Age is no longer excuse to feeling old, achy and tired. 

Advances in medicine and health education are helping people lead healthier lifestyles well into their 70s, 80s, and 90s. 

Many believe that muscle pain and stiffness are due to old age and are just an inevitable part in the ageing process. But this doesn't have to be the case. In fact, it is not ageing, but lifestyle, that may be causing your body to ache and have pains. Let's consider how we can go from being aged to ageless.

Step 1 - Embrace Your Age

With age comes wisdom so it’s time to embrace everything you’ve learned and love the fact that you are a more enlightened human being. Even though you may not still have the same body as you did in your twenties you have something more powerful--knowledge. Use this knowledge to embolden yourself. You have lived enough to know better and use that knowledge to your advantage.

Step 2 - Follow a Healthy Lifestyle

Seems obvious that a healthy lifestyle will provide better health and make us feel young. But, most of us don't know what to do to be healthy. We're probably the only species that really doesn't know what is right to eat. One guideline on nutrition is to eat fiber each day and include whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet while limiting refined carbohydrates and fat. Go for inflammation-fighting foods such as ginger, turmeric, pomegranate seeds, apricot and cherries as well as foods that contain potent antioxidants and omega 3 such as apples, nuts and seeds.

Make exercise a healthy habit. It is a well-known fact that those who are physically active are healthier, happier and tend to live longer than those who are often sedentary. Exercise at least three times a week since healthy muscles help our joint mechanics, strength and flexibility, which in turn reduces joint pain and helping to combat fatigue. 

And one last healthy tip is to always be hydrating. The cartilage in our joints is made up mostly of water, which is what makes it such a great cushion. When we're dehydrated, water gets sucked out of the cartilage making it weaker. Try and drink atleast 6-8 cups of water a day.

Step 3 - Reduce Stress and Sleep More

We feel pain more when we are stressed. Pain leads to inflammation in the body, which in turn causes further muscle tension and joint stiffness. All of this works to weaken your immune system. All of which pushes dopamine levels down making the pain harder to ignore and causing more stress.

Try to avoid too much caffeine, alcohol and nicotine and at least 7-8 hours of sleep. Keep regular sleep patterns so as not to stress out your body and focus more on relaxation, even during the day. Try daily meditation, yoga, listening to music, or surrounding yourself with pleasant scents, like lavender. And, most of all, put down the phone.The blue light emitted from our devices is said to inhibit the release of melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone).

Step 4 - Hang with like-minded folk

Don’t take age into consideration. Age is only a state of mind so don’t seek out others because of their age (young or old). Join an organization or club that attracts individuals that share your passions.  When you're around people with a more positive, youthful mindset you'll find that a positive vibe is given off making you feel young again.