‘POSITIVE EMOTIONS FELT WHEN TAKING IN NATURE CAN BE ANTI-AGEING’
PROTECT YOURSELF
Hearing a song you love, watching the sunset, savouring a glass of wine: all things you probably plan to keep doing. So how can you protect the senses you need to enjoy all that? Eat well, exercise, say no to cigarettes and take these wise steps, too, advises family practitioner Dr Amber Tully.
For your eyes
• WEAR GOOD-QUALITY SUNGLASSES UVA rays can speed up macular degeneration—a common cause of age-related vision loss— while UVB rays and wind are linked with cataracts, a thickening of the lens that can make your vision filmy.
• CHECK YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE REGULARLY High blood pressure can push on and damage the optic nerve.
• TAKE SCREEN BREAKS Staring at a device for too long wears out the muscles that constrict or dilate the pupil, which can force you into glasses (maybe even bifocals!). Install a free browser plug-in like Protect Your Vision to remind you to look away from your computer every 20 minutes or so.
For your hearing
Sound is measured in decibels (db) and anything less than 85db, about the noise of a kitchen blender, is fine. Over that level it depends both on intensity and the period of exposure.
• INVEST IN NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES You’ll never have to turn up a podcast to hear it over the stuff around you—a habit that can physically damage the sensory cells in your ears.
• GET PROBLEMS CHECKED OUT Repeated ear infections or fluid in your inner ear from allergies or chronic congestion can harm the eardrum, making it less capable of detecting and conducting sound – so treat problems before it’s too late.
For your taste buds
• LOOK AFTER YOUR TEETH Upgrade to an electric toothbrush and always (always!) floss. Cavities and gingivitis breed bacteria that can wreak havoc on your sense of taste.
• TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR They can advise on problems such as open-mouth sleeping, which can dry out and eventually damage your taste buds.
DRINK YOUR WAY YOUNGER
Water gives your skin that youthful glow, but it’s also a key source of energy. In fact, even mild dehydration may cause a bad mood, an inability to concentrate and headaches, a study in The Journal Of Nutrition suggests. ‘Dehydration is a top cause of fatigue,’ Lauren Ott says, ‘and you’re guaranteed to feel old if you feel tired!’ To get a rough estimate of how much fluid you need, divide your weight in pounds by two – that’s how many ounces of water you should drink per day. For cups, divide that number by eight.