Having treated thousands of patients for more than a
decade, we have determined some of the reasons why some patients remain healthy
and age slower while others have a rapid deterioration of their physical and
mental health. Although genetics plays a role in how we age, we cannot discount
the significant importance of diet and lifestyle habits.
Sticking with a healthy diet and lifestyle can reduce the risks of high blood
pressure and heart failure, in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to
supply the body with oxygen and nutrients.
For a natural sugar alternative, consider stevia. For an excellent
multivitamin product.
A
combination of hoodia,
ginger, cinnamon, green tea extract, spirulina, acetyl-l-carnitine, choline,
guggul, and several
other herbs and nutrients, as found in Diet Rx, a very effective
herbal diet pill for weight
loss. Users of Diet Rx have lost several pounds within a week or two.
Losing abdominal fat
People who follow a healthy diet and regularly exercise tend to have less
abdominal fat, including those deep layers of belly fat that are especially
unhealthy. Researchers found that among nearly 3,000 middle-aged adults, those
who maintained a healthy diet -- including lots of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and low-fat dairy -- generally had less abdominal fat than those with
less-desirable diets. Diabetes Care, March 2009.
Supplement takers do better
As a rule, those who take appropriate supplements are less prone to
infections or illness. One's supplement list does not need to take up multiple
pages. We recommend to most patients to include at least one or two times the RDA
for vitamins, and at least 50 percent of the RDA for minerals. In addition, I
think it's beneficial to take between 100 to 300 mg of vitamin C, and 30 to 100
units of vitamin E. Vegetarians may need to supplement with a few additional
nutrients that are
mostly found in meats. For instance, CoQ10, carnitine, and
creatine are found
only in small amounts in vegetarian diets. Hence, it would be appropriate to
supplement with 10 to 30 mg of CoQ10, 100 to 250 mg of carnitine, and one gram
of creatine most days. Those whose fish intake is low would do well
supplementing with fish oils capsules that contain at least one gram of the
fatty acids EPA and DHA.
MultiVit Rx is helpful. You can buy
CoQ10-50mg at Physician Formulas.
People who stay healthy and age gracefully share the
following common
characteristics:
They maintain healthy eating habits with a good
balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Most of their carbohydrate comes from
complex sources such as whole grains, soy and other legumes. A
healthy diet includes a few
servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. Most eat fish at least
once or twice a week. Their intake of fried foods, fast foods, margarine,
and baked goods is minimal. Although refined foods, sweets, pastries, ice cream,
and other high sugar and high fat foods are unhealthy, their complete avoidance
is not necessary. Most of us have a sweet tooth and it's okay to occasionally
indulge and satisfy our craving as long as the rest of our diet is healthy.
Varying one's food intake is crucial in order to obtain the variety of
nutrients, vitamins, and plant chemicals our bodies require. Attempt, on a
regular basis, to consume citrus fruits, berries, apricots, grapes, and other
colored fruits. Your vegetable intake should include garlic, onions, green leafy
vegetables, yellow- or orange-colored vegetables, tomatoes, beets, and others.
Drink a variety of herbal teas instead of just regular tea or coffee. Each
morning have a different type of tea such as ginger, bilberry, green tea,
licorice, peppermint, lemon grass, etc. Drink one or two large glasses of water
when you wake up in the morning to help empty the colon. Vegetarians can stay
very healthy but have to be careful in making sure their protein intake is
adequate.
We are not aware of any people who maintain optimal health without doing some kind
of physical activity, even if it is as brief as a walk around the
neighborhood a few minutes a day. Muscles need to be exercises otherwise they
become flaccid. If you've reached middle age-or passed it-and never exercised
regularly, it's not too late to start. Maintaining the exercise habit, or taking
up light to moderate physical activity later in life, reduces overall mortality
(3). Physical activity also improves mental function. Exercise induces the
growth of capillaries (tiny blood vessels) in the brain. This is important since
the aging process leads to a decrease in blood supply to the brain.
Exercise will definitely give you a deeper sleep. Best times to work out are in
the late afternoon or early evening. Exercise may delay sleep if performed
within three or so hours before bedtime due to arousal and increase in body
heat.
Keeping our brain young involves mental exercises. Learning is an art
that improves with time. Brain cells, just like muscle cells, need constant
stimulation in order to maintain their healthy structure. Healthy people are
able to keep their brain young by constantly reading, learning, studying,
keeping curious, meeting new people, asking questions, and maintaining their
excitement about this wonderful world.
Q. If a person has a healthy diet, do they still
need to take
nutritional supplement products?
A. There is no simple answer. Some people may benefit, others may
not. For information on healthy living this page will be updated
regularly.
For Women, Healthy Is Not What You Think
If you want women to purchase your products, this is a can't-miss event.
On Saturday, March 13, 2010, New Hope Natural Media's Delicious Living, in
partnership with NBC's iVillage, will unveil findings from their inaugural
consumer research project, "For Women — Healthy is Not What You Think," at 12:30
pm, in room 204AB at Natural Products Expo West. A live consumer panel from the
iVillage community will be on hand to answer questions.
The initial research project looks at the responses of more than 5,000 women as
they define what leading a healthy lifestyle means to them. Findings include:
You won't want to miss this event! Please join us:
When: March 13, 2010, 12:30-2:00pm
Where: Anaheim Convention Center, Room 204AB
Which label claims, ingredients, and product attributes represent "healthy" to
female consumers
Which brands support their drive for a healthier lifestyle
What consumer price thresholds are when buying "healthy"
How their desire to live a healthy lifestyle shows up in these 5 key segments:
dairy, baby and kids, frozen, snacks, and beverages