Come walk and hike
with me in the Jungfrau region (Click the photo to see a larger version)
Spring Break
for Women
To Improve your health
10 Things You Can Do
You can take control of your health and well-being. You can have more energy and vitality while avoiding many of the diseases and pitfalls associated with aging. You can slow down the aging process! Here are 10 terrific things you can do this year that will have a huge impact on the way you feel and the way your body responds to the many stresses of daily living. Some of these you may already be doing. Some you may need to work on. A few are as simple as taking a daily supplement. Others take more time, focus and dedication, but every one of them is worth the effort. Print this list, grab a pen, and start making your plan for how you will improve your health this year.
1. Take a multivitamin every day.
After all, most doctors do! Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., with 1 in 3 people dying from complications attributable to it. Prevention is key, and it makes sense to do all you can to reduce your risk. Taking a comprehensive daily multivitamin to protect your cardiovascular health is essential. Studies show that it can help prevent cardiovascular disease as well as increase your life span by as much as 10 years by reducing inflammation and preventing oxidative damage
2. Don’t forget your fish oil.
Rarely has one supplement been so extensively researched and had so many benefits conclusively attributed to it. If you aren't taking a top notch fish oil supplement, we strongly recommend that you start now! Its body-wide anti-inflammatory effects can impact everything from your heart to your joints, brain, skin—even dry eyes!
Treatment of specific conditions often requires 1,000 to 3,000 mg of fish oil a day. Getting even 1,000 mg a day is more than can readily be achieved with diet. Talk with your doctor first if you have existing cardiovascular disease. People taking more than 3,000 mg of fish oil from supplements should do so only under a doctor’s care, as high intakes can cause excessive bleeding in some people.
3. Stock up on vitamin D.
While the RDA for vitamin D is currently just 400 IU, many experts now say 1,000 to 5,000 IU is needed to achieve optimum blood levels. Don't let a vitamin D deficiency put you at risk for health problems as you age. Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D blood level so you can be sure you are taking enough supplemental vitamin D to keep your blood levels within an ideal range.
A multi-center study published in the August 2009 issue of Nutrition Research found that vitamin D deficiency placed women at an increased risk of death. A recent study from China found that 94% of people age 50-70 were vitamin D deficient, which increased their risk of metabolic syndrome and its risk for coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Other research has linked the lack of vitamin D to osteoporosis and fractures, bone and muscle pain, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, susceptibility to infections and heart disease.
4. Get more green tea.
Green tea extract can be an important part of an antioxidant arsenal. For general disease prevention, we recommend about 450 mg a day of a standardized green tea extract. Unlike brewed tea and non-standardized extracts, a standardized green tea extract provides consistently high amounts of green tea’s most active constituents.
There is an ever-growing body of research that links green tea consumption to a multitude of health benefits, including weight loss and decreased risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Studies also suggests EGCG has broad-spectrum powers against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, arthritis, dental cavities, gum disease, weight gain and premature aging.
5. Reserve your resveratrol.
This amazing anti-aging compound, which occurs naturally in red wine, is all over the news. Here are just a few of the things resveratrol can help you do:
Slow the effect of aging by mimicking the anti-aging effects of consuming 20-30% fewer calories—without eating less!
Say bye-bye to fat cells. Resveratrol may reduce the number of fat cells in your body—and could one day be used to treat or prevent obesity.
Keep high blood pressure and heart disease at bay.
Suppress the abnormal cell formation that leads to most types of breast cancer, snuffing out the disease before it gets a foothold.
Protect your liver from fatty build up.
Protect you from food borne illness
Have we said enough?
6. Put a ban on sugar.
Or at least cut back, and fill up on fruits, veggies, lean meats and fish. Research consistently shows that highly processed foods like sugar and white flour have no nutritional value and consuming too much of them can lead to degenerative disease.
7. Plan for aerobic exercise.
It’s the magic bullet. Move your body and it loves you for it. Plan on doing some form of aerobic exercise 5 days a week, for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. The benefits are well-studied and extensive. It doesn’t have to be hard, but picking up the pace helps ward off metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Improved circulation is the key. It moves those nutrients in and carries those toxins out.
8. Find your favorite resistance exercise.
Building muscle and maintaining it protects you from injuries, back pain, knee pain and more. It also helps you stay slim by revving your metabolism. Whether you use dumbbells at home or go to a gym, use bands, or weighted balls, working out will pay you back with years of independence.
9. Practice relaxing.
We know stress is a killer. Exercise, healthy eating and nutritional supplements can help fight its effects, but you can also reduce the impact of stress by finding just 20 minutes a day where you learn to let go, relax deeply and watch the world go by. This sort of practice produces real physiological effects, and it can help you reduce your stressful reactions in the first place. Maybe it’s yoga or meditation.,Or perhaps it’s painting or playing or listening to music. Find the key that helps you let go. It can be as simple as watching your breath go in and out.
10. Make time for friends and family.
We’re social beings. We thrive on feeling accepted and appreciated and on giving that gift to others. Make friendships and family a priority. You’ll enjoy life more and have more life to enjoy. Research shows that social ties promote both mental and physical health.
