By Dr. Olivia Rose

Healthy aging is a topic that concerns many and with summer on its way out and fall routines coming back in, it’s a great time to bring some focus back to your health. It is possible to implement simple, life changing strategies to slow down the hands of time.

Let’s explore some of my favorite strategies for increased longevity.

Try Meditation Or Mindfulness

Quiet time can seem hard to come by now-a-days. With social media, work and a hectic family life, it can be challenging to carve out the necessary time away from your electronic devices and from other people. Meditation and mindfulness are practices that encourage you to focus on breathing and stillness in the moment. These powerful stress reduction techniques improve concentration and memory and reduce anxiety, a condition that I’m seeing more

regularly in my practice. There are many meditation and mindfulness techniques available to try. Meditation can be as simple as sitting in a relaxed position for 10 minutes or walking in the park and focussing on your breath while paying close attention to your surroundings. Find an approach that works for you and give it a try.

Schedule Time For Movement

If there is one thing you can introduce or amp up this fall, choose your exercise regimen and if you don’t have one, create one. Get out of your comfort zone and try something different. Perhaps it’s a new class at the gym, a few sessions with a personal trainer or a new hiking trail for your evening walk. Whatever you choose will be better than not doing anything. Most people spend between 10 to 13 hours sitting each day which is a huge problem for your health. Movement is essential for regulating your hormones, your heart, mood and for maintaining healthy muscle tone, so keep it moving!

Nix The Sugar

Eating too much sugar will age you faster than ever. AGEs or advanced glycation end products are formed when sugar reacts with amino acids (the building blocks of protein) in the body. These molecules damage your cells and lead to the development of chronic degenerative health conditions such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Cut down on your sugar intake and limit your servings of high glycemic index fruit to no more than 2 or 3 per day. You’ll also want to avoid sugar substitutes which are in many ways worse than sugar for your health. Instead, focus on consuming whole foods such as legumes, fresh vegetables, cold water fish, and lean protein.

Sleep: Get More Of It!

It is common for your sleeping patterns to change as you get older but one of the most important rules for healthy aging is to get adequate sleep. You may begin to experience trouble falling asleep or staying asleep as you age but just because it’s a common occurrence doesn’t mean that it is normal. Sleep is important for your memory, sex drive, and your immune system. Chronic sleep loss ages your skin and increases your risk for depression, heart disease and stroke.

Check Your Attitude

Your attitude is everything; I truly believe that. Negative thoughts create negative emotions and negative actions that can lead to negative consequences for your health. Research shows that negative attitudes about aging affect how you age. In fact, one study out of Yale University demonstrated that people who held a negative attitude towards getting older suffered more heart attacks and strokes than people who held a positive attitude. So don’t stress out about the aging process, and try your best to exercise control in how you react to stress in your daily life.

It’s never too late to make a change in your lifestyle for the betterment of your health. Just keep it simple.