Be Youthful Now

Archive for the ‘Exercise’ Category

Lately we’ve all been receiving a lot of spam emails. It’s amazing how many of them are promising quick weight loss without any effort! One of them even promises that their new ‘super tonic’ is the new Fountain of Youth…..just take their product and watch the years fade away. If you’ll excuse the expression, that’s all just a bunch of baloney. The radio advertisements promise “weight loss without diet or exercise” and the infomercials brag about the newest and greatest pill that will magically make the fat melt away…..baloney!

We’d like to ask those advertisers just a few questions: If your “magic-weight-loss-potion-miracle-in-a-bottle” is the real deal, then why hasn’t the media picked up on the story? If your product is indeed the Fountain of Youth, why didn’t our doctor recommend it? Why isn’t it being featured on CNN and all the major news networks?

The reason why the media, and the entire world, isn’t going ga-ga over these new ‘miracle’ cures is that they’re not real miracle cures.

However, we do have some BIG NEWS for you! Against all odds, after careful research and years of painstaking effort, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE REAL FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH!!!

The only real Fountain of Youth (at least, the closest thing we’ve found) is EXERCISE! There, now you’re in on the secret too! It turns out that our doctor was right, the Surgeon General was right, the American Medical Association was right, and your old coach was right too…..the best way to help keep the body young and healthy is through regular exercise!

The human body can fail in a staggering number of ways. Yet most problems develop gradually over months, years or decades. That leaves plenty of time for action. Doctors can help, but studies show that at least 70 percent of healthy aging depends on decisions each person makes about diet, exercise, smoking and other lifestyle choices (Source: St. Petersburg physician Timothy Carlson).

Did you catch that? Let’s read it again: At least 70 percent of healthy aging depends on decisions each person makes about diet, exercise, smoking and other lifestyle choices! Now that’s what we call the Fountain of Youth!

Unfortunately, the vast majority of people make poor decisions. “Only 18% of patients are at goal,” meaning that their body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and so on are normal (Source: St. Petersburg physician Timothy Carlson).

Guess what? Regular exercise improves body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and so much more! People who engage in regular exercise are much more likely to be in the 18% group…..the 18% who are at their goal.

So what are we waiting for? Let’s go exercise!

The 60s flower children, hippies, tie dyed shirts, bandanas and free love. The Rolling Stones, Elvis, the Beatles and the notion they would never grow old began to permeate their thinking. Their new way of thinking made their parents shake their heads at a generation who embraced peace and declared to the world that they would stay young forever.

Baby Boomers begin turning 60! These bold, daring trailblazers have given 60 a new look. Clothing, hair dye and vitamins have given the baby boomers an edge – Being 60 today is nothing like when their parents were 60.

This generation of new thinkers began an odyssey to dispel aging.

Down with the establishment is still their mantra today. An overwhelming percentage of Baby Boomers are turning to alternative methods to maintain and improve their health and well-being. Rather than medication, they’ve turned to meditation, acupuncture and exercise to keep them in better health.

Keeping Father Time at bay is truly a life-long commitment to a healthy lifestyle. We are bombarded daily with fumes, smog, and other air contaminants; lots of food causes gastronomical upsets and adds pounds to our physiques and our get-up and go has gotten up and left as our energy level plummets.

There are many components to consider for better health:

One of the healthiest things you can do to easily help your body feel more alive is begin drinking at least 6-10 glasses of filtered water per day. Water helps flush the toxins from your body, relieves most back pains and enhances cognitive abilities. Avoid drinking water with your meals so the digestive process can work more efficiently; try drinking a glass of water before each meal and then after an hour or so, drink another glass or two.

Exercise can prolong your life, aid in preserving your sanity and help you lose unwanted pounds. Resistance type exercise will sculpt your body and contour your muscles so it is a good idea to add weight training several times a week. Walking is a form of aerobic exercise that burns calories, improves your heart function and adds a boost to your attitude. There are many modalities of exercise from which to choose, find several that appeal to you and do them regularly. Just move!

