Over time, cells reproduce less and less efficiently. To counteract the damage of aging, vitamins and physical activity come to help.
All our cells are able to reproduce so that the tissues are constantly renewed with “fresh” cells. However, with the passage of time this process becomes less and less frequent and it is important to intervene on one’s lifestyle to avoid further damage to the body.
The main culprits of damage to cells that cause aging are free radicals. They inevitably form while the cell uses oxygen to produce the energy necessary for the survival of the organism. Being highly unstable molecules, they interact easily with proteins, lipids and DNA, damaging cells.
New and well-defended cells
Cell renewal is one of the tricks that nature has made available to us to counteract aging. Each time a cell divides, the two resulting cells are younger than the original one, because they are formed in part by new molecules.
In addition, the harmful substances that may have accumulated in the mother cell undergo a sort of dilution, distributing themselves between the two “daughters”.
Equally important are the defense mechanisms of cells, represented for example by enzymes that counteract the accumulation of free radicals. However, with aging, the body gradually loses this ability to counteract oxidative stress.
Vitamins to prevent and treat
Vitamins represent a valid support to the cellular mechanisms that counteract aging. Certainly it is not possible to stop time, but it is possible to increase the defenses against the action of toxic molecules for the cell thanks to the antioxidant properties of vitamins A, C and E.
In particular, low concentrations of vitamin E have been shown to be closely correlated with physical decline. In the cell, this vitamin neutralizes free radicals: vitamin E deficiency generates oxidative stress that damages lipids, DNA, proteins, neurons and muscle tissue.
Enriching your diet with these precious nutrients helps, therefore, to counteract the accumulation of free radicals and their action against the molecules essential for the life of the cell and, in older age, protects against further cellular aging.
In addition, other micronutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc, selenium positively influence physical performance and, more generally, the state of health. It is therefore important to take an adequate dose especially during old age, when deficiencies are more frequent.
A little movement
On the other hand, to cope with the lower efficiency of aged organs and tissues it is important to keep constantly in training. Adequate physical activity helps to counteract the loss of muscle strength and strengthen respiratory and cardiac capacities.
Ideal are aerobic activities, such as running or brisk walking, swimming and cycling, which improve breathing and tone the heart. Small exercises with weights help, instead, to strengthen muscle mass. All this, of course, under medical supervision.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.