No matter what your age or your basic state of health, you can wake up tomorrow feeling younger than you do today.
Time, of course, marches on but getting older does not necessarily mean that you have to give up the vitality, energy, and stamina that you enjoyed when you were younger. I believe that much of what is thought of as the ‘natural’ aging process is actually the result of decades of poor nutrition, inadequate protection from environmental toxins, and poor lifestyle choices. In other words, getting older may be inevitable, but aging is not.
I should clarify that I am a physician, not a life extensionist. My goal is to help my patients achieve optimal health and wellness…no matter what their age. Although some researchers are focused on extending the human lifespan to 120 years or more, I think it is far more important to improve the quality of the lifespan we currently enjoy. As I look around our rapidly aging society and the poor health of so many of our seniors, I think we have a lot of work to do.
The good news is, the work is not hard. It is within your grasp. All it takes is a little information, a few adjustments in your daily routine, replacing unhealthy habits that make you old before your time with revitalizing choices that rejuvenate your body and mind.
In this report, I’m going to challenge you to do 8 simple things. You can implement them one at a time, perhaps one a week for 8 weeks, or you can go whole hog into an anti-aging lifestyle tomorrow. The choice is yours, as are the benefits. You can be younger-looking, stronger, more energized and more resistant to the degenerative symptoms of aging.
So, if you’re ready, let’s start reversing the aging process! Here is my 8-step Personal Rejuvenation Program, in a nutshell.
The 8-Step Personal Rejuvenation Program
Step 1: Take a high quality, high potency multivitamin and mineral every day.
I believe in nutritional supplementation. Of all the changes that you can make, taking appropriate vitamins and minerals every day can have an enormous impact on your long-term health and longevity. Some have argued that the human body was designed to run optimally on the nutrients we get from foods and that higher doses of nutrients are unnatural. Well, Yes and No. First of all, this presumes that we are all eating the diet that our bodies were designed to eat: 100% natural, unprocessed foods, high in fiber, fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
But you and I both know that this is not the typical diet, even among health-conscious people. The realities life in the 21st century are that we eat a large portion of our daily calories in the form of processed foods that leave our bodies craving the nutrition they need to remain in peak condition.
Secondly, virtually from the day we are born, our bodies are assaulted with a barrage of chemicals and toxins at quantities that they were not designed to deal with. Air pollution, water pollution, agricultural chemicals absorbed by our fruits, grains, and vegetables, hormones and antibiotics injected into our meat supply—the toxic burden to the modern world citizen is simply unprecedented. To compensate, our bodies require more nutrients than we can get through even in the best of diets.
In addition to a good multivitamin, consider adding a couple of important accessory nutrients.
Antioxidants help your body detoxify and repair the cellular damage caused by environmental pollutants. Aging is now thought to be largely the result of oxidation, or cellular damage caused by free radical molecules. Taking extra antioxidants, such as vitamins C, E, and others, will scavenge up free radicals before they can “rust” your organs and blood vessels.*
Calcium, a mineral that is overwhelmingly deficient in the modern diet, helps to maintain good heart function, promotes healthier bones, and even protects against certain common cancers. Adequate calcium intake could dramatically reduce the epidemic incidence of bone fractures and osteoporosis which cripple millions of older Americans every year. *
Folic Acid a member of the B-vitamin family that has superstar status as an antiaging nutrient. Once though to be important only for women of child-bearing years to prevent birth defects, more recent research has shown that adequate folic acid intake is critical for healthy and youthful cardiovascular function and brain health. Studies have shown that low folic acid levels are directly correlated to the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.*
Step #2 Limit your intake of refined and processed foods, especially sugar and white flour
Sometimes referred to as the Deadly Duo, white sugar and white flour are undoubtedly the worst thing to happen to Western Civilization, at least in terms of undermining health and promoting the aging process. Highly refined and virtually devoid of nutrition, white flour and white sugar constitute an alarmingly high proportion of our daily food intake.
Both of these foods are “fast” carbohydrates, meaning that they have high scores on something called the Glycemic Index. This is an index that rates how fast the calories in particular foods are released into the bloodstream as glucose. Foods containing white flour and white sugar can cause a very sharp spike in your blood sugar, which has a slew of negative consequences on your health.
