8 Super Food Swaps for Longevity

Trying to change your habits and routines can be daunting, even when you know the changes are for the better. Try these 8 simple switches below to slim down and live a long and healthy life.

1. Swap green tea for coffee

For many people, the first thing they reach for in the morning is coffee. Caffeine acts as a CNS (central nervous system) stimulant, causing you to experience stress, anxiety, a racing mind, and even insomnia. For a calmer energy boost, cut the coffee and go for green tea. On average, a cup of green tea contains about one sixth of the amount of caffeine you would get from the same cup of coffee. Even better, green tea is full of powerful antioxidants that ward off cancer, and tea is a proven preventive and treatment for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).  Also, when combined with exercise, green tea can help you lose weight.

2. Try trailmix in place of fatty snacks
Carry dried fruits and nuts with you as healthy snacks to replace any unhealthy ones you usually eat. Just a handful every day can help improve circulation and muscle tone. Research shows that many of these nuts and seeds are rich sources of vitamin E, lignans, and omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease and protect you from the ravages of aging.

3. Switch brown rice for white rice
Modern staples around the world often include refined bread, pasta, rice, and corn. These car- bohydrates that have been found to be the culprits in serious conditions like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, arthritis, and allergies. And there is no question that refined carbohydrates contribute directly to weight gain. So change to whole grains to get complex carbohydrates; said another way, swap "white" for "brown". Substitute white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice, whole wheat bread, and whole wheat pasta. Other "browns" will bring you anti-aging benefits also. Quinoa and amaranth are two tasty grains rich in protein and easy to cook. Millet, sorghum, and buckwheat are packed with B vitamins.

4. Swap fish for red meat
Red meat does have some health benefits-when eaten in moderation. However, studies have shown that men and women who eat meat every day are three times as likely to develop breast cancer and prostate cancer as those who almost never eat high-fat animal foods. Of all animal products, fish is the healthiest because of its high protein and low-fat content. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish, along with other nutrients, protect blood vessels from plaque, reduce inflammation, and prevent high blood pressure. If you just can't leave the red meat behind, choose only free- range, grass-fed, and hormone- and antibiotic-free lean meat, and eat it no more than three times a week.

5. Use olive oil instead of butter
Butter is the bad kind of fat. Also included in this saturated fat category: peanut oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and lard. All of these elevate cholesterol and triglyceride levels, leading to an increased chance of heart attack and stroke. Switch for olive oil or one of the other monounsa-turated fats, which increase good cholesterol and protect you from heart disease and premature skin aging. Others include canola oil, rice bran oil, walnut oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil. Like butter on your bread? Try hummus instead.

6. Swap sweet potatoes for potatoes
While filling, potatoes just do not contain the nutritional benefits of sweet potatoes. Yams and sweet potatoes are powerhouse foods that contain higher amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin C than carrots, more protein than wheat and rice, and more fiber than oat bran. They are also rich in plant DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone)-a precursor hormone that is essential for the body's anti-aging defenses to work.

7. Swap berries for refined sweets
The average American consumes nearly 240 pounds of sugar per year. Most of the excess sugar from candies, pastries, sodas, and other refined sweets end up being stored as fat in your body, resulting in weight gain and elevating heart disease and cancer risk. Instead, satisfy your sweet tooth with a berry tasty treat: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, and cherries. Berries are rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals and can also help remove toxic residue from the system, which is often the cause of chronic fatigue and low energy.

8. Switch to water in place of soda
Soda pop is very high in phosphorus, which in excess actually causes calcium loss from your bones, possibly leading you to osteoporosis. Diet soda is filled with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or saccharin, which have shown dangerous results in tests with laboratory animals. Your best beverage is filtered water, which flushes your system of the chemicals and toxins that you encounter every day. If water by itself doesn't appeal, turn to juice and tea. One caution about fruit juice is that it tends to be filled with sugar. Cut back on sugar content by watering down your juice: one part juice to three parts filtered water. Unsweetened herbal tea, brimming with health benefits, is another way to go. For a selection of healthy teas that promote total body wellness, click here.

Make these switches and you are on your way to a healthier you!

