Things that age you

Feeling overwhelmed by stress Since caveperson times, we’ve known excess stress lowers our immunity, boosts the risk of heart disease and generally makes us feel crummy.

But now Elissa S Epel, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco, has cell-level proof that too much stress triggers premature aging of the immune system. Mothers of chronically ill children who felt most stressed, she found, had the most extreme early aging of these cells.

To unwind? "The first step is realising you are stressed and noticing the signs — you might feel your heart racing, or feel sweaty," Epel says. "The short-term way to reduce stress is to do deep breathing, what we call diaphragmatic breathing." The longer-term fix: "Make time in your life to do things that reduce stress."

Drinking too much alcohol — or drinking too little. It’s no accident that alcohol advice is following the bad news about stress. Putting your feet up and having a tall cold one is actually good for you.

One or two drinks a day can lower the risk of dying from heart disease by a third or so, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found. Women are advised to limit intake to one a day, men to two. But don’t imbibe more than that, or you’ll up the risks of ill health, including strokes and cancers of the liver, throat and breast.

Moving too little

"Inactivity is an addiction that many of us have," says William J Evans, PhD, a professor of geriatric medicine, nutrition and physiology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

But even a little bit of activity can extend our life, reduce the chances of being overweight, reduce stress and maybe even ward off Alzheimer’s disease. "The first step is to just make the decision to be more active," Evans says. "That can be as simple as parking a little further away and walking or taking the stairs instead of the elevator." Then work your way up to the exercise level recommended by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention: moderate-intensity activity such as walking for 30 minutes or more, five or more days a week.

Eating too much saturated fat

Saturated fats — in meats, poultry, milk and butter — can boost "bad" and total cholesterol and send you down the path of heart disease. Go Mediterranean, and train your palate to prefer monounsaturated fats found in canola, olive and peanut oil and polyunsaturated fats found in safflower, corn and flaxseed oil. "There’s growing evidence that a more Mediterranean-style diet is healthy, even if you don’t lose weight," Evans says. One smart goal, according to the American Dietetic Association: Keep saturated fat intake to ten percent or less of your total calories.

Smoking cigarettes

More than one-fifth of US adults, or 46 million people, still smoke, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. To reduce your risk of cancer and early wrinkling, grab some over-the-counter nicotine gum.

In a review of 123 studies published in 2004, nicotine gum and other replacement treatments such as the patch upped the odds of quitting by two times compared to relying on willpower alone.

Breathing polluted air

Outdoor air pollution can cause coughing and burning eyes and is linked to asthma attacks and respiratory disease.

Easier said than done, but stay indoors as much as possible when pollution levels are high.

Getting too much sun

Every year, more than a million people in the US find out they have skin cancer — and another 55,000 find out they have the most deadly form, melanoma. Limiting sun exposure and wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 cut the risk of skin cancer as well as wrinkles.

Getting too little sleep

Being sleep deprived used to be a badge of honour. Now, lack of sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and memory problems, even in young adults. Clean up your bedroom so it’s a sleeper’s paradise, says Ronald Klatz, DO, MD, president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine in Chicago. "Keep TVs and other distractions out of there," he says. Install shades or blinds so the bedroom is pitch dark.

Being overweight

Excess weight boosts the chances of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer, yet an astounding 64 percent of adult Americans weigh too much. The latest research suggests the type of diet you choose is less important than your vow to stick with it.

When researchers compared four popular plans — Weight Watchers, Ornish, Atkins and the Zone — the weight loss after a year was comparable, they reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

But the dropout rate was high for each.

The key to success: Pick a diet that fits your lifestyle, and you’re more likely to stick with it.

Eating too much sugar

Excess sugar can lead to weight gain and possibly heart disease. Nutrition experts advise keeping "added sugars" in snacks and cookies to 12 teaspoons a day on a 2,200-calorie diet, but the US department of agriculture found the consumption was typically 31 teaspoons a day in 2000.

To cut back, turn to fruits and sweet vegetables to tame the craving. Read labels to minimise your intake of added sugars.