Our habits deeply influence the aging process and the onset of diseases (even serious ones). Science says so
Is there the secret of longevity? Maybe not, but certainly our habits and our lifestyle deeply influence the aging process and the onset of diseases (even serious ones), allowing us to choose whether to live a short life or a long and healthy existence.
When old age begins to take its toll, we all want to turn the clock back - or at least stop time and prevent aging from advancing. But would it really be possible to stop old age? According to science, yes. Here are some daily habits that make us age prematurely and that, if properly corrected, can make us feel (and look) younger, extending the years in which we are healthy.
Index
Stress
The first responsible for premature aging is certainly it stress: increases the risk of heart problems, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions. In addition, it can have a direct effect on the aging of our cells: a study conducted by Harvard Medical School reveals that chronic stress shortens telomeres, the structures within cells that contain our DNA: if telomeres become too short, the cell can even die. Cell death can lead not only to accelerated aging, but also to an increased risk of heart problems and cancer.
Eating too much red meat
However, our diet also plays an important role in premature aging. In particular, frequent intake of red meat it would decrease a person's years of life: according to numerous studies, in fact, consuming large quantities of red meat would increase the risk of dying from cancer, diabetes or heart attack, and would also favor the onset of other diseases. A recent study conducted in the United States on more than a million people analyzed the correlation between the consumption of red meat and the onset of ischemic heart disease (taking into account not only nutrition, but also factors not related to diet): patients who have consumed even a minimal amount of red meat (especially if processed, as is the case with cured meats and sausages) increases the risk of the onset of the disease compared to those who have not consumed it (replacing the protein intake of meat with food of vegetable origin, such as legumes and seeds).
Consume alcohol
Also the consumption of alcohol promotes premature aging of our cells, as it dehydrates the tissues and causes skin inflammation (redness of the face, broken capillaries and swelling) that make the skin look older than it is. A study published in 2019, conducted on 3.200 women, highlighted how alcohol consumption favors facial aging: women who drink large quantities of alcohol (more than eight drinks per week) show more wrinkles, dark circles and capillaries in evidence than those who drink moderately or who don't drink at all.
Do little movement
Finally, even inactivity e a sedentary lifestyle they can help make us older. It is no secret, in fact, that an active life and constant physical exercise (even moderate) can help us keep us healthy and extend our life expectancy by many years: even just 15 minutes a day are enough to obtain many benefits for the health, which can translate into an extra three years to add to our existence, according to this study. But that's not all: recent research has shown a 28% lowering of the risk of premature death in people who train consistently at least 150 minutes a week.
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