12 Ways to Slow Down the Aging Process

Add more antiaging antioxidants to your diet.
Contrary to what Juan Ponce de Leon thought when he searched for it in the 16th century, the fountain of youth is made of anti-oxidants, not water, and it's a lot easier to find than the famed explorer thought.     

Antioxidants are very helpful in preventing several diseases like heart attack, stroke, cancer and many things associated with anti aging. Antioxidants refer to the group of substances like vitamins A, C and E, mineral called selenium and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene contains pigment compounds which are generally obtained from fruits and vegetables.   

In a study published in January's American Journal of Physiology, Christiaan Lecawenburgh, a professor in UF's College of Health and Human Performance, found that anti-oxidant intervention, which can come from taking vitamin supplements or from a steady routine of exercise, slows parts of the aging process.    

"Our most significant finding was that anti-oxidant intervention slows down basal skeletal muscle oxidation, which causes the body to age," said Leeuwenburgh, who did the study with researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine. "This is the first evidence of this."  

There is a group of substances known as "antioxidants" that helps greatly in keeping you young. They neutralize what scientists call "free radicals". Free radicals set off a chain reaction that can kill cells, tear holes in cell membranes, mutate DNA which is the mastermind of cell activity. One theory, which was formulated by Denham Harman, PhD, a biochemist at the University Of Nebraska College Of Medicine, contends that the cumulative damage by free radicals is responsible for the decline in functioning that accompanies aging. Two known antioxidants are Vitamin A and C. The best source of Vitamin C is citrus fruits. Rich source of Vitamin A are carrots, squash, spinach and collard greens.   

Get a good night's sleep.
It is more important you can could ever imagine. The body's maintenance is taking place as you dream good dreams.  Most people need 8 – 9 hours of sleep.  You should wake up rested and will not need an alarm.  Stay on a regular routine, go to bed at the same time everyday.

 Learn to Laugh - 
Every morning my family reads the comics. It's as simple as that.  It is good to have a good “belly” laugh at least once a day.  Watch a comedy TV show.  Don’t take yourself so serious, laugh at yourself.  Take a brisk walk every other day. 

Walk fast for 20 minutes three or more days a week.
Walking strengthens the bones in your lower half, making you less susceptible to osteoporosis. A brisk pace usually means covering a mile about 15 minutes. Brisk walking is a good alternative for those who are reluctant to do traditional aerobic exercises.   

Aerobics exercises reduce your risk of heart disease by helping prevent high blood pressure, lowering artery-hardening cholesterol in your bloodstream and possibly decreasing blood clotting.  If you find it hard to walk by yourself on a regular basis, invite a friend or join a gym. It is the easiest way to exercise. You meet people, get to play on equipment you don't have at home, and feel good the rest of the day. 

Maintain a normal Body-Mass Index.  Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. Normal BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight ranges from 25 to 29.9. Above 30 is considered as obesity.  If you are 20 percent over your ideal weight, you must drop some extra pounds. Being an overweight is a factor in adult-onset diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer.

Build bone density and functional strength.  Most adults lose one percent of bone mass annually. As you lose bone minerals your bones become lighter, more porous, weaker and greater risk of fracture. You can increase bone density and strength with weight bearing exercises such as walking, bicycling, swimming or weight training. Take also Vitamin D to reduce the aging process of bones. Take 400 IU of Vitamin D daily or one tablespoon of cod liver oil. 

Stop Smoking.  According to British physician Douglas Model, (Member of the Royal College of Physicians), smokers tend to have at least one of the following: pronounced wrinkling and lines, gauntness or an off-color complexion. Dr. Model believes smoking ages looks by reducing the flow of blood to the skin. 

Clean up your dental act.  After 40, the main cause of tooth loss is periodontal or gum disease. The culprit: "plaque", a sticky film made up of bacteria, saliva, and food debris. Bacteria produces toxins that irritate gums, making them recede and form pockets. If the immune system of the body can't fight the bacterial invasion, the bones anchoring the teeth eventually erode and teeth fall out.   Brushing after every meal and daily flossing will reduce plaque attacks. Teeth must be cleaned by dentist at least twice a year. 

Drink a lot of fluids to maintain healthy skin and flush out wastes.  Maintain at least eight 8-ounze glass of water a day. A Rule of thumb use this formula – take your weight and divide by 2 – convert that to ounces – that is the amount of water / fluids you should be drinking each day. 

Manage your stress.  Wipe out as many of the stress causing things in your life as possible. Research is already pointing to stress as a cause for wrinkles, not to mention a host of other ailments.   Celebrities like Andie Macdowell and Meryl Streep realize that managing stress level is key to looking younger for longer.   

When we suffer stress we lose our body’s natural balance which causes damage to hormone secretion, cell repair, and collagen production. More worrying recent research suggests that when the body is exposed over a long period of time to stress hormones can speed up brain aging. 

Practice relaxing  Practice relaxing to lower down stress level in your body. Listening to a good music or watching a nice, wholesome television show will help a lot.       

Learn to do nothing or at least learn to sit quietly and do nothing but observe. It is actually quite healthy.

Take Care of your Skin -  Anti-aging shows symptoms like wrinkles, pigmentation etc on your skin. They can be reduced or visibly can be reduced with the help of toxin free skin care products.  Use an adequate amount of sunblock.   Apparently most people don't use nearly enough. And, it is just as important to use it in the winter as in the summer.