Source: http://health.yahoo.com

Vitamin E – Powerful Antioxidant Protection

Despite the way it sounds – Vitamin E is not a single vitamin – it’s a whole family of eight vita- mins that are active throughout the body – each of them with unique functions.

Vitamin E is one of the most powerful anti aging nutrients there is and the reason is it’s role in fighting oxidative stress.

Your skin gets hit by a lot of oxidative stress from free radical damage and the result shows in all the obvious signs of skin aging – lines, wrinkles and sagginess.

Although we need to breathe oxygen to stay alive – oxygen can be a risky substance inside the body because it can make molecules overly reactive. These over reacting molecules are called free radicals and they attack and damage the cell structures around them – a process called oxidative stress.

Vitamin E is one of a group of key vitamins and minerals that protect the skin and other cell structures in your body from free radical damage. Some researchers believe that vitamin E is the most important member of this group of antioxidants which includes vitamin C and vitamin A.

It is this role in preventing free radical damage that has made vitamin E the focus of so much attention in recent years from nutritionists and dermatologists searching for the solution to the aging process.

Vitamin E works as an anti aging powerhouse either through your diet or when applied directly to your skin. Applied directly vitamin E protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation (also called UV light) which is one of the main cause of skin aging. There are many research studies proving beyond doubt that vitamin E applied topically to the skin prevents and repairs UV damage.

Similar studies have been done on vitamin E rich diets. Research has shown that eating a diet rich in vitamin E provides skin cell membranes with the same protection from free radical damage. Since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin it can be stored in the body for some time but you need to keep levels topped up regularly in the diet for adequate anti aging protection

Vitamin E is more difficult than some vitamins or minerals to obtain from food sources alone. Nutritionists estimate that over 95% of Americans have a diet providing below the recom-mended dieatary level of vitamin E – currently 30 mg per day.

The best food sources are: sunflower seeds (and oil), almonds, olive oil and olives, papaya, avocado and to a lesser degree – spinach and blueberries.

Wheat is potentially an excellent source of vitamin E in food but much of the vitamin E content is destroyed by commercial processing – especially in the processing of white flour. Vitamin E is present in the wheat germ layer which is almost completely removed in most commercial flour production. Using wholemeal flour with a high wheat germ content to make bread or adding wheat germ to breakfast cereals is another way to get vitamin E through food.

Vitamin E in oils and seeds can be damaged by exposure to the air and bottles and containers should kept tightly sealed in dark cupboards to retain maximum vitamin E content. The challenge for most of us will be upping our levels of vitamin E in food to the levels required for healthy aging.

A vitamin E supplement can help give the highest level of antioxidant protection – but you need to watch what you are getting when you buy a vitamin E supplement.

The vast majority of vitamin E supplements contain only one part of the vitamin E family – a fraction of the vitamin known as alpha-tocopherol. More specifically, most supplements contain a natural form of alpha-tocopherol.

Make sure you buy a supplement with natural vitamin E. Take care to avoid any supplements containing only the synthetic form of alpha-tocopherol – which will be labelled as l-alpha tocopherol.

The maximum upper daily limit of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is 1,000 mg. Although this is a guideline based on alpha-tocopherol vitamin E – you could safely apply this upper limit to all forms of vitamin E.

Whether you choose to increase levels of vitamin E rich foods in your diet or you wish to take a vitamin E supplement – one way or another you should make sure you get enough of this important anti aging vitamin.

Source: http://www.simplyantiaging.com

Top 10 Anti-aging Nutrition Habits

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While aging is inevitable, physical decrepitude is not. Many of the outwards signs of growing old can be slowed - and life may even be prolonged - by maintaining a sensible approach to diet.

1. Aim at consuming a balanced diet that is rich in fiber.  

Ensure your diet is 60 to 65 percent carbohydrate content - that is, fruits, vegetables, breads, pastas and rice. Of this amount, 55 per cent should be in the form of complex carbohydrates and whole- grain products, and no more than 10 per cent from simple carbohydrates (cakes, etc.). Complement this with a diet that is 20 to 30 per cent fat content, and finally balance off your diet with 15 per cent protein content - that is, meats, soy and dairy products. It is important to note that, although protein deficiency plays a role in the development of osteoporosis, too much protein can also promote bone loss. So it is imperative to get the correct amount of protein and avoid eating protein in excess.

