In our modern world where social media is full of unrealistic beauty standards and misleading filters, ageism can have a significant impact on how we see and feel about ourselves. There is nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel your best, but it’s time we shifted toward more inclusive beauty standards by pushing for more holistic approaches and age-positive attitudes.
We should be celebrating aging bodies and the lives they have lived rather than making them feel ashamed for the lines on their skin that tell the story of who they are. This article will offer insight into why we age and tips on how to do so beautifully with a more holistic and mindful approach.
Why Do We Age?
Aging is a perfectly natural process that should not instill feelings of shame or low self-esteem. Every single person ages and no amount of advanced treatments can prevent it from happening. It is a result of normal metabolic reactions in the cells in our bodies.
As these reactions occur, our systems experience a natural decline. This includes the musculoskeletal system, the cardiovascular system, and the immune system.
Biological factors in our DNA can also contribute to how an individual ages. Every person is exposed to different things that can damage their DNA, for example, which can contribute to the aging process, such as exposure to stress and environmental toxins.
That said, while science cannot yet reverse aging, there are ways to slow the aging process down. Studies show that taking a more holistic approach to aging can help people live longer, healthier lives.
Tips for a More Holistic Approach to Ageing
A holistic approach to aging gracefully simply means looking at the situation with consideration for the “whole” or every aspect that impacts a person’s life. This includes the physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual aspects.
Many people, for example, get caught up focusing solely on the appearance of the skin when it comes to aging. However, if you want to age gracefully in a more holistic way, it’s important to consider the mind, body, and spirit to slow the aging process and lead a healthier life.
1. Be Mindful of Your Diet
Food and nutrition are incredibly important aspects of healthy aging as what you eat nourishes your mind and your body. Specifically, it’s important to eat a nutrient-rich diet as you age to provide your body with the minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants it needs to combat aging.
For brain health, focus on eating plenty of leafy greens and omega-3 fatty acids. To fight off cancer, eat lots of blueberries, broccoli, and tomatoes. For antioxidant support, reach for garlic and Brazil nuts. For a heaping dose of essential vitamins and minerals, try avocados and bananas.
These are, of course, some very specific examples, but you can eat plenty of other foods to get the same great benefits. Again, the key is to understand nutrition and eat as many nutrient-rich foods as possible that support a balanced diet.
2. Stay Active
Leading a sedentary life can accelerate aging due to reduced cardiovascular capacity, muscle loss, and bone density, so it’s important to stay as active as you can to maintain mobility and a strong body.
Many exercises are beneficial for aging bodies, including yoga, pilates, cycling, aerobics, and swimming. Water exercises are particularly great as they are low-impact and easy on the joints.
For example, hot tub exercises are great for arthritis relief and keeping the body healthy. You can do a variety of movements in a pool or hot tub, including stretching, arm circles, flutter kicks, and crunches. The key is to think of the water as a resistance band and use that resistance to exercise your muscles.
3. Take Care of Your Mental Health
Staying mentally stimulated and reducing stress are just as important as the physical aspects of aging. Increased stress and poor mood can accelerate the aging process.
To take care of your mind you can do things like practicing meditation, keeping your mind sharp with reading, puzzles, and hobbies, spending more time with friends and loved ones, and overall doing more things that you enjoy. Even just taking some time out of your day to sit and breathe while listening to relaxing music, going for a walk, or sitting outside in nature can help relax the mind and the body.
Of course, if you are feeling down and are struggling to take care of your mental health, you can always reach out for support by speaking to your doctor or a mental health professional.
4. Protect Your Skin
While there is nothing wrong with the skin showing signs of aging, there are things you can do to better support and protect your skin as you age. This includes staying hydrated and moisturized, wearing sunscreen and protective clothing, and getting yearly cancer screenings.
If you aren’t sure how best to care for your skin, you can always seek help from a dermatologist. A licensed skin care professional will be able to offer you the best advice and treatments to help you best support your skin. This can include what skincare products to use, what foods are best for your skin, and facial treatments that can help, such as Botox.
Botox is a safe and simple procedure that can be used on various parts of the face to help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Furthermore, while Botox is often viewed as a beauty treatment, it can be used for medical reasons as well, such as treating migraines, overactive bladder, and TMJ pain — all things that individuals can suffer from as they age.
5. Practice Mindfulness
Finally, practicing mindfulness in your daily life is another holistic way to age more healthily and happily. Mindfulness is all about changing your attitude to one that is more positive, such as viewing aging not as a bad thing but as a benefit.
It’s important to be grateful that you get the chance to grow older. Instead of always worrying or thinking about the future and the past, try living in the moment more. You can also practice mindfulness by finding more ways to laugh and forgive yourself and others in your life.
Celebrate Your Life
Having the opportunity to live a long life is something that should be celebrated more often. Instead of viewing getting older as something to dread, view it as an opportunity to continue doing the things you love and be thankful for all that you have experienced. Getting older is a gift and your body showing signs of aging is simply an indication of the amazing life you have lived.
NutriFusion Can Help
Just 1 in 10 adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations, according to a study published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). This report highlights that very few Americans eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables every day, putting them at risk for chronic diseases.
Studies have shown that supplementation with extracts from fruits and vegetables may improve age-related changes.
NutriFusion develops all‐natural fruit and/or vegetable powders that are nutrient dense for use in foods, beverages, supplements, and pet foods.
NutriFusion can help! Visit us at www.nutrifusion.com.
