More and more people these days are mindful of various age accelerators and are coming up with ways how to battle them. Aging faster or premature aging as described by Cleveland Clinic is “when the typical effects of growing older happen early. It’s when your body looks older than your actual age.” You can see it in their posture, pale skin tone, wrinkles, age spots, and more. But that is not all. Aging fast also greatly affects your health and not in a good way.
In order to counter the signs of aging, you need to know the root causes.
Here are the 10 aging accelerators and prevention
1. Bad food choices
Unhealthy eating or overeating is never good. It leads to weight loss and you’re putting yourself at risk for numerous diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more. Your body requires the right nutrients to function well.
Solution: Eat healthier and establish the right balance of nutrients coming into your body. Pair it up with daily exercise.
2. Poor sleep
According to Harvard Health Publishing, 1 in 5 Americans sleep less than 6 hours a night, which can result to serious health problems. People who don’t get enough sleep tend to feel weaker and harder to focus throughout the day. This is true even for teenagers and young adults.
Solution: Determine the factors that make it hard for you to go to sleep and start incorporating habits that can help you improve your sleep cycle and quality.
3. Stress
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Just like father time, stress is a natural part of life and everyone struggles with it. Unfortunately, there are those who deal with stress on a whole new level. The intensity of stress increases as we grow older. Over time, it will break through the body’s natural defences which will result in all sorts of physical and mental health.
Solution: Communicate your problems to people who can help you and never keep them on your own. Start pushing away factors in your life that bring you nothing but stress and focus more on things that can enrich your life.
4. Caffeine dependency
Enjoying a cup of coffee or tea from time to time is good and there are health benefits to it. However, caffeine dependency on a daily basis can result in different physical and mental health issues.
Solution: Keep your caffeine intake to a minimum and drink beverages that are good for you.
5. Addiction
Addiction towards drugs, alcohol, gambling, food, or whatever is never good. Addictions give you a false sense of happiness and satisfaction that quickly goes away. What you think is making you feel better is making you miss out on the best things in life and is destroying your life.
Solution: Admit the addiction and take the first step of wanting to change. Seek professional help and try your very best to replace bad addictions with good addictions like volunteering or exercising.
6. Smoking
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It is a heartbreak fact that there are children and teens who are smoking. Nicotine exposure at such a young age can result in lung diseases in the future. Young people who smoke also tend to have minimal stamina and difficulty breathing as if they are old. Smoking can also reduce people’s critical thinking and learning.
Solution: Stop smoking!
7. Inactivity or sitting
Sitting or inactivity is the new smoking. Just like all age accelerators in this list, inactivity or sitting can lead to serious health issues including heart disease and diabetes. Inactivity or sitting most hours of the day also results in mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
Solution: Exercise more and avoid sitting for long hours as much as you can.
8. Toxins
Exposure to toxins damages and destroys enzymes throughout the body that can result in weak bodily functions. According to the Institute for Natural Medicine, toxins damages not only enzymes but cell membranes, mineral structures, and organs in the body.
Solution: Stop consuming food or beverages that are filled with toxins. Avoid exposing yourself to harmful substances.
9. Alcohol consumption
Regular drinking of alcoholic beverages spells horror for your liver. Your liver is in charge of destroying harmful substances in and entering your body. Alcohol also damages the heart, pancreas, brain, and nervous system.
Solution: Drink responsibly and to a minimum.
10. Depression
Depression is a serious mental health disorder affecting millions of lives. If left untreated, depression or clinical depression can lead to insomnia, heart attack, fatigue, and more. Be mindful on how you deal with mental health issues and never be afraid to ask for help.
Solution: Share with family and friends what you are going through. Seek professional help.
