Hello, fountain of youth! Stay young
with these amazing, completely natural age erasers that boost brain power, stop
stress, and smooth skin.
Stress
Less
Getting older — without being doomed
to wrinkle-dom and jiggly thighs — does not require a high-priced trainer and a
bucket o' Botox. We swear it. We know it. We asked top researchers to share
their stay-young secrets for winding back time naturally. Their advice will
help you stay young and have you looking and feeling everyday fabulous, by
doing everyday smart things: exercise, eat healthy, de-stress — not so hard,
right? Try it today.
The
Workout That Helps You Lose Weight and Stay Young
Get the complete You on a Diet
Workout, developed by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, authors of the
best-selling You on a Diet.
1.
Give yourself a break
Recent studies show that stress
causes physical changes in the body that can accelerate aging. Surges of the
hormones adrenaline and cortisol cause blood pressure to rise and the heart to
beat faster. These days, when our stressors seem unrelenting (a steady stream
of job pressures, traffic jams, money problems), chronic doses of adrenaline
and cortisol take a heavy toll on our physical and emotional health.
"Sixty to 90 percent of all doctors' visits each year are related to
anxiety, depression, obsessive anger and hostility, insomnia, high blood pressure,
heart attacks — all problems caused by stress," says Herbert Benson, MD,
author of the landmark book The Relaxation Response and a founder and
director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine in
Boston.Click here to donate for free tuition University Education for the poor and you will richly be blessed by God
The most effective way to halt this
destructive chain of events is to meditate, using what Dr. Benson calls
"the relaxation response." The technique involves repeating a mantra
— a word, sound, phrase, or prayer — for as little as 10 minutes a day. A 2005
study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston showed that
meditation helped prevent age-related changes in the brain.
Try it! Once or twice daily, for 10 to 20 minutes (yes, you do have
the time — you just have to make it), sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, relax your muscles, roll your head, neck, and shoulders, and breathe deeply. On each exhale, repeat your mantra. If other thoughts try to invade, says Dr. Benson, tell yourself, "Oh, well," and return to your word or phrase. When you're done, keep your eyes closed for an extra minute; slowly allow everyday thoughts to flow back into your mind. Still not into the idea of meditation? Do yoga, or something active and repetitive, like running, instead. Focus on your breathing and how your feet land with each stride. Get your to-do list out of your head, says Dr. Benson.Click here to donate for free tuition University Education for the poor and you will richly be blessed by God
2.
Consume more fat
The healthy kind, that is. Omega-3
fatty acids (found in salmon, walnuts, and seeds) help stabilize your mood,
maintain bone strength, and help prevent visible signs of aging by reducing
inflammation in the body, explains Nicholas Perricone, MD, a leading anti-aging
expert and author of 7 Secrets to Beauty, Health, and Longevity.
"Omega-3s also boost the ability of the body's enzymes to pull fat out of
storage — from your hips, say — and use it as energy," he says.
"Omega-3s keep you healthy and your skin radiant."
Try it! "Virtually every expert agrees that you need two grams
of omega-3 fatty acids a day," says Michael Roizen, MD, chair of the
division of anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio and coauthor of You
on a Diet. Eat plenty of fatty fish such as wild salmon (a 3-ounce serving
has 6.9 grams), as well as walnuts (one-half ounce has 9.2 grams), says Dr.
Roizen. If you aren't getting enough omega-3s from your diet, consider taking
fish-oil supplements.
3.
Get off the couch
Not only does regular exercise help
you lose weight, tone muscles, build healthier bones,
and boost mood, it can also help you think clearly. Studies cited by the
National Institute on Aging demonstrate a connection between physical exercise
and better brain power. "Walking for just 10 minutes a day lowers your
risk of Alzheimer's by 40 percent," says Gary Small, MD, director of the
UCLA Center on Aging and coauthor of The Healthy Brain Kit. "Physical
conditioning reduces stress and anxiety, which wipe out your memory bank."
Try it! Make time for three 20-minute workouts a week. Run, bike,
swim, dance — do whatever you enjoy most. Click here to donate for free tuition University Education for the poor and you will richly be blessed by God
4.
Feel the love
Anyone who's ever fallen head over
heels or discovered an activity that makes them eager to jump out of bed in the
morning knows that passion is a powerful drug. "It's the central
motivation of all human activity," says Gail Sheehy in her new book, Sex
and the Seasoned Woman. The ability to embrace life boosts self-esteem,
fuels the immune system, and improves cardiovascular health. Passion in bed can
be particularly beneficial: "Loving touches release hormones, including
oxytocin, that reduce stress and anxiety," says Mehmet Oz, MD, professor
of surgery and vice chairman of cardiovascular services at New
York-Presbyterian/Columbia University, as well as the coauthor of You on a
Diet. "If sex is a purely hedonistic process, it won't have the same
results."
Try it! Banish boredom and isolation at all costs. Rekindle the
flames with your partner. Or discover a new love in the form of a mental or
physical pursuit: Take up painting, join a book club, start a running program
(you'll find motivation and tips and connect with other women like you through
Team FITNESS, our personalized online exercise community, at fitnessmagazine.com/teamfitness).
Do whatever it is that makes you feel energized and alive.Click here to donate for free tuition University Education for the poor and you will richly be blessed by God
5.