The body responds to rises in blood sugar by releasing insulin into the blood stream, which helps to move the glucose out of the blood and into the cells. The problem is that when the body is overexposed to insulin, it can begin to lose its sensitivity to the hormone, requiring ever increasing amounts of insulin to regulate the blood sugar. Chronically high insulin levels can be toxic to many of the systems of the body, especially your cardiovascular system. It can also set you up for Adult Onset (Type II) diabetes, which is a fast track to premature aging! Frequent consumption of fast carbohydrates also decreases the response of the immune function.
There are many other reasons to avoid white sugar and flour…they are missing all of the valuable fiber that is found in whole grains and fruits, and they are usually manufactured with the use of harmful bleaches and chemicals which pollute your body and tax your liver.
Replacing sugar and flour with alternatives such as whole grain flours and cereals, fruits, and natural sweeteners such as molasses, honey, and maple syrup (in moderation) is an important step in creating an anti-aging lifestyle
Step #3 “Color your plate” with a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
I’m sure you’ve gotten the message by now. The more fresh produce you can consume the better. These foods are not only low in calories but jam-packed full of vitamins, enzymes, fiber, and valuable phytonutrients that directly combat disease and aging. A general rule of thumb is that the more richly colored the plant (especially the deep greens and orange ones), the better it is for you.
Still, even the most dedicated veggie-lover can burn out on carrots and broccoli, day after day. You’ll do both your palate and your body a favor by eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables every week. By mixing your choices, you’ll get a more complete blend of phytonutrients and vitamins, and prevent ‘broccoli burn-out.’ (Eating the same foods over and over again can also set the stage for food sensitivities.)
Try to eat as much locally grown, in-season produce as possible, raw or only lightly cooked to preserve as many nutrients as possible. If you have access to organically grown produce, select this as often as your pocketbook will allow. (And with the increased demand, organically grown foods are getting cheaper the time.) When eating non organically grown produce, make sure to soak and rinse them thoroughly with a fruit and vegetable wash, which can radically reduce the amount of bacteria and pesticides that you ingest.
Step #4 Eat a high fiber diet, rich in whole grains and legumes
Fiber is a non-nutritive but nonetheless crucial part of a longevity diet. It helps to keep cholesterol low, improves bowel function, relieves constipation, protects against colon cancer, and helps to detoxify the intestinal tract.
The recommended daily amount of fiber is a minimum of 25 grams a day. Most Americans get only about half that. Chances are good that your intake falls below ideal levels. Make a concerted effort to increase your fiber intake and you will almost certainly appreciate the increased sense of well-being that accompanies good digestive function and intestinal health. Good sources of soluble and insoluble fiber include:
· All vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, peas, and potatoes.
· Fruits, particularly apples and oranges
· Legumes such as lentils and beans
· Bran, whether from oats, wheat, rice, or corn
· Nuts and seeds
A sudden increase in fiber rich foods can cause temporary digestive difficulties such as excess gas and bloating. Increase your fiber intake gradually and make sure you increase your water consumption as well, which should relieve any discomfort.
Step #5 Minimize your intake of saturated and ‘trans’ fats
Don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to reduce your fat intake to some ridiculously low level. It is true that high fat intake has been linked to many diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. However, fats have many important functions in the body and metabolism and too little fat can be just as dangerous as too much. I generally recommend keeping fat intake to a maximum of 30% of your daily calories.
But just as important as the amount of fat in your diet is what type of fat your consuming.
Saturated fats (from dairy products and red meats) can contribute to high cholesterol and high blood pressure by clogging the arteries. Another artificial form of fat called ‘trans fatty acids’ are even worse—they behave like saturated fats in terms of increasing heart disease risk factors. They also generate heaps of free radical molecules, those unstable molecules that careen through your body, eating away at your cells and blood vessels.
To guard against trans fats, check ingredient labels for the words “hydrogenated oil” or “partially hydrogenated oil” and try to avoid any foods containing them. This includes margarine, many salad dressings, anything made with vegetable shorteing, such as most packaged cookies, cakes and crackers.
As damaging as saturated and trans fats are to your body, unsaturated fats like those found in olive oil, walnuts, avocado, and fatty fish are terrific for your health and longevity. Cultures who eat a lot of fish and olive oil (the typical Mediterranean diet) have much lower incidences of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and certain cancers. You can enjoy the same benefits simply by shifting your diet away from fried foods and excessive meat consumption and towards delicious cuisines featuring lots of deep sea fish, olive oil and other unsaturated fats.
