1. Reduce Inflammation
Caused by an immune response, inflammation is the body’s reaction to an invader or irritant. Here are some ways to reduce inflammation:
- Eliminate irritants in your diet (such as sugar)
- Eat healthy fats
- Get enough sleep
- Avoiding environmental exposures (sunlight and smoking)
Using these techniques, we can slow down many of the effects of aging. Low-grade inflammation has been linked to wrinkles, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and many other health problems.
2. Lifestyle
It is no secret that we control a big part of how our bodies function. We accelerate the aging process if we:
- smoke
- eat poorly
- drink heavily
- don’t exercise
- get overstressed
- don’t sleep enough
We can do ourselves a big favor by doing an “inventory” of our life to see where we can improve our lifestyle and keep our body function the best that it can for the long term.
3. Hormones
Many of the hormones that keep us functioning at our peak decline as we age. These include:
- estrogen
- progesterone
- testosterone
- DHEA
- thyroid
- human growth hormone
Some experts claim that by supplementing these hormones as we age, we can slow down the aging process and improve health. However, this approach is controversial and has been linked with other health problems (for example, estrogen replacement therapy has been linked to cardiovascular events and breast cancer). Any hormone therapy must be overseen by a physician.
4. Antioxidants
Antioxidants protect us against free-radicals, which are often considered the main culprit in the aging process. Antioxidants such as:
- vitamins A, C, E
- glutathione
- alpha lipoic acid
5. Detoxification
Closely linked to the ideas behind reducing inflammation, detoxification strives to rid the body of toxins and restore equilibrium. This can be done in many ways, including through diet and exercise.
Source: NewBeauty Magazine, Fall/Winter 2006
