Health experts have discussed five simple lifestyle hacks and tweaks people can make to reduce their biological age with suggestions ranging from dietary to physical changes.
Their suggestions come at a time when there is a growing body of people working out how to reduce their biological age so they can stay healthier for longer into their later life.
Whilst this may seem daunting and some of the methods or supplements expensive, there are some affordable ways to do some good for less according to Woman’s Weekly UK.
The first of these is consuming vitamin D supplements. During the spring and summer, the body gets the vitamin D it needs from the sun, but in the autumn and winter it doesn’t. Vitamin D is essential the function of the immune system, especially during winter.
Speaking to the publication, dietician and health expert Lola Biggs recommended: “Vitamin D is only fond in a small number of foods such as liver, egg yolks, oily fish and some fortified foods.” Whilst Lola added that “incorporating a vitamin D supplement into your daily routine can be helpful” the NHS has warned that it is possible to overdose on vitamin D.
The health provider warned: “Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia). This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.”
The second tip given for reducing biological age was to add a side of salad or vegetables to each meal to improve cardiovascular health. Dr Rosie Godeseth explained: “It’s not about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food, instead it’s about making regular choices that limit ultra-processed foods and focus on having a balanced diet.”
As the 21st century has progressed our understanding of how bad ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are for our diet and potential lifespan causing people to think twice about whether they should consume them in great amounts.
The third tip for reducing biological age didn’t involve the consumption of food, but rather was in the inclusion into one’s daily routine of 30 squats three times per week. This simple exercise is about strengthening bones and joints and improving stability.
Tip number four is also not to do with diet, but in fact is all about the inclusion of a product normally associated with summer. According to Dr Jinah Yoo, applying factor 50 suncream can help reduce the signs of ageing and effects of year round skin damage.
They said: “Daily use of SPF helps prevent premature ageing, skin cancer, and hyperpigmentation, making it essential regardless of the weather.”
The fifth and final tip to reduce biological ageing is the addition into one’s daily dietary routine of a tablespoon of olive oil. Earlier this year, the product received praise from Professor Tim Spector on Instagram.
The King’s College London professor and ZOE co-founder said: “If I did believe in ‘superfoods’ olive oil would be one of them. While many of us were taught to fear fat, research shows that diets rich in extra virgin olive oil are associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.”