A healthy, balanced diet will help you maintain a healthy body composition and weight and provide you with the nutrients for optimal health and functioning.

Those aged 60 and older should try to get the recommended 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day by consuming a minimum of two servings of fruit, three servings of vegetables and four servings of whole-grains. But you should avoid increasing your fiber intake to great amounts than these listed, because too much fiber can exacerbate existing impairment of the gastrointestinal tract. Try to avoid spicy foods if you suffer from gastrointestinal problems, and this may also help prevent hot flashes.

2. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit #2
Drink more water. Did you know that 50 to 60 per cent of our total body weight is water?  Water is our life force.  Common complaints
like headaches, lack of energy, tired and lethargic sensations, injuries, hot flashes and achy joints and muscles have seen to be associated with dehydration. If most women would commit to drinking eight glasses of water every day they would notice a great im- provement in their overall health and energy.

Think of it this way: Every tissue, cell, organ and system is composed of water and functions optimally only in the presence of adequate water levels. Degeneration associated with aging will occur at a quicker rate if you are dehydrated. And you can't use thirst to help you determine when you should be drinking water, because as you age your thirst mechanism does not function as well as it should.

3. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit #3 

Consume five small meals and snacks throughout the day. Many women who do not eat breakfast and consume only a very light lunch are tricked into believing that they are reducing their caloric intake when, in fact, they are setting themselves up for a snacking binge in the late afternoon, followed by an  over- load at dinner and into the evening. The result is just the opposite of what you intend. Total calories consumed during the day will end up being higher rather than lower! And the scale gives you the bad news that you are gaining weight.

Your metabolism, the rate at which you burn calories for internal functions, is like an engine - the more often you give it fuel, the better it works. When you deprive your body of food, even for short down to preserve energy. A slowed metabolism makes it much more difficult to lose weight and much easier to gain weight. A diet that is not consistent in calorie and nutrient intake will also lead to a more rapid loss of muscle tissue, which we want to avoid at all costs. The good news is that you can get your body to work for you instead of against you. The rule should be that you do not go any longer than four hours during the daytime without eating something.

Most of us have been conditioned to believe that dinner should be the  largest meal of the day, so changing your eating patterns is not going to be easy. It will not happen overnight. You will probably have to change other old habits.

4. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit #4 

Reduce Fat Intake. Dietary fat is very easily converted to body fat, so controlling your fat intake is important in controlling the weight gain associated with aging. Limit any food choices that are higher than 30 per cent fat content.

Items such as lard, animal shortening, oils, butterfat, whole- milk solids, shortening and margarine all are fats.

Some obvious foods to avoid are:

    *  Fried foods - saturated in fat and oil and calories!
    *  Creams - very high in fat content
    *  Processed foods such as cakes and cookies and most precooked entrees

Go for wholesome, fresh foods as the staples in your diet. They will always be higher in nutrients and lower in fat. Processed foods should only complement a diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vege- tables and whole wheat grains.

Fat is an amazing fuel that provides us with a limitless amount of energy. Instead of hating fat and blaming it for all our problems, we should be astounded and respect it for its outstanding capabilities. Certain fatty acids are also necessary for good health, and some fat-soluble vitamins require fat for absorption into the system. Fat also helps to keep us insulated and warm. Elderly persons who have lost weight due to reduced appetite need to consume a moderate amount of dietary fat to maintain a healthy weight.

Unsaturated fats, especially the monounsaturated ones, are considered healthier; they are found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and soft margarine products. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as beef, butter, dairy products and lard; they tend to raise blood cholesterol levels, thereby increasing increasing risk of heart disease. Be cautious in consuming coconut or palm oils; these are vegetable oils, but they contain a large amount of saturated fat.  

5. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit #5

Reduce salt and sugar intake. By controlling your salt and sugar intake, you can reduce the risk of developing hypertension and adult-onset diabetes. Do away with the salt shaker; there is enough salt in most of the foods we eat without our adding more. If you want to boost taste of certain foods, use salt-free spices such as basil, oregano or pepper.

