avatarEP McKnight, MEd

Summary

The article outlines 12 practical steps for looking younger and improving overall health, emphasizing lifestyle changes such as stress management, adequate sleep, regular physical activity, social engagement, and a positive mindset.

Abstract

The article "How to Look Younger in 12 Easy Steps" provides a comprehensive guide to reversing the aging process through lifestyle adjustments. It underscores the detrimental effects of stress and the importance of sufficient, quality sleep for bodily rejuvenation. The piece also advocates for reducing sedentary behavior by incorporating walking into daily routines and maintaining an active social life to enhance mental and physical well-being. Other recommendations include managing blood pressure, practicing mindfulness, using sunscreen, engaging in regular sexual activity, and finding purpose in life. The author suggests that these steps not only contribute to a youthful appearance but also promote longevity and a happier, healthier life.

Opinions

  • The author believes that stress is a significant factor in aging and health decline, advocating for stress reduction techniques to maintain youthfulness.
  • Sleep is highly valued by the author, who posits that consistent, quality rest is essential for healing and maintaining a younger biological age.
  • Excessive sitting is seen as harmful to health and longevity, with the author suggesting periodic movement to mitigate its effects.
  • Walking is emphasized as a simple yet effective exercise to improve health and longevity.
  • A vibrant social life is considered crucial for mental and physical health, as well as for living a longer, happier life.
  • The author expresses that controlling hypertension through lifestyle choices is vital for adding years to one's life.
  • A positive attitude, including smiling often, is believed to make individuals appear younger and feel happier.
  • Regular sexual activity is touted as a way to look and feel younger due to its effects on circulation and skin elasticity.
  • Having a sense of purpose in life is presented as a key factor in increasing lifespan and improving health outcomes.
  • The use of sunscreen is recommended to prevent skin aging caused by sun damage.
  • The author's perspective is that making intentional lifestyle choices can significantly influence how one ages and their overall health.

How to Look Younger 12 Easy Steps

Transformational Life Lesson to Look and Feel Better

Do’s and don’ts to add years to your life or take away years from your life. Change your lifestyle, change your longevity! The mirror becomes your friend.

Photo by Vitalii Pavlyshynets on Unsplash
Photo by EPMcKnight

Where there is a will there is a way!! We are born with all the tools we need to live a healthy and wholesome life. As the cares of life continues, we often loose sight of the basics that got us to a very healthy state and settle for quick fixes that don’t last.

Well, it’s time to go back to the basics and turn back the hand of time on your biological clock. Ladies and men, you can finally stop racing against the your biological clock but control it with your lifestyle instead.

Following are a 12 Steps to living a happier, healthier and younger looking life. It all happens with the doing and not just knowing and reading. Reverse the aging clock, a choice.

Photo by RODOLFO BARRETO on Unsplash
  1. STRESS — Stress is a destroyer of the internal and the external body. Stress has been known to cause many medical issues that can and will age you. Some like to tout their high stress level, this is not a compliment to your body. Stress has it’s place and in small doses make assist in completing a task but large doses is unhealthy all the way around.

5 Facts about Stress (and 17 Ways to Deal with It)

  • Your adrenal glands pump adrenaline, which raises your heart rate, your blood pressure, and increases the amount of sugar in your blood. …
  • Stress kills brain cells; a calm environment permits their growth. …
  • Stress is associated with depression and anxiety. …
  • Your immune system doesn’t work as well as it should.

2. SLEEP — is not highly overrated. Sleep allows the body to rest and rejuvenate itself. The body is designed to heal itself with enough rest. Over sleeping and under sleeping could equally be damaging to the body. While the body needs rest, it also needs movement. Being sedentary is not healthy for the body especially physically. Getting your proper rest can keep you younger, hence your biological age. With sleep be consistent, find your sleep rhythm and/or change your bedtime.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Why is getting enough sleep important?

  • Get sick less often.
  • Stay at a healthy weight.
  • Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
  • Reduce stress and improve your mood.
  • Think more clearly and do better in school and at work.
  • Get along better with people.
Photo by Roland Hechanova on Unsplash

3. SITTING — Sitting too much constantly can age you. Also, may affect circulation in your legs for example. Ever notice on an airplane, how passengers will stand or walk around. Sitting has it’s place but not too much at any given times. If you must sit, get up and walk around for a few minutes periodically will this will have a big impact on your aging.

There’s evidence that shows adults who sit less throughout the day have a lower risk of early death, particularly from heart disease. Sedentary behavior is associated with increased risk of being overweight, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, per The Heart Foundation.

4. WALKING — At least 20 minutes of walking daily will make a big improvement in your longevity and health and aging.

Health benefits of walking

  • increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness.
  • reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes.
  • stronger bones and improved balance.

5. A Beneficial Social Life — A healthy social life with strong relationships can help keep you “young.”

The Benefits of an Active Social Life

Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash
  • Increased physical health. Seniors who engage in relationships tend to be more active, improving their physical health through their social activities. …
  • Boosted immune system. …
  • More positive outlook on life. …
  • Improved mental sharpness. …
  • Longer, happier lives.

6. BORDERLINE HYPERTENSION — High blood pressure is a killer and ages the body. Low blood pressure adds longevity to your life. Physical movement, proper sleep, diet, less stress along with social encounters may assist in keeping blood pressure down.

7. A Smiling Face — Put on a happy face Smiling reduces stress and makes you feel more positive. More to the point, researchers found that people who smile are often perceived as being younger than their actual age, while people who frown appear to be older than they really are. So, turn that frown upside down and put on a happy face. The more you smile, the happier you’ll feel. Smiling reduces stress and makes you feel more positive and happier.

8. Regular together with friends — Schedule time with friends to do leisure. This will keep you young and healthy. One study has shown that having strong friendships can actually help you live longer, be healthier, and feel more youthful. In an important study, found that people who had strong social connections had lower measures of obesity, inflammation, and high blood pressure.

9. Sunscreen — Will help and prevent the skin from aging. The sun will severely damage your skin making it leathery like with sunspots and wrinkles. Recommended, A broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen from your local drug store.

10. Have sex — Experts say that having sex regularly can make you look younger and feel up to 7 years younger. It boost the endorphins, boosting circulation, and releasing human growth hormone, which makes the skin look more elastic.

11. Have a purpose in life — Having a purpose in life may help you live longer. The stronger the purpose significantly lowered the risk of morality. A purpose driven life stimulates goals, promote healthy behaviors and adds meaning to life.

In conclusion, you can win the aging fight if you don’t make the effort. Your body wants you to treat it good and it will be good to you. Live your best life starting today!!

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