No one wants to get older but unfortunately, until they discover an elixir of youth, it’s fairly unavoidable. But just because you have to get older, no one said you had to do it quickly. And no one said you couldn’t age well and keep your youthful good looks, energy and health!
Many of us make the assumption that getting older automatically has to mean getting covered in wrinkles, losing our ability to walk around and eventually developing various types of chronic diseases. The truth is that none of these things are inevitable and most of them are only partially related to age! And you can see this too just by looking around!
While some people seem to be struggling to stand up straight and remember their name at age 65, others are still playing sports and writing books well into their 80s and 90s. Is the difference entirely genetic? Not at all! In fact, there are numerous lifestyle changes that can make all the difference to the way you feel as you age and many of the problems that are associated with old-age can actually be avoided entirely.
So yeah, Aging is still inevitable. But the way you age is almost entirely up to you! The difference comes down to your knowledge and your ability to apply that knowledge to make the most of your own body and health. YOU have the choice and the sooner you take action, the more effectively you can stave off the most unappealing aspects of getting older.
Yes, that’s right, but this isn’t an article just for ‘older people’. It’s for young people too. In fact, it’s more aimed at young people because you are the ones who have the time to ensure you get the very most out of your body and mind as you get older.
But How Do You Slow Aging?
Anyone can claim that Aging is something you have control over. You heard the phrase “you’re as old as you feel”! The hard part is backing that claim up with some hard evidence. How can you really slow down your Aging? And how can your decisions end up putting your body in ‘fast forward’ mode?
Here are some examples…
Mobility
A lot of people will tell you that your knees have a finite amount of time before they start to tire out. The same goes for your back. But more and more, we’re discovering that’s not true. The ‘functional strength’ crowd are making it very apparent that you can keep on training into old age and that in fact, things like running should give you more longevity.
The problem is just the way we’re training. And our lack of activity generally. The way it goes for many people is that they stay very fit and healthy when they’re younger because they run around, play sports and generally engage in activity. Once they’re middle aged though, they slow down and they start sitting at the computer or watching television all day long.
Their metabolism slows down yes but most of the changes they see in their body are really a result of being constantly stressed and constantly static (immobile). This results in muscle imbalances caused by maintaining the same posture for so long and it results in injury when they do get active. Don’t use your back long enough and it’s sure to go when you try and lift that suitcase! You heard the saying “use it or lose it”, well, it’s true and it applies to all the muscles in your body.
This injury then leads to ‘corrective’ posture and biomechanics. You have a bad knee or back, so you put more weight on the other leg/you hunch over. This in turn means that you actually exacerbate the muscle imbalances that you already had. And the longer this goes on, the more of a hunch and a limp you can start to acquire and the more pain you can expect to experience. The solution is not to be less active but to be more active – while making sure to use the correct technique.
Energy
Meanwhile, staying active can also boost your energy levels and help you to start feeling better. That means the tiredness and sluggishness that we feel as we get older again isn’t inevitable. Actually, when you combine the right exercise regime with the right diet, you can increase not only your heart strength and circulation but also the efficiency of your mitochondria.
Mitochondria are the small ‘energy factories’ of your cells. They exist to help you convert glucose into usable energy (ATP) and their number and strength is one of the big determining factors that influences your energy output and the way you feel. In fact, differences in mitochondria have been suggested to be one of the main differentiating factors between the energy levels of young children and those of older individuals. It’s why kids seem to be able to run around and around in circles for hours screaming, without ever tiring out.
Nutrition
Nutrition is also responsible for a large proportion of the problems you’ll struggle with as you get older. Contrary to popular belief, many of the health issues associated with old age are actually cumulative and result from years of poor nutrition. A lack of nutrients can lead to problems with vision, problems with hormone production, problems with bone density and much more. Thus, by eating the right foods, you can stave off numerous conditions and stay healthier and stronger into older age.
Toxins, Cell Damage and Heart Problems
Many of the health complaints associated with old age can also be combatted with the right lifestyle. Sure, it’s always possible to be unlucky and to suffer from cancer with no ‘cause’ as such. But this is much less likely if you are able to protect yourself with the very best, healthy lifestyle choices.
