How to Reverse The Effects of Aging

Learn how to reverse the effects of aging with these natural anti aging tips for a youthful mind and body.

For a lot of us Baby Boomers, the last 10 years has been fraught with caring for or watching our aging loved ones deal with such events as Alzheimers, Osteoporosis, heart conditions and Cancer.

Seeing these diseases so up close and personal has made us all the more set not to go there ourselves and we're steering ourselves onto a much different course than that of our parents. 

My recommendations here are to remain on top of the cutting-edge testing available and have a candid discussion with your physician about your own family history, any shifts in your body or diet.

In addition to that, it’s crucial to keep an on-going dialog with your doctor about any concerns that you might have.

The first step in prevention is becoming aware of your own body and any shifts you feel.

Early diagnosis of any sort of cancer increases your chances for outsmarting it.

Exercise and diet have been evidenced to help prevent Osteoporosis and Alzheimers Disease as well as a lot of the heart condition issues like hypertension and weight gain.

A few experts say one answer to aging graciously may be found in the grocery store -- in fruits, veggies, green tea, and a host of other healthful foods that are rich in antioxidants and additional potentially age-deterring compounds.

Of the assorted approaches to slow down the aging process, calorie limitation is considered the gold standard.

As supplements have bettered though several have been found to slow down the agents that fuel the aging process.

As the first wave of Baby Boomers achieves retirement age, predictions for the nation’s health care system have been nothing short of apocalyptic.

Several predict the surge in demand for medical aid affiliated with the aging population will so strain our resources that future generations will face permanently greater inflation, higher taxes – or both.

It’s time for baby boomers to take control of their health and I have recently published my book with the best strategies called
"7 Ways in 7 Days to Youthful Mind & Body" that covers in detail the most powerful anti-aging steps you can take day by day over a week to feel a marked improvement.

And below here are popular anti-aging suggestions to help you as well.

Anti-Aging:
Its causes and what you can do to slow the process down

If we are lucky, we will all get old someday.

But wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t ever have to feel old?

While there is no real ‘Fountain of Youth’ there are things that we can do to ensure that we will feel younger longer.

Most of the tips begin with simple advice – things that we already know, but perhaps just don’t give enough thought to.

Exercise and diet are key elements to a healthy lifestyle and they will also help us to feel better.

Just walking and eating right can go a long way toward living a longer, healthier life.

That’s about as simple as it can get!

It’s also important to keep our minds active and healthy. We can do that by indulging in fun activities, learning about new things, and spending time with the people we care about.

Once again, these things are easy to do.

Of course we need to avoid some of the negatives, the things that can cause stress or illness in our life.

This includes limiting the things in your life that result in unwarranted stress and things like smoking, over drinking, over eating, and other ‘bad’ habits.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) the life expectancy in the US has increased; it is now at 77.6 years. 

Women still outlive men but the gap is decreasing – it now stands at about 5 years.

The two major causes of death are heart disease and cancer but their death rates are dropping. 

Deaths from diseases associated with the elderly are now on the rise; this includes Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s but high blood pressure and kidney diseases are also major causes of death.

So when does aging actually begin?  Some say at birth and others claim we begin aging at conception. 

There is also much debate related to the discussion of aging as a disease.

There are two basic forms of disease: intrinsic and extrinsic. 

Intrinsic diseases result from internal dysfunctions, the cause is within the body and there is a disruption in homeostasis.

Intrinsic diseases are generally slow to develop and usually chronic in nature. 

The severity of the signs and symptoms gradually increase overtime. 

However, the problems can often be alleviated with treatments.

Extrinsic diseases are caused by exposure to pathogenic factors. 

These diseases are more prevalent in youth and old age. 

Examples of extrinsic diseases in youth include communicable diseases. 

Extrinsic diseases seem to increase in old age due to lethal gene expression and or physiological dysfunctions. 

Additionally, there is usually a progressive failure of the immune system in the very old.

What are the Top Causes of Aging?

From the day we are born we begin our journey to healthy aging.

After a while, we take our first baby step.

Our muscles, joints and bones have already started its progress of aging.

Yet, we continue to use our muscles, joints and bones throughout our life to balance our weight.

But unless we are active, eat right, and take care of our health and well-being in a multitude of ways, the aging process can begin and progress much more quickly than we would like. 

Eating right is the foundation of good health.

Throughout our life we depend on soluble fats to reduce heart disease.

We depend on nutrients that prevent high cholesterol.

High-Fiber diets help to slow cholesterol levels that can result in blocked arteries.

High fiber foods link to potential weight loss and control.

Foods that are high in soluble fat are more filling, we eat less of them, and there is the loss of more calories.

Being overweight is not healthy, but when trying to lose weight you should consult with your doctor first.

Diet supplements can be harmful, even the fiber ones.

Throughout our life journey we grow in several ways.

We establish a home, a career, and we probably have a family of our own, and along with all our successes comes a long list of things that we worry about.

These stressors can also have an impact on our aging process.

This is why it is so important to learn appropriate and effective coping mechanisms.

Living life requires that adjustments must be made.

From the start our cells divide and replicate themselves; this happens numerous times throughout our lifespan. 

But studies have shown that each cell seems to have an internal clock that limits the number of times this division can occur.

It is logical that we look to our ancestry to find a suggestion as to how long we will live. 

