In order to live longer and healthier, it is important to stay on the move, to do some physical activity every day, to have a healthy and undilated diet, as well as to do the medical check-ups and take the medicines indicated by the doctor.
On the other hand, having some attitudes like smoking, eating too much industrialized products, exposing yourself to the unprotected sun, and even living with a lot of worry and stress can make this aging faster and with less quality.
Thus, even if the genetics are important and the life expectancy of the Brazilian is around 75 years, it is possible to be able to live for more years and in a healthy way. But for this, it is necessary to try to diminish the effect of the natural wear of the organism, which increases in certain situations of the day to day.
What to do to be healthy for a lifetime
Aging is a natural process, but some tips can be followed to dribble this process and decrease the body's contact with substances that cause illness, and thus achieve a life with quality and health. To do this, you must:
1. Make annual check-ups
Follow-up with medical appointments and laboratory or imaging tests, usually done after age 30, may indicate diseases such as high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, breast lumps and enlarged prostate, for example, and should be done annually or at the time determined by the physician.
These check-ups are important for detecting any signs of illness as early as possible, and treating before damage to the body is caused.
2. Have a healthy diet
Eating healthily consists of eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding industrialized foods, as it contains chemical additives such as trans fat, preservatives, monosodium glutamate, as well as artificial flavors, dyes and sweeteners that, when consumed, spread through the bloodstream and cause a series of events that cause aging of the body. Check out tips for making healthy purchases and avoiding health-damaging foods.
It is also recommended to give preference to organic foods because those that are commonly sold in markets may be rich in pesticides, which contain insecticides, synthetic fertilizers and hormones, which, when in excess, can be toxic and accelerate aging.
In addition, it is important to manage the amount of food, since eating little is a way to avoid the production of substances and free radicals that cause wear and aging.
3. Practice physical activity regularly
Exercising at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes but ideally 5 times a week improves hormone regulation, blood circulation and elimination of toxins from the body, making the organs work better and stay healthy longer.
In addition, exercise and balanced eating help maintain muscle tone, which reduces brittleness and falls as you age, because it increases the amount of calcium in your bones and muscles, as well as hamper the development of diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure and those related to immunity.
However, when the exercise is done in excess and does not respect the physiological limits of the body, such as marathons and very sports, the body produces more free radicals due to over-exertion, which accelerates aging.
Thus, the ideal is to do a physical activity that is pleasurable and that tries the body, but one should not get to the point of exhausting or wearing too much. It is also important to have 1 or 2 days of rest to help with muscle recovery. Learn more about the benefits of physical activity in seniors.
4. No smoking
There are almost 5, 000 substances in the composition of the cigarette, and more than 50 are proven carcinogenic, because they cause toxic effects to the body, and cause a faster aging, therefore, to live longer and better, it is important to get rid of this addiction.
In addition to not smoking, you should avoid environments with cigarette smoke, as they also cause these bad effects to the body, which is called passive smoking.
When smokers leave this habit, the bad effects of cigarettes are gradually diminished in the body from the first day until, in 15 to 20 years, the risks completely disappear, so stopping smoking is a major step against aging and the formation of cancer.
5. Drink plenty of water
Drinking water or liquids like natural juices, teas and coconut water, helps increase blood filtration through the kidneys, accelerating the elimination of bad substances from the body, produced by the digestion of food or medicines, for example.
In addition, water keeps the body's cells hydrated, which improves its function. Learn the ideal amount of water you should drink every day.
6. Do not expose yourself to the sun without protection
The sun's rays contain UV radiation that, when in excess, causes lesions and aging of the skin, in addition to increasing the risk of cancer and diminishing immunity. It is therefore very important to wear sunscreen and on sunny days it is recommended to wear hats and sunglasses, and avoid going to the beach and stay in the sun between 10am and 4pm. Learn more about the sun's harmful effects and how to protect yourself.
7. Controlling stress
Excessive stress and anxiety increases the body's production of bad hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which accelerate the speed of aging and increase the chances of developing diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
To avoid this effect, it is important to maintain habits that increase well-being, maintain positivity and good mood, and do activities that help the good functioning of the mind, such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, reiki and massages, which delay the aging, since they help the brain to act in a better way, besides regulating the production of hormones, reducing cortisol and adrenaline, and increasing serotonin, oxytocin and melatonin, for example.
Check out how the anxiety treatment is done.
8. Use only medically indicated drugs
By acting in the body, medications cause a number of side effects that influence the functioning of the body, and when used unnecessarily or excessively, bad consequences can outweigh the good effects of active principles.
Illegal drugs, in addition to having no benefit, bring only bad and collateral effects to the body, which facilitates the wearing down and formation of diseases.
Learn more about the risks of taking medicines without a medical indication.
9. Avoiding Exams
Tests such as x-rays and CT scans contain a lot of radiation, so you should not always go to the emergency room to ask for X-rays, or do this type of examination often and unnecessarily.
This is because, in doing so, the body comes in contact with a large amount of radiation that causes damage to the molecules and cells of the body and accelerates aging, in addition to increasing the risk of cancer.
10. Consume anti-oxidants
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, beta-carotene, zinc, selenium, magnesium, calcium and omega-3s slow down aging because they act to slow down the action of free radicals in the body, which are toxic substances we produce as a result of reactions of the body, mainly due to diet, use of medication, consumption of alcoholic beverages and contact with pollution.
Antioxidants are found in vegetables and cereals like kale, carrot, tomato, broccoli, papaya and strawberry, for example, and should preferably be consumed in this way. However, they can also be found in the form of supplements purchased in pharmacy, and their use should always be directed by the doctor or nutritionist. Check out the list of antioxidant foods.