When it comes to watching your sugar intake, choose products with a sugar content that is less than 10 per cent of the total carbohydrate content. It's important to avoid items such as cakes, cookies and ice cream. Also limit your intake of no-fat or low-fat products. You are probably thinking, " What? Limit no-fat foods? " What do you think makes no-fat products taste so goods? Sugar, and lots of it. And what do you think sugar is? A lot of calories! Excess calories, are going to show up on our hips and thighs and abs. This is why or population continues to get fatter and fatter in spite of the explosion of no-fat products onto the market.

6. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit #6

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. These types of drugs will age you quickly. A high intake of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine inhibits the absorption of of calcium into bone and speeds up the process of bone loss.

Smoking is associated with a 60 per cent increase in eye damage, an early onset of menopause and an increased risk of cancer and liver and heart disease. 

Caffeine is a very powerful drug with very quick, noticeable and measurable effects on the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system and digestive system. In fact, it's used in many prescription and over-the-counter pills. Like other drugs it is habit-forming, and you will find you have to have more and more caffeine to get the same effect. Caffeine makes a lot of people nervous, jittery, tense and stressed. It can often lead to bowel irritation and diarrhea. It is a diuretic that promotes water loss from the body. Treat caffeine as you would alcohol - a little bit once in a while is okay. Moderation is the key. Stick to one or two small cups a day.

Alcohol contributes to high blood pressure and breast cancer, and it damages your liver. Although alcohol is low in fat content, it is very high in empty calories. It also activates an enzyme that takes up fat from our bloodstream and stores it in fat cells. Therefore, any food you consume in combination with alcohol is more likely to end up in a fat-storage deposit areas like the hips, thighs and abs. Alcohol also lowers our inhibitions, making us more likely to make poorer food choices.

7. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit #7
Control your portion sizes.If at the end of the day you have eaten excess calories from any source, you will store these calories as fat.  This, of course, will affect the aging process.

Let's say you consume an extra 1,000 carbohydrate calories in the form of plain pasta. It takes about 23 per cent of these calories to break down the dietary carbohydrate and store it as body fat, so 770 of the 1,000 extra carbohydrate calories will be stored as body fat. Now, let's say you consume an extra 1,000 fat calories in the form of creams. It takes about three per cent of these calories to break down the dietary fat and store it as body fat, so 970 of the 1,000 extra fat calories will be stored as body fat.

8. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit # 8 
Lay Emphasis on minimal consumption of processed foods. While eating out, always order the smaller portion size where there's choice. At the same time, Try eating from a smaller plate or bowl. Split meals with a friend when dining out - for example, order one salad and on e entree between you and share. Always drink a glass of water before any meal.

Pay attention to serving sizes listed on labels. Sometimes what is listed as one serving is unrealistically small, so you may trick yourself into believing you are consuming an amount low in caloric and fat content when, in fact you are eating four times the listed serving size. For example, a box of macaroni in cheese sauce (not that this would be a particularly healthy choice) might be listed as four servings but most people would find it only enough food for two. When calculating caloric and fat content in such cases multiply the values listed on the label by two to determine whether it's a healthy choice. Seniors can experience health problems form consuming too few calories, however. For this reason, with age we should ensure that our total caloric intake for the day does not fall below 1,200 calories.

9. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit # 9 

Detox one a week. Our bodies are constantly assaulted from pollution, stress, bad posture, sedentary jobs and our own bad eating habits. Over the months and years, the effects build up and emerge in many different forms - from skin eruptions, to headaches, ulcers, cancer and heart disease.

When we detox, two things happen. First, we stop overloading our body with harmful substances and secondly, we give it plenty of the right nutrients to actually speed up the elimination of toxins and promote cell renewal. According to WHO, Vitamins A, C and E are vital for health. These vitamins together with mineral selenium, are known as antioxidants. They can protect us not only against minor infections but also serious degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease, as well as conditions which come with premature aging. One of the best places to find anti-oxidants is in fruits and vegetables, taken raw.

10. Anti-aging Nutrition Habit # 10

Check your intake of calcium. For those concerned about weight and health, the first things  often cut from the diet are high-fat dairy products. But new research suggests high dairy intake may be healthier than once thought, and actually protect overweight adults from developing diabetes and heart disease (http://www.womenfitness.net/dairyintake.htm).

