9 surprising things that age you

Maayo ni alang kanatong mga senior citizens. Mga butang o gimbuhaton nga maayong likayan aron di ta mosamot ka tiguwang. Ania, gikan na usab kini sa Internet:

Watching TV. Researchers from the University of Queensland found that for every hour you watch TV you may shorten your life by as much 22 minutes. Furthermore, research has suggested that watching TV could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Drinking from bottles and through straws. What you drink can affect your looks, but how you drink can also influence how well you age. Sucking on straws and drinking out of sports bottles causes the same pursing action – and therefore the same fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth – as smoking. Try drinking directly from the glass whenever you can.

Too little (or too much) exercise.  The benefits of exercise are immeasurable for keeping you looking and feeling young. Not only does a lack of exercise shorten your life and increase risk of obesity and heart disease, but exercise can also keep your brain young by protecting against Alzheimer’s, boosting your mood and leaving you feeling alert and energized.

Sugar. Eating too much sugar is clearly bad news for your waistline. When blood sugar levels are high, a process called glycation occurs which damages the collagen in your skin. Once damaged, the normally springy collagen hardens, leading to wrinkles and sagging.

Your job. Having a job is pretty essential for most of us, but it can also be one of the biggest causes of premature ageing. Firstly, work is a big source of stress for many people, which research has found can increase risk of heart disease and speed up cell ageing. Secondly, spending too many hours in the workplace can mean you have little time for essentials such as exercise, proper meals and sleep. To help minimize damage, try to avoid working exceptionally long hours and make the most of your evenings and weekends as times to relax.

Soap. Your skin has an acid mantle which is a natural protective barrier of the skin. When you wash with soap – which is generally alkaline – it can remove this protective layer of oils and dry out the skin, eventually leading to wrinkles. While it is not advisable to stop washing entirely, try swapping the soap for a PH-neutral and chemical-free cleanser, and bear in mind that there is such a thing as over-cleansing your skin.

Listening to an iPod. Hearing loss is a common symptom of ageing, yet many of us may suffer from diminished hearing early on due to listening to loud music through headphones. A study has shown that listening to music on headphones for an hour can temporarily affect people’s hearing, while some researchers have suggested that listening at full volume could put you at risk of permanent damage.

Your pillow case. If you regularly sleep with the same side of your face pressed against a cotton pillow case this may cause creases on the skin which can eventually turn to fine lines and wrinkles. To help stay youthful overnight try sleeping on your back instead, or switch to a silk or satin pillowcase to create less compression wrinkles and help maintain skin’s moisture levels.

Low fat diets. Many of us switch to low fat diets to help shed excess pounds. However, cutting out good, healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids could negatively affect the speed and way in which you age. Omega-3 fatty acids – present in oily fish, walnuts and flax seeds – are essential for keeping you looking and feeling young. Not only do they help keep skin supple and wrinkle-free, but they help boost brain health, keep your heart in good condition, and can even increase your lifespan.