Physical Age: Stop Premature Aging in its Tracks

They're not always the same: your chronicle and biological ages don't necessarily go hand-in-hand. Calculating your physical age isn't hard; you can calculate it by doing some quizzes.

After 30, the body’s physical and mental capacities start weakening and the aging process begins. In order to slow it down, you need to know what chronological and physical, (or biological), age is.

Chronological age, or real age, is the number of years a person has lived since birth. On the other hand, biological age is determined by the state of a person’s organs.

Biological age is how old we look as a result of how our cells work. You can improve it, but it’ll depend on your habits. We all age at different rates.

How can you calculate your physical age?

Some simple questions can help you calculate your physical age. Do you exercise? The cells in people who walk daily are younger than those who don’t exercise. Movement combats obesity, oxygenates the brain and protects cells. Walking daily can even raise life expectancy for up to six years.

There are different tests that calculate biological age. They calculate factors such as age and body mass index (BMI). Additionally, these tests also consider others like smoking, sleep, and exercise. A more detailed test will also ask about work stress, romantic partners, high-fat diets, high blood pressure and being an optimist or not.

A sedentary lifestyle and being overweight: physical age

A sedentary lifestyle worsens aging. Spending more than five or six hours in front of a TV could shorten lifespans by up to six years. In light of that, you should exercise, starting with walking.

On a similar note, being overweight also brings on premature aging. It also increases the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. If your body mass index is higher than 25, you’re on thin ice. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in m².

Moving on, telomeres, or the end of the sequence on a chromosome, shortens in cases of depression or pessimism. It speeds up the DNA’s process of aging and cell death. The result could possibly be aging 10 years faster.

Exercise, once again, picks up another important role. It’s the antidote for depression. If you have a serious case of depression, seeking out professional help could be highly beneficial.

Eating well and not smoking: physical age

Limiting calories can slow down premature aging. If you’re not full after eating, try making an effort to chew each bite 20 times before swallowing. Serving sizes that are 30 percent less can also help triple your lifespan.

Meanwhile, smoking cigarettes can age you 10 years in two and a half chronological years. Nicotine severely reduces the width of the area of your brain that affects language, attention, memory, and conscience. Quitting tobacco will help neurons recover their efficiency and lower the risk of dementia.

Breathing properly and not inhaling toxic products

If your abdomen, not chest, rises from inhaling through your nose, you’re filling your lungs completely and oxygenating your body. Breathing properly will boost the benefits of your body.

On the other hand, exposure to toxic products, such as cosmetics with parabens, PFOA fry-pans, or plastics and hygiene products that use bisphenol will lead to oxidative stress. Consequently, they speed up the aging process and increase the number of free radicals that cause cell damage. Along with other factors, they can also lead to Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer or diabetes.

Opt for glass containers and ecological products to avoid using plastic. Ingraining these tips into your habits will prevent premature aging and could even take up to 15 years from your physical age.

Premature aging symptoms

Premature aging symptoms include tiredness, poor digestion, wrinkles, decreased work quality and social skills. We also have to mention dry skin, joint pain, blemishes on hands and face, posture changes, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

If you notice these symptoms, it’s time to change your habits. One of those changes should definitely include drinking at least two liters of water a day to keep your body clean.

Additionally, regulating excessive free radicals by consuming foods with anti-oxidants or supplements is another way to fight the aging process. You should also be careful with exposure to ultraviolet rays, tobacco smoke, pollution, stress, sedentary habits, and excessive exercise.

To wrap up, there are several tests you can try to calculate your physical age. Once you know your results, you should put our tips into practice to live better.