Aging of the body is a natural and irreversible process, and not the most pleasant one. The face, skin, brain and internal organs age. Many people want to maintain youth, health and attractiveness longer, but this requires some effort. We propose to figure out together how people slow down the aging process and what is needed for this, but first we will consider the reasons for the physiological process.
Causes of aging
From time immemorial, people have longed to protect youth from the harmful effects of time. This is best evidenced by the epics of different nations, in which one can find both the tale of rejuvenating apples and the legend of the elixir of immortality. Modern representatives of homo sapiens have not gone far from their ancestors, continuing to cherish the dream of eternal youth and beauty. Only today's dreams are supported by the conclusions and results of experiments of scientists, which gives hopes a confident, realistic touch.
What have today's scientists come up with? There are many versions of the emergence and development of aging processes, but it is worth highlighting four main theories that have found partial confirmation in a series of experiments.
Programmatic or genetic - declares the cause of old age to be a specific gene recently discovered by researchers in the human genetic apparatus. It is he who, according to researchers, provokes the body to inexorably enter the regression phase that precedes biological death. In addition, scientists claim that every person literally has a “program” inherent in nature, according to which he is able to live a certain number of years. Conclusion: it is not possible to compete with old age.
The second hypothesis is called the theory of wear and tear of cellular structures. Everything here is extremely simple: under the influence of negative external environmental factors, cell elements are modified without the right to restore their previous structure, and malfunctions occur in their functioning. Thus, metamorphoses that occur within the center of life cause cells to fail faster. The proof of this theory is that living creatures with a high metabolic rate live very short lives (for example, insects), and vice versa.
The most popular version of the development of aging processes is free radical. It is based on the mechanism of the negative impact of single oxygen atoms on the functioning and condition of organs and tissues. In other words, free radicals oxidize cellular elements, creating favorable conditions for the occurrence of diseases, including cancer, and the onset of old age. Abroad, this version has a large number of supporters; the result can be a significant increase in the life span, well-being and appearance of foreign citizens due to the constant and sufficient intake of antioxidants that neutralize aggressive O+ ions. In our country, for some reason, most scientists and doctors are still skeptical and distrustful of it - the results of this attitude of domestic specialists are eloquently demonstrated by the statistics of cancer mortality and life expectancy of the older generation of Russians.
Another very interesting hypothesis blames the aging of the body on... stress. The fact is that negative emotions have a bad effect on the condition of the vessels that permeate our entire body and transport blood to important vital objects. When a person is peaceful and in a great mood, the microscopic pathways of communication are relaxed and expanded. If you burst into tears, feel offended, or envy, the blood vessels instantly narrow, preventing full blood flow. The muscles lack nutrients and oxygen for respiration, as a result of which the epithelium loses its elasticity and smoothness, the internal organs work at the expense of internal reserves and wear out. And how, tell me about youth, can I look young and attractive for many years?..
Why do we grow old
Our body exists due to constant cell renewal
. They are able to divide and create new generations of their clones. But this still does not stop the aging process. Why?
During the reproduction of copies in a cell, the division of the chromosome, which carries genetic information, occurs. But not all parts of the chromosome are capable of division.
At the tip of the DNA carrier there is a small region called a telomere. It plays an important function - it prevents other chromosomes, viruses and proteins from sticking to the chromosome, which protects the genetic information of the cell.
With each chromosome division, the telomere is mechanically shortened. In older people, this area is critically small. Cells that have completely lost their telomere are no longer able to reproduce their copies and therefore simply die.
This is the cause of aging - the body stops renewing itself.
How to stop aging
No matter what scientists say about the irreversibility of the aging process of the body, no matter how much they repeat about genetic obstacles, it is still worth trying, if not to prevent, then at least to reduce the rate of wear and tear of the body. As they say, trying is not torture, and water does not flow under a lying stone.
