1. Consume less calories.

There’s only one strategy that has been shown in experimental research to extend life span: calorie restriction. In rodents, fish, fruit flies, worms and monkeys — eating less food makes you live longer. Of course the key to food reduction is making sure what you do eat is loaded with nutrients. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces all sorts of metabolic stresses on the body. A good place to start: try reducing calories by 25 percent a day.

2. Eat Less Sugar.

Sugar depletes the body of important minerals needed for a smoothly functioning metabolism. It depresses the immune system, making your body less able to mount an attack on health-robbing pathogens. High-glycemic diets – high in sugar or high in processed and refined foods like bagels which convert to sugar almost instantly – have now been found to be associated with several types of cancer. High sugar diets raise triglycerides and increase the risk for metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease, all conditions that can potentially shorten your life.

3. Worry Less About Cholesterol.

Cholesterol used to be considered a two-party system, the “good” and the “bad,” but it’s actually far more complex. LDL, so-called “bad” cholesterol, actually has a half dozen varieties — some of which are not dangerous at all. Concentrating on cholesterol alone diverts our attention from the larger picture when it comes to heart disease risk. The ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol (it should be under 5) is a far better predictor of heart disease than overall cholesterol. And basic lifestyle modifications (giving up cigarettes, exercising and lowering your weight) have a far more profound effect on mortality than your cholesterol ever did.

4. Quiet Your Mind.

Stress is a component of nearly every major disease. The stress hormone cortisol ages the brain by literally shrinking the hippocampus, which is essential to memory and thinking. High levels of cortisol also cause you to put on fat around the middle. The only thing that’s been consistently shown to bring down stress is meditation. Taking a few minutes a day to quiet your mind, calm your nervous system, lower your heart rate and oxygenate your brain with deep breathing can pay off in health dividends beyond your wildest dreams.

5. Eat omega 3’s.

The omega-3’s in Krill oil are among the most heart-healthy nutrients on the planet. Eating krill/fish is a big component of nearly every native diet that has been shown to be associated with lower rates of heart disease, the number one killer of Americans. Fish can help lower blood pressure, improve mood and feed your brain, things that are all associated with healthier (and longer) lives. Many health experts recommend at least ½ gram of fish oil a day from fish or supplements. You can meet the World Health Organization and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (WHO-NATO) recommendations by consuming two servings of fatty fish per week. Make sure it’s not rancid!!!

6. Make Connections.

The longest lived and healthiest people are those with connections to something outside themselves. For over two decades, research has shown that people with few social connections are far more likely to have poor mental health, poor physical health and to die prematurely. Social support networks extend life. Taking care of someone or something outside yourself is life-extending and health enriching. People who are connected to their extended families, or to their churches, synagogues or communities, or who spend some time volunteering and helping others rate themselves as happier, more satisfied and more fulfilled.

7. Check Your Levels.

Doctors don’t routinely check homocysteine levels, but they should. According to some experts, the lower your homocysteine, the better off you are. A level of 9umol/L or less is generally considered optimal. Those with dangerously high levels of homocysteine have a 50 percent greater risk of heart attack. And 40 percent of deaths due to stroke are associated with high homocysteine. The good news is it’s a cinch to bring your levels down by supplementing with three B vitamins — folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.

8. Exercise Regularly.

There’s no better anti-aging strategy in the world than daily exercise.
In some studies, it’s been found to be as effective against depression as an anti-depressant. It strengthens bones, keeps muscles toned, improves flexibility, increases circulation, lowers blood pressure and improves blood sugar control. And it keeps oxygen flowing to the brain, heart and lungs. And according to new research, regular exercise can not only increase the ability of the brain to function, but it can actually increase its size. The best anti-aging exercise program incorporates both cardiovascular and weight training to keep your muscles strong, toned and youthful, help control your weight and keep your metabolic rate humming.

9. Lower Inflammation.

When you stub your toe, chemicals in the body rush to the injured area, filling it with fluid and surrounding the injured areas with chemicals that can help fight infection. That’s inflammation — and it’s part of the healing process. Problem is, many of us are walking around in a chronic state of low-grade inflammation. That’s not good. The dark side of inflammation is that it can damage arteries, nerve cells and the immune system. Inflammation is a component of every degenerative disease including Alzheimer’s, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. What to do? Eat fruits, vegetables and fish! The phytochemicals and omegas found there serve as powerful, natural anti-inflammatories, lowering the risk for cancer, heart disease and other diseases of aging.

