Better health as we age.
Slowing and/or reversing the effects of aging can lead to a healthier, stronger body, increased energy levels, improved overall health, and a more youthful appearance—who wouldn’t want that?! This desire for vitality is precisely why there is a continuous stream of new pills, powders, makeup, and diets that promise miraculous results, claiming to turn back the clock on aging. Unfortunately, these promises are almost always just clever marketing ploys. However, there are indeed effective strategies and practices you can incorporate into your daily routine that can help reduce your body's perceived age and enable you to attain:
Achieving younger-looking skin that radiates vitality and health
Developing a leaner, stronger, more mobile, and functional body for enhanced physical performance
Enjoying increased energy levels, improved stamina, and greater endurance throughout the day
Experiencing enhanced focus, sharper concentration, and improved memory retention
Benefiting from better quality sleep that rejuvenates the body and mind
Reducing the risk of health issues and concerns for a more balanced life
This will not magically happen overnight. BUT, when you consistently put the following strategies into play, you can slow down the aging process! Here’s 6 ways to reduce your body age.
Cardio Health:
Cardio is well known for heart health but also benefits your mitochondria. If you're seeking anti-aging effects, aerobic exercise is essential. It boosts a process called mitochondrial biogenesis, increasing both the size and number of mitochondria. While strength training builds muscle, regular aerobic exercise primarily enhances the number and function of mitochondria. You don't need to spend hours on this; shorter high-intensity interval training sessions work well. A recent study in the European Heart Journal showed that both traditional endurance training and high-intensity interval training increased the activity of an enzyme called telomerase, which helps prevent telomere shortening. This means aerobic exercise can actually lengthen telomeres, reversing physical aging. Generally, aim for 2 to 3 cardio sessions each week, using traditional endurance, interval training, or a mix of both.
The power of Fasting:
Intermittent fasting (IF), and particularly the approach known as time-restricted feeding (TRF), has rapidly gained popularity as a health trend, and for compelling reasons. This dietary strategy offers a wide array of health benefits and can seamlessly integrate into any eating pattern, such as Paleo or Mediterranean diets. Dr. Valter Longo, who is recognized as a leading researcher in the field of intermittent fasting, authored the insightful book The Longevity Diet, which highlights a significant connection between IF practices and an increased lifespan. His extensive research into fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) reveals that following a low-calorie, low-protein intake for just five days each month can lead to remarkable reductions in markers of aging and an overall enhancement in healthspan. Furthermore, caloric restriction (CR) has been scientifically validated as an effective method to reduce biological age. Investigations suggest that CR can prolong lifespan by promoting the health of mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of our cells. Additionally, IF fosters a vital process known as autophagy, which is essential for cleansing cellular waste and eliminating damaged components. Unlike CR, which often results in possible side effect of muscle loss in some, IF specifically promotes fat loss while safeguarding lean muscle mass, an important consideration for anyone aiming to enjoy a long, healthy life.
Lift Weights:
Lifting weights can be one of the very best ways to significantly increase your overall health span and greatly improve your quality of life. In fact, muscle strength has been identified as one of the strongest predictors of how long and how well you will live your life. The truth is, engaging in regular resistance training can effectively help maintain both muscle and bone mass as you get older and age. Additionally, this form of exercise can boost mood levels, improve cognitive function, protect against various injuries, and enhance your overall quality of life in multiple ways. It is important to note that lifting weights doesn’t necessarily mean you have to lift as heavily as a bodybuilder to reap the notable rewards. There simply needs to be some form of resistance, so whether that means you are lifting heavy weights or utilizing your own body weight, you will most definitely see numerous benefits.
Embrace the outdoors:
Spending more time in nature is one of the easiest and most effective ways to lower your body age. While many people think the benefits of being outdoors are mainly about sun exposure for vitamin D, it’s important to know that vitamin D acts like a hormone and is found in every tissue of the body. This highlights its vital role in overall health. Avoiding sunlight can significantly harm your health and increase the risk of death, potentially doubling mortality rates. Lower vitamin D levels are linked to a higher risk of various illnesses, including certain cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune diseases. Other conditions, like liver disease and macular degeneration, are also associated with low vitamin D. However, the benefits of nature go beyond vitamin D. Activities like forest bathing, walking barefoot, gardening, or simply enjoying natural settings can greatly enhance both physical and mental well-being.
