Growing up is an inevitable part of life, but growing old is a choice. No matter what, today you cannot be a year younger than what you were last year. But you can certainly look and feel younger than your biological age. That’s within your bounds, and if you want to do it naturally, all you have to do is take to a healthier style of living, centered on techniques like meditation and yoga. Let’s discover these natural ways of living that can make you look younger than your biological age, not just in how you look but also in your approach to life.
Meditation For A Young Mind
Don’t we all want to be bubbling with energy even as we grow old? But did you know that most of the time our bubbling spirit is dampened by heightened levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), which is known to cause anxiety and tension, making us look dull and almost lifeless? That can be an indication of an aging mind. At such times, meditation can be the much needed source of relaxation that reduces stress and revives creativity, enthusiasm, youthfulness, and vigor in you, making life a joyride even as you approach 50 or 60.
Meditation For A Healthy Body
Is it possible to have a healthy and disease-free body even when you are half a century old? How about glowing, supple skin that can effortlessly conceal your age? This is possible, and studies support that regular practice of meditation along with yoga and a healthy diet (Slide 5 and 6) can increase our telomere length, the protective cap on our chromosomes. With age, our telomeres shorten. This sends signals to our cells to stop dividing and die. Meditation is known to reverse this mechanism, which is behind the visible signs of aging, and halt or reduce its pace.
Sufficient & Quality Sleep
Did you know that quality sleep is a prerequisite for healing, something we might totally take for granted. Not just that, it also helps our brain function effectively, regulates our blood and glucose level, and strengthens our immune system. At your age, 6 hours of sleep is a must to feel fresh the next morning. If you wish to make the most of your sleep, meditating regularly can be a good idea. Meditation enhances the quality of sleep by increasing melatonin (the sleep hormone) levels, which also slows down cognitive (mental faculties) aging. If we meditate before sleep, the body’s oxygen requirement level drops by 10 to 20 percent; if you do not, it drops by only 8 per cent during sleep. The lower the oxygen requirement, the higher the sense of calm while sleeping, which reduces the chances of disturbed sleep. Isn’t that amazing to know?!
Suitable Meals
Food is fuel for the body. The nutrients that we get from food are required for strong immunity, overall growth, and other metabolic activities. Eating the right food at the right time and in the correct proportion plays a crucial role in decreasing the rate of aging. Green vegetables like broccoli have anti-oxidants that can speed up the cell-division and cell-replacement process. This in turn helps slow down aging and prevent certain age-related disorders. To know when you need food, you need to start listening to your body. You can choose to eat moderately sized meals thrice a day or smaller meals throughout the day. Doctors suggest that food chewed slowly and many times helps in better digestion. Vegetarian food takes lesser time to digest. This way, you are not only avoiding weight gain but are also giving your digestive system a break. It is not easy to notice results immediately, but it will definitely benefit you in the longer run with a healthy and fit body.
Smile More With Yoga
It is hard to deny that exercise is essential for the wellness of mind and body. Exercise can strengthen and tone your body. At the same time, it makes you flexible, boosts your mood, and removes inertia from the body that can otherwise lead to cell degeneration. Your youth will reflect in the number of times you smile in a day. In other words, exercise is an indispensable tool if you really want to keep your youthfulness alive. Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) is a power-packed sequence of twelve yoga poses that can keep you mentally, emotionallym and physically fit.
Go Herbal
Have you noticed the herbs growing in your garden? Our homes often house many herbs with medicinal properties that can keep us young and glowing, naturally. We don’t really need to resort to drugs for short-term illnesses as they make the cells stiff. Instead, basil tea or pepper with lukewarm water can be really effective in treating cold. Drinking lukewarm water alone during weather changes can help prevent a lot of illnesses. Raw fruits and vegetables act as roughage that facilitates our digestive process. Ginger tea and herbal tea are known to be effective against cough. Your garden is rich and replete with herbs to keep you young. So get natural and look young naturally!