Step 6 Stretch and exercise your muscles on a regular basis
I suspect that people who say they simply don’t like exercise haven’t really given it a fair shake. It does take time (about 6 weeks) to establish a new habit, and I think many people simply give up on exercise programs before they begin to see the benefits that are sure to make them life-time converts. Benefits like stronger, sleeker, more pain-free bodies, soaring energy and mood, and increased resistance to infections and viruses.
For some, the problem is that they don’t find a good match between their exercise program and their personality and lifestyle. Whether you’re a loner or a team player, a fast starter or a slow burner, there is sure to be an activity that suits you to a Tee. The trick is to keep looking until you find something that is really fun for you fits into your schedule, budget, and climate…and then STICK WITH IT.
The long term benefits of exercise are almost too numerous to list, but they include lower incidence of cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, depression, insomnia, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Exercise also helps protect your body from the hormonal imbalances that can be triggered by stress. In short, if there is a “magic bullet” for disease-free longevity, it may well be exercise.
If you still need motivation to get started, just imagine how great it would feel to have all the energy and stamina you need to breeze through the day’s chores and activity. To move with more ease, grace, and coordination. To look in the mirror and see a sleek, trim, youthful looking body.
So get out there are start moving. It doesn’t matter whether you walk, garden, climb mountains, or hit the links (no golf carts, please!). You will enjoy the fruits of exercise now and long into a strong and healthy future.
Step 7 Make the time to relax or meditate every day
Maybe you think meditation is for swamis or New Age gurus, but it may just be the key to the legendary longevity and ageless health of ancient Eastern masters. Meditation can be many things…it can be formal sitting meditation, quiet time spent listening to music or contemplating a candle flame, rhythmic breathing exercises, or silent prayer. I have one patient who claims that watching his tropical fish swim around their aquarium for a few minutes before he goes to bed at night induces a deep state of relaxation and calm, sending him off to an effortless, deep sleep.
It doesn’t really matter how you relax, but it is essential that you do it on a daily basis. Relaxation does more than just calm the mind, it actually changes the biochemistry of the body. The production of stress hormones (which might as well be called Age-Accelerator Hormones) decreases when you relax, your blood pressure drops, and your brain starts to produce healing alpha waves. A few minutes of relaxation can transform your entire body for hours, bolstering the immune system and increasing your powers of memory, focus, and concentration.
The effects of meditation are so powerful that the National Institute of Health has now recommended mediation as the first line of treatment for mild high blood pressure, preferable to prescription drugs. Other conditions that have been shown to benefit from daily meditation include immune function disorders, anxiety and panic attacks, alcohol and drug addition.
There are hundreds of books available in your local library or bookstore, detailing different relaxation and meditative techniques. As with exercise, it’s important to keep looking and trying until you find something that works well for you…then keep it up.
Step 8 Get enough sleep
This last longevity tip is simple but profound. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Most Americans are chronically sleep deprived. If you have trouble staying awake through movies, lectures, or concerts, or have difficulty waking up in the morning, this could be a signal that you are sleep deprived.
Your body does a lot of important restorative work while you are sleeping, diverting metabolic energy to the repair and regeneration of organs and cells. Your brain also needs the rest in order to for you to be alert and focused during the day. Getting enough sleep is a very important tool in any anti-aging program.
Many of us find that it is difficult to sleep soundly as we get older. Other suggestions discussed above, such as exercise, and daily relaxation should help. Avoid eating heavy, protein rich meals for 3-4 hours before bedtime is also a good idea, although a light snack of carbohydrates before bed may help you feel drowsy.
Aromatherapy can be very helpful for those who have difficulty sleeping. You can get an aromatherapy dispenser at a health food store or even a larger drug store. Helpful sleep-inducing scents include lavendar, valerian, or any aroma you find particularly soothing.
The most important thing is to try to establish a regular wake/sleep rhythm, going to be at about the same time every night. The goal should be to wake up at the appointed hour, ideally without the aid of an alarm clock, feeling refreshed and ready for the day. That will be your signal that your body has had adequate time to refresh and rejuvenate.
Congratulations…you’re on your way to a younger you!
It’s never too late to stop aging, and start growing younger as you age. Start with any of these eight easy tips and you’ll be on your way. The more you can do, the better, but rest assured that even a small change can make a big difference. It all adds up to a longer, healthier life. And you deserve it!
