain
fog, reduce inflammation, and prevent type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions
that crop up over time.
Choose
any activity you enjoy—be it walking, cycling, or dancing—and aim for a minimum
of 20 to 25 minutes a day. Break it
down, if you have to, into two 10-minute sessions. Slowly increase the frequency, duration, and
intensity in small increments. If you
miss a day, don't let it become a habit; just pick up again the next day.
5. Blast
your iPod
Hearing
loss typically develops slowly. The
result of prolonged exposure to thousands of high-decibel insults to the ear
comes from exposure to everyday gadgets, like iPods or hair dryers. MP3 players set at 50% volume can pump out
sounds up to 101 decibels, well over the recommended safety threshold.
Keep
the iPod volume as low as possible. Use
noise-canceling ear buds to block out ambient sounds, reducing your need to
jack up the volume. Wear earplugs when
you're around other loud noises too, like the lawn mower.
6. Never see
your girlfriends
One
study found that satisfying friendships predict longevity better than even
close family ties, and they can protect against obesity, depression, and heart
disease, among other health problems.
Your
friends keep you young—simple as that. So
consider carving a more permanent place in your schedule for friend time. Take advantage of Facebook or e-mail groups to
stay in touch on a more frequent basis.
7. Eat
veggies—but not daily
Antioxidant-packed
fruits and veggies can help you stay young. Antioxidants remain active for only a few hours
and need to be continually replenished.
To
truly maximize on veggies age-defying benefits, aim to eat antioxidants every 4
hours or so or with every meal.
8. Shunned
all fat
Cutting
out artery-clogging saturated and trans fats is a heart-healthy move, but when
it comes to your health and vitality, equally slashing unsaturated fats, like
those found in fish, nuts, and olive oil, is like throwing the proverbial baby
out with the bathwater. One kind—omega-3
fatty acids—is the ultimate anti-aging fat, essential for protecting your
brain, heart, bones, joints, skin, and more. Another kind, monounsaturated, can lower bad
LDL cholesterol, raise cardio-protective HDL cholesterol, and decrease your
risk of atherosclerosis. Plus, studies
suggest that a higher intake of these fats may contribute to longer life
expectancy.
Remember
that fat isn't inherently evil, and it won't make you fat per se. About 20 to 35% of your daily calories should
come from fat, mainly healthy, unsaturated fat, like these options.
9. Can’t
recall when you last had sex
Sex
feels good and does wonders for your mood, but it's also fantastically great
for your health. Research shows that
people with active sex lives have stronger immune systems, less pain, a lower
cancer risk, healthier hearts, and less stress. The best news: It can even make
you look younger—up to 12 years, one study shows.
Rekindle
the romance between you and your partner. To shake things up, try making the first move
next time. Everyone wants to feel
wanted.
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