Women aged 40 and above should consume 3-4 servings of low fat dairy food daily. Other,  non-dairy sources of calcium include fortified breakfast cereals, canned fish with edible bones, some nuts, seeds and green vegetables. If calcium supplements are required, the best absorption rate is from a dose of 500-600mg of calcium once or twice daily. Vitamin D supplements may be necessary for elderly women with inadequate sun exposure.

Experts say that the protective benefits of dairy could be explained by the fact that it is rich in healthy nutrients like protein and calcium.

Healthy eating  is  one part  of anti-aging.  The  bottom  line is  that nutrition  in  combination  with physical activity, is integrally related and must be addressed both by individual women and by the community to prevent disease and to maximize quality of life.

Source: http://www.womenfitness.net

8 Perfect Stay-Young Foods

Eating right isn't just about weight loss—the nutrients you take in can have a serious effect on how you think, feel, and look! Our bodies and our feelings are nothing more than reflections of the various chemicals flowing through our system on a daily basis. Make sure those chemicals are the healthy kind you get from the right mix of fruits and vegetables, proteins and fats, and you’ll feel healthier, more energetic, and happier than you have in years.

In Eat This, Not That! 2010, we compiled a list of eight foods that can help keep you young. You’re only as young as you feel—so add these eight nutritious powerhouses to your daily diet, and start feeling (and acting and looking) years younger!

EGGS

Benefit: Weight loss

Substitute: Egg Beaters egg substitute

When it comes to breakfast, you can’t beat eggs. (That was too easy, wasn’t it?) Seriously, at a cost of only 72 calories, each large egg holds 6.3 grams of high-quality protein and a powerhouse load of vital nutrients. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people who replace carbs with eggs for breakfast lose weight 65 percent quicker. Researchers in Michigan were able to determine that regular egg eaters enjoyed more vitamins and minerals in their diets than those who ate few or no eggs. By examining surveys from more than 25,000 people, the researchers found that egg eaters are about half as likely to be deficient in vitamin B12, 24 percent less likely to be deficient in vitamin A, and 36 percent less likely to be deficient in vitamin E. And here’s something more shocking: Those who ate at least four eggs a week had significantly lower cholesterol levels than those who ate fewer than one. Turns out, the dietary cholesterol in the yolk has little impact on your serum cholesterol.

Bonus tip: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Choose wisely—avoid the foods on our list of 20 Worst Breakfasts in America.

GREEN TEA
Benefit: Longer lifespan

Substitutes: Yerba mate, white tea, oolong tea, rooibos (red) tea

Literally hundreds of studies have been carried out documenting the health benefits of catechins, the group of antioxidants concentrated in the leaves of tea plants. Among the most startling studies was one published by the American Medical Association in 2006. The study followed more than 40,000 Japanese adults for a decade, and at the 7-year follow-up, those who had been drinking five or more cups of tea per day were 26 percent less likely to die of any cause compared with those who averaged less than a cup. Looking for more-immediate results? Another Japanese study broke participants into two groups, only one of which was put on a catechin-rich green-tea diet. At the end of 12 weeks, the green-tea group had achieved significantly smaller body weights and waistlines than those in the control group. Why? Because researchers believe that catechins are effective at boosting metabolism.

Bonus tip: The average American consumes 400 liquid calories a day. Minimize that impact—avoid the 20 Worst Drinks in America.

GARLIC

Benefit: Cardiovascular strengthening

Substitutes: Onions, chives, leeks

Allicin, an antibacterial and antifungal compound, is the steam engine pushing forward garlic’s myriad health benefits. The chemical is produced by the garlic plant as a defense against pests, but inside your body, it fights cancer, strengthens your cardiovascular system, decreases fat storage, and fights acne inflammation. To activate the most allicin possible, you have to crush the garlic as finely as you can: Peel the cloves, and then use the side of a heavy chef's knife to crush the garlic before carefully mincing it. Be sure not to overcook it, as too much heat will render the compound completely useless (and your food totally bitter).

Bonus tip: Some foods keep you looking young. Others can quite literally cure what ails you. Check out these super 15 Foods That Cure.

