Forever Young: Healthy Living at Any Age!

In the past when you heard someone mention “anti-aging,” expensive skin creams may have come to mind. But the anti-aging trend has shifted as people have rightfully become more focused on natural health and longevity rather than quick-fixes. Longevity-related words like mitochondria (which are involved in cellular energy production) and telomeres (a DNA component that changes with age), which were previously reserved for scientific communities, are starting to become buzzwords as more people embrace the idea of healthy aging being much more than skin deep. It’s an endeavor that involves nourishing each and every cell in our bodies.

As we age, it’s only natural that our health and nutrition needs will change, and that we start thinking even more about what we can do now to keep our bodies healthy well into the future. With whole-body wellness, longevity and healthy aging in mind, we’ve put together some tips for health at every age.

Health Tips for Every Age

No matter your age, there are some health tips that are universal, like exercise, hydration and nutrition. Eating a diet that is rich in whole foods and fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your health. Words like organic, non-GMO and sustainable grace our food labels and restaurant menus more frequently than even a decade ago. It’s clear that real foods are making a real comeback, and we are now even able to turn to real food sources for our nutritional supplements.

Embracing a real foods diet is a great habit to promote longevity and help protect both the cellular functions and DNA components related to aging, but there are some other things you might want to think about depending on your age. We’ve listed them below.

Health Tips in Your 20s

• Start healthy habits now that will stick with you for a lifetime, like being more conscious of your food choices and the nutritional values, plus adding exercise and self-care time to your daily habits.
• Adopt a basic skincare routine, educating yourself about products, sunscreen and ingredient benefits to help take care of your skin.
• Take a multivitamin packed with the essentials to fill nutritional gaps in your diet; focus on vitamin D, probiotics, fish oil and essential fatty acids.
• We know all-nighters happen but try to rest and recharge with more than six hours of sleep every night to support your mood, immune system and overall wellbeing.

Health Tips in Your 30s

• In your 30s, bones continue building strength, so use this opportunity and supplement your diet with calcium.
• Your body needs vitamin D, which our bodies produce when exposed to sunlight, to absorb calcium; if you are indoors a lot, it’s a good idea to add a vitamin D supplement to your daily routine for bone health, immune support and mood support too.
• Remember to move more and keep exercise and self-care time a part of your routine (take the stairs!).
• Focus on antioxidants in skin and beauty products, your food choices, and daily supplement routine. Look for vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, which are found in rose hips, sunflower oil, leafy greens and orange-colored fruits and vegetables like oranges, sweet potatoes and carrots.
• Don’t forget to sleep. You still need to aim for six or more hours of sleep each night, so set a consistent “lights out” time.

Health Tips in Your 40s

• Watch your diet in your 40s, cutting back on empty calories and eating more leafy greens to up your fiber intake and help protect your vision with macular carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin.
• Rev up your metabolism by adding more movement to your day and consider taking metabolism-boosting supplements like garcinia cambogia, chromium picolinate or green coffee bean extract. 
• For help getting to sleep and staying asleep, make sure you exercise regularly, calm your mind and body with meditation or practice relaxing activities before bed. See our tips on how to relax and reduce stress.
• Keep taking your vitamins and minerals so you cover any nutrient gaps in your diet. As we age, our body’s ability to absorb nutrients can decrease, so it’s important to consider changes to your supplement routine and how to choose the best supplements for you.
• Sleep is very important to your overall wellbeing. It might be time to consider your sleep routine and if you should add sleep aid alternatives like melatonin, magnesium or valerian root to help your sleep and wake cycle. Try a cup of sleep aid tea.

Health Tips in Your 50s

• Continue building healthy habits and challenge yourself to find new ways to stay active and be adventurous like trying one thing that scares you every day.
• Keep an eye on your joint health and flexibility, remembering to exercise or move more every day.
• Learn about the health benefits of MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin for supporting healthy cartilage, ligaments and tendons, as well as healthy hair, skin and nails.
• Sexual health is important at any age, so don’t be afraid to discuss any issues with your doctor or review supplement options for ways to support passion and sexual health.
• Make sure to promote relaxation and better sleep with daily meditation and good sleep habits, like not using electronics within one hour of bed and avoiding caffeine after 3pm.

