13- Snack your way to good sex

Sex is a powerful anti-aging tool: Some studies say it can prolong your life up to 20 years, and others insist getting busy reduces your mortality rate by half. So how can you get in the mood for more action? Eat strategically, says Eric R. Braverman, M.D., author of Younger (Sexier) You (Rodale). Foods with phytoestrogens, such as soy and fish, keep sex hormones at younger levels; lean proteins like turkey and duck contain tyrosine and phenylaline, which boost desire; healthy fats like low-fat yogurt and eggs are packed with choline, a precursor to the brain chemical that controls arousal and lubrication; and high-fiber vegetables, fruits and whole grains are high in glutamine and inositol, which are precursors to the brain chemical that helps you relax so you can climax.

14-Get a massage

A good rubdown does more than lower stress and mare you feel like a million bucks: A 2010 study at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles found that Swedish massage can improve immune function, helping your body fight off everything from the common cold to cancer.

15-Replace your morning buzz

Reach for that sweet morning latte and you’ll pay for it later, says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now (Fair Winds Press). Excess sugar increases your risk of diabetes and autoimmune illnesses, which accelerate aging. Instead of coffee, make a smoothie with a good vitamin powder (like Enzymatic Therapy’s Energy Revitalization System) and healthy sugar (D-ribose). In a recent study, D-ribose increased energy an average of 61 percent after three weeks.

16-Read beauty product labels

Suffering from a chronic condition such as diabetes? If you’ve started using an anti-aging skin-care product and notice improvement, it’s important to continue to use it exactly as directed. “Don’t skip days ff the label says not to,” warns Ali. “Chronic disease patients need to stay on schedule in their fight against aging, because their condition can multiply the effects of free radicals on their skin–and a lot of dermal products contain antioxidants to help fight these free radicals.”

17-Move it

New research from The Center for Brain Health at the University of Texas at Dallas claims that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, three to four times a week, improves short-term memory by increasing blood flow to the medial temporal lobe–where memories are stored. Getting’ physical also lengthens our telomeres, says Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D., founder and chief director of the institute, and the sooner you start, the better: Researchers recently found that women older than 70 who regularly exercised during middle age were in better health than those who didn’t.

18-Think something nice

A recent study found that social exchanges characterized by conflict in mid-life were associated with poor decision-making later in life. Since you can’t always avoid confrontational people, override your cranky thoughts with good ones. “Think of something positive about a person and your brain will latch on to those thoughts instead of negative ones,” says Srini Pillay, M.D., assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard University.

19-Eat bitter

Humans recognize six distinct tastes–sweet, sour, salty, bitter, savory and astringent–and each plays a role in feeding your body and mind. In terms of longevity, however, bitter-tasting foods are the best because they balance sugar cravings, support digestion and metabolize fat, says Stephan Dorlandt, C.N., a clinical nutritionist and herbalist in Los Angeles. Tasty bitters include yellow and green vegetables, such as yellow peppers, broccoli rabe, collard greens, mustard greens, radicchio and chicory.

20-Fight your traffic ticket

New research shows that being engaged in political activities–like appealing a decision made by a public authority, giving a speech at a meeting, or writing a letter to the editor–results in sharper thinking when you’re older. “Political activities reflect self-efficacy, and there’s a correlation between self-efficacy and cognition,” says Pillay.

21-Eat like an Italian

In a 2011 Rush University Medical Center study, researchers found that the Mediterranean diet, long known to be heart-healthy and reduce risk of certain cancers, is now also associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline in older people. This diet–rich in fruits and vegetables, legumes, olive oil, potatoes and fish–also helped prevent Alzheimer’s disease in subjects.

22-Take your magnesium

Seventy-five percent of Americans don’t get their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of this important nutrient, which affects age-related conditions like bone, heart and brain health, says Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., author of Magnesium Miracle (Ballantine Books). One of the most affordable and absorbable options is powdered magnesium citrate, which you can take with hot or cold water. A serving a day of magnesium-rich cacao and kale can also help.

23- Teach what you know

New research from The Center for BrainHealth shows that the brain develops stronger neural connections when we learn a skill well enough to teach it. So, test your ability to pass on info in new ways. “Start by teaching one person, then move to small groups, and then on to more public forums–each one places greater demands on the brain,” says Chapman.