Food is our fuel for our bodies. Consuming pure food in its raw, uncooked state without preservatives or pre-packaging means better nutrition levels for the body. Eating raw or lightly steamed vegetables rather nuked or cooked, maintains the vitamin and nutritional content of food, adds fiber to our diet and helps the body alleviate disease. What about meat and fish? Animal based protein in the diet can be worrisome. Colin Campbell, a Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University and the senior science advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research, says there is “a strong correlation between dietary protein intake and cancer of the breast, prostate, pancreas and colon.” Many nutritionists believe that 20-25 grams of protein a day is sufficient intake. Did you know that fruits and vegetables can provide protein? Yes, broccoli, spinach, carrots, cauliflower, certain lettuce, cucumbers, celery, along with bananas, peaches, cantaloupe and strawberries contain protein. We can completely satisfy our protein needs with fruits and vegetables. There are eight essential amino acids we need from food and we can get all of them just by eating natures organic gifts.

Getting your zzzzzzs without sleep aids is a desire for millions of people. Many people feel they live in a pressure cooker and stress can takes its toll by disrupting sleep. A few nights of tossing and turning can affect our lives adversely. Over time the lack of good sleep could lead to health challenges. Sleep is the bodys mechanism for restoration and strengthening the immune system. The goal of sleeping is to awake refreshed and revitalized. If you want better sleep you might want to take a warm bath before retiring, limit your exercise routine to the morning, avoid adult beverages and stop watching television from your bed. There are four natural supplements that can help induce sleep: l-tryptophan, melatonin, valerian or kava. These are recommended by HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D. Dr. Spreen: “If I really needed sleep (and couldn’t get it) I’d never do any of the Rx drugs, period, but I would have no problem with proper use of any of those four (my favorite being l-tryptophan for younger ages, tryptophan or melatonin for the older folks).” Dr. Spreen also recommends Celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Tea.

Anti-aging alternative avenues are becoming main stream. Certain Rx drugs have become suspect as many health practitioners claim that most drugs do not heal but rather mask the symptoms and even the FDA has come under scrutiny as drugs are approved, then disapproved when certain information comes to light.

Vitamins and supplements have long been touted as beneficial and their healing powers are legend. Supplementing your diet now with life-saving anti-oxidants will stave off premature aging, boost your immune system and limit free radical damage. What to take? Go to a reputable health food store and speak with their professionals; they will discuss your lifestyle, your needs and help you choose a beginning regimen. Take time to research trusted internet sites that offer information regarding your specific questions.

Life matters.

I hope this doesn’t sound too grandiose but you are about to read about the most successful health innovation in the last 100 years. As you read this article you may think of ways it can be of benefit for yourself.

Do you believe in miracles?

What if I told you there was a stunning new therapy that involves you simply tapping Chinese pressure points on your upper body and it can help with all of the following and a lot more besides: Read the rest of this entry »

Thursday 21st of August 2008

Practical Life Extension
What Modern Science Says About Reversing The Aging Process

There’s an old proverb that rings with wit and reason: “Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die.” So why do we want to live forever? According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, author of “Chasing Life” and CNN’s Senior Medical Corespondent, we do not.

The real quest isn’t eternal life on earth according to Gupta, but rather an exceptional life.

While interviewing the foremost authorities on anti-aging and life extension, Dr. Gupta discovered three “universals” — three principles that each researcher deemed critical to extending our lives naturally and empowering us to live exceptionally. They are:

1. Weight training?
2. Good nutrition?
3. Positive thinking and having purpose Read the rest of this entry »

Most of us know that losing that excess body fat for good will bring us a LONG list of benefits. Lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, decreased risk of some cancers, and so on. Besides just helping us look and feel better, achieving true fitness also prevents bone loss, improves memory, eases the symptoms of menopause, and more! In short, regular exercise and body fat reduction will all years to our lives by minimizing so many life-threatening conditions.

Now, thanks to new research from Britain, we can actually say how many years we might gain by losing that excess weight once and for all! Researcher Tim Spector of St. Thomas’ Hospital (U.K.) is part of the team that studied 1,100+ British women between 18 and 76 years of age.

“Telomeres cap the ends of chromosomes in cells and protect them from damage. However, each time a cell divides — and as people age — these caps get shorter, so decreases in telomere length have long been associated with the aging process. Read the rest of this entry »