If I told you you could potentially live longer by adopting 5 simple habits to slow aging, would you believe me? Maybe not at first. After all, it does seem like something out of a science fiction novel. Or something that is generations away, at the very least. However, as unbelievable as it might sound, science has proven that there are definite ways you can delay growing older physically. And no, you won’t need to be a billionaire to do it. You just need to make a few lifestyle changes—and stick to it.
I found out the secret to the fountain of youth—or that we are actually, seriously, close to it—from this video by Veritasium. It’s a 21-minute long clip that I would really recommend watching. In it, our host talks with Dr. David Sinclair, a biologist and genetics professor who is best known for his works on why we age and how to slow (and maybe even reverse) it.
Dr. Sinclair is also the author of Lifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To (which I am planning to get a copy of). Not sure about you, but if looks are any evidence, I’d say Dr. Sinclair has proved his studies work. He does not look 52 at all! I wonder what skincare products he uses? LOL.
Kidding aside however, he has made some amazing and pretty groundbreaking discoveries, which he touches on in the interview. But if you’re just interested in ways to stop growing older right now, read on. These simple habits to slow aging are doable for most people, and might surprise you as things you’ve known all along. Fair bit of warning though, while they are simple, they are not necessarily easy.
1. Stay young by avoiding DNA damage
The vampires had it right all along. Avoid the sun at all costs! Just kidding. Of course not. We still need sunshine for vitamin D, mental health, and other benefits. But moderation is key, as in everything. It’s best to avoid going out from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the sun’s rays are the strongest. If you’re heading outdoors, wear protective clothing like hats or shades. And if you don’t want to look like a prune-y version of yourself in the near future, don’t skip the sunscreen.
Avoid other forms of DNA-damaging radiation if you can as well, such as x-rays and CT scans. It seems there are a lot of adverse effects to these, so only get them when absolutely necessary.
I also did some research on microwaves since I know a lot of us use them on a daily basis. According to livescience.com, microwaves are a type of non-ionizing radiation, unlike x-rays and gamma rays. This type of radiation, like radio waves, are not known to damage DNA. Though there is a risk of getting burns and cataracts if you are exposed to microwaves, it is very low and only happens if there are large radiation amounts leaking through openings. So as long as you don’t use microwaves with damaged doors or holes, you’re okay. Just to be sure, don’t stand close to it while it’s operating. Food won’t heat up faster that way anyway.
2. Age less by *suprise* eating less
The second tip to age less is where it starts to get hard for most of us. It’s because it involves saying no to buffets and yes to being hungry more often. Yep, one of the ways to slow aging is to eat less.
According to Dr. Sinclair, this is the one surefire way to stay healthy longer and maximize your lifespan right now. This is because fasting can activate our sirtuins (a group of “longevity genes”) that, simply put, serve to keep us alive longer when we’re under threat. Plus, there have been numerous studies over the years proving that eating less is linked to living longer.
A city that proves this theory is Okinawa, Japan, which has 68 centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants. This is thrice the numbers found in U.S. populations of the same size, according to this article. Before meals, Okinawans say “Hara hachi bu“, a Confucian mantra which reminds them to stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full.
Even though it’s hard to restrict our calorie count, we can definitely do so if we put our minds to it. You don’t obviously have to start by skipping meals entirely, but maybe begin by reducing the amount of food you eat (do like the Okinawans do and follow the 80% rule) or lengthening the time between meals. Eventually, maybe you could try intermittent fasting, which Dr. Sinclair practices personally. Consult your doctor before doing any of these, just to be safe. You want to make sure you don’t get any nutrient deficiencies or other problems!
Thinking of the many benefits (other than living longer and healthier) can be a motivation to restrict calories as well. You spend less, save time from not cooking as often, and maybe even get to your ideal weight if you’re not already there. If you want to track your calories, try using an app to make it easier. I’ve been using Asken Diet for more than 6 months now and it’s worked great for me.
3. Change your diet to slow aging
It’s not just the quantity of food that we have to control, it’s the type as well. One of the simple habits to slow aging is to eat less protein.
