Signs that your body is ageing faster than normal (and what you can do)

Have your pants become tight at the waist and still fit at the bottom? Do you find yourself making excuses when everybody else wants to head out and have fun? You cannot lift your own shopping bags? If the answer to all these questions is yes, your body is giving you a message.

All these things are a sign that your body is ageing quickly. Increased fat around the waist and decreased hand grip is linked to increased risk of loss of health.

Here in this article, we will discuss what causes the ageing process to accelerate and what can help slow it down.

As you age, foods high in fibre like fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, nuts and legumes can help keep your gut healthy. Fibre helps in keeping the cholesterol levels low and helps manage blood sugar levels. It also keeps your weight-in check. Eat foods that are rich in folate and B-vitamins to keep your brain healthy. Try to eat more whole-grain foods as they keep your heart healthy and disease like cancer at bay. Common whole grain foods include dalia, quinoa, sooji, wheat flour and pulses.

This is a factor that can never be overstated. Our body is mainly water. Depriving it of water can hamper the functioning of the body and make you age faster. Also, as you age your sense for thirst decreases, which means you might take longer to know when your body is low on fluids.

Water helps control your body temperature, improves your mood and focus among the many other things.

You can take the help of reminders or apps to drink enough water.

It's important to stay physically active to keep your body and mind healthy. Exercising keeps your bones, joints muscles healthy. It keeps your blood pressure in checks, helps you manage stress and lowers your chances of heart disease. It also helps in managing chronic conditions like diabetes and arthritis. It is said that a healthy individual should aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.

If you are not a fussy eater, chances are you might not require vitamin supplements. But get yourself tested to make sure you are not lacking in any particular vitamin or mineral.

Talk to your doctor and know if you need supplements. Also, when you age, you start losing more calcium from the body, which makes conditions like osteoporosis common, especially among women after menopause. Walk in the sun, eat salmon and sardines to get vitamin D, which is essential to maintain immunity and mental health. It also helps in the absorption of calcium.

If your work, relationship or anything else causing you stress, sort it out. It has been found that work-related stress can have a harmful effect on critical DNA in the cells. It was found that people with job-related stress have the shortest telomeres, which may damage or kill the cell.

Telomere shortening is related to Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.