Physical Activity May be the ‘Magic Pill’ for Healthy Ageing, Foods that May Help too!

All of us are bound by age; with ageing comes various health issues. However, we all would like to age with good health and it looks like experts have found the best way possible to age healthily. According to the study published in the journal PLOS ONE, exercise is the best way to maintain good physical health as we grow older. Adding even less than an hour of exercise a week can make a huge difference. The research was carried out by Roger Fielding at Tufts University that followed 1,635 men and women from age 70-89 for an average of 2.6 years.

All the participants had low levels of physical functioning at the beginning of the study, reporting that they engaged in less than 20 minutes per week of regular physical activity the month before it started. Half of the participants were then randomly assigned to a programme of walking and walking-based strength, flexibility and balance training, while the other half participated in some health education workshops. The results suggested that the more exercise the people did, the better were their physical function.

It is not only exercises that will help you keep physically strong, but also the diet you choose to add in your regime. Here are some foods that will help you grow older in a healthy way -

1. Green tea

Green tea has long been associated with helping boost metabolism, further keeping your digestion process strong. It is also a rich source of a compound called catechin polyphenols that work harmoniously with other chemicals in the body to make you look younger.

2. Nuts

Nuts provide all necessary vitamins and nutrients required for the body to keep young. Include loads of cashew nuts, almonds and walnuts in your daily diet that will help you meet omega-3 requirements.

3. Tomato

Time to load up on tomatoes! This fruit is rich in lycopene, a phytochemical that helps to keep your body youthful and healthy. It helps in strengthening the skin by inhibiting the activity of collagenases that are enzymes that break down the collagen present in your skin.

4. Ginseng

Ginseng has anti-ageing properties that are packed with phyto-nutrients. They help get rid of free radicals in the body, further helping stimulate the skin’s metabolism.

5. Avocado

Avocado is an excellent source of vitamin B and E that provide complete nourishment to the skin. Vitamin E promotes healthy skin.