How living youthful slows aging

Ok…..I cannot stop the clock and pause our age where we are today. I certainly cannot make you reverse aging like Benjamin Button. However, I strongly believe that how we choose to live our life, impacts our physical, mental and even emotional aging and appearance. I am a little bit proud to say that I am 42 years old and regularly get told that I do not look my age. Very nice to hear, but it has got me thinking. What are the things we can all do, to slow down our aging, increase our output/performance and live a more youthful life?

The first keys are what I would deem to be the ‘low hanging fruit’:

1. Low alcohol consumption: I average 1 – 2 drinks a week, sometimes nothing at all. We are a society that drinks to excess and thinks it’s ok to finish a bottle of wine a night. I believe not! Alcohol will age your appearance, not to mention the potential long-term damage to the likes of your liver, kidneys, and gut health.
2. Nourish the body with quality food: Avoiding highly processed foods such as fast-food chains, highly refined and ‘sugared’ cereals and drinks. Our body is a sponge, and it needs to be energised and fed through quality fruits, vegetables, meats and fish (within the confines of your style of eating). We need to consume, fat, protein, and carbohydrates for fuel…..none of which should be obtain along with a variety of chemicals and additives such as what you find in the ‘bad foods’ mentioned above.
3. Daily movement: We were not designed to be sedentary for as long as we are in today’s society. Our bodies need to be moving throughout a day. Stand, walk, stretch where possible each day. Movement does not (nor should) be thought of as doing a 10km run each day.
4. Daily sunlight exposure: Be smart here! Disclaimer – Disclaimer. I enjoy getting outside in the morning to catch the first light on my skin and eyes (do not look directly at the sun). This sets my circadian rhythm. I like to get outside during the day for 5 – 10 min where possible to gain further exposure to the Vitamin D. Excessive sun exposure and sun burn is dangerous, terrible aging on our skin and a potential trigger for skin cancers.
5. Manage stress: More specifically, manage (where possible) the cause of the stress. We often manage the symptoms of stress, but neglect to attempt to address the cause. Stress is something that will physically and mentally age us. Very difficult to live a ‘stress free’ life, but when you identify a stressor, address the cause in addition to managing the symptoms.

But what are some activities we can do to live a more youthful life?

1. Make time for laughter. Watch a funny movie or tv show. Go to a comedy gig or spend time with your children. Laughter produces endorphins, manages the feelings of stress ad stimulates oxygen flow.
2. Make time for fun activities. We often give the fun stuff away when we get into our 30’s and definitely 40’s. Why? What is the reason for needing to be so ‘serious’ all the time? What did you enjoy when you were younger? Surfing? Skating? Riding? Dancing? Bring these activities back into your life and have fun with them.
3. Look at how you dress. I am not saying you need to dress like your 16-year-old self (far from it), but being 42 does not mean I need to shop at Rivers like my Dad used to. Really, this is about dressing however you want to. Dressing with however you feel comfortable and what reflects who you are. Do not worry about anyone else…….dress for you and not the social expectations. Again, sometimes this is difficult if we have a uniform for work, but how you dress around work is key.
4. Challenge yourself mentally. It is so important to train our muscles in the gym. We need to grow and/or maintain muscle mass to aid with wellbeing as we age (physically and mentally)…..however, we need to stimulate the brain as well. Read, study, learn new things. Exercise your brain to remain focused. To retain your clarity of thought.

We only have one body, and we need to do all we can to care for it. As we age, it has become an expectation that we look and act a certain way. I ask, why?? If we adopt the practices above I am confident we can look, feel, act and perform more youthful, confident and healthy.