Less stress and lower cortisol levels
Lower blood pressure and heart rate
Decreased blood sugar levels
Enhanced immune system performance
Improved mood and less depression and anxiety
Better focus, concentration, and short-term memory
Increased energy and vitality
Improved, restorative sleep and healthier sleep patterns
Breath work:
Breathing is a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of our health and wellbeing. While it may seem automatic, the quality of our breath has profound implications for both physical and mental health. Practising intentional breathing techniques can enhance oxygen flow, reduce stress, and promote a sense of calm.
The Science of Breathing
When we breathe, we engage our parasympathetic nervous system, which helps the body relax and regenerate. Research indicates that slow, deep breathing can lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress. Furthermore, proper breathing techniques can improve lung capacity, increase endurance, and enhance cognitive function by supplying vital oxygen to the brain.
Benefits of Breath Awareness
Stress Reduction: Focusing on the breath reduces mental clutter and anxiety. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing encourage a state of relaxation and help calm the mind.
Improved Sleep: Engaging in breathing exercises before bedtime can promote better quality sleep by facilitating relaxation. This practice can be particularly beneficial for those who struggle with insomnia.
Enhanced Physical Performance: For athletes, controlled breathing can optimise oxygen delivery during exercise, leading to improved stamina and performance.
Mindfulness and Presence: Breath awareness is a cornerstone of mindfulness practices. It anchors us in the present moment, helping to cultivate gratitude and enhance our overall mental state.
Breathing Techniques to Try
Tilt your head slightly back and look upward, breath in through your nose for 4sec, hold for 5sec’s, breath out through your mouth for 6 sec’s repeat 3 times.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Inhale deeply through your nose, ensuring your diaphragm (not just your chest) inflates with air. Exhale slowly through your mouth. Practice for 5–10 minutes daily.
Box Breathing: Inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, and hold again for four counts. This technique promotes focus and reduces anxiety.
Alternate Nostril Breathing: Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your ring finger, release your thumb from your right nostril, and exhale through the right. This balances the nervous system and promotes calm.
Conclusion
Integrating conscious breathing into your daily routine can help transform your health, enhancing both your mental clarity and physical vitality. At GloNua, we advocate for holistic approaches to wellbeing, including the power of mindful breathing as a tool for personal empowerment and life enhancement. Start today and experience the profound benefits breathing can provide on your journey to optimal health.
Blood Work:
Blood sugar management is an important health marker to keep track of. Studies show that HbA1c, a measure of glycated hemoglobin, is a significant indicator of mortality. HbA1c is a strong indicator of average blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months, showing how well blood sugar is controlled over time. It can also predict death risk regardless of fasting blood sugar levels, which are more frequently measured. Additionally, glycemic variability, or the fluctuations in blood sugar, plays a crucial role. Unstable blood sugar, such as spikes after meals followed by quick drops, can negatively affect mood, energy, and food choices.
If you genuinely want to reduce your body age, it is essential to cut out the junk food that’s made with added sugars and refined grains, as these can lead to various health issues. Instead, focus on incorporating more whole, nutrient-dense foods into your diet. The bonus of eating a greater variety of colorful vegetables and fruits is not only enjoying a more diverse palate but also experiencing enhanced feelings of well-being, greater youthfulness, increased vitality, and a healthier, radiant glow to your skin.
Ensure you sleep well:
Get enough sleep, prioritizing more sleep in your routine can significantly contribute to your overall health and rejuvenation. Research has shown a clear and linear association between sleep duration, overall sleep quality, and telomere length. In other words, a lack of sufficient sleep is directly associated with shorter telomere length, which contributes to cellular aging. For example, in a study published in the esteemed journal PLoS One, researchers from the United Kingdom found compelling evidence that men who consistently slept for 5 hours or fewer each night had telomere lengths that were 6% shorter compared to their counterparts who enjoyed at least 7 hours of restful sleep. This finding presents yet another compelling reason to place a high priority on getting adequate sleep. When it comes to improving the restorative quality of your sleep, there are three critical factors to consider: timing (specifically, when you go to bed), intensity, and duration (the total time you are actually in bed). The best way to effectively capitalize on all three of these essential components is to enhance your sleep hygiene practices and reset your circadian rhythms for better overall wellbeing.
