- What to do for health all your life
- 1. Do annual check-ups
- 2. Eat healthy
- 3. Practice physical activity regularly
- 4. Don't smoke
- 5. Drink lots of water
- 6. Do not expose yourself to the sun without protection
- 7. Control stress
- 8. Use medicines only with medical indication
- 9. Avoid excessive exams
- 10. Consume anti-oxidants
To live longer and in health it is important to keep moving, practicing some daily physical activity, having a healthy diet and without excesses, as well as doing medical check-ups and taking the medications indicated by the doctor.
On the other hand, having some attitudes such as smoking, eating too much industrialized products, exposing yourself to the sun without protection, and even living with a lot of worry and stress, can make this aging faster and with less quality.
Thus, even though genetics is important and the life expectancy of Brazilians is around 75 years old, it is possible to be able to live for more years and in a healthy way. But, for this, it is necessary to try to reduce the effect of the natural wear and tear of the organism, which increases in certain everyday situations.
What to do for health all your life
Aging is a natural process, but some tips can be followed in order to circumvent this process and reduce the body's contact with substances that cause diseases, and thus, achieve a quality and healthy life. For this, it is necessary to:
1. Do annual check-ups
Follow-up with medical consultations and laboratory or imaging exams, usually done from the age of 30, can indicate diseases such as high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, lumps in the breast and enlarged prostate, for example, and must be done annually or within the time determined by the doctor.
These check-ups are important to detect any signs of illness as early as possible, and to treat them before damage is done to the body.
2. Eat healthy
Eating healthily consists of preferring to eat fruits and vegetables, in addition to avoiding industrialized foods, as it contains chemical additives, such as trans fat, preservatives, monosodium glutamate, in addition to flavors, dyes and artificial sweeteners that, when consumed, spread through the bloodstream and cause a series of events that cause the body to age. Check out tips for making healthy purchases and avoiding health-damaging foods.
It is also recommended to give preference to organic foods, as those that are commonly sold in the markets may be rich in pesticides, which contain insecticidal substances, synthetic fertilizers and hormones, which, when in excess, can be toxic and accelerate aging.
In addition, it is important to manage the amount of food, as eating little is a way to avoid the production of substances and free radicals that cause wear and aging.
3. Practice physical activity regularly
Exercising at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes, but ideally 5 times a week, improves hormonal regulation, blood circulation and the elimination of toxins from the body, making the organs work better and stay healthy. longer.
In addition, physical exercise and a balanced diet help to maintain muscle tone, which reduces fragility and falls when aging, because it increases the amount of calcium in bones and muscles, in addition to hindering the development of diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure and those related to immunity.
However, when exercise is done in excess and does not respect the physiological limits of the body, such as running marathons and very stressful sports, the body produces more free radicals due to excessive effort, which accelerates aging.
So, the ideal is to do a physical activity that is pleasurable and that stretches the body, but one should not get to the point of running out or wearing too much. It is also important to take 1 or 2 days of rest to help your muscles recover. Learn more about the benefits of physical activity in old age.
4. Don't smoke
There are almost 5, 000 substances in the composition of cigarettes, of which more than 50 are proven to be carcinogenic, as they cause toxic effects to the body, and cause a faster aging, therefore, to live longer and better, it is important to get rid of this addiction.
In addition to not smoking, one should avoid environments with cigarette smoke, as they also cause these bad effects on the body, which is called passive smoking.
When smokers quit this habit, the bad effects of cigarettes are gradually diminished on the body from the first day, until, in 15 to 20 years, the risks disappear completely, so stopping smoking is a big step against aging and the formation of cancer.
5. Drink lots of water
Drinking water or liquids such as natural juices, teas and coconut water, helps to increase the filtration of blood through the kidneys, accelerating the elimination of bad substances to the body, produced by the digestion of food or medicine, for example.
In addition, water keeps the body's cells hydrated, which improves their functioning. Learn the ideal amount of water to drink every day.
6. Do not expose yourself to the sun without protection
The sun's rays contain UV radiation that, when in excess, cause skin damage and aging, in addition to increasing the risk of cancer and decreasing immunity. Therefore, it is very important to use sunscreen and, on sunny days, it is recommended to wear hats and sunglasses, in addition to avoid going to the beach and being in the sun between 10 am and 4 pm. Learn more about the harms of excessive sun and how to protect yourself.
7. Control stress
Excessive stress and anxiety increases the body's production of bad hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which accelerate the speed of aging and increase the chances of developing diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
To avoid this effect, it is important to maintain habits that increase well-being, maintaining positivity and good mood, in addition to doing activities that help the proper functioning of the mind, such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, reiki and massages, which delay the aging, as they help the brain to act in a better way, in addition to regulating the production of hormones, decreasing cortisol and adrenaline, and increasing serotonin, oxytocin and melatonin, for example.
Check out how anxiety treatment is done.
8. Use medicines only with medical indication
When acting on the body, drugs cause a series of side effects that influence the functioning of the body, and when used unnecessarily or in excess, the bad consequences can outweigh the good effects of the active ingredients.
On the other hand, illicit drugs, in addition to having no benefits, bring only bad and side effects to the body, which facilitates the wear and the formation of diseases.
Learn more about the risks of taking medications without medical advice.
9. Avoid excessive exams
Exams such as X-rays and CT scans contain a lot of radiation, so you should not always go to the emergency room to ask for an X-ray, or to do this type of exam often and unnecessarily.
This is because, in doing so, the body comes into contact with a large amount of radiation that causes damage to the body's molecules and cells and accelerates aging, in addition to increasing the risk of cancer.
10. Consume anti-oxidants
Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, beta-carotene, zinc, selenium, magnesium, calcium and omega 3 slow down aging, as they act by decreasing the action of free radicals in the body, which are toxic substances that we produce as a result of reactions of the body, mainly due to food, use of medicines, consumption of alcoholic beverages and contact with pollution.
Antioxidants are found in vegetables and cereals such as kale, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, papaya and strawberries, for example, and, preferably, should be consumed in this way. However, they can also be found in the form of supplements purchased at a pharmacy, and their use should always be guided by a doctor or nutritionist. Check the list of antioxidant foods.
Watch the following video, in which nutritionist Tatiana Zanin and Dr. Drauzio Varella talk in a relaxed way about topics such as obesity, alcohol and cigarette use, and what to do to have a healthy lifestyle:
