Academics are divided between “programmed” theories, in which humans follow a biological timetable of genetic, hormonal, and immunological decline, and “damage-related” theories, whereby environmental and lifestyle factors cause DNA damage, inflammation, or oxidative stress which impairs cells.

Biological age involves comparing data about yourself with age-matched predictive values that reveal the state of your body relative to your peers and other age groups.

If your heart age is higher than your actual age, you may be at increased risk of heart attack and stroke, but crucially you can lower this risk and improve your general health by making important lifestyle changes such as taking regular exercise, eating well, cutting back on alcohol, and not smoking.

Training: Up your weights-to-cardio ratio

Doing two or three weights sessions for every cardio session. Resistance training prevents muscle wastage, triggers biological reactions that help to remove free radicals and oxidative stress, and increases blood flow. It also boosts growth hormone, which helps you retain bone-building calcium and fat-burning muscle as you age.

HIIT pause with cardio sessions

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) slows cellular ageing by boosting the regeneration of mitochondria (your body’s energy-producing powerhouses) by up to 69 percent. It also enhances lung, heart, and circulation health to keep your body young.

Endure with endurance training

Cycling, running, or other endurance training will keep you feeling young. Long-distance cyclists enjoyed better cholesterol levels and retained more T-cells (the immune system’s disease-fighting soldiers) into old age. Weight-bearing exercise also boosts bone health to fight off osteoporosis.

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Eat more Omega-3s

Aim to eat foods that have a natural anti-inflammatory action. Good fats like omega-3 fatty acids get broken down into anti-inflammatory chemicals in the body, which helps keep your cells at a good age. You get them from oily fish, olive oil, raw nuts, seeds, and avocado.

Spice up your life

Ginger and turmeric help with reducing inflammation in the body. Ginger has an anti-inflammatory effect on cells and can improve cholesterol levels. Curcumin, found in turmeric, also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Follow your gut instinct

Your gut is a key part of your body’s immune system, so arm yourself against disease and infection with immunity-boosting foods. Your gut flora is the basis of good health, so aim for things that maintain it like garlic, onion, artichokes, oats, and fermented foods like sauerkraut.

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Sleep yourself younger

Get your eight hours. Sleep deprivation can heighten inflammatory markers linked to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. People who sleep less than five hours a night had an “excess heart age” 5.1 years beyond their real age.

Learn something new

The best way to keep the brain healthy is by learning new things because it makes new connections in the brain. Hobbies like languages and music are great.

Crush stress

Stress is linked to shortened telomeres and higher oxidative stress – both markers that correlate to reduced longevity. A good test is noticing if you often use words like "always" and "never". Thinking in extremes and absolutes is a sign of stress. Keeping a daily journal can help you achieve clarity of thoughts and a sense of closure – writing always involves a beginning and an end. The process itself encourages you to find solutions.

For more information contact Grupo HPA Saude on (+351) 282 420 400.