10 All-Natural Ways to Stay Young
10 All-Natural Ways to Stay Young
10 All-Natural Ways to Stay Young
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
tazo.com
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.
Another powerful age-defying ingredient is madecassol, or
madecassoside (found in La Roche-Posay's Redermic, available at select
CVS locations), an Asian plant extract that helps plump the skin,
minimize fine lines, and restore a youthful glow, says Dr. Colbert.
Madecassol has been used in France for decades to help heal scars and
wounds. European studies have also found that it helps diminish
wrinkles, restores firmness to skin, and hydrates skin cells.
Try it! Look for skin creams containing retinols, such as La
Roche-Posay's Biomedic Retinol Cream (available at dermatologists'
offices) or RoC's Retinol Actif Pur Night (at drugstores). Use it only
at night, since it doesn't include an SPF. Or try products containing
alpha lipoic acid.
Another good way to ensure cell turnover, protect your skin against
free radicals, and stimulate collagen growth is to apply vitamin C serum
under your moisturizer and makeup, says Dr. Colbert. Some
expert-approved choices: IS Clinical C & E Serum (available at
dermatologists' and other specialists' offices), SkinCeuticals
C E Ferulic (at dermatologists' offices), Noah's Naturals Honest to
Goodness Anti-Oxidant Serum Gel (at select Wal-Mart locations), and
Pond's Age defEYE Anti-Circle Anti-Puff Eye Therapy (at drugstores).
Finally, be sure to use a broad-spectrum sunblock every day to protect
against UVA and UVB rays, which cause aging and skin cancer. One we
like: Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizing Cream with Mexoryl SX (available
at select CVS locations).
10. Do mental aerobics
A study published in last December's
Journal of the American Medical Association
shows that brain exercises can prevent cognitive decline, and the
benefits can last for as many as five years. In his own research, Dr.
Small has found that a two-week program of mental training can actually
rewire the brain. "We've seen evidence on brain scans that memory
improves," he says.
Try it! Strengthen your mind every day by doing crossword
puzzles, Sudoku, or Brain Games, a handheld electronic game developed by
Dr. Small that uses numbers, sequences, and word play to condition the
left and right spheres of the brain (available at Wal-Mart and Target
stores)
