I believe that aging gracefully has everything to do with our inner attitude and gratitude toward life. It means staying curious and living a fit and vital life.
A good place to start is to consider how fit, young, and vital you are today? But what, exactly, does vitality mean? Vitality means the state of being strong and active; energy.
It seems to me that a vital life is a life well lived on the inside as well as the outside. Because a vital woman exudes outer confidence while maintaining an inner beauty. Over the next few weeks and months to come, I’d like to visit what it means to lead a fit, young and vital life. What it truly means to age with strength, beauty, and grace.
Let’s start with 7 important habits to aging well!
Maintain a positive attitude.
You are what you think you are when it comes to aging. People who think of age as a means to wisdom and overall satisfaction are more than 40% more likely to recover from a disability than those who see aging as synonymous with helplessness or uselessness.
You are what you eat.
Nutrition plays a major role in how your body ages. “The latest research shows that a low-glycemic diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein is healthiest. One great example is the Mediterranean diet, rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, nuts, and red wine (in moderation!). It also involves eating fish twice each week and cutting back on salt. Research shows that this type of diet may help you age better by warding off heart attacks, strokes, and premature death, according to Harvard Medical School. An added bonus: foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, salmon, and flaxseed, help your skin manufacture the essential oils it needs to protect itself and can help skin look younger.
And how much you eat.
Overeating may lead to a shorter life span, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. To age well and live longer, it’s best to stick to a balanced diet that consists of about 2.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 to two cups of fruit, six ounces of grains, three cups of dairy, and five ounces of protein each day.
Exercise regularly. Staying fit is imperative. It’s reported that it may also reduce age-related memory loss, as well. Plus, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for approximately 60 to 70 percent of all dementia cases, adding that increasing physical activity can decrease this statistic by 25 percent. That’s because exercise strengthens the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning.
Stay social.
Friends and relatives can help you live longer. Those of us with strong social ties were shown to have a 50 percent higher chance of living longer than those with poor or insufficient relationships.
Protect your skin from the sun.
Too much time in the sun can cause wrinkles, not to mention cancer. Wearing sunscreen can help prevent your skin’s aging. And while the sun’s UV rays do trigger vitamin D production, which is essential for bone health, that’s hardly a good reason to expose yourself.
Get plenty of sleep.
You probably know that you should snooze for seven to nine hours each night. But did you know that not sleeping enough may mean a higher risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Plus, naps can improve memory and even help make up for missing nightly Zzs. And it turns out that “beauty sleep” isn’t a myth. During sleep, your body releases a growth hormone that helps restore collagen and elastin, the essential building blocks of young, healthy skin, says Benabio. I hope these tips help on your aging journey, and as we move further into this year, I will continue to talk about what aging looks like, and how to age well. We got this!
XO,
Ali
