Agingis something we all do but understand very little about.

What Is Aging?

Think of aging as “that which happens to our bodies over time.”

Two women facing each other

Image source / Getty Images

Some aging is a natural part of body development, such growth spurts children go through during puberty.

Aging can also be accumulative, such as the onset ofskin damagedue to excessive sun exposure.

Aging is ultimately a combination of physiological changes in our bodies and the environmental factors we are exposed to.

This replication failure is referred to as cellular senescence during which the cell loses its functional characteristics.

The accumulation of senescent cells is the hallmark of cellular aging, which in turn translates to biological aging.

Because sex hormone levels differ between females and males,how females and males age also differs.

The accumulated damage can undermine the body’s ability to repair itself, promoting rapid aging.

No matter what you do, your body will change in a number of key ways.

Blood vessels also lose their flexibility as we age.

In men, lean muscles will thin and sperm production will diminish due todecreases in testosterone levels.

How to Slow Aging

Aging cannot be avoided.

It is never too late to start.

2016;7:187. doi:10.3389/fgene.2016.00187

Jin K.Modern biological theories of aging.Aging Dis.

2010;1(2):72.

American Lung Association.Your aging lungs.

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Dietary guidelines for Americans.

Reimers CC, Knapp G, Reimers AK.Does physical activity increase life expectancy?

A review of the literature.J Aging Res.