When it comes to staying healthy and young, some of the best things in life really are free. Sure, there are a lot of great supplements and super foods that can greatly enhance one’s ability to fight aging but there are some things we can do right now, to live longer and healthier.
Everyone who is striving to be healthier and live longer should do the following three things. By implementing these tips into your life you’ll not only feel better, you’ll have the energy to live the life you desire; and you’ll also be adding years to your life. Years that can be spent traveling, playing with your children and grandchildren, hiking, surfing, basically everything you have been put on this earth to do.
So, read on and then start doing these things today.
Tip #1: Reduce Stress. Stress is one of the biggest causes of sickness and death today. The saying “stress kills” is very true and we must do everything we can to eliminate as much stress from our lives as possible. I list this as the number one free thing we can (and should) do, because reducing stress forms the base of my anti aging regimen. There are a number of stress busting supplements and techniques that we can also use, and I’ll discuss those in the future. In my opinion, minimizing stress has to be done before anything else, including supplements and healthy foods, will be effective.
What Can We Do About This? It’s been shown that individuals who are happier live longer lives. From my personal experience, when I started living my life the way I wanted to, I started to feel healthier. I have had to develop a more laid back attitude, and I don’t worry about things anymore.
Here are some things you can do right now to reduce or eliminate stress in your life:
Avoid all of the unnecessary stress that you can. This means avoiding stressful people, learning how to say “no”, shortening your “to do” list, avoiding topics of conversation that typically lead to arguments such as politics and religion, and taking control of your life. That means avoiding the news if it makes you upset, or taking a different route to work or the store in times of heavy traffic.
Next, change the situation as much as possible. If someone or something is bothering you, make your feelings known in the moment rather than keep them to yourself. Learn to express yourself, and communicate in an open and respectful manner. Not expressing yourself can lead to anger and resentment and that is not a healthful way to live. Learn to be more assertive in your life and deal with problems head on. You can also learn to manage your time better and be willing to compromise whenever possible, always looking for a win-win situation.
The next thing to keep in mind is that if you can’t change the stressor change yourself instead. By changing your attitude and expectations, you can completely eliminate the hold a stressful situation has on you. Try looking at the bigger picture. This is something I do all of the time. Quite often, when looking at things from a wider perspective, things that seemed like big problems become quite small. Also, try to always focus on the positive things in your life. Sometimes, just taking a few moments to sit quietly and think about all of the things you’re grateful for can turn the whole day around.
Of course, it’s almost impossible to completely eliminate stressful situations altogether. There is always going to be something causing stress that may be unavoidable, such as the death of a loved one, a car accident, etc. When these types of things happen, try as best you can to accept what is happening. This will probably be difficult, but it’s far better than fighting against something that you can’t change. Always look for the upside, share your feelings, and learn to forgive.
Once you’ve gotten used to following these easy stress reduction techniques, you’ll find that you’re more relaxed and happy. It will take practice, but you can eliminate a great deal of stress from your life by following the tips mentioned above.
As important as these tips are, don’t forget to take time out for yourself and enjoy the things you love most. Be sure to take time to relax, laugh, play with your dog, spend quality time with friends, listen to music, or get a massage. And, of course, follow the healthiest lifestyle you possibly can.
Tip #2: Exercise. Another big cause of sickness and accelerated aging is leading a sedentary lifestyle. It’s been found recently that being sedentary is as big a risk to our health as smoking is. That’s a scary thought, because these days, most people sit all day at work, sit in the car on the way to and from work, and then sit on the couch for most of the evening.
What Can We Do About This? In my opinion, the first step to living a more active life starts with exercising for 20 to 30 minutes every morning. For some, that might mean taking a brisk walk, or jog. For others, that might mean doing heavy weight lifting, for others, yoga. For those who are in good shape and are looking to get the most benefit from working out, I recommend high intensity interval training, or HIIT. Because this form of exercise is so intense, this only needs to be done two or three days a week. I do this with sprinting, but it can be adapted to other forms of exercise such as jumping rope, the stationary bike, or even the elliptical machine. Basically you sprint, jump rope, etc., as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds followed by 90 seconds of rest. Do this 6 – 8 times and you’re done! It may not sound like much, but it’s very difficult and you’ll definitely feel it when you’re finished. For the other 4 or 5 days that you’re not doing HIIT, do other types of exercise that you enjoy, just be sure to stay active. Exercising regularly will help you to fight disease, increase youthful hormone levels, improve your mood, and overall, will make you an age fighting champion!
Now that we’ve gotten off to a great start each morning with an invigorating workout, what do we do the rest of the day? If you cannot stand during work, be sure to get up every 30 to 40 minutes and walk, or stretch for a few minutes. Remember to do this throughout the day, and you’ll be counteracting the negative effects of having to sit down during the workday. In the evening, as you’re enjoying your favorite show, or reading, just remember to get up and walk around for a few minutes each hour, walk the dog, do chores, etc. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion, so once you get used to being active it will become a habit and you’ll always want to get up and get moving. As long as you stay active you’ll be fighting aging and feeling awesome!
Tip #3: Eat Less Protein. The benefits of calorie restriction are numerous, and include prevention of chronic diseases, and maintaining biological and metabolic functioning at youthful levels. Calorie restriction has been shown to greatly extend the lives of different animal species, and all of the evidence points to it being beneficial for humans too. However, the big problem with eating a low calorie diet is we feel lethargic, look unhealthy, and basically starve ourselves.
What Can We Do About This? Instead of greatly limiting our calories we can just eat less protein instead. Emerging evidence is pointing towards protein restriction providing the same benefits as calorie restriction. Additionally, doing protein fasts, which last anywhere from 18 – 24 hours on average, have been shown to promote autophagy. What is autophagy? It’s a beneficial cellular cleansing process during which the body starts recycling junk proteins inside the cell to meet protein needs. This is a very important process, and is a necessary step in the fight against aging. For me, I generally eat a normal amount of protein during the week, not too much and not too little. Usually I eat around 50 or 60 grams per day 5 or 6 days per week, then I protein fast for 1 or 2 days. It’s also thought that by going without protein in this manner that the protein we do eat is processed and utilized much better by the body.
These are 3 of my favorite free things to do right now to fight aging and prevent disease. There are likely many more things one can do with little or no financial outlay, please feel free to list your favorites in the comment section. I welcome all comments and questions and thrive on your feedback!
About the Author
Troy Pratt is a lifelong natural health enthusiast. After being inspired by his grandfather at the age of 12, he has gone on to study natural health and anti aging for over 3 decades. He is passionate about helping others to achieve great health and fight aging. Please visit him at http://www.antiaginghero.com.
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