How to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle to Prevent Physiological Signs of Aging

Aging is a steady decline of the vital functions of the body. The decline affects both your appearance and your ability to function. As you age, you lose the appearance of youth and begin to show the effects of sun exposure, gravity and lifestyle choices. Aging affects all your major body systems, including your respiratory, circulatory and musculoskeletal systems.

Things You'll Need

• Sunscreen

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Instructions

• 1

  Engage in regular physical exercise. Aerobic exercise benefits all your body's systems, especially your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Because arteries can harden and narrow as you age, keeping your circulatory system functioning efficiently helps reduce inflammation and keeps arteries supple. Regular exercise prevents muscle loss and keeps joints flexible and bones strong. Strength-building exercises prevent bone and muscle mass loss and help improve balance, which can keep you from falling. Reducing body fat can help prevent excess stress on all your body's systems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend adults over 18 get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise five days a week, as well as performing muscle-strengthening activities, such as weight lifting, that work all the major muscle groups at least two times per week.

• 2

  Eat more fruits and vegetables. The CDC recommends filling at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables to supply an adequate supply of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains promote healthy bowel function and help keep your cardiovascular system in optimal condition.

• 3

  Drink your milk. An adequate intake of milk and other calcium-rich foods lessens your chance of developing osteoporosis, a thinning of the bones, and may help you maintain a healthy weight. The FDA recommends adults get about 1,000 mg of calcium daily. People with osteoporosis appear older because they lose height and begin to stoop. If you are lactose intolerant, opt for lactose-free dairy products or take a calcium supplement.

• 4

  Stop smoking. Cigarette smoking is a major contributor to premature wrinkles and reduced cardiovascular and respiratory function. According to UAB Health System, signs of premature aging begin after about 10 years of smoking and can add up to 20 years to your face. A woman who begins smoking at age 20 may look more like a non-smoking 50-year-old when she is 30. Poor heart and lung health hasten the aging process because your body lacks an adequate supply of nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood.

• 5

  Wear sunscreen. In addition to cigarettes, sun exposure ranks among the biggest culprits in contributing to the signs of premature aging of the skin. The Environmental Protection Agency states that up to 90 percent of the visible signs of aging are directly related to sun exposure. For proof, compare the skin on your hands to the skin on your buttocks. Wear a sunscreen with a minimum 15 SPF when outdoors.