Drink red wine
Last fall, a groundbreaking study
showed that mice on a high-fat diet supplemented with resveratrol, a substance
found in the skin of grapes, had longer average lifespans than those not given
the resveratrol. According to the study's co-lead researcher Rafael de Cabo,
PhD, of the National Institute on Aging, resveratrol clearly reduced the risk
of diabetes and liver problems in mice, leading to a significant decline in
obesity-related deaths. But here's the catch: "You'd have to drink 180
bottles of red wine a day to get the same benefits," says Dr. Roizen.
Researchers are working now to
improve the potency of resveratrol in order to develop a pill that contains the
optimum amount of the substance. In the meantime, there's plenty of evidence
that a little red wine can offset a host of health problems. A new animal study
from Johns Hopkins University suggested that red wine can diminish brain damage
caused by stroke by as much as 40 percent. And research released last year
showed that grape-seed procyanidins, found in red wine, helps reduce arterial
clogging, resulting in lower blood-cholesterol levels and a reduction in deaths
from heart disease.
Try it! Until an optimally potent resveratrol pill is available,
enjoy red wine, but it's best to follow the latest alcohol guidelines from the
American Medical Association and drink no more than one glass (5 ounces) a day
for your health.
Click here to donate for free tuition University Education for the poor and you will richly be blessed by God
6.
Do yoga
More energy, better posture, greater
flexibility, improved mood, and less stress are just some of the rewards of
this mind-body workout. "Yoga means 'union' in Sanskrit," says Cyndi
Lee, founder of New York City's Om Yoga and a FITNESS advisory board member.
"Through conscious yoga breathing, you become aware of the connection
between mind and body." That translates into major anti-aging advantages.
Yogic breathing has been shown to oxygenate the cells, ridding them of toxins,
helping prevent illness, and making skin radiant. Unlike other exercises, says
Lee, yoga poses are designed to work the
inside of your body as well as the outside, which helps rejuvenate the
digestive system, the reproductive system, even the immune system. "Yoga
is like wringing your body out like a washcloth," she says. "It's one
of the best ways to keep things moving."
Try it! Practice yoga or other mind-body activities at least twice
a week, says Lee, to give yourself an energy boost, help build bone mass, and
de-stress.
7.
Bite into a superfruit
There's a good reason we're hearing
so much about pomegranates these days. "Current studies show that they are
more beneficial than other fruits," says Dr. Oz. Pomegranate juice has
been found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, possibly delay the onset of
atherosclerosis, and potentially help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease;
researchers believe it may also help prevent some forms of cancer from starting
or progressing. Pomegranates can also protect the skin from damage caused by UV
rays, according to a study published last March.
Another promising anti-ager is the
goji berry, a fruit native to Tibet that boasts 500 times more vitamin C by
weight than an orange and is considered to be the most abundant source of
carotenoids, a type of antioxidant, on earth. This little nutritional
powerhouse — which tastes like a denser, sweeter cranberry — also contains more
iron than spinach, 18 amino acids, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and
vitamins B1, B2, B6 and E, according to Dr. Perricone. The goji berry
stimulates the release of human growth hormone, a natural substance in the body
that improves our ability to sleep, helps us look younger, reduces fat,
improves memory, boosts libido, and enhances the immune system, he says.
Try it! Snack on a handful of dried
goji berries (available at Whole Foods Market) throughout the day. Be sure to
buy ones from Tibet, because they have high serum levels, advises Dr.
Perricone. In addition, drink pomegranate juice. Not a fan of the flavor? Buy
it in concentrate and add a tablespoonful daily to kefir (or plain yogurt),
suggests Dr. Perricone. For dewy skin, try Rodial's Wrinkle Smoother, a
pomegranate-infused anti-aging serum with marine extracts and vitamin C created
to plump wrinkles, block sun and give a youthful glow (available at
blissworld.com).
8.
Sip green tea
The health buzz about this brew
keeps getting stronger: Last year, green tea was found to reduce the risk of
breast cancer and prevent remissions, and now it's being tested as a way to
help prevent bladder, colorectal, and lung cancer recurrence. "Green tea
is an amazing compound in terms of blocking the signaling network that is
linked with the progression of cancer," says Amy Yee, PhD, a professor of
biochemistry at Tufts University and principal investigator of the cancer
study. It's also an effective weight-management agent because it appears to rev
up metabolism, says Dr. Roizen. Preliminary research indicates that green tea
may even help prevent Alzheimer's disease. A Japanese study published last year
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking at
least one cup a day can help keep your brain sharp as you get older.
Try it! Sip two or three cups daily for the ultimate health benefits,
says Yee. We like Tazo China Green Tips tea.
9.
Slather your skin with supplements
Retinol, a type of vitamin A (and a
nonprescription, weaker-strength relative of Retin-A), is considered the most
effective over-the-counter treatment to smooth the skin and prevent wrinkles,
says David Colbert, MD, founder of the New York Dermatology Group and a member
of the FITNESS advisory board, who practices in New York City. Retinols cause
the skin to gently peel, revealing a silkier, rosier, and more supple layer.
Dr. Perricone touts the benefits of alpha lipoic acid, a potent antioxidant
that naturally occurs in the body. "Alpha lipoic acid is a wonderful
anti-aging mechanism," he says. It has been shown to reduce fine lines,
improve skin texture, tighten pores, and give skin a general radiance.
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