Overcoming The Fear Of Aging

Overcoming The Fear Of Aging

As a population, we are generally getting older so that more and more of us are classified by chronical age as being “old.”

There are two ways of tackling old age that can make a difference in how you experience these years. You can remain optimistic, living your life as if you are young, participating in physical activities, and participating in social activities as if age does not matter or you can give into fears of aging so that you are crippled and depressed as each birthday passes.

Here are some ways to deal with the fears of aging:

• Know that modern science has changed to focus on the prevention of the diseases of aging so that people are living longer and healthier more now than even a couple of decades ago. If you regularly see your doctor and get preventative testing, you can be better prepared for the possibility of growing older healthier. Follow your doctor’s advice around things you can do to prevent the aging process from accelerating. This will help allay your fears around getting older so you can begin to enjoy these years more.
• Know that increased activity and a healthy diet can go a long way toward preventing disease and improving your physical appearance, as you get older. You are in charge of many of the lifestyle habits that get in the way of growing older gracefully. This means drinking alcohol in moderation, getting the right nutrients in your diet or through supplements, quitting smoking, and increasing your physical activity on a daily basis. Even if you have not had the healthiest habits up until this point in your life, you can change things around right now so that your body can heal and you will live longer and healthier. It is never too late to change your lifestyle habits toward better health.
• If your ancestors died young of cancer or lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease, know that this doesn’t have to be repeated in your generation. Many of these diseases happened to your ancestors because they didn’t know the relationship between lifestyle and aging, and they didn’t have access to the amazing medical advances that have made it difficult to die from a bacterial infection, heart disease, and lung disease. Many cancers and certainly cardiovascular diseases can be prevented or detected early enough so that you can avoid their complications. Be sure to see your doctor regularly so that you can be treated for early disease and reminded of those things you need to do in order to prevent advanced diseases of aging.
• Pretend that the calendar means nothing. You are not a different person just because you have had a birthday or two. If you continue in activities you did while you were younger and continue to stimulate your brain with mind-challenging activities, you will be reminded that you are not the old person the calendar seems to indicate you are. Age is just a number and it is what you do at the age you are at that determines how you are perceived by others and how you see yourself.
• Maintain social contacts throughout your older years. Evidence suggests that married men live longer than single men and those who maintain close friendships and other relationships will live happier and healthier lives for a longer period of time. Take the time to join a club with people who share your interests and maintain as many lifelong relationships as you can. Relationships are two-way streets so the more you decide that it’s up to you to maintain your half of any relationship, the healthier and longer your relationships will be.
• There are numerous great aspects to getting older, and taking the time to identify them and think about them can alleviate your fears. For example, without work you are free to do as you please every single day. Your lifetime of experience has led to a profound wisdom that makes life easier to live and more rewarding. There are seniors climbing mountains and traveling the world, they are energetic, and their biological age certainly does not match their chronological age.
• Talk to a therapist or a dear friend about your fears. Processing emotions begins with talk that allows all the feelings to come to the surface, and often fears become much bigger than they actually are when we keep them to ourselves. You are not alone in your fears, others experience the same, and you can process these feelings and walk through to the other side where you can actually look forward to and enjoy your older years.

101 Ways To Healthy Aging

101 Ways To Healthy Aging

The proportion of people considered middle or old-aged are increasing every day. The percentage of people older than the age of 65 increased by a factor of 15.1% of the population between the years of 2000 to 2010 so that now those older than 65 represent more than 13% of the population, compared to just 4.1% of the population in the year 1900.

According to the National Institute On Aging, declines in fertility and improvements in longevity across the world will cause the senior population to grow to 1.5 billion by the year 2050, versus the 524 million it was in 2010.

Fortunately, being 65 doesn’t mean the same thing as it did a century ago and we have found ever-increasing ways to improve the aging process—prolonging life and improving the quality of life. Many of the things we can do to improve our health status and age better than in years past involve lifestyle changes.

Doctors alone cannot be responsible for keeping us healthy. It takes a personal commitment and thoughtful consideration toward good health so that we can age better and live healthy lives for decades after our 65^th birthday. The choice to live healthier into old age begins and ends with you and the personal decisions you make around living healthier.

Our attitudes toward aging also make a big difference in our overall quality of life in our older years. 

This is an important consideration, because in reality, if you feel old, then you will be.

The following are 101 ways you can age better, living a longer and healthier life for many years to come:

