Natural Ways to Reduce Aging

Humanity has always been fixated on things that reduce aging. What 40-year-old wouldn't want to look (and feel) 20 again? Who hasn't heard about explorers dying to discover the Fountain of Youth?

Perennial youthfulness is the thing of legends. It's part of who we are - or at least, who we want to be. Songs talk about being young for centuries - as do myths.

As a result of our fascination with staying forever young, it comes as no surprise to anyone that scientists ended up studying what it takes to stay as young as possible for as long as possible.

We study just about every lifestyle choice to learn how it affects our aging process. This has led us to a long list of things that reduce aging - as well as a longer list of things that actually speed up aging. Here are some of the more interesting natural ways to reduce aging symptoms, according to science.

Exercise

Yes, we had to include hitting the gym here, because it's not only about beauty. Exercise is good for your all over health, including your mental wellbeing.

Study after study shows that people who exercise tend to keep more muscle, have more toned skin, are less likely to have wrinkles, and also are less likely to have age-related diseases. Those who exercise frequently also have less risk of osteoporosis and joint injuries, too.

It's not like exercise doesn't have aesthetic perks, either. We all know exercise helps you lose weight and get a sexy build. Otherwise, why would models be so into gymming?

Going for a walk or doing yoga is one of the few natural ways to reduce aging symptoms on a truly holistic level. So, get to it.

Reduce Stress

"Stop worrying so much! You'll get wrinkles!"

Your mom was right when she said this, apparently. High levels of stress increase a number of hormones that are linked to premature aging, obesity, and even stroke. When you get too many of these hormones in your system for too long, you could legitimately get wrinkles from them.

Therefore, reducing stress is one of those most natural ways to reduce aging in people - even if it's all mental in nature. If you want to reap the rewards of your anti-aging creams you might want to learn how to cope with stress and reduce it.

Things like yoga, singing out loud, talking to friends, learning to laugh, and even just doing breathing exercises might be keys to keeping wrinkles off your face.

Skip Sugar

Not all sugars are bad, but refined sugars are definitely one of those things you need to avoid.

Multiple studies showed that ingesting refined sugars causes a process called glycation to happen. Glycation damages cells, which in turn means that your ability to regenerate will be impacted.

The most common sign of a sweet tooth isn't just bad teeth - it's aging skin. Some nutritionists even call the aging face issue "Sugar Face." One woman proved that skipping sugar one of those rare things that reduce aging incredibly significantly.

Even so, this is one of those things that reduce aging that might not be worth it. After all, who wouldn't want to dig into a perfectly baked cookie once in a while?

Eat Well

Most nutritionists can tell you that there's a lot of truth to the adage, "You are what you eat." A diet of fresh, light foods like leafy greens, fruit, and meats can help you look years younger - and feel years younger as well.

This has been backed up by both research and anecdotal evidence. Processed foods have been shown to speed up aging, while a "Mediterranean" diet tends to be seen as one of the best and most natural ways to reduce aging in people.

Some swear by a raw vegan diet. Others claim that it's all about seafood. Whatever you choose, just realize that a diet that's rich in vitamins and nutrients and short in processed foods will go far.

There are plenty of healthy foods to choose from, and even more anti-aging diets you can try. Really, there's no excuse for avoiding good food.

Stay Out of the Sun

You don't really need to look far to see research evidence that shows that sunlight is bad for your skin. That "healthy tan" you get in the summer isn't really healthy. It's a sign of skin damage, and that's really not a good thing at all.

If you want to look as young as possible, then you need to reconsider your tanning habit and start protecting yourself from the sun. When you are outside, you will need to grab some sunscreen. After all, the sun only takes a small amount of time to burn you.

Be Sober

For the most part, drinking alcohol regularly tends to speed up aging because it increases inflammation. Yes, wine may have resveratrol and health benefits, but that's really just a "once in a while" treat according to most nutritionists.

Staying sober also doesn't just mean avoiding alcohol, either. Almost all drugs, including cigarettes, MDMA, cocaine, and crystal meth have been linked to faster aging. If you need help kicking the habit, realizing that sobriety is one of the things that reduce aging symptoms may be a nice perk to remember.

Beauty Sleep

Remember all those cartoons you'd watch that'd joke about "beauty sleep?" The age-old belief that sleeping helps people remain beautiful for longer apparently is actually quite true.

According to doctors and researchers, getting a solid eight hours of sleep per day allows you to look younger, feel less stressed, and also just have a healthier body overall.

Along with having potential benefits for your mental wellbeing and your diet choices, doctors believe that a good eight-hour sleep session is one of the most surefire natural ways to reduce aging.

Go ahead, hit the snooze button. Try yoga for good sleep. Snooze. It's good for you.

Regular Facials

Cleaning your face and putting on a mask may seem like something that is pretentious, or just plain "girly," but really, everyone should be doing it. Studies have repeatedly shown that keeping your skin clean is crucial to avoiding premature aging - especially if you live in a very polluted area.

The reason why cleaning your face, moisturizing it, and just giving your skin some love works as an anti-aging endeavor is because it removes pollutants from your skin. All those exhaust fumes, factory smog particles, makeup grime, and dirt will end up aging your skin if you aren't careful.

Additionally, moisturizing and adding serums to your face has been shown to add in more nutrients. More nutrients means healthier skin, for a longer period of time. Whether this is one of the more natural ways to reduce aging or not depends on your kind of facial, but for the sake of this article, we're leaving it in.

Be Social

If you've ever met a true recluse in society, then you'd know that they tend to look a lot older than they really are. There's a lot of reasons as to why this is, and why socializing is one of those things that reduce aging on a number of levels.

Hanging out with friends and family is actually really important to human beings in general. Those who are constantly alone tend to develop mental illnesses that increase stress. They also are less likely to take care of themselves via healthy foods and exercise.

As a result, they tend to look ragged way earlier than others. Ergo, being social is one of the healthiest and most natural ways to reduce aging symptoms and prevent problems later on.

Have Sex

Sex does play a good role in reducing aging - at least according to scientists. It's exercise, it boosts your mood, and also helps balance out hormones. As a result, the post-sex glow can make you appear years younger than you really are.

Of all the things that reduce aging, this might be the most fun. As long as you do it all safely, it's a win-win in the best sense of the word.