24-Beware of calorie trends

New studies show cutting calories leads to longevity, but be careful before subscribing to this trendy edict, says Ebanks. If insufficient calories are consumed, you won’t have the energy for necessary, vigorous exercise. “Do you want to live better for as many years as you can, or live longer irrespective of the quality?” he asks. The Calorie Restriction Society is a proponent of the “more years” philosophy, ‘but it requires trimming calories by 30 percent to 40 percent–a level Ebanks says is not sustainable for most people.

25-Keep working

Can’t wait to quit your day job? Be careful what you wish for. New data from the United States, England and 11 other European countries suggest that the earlier people retire, the more quickly their memories decline. Researchers found that the longer subjects kept working, the better they did on memory skills tests in their early 60s. Some experts say social and personality skills known to support a healthy aging brain–like getting up in the morning, dealing with others and knowing the importance of being prompt and trustworthy–may play a role here, because these factors are highly valued in the work environment.

01-Think young

Perspectives on Psychological Science recently published a study by Ellen Langer PhD, a mind-body psychology professor at Harvard, about the correlation between how Women look and feel after having their hair cut and colored Salon subjects’ before and after shots were assessed by volunteers only, and those women who believed having their hair dyed made them look younger actually did look younger after the salon visit.

Those who didn’t think they looked youthful with a new do didn’t appear so. The take-away?  ”Feeling young makes you look younger,” says Langer. “So act your inner age.”

02- Meditate

Ancient Taoists used meditation techniques to help maintain emotional balance, and thus good health, into old age. Cut to 2010, and Blue Cross-Blue Shield found factors that typically increase with aging-such as blood pressure, susceptibility to stress, insomnia and heart failure-actually decreased among meditators. Another recent study found that meditators have a 30 percent higher level of telomerase-the enzyme responsible for repairing telomeres, structures on the ends of chromosomes that protect them from deterioration-than those who don’t meditate. (Each time is a cell reproduces, telomeres become shorter and less effective at protecting the chromosome, and this is a cause of aging) So, hit your meditation pillow-even if it’s just for a few minutes a day.

03- Loosen your neck

Nobody wants to become an old lady with a dowager hump, but this posture isn’t just a vanity risk. “Neck tightness that leads to carrying one’s head more forward than normal is associated with increased mortality,” says Louise Hockley, D.C., a chiropractor in Wellington, New Zealand. “This is a big problem for people who sit in front of a computer all day without breaks.”  To avoid a crooked fate, sit up straight at your desk And then slowly tilt your head backward until your forehead is parallel to the ceiling. Do this three times for every hour you’re behind your computer.

04-Take your herbs

Adaptogenic herbs help the body’s ability to adapt to daily stresses, and are often included in Chinese and Western anti-aging medicines. They help restore and maintain well-being,” says Rosemary Gladstar, founder of the California School of Herbal Studies and author of Herbal Remedies for Radiant Well Being (Story Book Publications). Start with herbs like rhodiola (which reduces stress and boosts energy), reishi (which protects the liver and heart and reduces cholesterol), and holy basil (which reduces anxiety and mental fog), and talk to a holistic doc about the right doses for you.

05- Be consistent in the kitchen

Don’t pay attention to your diet one minute, and then ditch your good-eating  habits the next. “This can create a sugar imbalance, which causes confusion, headaches and fatigue-characteristic features of aging brain syndrome,” says Naheed Ali, M.D., author of Diabetes and You: A Comprehensive Holistic Approach (Rowman & Littlefield).

06- Stop multitasking

Cramming a lot of to-dos into a limited amount of time gives us the false impression that were uber-efficient. But studies show chronic multitaskers have elevated cortisol levels, more incidences of depression and weaker immune systems-all of which can diminish cognitive prowess as we age. To reduce rnultitasking but still bang through your to-dos, jot down your tasks-but focus on three that have the biggest impact on your day or involve strategic thinking.

07-Choose antioxidant oils over creams

Heavy night creams that contain paraffin or mineral oil can congest your skin and cause puffiness in the morning.