1. Build and strengthen your muscles. Older people are at risk for muscle atrophy from inactivity. Muscle mass and strength decreases as we age. The more you can do with even mild weight lifting, weight lifting machines and muscle strengthening, the better balance and stability you will have so you can avoid falls and other injuries.
2. Maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers. Even if you are only overweight and not obese, you run the risk of these diseases that are directly attributable to lifestyle. It means eating less and exercising more.
3. Walk more. A trip around the block or on a treadmill every day can keep your balance and lower body strength up. Walking is also good for your heart and peripheral vascular system.
4. Practice “functional fitness.” This means doing squats, reaching and bending exercises to increase flexibility. These exercises mimic the everyday activities you do as part of everyday life. Practicing them through exercise will keep you functional for a longer period of time.
5. Spend time with friends. Consider having a regular gathering with one or more friends to decrease isolation and give you something to look forward to each week. Keeping close ties to friends, helps improve mood and will improve your outlook on life.
6. Practice puzzles and games. Things like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other puzzles will keep your mind sharp so that you don’t lose your mental fitness. Research has shown that older people who continue to challenge their brain will stay mentally sharper—even staving off signs and symptoms of dementia.
7. Get preventative medical examinations. Many diseases, such as prostate cancer, diabetes, and breast cancer increase with age. Having a personal medical doctor who can remind you to be screened for these diseases can be helpful when it comes to preventing complications and detecting diseases when they are too far advanced to treat.
8. Check your blood pressure regularly. As one ages, the arteries “harden,” raising the top number or systolic number of the blood pressure over time. This needs to be treated like any other type of high blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked at the local pharmacy regularly so you can inform your doctor if the blood pressure readings are increasing.
9. Keep the faith. Keeping up with whatever religious beliefs and practices you have been enjoying through much of your life will give you a sense of serenity that will carry you forward in your older years and can increase your social contacts.
10. Eat a diet high in plant-based foods. Foods that come from plants such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes are high in protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as antioxidants, which help beat the aging process. Limit the amount of meat you eat to lean cuts only and make sure that most of your diet is from non-meat sources.
11. Take vitamin supplements. Vitamins specifically made for older adults vital contain antioxidants and nutrients that promote eye and cardiovascular health. A one a day vitamin is usually enough and you can be assured that, even if your diet slips a bit, your vitamin will help make up the difference in nutrition.
12. Practice yoga. Yoga is an East Asian exercise form that involves doing different poses while meditating and focusing on breathing along with the poses. Yoga is known to increase flexibility and muscle strength. It gives you a sense of peacefulness and serenity to reduce health-harming stress. Yoga also provides about another 100 more benefits for physical, mental, and emotional health.
13. Practice Tai chi. This ancient Chinese martial art form that has gained in popularity in the US, especially for its health benefits. Tai chi involves performing graceful movements in tune with breathing exercises that can improve mental focus, overall health, flexibility, and muscle strength.
14. Practice Qigong. This is another ancient Chinese martial art form that is tamer and more health-focused than Tai chi. The goal of qigong is to increase the energy flow of qi (life sustaining energy) in the body so that natural healing of disease can take place. It can be adapted to be used in patients who are not able to walk or even get out of bed.
15. Use meditative practices. Meditation can be done anywhere and by anyone. It involves progressive muscle relaxation and focusing on the breath. It can involve speaking a mantra, which is a calming syllable that aids the meditative process. It can also involve the use of guided imagery, in which you imagine yourself at a peaceful location of your choice, which facilitates a relaxed state of mind and improves mental and emotional health.

16. Read more books or newspapers. Reading books will keep your mind sharp because you are doing something interesting and informative. If books aren’t your thing, try reading magazines or newspapers, which can also keep you up to date on things going on in the world or in your areas of interest.
17. Go to the movies. Movies can be a great escape that can get you out of the house, enjoying the latest in movie entertainment. Popcorn without added butter can be healthy for you and you can enjoy a few handfuls while being entertained, relaxing and reducing stress.
18. Keep a Journal. Keeping a journal of your life experiences will keep your writing mind sharp and will give you something to look forward to every day. Add to that the fact that it’s a nice memoir to leave for your descendants.
19. Try a vegan diet. Vegans eat only foods that come from plants and do not eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products. This is a diet high in nutrients and low in calories. Take fish oil supplements as a way to get essential fatty acids not found in most vegan foods.
20. Quit smoking. Smoking is not only linked to lung cancer but to other cancers, such as bladder cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. It is never too late to quit smoking and prolong your life as a result.
21. Cut down on alcohol. The latest recommendations are to have no more than one alcoholic beverage per day for women and two alcoholic beverages for men. Try to drink more red wine, which contains antioxidants to help prolong life.

22. Cut down on caffeine. Caffeine can raise your pulse and blood pressure, putting unnecessary stress on your life. If you enjoy coffee, switch to decaffeinated coffee, which still tastes like coffee but without the added caffeine you don’t need. Coffee is not at all bad for you, however, as some studies have shown it has benefit when consumed in moderation.
23. Brush your teeth and floss every day. Those who don’t practice daily dental hygiene are at risk for dental abscesses, tooth loss, gum disease, and possible systemic infection from bacteria that also damage your teeth.
24. Switch from coffee to tea. Tea contains many beneficial antioxidants and cancer-fighting molecules that make tea a better choice for a long life when compared to drinking coffee. As long as you don’t drink your tea with sugar and cream, it is low in calories and can be part of a healthy low calorie diet.
25. Have more sex. Studies have shown that couples who engage in sex at least twice a week live longer and healthier than those who don’t. Sex is a good form of exercise and can strengthen the bond you have with your loved one.
26. Eat walnuts. Walnuts are the most nutrient-packed nuts available and they are high in antioxidants. In fact, eating just three of these nuts per day will provide you with enough cancer-fighting antioxidants every day.
27. Use less sunscreen but don’t go out so long that you burn. Sunscreen, when used too liberally, can affect your levels of healthy vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is gotten from sunshine so you need to get some sort of sun exposure or take vitamin D supplements in order to stay healthy and keep calcium in your bones.
28. Let bygones be bygones. Those who harbor stress over past grudges or arguments are more likely to have too much stress hormones coursing through the body. Resentments build up inside along with repressed anger that can lead to anxiety, depression and a negative attitude that impacts your mental and emotional wellbeing, which eventually effects physical health. Making up with people you have had trouble with in your lifetime can calm you and put you on a path toward better health.
29. Join a gym. Regardless of the type of exercises you feel most comfortable with, you can find many of these activities in the gym setting. You don’t have to be young and buff in order to reap the benefits of daily exercise, it’s actually one of the best ways to age better.
30. Quit eating when you feel 80 percent full. Studies have shown that people who don’t stuff themselves and leave food on their plate can maintain a healthy weight. Reducing caloric intake is also linked to longevity.
31. Get more sleep. Instead of staying up until late, take the time and effort to go to bed earlier. Sleep deprivation can lead to higher blood pressure and an increased risk of diseases caused by high blood pressure.
32. Be detail-oriented. People who are conscientious and orderly have higher levels of serotonin in the brain. This decreases the chances of being overwhelmed and depressed by a disordered life as you age.