The right diet
The first thing you need to pay attention to is nutrition. It should be balanced in essential nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals. Red fish, which contains a lot of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, whole grains, vegetable oils in their natural form, dairy and fermented milk products, nuts, meat rich in proteins must be present in your diet (if possible, in the daily menu) . Strengthen the body's antioxidant defense through regular consumption of plant foods (fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs), natural tonic drinks (coffee, green tea), and mushrooms. In addition to healthy foods, it is advisable to take antioxidants in the form of dietary supplements: these can be either multivitamins or certain supplements. Here are some effective antioxidants: tocopherol, selenium, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, astaxanthin, zinc, coenzyme Q10, manganese. And don’t allow yourself to overeat – excess weight is not the friend of youth.
Not a moment of peace!
“Life is in motion,” someone said and it turned out to be absolutely right. Everyone knows that physical inactivity gradually leads to weakening and dysfunction of muscles. The main processes in the body slow down, a person begins to gain extra pounds, that is, energy is not completely consumed. Ideally, you should visit the gym several times a week, but if this is not possible, you should take long walks every day (or even twice a day) and do morning exercises. Even if you are engaged in mental work that burns calories well, a little exercise still won’t hurt.
Rejection of bad habits
This is smoking and alcohol abuse. The first “gives” a woman’s face a yellowish-grayish tint and early wrinkles, and is associated with periodontal disease and many chronic diseases. A constant hacking cough, bad breath and the risk of lung cancer complete the picture. As for alcohol, in addition to psychological dependence, which is very difficult to overcome, addiction to it also provokes early aging, weight gain or, on the contrary, sudden weight loss, and the destruction of antioxidants. The only intoxicating drink that is good for health is red wine. It supplies the body with a powerful dose of antioxidants, but due to the alcohol content, it should be consumed in moderation.
Factors that contribute to aging also include lack of sleep, UV radiation from the sun, the use of decorative cosmetics, and contact with an aggressive environment filled with synthetic components. But there are more than enough ways to solve the problem: laughter therapy, regular high-quality sex, forays into nature... Set your personal record in the fight for youth!
Ponomarenko Nadezhda
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What is aging? Is this process natural? Is it possible to stop aging? You will learn about this in this article.
From the moment of birth until death, every person observes the aging of his own body and the people around him. Is aging as common a process as growing hair or nails?
Growth and aging: is there a difference?
Is the aging process related to the process of growth and development of the body? Many are sure that these processes in the body are identical. However, it is not. Newspapers, television and other media often discuss people aging extremely quickly. So far, modern medicine cannot cure this disease and stop aging.
Is the aging process natural?
From the moment of conception, cells begin to divide exponentially. DNA¹ contains information about the sequence of all amino acids, which, in turn, are assembled into proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Cells form tissues, tissues form organs, organs form an organism. It becomes clear that all processes occurring in the body begin at the molecular level in cells.
The growth process is quite natural, but why the cells stop functioning remains a mystery.
When cells stop working, they die. They are replaced by new cells, but if there are too many dead cells, dividing cells do not have time to replace them. Because of this, the density of cells adjacent to each other in tissues decreases. As a result, the elasticity of the tissues themselves decreases. Wrinkles and folds appear - a visual effect of aging.
According to scientists, cells can “live” up to fifty years. So why do they die after just a few days?
All problems originate at the molecular level. The sequence of amino acids contained in DNA is copied using ribonucleic acid (RNA).
If we assume that RNA can copy DNA incorrectly, then this can lead to the incorrect functioning of the entire cell.
How does what we eat affect the aging process?
Everyone knows the phrase: “You are what you eat.” It completely reflects the nature of things, and now you will understand why.
After food consumption, food proteins replace proteins with similar properties in the body. Impulses running through the nervous system are electrical in nature. It is known that an electric field is formed around a closed conductor. But the electric field cannot exist without the magnetic field, which also forms around the conductor. This creates an electromagnetic field (EMF).
Blood also has electrical conductivity due to the salt NaCl contained in it. This means, like the nervous system, blood vessels also serve as a source of EMF.
The electromagnetic field destroys beauty!
Microwave ovens heat food using electromagnetic radiation. According to the law of conservation of energy, when emitting an electromagnetic field, electrical energy is converted into electromagnetic energy, which is transferred to the molecules of the heated food.
However, electromagnetic radiation destroys the bonds between molecules. A living organism is a complex system of energy consumption and processing. Any product consumed leaves substances that are not used in life processes. Such substances are excreted from the body or accumulate in it.
