7 Healthy habits that will keep you young

Up to 60 per cent of the human body is water and it’s crucial for survival. By keeping yourself well hydrated, you will look and feel better and have improved health. Your skin will benefit, as toxins will be flushed through your kidneys rather than through your epidermis.

Water lubricates your joints, helps maintain blood pressure, aids digestion, keeps your kidneys healthy and your brain functioning properly. Opt for water over fizzy drinks to help with weight control, and instead of alcohol, which ages skin, body and brain.  

If you think puffing on a vape rather than an unhealthy cigarette will help you stay young, think again. E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which restricts your ability to heal. Nicotine, together with chemicals in vapes, can cause collagen, which keeps your skin plump and young looking, to break down.

What’s more, vaping can cause free radicals to form. These can cause cells to stop working sooner, potentially causing wrinkles and premature skin ageing. 

Holding your shoulders back will instantly make you look younger and more confident. More importantly, it improves your balance and helps guard against falls, which are a serious hazard as you age. Keep your head level and in line with your body and pull in your abdomen.

Spikes in blood sugar can cause inflammation, speed up the ageing process and lead to type 2 diabetes.

But taking exercise after you’ve eaten can help avoid those peaks. Even a short walk or a spot of housework is useful, according to pioneering health science company Zoe. 

Having something that gets you up in the morning can help you live longer. This was the finding of a 2019 University of Michigan study of around 7,000 Americans over 50. Participants with low life purpose were more likely to die sooner. So volunteer, look after the grandchildren, write that book—just make sure you’re always aiming for something. 

Perspiring during physical activity is a sign you’re working out hard enough to improve your cardiovascular health. Exercise itself has been shown to have anti-ageing effects.

In 2018, researchers from Birmingham University and King’s College London found that fit cyclists over 55 had not lost as much muscle mass or strength as a group who didn’t engage in regular physical activity. They also had less body fat and lower cholesterol, and a younger immune system. 

American psychologist Professor Ellen Langer conducted an experiment in which she asked a group of older men to live in a house retrofitted to 20 years previously and to live as if they were two decades younger.

At the end of the five-day retreat, they were found to have better vision, hearing, memory and grip strength. They even looked younger and had lessened symptoms of arthritis.