Four ways to prevent aging after 50

As people reach middle age, their body functions gradually age. How to stay young and healthy after 50 is a question that many people are concerned about. This article shares how to avoid aging, prevent diseases, and stay energetic and healthy through diet and exercises that protect your eyes and bones.

Keep your spleen and stomach healthy to prevent aging, high blood sugar and high cholesterol

Want to look 35 at 50? Rely on cosmetic surgery? Use expensive skin care products? In fact, the most important thing is to take care of your spleen and stomach. The spleen in Chinese medicine is not just the spleen in anatomy, but an energy system centered on the spleen, which controls the pancreas and stomach.

Traditional Chinese medicine often says that “nurturing the spleen and stomach is nurturing life, and a healthy spleen and stomach means a person will not age”, because the spleen is responsible for converting food and water into qi and blood. Qi and blood are the energy of the human body, circulating throughout the body. If the spleen and stomach become poor, the transportation and transformation functions will be abnormal, which will lead to insufficient qi and blood, resulting in physical weakness and affecting the functions of other organs.

Poor spleen and stomach in women will accelerate the aging process. Once the spleen and stomach are weak, the qi and blood are insufficient, the complexion will become pale, the skin will become dry, and wrinkles will easily appear. Spleen deficiency can also lead to irregular menstruation and aggravation of menopausal symptoms.

Men with weak spleen and stomach can also cause health problems, resulting in insufficient physical strength and energy, bloating and indigestion after eating. In addition, they may be under great work pressure and want to eat fried chicken and barbecue to relieve stress, but eating high-calorie, high-fat foods often will cause dampness in the spleen and stomach, and the dampness cannot be discharged and easily turns into phlegm. Phlegm in traditional Chinese medicine is not phlegm spit out from the mouth, but a sticky substance formed by the accumulation of waste in the body, such as excessive fat in blood vessels, and edema. The accumulation of phlegm in the body may lead to three highs, namely high blood lipids, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.

Anti-aging “Four Foods and Two Don’ts”

If you don’t want to age quickly after 50, it’s best to eat less of the following two types of food that harm your spleen and stomach:

1. Eat less raw and cold food: the spleen and stomach like warmth and hate cold. Iced coffee, sashimi, etc. will make the spleen and stomach suffer from cold, reduce digestion, and make the face sallow and dull.

2. Eat less processed foods and high-fat foods: Processed foods such as potato chips, sausages, bacon, and high-fat foods such as fried chicken and French fries will increase the burden on the spleen and stomach and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

If you want to maintain a healthy spleen and stomach, you can choose to eat the following four types of food:

1. Grains: White rice, brown rice, and germ rice are staple foods. The Chinese medicine classic “Huangdi Neijing” mentions that “grains are nourishing”, which can nourish different internal organs and make the spleen and stomach stronger.

2. Yellow foods: Traditional Chinese medicine believes that yellow corresponds to the spleen and stomach. For example, you can eat millet, sweet potato, and pumpkin. Millet is very effective in nourishing the spleen and stomach, and it also helps lower blood sugar and improve sleep. Sweet potatoes contain a lot of dietary fiber, which can lower cholesterol and make blood vessels more elastic. Pumpkin can help protect the gastric mucosa.

Other studies have shown that pumpkin is rich in lutein, polyphenols and other bioactive substances, which have the effects of lowering blood lipids, lowering blood sugar, anti-hypertension, anti-inflammatory, immune regulation, and antiviral.

3. High-quality protein: Lack of protein will lead to insufficient muscle synthesis, rapid bone loss, and increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Organic edamame and tofu are rich in protein, which can enhance muscle strength and prevent osteoporosis.

If you are prone to bloating after eating beans, you can supplement with fish, which is easier to digest. For example, choose mackerel, salmon, and saury. They are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for heart and brain health.

4. High-fiber vegetables: Cauliflower, spinach, and sweet potato leaves are high in fiber, which can help smooth bowel movements and help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Studies have found that eating broccoli 1 to 2 times a week is associated with a 32% to 43% reduced risk of death. The more frequently broccoli is eaten, the lower the risk of death from cardiovascular and cancer.

Eat the right oil to fight aging and prevent dementia

Many older people are at risk of developing cognitive impairment. A Harvard University study published in the journal JAMA Network Open in May this year showed that long-term olive oil intake is associated with a reduced risk of death related to cognitive impairment.

The researchers analyzed data from more than 90,000 American adults who had been tracked for 28 years and found that consuming more than 7 grams of olive oil per day was associated with a 28% lower risk of death related to dementia, compared with never or rarely consuming olive oil.

The researchers also mentioned that phenolic compounds in olive oil (especially extra virgin olive oil) can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress and restore blood-brain barrier function, thereby reducing beta-amyloid and tau protein-related pathological factors in the brain and improving cognitive function.

Blink to fight presbyopia and cataracts

Many people’s eyes begin to age around the age of 40, and many people use their phones for a long time, which makes their eyes dry and tired. Doing a simple action often, that is, blinking frequently, can effectively delay eye aging.

Action tips: When waiting for a bus or taking a lunch break, keep your eyes closed and blink 30 times in a row, once per second, and then open your eyes after 30 seconds. This will help promote blood circulation around the eyes, improve dry eyes, and prevent cataracts and eye degeneration. This action can also effectively relieve fatigue and give your eyes a short rest.

One move to prevent bone loss

As we age, bone loss accelerates, which not only affects physical function but also affects appearance, especially the face and jaw.

There is a hormone called “osteocalcin” in human bones. It is not only very important for bone health, it can slow down bone loss and strengthen bones, but also has an important impact on muscle function, blood sugar, etc. During the aging process, the level of osteocalcin in the human body will decrease. Some studies have mentioned that aerobic exercise can increase osteocalcin levels.

In practice, it is found that the simple action of “standing on tiptoes” can help activate osteocalcin.

Action essentials: Stand naturally, stand on tiptoe for 3 seconds, then put your heels down, do this 30 times a day. Osteocalcin not only keeps bones healthy, but also promotes insulin secretion, so it is also suitable for people with high blood sugar.

If you are a person with limited mobility or weak legs, you can do this while sitting. The method is to “kick your heels” with both feet in turn. Do it 80 times a day. If you have time, do it more often to benefit your bone health.