It’s your birthday. Here it comes…”How old are you?” Mmm, does it really matter? After all, age is just a number. What really matters is your body’s state of health which will determine how you age and what your future birthdays will look like.

Some age-related changes are benign, such as graying hair or fine lines. We’ll take those over a decline in functionality and the ability to perform regular activities of daily life. It’s important to remember that advancing age is not what puts us at risk for chronic disease in our later years; its declining health as we age, much of which is preventable.

Our bodies are made up of water, oxygen and minerals which are simple building blocks of healthy cells, healthy life and healthy aging. These elements may not be top of mind, but should be.

With age, we sometimes lose our sense of thirst, so be sure to drink water throughout the day whether you’re thirsty or not. Staying hydrated helps your cells function at full capacity.

Every tissue and cell in the body also needs a constant supply of oxygen to perform properly, so don’t forget to consciously breathe deeply and fully. Oxygen gets into our cells and tissues via our lungs then pass into the bloodstream. A typical blood oxygen level for a healthy person ranges between 95 – 100%. What can we do to help the process? MOVE. There is no substitute for movement to accelerate natural oxygenation.

Our bodies are walking mineral banks and, with nutrients severely lacking in our foods today, supplementation can be a game changer. Minerals not only replenish our bodies but also act as antioxidants to combat oxidative stress, a primary contributor to the signs of aging. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between your body’s antioxidant defenses and the production of free radicals, which can potentially damage your cells.

So, be sure to consume plenty of antioxidant foods including berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), leafy greens like spinach, cabbage and kale, citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit), avocados, legumes, green tea and dark chocolate, to name a few. Of course, a healthy diet is an important part of the equation aiding all the building blocks.

Want to look good, feel good and radiate health at every age? Stay hydrated, oxygenated, mineralized and antioxidized, my friends.

Candice Nicole is a health advocate and founder of HUmineral food derived mineral nutrients. She can be reached at [email protected] or (818) 400.7657. For more information, visit www.HUmineral.com.

Sources: 1) https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/oxidative-stress; 2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551541/#:~:text=Oxidative%20stress%20and%20free%20radicals,ranging%20from%20CVD%20to%20cancer; 3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11031144; 4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7276162/