Reverse Aging Now (Part 1 of 5)

I’ve been working on a side project with the theory of, is it possible to make minor lifestyle changes to combat the inevitability of aging. Is it possible to reverse the process or at least slow it down? I have been finding some very intriguing scientific research on this process. I was thinking, I know it can be dangerous but, every one of us would like to make it to retirement and be able to have a great quality of life as we put years behind us. So, I want to share with you some of the information I have found. Our bodies have been magnificently engineered and work in a harmonious chorus together with the organs, muscles, and brain, and skeleton in a balance to keep us alive. I will, until I’m told to stop, run a series of articles on improving our health. Keep in mind I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or physical fitness expert and take what I share with caution and at your own risk. I’m not planning drastic changes but slight modifications to your lifestyle. The biggest things that we must combat are the common comforts that we have learned to enjoy even though they can be to our detriment. Foods, being one of the most threatening with genetic modifications, we are not eating like the body needs to be too be properly fueled. We will discuss Stress, Shock, food, strength, memory, and acceptance of the aging process and how they all tie together.

This month let’s talk about one of our biggest opponents, Stress. We deal with it daily from the time we wake up to the time we lay down to sleep and sometimes even during our sleep. Our body still deals with stress like it has done for thousands of years. The “Flight or fight” process is when your body is thrown into a reaction to an outside stimulus to a perceived threat. Our ancestors used this to avoid attacks from the enemy or wild animals. Our bodies prepared for the worst and sent most of our blood to our core, to our organs, to prepare for the worst.

Now the same reaction takes place with our perception of threats, which are more than likely not as severe as being attached physically, are taking Blood away from our Brains, limbs, and muscles. This means our thought process and physical strength start to wane. We have conditioned our minds to be soft. We take slight stimuli and have drummed up massive circumstances out of minute problems. We must rewire our response to live maybe not a stress-free life but drastically reduce the fight or flight process which causes the reaction of your body allowing us to think more clearly and respond with less threats to the homeostatic process which does take time off our lives.

Some people live in this heightened state of anxiety, and it causes drastic effects on the mind and body. I know, there is nothing worse than someone telling you to get over it, calm down, or cheer up. But you do have the ability to convince your inner self to calm down and it will override the process. Many know but most might not, I was held up at gunpoint while at work on my assignment. To say I hit fight or flight was an understatement. Another term for fight or flight is a Panic attack yes that properly describes the feeling. Your breath quickens and your whole body tightens up and you do not think clearly at all. It took months of counseling and continuing to face my fears and do my job to get over it, but I had to learn to convince myself that I was not constantly in danger. During an episode, your body starts restricting blood flow and your body produces hormones so you can fight off danger. Without a clear danger our perception of a danger proceeds and there cannot be a “shut off” of the process causing our mind to keep pumping elevated levels of cortisol into our blood stream. Over a prolonged period, this causes burnout, creating bodily responses of High blood pressure, weakened immune system, and other factors that increase the risk of deadly diseases. That is why its medically accepted that stress can be a killer. When I was held up, I was told after a panic attack the first thing I must do is gain control of my breathing. By taking deep deliberate slow breaths it tells your body to calm down, we are not running or fighting, and the threat is over. The nerve fibers in your chest will slow your heart and resume the normal functions and “short circuit” the panic and anxiety in your body. Along with controlled breathing, meditation, or prayer, relaxes the mind. It was suggested to think of the thousands of times that I had done my job and was never held up. I was then told to think of the most relaxing place I have ever been and remember how I felt during that time. There used to be a time when we knew whether we were or were not safe. But now with the news, social media and fearmongers in society today there are so many grey areas as to fear we can convince ourselves that we aren’t safe over the slightest situations.

Minor changes, deliberately controlling your breathing, convincing your mind it’s not in danger, will improve your overall health. This is not drastic, but this must be deliberate. Start with taking the time daily to do this at least once and when needed, this will create a habit and a healthy response to combat stress and anxiety, helping you live longer with a better quality of life. Next Blog we will discuss the extreme heat and cold that shock our bodies, the good and bad of the situations.