10. Sensible Sunlight.

Vitamin D is one of the most underrated vitamins in the world. Your body makes it, but only when you’re exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D enhances performance, fights cancer and builds bones. Older adults who don’t get enough are at increased risk for both poor physical performance and for disability. It’s possible — but difficult — to get enough vitamin D from food. We need the sun. For most Caucasians who are living where there is sunlight, exposing 10 percent of your body a couple times a week is enough to get your vitamin D requirement. Darker people or people who live in the northern latitudes need more. Don’t be sun phobic. Sensible sun could extend your life.

–
Brandon Horak-Health Educator, Strategist, Herbalist.

Before you go blaming Mom or Dad or Aunt Sally for your expanding waistline, you might consider reading this article. During my training in Wellness Coaching, I learned that Lifestyle is the largest predictor of health and wellness throughout your lifetime. You may have learned some unhealthy eating habits, or were shown habits or beliefs toward exercise that didn’t serve you. Hoever, now as an adult, you have a plethera of information on how to live your best life. Now it is up to you to create your own best environment with people, equipment, a daily schedule that promotes only the best you!
Read below and get moving!

We all know that physical activity is associated with lower body weight. The mechanism that is commonly accepted to account for this is the fact that exercise is a means of energy expenditure, which leads to muscle gain and metabolic changes, which both increase fat loss. However, a new study recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests an additional mechanism for lowered body weight as a result of physical activity.

Researchers identified certain gene variants which have been proven to be associated with increased BMI and obesity. Genetic profiles were taken and levels of physical activity were assessed in a total of 704 healthy adults who were genetically predisposed to be overweight. Analyses revealed that high BMIs were present only in those subjects with low physical activity scores, but were absent in adults with high physical activity scores. These results led researchers to conclude that exercise somehow negates genetic tendencies to be overweight or obese.

Rampersaud E, et al. (2008). Physical activity and the association of common FTO gene variants with body mass index and obesity. Archives of Internal Medicine, 168 (16), 1791-1797.

To your best healthy and wealthy lifestyle ever!
Carrie

Three “Hot Numbers” That Every Health Freak Must Know
By: Bean Jones
Isn’t it strange that most people just focus on weight when it comes to doing the fitness math? It seems that we’ve forgotten that there are other “hot numbers” that are just as important.

Proving that there are other desirable digits, check out the ones summed up by experts:

15
This is the minimum number of times in a day wherein you need to laugh out loud. Aside from improving your respiration rate and enhancing your circulation, a good old guffaw has other health benefits. A study done by the Carnegie Mellon University reveals that when happy people were exposed to the cold virus, they were three times less likely to get the sniffles than their grumpy colleagues.

24
Though it may seem unbelievable, Dr. Tom Seabourne, co-author of Athletic Abs, says that this is the prescribed number of crunches you need to do every other day to tone your abs. Thus, he states that you don’t need to do a thousand crunches to get a toned tummy. “In fact,” he adds, “overworking your abs can be unhealthy and cause back injury, because all that repetitive motion puts undue pressure on your spinal discs.”

2,000
Dr. Holly Wyatt of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center reveals that this is the number of extra steps you probably need to take each day to prevent putting on two extra pounds each year. Don’t fret–2,000 steps can be accomplished via 15 minutes of brisk walking.

If anything, these digits should distract people from the unhealthy obsession with the numbers on the weighing scale. To win the battle of wills against your “evil” weighing scale, plan your fitness program according to the energy-boosting lessons on Simpleology 103. http://www.simpleology.com/training/energy/

And, hey, I don’t know about you…but I think these hot numbers are way more empowering than the ones on the scale. For starters, I’m pretty sure I’d never dread seeing them first thing in the morning.

Five Tips For Aging Backwards
By Jackie Silver

I like to think of myself as the “anti-aging Petri dish.” I try as many of the latest, greatest products, services and procedures for turning back the clock as I can — and I tell everyone what works for me. As a correspondent on a syndicated TV show, a contributor to a weekly radio program, and a blabbermouth — I have plenty of opportunities to spread the word.

Getting older may be beyond our control, but how we age is not. I, personally, am Aging Backwards. I am almost 50 years old and I still get asked for ID to buy wine — something I consider a real compliment!

