Today aging is a part of life, and something that we know deep down is inevitable as our biological clocks tick down. The outward signs of getting older we know represent what is happening to our cells inside of us. The fine lines, wrinkles, and grey hair isn’t the only thing that comes with aging.
Premature aging is worse than aging – who wants to get older faster than you have to be? I know I rather age looking like a fine wine, but maybe that’s just me.
To prevent premature aging, there are some pretty simple steps you can take. The future is also looking bright, with advances in medical biotechnology on our side focusing on finding ways to improve the quality of your health for longer by negating factors that promote aging.
What Does the Aging Process Look Like?
Aging is a part of life that we all go through. Have you ever wondered what exactly part of the normal aging process is? Here’s a quick summary: if your aches and pains are normal or something, you should see a doctor the next time you are curious.
Although below this is a summary of the potential effects of aging, if you ever have any concerns, you should seek guidance from a qualified health professional.
Your Cardiovascular System
The cardiovascular system experiences stiffening of the blood vessels and arteries. This makes it harder for blood to pump through them efficiently. In turn, the heart muscles work harder to adjust to the increased workload.
Your Bones, Joints, and Muscles
As you get older, bones tend to shrink in size, weakening them and causing them to be more susceptible to fracture. You might even lose some height as your bones become less dense with age. Coordination and balance can be impacted by muscles losing strength and flexibility.
To promote muscle, bone, and joint health, make sure to consume the correct amount of calcium and vitamin D. Osteoporosis is common in older adults, and proper nutrition can help reduce your risk. In addition to maintaining an exercise routine such as walking and weight-bearing exercises.
Your Digestive System
Age-related structural changes to the large intestine can result in constipation occurring more frequently. Compounding factors include a lack of exercise, not drinking enough fluids and certain medical conditions that may develop with age.
To prevent constipation eat a diet that consists of high-fiber foods. This includes food like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. In addition to limiting dairy products and sweets. Regular physical activity can help keep things moving, and don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.
Your Bladder and Urinary Tract
The elasticity of your bladder lessens with age, resulting in the frequent need to urinate. Weakening of the pelvic floor muscles can make it increasingly difficult to empty your bladder or can even lead to urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control).
Additional factors that may contribute to this include being overweight, nerve damage from diabetes, certain medications, caffeine or alcohol consumption. To promote urinary tract health, go to the bathroom regularly, maintain a healthy weight, don’t smoke, avoid bladder irritants, do kegel exercises, and avoid constipation.
Your Thinking Skills and Memory
The brain changes as you age that could have minor effects on your memory or thinking skills.
An example would be a healthy older adult forgetting familiar names or words or having increased difficulty with multitasking. Ways to promote cognitive health include exercise, a healthy diet, staying mentally active, being social, treating cardiovascular disease, and quitting smoking.
Your Eyes and Ears
It can become increasingly difficult to focus on objects that are close up. You may also begin to experience sensitivity to glare or have trouble adapting to various light levels. Your hearing may also diminish, reducing the frequencies at which you can hear.
To promote eye and ear health, schedule regular checkups and follow your doctor’s advice. In addition to taking precautions such as wearing sunglasses and using earplugs in the presence of loud noises.
Your Teeth
You may experience receding gum lines as your gums pull back from your teeth. Certain medications can also cause dry mouth. Having a dry mouth can sometimes make your teeth and gums more vulnerable to decay or infection. To promote oral health, brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day and schedule regular checkups with your dentist.
Your Skin
With time your skin thins and becomes less elastic, fatty tissue and collagen just below the skin decreases. You might even notice that you bruise more easily. Lower production levels of natural oils can make your skin drier.
To promote healthy skin, be gentle in your cleaning routine, take warm showers, apply sunscreen, wear protective clothing, and other sun protection during sun exposure.
Using products with SPF that protect you from UV rays can help prevent sun damage, which can lead to skin sagging and skin conditions like melanoma. Broad-spectrum protection is best, as it protects from both UVA and UVB rays, thus potentially reducing signs of premature aging on your skin.
Your Weight
With age, your metabolism (burning of calories) slows down. If you eat the same as usual and decrease physical activities, you’ll gain weight. To maintain a healthy weight, try to stay active, even just walking, eating a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables, and watching how big your portion sizes get.
Your Sexuality
Sexual needs and performance might change. Illness or medications might impact your ability to enjoy sex. Some women may experience vaginal dryness that can make sex uncomfortable. Some men may experience impotence. Ways to promote your sexual health include sharing your concerns and needs with your partner, getting regular exercise, and talking to your doctor.
Ways to Reduce Premature Skin Aging
It is never too late to start caring for your skin, and it is also never too early to start taking care of your skin.
Genes and DNA do play a role in the way you age, but there are still some things you can do to make the process more smooth. The largest organ in the body is actually your skin.
While being proactive about your entire health and wellness is important, a great place to start is by following these 11 tips below:
- Protect your skin from the sun every day
- Apply self-tanner instead of actually getting a tan
- Quit smoking or avoid cigarette smoke entirely
- Avoid repetitive facial expressions
- Eat right, having a healthy, well-balanced diet is key. Incorporate plenty of antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C
- Drink less alcohol
- Exercise and exercise often. Yoga is a great low-impact activity that can support your health
- Gently clean your skin, and properly manage any skin conditions like eczema or rosacea
- Wash your face at least twice a day and after sweating a lot
- Make sure to apply lotion or moisturizer every day
- Stop skin care products that sting or burn
- Manage chronic stress, which produces stress hormones like cortisol
The Future Is Bright
To a certain extent, the things you can do now to prevent premature aging is to live a healthy lifestyle that limits stress, follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and so on.
Fortunately, the future’s looking bright with medical biotechnological advancements.
Genflow Biosciences works with major anti-aging research centers across the globe and believes that the SIRT6 gene is a master regulator of managing healthy aging and the potential therapeutic target preserve function.
These discoveries are in pursuit of finding disruptive anti-aging drugs. In fact, clinical testing is starting to happen, albeit in the infancy stages, making way for potentially transformative medicines.
Sources:
Ways to Reduce Premature Skin Aging | American Academy of Dermatology Association
