How to Age More Gracefully
10 min read
Essential Takeaways
- Aging more gracefully starts with making healthy choices right now.
- Getting older isn’t a bad thing.
I get that the term “aging” is scary (trust me, I really do), but aging isn’t necessarily a bad thing–I actually think it’s beautiful to know that I’ve been on this earth for 38 years and my body has special traits to represent that.
With that being said, if you’re like me and want to age more gracefully so you can look and feel your best, keep reading to learn my best-kept aging secrets:
Aging more gracefully can be as simple as adopting these healthy, everyday habits.
1. Be kind to your skin (and protect it).
Your skin is your body’s largest organ¹. When properly taken care of, your skin can better protect your body from harmful threats such as moisture, the cold, the sun’s rays, germs, and other toxic substances.
To keep your skin looking and functioning optimally:
Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and protective clothing when outside. According to a recent study², the daily application of a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen can help fade age spots, improve skin texture, and flatten out wrinkles by 20 percent in three months. And remember: it’s essential to use sunscreen every day, not just when you’re at the beach!
Be consistent with your skincare routine.
As you age, your skin cells can’t be replaced by new cells as quickly³, which means your skin is more prone to drying. A consistent skincare routine where you cleanse and moisturize daily are great ways to help get dead cells off your skin and cleanse it of any natural oils, pollutants, or accumulated bacteria.
Consider switching to a silk pillowcase.
While no clinical evidence confirms that a silk pillowcase is better for your skin, many skin care enthusiasts claim that switching to a silk pillowcase may prevent wrinkles because silk fibers have antibacterial properties at the micro level⁴.
2. Exercise regularly.
Regular exercise can help improve brain health, reduce diseases, strengthen bones and muscles, and help you maintain mobility. Regular exercise is also shown to lower stress and improve sleep, which you need to do if you want to age more gracefully!
Some of my favorite forms of exercise:
2.5 to 5 hours per week of moderate exercise
- Muscle-strengthening exercises such as weight lifting or resistance training
- Walking
- Swimming
- Cycling
3. Lower alcohol consumption and quit smoking
Studies show that alcohol can cause oxidative stress⁵ and damage DNA in a way that can lead to premature aging. Limit your alcohol intake or stop altogether to avoid these health risks and stop signs of premature aging.
4. Eat a nutritious diet.
An unbalanced and high-fat diet is a leading cause of aging skin because it delays the healing of the skin⁶ by promoting skin oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.
Incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk products into your diet is recommended. Adding a variety of protein foods such as seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, and legumes (beans and peas) is a great way to get your protein in. If you’re a snacker like me, try switching out chips with whole-food products like fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Being mindful of what you put into your body is the way to go when it comes to aging gracefully (and you’ll feel a lot better, too!)
5. Drink plenty of water
Drinking enough water is beneficial for health, especially in anti-aging terms. Studies show that drinking more than two liters of water daily significantly affects skin physiology⁷ and promotes deep hydration of the skin.
6. Take care of your mental health.
Stress can take a toll on us in various ways. The effects vary, running from premature wrinkles to a higher risk of heart disease.
Try relieving stress through these proven ways:
- Using relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises
- Exercising regularly
- Getting enough sleep (Psst! If you need help achieving longer, more natural, and better sleep, try Cymbiotika’s Sleep formula)
7. Practice mindfulness.
Studies show⁸ that mindfulness can promote cognitive, emotional, and physiological benefits. When we practice mindfulness, we’re practicing the art of creating space for ourselves—space to think and breathe between ourselves and our reactions. More importantly, it allows us to embrace the inevitable changes of growing old while remaining active and engaged in our lives.
By practicing mindfulness, we can shift our mindset and live with more passion, purpose, creativity, and joy.
Takeaway
It’s no secret that aging brings natural changes to our bodies, including hair, skin, heart, muscles, and brain. But aging gracefully is more about being healthy than keeping wrinkles at bay–it’s about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, surrounding yourself with people you love, and doing things that bring you joy.
Cheers!
Love,
Mary
Mary Adams
Author
As a lifestyle writer and health enthusiast, I’m excited to bring my passion for storytelling to Cymbiotika. Two things you should know about me: I love interior decorating, and I’m obsessed with supplements. My kitchen counter literally overflows with supplements and powders. This passion led me to buy my first Cymbiotika product. I tried the Liposomal Magnesium L-Threonate and was so impressed by how it gave me more energy and cleared up my brain fog that I wanted to share this brand with as many people as possible. Shortly after, I’m here doing just that. I’m excited to be on this journey of better health with Cymbiotika, and I’m excited to share it with you here on the blog.
Reviewed by: Dr. Pejman Taghavi
Medical Director, Hollywood Healthcare
Clinical Instructor, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
Dr. Pejman Taghavi is a specialist in the field of Diagnostic and Interventional Abdominal and Musculoskeletal Radiology. As medical director of Hollywood Healthcare and faculty at UCLA Medical Center, Dr. Taghavi offers extensive expertise in the field of radiology, with publications in the Society of Skeletal Radiology and Chicago Radiological Society, among others. Dr. Taghavi is passionate about the healing of muscles and joints without relying on oral pain medications. Dr. Taghavi has experience working with high-level athletes from the LA Lakers, LA Dodgers, and UCLA Bruins.
Sources:
1. NCBI. How Does Skin Work?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279255/
2. NIH. Daily Use of a Facial Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Over One Year Significantly Improves Clinical Evaluation of Photoaging
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27749441/
3. NIH. Characteristics of the Aging Skin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3840548/
4. NIH. Facts and myths of antibacterial properties of silk.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23784754/
5. NIH. Facts about aging and alcohol.
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/facts-about-aging-and-alcohol
6. NCBI. Importance of Nutrients and Nutrient Metabolism on Human Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6020734/
7. NIH. Diet and Skin Aging—From the Perspective of Food Nutrition
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23784754/
8. NIH. Mindfulness Training for Healthy Aging: Impact on Attention, Well-Being, and Inflammation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5289973/