33. Buy a dog or cat. Actually, when it comes to living longer, having a dog trumps having a cat but, in reality, any pet provides companionship and a close bond between a pet and its owner that increases life span. Having a pet also improves the overall quality of life by providing consistent interaction with a living being and provides purpose for the owner in taking care of that pet.
34. Keep fruits and vegetables on the countertop and not in the refrigerator. Refrigerated fruits especially can contain far fewer active antioxidants than food kept on the counter at room temperature. When it comes to eating foods with antioxidants, more is better and you can get more by keeping your fruit higher in antioxidants like lycopene and beta-carotene.
35. Volunteer more. It has been shown that those who volunteer are more satisfied with their lives and are less depressed. Depression can lead to an early death in a variety of ways.
36. Join a choir. Researchers have found that singing, even to yourself, lessens depression and improves quality of life. If you join a choir, you have the added advantage of maintaining many healthy friendships who share your passion for singing.
37. Be an optimist. Research studies have shown that optimists may live 23 years longer when compared to those who consider themselves pessimists.
38. Drink apple juice. Just two glasses of apple juice per day has been found to reduce the number of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles seen in people who are prone to Alzheimer’s disease.

39. Take a look at your family tree. As you search for your ancestors, keep track of their causes of death, if known. If, for example, your family tree shows people dying of colon cancer, you might want to be screened for the disease earlier than the recommended age of 50 years.
40. Watch less television. People who watch too much television don’t do much during that time and are less active overall. Cutting back on television watching by a factor of one hour can help you, especially if you take that hour and turn it into something life affirming and healthy.
41. Get married. Studies have shown that men especially benefit from being married and live longer when they are married when compared to their single counterparts.
42. Laugh often every day. Research has shown that laughter positively affects your immune system so you can better fight off disease and cancer.
43. Eat out less. Unless you are very careful, eating out means eating foods rich in calories and that are not always healthy. Fast food restaurants are the worst but even sit down dining can add to your daily calorie count and your risk for obesity.
44. Find a purpose in life. People who live until they are 100 or more usually say they have some sort of purpose in life. It can be a hobby, volunteering, or continuing to work. The more you have something of purpose to look forward to, the less stress you will be in and the longer your life.
45. Keep stress to a minimum. We live action-packed, stressful lives. You can choose to live longer by de-stressing your life so it is simpler and won’t activate your fight-or-flight response.
46. Eat as if you live in the Mediterranean. The diet eaten by people who live in Mediterranean countries is healthier for you than the typical American diet. Mediterranean’s eat a plant-based diet and take in a lot of olive oil, in part accounting for their increased longevity and much lower rates of heart disease over people who do not eat a Mediterranean diet.
47. Become more educated. Studies have shown that people who are more educated live longer lives. You can become educated through online or in-person colleges or even by taking in community education on a regular basis. Online colleges tend to be more expensive, but are more stimulating and mentally challenging. Keeping your mind challenged can stave off signs of dementia and will keep your brain fit.

