Think back for a second. Remember how you used to want to get older? As a teenager, you couldn’t wait for the freedom of your own apartment. In your 20s, you envied the self-assurance of your older peers. In your 30s, you figured that someday, when you weren’t so busy, you’d have a chance to enjoy the life you were shaping.
And now here you are. How did the years fly by? When did your body change? Where did you misplace your energy? Your optimism? Your glow?
But here’s the thing: You can steal back the youthful qualities you’re nostalgic for. All you need is 8 weeks.
Research shows that you can turn back the clock by making a few science-backed changes to your diet and daily habits. One key has to do with telomeres—bundles of DNA that cap chromosomes. The longer your telomeres, the less likely you may be to develop conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, dementia, and many cancers. Telomeres naturally shrink with age, but studies have shown that it’s possible to curtail the process and even lengthen your telomeres by making diet and other lifestyle changes.
Another huge factor is inflammation: It’s the common denominator in diseases such as arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Aging is associated with increased inflammation, but as with telomere length, certain lifestyle habits can help prevent and even reverse the inflammation that leads to premature decline and disease. (This chart reveals exactly what inflammation’s doing to your body.)
The best news about all the new research? It suggests that it takes only 2 months to lower inflammation, lengthen telomeres, feel more energized, and improve your odds of living a long, healthy life. We recently put 21 women on a plan designed to do just that. After 8 weeks, these women lost an average of 10 pounds, lowered their total cholesterol by up to 39 points and their blood sugar by as much as 14 points, boosted their energy, and saw younger-looking skin.
Pretty amazing, right? And you can do it, too. Start with the tips below, adapted from the book Younger in 8 Weeks by the editors of Prevention. Then check out Younger in 8 Weeks to get a copy of the full plan.
1. EAT CLEAN AND GREEN
Eating clean bolsters gut health, triggers better fat burn, and gives your cells the nutrients they need to fight inflammation. Here’s how to do it.
Fill your plate with plants.
A plant-based diet is rich in inflammation-fighting antioxidants. When combined with other lifestyle changes, like exercise and not smoking, this way of eating has been shown to lengthen telomeres, according to Harvard research. “Compared with a meat-centered diet, plant-based eating offers far more fiber and antioxidants,” says Andie Bernard Schwartz, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer based in Pine Hill, NJ. (These 11 vegetarian meals are just as filling as meat.)
Go organic.
A major analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that switching to organic fruits, vegetables, and cereals can increase your intake of telomere-lengthening antioxidants by 20% to 40% over eating conventionally raised foods.
Ax added sugars.
Excess sugar is linked to many age-related conditions, including high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease. (Here are 7 things that happen when you stop eating sugar.) Sugary drinks in particular have been implicated in cell aging: People who drank more soda had shorter telomeres, according to a study from the University of California, San Francisco.
Power your gut.
Do you like creamy Greek yogurt? So does the colony of bacteria that lives in your intestinal tract, known as the gut microbiota. This microscopic universe plays a crucial role in overall health, enabling your digestive system to perform at its peak while boosting immune function and helping your metabolism fire properly. Plain yogurt is one of the best food sources; you’ll also find probiotics in tempeh and sauerkraut.
Move For More Energy And Strength
Research has found that regular exercisers have telomeres as long as those of sedentary people 10 years younger. Working out also reduces inflammation, says Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon and healthy-aging expert.
Start the day with a stretch
Regularly doing flexibility exercises can combat tension and achy joints.
Do less instead of more.
Interval training—alternating between short bouts of high- and low-intensity activity—burns fat more efficiently than exercising for longer at a steady pace. You can do intervals with any type of cardio, like walking or biking.
Don’t skip strength training.
Lifting weights and doing resistance exercise not only firms muscles and strengthens bones but also boosts mood and self-confidence.
Engage To Live Better And Longer
Adults who are open to new experiences and able to take life as it comes tend to live longer, healthier, happier lives. Relationships matter, too: Research has linked low levels of social support to shorter telomeres.
Strengthen your connections.
In one meta-analysis, researchers looked at data from 148 previous studies that compared people’s social habits with their health records over a period of more than 7 years. What they found: Compared with weak social ties, strong connections boosted odds of survival by 50%.
Help yourself by helping others.
A meta-analysis of adults over age 55 found that regular volunteers were 24% less likely than others to die over the course of the study. Feeling useful may cause your brain to make more oxytocin and progesterone, which help curb stress and reduce inflammation.
Think of meditation as medicine.
Taking time to reflect regularly can reduce blood pressure; boost immunity; lower stress; and ease insomnia, compulsive eating, and depression.
Glow Inside And Out
Following the right skin care routine can help restore fullness and luster to your skin in just a few weeks.
Use an antioxidant serum.
Antioxidants fight free radicals, rogue molecules that are like kryptonite to your skin. “They damage DNA,” says Jeannette Graf, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Make moisture your BFF.
Moisturizers trap water, helping to reduce the appearance of lines and give you brighter, more youthful skin. Graf likes products with hyaluronic acid and/or glycerin, both of which are “moisture magnets” that plump up parched skin.
Wear the right sunscreen every single day.
A broad-spectrum lotion, which protects against UVA and UVB rays, is the cornerstone of any youthful skin strategy. But SPF tells you only about UVB protection, so make sure to check the package for UVA-blocking ingredients such as avobenzone, ecamsule, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.
Sip this for younger skin
Getting plenty of beta-carotene can make skin look more radiant from the inside out, says dermatologist Jeannette Graf. (Research shows that 15 mg a day gives you a golden glow.) This smoothie serves two and packs 6 mg of beta-carotene into less than 100 calories.
1 c chopped kale
2 lg kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
½ c orange or tangerine juice
½ c chopped cilantro
1 rib celery, chopped
¼ c ice
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
NUTRITION (per serving) 92 cal, 3 g pro, 21 g carb, 3 g fiber, 12 g sugars, 1 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 36 mg sodium
