20 Lifestyle Habits That Can Make You Age Faster

We’ve all heard of anti-aging routines; the superfoods and routines that can help our body’s cells regenerate and stave off premature aging, but what about the habits that have the opposite effect?

Though aging is predominantly a natural and inevitable development, there are plenty of habits and lifestyle choices that can negatively impact this progression and ultimately speed up the body’s aging process.

Believe it or not there are some common habits and dietary choices that can accelerate the aging process, ultimately leading to the early development of wrinkles, aches and pains, and a hasty decline in mental capacity, all of which can increase our predisposition to disease and illness.

While this isn’t a call to cut out everything unhealthy overnight, by identifying what habits can lead to premature aging we can be more aware of our intake and habits to make healthier choices that may benefit our health and lifestyle in the long run.

1. You Have a Sedentary Lifestyle

Yes, binge. Watching our favorite shows every night might be more entertaining than taking a walk, but sitting an excessive amount can lead to poor blood circulation and biological functions can become impaired. In addition, with continued poor blood circulation, blood sugar regulation fails, leading to a rise in cholesterol levels, both of which set the stage for age-related diseases.

2. High Sugar Consumption

Believe it or not, excessive sugar intake can lead to skin damage, hormonal alterations and gut health imbalance through an increase in the development of unhealthy microbiomes. In addition, it causes various cases of increased inflammation that can promote an accelerated aging process.

3. You Avoid Healthy Greens

You may have heard the phrase ‘eat your greens’ that’s because they tend to be high in antioxidants. A lack of these essential antioxidants can lead to high oxidation levels in the body and, hence, faster aging. With the addition of green foods into your diet, the aging process can be countered, and your youthfulness is restored.

4. You Prefer to Only Eat White Gains

White grains such as white rice, pizza, white bread, and pasta, are grains that are stripped of their outer fiber- and nutrient-rich shell. In other words, they’re essentially just another version of sugar which can nourish the bad bacteria in your gut. By avoiding whole grains, which are high in B-vitamin content, you are at a higher risk of developing a vitamin B deficiency which can lead to increased inflammation.

5. High Levels of Starch Intake

Did you know that high levels of starch intake can promote the growth of bacteria and hasten the aging process? A National Institute of Health (NIH) funded study, suggests that excessively low and excessively high-carb diets can shorten one’s lifespan by up to four years, leading to the old adage to keep everything in moderation.

6. Inadequate Sleep

The quality and quantity of a person’s sleep have a direct effect on his or her health, including the condition of the skin. This is because, during sleep, the body replaces damaged tissue, regulates hormones, promotes muscle recovery, and maintains the body’s memory faculties, all of which contribute to a youthful look and healthy functioning body. Lack of sleep prevents your body from undertaking these very vital processes and has been clinically linked to premature aging

7. Fish Are Friends, Not Food

If you prefer “catch and release” days at the lake, you may want to rethink your choices. Fish contain essential nutrients such as omega-3, EPA, and DHA, which promote memory and brain health. In addition, these nutrients can help dampen inflammation and lower triglyceride levels. Studies have also found that omega-3 consumption can directly correlate with longevity.

8. High Levels of Stress

Stress leads to the production of cortisol, a hormone known to cause high blood pressure and less metabolism which can ultimately slow the body and increase the rate of aging. In fact, new research suggests that untreated stress can also speed-up the aging process by damaging the protective casing at the end of a strand of DNA, known as telomeres. These telomeres naturally decrease each time a cell divides, and while this supply can normally be replenished, chronic stress and increased cortisol exposure decrease the ability to replenish these telomeres successfully.

9. Excessive Coffee and Caffeine Intake

While they may help you wake up in the morning and during the day, coffee and caffeine interfere with your sleeping patterns at night. And, like already pointed out, lack of sleep can speed up the aging process and contribute to an increase in dark eye circles, wrinkles, and fine lines.

10. Regular Alcohol Consumption

Long-story short, high alcohol consumption leads to an increase in body sugar which results in damage of free radicals and consequently low anti-oxidation. All of which causes high levels of oxidation and a quicker aging process. In addition, alcohol depletes your body’s nutrient supply, hydration levels, and vitamin A levels, all of which have a direct impact on the physical appearance of wrinkles.

