Aging is a natural biological process - but it wasn’t meant to make you weaker or less functional. In fact, did you know that the human body was designed to live for more than a hundred years?
If you are interested in living a long, healthy life and do all the things you still want to do during the golden years, then it’s time to reveal the true secrets to longevity.
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Don’t forget your daily dose of antioxidants
Free radicals are harmful byproducts of cellular processes and metabolism. A healthy body is capable of disarming free radicals, which in turn protects your tissue and organs from oxidative stress.
Unfortunately, the body cannot produce antioxidants in sufficient amounts on its own.Your diet has to be rich in antioxidants if you want the body to preserve its cells, tissues and organs.
One easy way to get more antioxidants is by eating more fruits and vegetables. Dark green vegetables are rich in antioxidants and also contain a healthy amount of fiber, which is necessary for normal digestion and waste disposal.
Having enough fiber in the body also protects you from accumulation of toxins in the digestive tract. Foods rich in antioxidants include green tea, grapes, nuts, berries and of course, all kinds of vegetables.
If you don’t feel like drinking red wine to get the benefits of resveratrol (which is supposedly responsible for the French Paradox), you can easily get resveratrol by eating lots of grapes and certain types of nuts. Avoidance of alcohol is a good step because alcohol generally causes negative effects on the human body.
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Don’t forget the importance of friends
Having a healthy social life can prolong your life. Having friends and someone to talk to regularly also promotes mental health and can most certainly ward off depression in seniors.
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Engage in Physical Activity
Do you like sports like playing tennis, basketball or volleyball at the beach? Or perhaps do you enjoy a brisk walk in the park or even enjoy a good afternoon run around the neighborhood? If yes, then you are doing well. Engaging in physical activity improves blood circulation throughout the body, thereby delivering proper oxygenation to your system. And also, this keeps your heart healthy as well as the mind and body. You can exercise at least 3 to 4 times per week, 30-45 minutes a day and already works wonder to your body and you feel better and great about yourself, not to mention enjoying the company of your friends and family.
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Keep your mind healthy
Our emotions and thoughts have a large impact on our health, which is why we should always strive to keep our brains active and constantly stimulated. Activities such as learning a foreign language can help prevent depression and also keeps the neural connections in the brain in top condition. You should also practice a more positive outlook in life; negative thinking never benefits the human body and the human mind in any way.
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Learn to manage your stress levels
Let’s face it - when it comes to making us feel sick, nothing beats the reigning king: stress. Too much stress in your life can lead to premature aging, disease and early death. That is why it is so important that you discover the best stress management method for yourself.
Stress management can take the form of counseling, exercise, meditation, massage, etc. People respond differently to these stress management techniques, so try at least two to find out which suites you the best. Don’t forget that what you do also has a bearing on the amount of biological stresses that your body receives.
If you smoke, try quitting because that will also give your body the chance to heal andrecover from the stresses caused by thousands of toxins released into the bloodstream every time you smoke. You would also benefit greatly from quitting because you will no longer have to be dependent on nicotine when you feel stressed.
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Modify your diet
Two of the biggest killers in the US and around the world is diabetes and heart disease. These two killers manifest when you have too much sugar in your diet (especially corn syrup, which is used in almost all commercially prepared foods) and too little exercise.
It would be best if you reduced or eliminated your dependence on sugary drinks - because you would be greatly improving your chances of beating diabetes and a host of other diseases (including cancer) if you can normalize your blood glucose level.
Additionally, you need to get at least thirty minutes of light to moderate exercise everyday, on most days (that means at least 5 times per week). Remember, the more you exercise, the better your body responds. You will also avoid insulin sensitivity by exercising more and eating less sugar.
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Practice Good Hygiene
To feel great, you must look great and at your best. Proper hygiene affects your overall health and physical appearance. Take a bath daily and brush and floss your teeth regularly since oral hygiene is correlated to preventing throat and heart problems. And also, being hygienic assures you to prevent, if not rid you off from probable infections. However, hygiene does not only apply to the body but also to the mind. Maintain a good mental health. Avoid worrying too much of things that you can't control since it exhausts your brain. Rather, do brain teasers instead and avoid memory gaps.
Living life shouldn't be a complication. Being able to live each day is already a blessing and a gift. That is why you have to do your best and be great in everything that you do - including ageing gracefully. In conjunction to living healthy, there are also alternative natural home remedies than can help you and your skin as you age, helping you cut the cost compared to the ones being sold commercially in the market.