None of us want to get old. In our modern youth orientated society there are no rewards for getting old especially if it is before your time.
Staying as youthful as possible is big business with anti-aging treatments and surgery all promising to wipe some of the years away so we can keep up with our fast paced ever changing world.
Our modern society dictates that we must remain “youthful” to even be allowed on the “life” playing field and those who do not measure up are quickly relegated to the back benches to watch the world go by.
That very word aging, or maybe it is the process that it implies is why many people seek anything that will put the brakes on it.
Although our actual age is a factor we may ask ourselves a few very important questions such as “How do I look? How do I feel? How well do I function? Even if I’m not sick, am I truly healthy?”
Now-a-days we have a greater understanding of the aging process which primarily the result of a disturbance in metabolism (the body’s engine). Our metabolism is the term for the way our body cells chemically change the food we eat into energy or if not utilized that energy is sent to fat storage depots.
The speed at which we age, how well we function or whether we remain healthy and well or succumb to disease can only come from two main directions of metabolism. There are the anabolic “growth and repair” activities that build or the catabolic or “breakdown” of the body’s cells and tissues.
The slow insidious process of degeneration may take many years before it is noticed. Many people experiencing negative symptoms mistakenly think it is just part of the aging process but it is really our modern inactive and sedentary lifestyles catching up with us.
In today’s youth obsessed culture people are searching for ways to look and feel younger. Big money is spent on surgical options, injections, pills and creams and everyone is looking for the magic answer and quick fix. But most people ignore the knowledge and good science that already exists.
We know the answer that will give us our very own “fountain of youth” that so many people are looking for, and we have known this for decades. We each hold the key that can give us longevity and a higher quality of life – we just need to unlock the door.
The secret is proper exercise that works the muscular system of the human body. Physical strength and fitness is the key to ongoing good health, 
wellness and longevity and is the closest thing to a “magic bullet” you will ever find.
Yet most people in our modern world are doing the opposite of this and are pursuing a lifestyle of accelerated and premature aging. They do not bother to take the time to perform proper exercise that will keep their muscles, bones and their entire body strong and healthy.
They eat highly processed and chemically laden food made with dirt cheap ingredients packaged in pretty boxes that contain virtually zero nutritional value whatsoever. They keep doing the very things every single day that leave them old, tired and sick long before their time.
This type of lifestyle can be identified by person suffering the following symptoms: an expanding waistline, body composition changes that include shrinking muscles and increasing fat tissue, unhealthy blood fat levels, rising blood pressure, more aches and pains, poor fitness, decreased brain and thinking power, a siphoning of energy and a general feeling of fatigue.
It is pointless spending money on cosmetic or surgical options if your most important possession your body is deteriorating at a blistering pace towards poor health and ultimately disease. All the cosmetic surgery or procedures in the world are not going to stop this slippery slide towards a shortened life possibly preceded with years of disability of some sort.
The really good news is that it is now achievable to improve almost every aspect of the human body as it ages. Muscle tissue loss can be halted and even reclaimed, bone mass strengthened, memory improved, healing time sped up, organ function enhanced and a youthful appearance regained – by making changes to your metabolism and body chemistry.
It is so much better to manage and improve the underlying primary causes of aging rather than taking each symptom as it appears and expecting some drug or doctor to make it go away.
We now know that the single most common factor in long-lived healthy people is the condition of their muscular system. This means that their metabolism is more anabolic and in constant “growth and repair” mode, as well as that their lifestyle is physically active.
When the human body is given vigorous movement or “work” it tells the body to keep the “growth and repair” hormones coming as this body needs to stay strong. These hormones improve signals to the brain so it does not go into “shut-down” mode or stops this process is it is already in progress.
By changing the metabolism with proper exercise that works the muscles directly new stronger and healthier cells and tissues replace old worn old damaged ones. Shifting the body’s metabolism to be more anabolic means total rejuvenation which tells the body to maintain or restore vigor, muscle tone and strength, immunity and major organ function.
Maintain a youthful metabolism for life
Ever noticed that fit people usually look younger? If you are in your mid-20’s to early 30’s then there is no better time than now to maintain having a lean, strong body or developing one if you have let it start to slide. And if you are in your mid 30’s to 50’s and have noticed the negative effects of declining muscle mass and metabolism then there is no better time than now to do something about it.
If you have a reduced amount of muscle tissue from not doing enough muscle building or maintaining activity your metabolic demand for oxygen and your caloric needs decline. That is because muscle tissue is highly active tissue requiring lots of nourishment whereas fat tissue is passive.
Build the muscle needed to speed up your resting metabolism (the number of calories your body burns to maintain life) all day and all night long. You can do this through strength training exercise. A pound of muscle burns approximately 55 calories a day just at rest and a pound of fat burns only 11 calories in the same 24 hour period.
Maximize something called the “afterburn.” Through targeted strength training and specific interval training, you can increase the number of calories you burn during your workouts that then carries on after you finish the exercise session. This means you burn more calories round the clock whether you are sitting on the couch watching TV or sleeping.
Increase the number of calories your body burns by the type of foods you eat as well. Eating quality protein, (grass-fed beef, game meat, free-range poultry and eggs, fish, and whey), essential fats, (coconut oil, nuts, seeds, flaxseed oil, fish and krill oil), and fibre-rich carbohydrates, (vegetables, fruits, and whole organic grains). Also eating the right carbohydrates at the right times are some key things you can do to increase your metabolism throughout the day.
Boost the number of calories your body burns through movement. Today with most of us having desk jobs, time in the car, family commitments and a great line up of must-see TV, most of us move less at ages 30, 40 and beyond than we did during our teens and 20s. By being really active for at least five hours each week, you can increase your calorie burning by about 300 to 600 calories or more per day.
Maximum youthfulness and longevity can be obtained when we realign our metabolism. All it takes it to give our body what it is designed for – vigorous physical activity supported by the right (REAL) foods.
These are the base line things to keep your metabolism youthful as this type of lifestyle means your stress hormone cortisol is low (controlled by exercise) and the hormones that control metabolism (blood sugar etc) are in balance. These things left unabated can kill your metabolism.
I have always been fascinated by this subject and have written a series of eBooks on the many ways you can speed up your metabolism for the long haul. You can see those books here:
For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit:
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