A nutrition counselor shares her 6 favorite tips on aging

Many of these tips are things I have seen my clients implement in my five years as a nutrition consultant — especially those clients who’ve set out to affect their aging process.

To begin, let’s take a minute to talk about aging in our society.

We’ve been sold a big bunch of hogwash when it comes to the way we are supposed to age, and by “we” I mean both women and men, and also children and young people.

We are told that as we approach middle age, we must get prepared for a whole slew of symptomology including aches, pains and discomforts that come with the terrain of getting older. After 40, we think we ought to cash out and roll down the hill.

In fact, that’s not how nature does it, and I don’t believe that’s how aging is meant to happen in humans either.

Maturity in nature is associated with ripeness, juiciness, fertility, beauty, resilience and strength. So if you jibe more with the way nature does it than the way that the industrial complex has laid it out for you, then read on.

My favorite tips for aging well and staying vital are:

1. Hydrate Better — When we pour a lot of water into a parched, acidic body, our pee might be clear but that water has run right through us without going intracellular. Hydrating better means: eating more hydrating foods like fruits, veggies and soups. It also means mindfully sipping water through the day, preferably at room temperature for best absorption. If you take a hot bath or exercise vigorously, you might even want to mineralize your water with a pinch of sea salt and other trace minerals (check with your doctor if you are taking any medications or have any medical conditions before mineralizing your water!).
2. Sleep Enough — There is no better way to accelerate aging than to short yourself critical, quality sleep. Prioritize sleep in anyway you can. Whether that’s napping, an early bedtime, sleeping more in the morning, taking a quiz to determine your chronotype, reading a book or taking a masterclass on the importance of sleep. Don’t lose anymore sleep. Start strategizing your sleep plan today.
3. Make At Least One Creative Decision Each Day — We are wired to create. Once we stop creating, our souls wither up. If you are going about your day by checking boxes that have been provided to you, then your energy body is going to lose its vibrance, and I promise that’s going to show through your physical body. Make a creative decision (or more than one) each day. This is empowering and revitalizing. If it is in an artistic way (painting, dancing, writing, etc.) that is great. But pragmatic creativity also works (organizing a drawer, planning a trip, even making an executive decision about your daily schedule, creating a beautiful meal, etc.).
4. Attune to Nature — There’s no way around this one. Yes, we are unique as humans — we read, write, cook with fire and have found our way to the moon and beyond. But in balance with technology and science and all the things that separate us, we are still part of the natural world. Look to nature for guidance. This can mean eating seasonally or being aware of the phase of the moon or just getting outside into nature and observing her majesty.
5. Heal Your Emotional Wounding — Our emotional bodies play a significant role in aging, and this is due to a variety of factors. When we have old wounding that did not get fully processed, our physical bodies tend to compensate with an expression of accelerated aging due to stress. When I look at photos of myself in my 20s and 30s, I can see so much pain and suffering in my emotional body. This refers to a tightening around my jawline, the straining of my neck muscles and the weakening of my pelvis — all things that can make a person appear prematurely older. This can also show up as thinning eyebrows and hair, dry skin, arthritis and inflammation.
6. Stop Performing for Love — One day in my early 40s I realized I had been “trying out” for life for four decades. We humans over-achieve, over-perform and show up in ways that deplete us to prove our worth. There’s a lot to say about why this is and its link to unresolved emotional stuff, but here’s what I will say today: If you have made it to 40 (or truly, if you made it to any age), the tryout can be officially over. You have weathered storms and you are enough to claim this life as your own. Interviewing, trying out and proving your worth are not good uses of your time, because, frankly — you already made the team. Even if you’ve had a charmed life, even if you are talented and gifted (which we ALL are), you got through some shit. Now stop trying out. It’s depleting you of your energy and aging you too fast. Settle in. This is primetime.