GRAPEFRUIT
Benefit: Weight loss

Substitutes: Oranges, watermelon, tomatoes

Just call it the better-body fruit. In a study of 100 obese people at the Scripps Clinic in California, those who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds over the course of 12 weeks, and some lost as many as 10 pounds. The study’s control group, in contrast, lost a paltry 1/2 pound. But here’s something even better: Those who ate the grapefruit also exhibited a decrease in insulin levels, indicating that their bodies had improved their ability to metabolize sugar. If you can't stomach a grapefruit-a-day regime, try to find as many ways possible to sneak grapefruit into your diet. Even a moderate increase in grapefruit intake should yield results, not to mention earn you a massive dose of lycopene—the cancer-preventing antioxidant found most commonly in tomatoes.

Bonus tip: Eat well and you’ll feel younger and more vibrant. Add exercise to the mix and you’ll practically erase markers of age.

GREEK YOGURT
Benefit: Feeling fuller for longer
Substitutes: Kefir and yogurt with “live and active cultures” printed on the product label

If it’s dessert you want, go with regular yogurt; but if it’s protein, go Greek. What sets the two apart? Greek yogurt is separated from the watery whey that sits on top of regular yogurt, and the process removes excessive sugars, such as lactose, and increases the concentration of protein by as much as three times. That means it fills your belly more like a meal than a snack. Plus a single cup has about a quarter of your day’s calcium, and studies show that dieters on calcium-rich diets have an easier time losing body fat. In one study, participants on a high-calcium dairy diet lost 70 percent more body weight than those on a calorie-restricted diet alone. If only a similar claim could be made of everything you eat.

Bonus tip: Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt is a classic example of a food that doesn’t deserve its healthy reputation—see what else makes our list of the 30 “Healthy” Foods that Aren’t.

AVOCADO 
Benefit: Reduced risk of heart disease
Substitutes: Olive, canola, and peanut oils; peanut butter; tahini

Here’s what often gets lost in America’s fat phobia: Some fats are actually good for you. More than half the calories in each creamy green fruit comes from one of the world’s healthiest fats, a kind called monounsaturates. These fats differ from saturated fats in that they have one double-bonded carbon atom, but that small difference at the molecular level amounts to a dramatic improvement in your health. Numerous studies have shown that monounsaturated fats both improve you cholesterol profile and decrease the amount of triglycerides (more fats) floating around in your blood. This can lower your risk of stroke and heart disease. Worried about weight gain? Don’t be. There’s no causal link between monounsaturated fats and body fat.

BELL PEPPERS

Benefit: Improved immune function

Substitutes: Carrots, sweet potatoes, watermelon

All peppers are loaded with antioxidants, but none so much as the brightly colored reds, yellows, and oranges. These colors result from carotenoids concentrated in the flesh of the peppers, and it’s these same carotenoids that give tomatoes, carrots, and grapefruits their healthy hues. The range of benefits provided by these colorful pigments include improved immune function, better communication between cells, protection against sun damage, and a diminished risk of several types of cancer. And if you can take the heat, try cooking with chili peppers. The bell pepper cousins are still loaded with carotenoids and vitamin C, but have the added benefit of capsaicins, temperature-raising phytochemicals that have been shown to fight headache and arthritis pain as well as boost metabolism.

ALMONDS
Benefit: Improved memory

Substitutes: Walnuts, pecans, peanuts, sesame seeds, flaxseeds

An ounce of almonds—or about 23 nuts—a day provides nearly 9 grams of heart-healthy oleic acid; that’s more than the amounts found in peanuts, walnuts, or cashews. This monounsaturated fat is known to be responsible for a flurry of health benefits, the most recently discovered of which is improved memory. Rats in California were better able to navigate a maze the second time around if they’d been fed oleic acid, and there’s no reason to assume that the same treatment won’t help you navigate your day-to-day life. If nothing else, snacking on the brittle nuts will take your mind off your hunger. Nearly a quarter of an almond’s calories come from belly-filling fiber and protein. That’s why, when researchers at Purdue fed study participants nuts or rice cakes, those who ate the nuts felt full for an hour and a half longer than the rice cake group did.

