It’s no secret that the older we get the more our bodies break down and need a little extra tender loving care. Finding out the effects of aging is the first step in learning how to remain physiologically young even when our chronological age begins to advance.

It is true that age is just a number, as you can remain young and vibrant throughout your life if you take good care of yourself and take proper precautionary steps. All the things your mother told you and that seem like plain common sense are really the things that you should be doing to maintain good health.

Internal Aging

The obvious signs of aging are wrinkles and lines that start to appear where once your skin was smooth and taut. However much more serious effects of aging are taking place on the inside of your body. One of the tell tale effects of aging is a loss of strength. Your loss of strength manifests itself in small ways that you may not notice or take too seriously.

Suddenly you can’t open that jar or you find yourself getting tired when you try and do the same things you always do. These are signs that the body is slowing down on the inside. One of the effects of aging is a loss of muscle tone. Your muscles shrink the older you get and the number of muscle fibers as well as the size of those fibers begins to lessen and shrink.

Your bones also suffer the effects of aging, mineral content in your bones decrease and your bones become less dense and you are more susceptible to factures and breaks as a result. The loss of bone mass, another sign of aging, also known, as osteoporosis is usually associated with women but it can happen in both men and women.

Exercise is the Way to Go

Exercise is the best way to counteract the effects of aging. A lifestyle that does not include exercise will contribute to loss of muscle mass and increase lethargy. Exercising regularly and including weight training and light resistance into your daily exercise routine is a good way to prevent muscle loss as well as heart disease, high blood pressure and some types of cancer. You don’t have to be running marathons to combat the effects of aging.

Simply exercising moderately for about 30 minutes everyday can make a huge difference to your health. Incorporate exercise into your daily life rather than set aside a specific time to exercise. Break the 30 minutes up into three ten-minute walks whether to the grocery store or some time in the garden. Swimming and cycling are also good exercises that don’t put pressure on the joints while giving you a good cardiovascular workout.