48. Eat more salad, broccoli, and grapes. Scientists have singled out these plant-based foods as sources of phytochemicals that prolong life and improve the quality of your life.
49. Munch on berries. Blueberries, raspberries, and black berries are rich in phytochemicals that act as antioxidants. There is some evidence that eating these foods can reduce memory loss and other evidence of cognitive decline in older adults.
50. Put garlic in your food. Garlic contains phytochemicals that have been shown to reduce your risk of colon cancer.
51. Use olive oil in cooking. Olive oil contains essential fatty acids and other healthy nutrients that are good for brain health.
52. Get your greens. Greens such as turnip greens, bok choy, kale, spinach and cabbage lower cancer risks, and support living a longer and healthier life.
53. Eat avocadoes. Avocadoes are part of a class of foods that helps keep you heart-healthy. They can be eaten by the slice, made into a dip, or spread for overall cardiovascular health.
54. Eat lycopene-containing foods. Tomatoes are especially high in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease, and various cancers.
55. Get more fiber. Fiber can be soluble fiber or insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber, such as is found in oats, can reduce cholesterol, while insoluble fiber helps eliminate fluctuations in blood sugar contributing to diabetes and keeps your bowels regular, lessening the risk of colon cancer.
56. Add beans to your diet. Diets containing a lot of beans and legumes have high levels of butyric acid, an important fatty acid in reducing cancer risks.
57. Switch to whole grain bread and seeded foods. The whole grains and seeds you add to your diet will increase fiber, reducing the risk of colon cancer.
58. Switch to dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains flavanols, which are healthful antioxidants for longer health. Many studies have pointed to the positive effects of dark chocolate on health when compared to milk chocolate.
59. Eat less red meat. This doesn’t mean you go completely vegan if that doesn’t feel right to you. Limit meat intake to about twice a week for better health and a diet lower in saturated fats, which are bad for your health.
60. Eat turkey, chicken, and fish. These are good red meat alternatives associated in some studies with a slightly longer lifespan.
61. Have a strong work ethic. Having a job that involves something you believe in and that brings out the ethical best in you will improve your mood and decrease depressive symptoms.
62. Eat colorful fruits and vegetables. Your plate should consist of as many different colors of vegetables and fruits as you can get. Each food color contains a slightly different blend of healthy phytochemicals that can improve your health and decrease your chances of suffering a shortened lifespan.
63. Get your omega 3 fatty acids. These can be found in fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, and salmon. Eating these foods containing omega 3 fatty acids can reduce damage to your DNA and risk for heart disease. Omega 3 fatty acids are especially good for your heart.
64. Go organic. Organic foods are grown without pesticides. Limited research has shown that eating pesticides in your food can shorten your lifespan. One way to go organic is to grow your own fruits and vegetables, putting in those fertilizers and pesticides that are environmentally friendly and won’t cause toxicity in humans.
65. Get in some soy. Japanese people are some of the most long lasting people on earth. Their diet is high in fish and soy products, such as tofu and edamame. It is believed that the soy in the Japanese diet can prolong your life.
66. Eat like the Norsemen. In one study of the Nordic diet, those who followed that diet, consisting mainly of rye bread, root vegetables, cabbage, fish, and oatmeal lived an average of 4-6 years longer than those who didn’t eat that type of diet.
67. Stop, unplug, and smell the roses. The modern world is hurried, filled with stress and most of us are glued to our gadgets. We go from the work computer, to the car to the smartphone, and many of us rarely spend time in nature. It is really good for the mind, body, spirit, and overall wellbeing to just unplug and let the grass tickle your toes and wellbeing contributes greatly to healthy aging.
68. Stave off loneliness. Research has shown that loneliness contributes to inflammation, which in turn can contribute to diabetes and heart disease.
69. Wear your seatbelt. You should be properly restrained in a motor vehicle no matter what your age. Keeping your seatbelt on will prevent ejection should you be involved in a motor vehicle collision. Being ejected leads to more injuries and death when compared to those who remained in the vehicle.
70. Drive the speed limit. Speed limits are there for a purpose. In order to prevent high velocity accidents, you should drive the speed limit to avoid accidents that lead to a higher death rate.
71. Take care with extreme sports. While people do enjoy extreme sports well into old age, the chance of injury and death may be greater as we age.
72. Moisturize your skin. Both men and women age more gracefully and beautifully if they follow a beauty regimen that includes daily moisturization of their skin. Wrinkles will be less and you will look and feel better about yourself.
73. Make thoughtful health decisions. When faced with an illness or injury, take the time to get your doctor’s advice and don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. The decisions you make around your health can have a great impact on longevity.
74. Drive a bigger car. Those who drive bigger cars have less of a chance of dying in motor vehicle accidents. It pays to have a lot of metal around you should you collide into another vehicle or, worse yet, a truck.
75. Give up driving if you can no longer see well. If aging prevents you from seeing the road signs and following the rules of the road, it is time to hang up your car keys and leave the driving to others. Many accidents are caused by older drivers who have limitations in vision and reaction time.
76. Take a defensive driving course. There are special defensive driving courses for people over the age of 55 that can sharpen your driving skills and can keep you driving safely despite limitations in vision and reaction time. Driving can be an incredibly freeing activity that can be done well into old age if done safely. A defensive driving course can keep you safe on the road in today’s hectic roadways.
77. Save your pennies. Too many people live from paycheck to paycheck and fail to save money for a time in the future when they have time for vacationing and enjoying themselves. Your senior years will be much more comfortable if you have stashed a nest egg for emergencies, time off work, early retirement, and a better quality of life when you get older that results in improved wellbeing and less stress.
78. Take time for travel. After you have raised a family and sent them on their way, take the time to see the world and enjoy the finer things in life. If you don’t want to travel alone, go ahead and join a travel club for seniors. You will enjoy a tour-style vacation where you can see things you have only read about. This is both relaxing and educational all at the same time and will get you on your feet instead of simply lying around.
79. Never fall into the chronological age trap. Never believe that your chronological age has to match your biological age. You are only as old as you feel and act, there are 60 year olds are climbing mountains, and you can too!
80. Get enough calcium. In order to prevent osteoporosis, you need to take in enough calcium in the form of calcium-containing foods or supplements. Osteoporosis can lead to hip and wrist fractures from falls as well as vertebral fractures and the classic Dowager’s Hump seen in women who have collapsed vertebrae in their spine.
81. Talk to a professional. If getting older is getting you down, take the time to talk to a counselor, therapist, or social worker. Just having someone listen and problem solve your issues can make you feel less isolated and happier, regardless of your age.
82. Take a community education course. These courses are generally low in cost and high in learning and social interaction. Pick a course in language learning, pottery, painting or cooking, among others. These are inexpensive ways to meet people who share your same interests and likes, which supports a positive mental and emotional outlook through the senior years.
83. Deal with grief and loss. Death is sometimes a part of aging as in the loss of a spouse or another older family member. Those who do not address and properly process such grief and loss will experience a profound impact to their quality of life, and may even suffer an early death due to heartbreak.