Anti-Aging
Try moving more, moving often, and diversifying the various ways in which we engage in physical activity throughout our daily lives. We need to make it a priority to consume real, nutritious food, while decisively ditching the unhealthy junk and heavily processed options that tend to plague our diets. Additionally, consider experimenting with going through periods without eating to allow our bodies the opportunity to reset and rejuvenate. Furthermore, getting outside to connect with nature can be incredibly beneficial for both our mental clarity and physical well-being. If you’re consistently practicing these effective anti-aging strategies, you’re undoubtedly in really good shape and on the right path. However, we’re all human, and if you’re not quite there yet—please don’t feel bad if that’s the case—then consider starting with just one specific area at a time. It’s important to never try to make too many changes all at once, as this can be genuinely overwhelming and counterproductive. Once you’ve successfully figured out one approach for a few weeks, then you can confidently consider adding another strategy. And before you know it, you’ll be feeling better than ever as you fully embrace a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle.
GloNua BioHacking Tips:
What we eat and how we move, directly affects mood, function, body and all of the complex bio-chemical processes that go into make us who we are. Being aware of this is imperative in gaining the insight you require to take the initial steps towards a better you. As the founder of GloNua I feel it’s important to share some of these pillars and key aspects in a simple format to help you understand.
Diet
My regime is based on what I like to call M.E.A.L. (Meat, Eggs, Added oils, Leaves). I advise eating grass fed meats and non-farmed fish. Steaks are great, but there’s so many options when it comes to good quality meat. After a workout or pre bed sometimes I’ll have a protein shake. I don’t eat that many carbohydrates, but they are cycled in and out as they do contain fibre, and at times on Keto, science has found that we can get the benefits utilising such cyclical patterns. Everybody is slightly different, from gender, to age and daily routines, so see what works for you. I do occasionally enjoy a sweet treat after my main meal (I am human). Replace the highly processed industrial mono-cropped agriculture: refined grains, sugar and seed oils with our ancestral diet rich in animal meat, fish, fat and organs (Collagen/gelatine rich) foods.
Try to avoid a much as possible:
Sugar, Seed oils, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Trans fats, Refined carbs. These are all present in so many processed foods or packaged foods, just check the labels.
Intermittent Fasting
Practice Intermittent Fasting. I have implemented it in my life in various forms for years and it has delivered many benefits including better energy, better mood and better cognitive function (also covered in our blog page in depth).
GloNua Biohack Pillars:
Body & Mind awareness
Eat real food = satiety
Exercise - Build muscle (it burns fat), do weights and Hiit.
Sleep well - 7-9 hours
Engage in fasting
Sunlight - AM & PM, it has numerous body benefits.
Meditate - practice correct breathing, even 5-10mins.
Engage with people - Social Contact.
Get out in nature - Positive to Negative ion balance
GloNua believe the nutrient dense and ancestoral approach to eating is by far a very successful and a maintainable better health & wellness. Historically, some of these aspects in lifestyle have being explored and it is no secret that many people have experienced amazing success. That is also why we consider it a valid approach for body health and condition, brain health cognition and mood. GloNua aim to aid you on your journey toward better health. Many scientific research studies now explore this in depth pointing toward the rationale for how this way can be used to create a more favourable metabolic state, less ree radicals, reduced inflammation and required calorie deficit needed for meaningful weight loss.
For individuals needing to lose weight for the sake of their health and wellbeing, finding a strategy that works for you can be extremely liberating. Not only is weight loss accompanied with a decreased risk of several major chronic diseases, but it can increase your quality of life. There is no doubt that there is an emotional component to one’s weight loss journey, and we strongly believe the information in our Blog can set you on the path to better health. Follow me on Instagram
