Here is the second chapter of my tips on how to defeat time... I hope you will enjoy it!

1) Not getting enough sleep can decrease quality and quantity of our life. Experts say we need a minimum of seven to eight hours every night for optimal health. Not getting enough sleep can not only keep us from functioning well during the day, but it can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, decrease our immune system, and lead to weight gain. How? If we’re tired and sleepy, in order to get some energy we will more likely grab some sweet to eat and/or drink. Also, because of fatigue we may decrease our daily physical activities, taking the elevator when we should be walking on stairs, or driving too much. Lack of energy may deter us from going to the gym, and trigger us to order food in instead of cooking a meal for ourselves. Lack of sleep can start a dysfunctional cycle able to promote weight gain and health deterioration.

2) Learning how to let go and forgive offenders may let us live longer and happier. There have been studies showing that continuing to feel angry at someone or something can have damaging effects on our well-being, including high blood pressure, anxiety and depression. On a good note, physical activity releases endorphins, which decrease stress levels and improve our mood.

3) Physical activity is an efficient anti-aging strategy, as it decreases chances of heart disease and controls stress. Metabolism, bone density, muscle size, strength and endurance all decrease with aging. However, we can delay this process by engaging ourselves in activities that stimulate our muscles, as long as this happens at a higher level of intensity than what we are usually accustomed to. Furthermore, one of the main reasons to exercise is to decrease chances of injuries from falling, and to decrease recovery time after a fall, should it occur. An injury that limits mobility and, as a consequence, our independence is a potentially life-threatening blow to our health.

4) We all know that as we get older, the cells in our skin become drier. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do about it, unless we have the stomach to consider plastic surgery. Nevertheless, drinking a good amount of water will maintain our skin cells well hydrated, delaying their aging process. How much water should we drink? As a general rule, men should drink about 3 liters and women 2.2 liters, but if we exercise (or are overweight) we should add more water to these estimates.

5) Quit smoking. Do we really need to be reminded about this? Haven't we got the memo yet? Smoking doesn't only increase chances of heart disease and lung cancer; it makes us age faster. By making our skin cells less elastic, smoking plays a vital role in causing wrinkles, psoriasis and skin discoloration.

6) This is another big one: sun exposure. Long hours under the sun without proper protection dramatically promotes the aging process in our skin cells. More importantly, skin cancer is tragically becoming a real epidemic, threatening the lives of millions of people who underestimate the danger of exposing their skin to the sun with no sunscreen. Be smart: cover up!

The tips I provided can be extremely helpful, but ultimately is how you manage aging in our minds that will matter the most. Our skin will get wrinkly and our joints stiff, but if we keep a good attitude toward our whitening hair, it will pay off more than any tip above described. 

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Giacomo Cresti

Senior Editor Annex Press

Film Annex

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