84. Get regular eye exams. Diseases like glaucoma and cataracts can affect your vision so that you can’t see to read, drive, or enjoy the normal activities of life. Regular eye exams can help determine if you have any eye condition that could lead to blindness or poor vision.
85. Get regular hearing exams. As time goes on, exposure to loud sounds can affect hearing so you can’t engage in regular conversations with others. Decline in hearing is a natural part of the aging process. Rather than missing the normal sounds you experience in life, you can have a hearing test and perhaps be fitted with a hearing aid so you can hear and understand people better.
86. See a podiatrist. Many years in shoes that are too tight, high heels, or other uncomfortable footwear can lead to damage to the feet. A podiatrist can get you walking with much less pain by recommending orthotic footwear or by helping you select shoes and inserts that can get you back on your feet with less pain and better mobility.
87. Use a cane if necessary. It is better to use a cane for stability than to refuse to use one when it is necessary, which can lead to a fall and a hip fracture. There is no shame in using assistive devices to help you get around safely and effectively.
88. Make at least one phone call a day. It is easy to get isolated by immobility or lack of transportation as one ages. Making at least one phone call a day to loved ones or friends can perk up your mood and keep you emotionally attached to the world even when you are unable to make a physical connection.
89. Keep up with current events. Whether you get your information from a newspaper or television program, keeping up with current trends and events in the world will keep you from feeling as if the world is passing you by. Learn about what is going on with the world so you can converse with people of all ages, improving your mental status and social abilities.
90. Try to keep up with technology. Today’s world is filled with cell phones, computers and tablets, many of which are easy to use and keep you connected to the world. Ask someone to hook you up with a computer that has Skype so you can have face-to-face conversations with loved ones, no matter where they are in the world. This lack of isolation from loved ones can improve your mood and can keep your mind sharp.
91. Organize your photos and memorabilia. These kinds of activities can take you back to your younger years and can be fun to share with children and grandchildren. Having a scrapbook of all the things you have collected in your life can remind you of the life you have experienced and can be a great conversation piece when getting together with friends and relatives.
92. Get help making an advance directive. As you age, you may have different ideas about what kind of healthcare you want to receive in a health crisis. Having an advance directive can help loved ones be guided by you when you are too ill to speak for yourself. Give yourself the peace of mind it takes by declaring a healthcare power of attorney who knows your wishes and can help you when you take ill.
93. Hire a personal care attendant. You can have better hygiene, take care of groceries, and generally function better on a day-to-day basis with the help of a PCA who can come at various times during the week in order for you to get jobs done around the house or to help you with grooming and eating so you age better.
94. Start a garden. Not only is gardening good exercise but you will be growing vegetables and fruits that are organic and are the fruits of your labor. These are the healthiest foods to make and eat. Start a container garden if you live in a small space.
95. Simplify your life. As you age, you need to take more time for yourself on non-stressful activities and hobbies. This isn’t the time to add to your stress. De-stress your life by getting rid of clutter and those things you really don’t want to do. Keep your relationships simple and honest.
96. Drink plenty of water. As you age, your thirst sensors decrease so it is easier to become dehydrated, especially in hot weather. Make it a point to have a water bottle or glass of water nearby and sip it periodically. Water is good for your skin, too, and you will have fewer signs of wrinkles if you stay hydrated.
97. Wear a Medic Alert Bracelet or Necklace. Put your major medical problems on a Medic Alert bracelet or necklace so that, if you are unconscious or unable to speak, paramedics and doctors know who you are and what problems they may expect.
98. Focus on mobility. Make sure you practice daily, safe ambulation inside and outside your home, if weather permits. Safely using your legs every day will strengthen the leg muscles and improve balance. You will stand a lesser need to use a cane or other assistive device if you make a point of using your legs to get around as much as possible.
99. Keep your fingers nimble. By doing activities like crocheting and knitting, you get rid of the stiffness of aching hand joints and keep your eye-hand coordination and hand strength in top form.
100. Appreciate what you have. Older age can be associated with many different kinds of losses. By being optimistic and thankful for what you do have, you will harbor fewer grudges, feel less depressed, and will enjoy life more.
101. Be joyous every day! Last but not least, and probably most important is to find joy and fulfillment every single day, even if that means making any necessary changes in your life to do so.

A Food Based Detox Diet consists of:

Water
Healing Foods and Fats
Vegetable Juices
Unrefined sea salt
In particular, target foods that contain live enzymes and nutrients. These have an alkalizing effect on the body, countering the acid based foods which produce intestinal mucoid plaque.

A good detoxification diet will make your body ALKALINE.



Cyclic Fasting
Daily cycles of undereating and overeating will help your liver detoxify. Undereating days ingesting raw fruits and vegetables gives your digestive system sufficient time to recuperate and reload itself with enzymes and nutrients necessary for healthy digestion. Proper digestion avoids the buildup of toxic partially digested or undigested food accumulating in the bowel.



Permitted Foods During Fasting
Fresh fruits
Fresh vegetables, either raw or cooked
Sprouted greens
Whole grains, both cooked and sprouted; [no breads or baked goods]


Foods to Avoid During Fasting
Animal foods
Dairy products
Alcohol
This diet keeps fiber and water intake up and helps colon detoxification. Most people can handle this well and make the shift from their regular diet with a few days transition.

For a full list of foods to avoid.



Foods and Supplements That Support Chelation
Mineral supplements to help chelate toxins out of your body.
Multivitamins - B vitamins and vitamin C that are most needed under stress.
Miso soup - a great natural mineralizer and alkalizer. Japanese researchers believe that miso is a potent anti-radiation food.
Sea vegetables such as kelp, arame and hijiki contain sodium alginate chelator of radioactive toxins.
Sulphur containing foods - critical for liver detoxification. Broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale and eggs.
Glutathione precursors glutamic acid, glycine and cysteine. Reduced glutathione is a precursor to a most powerful antioxidant enzyme that helps protect all bodily tissue from free radical assaults. Glutathione helps protect mitochondrialDNA from damage from toxins.
Sulphur-containing free-form amino acids such as methionine and cystine.
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe). SAMe is the active form of methionione helpful in liver detoxification and metabolic efficiency.

- N-Acetyl Cystine (NAC) is an anti-oxidant, chelator of heavy metals and also a potent protector against radiation.

Glutamic acid helps detoxify and recycle ammonia to glutamine. In times of extreme oxidative stress, ammonia is toxic to the brain.


Foods To Avoid At All Times
Foods sprayed with Petroleum-based pesticides and herbicides. Eat organic foods where possible.
Fluids that have been stored in plastic.
Food that smells like plastic. Plastic derivatives mimic estrogen and as such place severe pressure on the liver as well as exposing you to the danger of estrogenic-related symptoms such as stubborn fat, feminization of men, sterility and even cancer.
Rancid food - oils and peanuts are common culprits.
Over-processed food - white flour and over processed protein powders. 

Antioxidants- The Key To A Longer Life

Antioxidants- Are They The Key To A Longer Life

You are only as old as your cells.

Research shows that cells are only allowed so many cell divisions in a human lifetime before they would have to give out. Based on their findings, scientists say that by the time you are 20 years old, most of the cells that make up your body have already used up half of their available cell divisions in their cell lifespan. That means by the time you are 40, your cells may only have 30 per cent of cell divisions left. This is actually the reason behind the physical changes that goes on not only inside but outside the body as you approach your years.

When your cells finally use up their naturally allotted cell divisions, the result is death. It is an inevitable occurrence and there’s no stopping it. There is however a way to retard it though. Recent research has found a way to give you new hope, a way to rejuvenate and extend the lifespan of cells.