Electromagnetic radiation destroys molecules in the body's cells, as a result they cannot function normally and die prematurely. They are replaced by new cells, but resources are spent too intensively. Cells do not have time to be replaced in time and tissues lose their shape.
What needs to be taken into account to stop aging?
1. Much of what we eat is harmful to the body³.
2. Consumption of foods irradiated in microwave ovens is also harmful to the functioning of body cells.
3. Daily exposure to electromagnetic radiation, direct exposure to a strong electromagnetic field is harmful to humans.
Aging is the process of wear and tear of the body during its life, which is significantly accelerated due to the above points.
Pchelintsev Sergey Alexandrovich
Notes and feature articles for deeper understanding of the material
¹ Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a macromolecule (one of the three main ones, the other two are RNA and proteins) that ensures storage, transmission from generation to generation and implementation of the genetic program for the development and functioning of living organisms. DNA contains information about the structure of various types of RNA and proteins (
Not so long ago, it was believed that nature itself establishes an unshakable order: a person is born, grows up, grows old and dies. This order remained the law of evolution: the old must die to give way to the young, since there are not enough resources for everyone on Earth.
But recently scientists have discovered that this law can manifest itself differently in different living species. For example, for the Mediterranean fruit butterfly, the likelihood of dying peaks on certain days and then decreases sharply.
If, suppose, on a certain day ninety percent of the population of this butterfly dies, then in the period until the next catastrophe, the butterflies that survived that day and were born after it have an equal chance of dying. And what’s more, they also have an equal chance of being one of the ten percent of those who survive this day and live the next cycle. Simply put, in this species, the likelihood of death has nothing to do with age, and aging does not mean death is approaching.
If this is possible in nature, then why are people doomed to die after reaching a certain age?
Causes and mechanism of aging
For a long time, scientists believed that aging was genetically determined, and longevity was caused by an anomaly in some gene. This was supported by the observations of gerontologists: the majority of centenarians had ancestors who also lived long lives. And, on the contrary, there are almost no long-living record holders who were left orphans in childhood.
A widely known anecdote among different nations is about an old man who was crying in the city market and telling curious passers-by that he was beaten by his father because he disrespectfully responded to his grandfather’s remarks, and his grandfather told him that he should speak politely to his great-grandfather .
This, of course, is just an anecdote, but it well illustrates how, until very recently, scientists treated the problem of the inheritance of longevity.
Several decades ago, geneticists made amazing discoveries. An anomaly has been identified that predetermines a person’s homosexual orientation, a gene has been calculated that causes a tendency to be overweight, bald, and overeating; an enzyme has been discovered that predetermines social, domestic and sexual aggressiveness and even a tendency to adultery. But what gene controls the aging process and what its anomaly predetermines longevity?
And here free radicals play an important role. These are independent particles with unpaired electrons. They cause a biological reaction that leads to protein oxidation.
At some point in the life of a cell, a chain reaction begins: free radicals are reproduced at an ever-increasing rate, their number in the cell increases, and the rate of oxidative processes in the cell increases. It reaches the boundary beyond which oxidation turns into combustion, the cell is destroyed (“burns”).
For a long time it was believed that each cell is capable of reproducing itself countless times. When a cell dies, it gives life to one or more of its own kind. But recent research in the field of cytology (the science of cells) shows that this is not always the case.
At a certain point, a cell, when destroyed, does not reproduce its own kind. Then the aging process begins in the body. Oxidation no longer means growth, but the approach of old age and death.
Understanding the reasons why cells in the human body lose their ability to reproduce themselves means finding the key to understanding why people age, why their body as a whole breaks down and dies.
In recent years, it has become a generally accepted point of view that happy people who arrive in a good mood, well disposed towards others, live longer than those who often suffer from suspicion, suspiciousness, irritability or anger.
It can be assumed that in happy people the process of irreversible destruction of cells in the body proceeds more slowly. Several years ago, American neuroscientists began to study the chemistry of human euphoric states that give him a feeling of happiness. Scientists have discovered a number of substances, the concentration of which in the body determines the sexual behavior of people and animals.
