According to Andrew Steele, an aging scientist extraordinaire, the effect biology has on us as we age seems so far away we don’t even think about it. We may drink in excess, put off eating healthier, and tell ourselves we’ll go to the gym next week. But he knows that science tells us, indefinitely, that we have to start now if we want to live longer and better in our older age. Having a healthy diet, exercising more often, and not smoking are all ways that we can stop reverse aging in its tracks. It stops inflammation and the degradation of telomeres on our DNA, or the caps that protect our life code from being destroyed, according to the U.S. Library of Health. Even getting a fast in a few times a week has been proven to help with this.
But Andrew says there are actually some other things that lead to inflammation and aging. Things that if we ignore too often can lead to disease. These are the surprising habits that can reverse aging, and most of us already do them today. Keep reading for more science-backed strategies on how we can live longer, healthier, and more active lives as we get older.
The 3 Simple Ways You Can Reverse Aging Starting Right Now
1) Taking care of your teeth
So it’s not just for avoiding cavities and your dental health, it turns out. Andrew Steele says that brushing your teeth can stop many things, including heart disease and dementia. It’s all about inflammation once again. If you have an excess of bacteria in your mouth, it can cause tooth decay and gum disease while messing with your immune system. But by brushing your teeth, you can reverse aging by stopping that inflammation. Oh and yeah, once a day is not enough! The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes and using toothpaste with fluoride. You got this!
2) Staying active
This one is pretty important too. Staying active reduces inflammation, boosts the production of collagen cells, and so much more. Those telomeres we were talking about? Those who had regular physical activity had telomeres that were nine years younger than those who didn’t, this study found. Your muscles also have more mitochondria when you exercise, and those are responsible for having more energy. 15 minutes is all it takes to increase your life expectancy by three years. If you’re doing HIIT and/or high-intensity workouts, that can be increased to 10 years. We’re definitely going to get on top of this now!
3) Getting good sleep
You need to be getting good sleep in order for this to work out. Sleep is actually when your brain flushes out toxins, like those that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Andrew Steele says that you need to be sleeping just enough for this to work out too. Too much sleep is associated with an even more increased chance of death than getting less sleep. He says that you should prioritize sleep hygiene so that you get the best rest ever. What does that mean? Well, first off, it means getting off of your phone before you go to bed! You should also not have caffeine or alcohol before you hit the hay. These habits will help you sleep better and longer, so you can increase your life expectancy and feel better doing it. We’ll definitely be hitting the hay more now.
