5 Secrets to Aging Well

Getting old is an inevitable part of life. Suffering from the health complications associated with aging, however, need not be. You can take the proper steps to ensure that you age well.

1. Replace hormones to optimal levelsPeople tend to measure their own hormone levels against what is normal for their demographic. How is my estrogen level compared to other 55 year old women? How is my cortisol compared to other 40 year old men? How does my testosterone measure up against other 60 year old males?

   This fascination with normal levels detracts from what people’s focus should really be on, and that is achieving optimal levels.Our hormones are usually at optimal levels during our twenties and thirties, and they can stay there regardless of age with the aid of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Achieving optimal levels reduces vulnerability to cancer and improves overall health.

2. ExerciseThe human body was designed for physical activity, yet our contemporary lifestyle is usually quite sedentary. That is why ensuring regular exercise is vital to slowing the aging process.

   Some people are able to commit to an active lifestyle on their own, but for some it may be necessary to enlist a professional trainer. Whatever it takes to get active is what needs to be done.

3. Diet, eat properly, get proper nutritionIf you eat poorly, you will probably look and feel poorly too. What you put into your body plays a major role in determining how well you age, affects your mood, energy and libido, risk for various cancers, and overall health.
4. Reduce stress and cortisol levelsStress and cortisol hormones have always been necessary to our survival. The body produces them to deal with danger, providing adrenalin rush to escape threatening circumstances. However, they can also pose a real danger to our health.

   When stress and cortisol hormones are activated, the body raises its blood sugar level in anticipation of an energy expenditure to follow. But because in contemporary society, stress is more often mental than physical, that expenditure doesn’t always come. This can lead to high stress and cortisol levels, which causes high blood pressure and can interfere with the production of other hormones such as thyroid.

   Exercising and getting sufficient sleep can help to keep stress and cortisol levels down.

5. Good supplementation, and vitamins and mineralsIn the same sense that it is important to eat well, so too is it important to get the right amount of vitamins and minerals. Some vitamins and minerals are more difficult to consume than others, which is why supplements often make for good anti-aging aids.

By following the above five steps, you can slow or even reverse some effects of the aging process.