By Julie E 
Photo Credit ( Pixabay )
Here are 8 methods to slow down your biological aging.
It is possible that a 41-year-old who complies with most heart health recommendations is actually 36 years old biologically. A new analysis presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting on Monday suggests that the 53-year-old who has high levels of bad cholesterol, sleeps less than the recommended amount, and doesn’t exercise frequently may actually be closer to 57 years old biologically.
According to a Columbia University study, adopting the eight activities called “Life’s Essential 8” by the American Heart Association can considerably slow down biological aging.
If people follow all eight suggestions, there may be a five-year discrepancy between their phenotypical age (also known as biological age) and their chronological age, according to data from over 6,500 adults.
A person’s actual age and the levels of nine markers in the blood drawn at a standard annual physical are combined to determine their phenotypical age. Previous studies have demonstrated a strong correlation between an individual’s phenotypical age and their likelihood of dying young.
Blood levels that reflect the health of the liver, kidneys, and immune system, the likelihood of developing diabetes, and the degree of inflammation are a few factors that affect an individual’s biological age.
Methods for Delaying Aging
The “Essential 8,” derived from recommendations made by the Heart Association:
Eat more healthfully. Eat a diet rich in whole grains, non-tropical plant oils, fish and a range of fruits and vegetables, as well as minimally processed meals and healthy protein sources. Limit alcohol and salt intake, and stay away from added sweeteners.
Increase your level of activity. Aim for two days per week of moderate-to-intense muscle-building exercises, including weightlifting or resistance training, and at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-intense physical activity.
Give up smoking. In the United States, smoking is the largest avoidable cause of premature mortality.
Make sure you get enough sleep. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night on average.
Control your weight. A normal weight is any body mass index that falls between 18.5 and 25. A BMI of less than that is regarded as underweight, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or higher as obese. Make decreasing 3% to 5% of body weight your short-term objective if your BMI is higher than what is deemed healthy.
Regulate your cholesterol. An LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol level of less than 100 is advised for the majority of adults. An LDL level of less than 70 is advised for those who are at high risk, such as those who have already experienced a heart attack or stroke or who have genetically high cholesterol.
Control your blood sugar. Less than 100 mg/dL is the acceptable range for fasting blood sugar; however, anything between 100 and 125 mg/dL is associated with a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Control your blood pressure. The optimal blood pressure is measured with a diastolic reading of less than 80 mm Hg and a systolic reading of less than 120 mm Hg.
According to research author Nour Makarem, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, “we can slow down our bodies’ aging process by improving heart health.” “An additional significant finding is that our observations were dose dependent, indicating a decrease in biological aging with an improvement in heart health.”
According to Makarem, the research demonstrates that even little adjustments can improve heart function and delay the aging process.
She stated, “The cool thing is that there are eight modifiable health factors and behaviors.” “This message is incredibly hopeful.”
The good thing about this research, according to cardiologist Dr. Howard Weintraub, clinical director of NYU Langone Health’s Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, is that it demonstrates how improving heart health can also benefit other organs, such as the kidneys and liver.
Some people may be motivated to try improving their lifestyles by the knowledge that adhering to the eight principles can cause one to age more slowly, according to Weintraub.
He continued, “It gets their attention when I tell a 30-year-old patient that their carotid artery looks like that of a 55-year-old.”
Dr. Annapoorna Kini, the head of the cardiac catheterization lab at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in New York City, was taken aback by the extent of the benefit in terms of biological age.
“We thought that lifestyle played a bigger role in heart health than genetic inheritance,” she added, citing research that suggests lifestyle may be even more significant than genetic inheritance.
However, Kini noted that additional study is required to confirm the findings. “It could be a game changer,” she added, if a more extensive study that tracks participants over time confirms the results.