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Topics: Food and Drink, Fitness, Health
Gerrard Kaonga
An expert has explained three habits that could help extend your lifespan, including a simple exercise you can do everyday.
Becoming more focused on your health as you get older can be a great thing and is often the first step to leading a happier and healthier lifestyle.
With that said, reassessing how you are living may mean you need to make some changes.
Longevity expert Leslie Kenny has highlighted three key things that could help you avoid the pitfalls of an aging body.
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Most interestingly when it came to exercise, Kenny pointed to the habits seen in countries like Japan, where some choose to eat their meals on the floor as well as casually resting in the squat position.
She referred to this as ‘floor culture’ and said the motion of constantly getting up and down could have health benefits.
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As per the MirrorOnline, Kenny - who is the founder and CEO of Oxford Healthspan - explained: “Getting up and down off the floor several times a day actually builds lower body strength and refines balance, both of which help protect against falls and later life frailty.”
The expert also suggested changing your shower habits, referencing research from the Netherlands.
Kenny said: “Cold showers are an easy health hack as they stimulate the immune system, which is why a study shows those who take them are less likely to get sick.”
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The 2018 study found that those who took cold showers called in sick 29 percent less than those who enjoyed hot showers.
Obviously having cold showers doesn’t exactly feel great so Kenny also suggested a simple enough work around to help you incorporate it into your morning routine.
She added: “The trick is to enjoy a hot shower (as hot as you can bear) first. Then switch to the coldest setting available while thinking of the challenges of the day and week ahead and ensuring that you feel positive about them.”
And the third and final thing she suggested was focused specifically on food.
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Since you are what you eat, this isn’t much of a surprise.
While getting your essential minerals and vitamins is important, the expert highlighted one lesser recommended addition.
Kenny said: “Try to get at least one serving of mushrooms, greens, fermented foods or a hard, mature cheese into your daily diet to increase your intake of spermidine.”
The body naturally produces spermidine but as we age, it produces less. Spermidine plays a role in immunity, cell renewal and autophagy - the breaking down and recycling of damaged or unnecessary cell parts.