According to Dr. Sinclair, meat and dairy activate an enzyme in the body called mTOR, which is associated with shorter lifespans. Also, there have been studies that eating protein-rich foods with high levels of sulphur amino acids, like meat, dairy and nuts can increase our risk of cardiovascular disease. Processed meat like bacon, ham, and hot dogs are even worse and are linked to cancer and early death. Who knew that bacon was a killer?
So what do we eat then? Opt for a more plant-heavy diet. You don’t have to skip the meat totally, but definitely lessen it if you want to live longer. Beans are the mainstay for most centenarians, or people over 100 years old, in the Blue Zones—five places in the world (Okinawa is one) with the highest life expectancy. On average, they only eat meat five times per month. It turns out, vegans may have the last laugh as they tend to live longer than omnivores.
4. Stay youthful by exercising
Just when you thought it couldn’t get harder, one of the simple habits to slow aging is to exercise. “Exercise turns on the genes to make us young again at a cellular level,” Dr. Sinclair says in this article.
As we grow older, we lose as much as 15% of our total muscle mass, and tend to lose bone density and mobility as well. Being physically active is necessary to combat this decline. According to many health sites, the goal is to do 30 minutes of moderate activity daily. This translates to a heart rate that’s 55-70% of your maximum.
It seems the most beneficial type of exercise for longevity is high intensity interval training, or HIIT. This raises your heart rate to 75-80% of your maximum. “Make your body feel like you’re running from a lion,” says Derek Muller, host of Veritasium’s video above.
Related:
How To Overcome Excuses Not to Exercise
From The Couch To The Treadmill: Why I Started Exercising
And if that’s not possibly enough to get you up and going, working out has amazing benefits on your mental and emotion health too! In fact, exercise can lead to a balanced life.
The key is to start slow and incorporate as much movement as you can into your daily life, from taking the stairs instead of the elevator, vacuuming yourself instead of getting a robot to do it for you, etc. Then you can transition to adding workouts into your week and eventually into most days. Here’s how you can start exercising—and stick to it!
5. Age less by getting comfortable with the discomfort
“Our genes didn’t evolve for a life of pampered comfort.” These are the words of Dr. Sinclair in this interview. It figures, since none of the the above ways to slow aging are remotely easy. The next tip to age less is no different: get uncomfortably cold or hot.
Similar to the methods above, exposing ourselves to temperatures above or below the ones we’re used to engages our survival circuit, so to speak. It could be due to hormesis, or the concept of introducing stresses to the body to help prepare it for future, stronger stressors. This is basically how vaccines work.
There are numerous benefits to cold exposure aside from longevity, strengthened nervous and immune systems included. For heat exposure, usually done via saunas, there are some benefits but fewer studies on it.
Before you take an ice bath right now, however, do note that you might die. So don’t do anything extreme, because that will only do more harm than good. Instead, apply it in small doses like ending your showers with colder water than usual or sleeping with a lower temperature than you’re used to. Don’t push it and stay on the safe side.
It’s essential to apply the hormesis principles carefully, not abruptly. Seek advice from your doctor, or at the very least listen to your body. Less is more, in every sense of the word in this context.
Ready to apply these simple habits to slow aging?
And there you have it. The secret to long life isn’t so secret anymore, after all. The best thing is that most of us can work towards it. We don’t need to be billionaires or winners in the genetic lottery to lead long and healthy lives.
Does this really come as a surprise though? Doctors and health experts have been telling us to exercise and eat healthy all this time. We know that anything in excess is not good. The problem is, most of us have not made it a priority or simply dropped it as something that doesn’t fit our lifestyle.
Like most things in life, the things worth having (including a ripe old age) involve hard work and sacrifices. In this case, a lot of junk food, convenience, comfort, and luxuries. But if you really think about it, is that really such a high price to pay for a longer, happier, and healthier life with your family and friends?
I didn’t think so, either. So what are you waiting for? Let’s all make these lifestyle changes and adopt these simple habits to slow aging starting now.
