September is National Healthy Aging Month! What does that really mean? Most people are not excited about aging, often trying to forget their birthdays-but still getting mad when others forget it. Why the paradox? While we all want to stay alive and live longer we often fear the toll of aging. I think people intrinsically understand that of life is just as important as the . So what can we do to improve and lengthen our lives?
We can’t change our biological age. We can lie about it, but we can’t change it. We CAN change our cellular age. Recent research has revealed that your cellular age (the “age” of your individual cells) can be determined by looking at the telomere length of your chromosomes (the packets of DNA in your cell nuclei that code for who you are). What science has determined is that the shorter your telomeres the older your cell! There are several things that alter your telomere length and thus make your cells-and you-”younger”. Here is a bare bones list:
- A plant-based diet based on whole foods, low fat, and low refined sugars.
- Moderate aerobic exercise.
- Reducing stress.
- Social connectivity.
A recent study published in the Mayo Clinic Review shows that for every HOUR of sedentary behavior they can show a decrease in telomere length. So getting up and moving around every hour is very important to long-term health. Read more
A few years back, US News and World Report published their list on “10 ways to live to 100”. It included the following tips for not only living longer, but more importantly better. The list was simple and practical; here is a summarized version. Read more
4. Eat a fiber-rich cereal for breakfast. Increasing fiber reduces your risk of colon cancer by 45%! Eating breakfast helps you lose weight and gives you energy to help you enjoy your day. If you want to learn more about the benefits of fiber, read the article “Fiber, The Best Kept Weight Loss Secret”.
6. Consume whole foods, not supplements. Save your money. Americans have the most expensive urine in the world-because most of the supplements they consume are not absorbed by the body and end up being excreted. You are what you eat so don’t be fast, easy, cheap, processed, or fake! To learn more, read the article, “Are Herbal Supplements Worth Your Money?”. Read more
Those suggestions are pretty simple right? I bet you can start applying a few of them right away. Take this month to plan out how you want to age better-and get your family and friends involved. Remember, 100 is the new 30! And you don’t have to look or feel your age. Read more
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