The most prominent sexual substance in the human body is considered to be the hormone oxytocin, which determines the behavior of animals during estrus. Little is still known about the interaction of these sexual substances in the body. But the area of the brain responsible for their proper functioning has been precisely calculated.
Scientists then found that it is in this part of the brain that the irreversible destruction of cells under the influence of free radicals begins first. These nerve cells synthesize a complex compound that neurochemists call euphorin.
At the moment of the highest culmination of happiness: this may be the moment of orgasm or simply the moment of meeting the eyes of two loving beings, the process of self-reproduction of euphorin cells occurs in this area of the brain.
They spread with great speed throughout the human nervous system, exerting a therapeutic effect on the entire body, killing bad cells in the nervous system, which are the stimulants of all human diseases.
Sometimes this euphoric feeling is so strong that a person not only becomes dizzy, but also loses vision and hearing for a short period of time, the flow of euphorins blocks the corresponding nerve pathways going to the central brain. The human body requires bursts of euphorin flows more and more often. But this is a very large load on our brain, so the brain turns on the braking system from time to time.
In another area of the brain, substances are released that block the chain reactions of self-reproduction of euphorins. At these moments, the cells that produce euphorins are destroyed without creating new ones.
But this only happens when the euphoric explosion is too weak to overcome the blocking effect. For example, if this is not a real feeling of happiness, but an imitation of it.
Examples of such states can be relaxation after stress, the end of a difficult and long job, artificially introducing the brain into a euphoric state with the help of nicotine, alcohol or drugs, an attack of rage, anger, gloating or fear, joy at the elimination of some object of fear or hatred.
However, false euphoria can also be of a sexual nature, for example, during sexual intercourse with an unloved partner, during excessive copulation when there is no need for this in the body, or during teenage masturbation.
All these situations destroy our nerve cells, create an excessive number of free radicals in cells and outside cells, which leads to an imbalance in the cellular structures of nerve tissues, and nerve cells are the most vulnerable cells of the human body and more often than other cells are destroyed irrevocably.
The results of these processes are as follows: the brain ceases to control and stabilize the nervous system, the protective and protective functions of the nervous system atrophy, the human body becomes more susceptible to the destructive effects of the external environment, the chemistry of processes in the body, the metabolic process, blood composition, and the rhythm of the heart muscle are disrupted. .
Fatigue of the whole body and individual parts of the body increases, tissue growth stops, the body becomes more vulnerable to all sorts of pathogenic microbes, viruses and bacteria, and its protective self-regulation is disrupted. All this is called aging of the body.
Mental work helps slow down the aging process
The brain is the most mysterious human organ
. The most studied and the most unstudied. It would seem, what does he have to do with youth? But it also has the most immediate thing. People who engage in intellectual activities for a long time and for a long time remain active to unimaginable limits.
It is not uncommon to encounter scientists, lawyers, and teachers who, at a very advanced age, are not only still working, but are heads of huge organizations.
But what to do
those of us whose profession does not require significant mental effort? Constant exercise will help you keep a clear head and a sound memory. This could be solving logical problems, mathematical or physical examples.
Card games will be extremely useful. Bridge and preference
named by scientists as the most rejuvenating games. They are far ahead of even chess.
Probably the leading role here is played by a combination of mental work and communication with playing partners. So play for your health, have fun and stay younger.
Is it possible to resist aging and prevent it?
Even if you immediately stop drinking, smoking, stop quarreling with loved ones and gloating about the failures of your colleagues, never again lie with an unloved person - this will not allow you to postpone your old age.
Not everything is so hopeless. According to Indian scientists, a person should live one hundred and forty years. To do this, you just need to remember who taught your body to self-regulate. Research shows that the nerve cells of practicing yogis are destroyed less often than those of ordinary people.
Chain reactions in the formation of euphorin flows occur five times less frequently in them, but only one reaction out of a hundred is blocked by inhibitory substances in the brain. As a result, a hundred-year-old yogi’s brain destroys malignant nerve cells in the same way as a twenty-year-old’s. True, this can only be achieved by the third generation of practicing yogis.
