Age is certainly just a number—look at Jane Fonda, who at 82 is recreating her iconic aerobics videos for Tik Tok. Beauty and effervescence have no age limit, but there are patterns you’ll find among people who are spry and radiant at every decade. They care about systems that might not be traditionally “sexy” or have the visual flash as, say, abs and hair and skin. They take a holistic approach that honors all the body systems—and in turn, feel vivacious for the long haul. Think: eyes for lifelong sight, oral care as the first step in the digestion process, strong feet to properly root you to the earth. The results of caring for these parts may be more subtle than clearing your skin or de-bloating, but ultimately the rewards are more impactful to your overall health. You’ll unlock the opportunity to feel powerful, juicy, grounded, and electric. Here, we divulge the nutritional and self-care secrets to help you toss out any stale narratives about age, body clocks, and beauty on a timeline.
EYES | As your means for taking in the world around you, vision is a critical sense. But there is a widely accepted notion that “you get what you get” with eyesight, and deterioration over time is inevitable. Not so! There are ways to strengthen and even preserve your eyesight through nutrition. Vitamin A, which helps strengthen the cornea, is the usual suspect, but eyes also require proper amounts of vitamins D, E, C, and zinc. Known for their ability to strengthen the nervous system, which is so closely tied to eyesight, B vitamins (especially B12) are important allies in maintaining strong vision. If you are interested in diving into alternative methods of strengthening your eyesight, there are books like Martin Sussman’s Program for Better Vision that shares eye exercises to incorporate just as you would any fitness regimen, emphasizing direct sunlight (vitamin D!) and giving your eyes a break from glasses or contacts often. On a daily basis, opt for blue light glasses to protect your eyes from incessant, hormone-polluting blue light from our computers and mobile phones.
TEETH | Oral health is a reflection of full-body vitality, as it is the first stop along the journey of digestion. The mouth itself is a microbiome, or an ecosystem of bacteria that helps digestion. It also connects to the gut, home to trillions of microbes and a key indicator of your mood and energy. Your tongue is visible organ tissue, and it can reveal underlying health issues—which is why Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners will look at your tongue to assess your condition. Alongside the tongue, the teeth do more than just chew your lunch. They act like tree roots, taking in nutrients from your food and working with saliva and lymphatic fluid to help detoxify the mouth naturally and maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria; this helps prevent cavities, tooth and enamel decay, and the potential for root canals. The way to build healthy teeth is through micronutrients, like chelated magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus, which boost tooth strength and bone density. Alongside an organic, plant-rich diet, taking a daily mineral supplement as well as re-wilding your water with ionic minerals bolster your tooth integrity, supporting your entire digestive journey.
People who are spry and radiant at every decade take a holistic approach that honors all the body systems—and in turn, feel vivacious for the long haul.
JOINTS | A juicy, vibrant body requires that the layers underneath are hydrated and elastic—this means supporting the joints and fascia. Fascia acts as the connective tissue between the muscles, tendons, and nerves, while joints and cartilage are found where two bones connect, allowing you to turn and twist your bodies with ease. Sitting, walking, and reaching for your toes all require lubricated joints, so it is important to care for them early and often in life. You can carve out a fitness regimen that includes stretching and yoga, low-impact movement like swimming, and exercise that homes in on alignment, such as Pilates. Food can be a potent ally; soothing herbs like ginger and foods high in antioxidants like pomegranate seeds have been studied to reduce symptoms of arthritis. On a daily basis, focus on incorporating omega-3 fatty acids, which create a buffer between bones and significantly reduce inflammation.
COLON | With all the emphasis on what goes into the body, the real sign of health and longevity is what’s going out, according to health experts like colon hydrotherapist, Jen Gonzalez of Doody Free Girl. Gonzalez is a staunch believer in ditching the stigma women hold around elimination, noting that both diet and bowel anxiety or “holding it in” prevent your body from detoxing properly. She describes the colon as the body’s septic tank, and if the pipes aren’t cleared regularly and with gusto, toxins show up on the face in the form of acne and blemishes, or over time as issues like leaky gut. To give the colon all that it needs to thrive, focus on getting enough water-rich whole plants to ease elimination, as well as ample fiber to help coax toxins and excess waste out of the body. Another benefit of plants? They fortify your organs and systems without overstaying their welcome in the body; processed foods, gluten, dairy, and meat cause the body to produce excess mucus and sticky fluids that keep them in the body longer and hinder smooth elimination. One way to combat this is by flooding the body with cleansing chlorophyll, the green plant pigment that helps to build clean blood, flush out excess, and promote healthy GI movement.
The feet matter not only as they are the connection from the cosmos to the Earth, but because we ask a lot of them; the average person logs about 1,500 miles a year on foot.
FEET | According to some ancient healing modalities, the feet are maps for the rest of the body. Reflexology contends that under the foot are various pressure points that correspond with specific organs; for example, the sinuses connect to the pads of the toes, and access to the small intestine is at the arch. Stimulating these points regularly through massage does more than give our feet respite from uncomfortable shoes; we actually use the feet as an entrypoint to the internal ecosystem, tending to organs we could not directly care for otherwise. In addition to practicing reflexology, do what comes even more naturally; let your feet go naked. Make a ritual of taking off your shoes and finding earth—the beach, a patch of grass, even gravel—spreading your toes wide, and sinking them into the ground. This barefoot act of earthing is powerfully healing to the nervous system, as it reconnects the body to Earth’s electrons, which can contribute to reduced inflammation and better sleep. The feet matter not only as they are the connection from the cosmos to the Earth, but because we ask a lot of them; the average person logs about 1,500 miles a year on foot. Take the time to massage your feet, use a tennis ball to roll out the arch, and give love to your big toe, which is the first point of contact to the ground.
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