For example, heart disease is one of the leading killers in women by far but it is very much possible to reduce the risk of this problem by getting plenty of exercise and sticking to a diet designed to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at the most desirable levels.
Brain
The same rules apply to your brain as to the rest of your body. In other words, if you keep your nutrition up and actually keep using your brain it will stay nimble. Our brains consume 20% of our daily calories. Consuming primarily highly processed foods with high sodium and sugar is what’s causing the high prevalence of Dementia and Alzheimer’s today.
The point is, you do have control over the way you age and if you take the right precautions then you can stay healthy, mobile and able well into older age.
Why People in “Blue Zones” Live Longer Than the Rest of the World
A few places in the world are called “Blue Zones.” The term refers to geographic areas in which people have low rates of chronic disease and live longer than anywhere else. In his book called The Blue Zones, Buettner described five known Blue Zones:
“Blue Zone” is a non-scientific term given to geographic regions that are home to some of the world’s oldest people.
It was first used by the author Dan Buettner, who was studying areas of the world in which people live exceptionally long lives.
They are called Blue Zones because when Buettner and his colleagues were searching for these areas, they drew blue circles around them on a map.
In his book called The Blue Zones, Buettner described five known Blue Zones:
Icaria (Greece): Icaria is an island in Greece where people eat a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, red wine and homegrown vegetables.
Ogliastra, Sardinia (Italy): The Ogliastra region of Sardinia is home to some of the oldest men in the world. They live in mountainous regions where they typically work on farms and drink lots of red wine.
Okinawa (Japan): Okinawa is home to the world’s oldest women, who eat a lot of soy-based foods and practice tai chi, a meditative form of exercise.
Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica): The Nicoyan diet is based around beans and corn tortillas. The people of this area regularly perform physical jobs into old age and have a sense of life purpose known as “plan de vida.”
The Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California (USA): The Seventh-day Adventists are a very religious group of people. They’re strict vegetarians and live in tight-knit communities.
Although these are the only areas discussed in Buettner’s book, there may be unidentified areas in the world that could also be Blue Zones. A number of studies have found that these areas contain extremely high rates of nonagenarians and centenarians, which are people who live over 90 and 100, respectively. Interestingly, genetics probably only account for 20–30% of longevity. Therefore, environmental influences, including diet and lifestyle, play a huge role in determining your lifespan.
People Who Live in Blue Zones Eat a Diet Full of Whole Plant Foods
One thing common to Blue Zones is that those who live there primarily eat a 95% plant-based diet. Although most groups are not strict vegetarians, they only tend to eat meat around five times per month. A number of studies, including one in over half a million people, have shown that avoiding meat can significantly reduce the risk of death from heart disease, cancer and a number of other different causes. Instead, diets in the Blue Zones are typically rich in the following:
Vegetables: They’re a great source of fiber and many different vitamins and minerals. Eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and death.
Legumes: Legumes include beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas, and they are all rich in fiber and protein. A number of studies have shown that eating legumes is associated with lower mortality.
Whole grains: Whole grains are also rich in fiber. A high intake of whole grains can reduce blood pressure and is associated with reduced colorectal cancer and death from heart disease.
Nuts: Nuts are great sources of fiber, protein and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Combined with a healthy diet, they’re associated with reduced mortality and may even help reverse metabolic syndrome.
There are some other dietary factors that define each of the Blue Zones:
For example, fish is often eaten in Icaria and Sardinia. It is a good source of omega-3 fats, which are important for heart and brain health.
Eating fish is associated with slower brain decline in old age and reduced heart disease Other habits common to the Blue Zones are reduced calorie intake and intermittent fasting. You can find out more about The Blue Zones by visiting www.bluezones.com.
If you haven’t started taking care of your health, wouldn’t now be a good time to start?
Vince Ferguson is the President of Body Sculpt of New York, Inc., and Six Weeks to Fitness. Mr. Ferguson is also the host of the Six Weeks to Fitness podcast and a U.S. Navy Veteran.
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