Turn Back the Clock on Your Age!

Spring forward to a healthier you! Here are 5 behaviors mentioned frequently by anti-aging experts which can help you turn back the clock:

Move More Even a little bit of activity can extend our life, reduce the chances of being overweight, reduce stress and maybe even ward off Alzheimer’s disease. The first step is to make the decision to be more active! Then work your way up to the exercise level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: moderate-intensity activity such as walking for 30 minutes or more, five or more days a week.

Stop Smoking More than one-fifth of U.S. adults, or 46 million people, still smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To reduce your risk of cancer and early wrinkling, grab some over-the-counter nicotine gum. Nicotine gum and other replacement treatments such as the patch up the odds of quitting by two times compared to relying on willpower alone.

Conquer Stress We’ve long known excess stress lowers our immunity, boosts the risk of heart disease and generally makes us feel crummy. Research now tells us that too much stress also triggers premature aging of the immune system. To unwind? The first step is realizing you are stressed and noticing the signs — you might feel your heart racing, or feel sweaty or nauseous. The short-term way to reduce stress is to do deep breathing, what is called diaphragmatic breathing. The longer-term fix is to make time in your life to do things that reduce stress. https://www.stress.org/

Get a Good Night’s Sleep Think being sleep deprived is a badge of honor? Think again! Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and memory problems, even in young adults. Take action to set up your bedroom so it’s a sleeper’s paradise. Suggestions include keeping TVs, laptop computers and other distractions out of the bedroom. The National Sleep Foundation offers tip on how to design an ideal sleep environment: https://sleepfoundation.org/

Achieve a Healthy Weight Excess weight boosts the chances of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer, yet over 60% of adult Americans weigh too much. The latest research suggests the type of diet you choose is less important than your vow to stick with it. The key to success: pick an eating style that fits your life, and stick with it.