Yikes – Gray Hairs are Starting to Show – Now What?

It happens to all of us, and yet many of us dread the moment when we look in the mirror and gray hair welcomes us back. Learning how to slow the aging process is something many of us have on our ‘to do’ list, so here’s a few things you can do that can help.

Some things you can do are simple, like eating protein with each meal. Other things are more complicated like taking one of the latest approved prescription drugs. One thing most experts would agree on including WebMD and Mayo Clinic is that living a stress-free happy are key components to aging gracefully and maintaining your youthfulness.

#1 Eat foods high in protein at every meal

Every meal you need to eat foods that are high in protein such as egg whites, turkey, fish, tofu, etc. A good rule of thumb is to have 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of weight. According to naturopathic doctor, Dr. Kendall-Reed, protein should come from foods that are low in fat. That’s because protein will slow your insulin levels, which you need to keep balanced if you want to avoid the risk of disease and weight gain. According to Dr. Kendall-Reed eating protein will promote blood sugar stability. When you have stable blood sugar levels your body produces less of the stress hormone, cortisol, and that in turn helps to slow down aging.

#2. Eat these 7 foods

According to Dr. Kerri-Ann Jennings at WebMD eating these seven foods will help your skin to stay younger and more youthful and help your body to stay more youthful.

• Oats – Oats have a low glycemic index so they won’t spike your blood sugar levels and they will help to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. According to Dr. Debra Jaliman, (author of Skin Rules) high glycemic foods are known to cause wrinkles. Other whole grain foods are also beneficial.
• Avocados – Avocados contain healthy monounsaturated fat that helps to keep your skin well hydrated. They are also packed with water, which also keeps the skin well hydrated. Overall, all fruits and vegetables are beneficial to your skin and in keeping you more youthful.
• Lean beef – 2 to 4 ounces servings of lean beef a couple of times a week is a good quality protein that helps to build collagen. Chicken and fish are also beneficial.
• Salmon or other cold water fish – Cold water fish, especially salmon, are high in omega-3 fats. Some research has indicated that salmon may be able to prevent skin cancer cells from growing.
• Brussels sprouts – Brussels sprouts are one of those foods that not everyone cares for. Try making them roasted and then drizzle with olive oil for a much tasty alternative. You should eat plenty of Brussels sprouts as they are high in Vitamin C, which produces collagen and keeps the wrinkles at bay.
• Grapes – Grapes are high in resveratrol which has been linked to slowing the aging process. Resveratrol reduces inflammation in the body, which is responsible for speeding up aging. If you want great look skin along with all the other benefits, grapes should be in your diet.

According to dietitian Elisa Zied, author of Younger Next Week, a diet rich in veggies, fruits, nuts, fish, whole grains, and lean protein will help you to look and feel younger.

#3 Take Vitamins D, B6 and B12 each day

Taking  Vitamin D, B6 and B12 can help reduce your cortisol and increase your serotonin levels easing depression, anxiety, and stress, which is related to aging faster.

#4 Exercise regularly

Being physically active ensures that you produce more HGH, which is key to maintaining your youthfulness. Growth hormone improves your skin, helps you to increase your muscle mass, increase libido, helps with belly fat loss, and almost all the things we experience relating to aging. You should try to get at least 10,000 steps a day. If you aren’t sure if you are meeting your goal investing in a Fitbit or similar device can take the guess work out of it.

#5 Take an HGH supplement

Exercise increases your HGH and another way to do this is take HGH supplements like Somatropinne and HGF Max. In fact, when combined with exercise the benefits are just that much more.  According to naturopath Kendall-Reed, a Toronto naturopath. “Growth hormone plays a role in everything, whether it’s skin, libido, weight gain, muscle mass or energy level – almost any sign and symptom you can think of related to aging,” says Kendall-Reed.

#6 Get at least 8 hours sleep

Your body repairs itself while you sleep and that’s also when it produces HGH. People that don’t get a good night’s sleep generally will have lower human growth hormone levels. In addition, not getting the right amounts of sleep is stressful and that increases cortisol levels, which speeds up aging.

#7 Try to reduce the stress in your life

There are many things you can do to reduce your stress. Make changes to your lifestyle, get enough exercise, drink green tea, get a massage, and the list goes on. Reducing stress is personal so find what works for you.

#8 Boost your immune system

You can do this by taking a supplement. Zinc, plant sterinols, and olive extract – these are just 3 very helpful options.  There are many supplements that are designed to keep your immune system in tip top shape.

#9 Drink lots of water

Your body is made up of 60% water and throughout the day those resources become depleted. Unless you replenish them you can become dehydrated and that causes your skin to become more wrinkled and for you to look older. You need to drink at least 8 glasses of water each day – the more the better. Drinking enough water also keeps your bowels working properly and helps to detox the kidneys, both important to staying younger and healthier.

#10 A New Drug

Mayo Clinic has announced a new class of drugs that can help to slow the aging process. Mayo Clinic in conjunction with Scripps Research Institute has identified a new class of drugs shown to significantly improve cardiac function and reduce the symptoms associated with frailty. In mice they have lead to a prolonged healthy lifespan. The findings were published in the journal Aging Cell, which announced these new drugs are called “senolytics” and they target then kill aging- cells without causing damaging to others nearby cells. The research team was led by Paul Robbins and Laura Niedernhofer, M.D.

I’ve given you 10 things you can do to slow the aging process. Incorporating these into your life will put you on the path to aging gracefully and maintaining your sex drive, look and youthfulness longer. Why not give at least a few a try?