RELATED: 5 Ways to Train Your Brain for Lifelong Mental Fitness One great example is the Mediterranean diet, which has been named the Best Overall Diet in 2022 by U.S. News & World Report for the fifth year in a row. It’s a holistic, nutrient-rich diet rich in plant-based foods, whole grains, nuts, seafood, and healthy fats—and even lets you enjoy red wine (in moderation). The Mediterranean diet involves eating fish twice each week and cutting back on excess salt. Research shows that this type of diet may help you age better by warding off heart attacks, strokes, and premature death, according to Harvard Medical School. An added bonus: Dr. Benabio says that foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, extra-virgin olive oil, salmon, and flaxseed, help your skin manufacture the essential oils it needs to protect itself and can help skin look younger. In contrast, sugary, carbohydrate-heavy, and unhealthy fatty foods—think, chips, soda, and white bread—can speed up the aging process, Dr. Benabio warns. “So, when shopping or dining out, opt for whole grains and natural sweeteners,” he says. RELATED: The 30 Healthiest Foods to Eat Every Day Staying fit may also reduce age-related memory loss, according to a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Plus, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for approximately 60 to 70 percent of all dementia cases, says Comana, adding that increasing physical activity can decrease this statistic by 25 percent. That’s because exercise strengthens the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and working memory. RELATED: 5 Ways Being Physically Inactive Affects Our Mind and Mood And it turns out that “beauty sleep” isn’t a myth. During sleep, your body releases a growth hormone that helps restore collagen and elastin, the essential building blocks of young, healthy skin, says Dr. Benabio. Recent research has also shown a connection between insomnia and accelerated aging of the brain, Dr. Benabio points out. In other words, chronic lack of sleep adversely affects your brain structure and function and can speed up the aging process. “Too many of us treat sleep as a luxury instead of a need,” says Benabio. “If I could encourage people do make one healthy change, it would be to sleep more.”