If scientists found a way to block the chain reactions of free radicals, the average human age could reach 400 years. This is already a step towards overcoming old age.
However, something so significant would create huge problems for humanity, because there would be no more resources on the overpopulated Earth. How then should we regulate the optimal size of the planet's population?
How to take into account the factor of unnatural mortality due to natural and technical disasters, wars, murders and suicides? At the moment, human civilization is not ready for such a rise in life expectancy. But progress is inexorable and, perhaps, in some hundred or two hundred years this will become a reality.
Our skin is exposed to a large number of negative factors, but the main culprits of rapid aging are free radicals - destructive aggressive molecules formed under the influence of ultraviolet rays, cigarette smoke, stress and environmental pollution.
Free radicals cause damage to the structure of lipids and protein fibers - collagen and elastin. Initially, the destruction is not visible, since the skin is constantly renewed within 28 days, new cells replacing old ones.
But over time, this regeneration cycle increases more and more. In addition, after 30 years, visible wrinkles begin to appear due to a gradual decrease in the level of hormones responsible for cell regeneration.
One of the first signs of skin aging is a decrease in its elasticity, resulting in wrinkles around the eyes and lips. Gradually, the stratum corneum of the epidermis becomes thicker and rougher, the activity of the sebaceous glands decreases, causing dryness, blood circulation in the capillaries worsens, which leads to their fragility.
For hundreds of years, people have been trying to find a miracle elixir that would allow them to win the battle against time and stop skin aging. Proper facial care, a healthy lifestyle and modern cosmetics and procedures come to the rescue, allowing you to preserve the youth of the skin for a long time and delay the appearance of wrinkles.
Crema
So, what should an anti-aging cream contain to have a good effect at different age stages?
After thirty, choose cosmetics rich in compounds that neutralize the effects of unstable molecules, for example, with such powerful antioxidants as vitamins C and E.
It is desirable that the composition include components that restore the water-lipid balance of the epidermis, for example, hyaluronic acid. Night creams with such a “youth activator” as coenzyme Q10 stimulate the renewal of skin cells and give it vital energy.
A mandatory property of daily products, regardless of age, should be its sun protection factor, since UV rays are responsible for photoaging of the epidermal layer, contributing to the rapid destruction of fibroblasts.
After forty years, it is worth adding fruit acids and vitamin A derivatives (retinoids) to the above components. These compounds activate the restoration and renewal of healthy cells, improve the penetration of nutrients through the epidermal barrier, even out the complexion and moisturize.
The latest technology of using whey proteins and bioactive protein molecules of peptides in creams and serums will help stop skin aging, allowing you to increase the elasticity of the epidermal layer due to a powerful antioxidant effect and stimulating the production of collagen and elastin.
After fifty, phytohormones provide good support for the epidermal layer. They help replenish estrogen deficiency in the skin, improve its hydration and nutrition.
Collagen, antioxidants, fruit acids and caffeine, which regulates blood circulation, are also valuable components. It is also worth looking for a cream with calcium, which improves the structure of the epidermis.
Proper care
The key to maintaining youthful, healthy skin is proper facial cleansing. The skin does not like soap, which destroys the lipid layer and dries out the epidermis.
Therefore, to wash and cleanse, use special emulsions, micellar water, milk and soft tonic. Perform evening makeup removal very carefully so that the skin can regenerate during the night.
Update processes are most intense between midnight and 6 am. At night, be sure to use a nourishing cream suitable for your skin type. If you have a dry type, then use fatty emulsions; if you have an oily type, use products with a light texture.
The use of scrubs has a good effect. The procedure exfoliates dead cells, stimulating their renewal, improves blood circulation and collagen formation, and evens out complexion. The skin is deeply cleansed, breathes freely and better absorbs active ingredients and nutrients from creams, serums and masks.
Peeling with fruit acids or glycolic acid gives a quick rejuvenating effect. It can be done both in a beauty salon and at home. You can learn more about recipes for home peelings. No less popular is cryomassage with liquid nitrogen, which is carried out in beauty salons.
The delicate area around the eyes requires special care. To care for it, choose light gels and serums. A good choice would be special base oils, as well as patches that nourish the skin and prevent the appearance of wrinkles.
