The 9 ways to lower your biological age – from a doctor, nutritionist and PT
SOME people will do anything, and pay millions, to slow the ticking clock.
American tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson has become famous for his quest to “live forever” by receiving blood transfusions from his 18-year-old son.
He can’t reduce his chronological age – the number of years he has lived on Earth – but he is attempting to reduce his biological age, which in turn may help him to live longer.
Biological age – the age of your cells – measures how well your body functions and how much wear and tear it’s experienced.
It may be a better indicator than chronological age of how long you will live and be in good health for.
After all, age is just a number, right?
What’s more, if someone has a lower biological age relative to their chronological age, suggesting they are ageing slower, they may enjoy a longer healthspan – the number of years they live while healthy, active and free of disease.
According to the Office For National Statistics, life expectancy for women in England is 82.8 years, but healthy life expectancy is just 62.7 years, meaning on average 20 years are spent in ill health.
The interest in living longer, healthier lives, is booming.
And the good news is, we don’t need to inject ourselves with our kids’ blood – instead there are some easy lifestyle tweaks we can all make.
Our experts reveal how. . .
Dr Luke Powles, Associate Clinical Director, Bupa Health Clinics
EAT A HEART-HEALTHY DIET
It’s possible to lower your blood pressure in two weeks by adding more fruit, veg, beans, wholegrains, seeds and nuts to your diet.
“Making lifestyle changes that can help reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, often helps lower your cholesterol, too,” says Dr Powles.
LIMIT ALCOHOL
Excessive alcohol intake can speed up the ageing process, research shows.
“Telomeres, which form protective caps on the ends of chromosomes (structures inside your cells that carry DNA) become shorter a lot quicker in heavy drinkers,” explains Dr Powles.
“Telomere length shortens in those drinking more than 17 alcohol units a week.
“Make sure you have alcohol-free days throughout the week – at least three in a row – and don’t exceed 14 units in total (the equivalent of six 175ml glasses of wine).”
STUB IT OUT
If you’re a smoker, quitting the habit will ease the toll taken on your organs.
In fact, a year after stopping, your risk of a heart attack will drop by half.
“On average, a smoker will die 10 years earlier than a non-smoker and the health benefits of quitting smoking improve the longer you abstain,” says Dr Powles.
Love your lungs (and heart) by keeping active.
“Quit smoking and aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, which could be brisk walking, swimming or cycling.”
Christian Lewis-Pratt, PT at Healf
STRETCH MOST DAYS
Being more flexible is associated with living longer, but it’s also about preventing injuries such as fractures by reducing the risk of falls, and staying independent.
“Almost everyone will benefit from adding mobility work to their training, but some signs you are in desperate need include being unable to touch your toes with straight legs, to lift your arms overhead without arching your spine and/or if you’re experiencing regular hip or back pain,” Christian says.
Beginners should aim for three to 12 minutes of mobility work per day, five to seven days a week.
Try the Bend app, which has stretching routines.
GET YOUR HEART PUMPING
“Any exercise that improves VO2 max – the maximum amount of oxygen you can use during intense exercise – is going to have a positive effect on ageing,” says Christian.
The higher your VO2 max, the better your cardiovascular fitness and your ability to withstand enduring exercise.
Try Tabata training – high-intensity intervals with short breathers – three times a week.
Rob Hobson, Nutritionist and author of Unprocess Your Family Life
UP THE ANTIOXIDANTS
Brightly coloured fruits and berries, dark leafy greens (cabbage, kale and spinach), nuts, seeds and olive oil have something in common – they are all full of antioxidants.
“Increasing your intake of antioxidant-rich foods while reducing red and processed meats, could significantly add to life expectancy,” says Rob.
“Antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress, which in turn slows biological ageing and supports overall health.”
LIFT WEIGHTS
It’s normal for muscle mass and strength to decline with age.
But like flexibility, being as strong as possible will only add to your healthspan.
And it’s never too late to start! Incorporate resistance-based training to support muscles.
Christian recommends exercises that work multiple major muscle groups – think squats, lunges, press-ups, deadlifts and bench presses.
Try the Grow Girl app (from £14.99 a month, iOS and Android), which provides access to thousands of workouts.
HAVE MORE GOOD FATS
It’s time to stop fearing fat, because the healthy kinds are linked to a reduced risk of illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer and dementia, thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties.
Opt for a diet high in omega-3s, which are found in oily fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts.
“Omega-3s not only support cellular health and function, but also help to maintain a youthful biological profile,” says Rob.
KEEP YOUR GUT HAPPY
Using stool samples, which reflect a person’s gut bacteria diversity, scientists have shown that a higher biological age is associated with an unhealthy gut.*
To mitigate this, try adding more fibre to your diet, such as wholegrains, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables.
“Fibre improves waste transit through the intestines and helps beneficial gut bacteria to flourish,” says Rob.
What’s Your Biological Age?
The H&B&Me app (free, iOS and Android) will reveal your biological age by asking simple lifestyle questions – and then offer you tips to lower it.
The NHS Calculate Your Heart Age page just asks for your weight, height, blood pressure and cholesterol readings.
The Fitness Age app (free, iOS), works with Apple’s own Health app to calculate your fitness age by comparing your cardio fitness scores to population averages.