I like to find unique ways to look at ordinary situations — and I’ve compiled my secrets, tips and shortcuts into my forthcoming book, Aging Backwards. Here are a few tips you can try right away that will start you on your way to rediscovering your youth.

1. Keep your brain sharp. According to the Mayo Clinic,1 “The secret to memory improvement may be something you already know is good for you: exercise.” According to researchers, “Exercise can increase your brainpower, help put off normal aging-related memory loss and, perhaps, even prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.” That’s powerful stuff.

You’ve also heard that working crossword puzzles, Sudoku puzzles, and other brain teasers can help keep your brain sharp. Here’s one you may not have thought of: memorize numbers. I spend a lot of time in my car, so I like to take the opportunity to train my brain at the red lights.

With the advent of cell phones and PDAs, we don’t have to remember phone numbers the way we did only 10 or 20 years ago. When I get to the red lights, I memorize phone numbers on the billboards. I’m not going to call them — it’s mostly realtors and personal injury attorneys where I drive, but I keep my brain sharp by practicing memorization.

2. Give back for health and longevity. Sir Francis Bacon, philosopher and statesman, said way back in the 1500s, “The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.” Volunteering makes us feel wonderful on the inside and that inner glow radiates to the outside.

Studies show that giving back can have numerous health benefits. The Corporation for National and Community Service released its most recent report on the health benefits of volunteering, which showed that, “States with higher volunteer rates also have better health and that there is a significant statistical relationship between states with higher volunteer rates and lower incidents of mortality and heart disease.”

3. Ease into better eating habits. The best way to achieve weight loss and optimal health is with a diet rich in protein and healthy fats and consisting of low glycemic carbohydrates. If your eating habits are way off, here’s a way you can ease into changing your diet for the better — start with portion control. Portions in America are way too large and that has been shown to contribute to the obesity epidemic.

A study conducted by nutritional experts found that, “The largest excess over USDA standards (700%) occurred in the cookie category, but cooked pasta, muffins, steaks and bagels exceeded USDA standards by 480%, 333%, 224%, and 195%, respectively.”

Instead of “super-sizing,” try “half-sizing.” I knew a girl in high school, Frederica, who lost 50 pounds over the summer break. I asked her how she did it and she told me, “I just ate half of everything I wanted.” It all starts with portion control.

4. Use visualization and keep stress levels low. Can what we think actually affect our bodies? It’s called the “mind/body connection” and according to researchers it can have a real effect on our health. The American Academy of Family Physicians’4 web site lists a number of ailments that can be attributed directly to stress, including back pain, chest pain, high blood pressure, insomnia, stiff neck, and shortness of breath, to name a few.

One of my best secrets for keeping my stress level low is to use earplugs. I carry them wherever I go. Not only do they block out stressful surroundings and noise levels, but they also allow me to focus on my breathing, a proven meditation technique.

5. Trick yourself into exercising. I’m one of the lucky ones — I love to exercise. But even I can fall into the “couch potato rut” every now and then. When that happens, I put on my cutest workout outfit and tell myself I’m just going to play along. I’m not really going to exercise. In fact, I’m just going to the gym to check out the buff guys. I’ll take a class or hop on the elliptical machine with the intention of faking it, but five or ten minutes into the workout I find renewed energy I didn’t even know I had and I’m going full speed ahead. Try it!

Experts say it takes 21 to 28 days to form a new habit or break an old one. Try these tips, make them into habits, and you’ll be on your way to recapturing your youth. As I like to say, “It’s never too late or too early to start Aging Backwards.”

References:

1.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/memory-improvement/HA00085
2.http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/newsroom/releases_detail.asp?tbl_pr_id=687
3.http://www.nyu.edu/education/nutrition/PDFS/young-nestle.pdf
4.http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/mental/782.html

[Ed. note: Jackie Silver is aging backwards. She shares her secrets, tips, and shortcuts on her web site, AgingBackwards.com, in her forthcoming book, on TV and radio, and as a sought-after speaker.

