How to Know if You’re Aging Well

Aging is hard, complicated, and different for everyone. But knowing the steps of the aging process can help you to better understand why we age the way we do. Further, being familiar with how we age can help you to determine whether or not you’re aging in a healthy way.

In this blog, we’ll go over the steps of aging, signs you’re aging healthily or poorly, and how you can improve your aging process.

Health Markers & Indicators

The aging process is dependant on a number of different factors. And while some of these factors, like genetics, are out of our control, other factors like diet and activity levels are well within our authority.

Today, the average American is living 30 years longer than we did 100 years ago, but we aren’t necessarily any healthier. Research has demonstrated that 61% of Americans 65 or older have multiple chronic conditions. Most of these conditions come with side effects that make day-to-day living nearly impossible without some form of assistance. But the good news is that you can lower your risk of developing such chronic conditions by being physically active, eating well, partaking in regular health screenings, and doing the things you love.

What are the first signs of aging?

Before describing the first noticeable signs of aging, it’s important to reiterate that everyone ages differently. Just because you have wrinkles on your forehead before your similarly aged friends doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong. People typically begin to show signs of aging in their late 30s and early 40s. Such signs include:

• Sunspots

• Inflammation along the chest

• Dry or itchy skin

• Wrinkles

• Sagging skin

• Hair loss

• Gaunt hands

How do you know if you’re aging well?

Knowing the signs of unhealthy and healthy aging can help you to better understand if you need to make lifestyle changes to improve your wellbeing. Here are some signs that you’re aging well:

• Healthy body weight

• Muscle mass

• Low overall stress levels

• Regular blood glucose levels

How do know if you’re not aging well?

Beyond wrinkles and sagging, there are several other signs that will hint that you’re not aging well. Especially if several of these key signs begin to show up before you’re over the age of 60, you might not be aging well. These signs include:

• Muscle weakness

• Frequent or unexplained bruising

• Incessant fatigue

• Decreased hand strength

• Increased fat around the midsection

• Insomnia

• Slow walking speed

What is the secret to aging well?

Experts recommend living a healthy life in order to put off some of the physical signs of aging. This will help you age gracefully, inside and out. Some specific ways to make sure you age as effortlessly as possible include:

• Avoid smoking

• Exercise regularly

• Eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and lean protein

• Use sunscreen to avoid UV damage

• Drink moderately

These lifestyle changes will help to improve both your overall well-being and your longevity.

Supplements can help!

As we age, it only becomes more important to prioritize our health. Unfortunately, it can also be increasingly difficult to do so. Supplements like spermidine can help to induce a process called autophagy. Autophagy literally translates to “self eat”, which exactly is what happens in the process. It is a form of evolutionary self-preservation, in which the body removes unnecessary cells and recycles parts of them towards repair and cleaning. Cardiologist Dr. Luiza Petre explains it best as, “recycling and cleaning and at the same time, just like hitting a reset button to your body.” Autophagy declines with age and is associated with almost all age-related chronic complex diseases.

One way to boost autophagy is through fasting and exercise. But because spermidine is a caloric restriction mimetic, it achieves the same effects by activating molecular pathways that signal autophagy. We recommend Spermidine for almost all of our patients but especially for those who are over 60.

But as with all supplements, sourcing is very important. The Spermidine that we support is through SpermidineLife. SpermidineLife is a science-based company in Austria that only sells Spermidine. Their advisory board consists of some of the best scientists and cell researchers who analyze and test the Spermidine product from SpermidineLife. This is the only bioactive spermidine product on the market that has been proven in studies to affect autophagy and the immune system. Buying Spermidine from amazon or other non-medical sellers does not contain pure spermidine in the right concentration and can be ineffective at best and potentially harmful at worst.

The great thing about the aging process is that it's never too late to turn it around. To learn more about how to age gracefully, click here to contact us or call 276-235-3205 to schedule your complimentary discovery call with Dr. Johnson!

The Johnson Center for Health services patients in-person in our Blacksburg and Virginia Beach / Norfolk locations. We also offer telemedicine for residents of Virginia and North Carolina!