My mom recently turned 54 this month. One of the things that amazes me is that she has aged quite gracefully and still looks like she’s just in her late 30s or early 40s.
I would like to age gracefully too and hopefully, live longer as well. But there are no secrets to turn back Father Time. However, for leading anti-aging researcher Dr. Aubrey de Grey, aging, like disease, is a preventable phenomenon because aging is a side effect of being alive.
Dr. de Grey believes that it is possible to extend longevity and live beyond the estimated maximum life span of 120 years because there is no “death gene.” We don’t die because we have a biological clock counting down to death, but because by nature, our bodies don’t promote self-healing past a certain point.
According to Dr. de Grey, the seven major causes of aging are:
• cell loss – some cells in the body cannot be replaced and the decrease in cell number weakens the heart as you age, impairs the immune system and also causes Parkinson’s disease
• death resistant cells or cell senescence – a phenomenon where your cells become unable to divide but also do not die and allow other cells to divide
• nuclear DNA mutations – can lead to cancer
• mitochondrial DNA mutations – may accelerate the aging process and affect normal cell functions
• intracellular junk – harmful proteins and other molecules that are no longer useful and are not broken down properly by your cells accumulate and cause atherosclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases
• extracellular junk – harmful junk proteins can also accumulate outside of your cells, like the amyloid plaque in the brains of those with Alzheimer’s disease
• extracellular crosslinks – which link cells that should be kept separated, causing tissues to lose elasticity, leading to diseases like arteriosclerosis.
Recent studies suggest that only one in every 10,000 people will live to see 100. So what can one do to live longer?
For Dr. Mercola, healthy lifestyle principles are your primary weapon to fight the effects of aging and will help you live your life to the fullest.
Here are Dr. Mercola’s nine top tips to beat aging and live longer:
• Maintain normal insulin and leptin levels. – There’s no way you can slow down the aging process if you have elevated insulin and leptin levels. Insulin is the culprit behind those bulging stomachs, love handles and fat rolls in thighs and chins and is stimulated by too much carbohydrates (grains, starches and sweets) in the diet.
• Eat according to your Nutritional Type – For Dr. Mercola, nutrition is all about feeding your body with the right types of food based on your unique needs.
• Increase your omega-3 fat intake – Ever wondered why the Japanese have the highest life expectancy rate in the world? Experts believe that the high fish diet (which yields optimized levels of omega-3 fats) is an important factor that contributes to the longevity of the people of Japan.
• Eat foods rich with antioxidants – Blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes are some foods that are good sources of antioxidants, which have been shown to have anti-aging benefits.
• Use coconut oil – Coconut oil is the healthiest and smartest oil you can use. It’s edible, can be applied directly to your skin and is used to replace other oils, margarine, butter, or shortening. It helps you lose weight and/or manage your ideal weight, helps lower your cholesterol levels and helps protect you from heart disease.
• Get resveratrol from natural sources – Resveratrol is the powerful antioxidant found in red wine but since alcohol is a harmful neurotoxin, it’s not a good idea to get resveratrol from wine. You can get resveratrol naturally from whole grape skins and seeds, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts.
• Exercise – A lifetime of exercise will go a long way in the fight against aging. Studies show that regular, moderate-to-vigorous exercise can help prevent or delay hypertension, obesity, heart disease and osteoporosis, and falls that may cause hip fracture. It’s never too late to start because you can still substantially increase your strength and endurance with exercise even if you’re in your 70’s.
• Avoid chemicals, toxins, and pollutants – Check if your household cleaning liquids, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides and insecticides contain harmful ingredients.
• Avoid over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription drugs – Almost 100 people die yearly due to overdose of OTC drugs and around 65,000 end up in the emergency room due to OTC drug misuse. These stats still don’t include the death count from prescription drugs! Don’t reach for your medicine cabinet for every ache and pain; there are natural ways to painkillers and anti-inflammatories. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, chances are you won’t need to take any drugs.
There are no shortcuts to good health but the fight against aging need not be a losing effort on your part. The sooner you take control of your own health, the better your chances are of turning back the hands of time.
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