How To Age-Proof Your Body

RENÉ BURTON'S GUIDE TO A HEALTHIER AND LONGER LIFE
"IT'S NEVER TOO LATE®"

VEGGIES, VEGGIES, VEGGIES A vegetarian diet can reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and research shows that it may extend your life. For many people it is hard to stick to a vegetarian diet every day. But you don't have to: By going without meat most of the time, you will reap many of the benefits of being vegetarian. Aim for four or more veggie meals a week; fill up on beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Substitute salmon for meat. Great for your skin.

EAT THE MEDITERRANEAN WAY
The disease fighting potential of the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in vegetables, whole grains, fruit, nuts and olive oil-is so powerful that it can extend the life span even of people in their seventies, eighties and nineties. In a study of more than 2,000 older European men and women, those who followed this style of eating reduced their risk of death over a 10-year period by 23 percent. When combined with moderate drinking, exercise, and not smoking, the odds dropped by 65 percent. Experts believe that the impact on younger people would be even greater.

EAT YOUR COLORS RED
All tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant that may protect against heart disease and cancer in women. But cherry tomatoes contain the most flavonols, a particularly potent class of antioxidants, according to a recent study.

EAT YOUR BLUEBERRIES AND OTHER BERRIES
Antioxidant-packed blueberries may enhance memory and coordination-and might even protect against Alzheimer's disease. In one study, rats given blueberry extract equivalent to one cup of berries per day made more new brain cells in the hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for memory. Add fresh berries to salads and smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to enjoy a nutritious drink that is loaded with antioxidants. Instead of soda which has no nutritional value and will leave you hungry for other high calorie snacks. In the off-season, buy the frozen berries.

REFUEL YOUR BODY AFTER A WORKOUT
Follow a workout with a cup of bran cereal or other healthy carbs. New research in the Journal of Sports Science shows that a heavy workout can actually depress your immune system, but that eating healthy carbs offsets this effect.

KEEP THOSE WRINKLES AWAY
Want to stay smoother longer? You can if you fill up on vegetables, yogurt, olive oil, nuts and fruit. Go light on butter, margarine, sugar, says an international study in the Journal of The American College of Nutrition. Populations who eat this way show fewer lines and wrinkles.

HAVE RED WINE WITH DINNER
"A glass a night will lower your disease risk to a level of someone three years younger," The alcohol helps your arteries maintain their elasticity, and red wine contains resveratrol, a flavonoid that may hinder the aging of cells. Alcohol may keep you young in other way too; in a study of identical twins researchers in London discovered that women who drink moderately have higher bone density than those who drink little or not at all.

SEX
"Regular, mutually monogamous sex reduces your risk of cancer and autoimmune disease and slows the aging of he arteries and wrinkling of the skin;" says Dr. Roizen. "We don't know if it's the companionship or the stress relief that produces the effect, for women it's the quality of the encounter that makes a difference." Good sex, more often, Hey, it's doctor's orders!

TAI CH AND -YOGA-PILATES
Tai Chi may be an as-yet-unrecognized form of aerobic exercise, according to a study that followed sedentary adults who took up the practice for a year. There was a great improvement in aerobic capacity, a measure of how efficiently your body gets oxygen to working muscles.

JOIN THE "RESISTANCE"
All you need is 30 minutes at least 3x per week for antiaging benefits, Three ten minute sessions every other day, do the trick, helping to maintain bone density and energy levels and offset the harmful effects of stress. My It's Never Too Late® exercise program designed specifically for seniors, will help you stay in shape and feel good for many years to come.

HEALTHY AGING YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO FEEL OLD!
Sorry couch potatoes, the verdict is in!!! People who exercise regularly and eat a natural, healthy diet, really do live longer and healthier lives. Nobody looks forward to getting older. But make a few simple changes in your daily habits and you'll be blowing out the candles on your birthday cake for many years to come, looking and feeling great as you do it. About a quarter of you are likely to celebrate your 100th birthday and many of you are likely to live to be at least 90. How well you age is under your control.

