40 Tips on How to Live a Longer, Healthier Life, Part 2
Part 2 of 40 Tips on How to Live a Longer, Healthier Life, Find Part 1 Here
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.
