Dr Nichola: Biological Age reveal!

Hello, and welcome back to Second Opinion.

And for this final episode, I wanted to do something a little bit different because throughout the series, we've talked a lot about all of the things that influence our biological age.

But today, I am gonna talk about what I actually do, because this is a question I get asked all of the time because my biological age is 20, and I am chronologically 38.

So today, I'm gonna walk you through a typical day in my life and explain all the things that I personally do to support my biological age.

So first of all, one of my absolute non-negotiables is just getting outside in the morning and getting some natural daylight.

Now, I live in the UK, so this isn't always bright sunshine, but quite often it's gray and cloudy.

But that doesn't matter because it's not about the sun, it's about getting some light on your skin.

And when light enters the eyes in the morning, it signals to your brain that the day has started, and this really helps reset your circadian rhythm.

So this is your internal body clock, and that controls everything from your hormones to your metabolism, to even helping with your sleep later that night.

So it quite literally switches on and off thousands of different genes that control your body.

So this simple act of me just stepping outside in the morning really does set the tone for my entire day.

So that is the first thing I do, and I do that pretty much every day.

And I usually pair that with movement.

So, uh, to go outside, I'll get out and I'll go for a walk most mornings.

So sometimes it'll just be a really short walk or sometimes a bit longer, depending on how much time I've got.

But that is usually how I start my day.

I do also go to the gym, so I usually go to the gym around four times a week.

I love going to the gym, and I do both strength and cardio training.

But for me, that everyday movement, that just getting out and having a walk, is just as important as the gym.

I like to get my steps in, especially when I'm traveling and I might not be able to make the gym, this is what I do instead, and it just keeps my body in a more naturally active state.

Now, if I'm not able to get as much natural daylight as I'd like, especially in winter, what I do use is a red light panel that I've got at home, and I literally just sit in front of it for around 20 to 30 minutes.

And this is because red and near-infrared light in particular interact with our mitochondria, these energy-producing powerhouses in the cells, and this really does help to support energy production.

It reduces inflammation.

It's very good for your skin and for collagen production.

The other thing I'm also a fan of when it comes to more techy-type stuff is sauna, because there is so much evidence that something as simple as heat exposure and just sitting in a hot sauna has been linked to improved health and longevity.