My "IT'S NEVER TOO LATE®" nutritional and exercise plan will improve your appearance and put you on the path toward a longer and healthier life. Nutrition and exercise is 80% of the battle to attaining a healthier life style. By changing your eating habits you will not only be able to reach your weight loss goals, you will also purge your body of harmful toxins and chemicals. By adding exercise to your daily regime you will also feel better physically while improving your clarity of thought. So, enjoy your next birthday-and many, many more, even though you may have to go through several huffings and puffings to blow out all the candles.

DESIGN A DIET FOR A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE GET RID OF THE JUNK
Simply eliminate junk food from your diet. This means, chips, cake, cookies, candy, ice cream, french fries, cheeseburgers, fast food. All the things that you know are bad for you, but just can't seem to avoid. Replace highly processed foods such as pasta and white bread with items higher in nutritional value and fiber, such as wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice. All sodas fall into the "junk" category. Soda contains ingredients that alter your body chemistry even if they contain no calories. Some research also indicates that carbonation in soda encourages cravings for starchy and salty items, so while you may think that drinking soda may push you sugar cravings away it may actually drive you to eat more chips. Keep your alcohol intake to a minimum. Booze packs a wallop in calories (150 per glass of red wine, 80 per 1oz. shot of liquor). It slows down your metabolism and triggers your appetite to indulge in high fat foods. Get to know water. Besides quenching your thirst, water helps to flush toxins and cellular wastes from the body, hydrates cells, aids in digestion and maintains the health of skin, hair and nails. Water can help alleviate hunger by making you feel full. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses per day. Drink two glasses of water for every cup of coffee to make up for the negative dehydrating effects of the caffeine. Water hydrates your skin and makes you look younger and healthier.

EAT SMALL MEALS
The easiest way to do this is to take your daily meals, split them in half, and have four to six small meals and/or snacks a day instead of two or three large meals. This ongoing supply of food and calories will keep your blood sugar and energy levels even all day while alleviating food cravings. Your mental focus will improve, since your brain which runs exclusively on glucose will have a continual source of energy all day long. Avoid eating for three hours before you go to sleep. Fats are more readily converted into body fat while you are sleeping.

PURIFY
If you can't pronounce an ingredient in a particular food, don't eat it. Just about everything contains additives and preservatives. Try your hardest to eat plain, unaltered whole foods such as fruit, raw or steamed vegetables, lean meats and poultry, natural grain rice, and poached eggs. Avoid all processed foods, such as breads, pastas, salad dressing, cereals, luncheon meats, cheese, dried fruits, and anything else containing preservatives or additives Discover natural seasonings. Balsamic or rice vinegar mixed with olive oil makes a great salad dressing. Chop fresh basil into a salad, and a squeeze of lemon or lime with a bit of pepper or tumeric can transform your fish into a tasty dish.program includes all the components necessary to achieve this goal.

GETTING PAST THE BARRIERS
You may be reluctant to start exercising, even though you have heard that it's one of the healthiest things you can do. You may be afraid that physical activity will harm you; or you may think you have to join a gym or buy expensive equipment in order to exercise. Or, you may feel embarrassed to exercise because you think it's for younger people or for people who look great in work-out clothes. You may think that exercise is only for people who are able to do things like jogging. I want to change these misconceptions. In fact, just about every older adult can safely do some form of physical activity at little or no cost. And you don't have to exercise in a public place or use expensive equipment, if you don't want to. Even household chores can improve your health. The key is to increase your physical activity, by exercising and by using your own muscle power.

WHO CAN EXERCISE?
Studies show that, in the long term, older adults in all age groups hurt their health far more by not exercising, than by exercising. (See the finding of my study of 162 of my students). As a rule, older adults should stay as physically active as they can. FACT Together, lack of exercise and poor diet are the second largest underlying cause of death in the United States. Smoking is the #1 cause. (National Institute on Aging.)

