Aging Younger
When you hear the words “50-years-old”, what comes to mind?
Nearing the senior citizen discount?
Aching back?
Graying hair?
Wrinkles on your hands?
Needing a knee replacement soon?
Or…toned arms, flat stomach, wavy long hair and…pole dancing?
Exactly.
In 2020, age 50 is apparently new 39 (according to J. Lo at Super Bowl LIV’s Half Time performance (Here in case you missed it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pILCn6VO_RU).
Just like age 60 can be your new 49; age 40 can be your new 29; and age 30 can be the new 19…at least if you optimize your health with these tips for aging younger.
We asked some of our very own ladies that seem to defy the “normal standard” of aging to find out their tips for aging younger.
Carey Kepler, Turning 45 in April
First, you must LOVE yourself first. When you love yourself, you will take care of yourself. You will make it TOP priority to live a healthy life.
Things that are daily MUSTS:
Drink 100oz of water a day
Eat leafy greens daily!
Make vegetables a priority on your plate!
Sleep 7-8 hours a day or more!
Have a space for daily gratitudes and quiet time to remind yourself what is important in your life. We get so busy, we forget to stop and reflect on all the amazing things we have to be grateful for.
Read and listen to things that inspire and encourage a growth mindset. We never stop learning and challenging ourselves.
Stay adventurous & keep pressing on!
Lisa Bander Thiel, Age 42
When I think of aging i think about looking and feeling my best and “keeping my witts”
I find my “musts" include:
1) LOOKING: limit alcohol and eat >80% Whole Foods. What you eat shows up in your skin - your energy - your body shape - and keeps the inside (heart, lungs, liver, etc) healthy
2) FEELING: stay active, find a sport or thing you love and doesn’t beat you up. Be ok with changing your fitness routine , focus, &approach- but keep fitness in your routine!
3) WITTS: environment is everything- surround yourself with positive, youthful souls! Practice PMA (positive mental attitude) and LAUGH.
Dr. Lauryn’s DL, Age 32
Ok, so I may be way younger than both Carey and Lisa, but at age 32, I often get asked if I am 23 (and I actually feel that way physically despite a more mature outlook on life in my “later” years). My top 3 tips for aging younger include:
1.) Love your gut.
Your gut bacteria play a role in age-related decline most people associate with “getting old” including a weakened immune system, wrinkles and memory loss. The gut microbiome is made up of hundreds of different types of bacteria that are essential to our health, playing a role in our metabolism, brain function, skin health, energy levels and immune response.
Gut dysbiosis (bacteria imbalances, pathogens) can trigger the innate immune response and chronic low-grade inflammation, leading to many age-related degenerative pathologies and unhealthy aging. Hence a healthier gut equals a healthier (anti-aging you).
Some of my favorite simple, but effective ways for loving your gut include:
1.) Taking a quality probiotic (like this probiotic). (Hint: 95% of probiotics on shelves do NOT contain the probiotics they claim)
2.) Boosting stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Take an HCL tablet and digestive enzymes or digestive bitters with meals if you suffer from bloating, GERD, constipation or indigestion.
3.) Eat gut loving super foods—particularly pre-biotics (I list some here: https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/how-to-choose-the-best-probiotic-for-you/), 1 to 2 servings per day.
2.) Think younger.
We are as old as we think.
In a 1981 study later published in Harvard Magazine, researchers took two groups of men in their 70’s and 80’s and translated them to a monastery that was decorated as if it were 1959, 22 years in the past.
Everything from the furniture and carpet was from the 50s. Life magazine was scattered around the monastery as was the Saturday Evening Post. The Ed Sullivan Show played on the black-and-white television, and Perry Como crooned on a vintage radio in the background.
For seven days, the men were asked to engage fully as if it were 1959, so they discussed issues such as the launch of the first U.S. satellite, Nikita Khrushchev, Fidel Castro, and watched the 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder.
The kicker: Before arriving at the monastery, all men were assessed on their strength, hearing, vision, flexibility and dexterity. The first group that arrived were asked to pretend they were young men living in the 1950s. The second group of men, which arrived a week later, were asked to simply reminisce about the past, while staying in the present.
After just one week, all men were once again tested and results revealed that BOTH groups were stronger and more flexible. Height, weight, gait, posture, hearing, vision—even their performance on intelligence tests had improved. Their joints were more flexible, their shoulders wider, their fingers not only more agile, but longer and less gnarled by arthritis. But the men who had acted as if they were actually back in 1959 showed significantly more improvement.
In other words: the men who had impersonated younger men seemed to have bodies that actually were younger.
3.) Support Your Detox Pathways.
A clogged liver or lymphatic system equals toxic buildup in your body and liver over time, and consequently inflammation and quicker aging from “reactive oxygen species” (ROS). Our bodies are bombarded with thousands upon thousands of chemicals and toxins in our food, environment and air daily; and although we cannot live in a bubble, we CAN make wise choices that tick back the aging clock including:
1.) Drink clean filtered water (NEVER tap water)
2.) Replace conventional products (hygiene, beauty, cleaning) with non-toxic products (see EWG’s Cleaning Guide https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners and Skin Deep Database https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ for inspiration)
3.) Purify your home air with a quality air purifier (read: not a cheapy). Top choices include: Austin Air https://austinair.com , IQ Air https://www.iqair.com/us , Air Pura https://www.airpura.com and Aeris https://aerishealth.com (#worthit).
article by Dr. Lauryn Lax
original JLo photo by Josh Ostrovsky