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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:07:31 GMT -5
1. You are what you eat.
"My friends know I've been following an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet for years. It's heavy on whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and legumes, with a smattering of dairy, poultry, fish, egg whites, and olive oil. But they're astonished when I tell them it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you avoid what I call the five food felons: saturated fats, trans fats, refined grains, and added syrups and sugars (check the label for anything ending in –ose). Cut those out of your diet and you'll not only feel better, you'll also lower your risk of age-related conditions such as heart disease, cancer, and dementia. It's as simple as swapping your favorite chips for crunchy veggies and guacamole, or a brownie for Greek yogurt topped with berries and dark chocolate. Can't live without pizza and pasta? That's fine, as long as they're whole-grain." —Michael F. Roizen, M.D., chief wellness officer at Cleveland Clinic and co-author of You, Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:08:20 GMT -5
2. The secret to a sharp mind......Tango?
"A friend came up to me at a party recently, very upset. She was finding it hard to remember people's names, even those she knew well, and had started misplacing things around the house. 'Is this how it starts?' she asked me. 'Is this early-onset Alzheimer's?' I told her that what she was experiencing is called cognitive aging, and it happens to everyone. The problem is, we hear so much about Alzheimer's that whenever we have a memory glitch, we automatically think the worst. There isn't an epidemic of Alzheimer's in this country; there's an epidemic of fear of Alzheimer's. Still, there are things you can do to keep your mind sharp. The most important one is to get plenty of exercise, starting now. It's true that brain volume shrinks as we get older, but several thousand new cells are created every day, and research shows that regular aerobic exercise jump-starts the process, slashing your risk of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. My advice? Take some dance lessons. Dancing hits all the areas critical for healthy aging: You're exercising, learning new steps, and socializing." —Majid Fotuhi, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center in McLean, VA, and director of the Johns Hopkins Memosyn Neurology Institute in Lutherville, MD
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:10:35 GMT -5
3. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH BLURRY VISION
"My mom is in her 60s and has always loved going out with friends to art museums or dinner in the evenings. A little while back, though, I noticed she was staying home all the time. When I asked her why, she said, 'My night vision is getting worse—I don't feel comfortable driving after dark.' I hear this complaint frequently from women who are as young as 40, and it frustrates me that they just accept it. There are a number of things that can cause poor night vision, and most of them are treatable. One of the most surprising is dry eye. Hormonal changes that occur as you grow older can slow tear production, leaving the surface of your eyes dry and often inflamed. This can make it seem like you're looking through frosted glass, a problem only made worse when it's dark. So if you're struggling to see at night, schedule an eye appointment to rule out more serious conditions, like cataracts. If it's dry eye, your symptoms may improve with a treatment as simple as artificial tears."
—Justin Bazan, O.D., an optometrist practicing in New York City and a medical adviser to the Vision Council of America
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:11:24 GMT -5
4. YOU'RE NOT FALLING APART!
"My research focuses on the stereotypes surrounding aging. What I've found is that many of us assume that as we get older, everything falls apart—so we brace for decline, and watch for signs that our bodies and minds are giving out. And of course we find them. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy. My advice to friends is simple: It's not your physical state that limits you; it's your mind-set. Research shows that your attitude can improve your health and may even reverse the signs of aging. So I tell them to be mindful. That means to strive to live in the moment, to actively notice the people, places, and things around you as if for the first time. Try this: Walk down the street and pay attention to the colors of the leaves and the architecture of the buildings. Kids do that—it's one reason it's so hard to get them to school in the morning—and we can learn a lot from them. To feel happy and healthy, you need to show up for life, whether you're 25 or 65." —Ellen Langer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Harvard University and author of Mindfulness
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:13:17 GMT -5
5. THE SEX GETS BETTER (This should have been number 1)
"Everything in our culture makes people feel like they're no longer sexually viable after 40. You can't watch the evening news without seeing a commercial for vaginal dryness, painful sex, or erectile dysfunction. When my friends worry about sex becoming stale, I remind them of a national survey I conducted several years ago: It found that many women in their 60s and 70s were having the best sex of their lives. What's more, satisfaction increased with each decade! So will sex be the same as it was when you were younger? No, because you're not the same person. But it can be better. As you age, you and your partner may both become more accepting of your bodies. You may become confident enough to ask for what you want. And you can learn to focus on each other instead of physical goals like orgasm. After all, sex is about an emotional connection, too. If that starts to fade, carve out time to really talk—you know, about something other than whose turn it is to take carpool. Instead of dinner and a movie, go for a hike and have a conversation." —Gina Ogden, Ph.D., sex therapist and author of Return of Desire: A Guide to Rediscovering Your Sexual Passion
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:14:11 GMT -5
6. IT'S NORMAL TO BECOME A LIGHTWEIGHT
"Women I know often ask me why alcohol seems to affect them so much faster now. It's biology: An enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase helps us metabolize what we drink; women have fewer of those enzymes than men in the first place, and we all lose them as we age. That's why your tolerance goes down. Sorry to say, though: Experts recommend that women avoid consuming more than one drink per day anyway. A couple of drinks spread out during a special occasion may be fine, but generally speaking, one is the cutoff. Maybe less, depending on how you feel." —David L. Katz, M.D., director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center in New Haven, CT
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:15:31 GMT -5
7. MAKE YOUR HOME A HAVEN
"We live in an increasingly noisy world. On the subway, in spin class—we're surrounded by noise everywhere we go, and over time it can damage the hair cells inside the ear that are responsible for passing sounds to the brain. Once those cells are damaged, you can't replace them. That's why it's important to do everything you can to preserve your hearing now. I tell my friends and patients to start at home, where you have some control: Keep your TV and sound system at a reasonable volume, and—as if you needed an excuse—try to avoid noisy kids' toys. Swap old appliances for quieter models, and put a rubber or cork mat under particularly loud ones like the coffee grinder. Lay down rugs on bare floors and put drapes on your windows—they'll help absorb sound. If you live close to the road, planting trees and shrubs around your house can cut back on street noise too." —Michael D. Seidman, M.D., director of otologic and neurotologic surgery and otology research at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit and author of Save Your Hearing Now
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Post by barrumundi on Sept 29, 2015 9:16:42 GMT -5
8. WE CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THE OLDEST AMONG US
"I work with people who live well into their 90s and 100s, and my oldest patients have many things in common: They spend a lot of time with their friends and family. They're optimistic (one patient, who recently passed away at 104, used to tell me, 'My favorite birthday is my next one'). They're resilient. But one of the most interesting things I've noticed? Many of them are very good at practicing moderation. I think it's because they grew up in a different time— during the Depression and World War II—when resources were limited and everyone had to sacrifice. Their attitudes reflect the self-control they learned then: Dessert is a treat, not something they think they deserve. Those patients aren't self-absorbed at all, and that's what keeps them vital and healthy." —Audrey Chun, M.D., director of the Martha Stewart Center for Living and vice chair of clinical programs for the Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City
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