Recent research on biological aging clearly indicates that the aging process is malleable. Although we can’t do anything about our chronological age, we can influence our biological age. Epidemiological studies and randomized studies indicate that certain lifestyle and dietary factors can improve health and life expectancy.
It goes without saying that for health, you need a diet rich in whole, natural foods, ideally local and seasonal. You should also take steps to get quality sleep and manage stress. I have discussed this in other blogs on the website. The aim of this article is to highlight some key additional strategies that can help improve our health.
Here are five strategies to consider:
Exercise daily.
It’s no surprise that this is one of the first on my list. The problem is that as we age, not only do we tend to move less, but muscle mass decreases significantly. A meta-analysis of 14 studies showed significant reductions in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease-related deaths, and fewer cancer-related deaths. So move daily and include strength training regularly throughout the week to maintain a healthy body composition.
Almost sometimes
Fasting is not new. Fasting is also not the same as malnutrition. Many studies highlight the benefits of intermittent fasting and the fasting-mimicking diet for healthy aging. Fasting helps reduce glucose, body fat, insulin like growth factor IGF1, and inflammatory markers. Whatever form you try, a little fasting can be very beneficial for your health. I have written about fasting in other blogs. Personally, I also love the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) and have produced a 5-day PROLON style program that is available to Lean & Nourish members.
Eat plenty of antioxidant-rich plants
It has long been known that when plants are stressed, they produce a greater abundance of health-promoting compounds. Grape resveratrol, green tea epigallocatechin gallate, apple quercetin and garlic allicin. Xenohormesis is the term often used for the way plants respond to stress by producing chemicals that aid their survival. So you ideally want stressed plants – organic, local, home-grown, if possible, not overfed plump fruits. Look for fruits and vegetables that are brightly colored and as varied as possible.
Take a cold shower
So I admit it, I don’t like the cold. However, being cold can activate your brown fat mitochondria and improve your metabolism. Keeping the body slightly cold is another way of stressing the body or activating hormesis which can then activate longevity defenses. So taking a cold shower, going outside, leaving the window open at night, turning off the heat can help support metabolism and make you feel more energetic.
Take SIRT AND AMPK activator supplements
Two of my favorite supplements for healthy aging are NAD (NMN) and resveratrol. A number of body systems are being studied to determine their effects on aging. – mTOR (the mammalian target of rapamycin) to regulate protein synthesis and cell growth; AMPK (activated protein kinase) which serves as the body’s master regulatory switch that fends off degenerative factors by revitalizing aging cells and sirtuins, a family of seven proteins essential for DNA expression and aging, which can only work in conjunction with NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), a coenzyme present in all living cells.
Research is currently underway into the anti-aging and health-promoting effects of NMN, which is rapidly converted to NAD+. By middle age, our NAD+ levels have dropped to half those of our youth. Numerous studies have demonstrated that increasing NAD+ levels increases insulin sensitivity, reverses mitochondrial dysfunction, and extends lifespan. My favorite brand is Nuchido.
Resveratrol is a polyphenol most commonly found in red wine and grapes. It is also found in peanuts, certain berries, certain pine trees and the roots and stems of Japanese knotweed. Resveratrol is gaining attention for its unique ability to mimic the gene expression effects of calorie restriction. Resveratrol also helps protect the cardiovascular system.
There are other nutrients related to AMPK enzyme activity and nutrients that support SIRT1 as well as exercise and calorie restriction, but NMN and resveratrol are two that I take.
While the strategies above are important for healthy living, remember the importance of establishing the foundations of your life: overall diet, social connections, purpose in life, mental stimulation are all important factors to take into account.