My Easy to Follow Longevity Lifehacks

A Mindful Munch: The Recipe for a Younger (Biological) You

Ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?” Well, what if I told you that you are also how you think, feel, and meditate too? You might be thinking,…

Ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?” Well, what if I told you that you are also how you think, feel, and meditate too? You might be thinking, “Hang on a minute, dinner time’s confusing enough without my steak giving me an existential crisis!” Stay with me though, because we’re about to take a delightful dive into the world of neuroscience, meditation, gratitude, and just a sprinkle of red meat.

If you’ve been keeping one eye on the news while chopping your veggies, you might’ve seen that recent study from our folks over at Harvard. They discovered that red meat is pretty set on giving us an increased risk of dementia. That’s right, your Sunday roast might be plotting against you. But before you start mourning your juicy steaks, let’s get one thing clear: It’s not all doom, gloom, and vegetarian cookbooks.

Let’s rewind and talk about something called biological age. It’s like the age you jot down on forms, but cooler and more sciency. Your biological age is essentially how old your body really is – take good care of it, and your biological age could be lower than your real age. If you’ve slightly overindulged, it might be a little higher.

Now, let’s bring meditation and gratitude into the mix. They’re like the culinary herbs of the mental health world – often overlooked but can make a world of difference. Harvard suggests that these two, paired with a balanced diet, could help curb the influence of that stealthy steak on your brain.

Meditation, for instance, has been shown to decrease cortisol levels, the pesky little hormone that’s been bothering us since we first tried to parallel park. Lower cortisol levels mean lower stress and blood pressure, which in turn can make your biological age as fresh as a ripe avocado.

Now, blend this with a hefty dollop of gratitude. A study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that heart failure patients who kept a gratitude journal for eight weeks had lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers. Talk about a thank you note for your heart!

So, with just a few minutes of meditation and a splash of gratitude every day, you could be turning back the biological clock. And don’t worry, you don’t need to be a Zen master or the next Dalai Lama. Even just starting with a minute or two every morning will do the trick.

“Okay,” you say, “But what do I do with this information? Should I write ‘practice gratitude’ and ‘meditate’ on a post-it and stick it on the fridge?”

Well, you could. Or you could get a little helper, a sidekick in your pursuit of health and happiness. That’s where SimpleFitness.ai comes in. Not to toot our own horn, but SimpleFitness.ai is your go-to digital companion for tracking sleep, nutrition, workouts, and yes, building your mindfulness habits as well. It’s like having a personal health assistant in your pocket, without the hassle of scheduling appointments.

We’re here to help you build habits that will not only add years to your life but life to your years. Remember, your nutritional and emotional well-being is a journey, not a sprint. So, take your time, savor each mindful bite of your meal, and remember: you can absolutely do this.

Now, how about a bit of action to spice things up? Why not take a minute, right now, to just breathe and be mindful of this moment? And while you’re at it, check out SimpleFitness.ai.

After all, they say the best way to predict your future is to create it. So let’s get cooking up a healthier, happier you!