Bonus Tip: Before you go out to eat, grab a handful of almonds; it could help keep your hunger at bay.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com

How Food Affects Your Skin’s Appearance

How sugar affects your skin. To improve bad skin, avoid sugar! “Sugar is the worst thing for your skin. Every doughnut, candy bar and soda adds to a toxic excess of blood sugar or glucose that shows up on your face,” says Dr Giampapa. “Frequent consumption of refined carbohydrates, which are ubiquitous in the American diet, can bump up cortisol levels. This can interfere with hormone balance and increase inflammation.”

Dr Giampapa explains that sugar also raises the blood levels of insulin (the hormone that regulates insulin receptors to glucose). Glycation and cross-linking of proteins is stepped up, collagen weakens, and wrinkles deepen. Here’s a medical skin care tip: glycation ultimately causes production of extremely toxic by-products known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

How sugar affects your appearance (your weight!). “Sugar causes fat to accumulate in your belly, making it harder to maintain a trim appearance, particularly if you are over 40. As your waistline girth increases, so does your risk of heart attack and stroke.”

When you look in the mirror, you’ll see fine lines appear that deepen over time. Here’s a skin care tip that’s easy to apply: avoid sugary foods and alcohol because they cause the skin above and under your eyes to puff up. Puffiness is also increased if you aren’t drinking enough water. By the way, you especially need to increase your intake of fresh mineral water when traveling.

According to Dr Giampapa, knowing how food affects your looks and following certain skin care tips, can reduce the lines, wrinkles and puffiness within just a few days.

Here are Dr Giampapa’s skin care tips:

    * increase your intake of lean protein
    * increase your intake of foods high in omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 oils (fish, nuts, seeds, dark green vegetables, olive, flax and hemp oils)
    * use only the highest quality (and darkest) of oils when cooking
    * include antioxidants in your diet: these free-radical fighters help keep sugar from attaching to proteins, so replenishing their supply by eating more antioxidant-rich fruits, nuts, and vegetables (i.e. cranberries, walnuts, and red bell peppers) and having antioxidants in your nutritional supplements is the correct route toward younger looking skin.
    * keep added sugar to no more than 10% of total calories
    *  control stress – stress can also lead to elevated cortisol levels, so controlling oxidative stress is also crucial in reducing skin wrinkling and puffiness.

How herbs and spices affect your skin. “Spices that are rich in anti-oxidants include Turmeric (a purifying and potent antioxidant), Cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, ground cloves, cinnamon, and oregano,” says Dr Giampapa. “Although these spices are rich in antioxidants, they are generally consumed in much smaller amounts than antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, which should be incorporated into a diet for skin and overall health.” Certain foods affect your appearance by eradicating free radicals (that’s what anti-oxidants do, and it improves your skin).

How green tea affects your looks. “Green tea is an antioxidant-rich drink that should be the substitute for coffee addicts worldwide who are concerned about skin health,” says Dr Giampapa. “Making that switch from coffee to green tea can be difficult for Starbucks regulars, but the effects will show up in the overall clarity of your skin. In addition, theanine in green tea gives off a calming effect which can help with keeping stress levels in check.”

Source: http://theadventurouswriter.com/blog

The Longevity Diet (Natural Anti-Aging Foods for Health and Longevity)

The longevity diet is designed for anyone looking for a natural anti-aging solution to promote younger looking skin, overall health, and longevity.

Everyone experiences the signs of aging — skin begins to wrinkle, hair becomes dry and thin, eyesight wanes, joints ache, and energy levels plummet. Although there is no magic pill for aging, there is a natural anti-aging solution which can reduce the signs of aging, improve the functioning of organs, and increase energy. It is the longevity diet. Eating healthy, natural anti-aging foods, as well as taking anti-aging supplements and getting plenty of exercise, is the secret to health and longevity.

The Benefits of Eating Natural Anti-Aging Foods

Eating a well-balanced, low-fat diet, rich in anti-aging antioxidants, nutrients, plant enzymes, fiber, and essential fatty acids, as well as drinking plenty of water and other cleansing liquids, will lead to looking and feeling younger. The longevity diet will also help to prevent common age-related diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and macular degeneration as it will provide the body the tools to sustain itself and ward off illness.

Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals, which would otherwise cause oxidative damage, harming cells, and even cellular DNA. Essential nutrients are needed for all bodily functions, from vitamin C for cellular regeneration, to magnesium for nerve and muscle tissue health. Plant enzymes help the body digest and utilize the nutrients provided by food. Essential fatty acids are needed for proper cognitive function, cellular integrity, and brain health. The body needs plenty of fiber to help cleanse and eliminate waste and toxins. All of these components are needed for disease prevention, health and longevity.

The Longevity Diet — Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the central focus of an anti-aging and longevity diet plan. They all have their own particular formula of antioxidants, nutrients, water, and fiber, which when consumed in their raw, natural form are perfect anti-aging foods. Be sure to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

As a general guideline, consume at least one serving of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula), two servings of dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, watercress, romaine lettuce, kale), one serving of yellow and orange-pigmented foods (sweet potatoes, squash, sweet peppers, grapefruit, peaches) and two servings of red or purple foods (tomatoes, red cabbage, eggplant, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, apples, plums). Mineral-rich mushrooms, nutrient and prebiotic-rich bananas, and essential fatty acid-rich avocados should all be consumed regularly.

The Longevity Diet — Whole Grains
Natural anti-aging whole grains should always be eaten instead of processed white flour foods in the anti-aging and longevity diet. Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, quinoa, and buckwheat have the entire grain intact, as opposed to refined grains which have typically lost their nutrient-rich germ and bran layers. Whole grains have anywhere from 50 to 100 percent more vitamins and minerals, as well as essential fatty acids and dietary fiber, barely found at all in processed products.

The Longevity Diet — Fish, Nuts, and Oils 
Choices of protein and fat have a huge impact on health and longevity. Foods high in saturated fatty acids, such as red meat, pork, and cheese are more difficult for the body to digest, and are often consumed with high amounts of sodium. This puts a strain on the liver, which is responsible for breaking down fats, so it has less energy to remove toxins from the body.

Fish, soy, nuts, and minimally processed vegetable oils are wonderful anti-aging foods. Fish, especially wild salmon, herring, and mackerel are all excellent sources of essential fatty acids. Soy products, such as tofu, are rich in beneficial phytonutrients, such as isoflavones, minerals, and protein, while at the same time being extremely low in fat. Nuts are rich in healthy fatty acids, minerals, and protein. Oils, particularly virgin olive oil, flax seed oil and hemp seed oil, should be part of the longevity diet instead of processed vegetable oils and margarine. As some saturated fat is also necessary, a small amount of butter can be included in the anti-aging and longevity diet as well.

As the body ages, it becomes increasingly difficult to absorb nutrients. It is therefore even more important to consume plenty of natural anti-aging foods later in life. Transform food into a natural anti-aging solution with the longevity diet.

Sources: http://www.suite101.com

Exercise, Longevity and Life Expectancy

Exercise is one of the most important things you can do. Without exercise, you increase your risk of a wide assortment of chronic illnesses. Here is a list of conditions that physical activity can reduce the risk for (and how many people have them) :

    * Coronary Heart Disease (12.6 million)
    * Heart Attack (1.1 million)
    * Diabetes (17 million)
    * Hip Fracture (300,000)
    * High Blood Pressure (50 million)
    * Obesity (50 million)
    * Overweight (108 million)

Exercise Adds Years to Your Life

One study found that the average 65-year-old can expect an additional 12.7 years of healthy life –- meaning he will live disability-free until age 77.7. Highly active 65-years-olds, however, have an additional 5.7 years of healthy life expectancy –- they will remain disability free until age 83.4.

Another study found that increasing physical activity after age 50 can add years to one’s life. In the study, individuals with and without cardiovascular disease were compared by the amount of physical activity they did. Men who were moderately active added 1.3 years to their lives and those who were highly active added 3.7 years. Women who were moderately active added 1.1 years and those were highly active added 3.2 years. In addition, people who exercised more also lived more years free of cardiovascular disease. While moderate exercise increases life expectancy, highly active people more than doubled the benefits.

Get Started
Get started exercising by increasing your physical activity every day. Walk more, get up more and just use your body. Then add in 30-minute periods that you commit to exercise. Do some strength, balance and stretching work. Find a time every day and commit to doing something that's physical.