Health Tips in Your 60s+

• Maintain your health and vitality by moving more each day and making sure you eat a diet rich in whole foods, including fresh vegetables and fruits. Fiber helps promote regularity, especially as we age.
• Get plenty of brain-nourishing nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, curcumin (found in turmeric), and acetyl-L-carnitine. For more on nutrients that help promote brain health, see Nourish Your Noggin.
• Stay socially active! Your body may be changing, but that doesn’t have to slow you down. It’s important to nurture your mind and body by staying socially active and building lasting relationships. Studies show that people who maintain healthy relationships can stay happier and maybe even live longer.

Tips on HealthyAging

Healthy aging is about aging gracefully without spending a fortune on anti-aging “miracle” creams or procedures. It’s about choosing vitamins and minerals that nourish our bodies and minds, and adopting healthy practices that nourish our spirits. Here are a few of our favorite vitamins and nutrients:

Top Healthy Aging Vitamins & Nutrients

• Omega-3 for heart, brain and vision support (try it in our gummy form.)
• Zinc to support your immune system function (zinc can be a common deficiency in the elderly)¹
• B-complex vitamins for boosting energy levels and protecting your body against oxidative stress
• Vitamin C as an antioxidant vitamin to help support a healthy immune system
• Vitamin D for bone and dental health, plus immune system support (many age-related health concerns have been linked to vitamin D deficiencies)²
• Vitamin E an antioxidant vitamin that plays a role in overall health and brain health
• Turmeric is a natural tonic for the liver and digestive system and supports cardiovascular and joint health, plus it contains phytochemicals known as curcuminoids for protection against free radicals³
• Probiotics for strengthening immune health and supporting the digestive system for overall wellbeing
• Green Tea & Green Matcha Tea the powerful antioxidants in green tea support your body in many ways, both internally and externally, protecting against free radicals and many risk factors associated with aging⁴

 

Top Healthy Aging Ways for Skin Health

Minimize Stress
Stress accelerates aging, so start some relaxing habits and try supplements for reducing stress.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Your cells and organs can’t do their jobs properly without hydration, and that includes your skin. Drinking enough water helps keep your skin moisturized and healthy.

Focus on Skin & Complexion Care Products
Choose products made with nutrients and oils that help nourish and protect your skin like Swanson’s paraben-free Clear Skin Formula or Argan Oil, which features vitamin E, essential fatty acids and polyphenols to help hydrate and nourish skin. Try vitamin A or hyaluronic acid products for healthy aging benefits.

Nourish from the Inside Out
Healthy skin starts from within. Make sure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals you need to help stay healthy and vibrant. Our Real Foods line of multivitamins and B vitamins is sourced from real foods like quinoa sprouts, holy basil, lemon and hummingbird tree.

Supplement Your Skin
Supplements like biotin, collagen and keratin all provide your hair, skin and nails with a youthful boost. See more ways to support your skin in Brilliant Beauty Basics: Our Top Ingredients for Hair, Skin & Nails.

Get Your Beauty Rest
There’s a reason sleep got its glam nickname. If you don’t get enough sleep it shows, so be sure to support sleep with daily habits and bedtime routines that support better sleep.

 

About Lindsey Toth, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian

Lindsey is a nationally recognized registered dietitian and nutritionist with a soft spot for ice cream. She empowers people to take charge of their health by finding the balance between the pleasure and nourishment in food.

Her philosophy is that you should take care of your body because it’s the only permanent home you have. It’s what inspired her to pursue a career in nutrition.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

¹ Zinc, aging, and immunosenescence. National Library of Medicine. Read source

² Vitamin D and aging. PubMed. Read source

³ Curcumin prevents mitochondrial dysfunction in the brain... PubMed. Read source

⁴ Polyphenols and Aging. National Library of Medicine. Read source

Updated 1/31/24