When I was, young I was more careless about my health because it was so good. In my twenties and thirties, I neglected the ailments that come with pain, masking them with drugs or attempting to fix them surgically. None of that worked. I began searching for a better way! Now, I’ve graduated to a more natural way of taking care of myself. And it has made me feel younger. From the studies I’ve read, I think it’s fair to say that there are four primary factors that contribute to the disintegration of the body:
1. Poor nutrition
2. Lack of movement
3. Stress and depression
4. Consuming toxins

Think, for a moment about a baby. Mother’s milk provides it with the perfect diet. Instinct has it moving ceaselessly, even while sleeping. And stressful situations (hunger, discomfort) are relieved immediately, usually as a result of crying.

Infants are healthy because their environment and their habits are 90% natural. As we get older, we part from the natural path, first by eating manufactured and chemically poisoned foods, then by exposing ourselves to all sorts of pollution, and eventually (and it is becoming sooner and sooner) by reducing the amount of moving we do.

The typical American teenager is overweight, sedentary person that spends most of time sitting and ingesting toxins. No wonder we are crippled and in pain and dying as adults. The wonder is that we are living as long as we are!

The secret to good living, I’m beginning to understand, is to align our lives as much as possible with time-honored tradition and nature. It’s natural, for instance, to wake up around dawn. It’s most natural, too, to go to sleep an hour or two after dark.

TODAY’S ACTION PLAN

Try this tomorrow. Get to bed for the night at a decent hour – between 10:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. – and wake up at 6:00 or 6:15. Then do some yoga. I usually use a video, DVD or FitTV. If you don’t know yoga and can’t find a class or can’t fit a whole workout into your schedule, spend some stretching your back, arms, hips, and legs. Work gradually, breathing steadily, but don’t be lazy. For at least 15 of the 30 minutes, you should be breathing at a modest-to-good pace and you should probably be sweating.

When you are done with that, spend a few minutes in the sun appreciating how good you feel. Early morning sun helps to properly set your internal clock. You MUST go out side. The benefits of Vitamin D cannot penetrate through the glass of your house or your car.
The result is an invigorating energy throughout your body! Carry that feeling with you today and every day!

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, we are currently in the darkest time of the year.  However, after Dec. 21st, the sunlight will grow stronger and stronger.  Yet, regardless of the season, dermatologists recommend our putting on sunscreen when we are out in the sunshine.  But did you know that it is beneficial to get at least 15 minutes of unscreened and un-shaded natural light every single day?     
  That’s right.  While we do need to watch our sun exposure and protect ourselves when we are in the sun for long periods of time, our bodies also need full-spectrum natural light on a daily basis.  Incandescent lights and fluorescent lights don’t produce a sufficient amount of lux (a measurement of light) to provide us with positive health benefits.  The most efficient way to reap these benefits is to go outdoors.

 Those 15 minutes a day out in the sunlight can do a lot for your body, including positively affecting your endocrine system, reproductive system, and your circadian rhythms or internal biological clock.  Light exposure also boosts your serotonin levels to help you to stay awake and alert.

    Plus, natural light helps your skin to produce vitamin D, which helps your body absorb the calcium needed for strong bones.  Daily exposure to sunlight also helps reduce stress, reduce weight, and improve your mood.

    How can you be sure to get those valuable 15 minutes of sunlight on a regular basis?  Go outside whenever you can.  Enjoy your lunch break out of doors, take a short morning or afternoon walk, or maybe even just sit on the porch to read your morning paper.  All of these are excellent ways to safely get the amount of light your body requires.

Do you often have a snack before your workouts? While eating before you exercise may seem a little counterintuitive — after all, isn’t one of the aims of exercise to burn calories? — it can actually be a good move. If it’s time for your workout but you haven’t eaten anything for a few hours or more, a snack can give you the energy you need to get going. And it can prevent you from being so hungry when you’re done exercising that you make poor food choices.

The best preworkout snack is one that includes carbohydrates, which provide an energy boost, and protein, which sustains the energy boost and helps you feel satisfied longer. Here are some ideas:

• Half a bagel with low-fat cream cheese
• An apple with reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• A banana with peanut butter
• Yogurt with berries
• A few crackers with tuna
• One slice of bread with turkey

The key is to keep your portion small — around 50 to 100 calories. Eat your snack 30 minutes to an hour before you work out, keeping in mind that the body takes a little longer to absorb the energy from foods containing fat.

And before you stock up on energy bars or other products that promise to give you a boost during your workout, take note: While these products can be a convenient option, they can also be high in calories and sugar. If you do choose a sports bar, look for small ones that contain 100 calories or less.