11. Going Crazy with the Butter Knife

Margarine is a hydrogenated product that leads to clogging of our blood vessels and high levels of cholesterol. These higher cholesterol levels, among other health issues, can cause quickened aging process. In addition, these high levels of trans fatty acids in margarine make the skin more vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation, which can damage the skin’s collagen and elasticity.

12. Filling Cravings for Fried Food

Sure, deep fried food might hit the spot for cravings, but these fried foods contains high levels of free radicals. These free radicals promote can cause cellular damage and oxidation, which accelerate the aging process, especially in the physical appearance of your skin.

13. Regular Intake of Processed Meat

Preservatives in processed meat cause bodily inflammation that creates high levels of free radicals, which by now you should start to see a pattern with, that these free radicals lead to increased oxidation and consequently faster aging. These meats also tend to be higher in sodium, saturated fats, and sulfite, which can dehydrate the skin and weaken collagen levels by causing unnecessary inflammation.

14. Avoiding Organic Food

In your life, you accumulate various levels of toxins from food and drinks. These toxins come from chemicals, pesticides, hormones and other substances used in animals and other food products. These toxins can then build up in the body and have an adverse result when it comes to physical health and aging. With organic food, you minimize the toxins ingested into your body.

15. You Prefer Your Meat Well-Done

Did you know that burning meat over 300 degrees and to a point of having that beautiful blackened, charred appearance, can expose it to cancer-causing carcinogenic substances? According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) two carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are present in charred meats and have been found to cause changes in DNA that may increase your risk of cancer. To keep yourself away from increased cancer risks, reduce your consumption of roasted meat, which will help counter your aging process.

16. The Microwave is Your Go-To Appliance

Keeping food and then heating it with a microwave is very cost-efficient. However, this food contains substances such as sodium that cause dehydration, bloating, water retention and an overall puffy appearance, all of which can give you an aged look. In addition, those frozen microwave meal options tend to be higher in sodium, which leads to high blood pressure, and is linked to wrinkles and cardiovascular disease.

17. You Love Being Out in the Sun

Yes, enjoying the sunshine and natural vitamin D is great, but this is another one of those habits that can make you age faster. Vitamin D is excellent for bone formation; however, high levels of unprotected sunlight and UV exposure can damage your skin’s collagen and elastin and give you an aged appearance. Not only that, but it can also lead to increased risk for skin cancer. If you’re looking to soak up the rays on those warm days, be sure to use a quality SPF of at least 30 or higher and apply it regularly to keep skin damage at bay.

18. Smoking

By now it should be no surprise that smoking is known to cause heart diseases and cancer. It should also be no surprise that if contracted, these diseases will contribute to premature signs of aging. However, even if you don’t get a diagnosed disease from smoking, nicotine in cigarettes leads to the narrowing of blood vessels in the skin, which leaves it more prone to wrinkling.

19. Inadequate Intimacy

That’s right, sex can help promote anti-aging. through decreased depression and anxiety. Research shows that an active sex life can help strengthen your immune system, lower blood pressure, reduce pain, and even relieve depression. In addition, your body lacks an oxytocin hormone that keeps you happy. During sex, the body releases chemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, and other immune and mood-boosting substances. In addition, regular sex, especially in later years, contributes to the release of human growth hormones (HGH) that make the skin look more elastic.

20. You Partake of Big, or Heavy Meals

Sure, it may leave you feeling overly stuffed, but overeating can also lead to high levels of oxidation and accelerated aging. Research has shown that partaking of big or heavy meals and overeating can cause premature aging, weakness from lack of nourishing foods and digestive upset.

For better quality and healthy life, look to make simple lifestyle changes or avoid habits all-together that can lead your body to aging faster. Not only will simple anti-aging practices help you age more gracefully, they can also aid in better health and well-being, reducing the added risk of cancer, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular diseases.

If you’re still unsure of where to start to get on the path to better aging, click below for a helpful look at lifestyle changes that slow the aging process and lead to better health as you age.

Click Here for Lifestyle Changes that Slow Down Aging