If we think about our health like a retirement fund, we can see that the sooner we begin to make deposits, the quicker the benefits add up and the greater the contributions, the “healthier” the withdrawals later in life.
But what kind of deposits should we be making today, so we have the healthiest returns tomorrow? And when should we start making them? Many of us wait until our forties before we take a close look at our health and hopefully take some action. These next five steps can help address the physical effects of aging and ensure we are in shape to enjoy our lives at any stage.
Five Steps to Healthy Aging
Stay sharp with good fat
To keep our brains young and healthy we need to make sure we are getting enough CoQ10 and DHA from coldwater fish or fish oil supplements. Omega-3 fish oil has been shown to improve blood flow and nutrient supply to our brain.
Learn about your family history
Find out if your family history increases your risks for diseases such as cancer or heart disease and then take the steps needed to minimize your risk. If there is a history of colon cancer in your family, get that colonoscopy at age 40, instead of 50.
Build strong bones and muscle
Beginning at age 40, we lose bone density and muscle mass. By including weight-bearing exercises into our daily routine, we can build bone density and muscle mass.
A healthy, happy heart
The difference a healthy lifestyle has on heart health is huge. People who walk just 30 minutes a day, 5 days of the week reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease by 30% when compared with those who did not walk regularly. Plus, it’s a great mood booster!
Consider taking a supplement
The produce we eat often falls short on nutrients as a result of pesticide use and being picked before they are ripe and shipped great distances. As well, many prescription drugs can deplete nutrients, including statin drugs, antacids, anti-inflammatory drugs and diuretics. Supplements can help to fill in the gaps and ensure we are getting the right vitamins and minerals for optimal health and energy.
Super Easymulti 45+ is a 10 in 1 anti-aging solution formulated to help you thrive beyond 45.
Omega Oils Make All the Difference
Omega oils have been shown to be great for keeping our hearts and minds healthy. But did you know they also help our bodies absorb important nutrients? That’s because oil is easily absorbed by our cell membranes.
Bring on the Full Fat DressingA 2004 study found that when salads were consumed with full-fat salad dressings rather than with fat-free dressings, absorption of carotenoids, your body’s main source of vitamin A, was greatly enhanced.1 Another study showed that when a particle of curcumin was contained within oil, 95% of it was absorbed within 24 hours. This compares to an absorption rate of less than 20% without the presence of oil.2
Lisa’s Orange Salad Dressing (Graduate of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts)
Ingredients:
- 1 orange – can be any variety
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil – approx. 1 cup
Directions:
- Peel orange. Blend in a blender or with a hand mixer.
- Add Dijon mustard, salt and lemon juice. Blend again.
- Add olive oil – ratio is 1 part orange juice to 3 parts olive oil. For an average orange, 1 cup of oil is good. Add less oil if you want a fruitier and less thick consistency for your dressing.
- Blend one last time with all ingredients for 30 seconds. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator. The orange juice will separate from the oil in the refrigerator, so shake well before each use.
- Stores for one week in the refrigerator.
2. Cui J et al (2009) Int J Pharmaceutics 371: 148-155
The Dark Side of Blue Light
70% of us have experienced blurred vision, dry eyes and headaches from the blue light emitted from our digital screens. Blue light, which is part of the visible light spectrum, reaches deeper into our eyes and the cumulative effect can cause damage to the retina. Blue light is also implicated in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) but there are some things we can do to mitigate the damage.
- Sit at a comfortable distance from your monitor so you are not leaning forward or back to read properly.
- Adjust your computer display settings for brightness, text size and contrast (black against white is the best contrast) and colour temperature.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes take a 20 second break and look at something 20 feet away.
- Take an antioxidant-rich supplement that combines lutein and zeaxanthin with omega oils to help protect your eyes from free radical damage.
Tis The Sneezin’
The cold and flu season will soon be upon us, and nothing brings on the winter blues faster than being sick in bed. This season, give yourself the gift of health with Oregano-8 from Platinum Naturals. Oregano-8 contains oil of oregano, a strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial plus seven powerful immune boosting ingredients that work together to keep you smiling all season long.
Love Your Liver
The liver is one of our greatest multi-tasking organs, performing over 500 functions. Its function or dysfunction has an incredible impact on our health.
Total Liver Care protects our liver from toxins with milk thistle, glutathione and alpha lipoic acid. And since we suspend our ingredients in oil, you get all of the goodness through maximum absorption.