“Instead, opt for an antioxidant oil, which protects skin from free radicals and repairs damage done by stress, pollution, aging and illness,” says Margo Marrone, homeopath and founder of London-based The Organic Pharmacy. Not only will your skin look  supple, but studies show skin care with vitamins A, C, E and B3 reverse signs of aging, particularly those caused by the sun.

08- Eat your antioxidants

These free radical foragers help delay aging and reduce vulnerability to cancer, heart disease and diabetes, so don’t just put them on your face. Keri Glassman, RD., author of  The O2 Diet (Rodale) calls these edible antioxidants “beauty foods”: dark chocolate (it contains cocoa flavanols that increase blood flow to the skin), salmon (its omega-3s prevent collagen breakdown and reduce skin-damaging inflammation) and green tea (it’s loaded with polyphenols that boost cell turnover to improve skin tone).

09- Give for giving’s sake

“There’s nothing more health-giving than feeling useful and knowing you’ve helped someone else,” says Christiane Northrup, M.D., and author of the newly revised Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom (Bantam).

“But far too many people give in order to get, and don’t know it. Giving out of a sense of obligation or because you feel as though it will earn you love or respect can be a health risk.” So, go ahead and do something nice for someone-without expectations of anything in return. And don’t forget to notice how great it feels.

10- Pump some iron

The typical American gains a pound of fat and loses a half pound of muscle yearly from the age of 30 to 60, says Desmond Ebanks,M.D., former assistant clinical professor of medicine at New York Medical College. “Loss of muscular strength is a major reason that elderly people lose mobility and independence,” he says.

Ebanks suggests an interval-style resistance program for the most muscle-building benefits; brief but intense bouts of strength training, lasting 12 to 20 minutes, have also been shown to preserve telomeres.

11- Learn how to feel full

Trimming calories can help reduce cellular inflammation, which drives the aging process by causing disturbances in hormonal signaling between cells, thus decreasing the efficacy of every organ in the body “Reducing excess calories is only possible if you’re not hungry between meals,” says Barry Sears, MD., president of the Inflammation Research Foundation. Reach for at least 3 ounces of low-fat protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner, which increase the release of satiety hormones that stop hunger.

12- Confide in a friend

“We know regular social interaction has a significant effect on long-term brain health and function,” says Michael Roizen, M.D., a Cleveland-based internist and co-author of the best-selling You series (Rodale). “But you must also have friends with whom you can be intimate and vulnerable.

You need to connect with your conidantes at least six times a month.” In a landmark Harvard University study of more than 56,000 women, the absence of a single conidante, as measured in physical decline, was equivalent to being in the highest category of obesity and being a heavy smoker.

Continue Here

Wrestling with the idea of growing older – is there a way to win?

It’s interesting to talk about aging with women, because we a have different ideas about it. Most of us don’t want to get old if it means being unable to dance, travel, hold babies and raise hell.
But not everyone is opposed to aging (consider the alternative, I always say). We may want to look young forever, but we know that’s impossible. We talk about “aging gracefully” or “women of a certain Age,” and it all ends up sounding like dumb euphemisms for, well, old.

I think we all can agree on one thing, though:
What we want is to be healthy, fit and able to do the things we love-and maybe even get better, wiser and calmer with each year.
In “Coming of Age,”, we uncover 40 truly surprising tips that can keep you getting healthier (and happier!) with every birthday For instance, a Blue Cross-Blue Shield study found that meditation significantly decreased health problems that typically increase with age, such as hypertension, heart failure, debilitating stress and insomnia. And eating magnesium-rich foods (think kale, cacao and kelp) helps with age-related conditions like constipation, memory decline and limited mobility Bone health is on my brain these days, and we know that weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running and strength training keep bones strong.
Rowing crew (my favorite workout and meditation combined!) must work pretty Well, too. When vitamin company Rainbow Light came to our office so we could try out its new Bone IQ Mobile Center (reps have been taking it to drugstores around the country), I found out that, at 56, I have the bones of a 30-year-old (go to boneiq.com for tour dates).
I credit my kids, great friends, rowing and seeing as much live music as I can for keeping me feeling and acting my mental age, which I swear is somewhere between 20 and 30 depending on the day and whom I’m with. And it all boils down, of course, to believing that you are improving in many ways with age.