Can Food Slow Down The Aging Process?
Aging is inevitable, although how well you age can be affected by your lifestyle. Certain choices, including your diet, can influence how aging takes its toll on your mind and body. In this article, learn how food-sourced essential oils can help aging skin and discover some other tips for healthy aging that relate to the foods you eat every day.
Can eating less slow down the aging process?
While what you eat is important, how much you consume can also influence the rate at which you age. Aging occurs at the cellular level, and new research published in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics has found that reduced calorie consumption slows down the ribosomes within your cells, which slows the aging process.
The study compared two groups of mice, with the first group having unlimited access to food while the second group was fed 35 percent fewer calories, though they both consumed all of the nutrients necessary for survival. Senior author of the study, Professor John Price, relayed their observations: “The calorie-restricted mice are more energetic and suffered fewer diseases. And it’s not just that they’re living longer, but because they’re better at maintaining their bodies, they’re younger for longer as well.” Calorie restriction has yet to be tested in humans, and Price asserts that people should not start drastically cutting their calorie consumption and expect to live longer. The goal of the study, he explained, was “[to get] down to the mechanisms of aging, which may help us make more educated decisions about what we eat.”
Fasting diet has proven to slow down aging
Researchers from the University of California have put the five-day fasting diet to the test, and the results look promising. The study had 19 participants eat as they normally would over the course of 25 days, and for the remaining five days of each month, they cut down to consuming 1,090 calories on the first day, and 725 calories for the remaining four. This cycle was repeated for three months, after which researchers found a reduction in biomarkers linked to aging, diabetes, and heart disease. While this diet has proven to be effective in slowing the aging process, it is important to always practice healthy eating, even during the 25 days where you are free to consume whatever you’d like.
Healthy aging tips
Aside from food quality and volume, other lifestyle changes can also help you age gracefully. Regular exercise, stress reduction, quitting or avoiding smoking, moderating alcohol consumption, being mindful of the sun and protecting your skin, and maintaining an active social life all go a long way in slowing the aging process and keeping you looking and feeling younger. Also, making use of food-sourced essential oils such as carrot seed oil, sage oil, and citrus oils to help protect your skin and hair from damage.
Studies have shown that what you eat and in what quantity can influence the rate your body ages. Being mindful of your dietary habits, as well as exercising regularly, remaining social, reducing stress, and staying away from alcohol and cigarettes can help combat the problems associated with aging.
