Lifestyle Habits to Help You Grow Younger

September 17, 2015

Aging isn’t avoidable, but you can optimize the journey. Lifestyle choices that are under your own control can bestow longevity with graceful aging.

Gratitude and a sense of humor, a healthy diet and a regimen of moderate exercise, restorative sleep each night and investing time and energy into your relationships will all help to stave off the ravages of old age. You will most certainly grow healthier in even a few weeks if you learn to develop the right habits.

Pick just one of lifestyle strategies below to start on; then after you’ve mastered it, work your way through the list one step at a time.

Get out for a walk or a jog regularly, ideally with a friend or a dog.
Make it a top priority to sleep 7 to 8.5 hours each night.
Fast for 12 hours each night. No calories after dinner until breakfast the next morning. Freed from the burdens of digesting and metabolizing calories, your system will purify and detoxify itself as you sleep, helping you to awaken rejuvenated.
Floss once a day and brush with a modern ultra-sonic toothbrush such as Sonicare twice a day.
Drink at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water daily.
Each day, consume four cups of vegetables and one cup of fruit.
Eat a modest serving size (about the size of your palm) of lean protein three times a day. Try to consume vegetable protein such as nuts (only one handful), or legumes such as beans or lentils for one of the protein servings each day. For animal protein, choose fresh or frozen fish, skinless poultry and lean game or grass-fed beef. Avoid fatty, processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, sausage and fried meats or fried fish.
Lift weights or do other strength training at least 20 minutes twice per week.
Have a regular checkup, get your recommended vaccines, and make sure you know your important numbers (blood pressure, waist circumference, glucose, cholesterol, vitamin D, etc.).
Eat more slowly, and stop when you are about 80 percent full.
Supplement only those nutrients that you are deficient in, which for many Americans include vitamin D and omega-3. Additionally, many people benefit from an organic bone meal supplement if they have osteopenia or osteoporosis, and CoQ10 if they are on a statin for cholesterol lowering.
Nurture romance in your life. Make it a priority to be physically intimate with the love of your life a minimum of two or three times per week - doctor’s orders. There’s a prescription that is safe, fun, free and the closest thing you will find to the Fountain of Youth.
Grow healthy gut bacteria to bolster your immunity and enhance vitality. Each day consume at least a few bites or gulps of probiotic foods like kimchi, Greek yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut or kombucha. Also, every day drink a large glass of water with a heaping tablespoon of no-sugar Metamucil.
Each day, either just before you fall asleep at night or before you get out of bed in the morning, recall just one thing someone did for you for which you are grateful.

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Lifestyle Habits to Help You Grow Younger

Aging isn’t avoidable, but you can optimize the journey. Lifestyle choices that are under your own control can bestow longevity with graceful aging.

Pick just one of lifestyle strategies below to start on; then after you’ve mastered it, work your way through the list one step at a time.

Get out for a walk or a jog regularly, ideally with a friend or a dog.

Make it a top priority to sleep 7 to 8.5 hours each night.

Fast for 12 hours each night. No calories after dinner until breakfast the next morning. Freed from the burdens of digesting and metabolizing calories, your system will purify and detoxify itself as you sleep, helping you to awaken rejuvenated.

Floss once a day and brush with a modern ultra-sonic toothbrush such as Sonicare twice a day.

Drink at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water daily.

Each day, consume four cups of vegetables and one cup of fruit.

Lift weights or do other strength training at least 20 minutes twice per week.

Have a regular checkup, get your recommended vaccines, and make sure you know your important numbers (blood pressure, waist circumference, glucose, cholesterol, vitamin D, etc.).

Eat more slowly, and stop when you are about 80 percent full.

Supplement only those nutrients that you are deficient in, which for many Americans include vitamin D and omega-3. Additionally, many people benefit from an organic bone meal supplement if they have osteopenia or osteoporosis, and CoQ10 if they are on a statin for cholesterol lowering.

Nurture romance in your life. Make it a priority to be physically intimate with the love of your life a minimum of two or three times per week - doctor’s orders. There’s a prescription that is safe, fun, free and the closest thing you will find to the Fountain of Youth.

Grow healthy gut bacteria to bolster your immunity and enhance vitality. Each day consume at least a few bites or gulps of probiotic foods like kimchi, Greek yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut or kombucha. Also, every day drink a large glass of water with a heaping tablespoon of no-sugar Metamucil.

Each day, either just before you fall asleep at night or before you get out of bed in the morning, recall just one thing someone did for you for which you are grateful.

In Good Health,

James O'Keefe, MD

Picture Credit: Creative Commons Pixabay