Increase your Healthspan, not just the Lifespan

In this week's challenge you must follow these 4 steps to reverse your biological clock . Want to stall the age clock, stay energetic, and look like the fittest icons you adore? Here is an award-winning doctor sharing four inexpensive ways you can reverse your biological age and feel younger without spending a fortune.

4 steps to reverse your biological clock :

1. Watch what you eat: Her daily nutrition recommendations for biological age reversal can be interpreted this way:
   • 30 to 35 per cent of carbs (largely from veggies and low-sugar fruits)
   • 15 to 20 per cent of clean protein; and
   • 45 to 45 per cent of healthy fats.

   Nutritious foods, herbs and spices with more greens and colourful veggies like beets, and different herbs or botanicals like turmeric, which is in curry, and green tea – all of these have the ability to change our genetic expression towards something more youthful when taken together

   • Have low-sugar fruits like avocado, blood oranges, blueberries, grapefruit and green apples.
   • Healthy monosaturated, saturated, omega-3 and omega-6 fats found in nuts and seeds.
   • Do not exceed daily carb consumption beyond 35 per cent of your caloric intake.
   • Try to limit your sources of carbohydrates to fruit and veggie servings rather than grains. Too many grains is due to the likely gluten content – a wheat protein that can cause inflammation in some.


2. Exercise, even if a moderate amount: Seeking biological age reversal? Get 30 minutes of working out five days a week. Done daily, it promotes cellular repair, detoxification via sweat and burns pro-inflammatory fats while also building heart muscle. Exercises that are helpful to reducing bio age aren’t necessarily intense. "In our study, we also included a modest exercise prescription. It was nothing crazy – just a half an hour, five days a week, not going really hard, sort of perceived exertion of 60 to 80 per cent. So, 60 per cent would be you're breathing just a little bit more, maybe light sweating, you know, nothing too crazy. What's important is consistency. Many healthy centenarians practice a lifestyle that includes movement of some sort. These exercises could range from walking around town, gardening, dancing, cleaning or biking.


3. De-stress, unwind, relax -- Meditate: Modern man has had such a drastic lifestyle change from the one that his recent ancestors followed that our brains have not been able to evolve to counter the modern-day persistent stresses, say experts. Take for example the fact that a few thousand years ago, our ancestors had a clear and visible danger in the form of an animal or adversary that was set to attack. So the brain registered the danger and clues were sent to the respective glands to pump in adrenalin to foster a fight or flight response. Soon, the threat would be done away with. Not so with the modern-day scenario. Financial troubles, aspirational worries, career stagnation, impatient boss and job loss threats are not dangers that vanish soon and the brain is unable to handle the prolonged anxiety or tension. Stress, aside from diet, is a leading cause of premature ageing. In her own words, "We are so stressed out as a country. And stress is like gasoline on the fire of ageing. But, research also shows that reversing that stress like engaging in meditation or maybe yoga – have really good effects on our genetic expression like contributing to that biologically younger profile. 10 minutes of meditation twice a day, though there are relaxation podcasts or cuddle sessions with a pet or loved one that can help curb anxiety and other stressors.


4. Get the beauty sleep: No compromise on this. Daily sleep recommendation for biological age reversal is broken down: 7 hours of rest each night. The day's wear and tear is not just on the body. If you do not make up with the proper repairs that only good sleep brings, the brain, memory, cognitive skills, balance, and fitness will go for a toss. Without a doubt, getting enough rest is the other key to staying biologically youthful. Getting at least seven hours of sleep each night not only helps to keep your energy level high during the day, but it’s also conducive to healthy DNA methylation. "Sleep – if it's good, quality will keep us biologically younger. If we're not sleeping well, we will change our genetic expression towards something that increases our risk of chronic diseases, which in turn increases our biological age

Suggested Reading:

Healthspan is more important than lifespan - Learn more here.

5 Healthy Habits Extend Your Healthspan by 10 Years - Learn more here.