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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – At one time or another, you’ve likely heard older people lament the state of relative decrepitude they increasingly find their bodies in. The physical effects of growing older are apparent to everyone, yet the exact physiological biomechanics of what we refer to as “aging” has remained a mystery for much of mankind’s history. Now, however, the processes that dictate these undesirable manifestations has become illuminated by sophisticated research and widely available information.
As a consequence of being alive, the body accumulates damage in a way that is comparable to a car; that is, the normal day-to-day operation of metabolism and activity produce damage or “age” as a by-product. While accumulating some of this damage is non-negotiable (for now), there is a multitude of ways you can alleviate the stress inflicted upon your body, mitigating or even reversing the effects of aging in some cases.
Below, we will explore various symptoms of aging and what you can do about them.
Varicose Veins
Around a quarter to a third of Western adult populations experience varicose veins. These infamous veins are inconsequential to some, but an eyesore and indicator of a deeper problem for others. We now know that varicose veins usually result from the valves within your veins being damaged, leading to poor blood flow and thus swelling in affected areas.
Endovenous laser treatment remains the gold standard for unsightly varicose veins. This treatment uses highly developed technology to restore function to the area, allowing blood to flow normally once again.
Sarcopenia
This is a term that refers to the loss of lean body mass as you get older. In some cases, sarcopenia occurs primarily as a consequence of reduced activity. In fact, reduced muscle mass has been a problem that astronauts have needed to contend with since the force of gravity on their muscles is lessened in space. Muscle atrophy can also result merely from an aging body’s decreased maintenance ability. Since the body can no longer deliver oxygen or blood as efficiently as its former self, muscles become smaller and less robust.
Thankfully, a deeper understanding of how the body responds to stress or lack thereof has shown us that resistance training can be an effective countermeasure to reduced muscle tone associated with age. Many elderly people become rigid in their habits, which is especially detrimental if their daily routine never involved exercise. If one were to introduce resistance training even in advanced age, they would reap a host of benefits, with stronger muscles being a notable one.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis refers to the development of a “porousness” in bones occurring in old age. This appears to have a strong genetic component, with women and people of Asian descent being especially prone to this reduction in density.
Science suggests that the weakening of bones is not as inevitable as many may think. Much like muscle loss, resistance training acts to combat the effects of osteoporosis as well, since increased force tells the body to accommodate the opposing force by increasing development of bone. However, this should be an intervention approached with caution, since hitting the weights too hard when bones are weak can lead to disaster.
There are also other considerations to be had with osteoporosis as well; since bones need raw materials to be made, adequate nutrition is a precondition for healthy bone creation. Important requirements include calcium, vitamin K, as well as vitamin D. In addition, alcohol and smoking can have deleterious effects on bone density and should be avoided.
Weight Gain
This is one of the most prevalent grievances attributed to aging, but in many cases, it is merely the consequence of prolonged habitual or dietary wrongdoing. Your body may be able to handle beer and pizza every night when you are 20, but that doesn’t mean you weren’t causing insidious damage to your body even then. Think of it this way: you can smoke cigarettes for a period of time, but you pay an increasingly hefty price tag as the duration of the habit increases.
In spite of what food manufacturers insinuate, our bodies were adapted to operate on natural foods that were not made or processed by man. A diet that consists primarily of leafy greens, vegetables, and adequate protein provides nutritional abundance without caloric excess. Our bodies easily recognize this type of sustenance, and thus functions appropriately.
On the contrary, most food made by companies is done so with the ulterior aim of profit as the guiding force. To attain maximal profit, costs are kept to an absolute minimum, while our innate pleasure responses to sugar and refined carbohydrates are manipulated and exploited. This results in a metabolically disastrous product that cranks up insulin and triggers weight gain while simultaneously providing little to no nutritional value.
An additional factor to take into account is the time at which you eat. More and more research seems to reinforce health benefits conferred from intermittent fasting, suggesting that our bodies operate on a metabolically rhythmic basis.