What causes aging?

Much of scientific research these days are focused on finding a solution to aging. The aging process brings with it not only wrinkly skin or tired joints and muscles. Those can be tolerated. After all, they are part of the natural cycle of life. But what isn’t natural is disease. They are disorders – unnatural conditions of the body.

Aging is caused by harmful molecules called “free radicals.” This was according to Denham Harman, M.D., Ph.D., who first proposed the theory in the 1950s. Since then, scientists and researchers have sought to understand the body’s oxidation process and free radicals contribute in its acceleration.

There is growing evidence that the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including free radicals, is behind the aging process and initiation of age-related disease. The more free radicals you have in your body, the faster the aging process becomes.

Free radicals are harmful, unstable substances (rogue oxygen molecules) that develop after oxidation, which is a naturally occurring process of the body. Free radicals are not harmful in themselves. In fact, they can be beneficial. The problem lies in the fact that free radicals are damaged molecules, which means that they are missing one electron.

Now, it is but natural for molecules to want to get their full complement of electrons, but in order to do that, they would have to “steal” them from other molecules surrounding them. Free radicals therefore react with other molecules, leading to the latter’s damage.

Depending on the circumstances, this tendency of free radicals to react can be good, but only if the molecules they react with are harmful. The trouble is free radicals do not distinguish between healthy and harmful molecules so that there is a great possibility that they would also “attack” your other healthy cells, causing massive cellular damage, tissue damage, and eventually resulting in a chronic disease or disorder that includes not only aging, but something more serious like cancer.

It is impossible for us to avoid damage by free radicals. Free radicals arise from sources both inside (endogenous) and outside (exogenous) our bodies. Oxidants that develop from processes within our bodies form as a result of normal aerobic respiration, metabolism, and inflammation. Exogenous free radicals form from environmental factors such as pollution, sunlight, strenuous exercise, x-rays, smoking, and alcohol.

The human immune system and antioxidant activity becomes weaker and less efficient with age. This reduced effectiveness in turn helps to explain the rising incidence of cancer and life threatening infections in older people.

In their focused attempts to find a solution to aging and other chronic diseases, scientists have finally made a breakthrough with the discovery of the anti-aging properties of antioxidants.


What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are chemical substances found in nature. They are part of a group of vitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A (beta-carotene), etc., and nutrients like selenium, lutein, and lycopene.


Functions

Oxygen damage (oxidation) to your cells results when there are too many free radicals present inside the body. Researchers surmise that such damage may be partly responsible for the effects of aging and certain diseases. How then does the human body cope?

The question led scientists to discover the existence of certain substances in food that may play a role in protecting against such damage. By donating electrons to stabilize and, in effect, neutralize the harmful effects of the free radicals, antioxidants can block this damage.


How they work:

Ultimately, what antioxidants do is to block the process of oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. In doing so, the antioxidants themselves become oxidized. That is why there is a constant need to replenish our antioxidant resources.

Antioxidants work in a two-way process. 

First is the chain-breaking process.

When a free radical releases or steals an electron, a second radical is formed. This molecule then turns around and does the same thing to a third molecule, continuing to generate more unstable products. The process continues until termination occurs – that is, when either the radical is stabilized by a chain-breaking antioxidant such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E, or it simply decays into a harmless product.

The second process is more on the preventive side.

Antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase prevent oxidation by reducing the rate of chain initiation. This time, instead of waiting for the free radicals to make a long chain of free radicals, antioxidants scavenge initiating radicals and destroy them before oxidation is set in motion. They can also prevent oxidation by stabilizing transition metal radicals such as copper and iron.

The effectiveness of any given antioxidant in the body depends on which free radical is involved. It may also depend on how and where the free radical is generated and where the target of damage is. That is why you may find that some antioxidants work well in one particular system but may not protect against free radicals in a completely different system.

Worse still, an antioxidant may even act as a “pro-oxidant” that generates toxic oxygen species in certain circumstances.


Types of Antioxidants

There are several types of antioxidant nutrients that our body needs in order to control free radical damage in our cells. Each of these nutrients is unique in terms of its structure and antioxidant function.

· Vitamin E is actually a generic term that refers to a group of nutrients (8 have been found so far). These nutrients all exhibit biological activity of the isomer tocopherol (NOTE: An isomer is one of two or more molecules that have the same chemical formula but different atomic arrangements).

The most widely available isomer is alpha-tocopherol. It has the highest biopotency, or strongest effect in the body. And because it is fat-soluble, it is in a unique position to safeguard cell membranes – largely composed of fatty acids – from damage by free radicals. Alpha-tocopherol also protects the fats in low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, or the “bad” cholesterol) from oxidation.

· Ascorbic acid, also known as Vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin and one of the most commonly found antioxidants. Its prime function is to scavenge free radicals that are in an aqueous (watery) environment, such as inside your cells. Vitamin C has a synergistic effect with Vitamin E, which means that both work together to quench free radicals. Vitamin C also regenerates the reduced (stable) form of Vitamin E.

· Out of the 600 carotenoids identified to date, Beta-carotene (also known as Vitamin A) is the most widely studied. As a water soluble vitamin, it is similar to Vitamin C in that it acts by quenching singlet oxygen (an energized but uncharged form of oxygen that is toxic to cells). Beta-carotene is also excellent at scavenging free radicals in low oxygen concentration.

· Selenium is a trace element and a mineral. We only need very small quantities of selenium, but without it we could not survive. This is because selenium forms the active site of several antioxidant enzymes including glutathione peroxidase.

· Similarly, the minerals Manganese and Zinc are trace elements that form an essential part of various antioxidant enzymes.


Other Antioxidants

In addition to antioxidants we mentioned above, there appear to be many other nutrients and compounds that have antioxidant properties. Among them are the following:

· Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), all of which serve as your primary line of defense in destroying free radicals.

· Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, or ubiquinone) – essential to energy production and can also protect the body from destructive free radicals

· Uric Acid – a product of DNA metabolism that has increasingly been recognized as a powerful antioxidant

· Phytochemicals – found in plants with antioxidant properties and health-promoting potentials



Proven Key to Long Life

For the past ten years, since they discovered the link between free radicals and degenerative diseases such as cancer, researchers have focused on the beneficial properties of antioxidants and the important role they play in possibly prolonging human life.

According to US scientists, boosting the body’s levels of natural antioxidants could be the key to a long life. Numerous studies in simple organisms, such as yeast, worms, and flies have supported this theory by showing that enhancing production of natural antioxidants can extend life. However, evidence that antioxidants can slow the aging process in mammals has been less convincing.


Of Genes and Mice

To investigate whether increased concentrations of natural antioxidants give mammals longer lives, Peter S. Rabinovitch of the University of Washington in Seattle and his colleagues came up with a study involving genetically engineered mice. The mice were purposely engineered to over-express a gene responsible for making the antioxidant called catalase.

Normally, the catalase that a cell makes goes directly into organelles known as peroxisomes. What Rabinovitch and his colleagues did was to design a genetic manipulative process so that in some of the mice, the extra catalase went into its normal location while in the rest of the mice, the extra catalase went into the cell nucleus.

A third group of the engineered mice directed the enzyme into the mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing organelles. As a side effect of converting food into energy, mitochondria produce most of an organism’s free radicals.

The study showed no difference in life span between normal animals and those engineered to keep the extra catalase in the nucleus. And those mice engineered to direct catalase to its usual place, in peroxisomes, showed only a modest increase in life span.

Rabinovitch and his colleagues, however, found that animals that guided catalase to mitochondria lived significantly longer than normal mice. In fact, the process seemed to add about 5 months to their normal 3-year life span.

When the researchers dissected some of the mice, they found early signs of age-associated disease, such as cataracts and heart disease, at later ages in the long-lived, engineered mice than in the others. This showed that mice engineered to produce high levels of an antioxidant enzyme have a life span that is 20% longer than those of normal mice.

Results of the study also showed that they had less heart and other age-related diseases.

If the same is true among humans, then it’s possible that people could live beyond 100 years.


The Power of Reishi

In a thoroughly different study, Reishi, a Chinese mushroom (also known as Ganoderma lucidum, Lingzhi, or Ling Zhi), was shown to cause a significant post-ingestion increase in plasma antioxidant capacity with peak response at 90 minutes. This means that Reishi can cause increase in urine antioxidant capacity in just 3 hours.

Published in 2004 by the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, the results of the study indicate that Reishi intake causes an acute increase in plasma antioxidant capacity.

Reishi is a powerful antioxidant. In another laboratory study, Reishi significantly elevated the free radical scavenging ability of blood and was so strong that even after the Reishi extract was absorbed and metabolized the scavenging effect still continued.

Dr. Vladimir Kupin of the Cancer Research Centre in Moscow found a compound in Reishi called GLB 7 which served as the main proponent in decreasing the production of oxygen free radicals. This makes Reishi more effective as a free radical scavenger than isolated refined compounds.

A laboratory study with fruit flies also showed just how powerful an antioxidant Reishi is. The flies, which have a very similar genetic make up to humans, were used in experiments to prove that Reishi significantly lengthened the life span of those that had been fed Reishi compared to controls.


Supplements

Even though most damage caused by free radicals is repaired, a fraction may still remain. This is not at all helped when we constantly expose ourselves to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and airborne pollutants such as cigarette and smoke.

Eventually, the damage may overwhelm the body’s natural defenses so that not even intake of antioxidants from our diet can protect against damages. Soon, our bodies develop reactions that accumulate overtime, like aging or chronic diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, and more. By consuming antioxidant vitamins, these diseases may be prevented.


How much do you need?

It should be noted that antioxidant supplements are not cure in themselves. The American Heart Association, for one, does not recommend using antioxidant supplements “until more complete data are in.” Instead, what they suggest is for “people to eat a variety of foods daily from all of the basic food groups.”

In April 2000, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, an advisory group that is part of the National Academy of Sciences, has also reported that Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, and carotenoids like beta-carotene should come from food, not supplements, in order to make use of their inherent antioxidant properties.

Since 1941, the Food and Nutrition Board has established a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), a daily intake goal for nearly all (98 percent) healthy individuals. It has also developed a “tolerable upper intake level” (UL), which is the maximum amount of a nutrient that health individuals can take each day without risking adverse health effects. The Board does this by determining the types and quantities of nutrients that are needed for healthy diets through scientific literature review, disease-protecting nutrients, and data interpretation on the consumption of these nutrients.

Below is the Dietary Reference Intakes or DRIs in the 2000 report for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids:

· Vitamin E – RDA for adults is 15 mg; UL for adults is 1,070 mg (natural vitamin E) or 785 mg (synthetic vitamin E)

· Vitamin C – RDA for adults is 75 mg (for women) or 90 mg (for men); UL for adults is 2,000 mg

· Beta-carotene – Research indicates that it is not toxic if you consume beyond what is in a multivitamin and your regular diet. Still, chronic high doses should be wisely avoided.

· Selenium – RDA for adults is 55 micrograms; UL for adults is 400 micrograms


Antioxidant supplementation is not a problem in itself. 

What makes it potentially dangerous is that if you take more than what is recommended, there is a chance that you are doing more harm to your body than good. Just remember that aging is a fact among humans. 

You cannot stop yourself from aging. What you can only do is to slow down the process.

Is Broccoli A Cancer Fighting Superfood

The Cancer-Fighting Superfood Everyone Loves to Hate

Over the years, broccoli has earned the reputation as the vegetable that kids just refuse to eat. The creative approach of adding cheese improved the likelihood that children would take a chance on broccoli. Many adults, although hesitant to try the villain vegetable after their childhood experiences, have found that it isnÕt as bad as they remembered. Some have even grown to enjoy it.

