Age is an inevitable consequence of living, but lifestyle choices and healthy habits greatly influence the rate at which people age, according to the Northwestern Health Sciences University website. For many, a decline in health and physical function is expected, and some doctors may assure patients that physical and mental decline is a natural part of the aging process. While many anti-aging specialists emphasize treatment and reversal of age-related disease, it is possible to live a vital and productive life well into old age without medical intervention.
Lifestyle
Heart disease, diabetes and arthritis are examples of chronic diseases often associated with a natural part of the aging process. When management of a disease is emphasized over the underlying cause of the problem, factors that contribute to the progression and outcome of the disease may be ignored. Healthy lifestyle choices that include proper nutrition, adequate hydration and exercise can be made at anytime during the lifespan, and may delay and in some cases reverse the symptoms of aging. In a 2008 study reported in the April 10, 2008 online edition of the “British Journal of Sports Medicine,” researchers from the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, found a regular aerobic exercise program can slow or even reverse the biological aging process by as much as 12 years. The researchers speculate that the increased oxygen intake obtained through aerobic exercise improves muscle tone and balance, reduces the risk of serious disease and injury and promotes faster recovery and healing.
Stress and Attitude
It is well known that inadequate sleep, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption contribute to wear and tear on the body and can speed the aging process. People under stress may be more inclined to turn to overeating and bad habits in an attempt to calm feelings of anxiety.
Although use of drugs may provide short-term relief, when the cause of stress is not addressed, the body remains in a hyperactive fight-or-flight condition that may raise the risk of heart disease, autoimmune disorders and cancer.
Scientific studies continue to suggest one’s attitudes about aging may have a direct affect on the aging process. People who feel young may have more confidence in their abilities and less concern about getting old. In a joint study conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, researchers found that people who feel younger than their chronological age are less likely to become ill or die.
Diet
The so-called American junk food diet consisting of soft drinks and processed foods is detrimental to overall health and may accelerate the aging process. Sugar, white flour and pre-packaged meals have little nutritional value and deplete the body of the vitamins and nutrients necessary for a healthy body and mind. Sugar-sweetened sodas are the primary source of calories in the American diet, according to the results of a nutrition survey reported in the New Times. Phosphorus, a major component of many soft drinks, is an important mineral necessary to maintain healthy bones. However, if phosphate levels are disproportionate to other minerals in the body, toxicity can occur. According to research conducted by the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and reported in Science Daily, the life span of mice fed a high-phosphate diet was considerably shorter in comparison to those with regular phosphate levels.
References
- Northwestern Health Sciences University: Find Balance, Healthy Aging
- Science Daily: Maintain Aerobic Fitness Could Delay Biological Aging By Up To 12 Years, Study Shows
- Science Daily: Old As You Want To Be: Study Finds Most Seniors Feel Younger
- New York Times: In Summer’s Heat, Watch What You Drink
- ScienceDaily: Early Death by Junk Food?
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