Aging is a genetically determined and environmentally modulated aging process. This is a natural process. Everyone should go through this process at their own time and pace. It refers to the time-dependent deterioration of physiological functions necessary for survival and fertility.
According to the World Health Organization, aging is a process of biological reality that begins with birth and ends with death.
Scientists have divided how people age into four different classes called "ageotypes."
Metabolic age type - People belonging to this class may be at higher risk for diabetes as they age.
Immune ageotype - People who belong to it produce higher levels of inflammation and are more prone to immune-related diseases as they age.
Hepatic ageotile – People who belong to it are more prone to liver disease as they age.
Nephrotic ageotype - People belonging to it are more prone to kidney diseases as they age.
We all want to stay young for as long as possible, both for our health and our appearance. The researchers discovered that environmental and lifestyle factors play a much larger role, with genetics accounting for only 20% of how people age.
Tips to slow down aging -
Listed below are some important tips to slow down the aging process -
Manage stress level -
Each chromosome has two protective caps called telomeres at both ends. As telomeres shorten, their structural integrity weakens, causing cells to age faster and die younger. Chronic stress leads to shorter telomeres. That's why it's important to manage your stress level.
Meditate daily -
Researchers found that meditators experienced genetic changes after mindfulness practice that were not seen after other relaxation activities in the non-meditating group. Therefore, regular practice of mindfulness meditation slows down the aging process in practitioners.
Restrict calories -
Calorie restriction means reducing the average daily calorie intake below normal without malnutrition or deprivation of essential nutrients. It is a consistent pattern of reducing average daily calorie intake. Many studies have found that calorie restriction is associated with living longer.
Regular exercise -
Experts recommend 30 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous walking most days, but the benefits start with even less activity. Active people can live, on average, about five years longer than inactive people. A regular exercise program that includes aerobic activity and strength training reduces genomic imbalance. It also reduces telomere wear. The relationship between physical exercise and telomere length may also be due to low oxidative stress and inflammation.
Regular exercise certainly cannot reverse the aging process, but it does attenuate many of its harmful systemic and cellular effects.
Get nutritious food -
As people age, they generally need fewer calories. However, their nutrient needs are as or higher as they were when they were younger. Therefore, it is extremely important to eat nutrient-rich, whole foods. For healthy aging, we should choose various colors in fruits and vegetables, and diversify protein sources with options such as meat, fish, whole nuts, nut butter and beans.
Eat healthy fats -
We should try to avoid saturated and trans fats as much as possible. Saturated fats are usually those derived from animals. Trans fats are processed fats in stick margarine and vegetable oils. We can find them in some baked goods and fried foods sold at some fast food restaurants.
Good unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which reduce the risk of disease. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish. For this reason, it is necessary to consume good fats and avoid bad fats for healthy aging.
Although saturated fats are not as harmful as trans fats, they affect health negatively. Therefore, they should be consumed in moderation. Foods that contain large amounts of saturated fat include red meat, butter, cheese and ice cream. Some plant-based oils, such as coconut oil and palm oil, are also rich in saturated fat.
Activate your brain -
As we age, our mental health is an important part of being able to live independently. Any activity that challenges our minds and requires us to learn new knowledge or skills is considered an exercise.
It has been found that reading books, learning a foreign language, and playing games with mental activity stimulate the brain. By actively working your brain, you can slow down the aging process in the brain.
Get enough sleep daily -
Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults.
7 to 9 hours every night. This is necessary for healthy aging.
It is a common misconception that our sleep decreases with age. In fact, research shows that our sleep needs remain constant throughout adulthood. So what keeps the elderly awake? Changes in our sleep patterns, called sleep architecture, occur as we age, and this can contribute to sleep problems.
Other factors that affect sleep are circadian rhythms that coordinate the timing of our bodily functions, including sleep. For example, older people tend to be more sleepy in the early evening and wake up earlier in the morning compared to younger adults. This pattern is called advanced sleep phase syndrome.
By shifting the sleep rhythm forward, 7-8 hours of sleep continues, but people wake up too early because they go to bed too early.
Go to bed early -
There is an old proverb - One hour before midnight is equal to three after. That's why sleep experts recommend going to bed early.
According to the body clock study, there are certain times when our body clock determines various processes that will take place in the hair and skin. Experts believe that from 20.00 to 23.00 is the time for hydration and stimulation, between 23.00-15.00 is the time for feeding and regeneration, and from 03.00 to 17.00 is the time to rest.
Underline -
The global population is aging rapidly, increasing the morbidity of age-related disease. Teenagers are the most attractive targets for anti-aging strategies. However, there are doubts as to whether aging processes can be detected in young adults who do not yet have chronic diseases. But experts say aging processes can be quantified in people who are still young enough to prevent age-related diseases, opening a new door for anti-aging strategies.
Stanford Medicine. "'Ageotypes' provide a window into how individuals age." Everyday Science. ScienceDaily, January 13, 2020.