If left unchecked, folk remedies that work no worse than expensive cosmetics will help slow down skin aging, provided they are used regularly.
Why stress accelerates aging of the body
Stress in the matter of premature aging competes with poor nutrition for first place and wins on all fronts. Women know that if you get too nervous in the evening, you will get extra wrinkles in the morning. Nerves are deposited in other places as well. The cardiovascular and hormonal systems are especially affected.
External aging due to excessive worries is, of course, sad, but the destructive effect of stress is not limited to this. Negative experiences increase the likelihood of somatic diseases. Stomach ulcer, diabetes, allergies, asthma
- the list can be continued for a long time. Stress causes the body to wear out faster.
Therefore, if you want to live long, learn to deal with stress:
- You need to get rid of stress factors in a timely manner. The job doesn't suit you - change it. People only evoke negative emotions - stop communicating. You should not forgive anyone for mistreatment, not even relatives. Everyone who dumps their anger on you devalues you, demands that you sacrifice important interests and needs for them - unnecessary for you.
- Learn relaxation breathing techniques. They are the easiest to learn and help to overcome acute stress.
- Rest. Once again, get enough rest. Even the heart is at rest twice as long as it works. Always give yourself time to recover.
- Get yourself a hobby and pets. A hobby helps you turn your head off from everyday thoughts and brings a lot of pleasure. Pets are a source of positivity and energy that are always at hand.
- Walk a lot and drink water. Walking and other physical exercises saturate the blood with endorphins, and water flushes out stress hormones.
- Communicate a lot with positive people.
- Dose out the negative information coming from the TV screen.
- Think positively: the glass is always half full, not the other way around.
Adequate hydration
Dehydrated skin becomes less elastic, ages faster and does not protect well from external influences, so adequate hydration is an important condition for prolonging youth.
This is especially true in summer, when cells lose moisture under the influence of the sun and high temperatures. Apply intensive moisturizers at least 2 times a day.
Spray your face with thermal water throughout the day. Apply moisturizing masks once or twice a week. Regardless of the season, drink 5-8 glasses of clean water a day.
Cancer and immortality
“AiF”: — Scientists know how to prolong the life of animals. But not for people?
V.A.:
— Indeed, the life of a nematode (roundworm) can be increased by 6 times with the help of gene transplantation. The experimental mouse lives for 2.5 years, and its record is 1400 days. It is possible to extend the years, but at what cost? If we interfere with a person’s genes and prolong his life, we will provoke the appearance of cancerous tumors. Why? Those genes that are involved in aging are also involved in the formation of cancer. These processes are inextricably linked. The stem cell, from which all organs and tissues of the body are built, has only two development paths. It can appear, develop, and then die off - this is aging. Or it can turn into an immortal cancer cell. After all, cancer is, in essence, immortality. If you take a tumor cell and graft it onto another creature, it will continue to develop in someone else’s body.
“AiF”: - Everyone remembers the fatal illnesses of actresses Anna Samokhina and Lyubov Polishchuk - according to rumors, stem cells were their cause...
V.A.:
“They provoke the development of tumors in the body. In stem cells, genes that can regenerate organs (for example, restore part of the liver) work only for a very short period. Then the mechanism of turning the cell into cancer is activated. Therefore, manipulation with them is really dangerous. The same sheep Dolly, cloned from stem cells, quickly grew old and died, because in her genome she carried the entire burden of her mother’s diseases.
“AiF”: — What can you do for your body yourself?
V.A.:
— It has been proven that the best way to prolong life is to limit caloric intake. The peoples themselves set up an experiment on themselves: Japan, where they consume 1500-1800 kcal per day, is the leader in the number of centenarians. An ordinary person will not survive on such a diet. He needs to eat more. But how can you get fewer calories? Now science is busy searching for mimetics - drugs that imitate conditions in the body caused by calorie restriction. That is, they influence genes and allow you to eat without restrictions, but at the same time not gain weight. Such drugs exist. Back in 1971, Leningrad scientist Vladimir Dilman proposed using antidiabetic biguanides for this purpose - substances that diabetic patients take to absorb glucose. Studies have confirmed that biguanides have mimetic properties, and also prolong life and significantly reduce the risk of developing cancer. Swiss scientists reported last year that they can also be taken to prevent premature aging.
