Certain lifestyle habits may seem harmless, but they can affect how quickly you’re aging. We are not talking about the obvious things like smoking cigarettes and overexposing your skin to the sun. Simple everyday habits that don’t appear harmful may be having an effect on how gracefully you age. Especially once you hit 35, the aging process accelerates. Thus, you may want to take note of the following eight habits that may be aging you faster than you realize.
1. Low fat dieting
Limiting fat intake in your diet is important if you want to stay slim and health. But everything has a good side and a bad side. This is no different for fats. Just as some fats are bad, others such as omega-3 fatty acids are good. Essential fats help to maintain cellular health and help your cells carry out certain biological functions.
Additionally, many products that are marketed as low-fat are often chocked full of additives. These chemicals try to replace the flavor or consistency of full-fat products. So just because a product is marked low fat, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good for you.
2. Less cleaning
Very few people like cleaning. We get it. That’s why many of us rely on appliances and cleaning products to lessen the impact of this domestic torture. However, using appliances, such as dishwashers and robot vacuum cleaners, has caused us to be much less active than our ancestors. Next time you have to clean, remember that cleaning can burn up quite a few calories.
3. Long periods of sitting
Many jobs today require us to sit at the desk. We spend hours looking at the computer. Long periods of sitting impedes blood circulation. This can lead to joint distress. In addition, sitting puts more pressure on the spine than standing. This will result in poor back health and potentially chronic back pain long-term. Even if you exercise each day, it is still very beneficial to move around for 10 minutes for every hour that you’re sitting.
4. Not eating seasonally
While food-processing techniques have increased the availability of nearly all food year-round, processed foods are not necessarily as healthy as their fresh counterparts. When you can, be sure to take advantage of your local farmers market and but seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Fresh produce that is eaten at its seasonal peak packs more antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, foods delivered farm to table are healthier than foods that have been shipped to grocery stores. Another benefit is cost. Fresh, in-season foods are often less expensive because they are abundant.
5. Alcohol consumption
Everyone knows that tobacco ages you, but frequent participation in happy hour is also to blame. Alcohol may feel like it’s helping you relax, but it is actually putting more stress on your body. Habitual alcohol consumption can lead to things like dehydration, wrinkles, and acne. Long-term, it causes your liver to work less efficiently and can lead to fatty liver disease.
6. Wearing too much makeup
We use makeup to disguise problem areas on our faces. However using the wrong makeup or applying too much makeup can make things worse. Heavy foundations and powders can settle into wrinkles and clog pores. Thus, it can actually worsen your problem spots.
Furthermore, if you sleep in your makeup, you are clogging your pores. This can age you seven times faster. Thus, it’s imperative to remove your makeup every evening. Which brings up another point: how healthy is your makeup remover? Many are full of chemicals, which can also age your skin. You may want to research the ingredients or make your own homemade makeup remover.
There is something to be said for giving your skin frequent breaks and letting your natural beauty shine.
7. Not managing your stress
Researchers say that not dealing with stress can age your skin and your brain. It can cause acne breakouts, cellular damage, increased blood pressure. It can disturb your sleep patterns. It makes you frown, which increases your chance of getting wrinkles.
Managing your stress is important. You can relieve stress by giving yourself time to enjoy your hobbies. Also, research has show that participating in various types of exercise and meditation lowers stress.
8. Holding a Grudge
It is absolutely normal to feel sad, angry and frustrated when someone has wronged you. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to let go of those feelings, but they can be very bad for your health. Holding a grudge can cause an increase in a hormone known as cortisol, which leads to faster aging. It can also lead to decreased organ, immune and metabolic functions. You may think forgiveness is helping someone else, but in fact it is ultimately helping you.
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This article (8 Habits that Are Aging You Faster) is copyrighted by Awareness Junkie, 2017. You may not copy, reproduce, publish or distribute any content therein without written permission. You may contact us here.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Moreover, views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Awareness Junkie or its staff.
