8 tips to delay biological aging and feel 6 years younger

Having a long life is something many people want, but it’s important to think about quality rather than quantity. The ideal is to have a good, healthy and quality old age, where you can really enjoy life.

Due to the rapid aging of the global population and increasing life expectancy, In 2050, the number of people over 60 will double and those over 80 will triple in Chile It is therefore important that science finds as quickly as possible the most appropriate way to achieve a better old age.

In this perspective, a new search found a way to delay biological aging by six years by following a few eight simple steps to improve heart health.

Biological age is a measure of the body’s health and functional state relative to its chronological age, which is age measured in years. While chronological age is calculated by simply counting the years since a person’s birth, Biological age refers to the age at which the organism actually appears to be based on various factors. linked to your health and your physical and biological functioning.

In their study, they found that having good cardiovascular health can slow the rate of biological aging, which can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other age-related illnesses while extending life.

On the other hand, factors such as chronic stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise can accelerate the aging process and make biological age older than chronological age.

“We found that better cardiovascular health is associated with slowed biological aging, as measured by phenotypic age. We also found a dose-dependent association“As heart health improves, biological aging decreases.” said the study’s lead author, Nour Makarem, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, in a statement. Press release of the American Heart Association.

Phenotypic age is a concept that refers to a person’s physical and biological appearance and state in relation to their chronological age. Unlike biological age, which focuses on specific indicators of health and biological functioning, phenotypic age is based on a general assessment of a person’s appearance and physical condition. This can include things like skin elasticity, bone density, appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, hair and nail health, among others.

“Phenotypic age is a practical tool for assessing our body’s biological aging process and a powerful indicator of future risk of disease and death,” Makarem said.

The analysis, which used data from more than 6,500 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2015 to 2018, found that Participants with good cardiovascular health had negative phenotypic age acceleration, meaning they were younger than physiologically expected.

In contrast, people with poor cardiovascular health had phenotypic acceleration greater than their actual age, meaning they were older than would be physiologically expected.

According to research, Cardiovascularly healthy adults were on average biologically six years younger than their chronological age. For example, the actual average age of people in good cardiovascular health was 41, but their average biological age was 36; and the actual average age of those with poor cardiovascular health was 53, although their average biological age was 57, the release explained.

To find out the above, the researchers used the checklist The essentials of life 8 from the American Heart Association, a list of eight key lifestyle behaviors to improve and maintain optimal cardiovascular health.

“Try to follow an overall healthy diet that includes whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and cooking with non-tropical oils like olive and canola.”

“Adults should get 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week. “Children should have 60 minutes every day, including games and structured activities. »

“The use of inhaled nicotine-delivering products, including traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vaporizers, is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, comprising approximately one-third of all deaths from heart disease. And about a third of U.S. children ages 3 to 11 are exposed to secondhand smoke or vaping.

“Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Kids need more: 10 to 16 hours for children 5 and under, including naps; 9 to 12 hours for ages 6 to 12; and 8 to 10 hours for 13 to 18 year olds. “Getting enough sleep promotes healing, improves brain function and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. »

“Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits. Body mass index, a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height, is a useful indicator. The optimal BMI is 25. You can calculate it online or consult a healthcare professional.

“High levels of non-HDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol can lead to heart disease. “Your healthcare professional may consider non-HDL cholesterol as the preferred number to monitor, rather than total cholesterol, because it can be measured without prior fasting and is reliably estimated among all people.”

“Most of the foods we eat are converted into glucose (or blood sugar) which our bodies use for energy. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. As part of testing, monitoring hemoglobin A1c may better reflect long-term management in people with diabetes or prediabetes.

“Keeping your blood pressure within acceptable limits can keep you healthy longer. Optimal levels are below 120/80 mm Hg. “High blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure of 130 to 139 mm Hg (the highest number in a reading) or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 mm Hg (the bottom number).”

“Increased compliance with all Life’s Essential 8 parameters and improving your cardiovascular health can slow down your body’s aging process and provide many benefits later in life. “Reduced biological aging is not only associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, but it is also associated with longer life and a lower risk of death,” Makarem said.

However, a limitation of the study was that cardiovascular parameters were only measured at a specific time point and not over a given period, which does not provide exact certainty on the results.

Nonetheless, the findings help understand the connection between chronological age and biological age and the importance of following healthy habits over time to live a longer, quality life.

“Everyone wants to live longer, but “The most important thing is that we want to live healthier longer so that we can really enjoy and have a good quality of life for as many years as possible.” Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, chairman of the Life’s Essential 8 editorial group and former volunteer president of the American Heart Association, said in the release.