Light mode is very important. Residents of the North are aging faster. And the severity of the climate is not the main thing. The nights in the northern regions are white. And light at night suppresses melatonin in the body - this vital hormone is produced only at night. Just turn on a bright light for 15 seconds and melatonin is suppressed. Therefore, during sleep, you should not turn on the light, computer, TV, or leave the night light on. Curtain your windows tightly. Those who work at night need to take melatonin. As well as everyone who has it lowered. This is determined by a routine blood and urine test. And, if there is not enough melatonin, you need to buy it at the pharmacy and take it in the fall and spring, when the light regime changes. In general, sleep is the most important component of health. Studies have shown that women who have insomnia 4 times a week are twice as likely to develop breast cancer! To be beautiful, you need to sleep at least 6 and no more than 9 hours.
“AiF”: — What about artificially prolonging youth: cosmetics, massage? After all, it works - people look younger...
V.A.:
— If you plaster a building, but leave the rotten ceilings, it will still collapse. You cannot deceive nature. In addition, we age unevenly and appearance is not everything. One person's skin ages faster, the other's internal organs. By the way, the rate of aging is genetically determined by 35%. The rest is all in your hands.
Plant hormones
A new product on the cosmetic market – kinetin – will help stop skin aging. This is a natural, plant growth hormone responsible for cell division.
As scientists have shown, kinetin, which is part of creams, helps to significantly slow down the appearance of age-related changes and eliminates damage to the skin caused by free radicals.
In addition, unlike retinol or fruit acids used in recent years, this substance does not cause irritation and is suitable for sensitive skin types.
Healthy eating
An important role in anti-aging care is played by proper nutrition with plenty of greens, vegetables and fruits, as well as the inclusion of essential Omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. Such a healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrients: vitamins, microelements and plenty of natural antioxidants.
How to stop the internal clock?
Start of this article
- “The skin is like a diagnostician. Look at your skin and see a reflection of your health."
Cosmetic procedures stop working on the skin after 40 years because the internal condition of skin cells begins to deteriorate sharply. And the reason for this process is increasing changes in hormone levels. Skin cells are saturated with hormonal receptors, especially on the skin of the face and neck. It is the neck and face that first feel the onset of old age. Fine wrinkles, sagging, pigmentation - these unpleasant phenomena inexorably say that youth is leaving.
Why does youth disappear?
Until recently, it was believed that the internal mechanisms of aging and aging under the influence of external factors (stress, unfavorable environment, free radicals - cell destroyers, solar radiation, etc.) play approximately the same role in the wear and tear of our body. However, research in recent decades has convinced scientists that the totality of external influences on the body does not exceed 30% of the causes of aging. The main violin in the inexorable process of extinction is played by a decrease in hormonal levels, which begins to increase from about 40 years of age.
Mother Nature took care of us until about this age. By the age of 40, we must already fulfill our main natural function - to leave and raise offspring; our further fate, from the point of view of Nature, is no longer so important.
Each person has his own supply of sex hormones. Gynecologists are well aware that women, for example, have very different hormone levels. One can easily become pregnant at 45 years old, while the other has hormone levels that allow her to conceive a child only until she is 30.
Therefore, a woman, when choosing hormonal methods of contraception, should think twice: after all, by artificially suppressing the level of hormones, she significantly shortens her period of youth and beauty! Very often, women who are addicted to hormonal contraception develop cosmetic problems with the skin of the face, neck and hands after the age of 30!
After all, without a normal hormonal background, an outwardly attractive and youthful appearance cannot be preserved. Androgens and estrogens control skin thickness, specific density, thickness of subcutaneous fat, chemical composition, skin elasticity, and its ability to stretch! By the way, the lack of androgens and estrogens is also the cause of age-related diseases such as osteoporosis and periodontal disease!
If the level of sex hormones drops like an avalanche, then a blooming woman can literally turn into an old woman in six months! For many, this fact becomes a real life disaster!
How to recognize a drop in hormone levels? Cosmetic signs.
