TOO MANY ELDERLY YOUNG PEOPLE – AN EMERGING TREND

When it comes to aging, most people tend to associate it with the skin because it presents effects like: wrinkles, sagging skin, skin discoloration, etc. This is considerable as it is one of the first indicators that people will easily recognize at a glance.

According to National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), there is a vast difference between chronological age (i.e. how old you are in calendar years) and biological age (i.e. how old your body appears to be at the cellular level). Biological age is a measure of how quickly our body systems grow. Many people age as quickly as 3 biological years to every calendar year. This is why some people look 60 years old biologically even though they are 38 years old chronologically. Biological age matters and should not be taken with levity. As we are aging, our body systems are wearing out, and this lapse will affect every aspect of our health and wellness. If you are in your 20’s and 30’s, it is wise to start cultivating habits that will reduce the effects of aging as much as possible.

WHY AM I AGING FASTER?

Our lifestyle constitutes one of the greatest factors that influences aging. Some of the ignorant practices which promotes our rapid aging includes:  1. Dehydration: Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluids than you take in. This in turn, causes dryness and flaky skin.  2. Smoking: Smoking causes decrease in the diameter of blood vessels as a result of less oxygen to the skin. This leads to the destruction of elastin which is the structural protein of the skin.

3. Too much of Alcohol:Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects the face and triggers facial disfigurement. This is linked to alcohol. Alcohol causes dilated blood vessels with facial redness and also contributes to a more aged appearance of the skin as a result of the detoxification process of the liver.  4. Excessive exposure to the sun: Another damage to the skin is caused by the absorption of energy from UV (UltraViolet) rays during activities like sunbathing, tanning, etc. Extra blood flows to the damaged skin in an attempt to repair it. This changes the colour of the skin and causes premature aging.  5. Poor diet: With excessive diets or eating disorders, extreme loss of facial volume can occur which creates a more aged look.  6. Stress and lack of adequate sleep: It is so unfortunate that majority of youths ignore the body’s need for sleep. Sleep loss can lead to lacklustre skin, lines, and dark circles under the eyes. When you don't get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone called cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down the skin protein which is collagen.

We shall continue on some of the things you can do to prevent aging faster in our next newsletter edition. Wellness Naturally (Fidson Healthcare Plc)