WALK -AEROBIC ACTIVITY
Vigorous exercise can help you live longer, shows research from the Harvard School of Public Health. Brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling and jumping rope, dancing, are all good choices; moderate exercise such as yard work, golf or playing softball showed some benefits, but less than the more active workouts.

WHAT KIND OF ACTIVITIES IMPROVE HEALTH AND ABILITY? ENDURANCE EXERCISES
Increase your breathing and heart rate. They improve the health of your heart, lungs and circulatory system. Having more endurance not only helps keep you healthier; it can improve your stamina for the tasks you need to do to live and do things on your own. - climbing stairs and grocery shopping. Endurance exercises also may delay or prevent many diseases associated with aging, such as diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, stroke, and others, and may reduce the overall death and hospitalization rates, according to the National Institute on Aging.

STRENGTH EXERCISES
Build your muscles. They do more than just make you stronger. They give you more strength to do things on your own. Even small increases in muscle can make a big difference in ability, especially for frail people. Strength exercises also increase your metabolism, helping to keep your weight and blood sugar in check. That's important, because obesity and diabetes are major health problems for older adults. Studies also suggest that strength exercises also may help prevent osteoporosis.

BALANCE EXERCISES
Help prevent a common problem in older adults: falls. Falling is a major cause of broken hips and other injuries that often lead to disabilities and loss of independence. Some balance exercises build up your leg muscles; others require you do simple activities like briefly standing on one leg.

FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES
Helps keep your body limber by stretching your muscles and tissues that hold your body's structures in place. Physical therapists and other health professionals recommend certain stretching exercises to help patients recover from injuries and to prevent injuries from happening in the first place. Flexibility also may play a part in preventing falls.

GOOD DENTAL HEALTH -FLOSS YOUR TEETH EVERY DAY
It helps prevent gum disease, which can send bacteria and other toxic substances into your bloodstream, where they may contribute to the development of artery clogging plaque.

SAFETY FIRST -BUCKLE UP
In 2003, 42,643 people died on our roads, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN - THINK POSITIVE ENROLL IN SCHOOL - BECOME A LIFE-LONG LEARNER
Having a positive outlook on getting older could extend your life by an astonishing 7.5 years. Stress and anxiety can damage your cardiovascular and immune systems. Become more optimistic by focusing on the positive signs of aging-from the deepening of friendships to the joy of watching your grandchildren grow. Study another language, start doing daily crossword puzzles, study Pilates and Yoga. Mastering new tasks boosts your immune system and keeps your brain young. A 14-year Swedish study found that adults over 25 who rarely went to the movies, concerts, museums or art shows were more likely to die at a younger age than were their cultured peers. Experts aren't sure yet why attending concerts and the like may extend your life but theorize that the stimulation to the brain may enhance immunity.

MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND GET INVOLVED - SOCIALIZING
Staying connected to friends can take 6 years off your body's age. Socializing regularly not only increases happiness but gives your immune system a lift. In-person get- togethers are best, but chatting on the phone can do the trick.

SMILE - SMILE - SMILE
A recent study of more than 3,300 men and women found that those who were hostile had an 84 percent increased risk of developing high blood pressure. Angry people tend to ruminate on negative events, which make them even angrier, while happier ones tend to deal with such events and are able to move on. Take action against problems directly; fix what you can, and put the rest behind you.

SCOWL AWAY STRESS
Try this quick relaxation technique: Scrunch up your face as tightly as you can for 15 seconds, and then relax. Will you live to be 100? Making healthful changes like all of these, will have a big impact on your life - for proof, go to: Livingto100.com and take the 10-minute longevity test designed by Thomas Perls, M.D. After answering questions about your health habits and genetics, you'll get a prediction of how long you'll live, plus specific tips on shoring up weak spots in your health.

References: Journal of Sports Science, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology A Guide From the National Institute On Aging