Many cooks place the blame for the dislike of broccoli not on the vegetable itself, but on the way it has been prepared. Aaron Kagan, a fan of wise cooking, comments that Òkids donÕt hate vegetables, they hate soggy, defrosted, flavorlessÓ vegetables. Adults arenÕt much different.

Boiling broccoli removes much of its nutritional value and leaves the vegetable soggy and unappealing. The best way to serve broccoli is raw. It can also be briefly steamedÑnot more than 5 minutesÑand also roasted. Steaming broccoli actually enhances its flavor and nutritional value

There are many recipes available online for broccoli. Keep in mind that overcooking can destroy the beneficial nutrients, so when including broccoli in a cooked side dish or casserole, it is best to add the broccoli part way through the cooking, or cook it separately and add it after the dish is cooked.

Broccoli is widely available in grocery stores throughout the United States. Freezing broccoli does not destroy its nutrients, and because broccoli is typically frozen within a few hours of being picked, may even retain more nutritional value than fresh broccoli that is a few days old. This makes broccoli a convenient choice as it is easy to keep on hand.

Its nutritional value and cancer-fighting properties is what typically gives broccoli its place on the superfoods list. 

A single one-half cup serving of broccoli contains high levels of vitamin C -- 40 mg or 65% of recommended daily value and vitamin K -- 45 mcg or 56% of the daily value. According to Wikipedia, broccoli contains nutrients that help the immune system, and assist DNA repair in cells. It also appears to interfere with the growth of cancer cells.

In an indirect way, broccoli helps the body with its vitamin D requirements. Although not containing helpful amounts of vitamin D itself, broccoli contains a uniquely effective combination of vitamins A and K. 

These two vitamins, in large amounts, help to manage the metabolism of vitamin D. For people who need to supplement their diets with vitamin D, the high levels of these two ÒhelperÓ vitamins in broccoli make it an ideal choice to include in the diet.

There is extensive information available regarding the remarkable impact broccoli has on many of the body's processes and systems. Not only does broccoli provide benefits for the body in battling inflammation, but it also boosts the body's ability to detoxify itself, protect itself against cancer and works to support cardiovascular and digestive systems. 

These mechanisms have become especially helpful as allergens and toxins in our environment increase. As our bodies have to work harder to eliminate harmful substances, our systems can get weakened and become less effective. The powerful combinations of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins can work with our body's systems to support and enhance their effectiveness.

Keeping broccoli on hand, either in the refrigerator or freezer can go a long way in providing the components necessary for balanced nutrition and health.

Green Giant of Superfoods Builds Stronger Bones

A look at the nutritional content of spinach reveals a vegetable that is jam packed with value. Spinach is considered one of the worldÕs most healthy vegetables and ranks at the top of the list for nutrient density. It is impressive in its concentration of vitamins and minerals, with 18 of the 23 nutrients providing over 10% of the recommended daily value. As a comparison, broccoliÑas great as it isÑcontains only 4 nutrients, out of 22, that provide over 10% of the daily value.

When using figures provided from various sources regarding the nutrient content of spinach, make sure you note whether the source is considering fresh spinach or cooked spinach. One cup of cooked spinach can contain up to six times more spinach than fresh. That is simply because spinach is one of those vegetables that really compacts when cooked. Because there is more of the vegetable in one cup when it has been cooked, that one cup naturally contains more nutrients.

Spinach is a leafy green giant when it comes to our bones. In addition to providing nutrients that are especially supportive of bone health such as magnesium and calcium, it is rich in vitamin K. Vitamin K, in its different forms present in spinach, serves to help processes in the body that promote bone strengthening. Vitamin K also discourages the activation of other processes and cells that break down healthy bone. Kale is the only vegetable that provides greater amounts of vitamin K per serving than spinach.

Like broccoli, spinach is notable in the positive effects it has on inflammatory reactions in the body and in its cancer-fighting benefits. Spinach has been especially beneficial in the area of prostate cancer. Because of the high levels of nutrients, vitamins and minerals, spinach has a more positive impact on some of the bodyÕs health mechanisms that do other vegetables.

There is ongoing debate in the foods arena about whether vegetables and fruits should be eaten raw or cooked. In most cases, raw wins. However, there are some instances in which the cooked form of the food is actually better. Such is the case with spinach. Spinach contains more oxalic acid than most other vegetables. Oxalic acid can interfere with the bodyÕs absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Boiling will reduce the concentration of this acid in the spinach. One organization dedicated to providing accurate information to consumers recommends boiling the spinach for only one minute to keep the loss of flavor and nutrients to a minimum.

DonÕt be afraid to eat spinach raw, however. Just know that your body will only make use of about 10% of the calcium and magnesium provided in the raw spinach. (People with a history of or concern about kidney stones will want to check with their doctors. Some sources state that oxalic acid can contribute to kidney stones).

Both canned spinach and frozen spinach appear to retain their nutritional benefits well. The main difference in these forms is that the color and texture present in fresh spinach is lost. The preferred method of preparation is to select fresh spinach that is not slimy, bruised or wilted. Store the spinach in the refrigerator in a zipper-type bag from which you have removed as much of the air as possible. Wait to wash the spinach until you are ready to use it, as moisture will hasten the spoiling of the somewhat delicate vegetable.

Washing is best done by filling a large bowl with lukewarm water and agitating the spinach gently with the hands to loosen any dirt. If the spinach is especially dirty, the process can be repeated. The spinach is ready to use in a recipe or salad.

All in all, spinach is an extremely good choice for inclusion in a healthy diet. People who for some reason, have an aversion to spinach would be wise to find some form or preparation of the vegetable they can enjoy. The benefits provided by this impressive vegetable are just too good to ignore.

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