A simple anti-aging program
Leave it to the boomer generation to
reinvent things, or should I say rediscover? Not only are we interested in
looking younger, we want to feel younger. Fortunately, the two go together. Go
after one and the other will follow. So if youÕre interested in looking and
feeling younger, then a simple anti-aging program should be at the top of your
list. The right foods, more sleep and the right attitude can literally take
years off your looks while adding years to your longevity.
How does one start? Read whatÕs available
and incorporate what works for you. And here are four common sense top tips
presented by the American Academy of Family Physicians at their annual meeting
in 2006.
Tip1: Have a diet that reduces your
LDL cholesterol. Not all fats are bad. That mindset will lead not only to
weight gain it can cause heart problems. Fats are necessary for your bodyÕs
proper functioning, and truly effective in an anti-aging diet. Use adequate
amounts of monosaturated and unsaturated fats. Good sources of these fats are:
extra virgin olive oil, flax seed oil, soy, salmon, almonds, pecans and
walnuts.
Tip 2: Increase your protective good cholesterol and reduce your
triglycerides. Regular aerobic exercise 30-35 minutes daily is helpful to
increase good cholesterol levels. Eat more vegetables, grains, beans and fruits
— instead of bread or potatoes. Add onion, garlic and soy to the diet.
These simple foods will reduce bad cholesterol and raise good. If foods arenÕt
enough, try adding a supplement of fish oil, garlic tablets or red yeast rice.
Red yeast rice is a naturally occurring statin that works well to lower total
cholesterol.
Tip 3: DonÕt skip on sleep. A lack of
sleep may not kill you but it has been proven that it not only shortens life
span but also lessens the quality of life. Those who are chronically sleep
deprived have lower immunity, higher levels of stress hormones, reduced brain
function and are more prone to chronic illness. The westernerÕs norm of six
hours is simply not enough. You really should sleep a third of your life.
Tip 4: Maintain a healthy outlook on
life. Everyone, young as well as old, have times when life is a daily curve
ball. Bernie Segal MD, well known writer and speaker on alternative therapies
maintains that he thinks life is totally fair. The reason he says this is when
he hears people discussing the topic of lifeÕs fairness everyone will complain
that life is so unfair. If you canÕt change your circumstances then work on
changing your attitude.
These simple steps can change your
biological age markers such as heart and respiration rate, blood pressure and
other markers of aging. Your chronological and biological age donÕt necessarily
need to match, they can be reversed, improved. Till next time, Rebecca.
11/22/07