What I learned about how to age well in 2024
Science is moving fast and while you’ll hear lots of different theories and ‘protocols’ for healthy aging, the things we know for sure make a difference are really pretty straight forward.
At the roots of aging well sit five key things: eating a diet largely based on fiber-rich whole foods while cutting back on sweetened drinks and sugar; building and then maintaining muscle mass through weight training; keeping active and taking regular walks in daylight; getting plenty of sleep; taking steps to reduce your stress.
Those are the pillars; but 2024 was a year where I learned through my interviews with experts in different fields, that there are a few frills and flourishes we can add to our healthy aging regimens.
Here’s the ones that really stood out to me from the interviews I did on The Honest Channel this year which are linked in the sections below.
The condition of your skin affects how you age
This stunning fact first came to light in an interview I did at the start of the year with skin microbiome expert Dr Thomas Hitchcock who revealed how fluctuating levels of microbes on our skin can affect it positively or negatively.
But it was taken a step further in an interview with skin aging scientist and OneSkin founder Alessandra Zonari who explained that our LIFESPAN can be negatively affected by the condition of our skin.
In particular, she explained visible signs of inflammation in the skin including dryness and redness, shouldn’t be ignored. This is because of a cascading effect where inflammatory cytokines released in the skin can enter the blood stream adding to overall inflammation levels in the body.
You can reverse bone density loss
While we have long known it’s possible to limit bone density loss through diet and exercise, there is now evidence that you can reverse it so some degree. It comes from reports from osteoporosis sufferers including 97-year-old Merce Hershey who two years ago walked into a gym in Cincinatti to help improve her mobility.
A recent DEXA scan showed an improvement in her bone density after two years of strength training, and Merce is not alone. Physical therapist and strength trainer Chris Reis explained on the channel how muscle mass and bone density can be improved through weight bearing exercise at any age!
You can reverse greying hair!
Who would have thought you could reverse greying hair? Well studies now show that it is indeed possible for some.
Greying that’s caused by genetics is not so easy to tackle through lifestyle changes, but greying can also be caused by nutritional deficiencies and stress. In those scenarios, you can make a difference with a mix of interventions that were explained on the channel by trichologist and Arey Grey founder Jay Small.
While Jay believes topical serums can help, he also explained how a diet rich in whole foods and high in nutrients like vitamin B12, copper, vitamin D, iron, zinc, magnesium, and biotin can support hair and follicle health.
Saunas and heat therapy are a secret weapon
One of the most promising and accessible options for boosting your health and the appearance of your skin is heat shock therapy.
We know damaged proteins speed up the aging process and therefore the signs of aging on our skin and elsewhere in our bodies and so we want to do as much as we can to help repair them so they’re not accumulating and clustering.
Accumulated damaged proteins are linked to age-related disease and to the visible signs of aging on our skin.
When our skin and our bodies are subjected to heat, special proteins known as heat shock proteins (HSPs) are released as part of a protective mechanism. Scientists believe the HSPs stabilize damaged proteins and give the cell time to repair or renew them.
The release of HSPs is a big part of the reason why sauna bathing is thought to be so good for us along with its cardiovascular effects. Devices like the Nira skin laser, as well as some facial saunas, are also designed to trigger the release of HSPs in our skin.
Feeling positive about aging adds years to life
People with more positive attitudes about aging tend to live longer and healthier lives.
A study of 14000 adults found those who felt most happy about aging had a 43% lower risk of dying from any cause over four years.
Another found that people with more positive self-perceptions of aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions, exceeding the impact of low blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise, weight loss and even smoking.
Increasing blood flow to your skin through exercise and massage will strengthen it
Our blood delivers nutrients and oxygen to skin cells and they play a big role in maintaining the health and fabric of our skin – including producing collagen and elastin we hear so much about. By keeping these cells well supplied we help them to function optimally, as I explained in a recent episode.
And when we start massaging the skin we stimulate our blood vessels which causes them to dilate, or widen, and allow more blood to flow through.
Massage also stimulates your sebacious glands which produce the oil that helps hydrate and protect our skin, so it’s a simple but effective thing we can include in our skincare routines as we age.
As we age and our circulation becomes more challenged, you get less blood supply to the skin and that creates a higher risk for skin conditions.
So anything we can do to improve our circulation in general is a great idea – and that’s also why keeping active, eating a healthy diet and staying well hydrated is important too.
It’s part of the reason I like to use heat therapy regularly too, and why I use microcurrent and a simple facial massage device, because they all improve blood supply to the skin.
