Healthy Aging Tips by Dr Joseph Maroon

Jeff Photo Maroon Bike Hawaii 2010January 28, 2020  News Health Online Magazine recently interviewed Dr Joseph Maroon on his tips for healthy aging.  In the article entitled, The Secrets to Healthy Aging, Dr Maroon relates many examples that he has practiced himself over the last 40 years to reduce and counter unhealthy aging.  Here is a quote from Dr. Maroon.

“Even my closest friends are often surprised when they ask me my age,” he says. “Despite my youthful appearance, I can tell you that the birth date posted on my driver’s license is correct. Although having a youthful appearance is not the only goal of adopting an anti-aging lifestyle, it is a great side benefit. Our skin, without makeup or other cosmetic enhances, provides a fairly accurate window into our overall health.“

In the article Dr Maroon lists 6 tips that he has followed and recommends to others.

Below is a brief summary:Good Food

1. Diet. This is a major source of inflammation and subsequently, accelerated aging. Avoid saturated fats and stick to unsaturated fats, especially omega-3s found in fish, seafood, and vegetables to reduce inflammation.
2. Stay in motion. Exercising not only burns excess calories to help control weight and improve cardiovascular health, it can also release an anti-depressant-like hormone in the brain.
3. Avoid the traps of modern society. Dr Maroon notes the importance of strong social connections, practice religion or meditation, follow primarily a Mediterranean diet, do hard physical work, and avoid environmental toxins.
4. Improve brain health.  Our brain cells contain up to 40% omega-3 fats, it makes sense to increase your intake of foods that contain this nutrient either from food or fish oil supplements.
5. Strengthen your bones not only provide the structure of your body, they are an important reserve for minerals like calcium, copper, zinc, and others.
6. Preserve your vision and other senses. Avoid exposure to UV radiation from the sun, which can cause the formation of cataracts, and avoid excessive noise to reduce hearing loss.