The first sign is the appearance of severe dry skin. At some point, after every wash, bath or shower, the skin becomes so dry that you want to constantly apply moisturizer. The elasticity of the skin decreases, longitudinal wrinkles appear. After all, estrogens control the production of collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity. Less collagen means more sagging skin, more wrinkles and more visible pores.
Skin regeneration slows down. Healing of wounds and abscesses occurs very slowly. After all, in youth, a skin cell develops for 28 days, and in old age this period doubles. A clear sign of decreased levels of hormones (androgens) is sagging triceps and the appearance of folds on the knees. If you are about 40 and these signs appear, then it’s time to sound the alarm - your hormone levels are decreasing too quickly!
The same sign of decreased hormones can be frequent freckles, poor condition of nails and scalp hair.
Hair often appears on the upper lip. This is not at all because the level of male hormones has increased. This level of women's has fallen too sharply. Temporary imbalance gives rise to “whiskers”.
But the most unpleasant thing is that the face begins to “float”, and the contours of the face and body become deformed. The lips decrease in volume, and a so-called “purse-string” mouth appears. The contours of the nose and eyes become distorted, they become dull and sad. Often the faces of women with low levels of sex hormones become very similar, even if they are separated by decades!
This period is the most difficult in a woman’s life. She has to say goodbye to her old way of life forever and get used to a new body and face.
And the decrease in hormone levels is not limited to cosmetic results. They are followed by excess weight and problems with the cardiovascular system.
What to do? How to stop the aging process?
Firstly, do not be upset when you discover the first signs of a drop in your sex hormone levels. Once you know, you are already warned and can take countermeasures. If you remained to live in ignorance, then a sudden blow of fate in the form of catastrophic changes in appearance could strike you with extraordinary force, like that woman who grew old in six months.
Secondly, remember that you are quite capable of resisting the inexorable clock ticking your life.
The main thing that a woman can and should do after 40 is to help her body produce sex hormones.
Why produce? - you ask. If hormones have such a direct effect on the youth of the body in general and the skin in particular, then if their production is insufficient, the simplest solution is to introduce artificial hormones from the outside. No, friends, it won’t work: by receiving hormones in the form of injections, our body reduces the already small amount of hormones produced independently: hormonal dependence is formed. This addiction is fraught not only with itself (after all, injections must be done every day!), but also with possible complications, the most severe of which is oncology.
Therefore, you will have to limit yourself to helping your body.
The simplest and most important thing is not to reduce the intensity of your sex life. After all, if hormones are still in demand in your personal life, they will continue to be actively produced by your body! Also try to maintain a high level of physical fitness.
Second, help your body with vitamins that directly affect the production of sex hormones. First of all, this (in Latin - tocopherol - brings life), as well as B vitamins (especially folic acid), vitamins A and C.
Vitamins E, A (also beta-carotene) and C are also antioxidants, which means they prevent the destruction of cell membranes by free radicals - eliminating the remaining 30% of the causes of aging. Vitamins A, C and E are also rightly called cosmetic - after all, they help our skin remain elastic, hair strong, and eyes shiny.
It is clear that with age the need for additional intake of these vitamins only increases. Therefore, it is worth focusing on multivitamin formulas with a high content of these vitamins.
By following these simple rules, you can prolong your youth for many years, postponing the onset of the autumn of life to the maximum possible extent. Your skin, eyes, hair will continue to radiate the power of life, and every birthday will remind you not of your defeat, but of your victory. Victory to the power of knowledge and strength of spirit!
Why does our body age unevenly?
Recent research by American scientists has established an interesting fact. It turns out that our body ages very unevenly. For example, the biological age of the mammary glands is always greater than the general biological age of their owner. The difference is 2-3 years.
But the cardiovascular system is younger than other organs of the body. And a whole 8-10 years younger. The reasons why this happens remain unclear to scientists. If the rapid aging of the skin can be explained by direct contact with the environment, then age-related fluctuations in the chest and heart remain a mystery.
According to numerous scientific observations, it is known that genetic data play an important role in slowing down the aging process.
Children of centenarians usually live and remain active longer than their peers. But even more important is the right lifestyle.
