Easy Checklist Turns BACK the Aging Clock
You might not be able to turn back your chronological clock. But you can definitely turn back your biological one.
Your biological age refers to how old your cells are. Scientists call it your phenotypic age.
Having a younger biological clock is why certain people “look young for their age.”
A recent study gives us a step-by-step guide for how to shave 6 years from your biological clock.
I’m a realist. So, I know I’ll never feel like my 20-year-old self again.
But my 55- or 60-year-old self? I’d take him in a heartbeat.
And because I can check off most of the factors listed on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life’s Essential 8 checklist, my body DOES look and feel YEARS younger than my driver’s license reads.
This is a checklist that includes key components of cardiovascular health.
But, according to a recent study, following these guidelines not only gives you a healthier heart but ALSO a younger body.
Researchers measured phenotypic age using a formula that included chronological age plus biomarkers like inflammation, metabolism, and organ function.
Higher phenotypic age means faster biological aging.
The volunteers with better heart health had a negative phenotypic age. This means their biological age was younger than their chronological age.
On the flip side, those with poor heart health had an accelerated phenotypic age.
When the researchers looked specifically at the participant’s “Life’s Essential 8” scores, they found that those with the HIGHEST had a biological age that was 6 years younger than their chronological age.
So, what are these 8 secrets to aging in reverse?
Take a look, and you’ll see that it’s not rocket science… it’s lifestyle.
- Eat a healthy, whole foods diet.
- Exercise regularly.
- Don’t smoke.
- Get good sleep.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Control your blood sugar.
- Maintain healthy blood pressure.
- Maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Keep in mind that MY definition of what constitutes “healthy” for that last one varies from the AHA’s. I believe—as the science shows—that cholesterol is essential for a healthy brain and body. But, I’m including it here because it’s on the list.
Incorporating these lifestyle factors can take you from surviving to thriving.
They’ll help you look younger, feel younger, and be able to FULLY enjoy your life.
That’s MY plan for my life, no matter how old I am.
P.S. The greatest cholesterol myth DEBUNKED.
SOURCE:
“Following ‘Life’s Essential 8’ checklist may slow biological aging by 6 years,” American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023, Nov. 11-13, Philadelphia, PA, Abstract 475