There is even a theory called the “Genetic Theory of Aging” that believes that the lifespan is largely determined by the genes we inherit.

Not surprisingly, there is some supporting evidence for this. 

A vast majority of people whose parents live a long life are more likely to also live long.

But before we completely believe this theory we need to question if other factors might also contribute to this similarity in the lifespan. 

It is very possible that along with genes, lifestyles and food preferences, and even personalities are also passed from generation to generation in some cases. 

Nutrition and Dieting to live a healthy aging life:

When aging begins in our youth, we start to lose fibers, vitamins, and other nutrients.

In addition, the dying cells increase while the living cells decrease.

These are some of the reasons that adding supplements or vitamins to your daily diet is a good idea.

Fiber will help reduce such risks as heart disease.

At least 30 grams of healthy fibers should be a part of the daily diet.

Changing your diet now can help you stay on schedule as you age.

Some people find it difficult to change their diet because they are used to fast foods or unstable meal plans.

Ideally you will set a scheduled diet, eating a minimum of three healthy meals daily.

You will notice improvement by making your diet a goal, planned, and scheduled duty.

We need to make many changes as we are aging to live a longer lifespan.

When planning your diet consider grains, fibers, proteins, and so on.

Eat plenty of veggies and fruits whenever feasible.

Veggies and fruits are known to reduce the risks of diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and even cancer.

Fibers will assist in keeping your cholesterol and sugar level in accord with its natural intention.

Nutrition plays a vital role in the aging process. 

Throughout life good nutrition is essential to good health but our needs change as we grow older. 

Calcium, fiber, iron, proteins, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and folacin become increasing important.   

We gradually reach a point in which we need fewer calories. 

This is because aging usually results in more body fat and less lean muscle, and in most cases decreased activity levels. 

Older people are encouraged to eat foods high in nutrients, which are commonly referred to as ‘nutrient dense foods’. 

For most of us aging results in a decline in the senses. 

It is common to find a loss of visual acuity and or a loss of hearing. 

These losses can have an impact on what or how an individual eats.

A decrease in visual acuteness can result in less activity due to the increased risk for injuries. 

Additionally this loss can result in difficulty or inability to read food prices and packaging. 

Nutrition labels are sometimes left unread and the individual may not be able to read recipes. 

This can have a direct impact on what the person chooses to eat. 

Grocery shopping, food preparation and eating are all affected by this and ultimately the nutritional status can suffer.

A hearing loss can lead to the individual choosing not to eat out due to embarrassment or frustration when ordering food.

The decrease in the senses of taste and smell can easily be related to impairments in nutritional status. 

If food doesn’t smell or taste appetizing we are less likely to eat it.

It is not uncommon for aging individuals to be asked (by their physicians) to cut back on salt or sugar. 

For many this can result in bland tasting foods. 

A remedy for that may be to experiment with a wide variety of foods and food flavors and to use lemon juice, dill, curry and herbs of all types to spice up flavors.

If loss of teeth is an issue it is important to get or have dentures adjusted for a proper fit. 

Other suggestions include chopping, steaming, grating or grinding hard or tough foods.

Sixty percent of calories should come from carbohydrates with an emphasis on complex carbohydrates. 

Complex carbohydrates put less stress on circulating blood glucose than the refined carbohydrates do.

Low levels of Vitamin B12 have been associated with memory loss and age-related hearing loss. 

The following foods are rich in Vitamin B12: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy foods.

As we age the need for iron and calcium increase. 

Vitamin D-fortified milk is recommended. 

To help improve the absorption of iron Vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables should be included.

Zinc has been linked to improving taste acuity. 

To ensure adequate Zinc intake one should eat meats, eggs and seafood.

Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, phytochemicals, lutein, zeaxantin and beta-carotene have been shown to help slow the onset of age-related macular degeneration. 

Studies have shown that Vitamin E may be linked to the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Vitamin E sources include whole grains, peanuts, nuts, vegetable oils and seeds.

Adequate fluid intake is also essential to good health and healthy aging. 

This will decrease the stress on kidney function which tends to decline with age. 

Adequate fluid intake, with an emphasis on water, also eases constipation.

For many older individuals there is a decreased ability to detect thirst and therefore it becomes important that one ‘measures’ an adequate fluid intake into his/her day.

At least five to eight glasses of water, juice, milk, coffee, or tea should be consumed per day – keeping an emphasis on water.

Many older individuals seem to get in ruts, eating the same foods over and over. 

This is partly due to habit but in some cases it is due to finances. 

In order to get more nutrients per spending dollar one should focus grocery spending on milk, eggs, legumes, grain, lean meat, fish, and poultry.

The Stressful Actions behind Healthy Aging

Learning to manage stress can help you feel better about you, since you will feel healthier.

Stress can be a bad thing, yet you have the power to control stress.

If you let stress control you, it will affect your health.

You will likely feel sick all the time, or feel like there is not hope in your world even when there is.

For this reason, you need to learn how to take control of your life and stress.

How can I take control of stress?

The first thing you need to do is to take a long look. Is your situation so demanding that it stresses you? 

Get a view on life and decide if you want the positive or negative things offered to you.

Figure out how stress will affect your health to see if it is worth hanging onto the negative.

Next, ask do you eat right and do you get enough rest?

How’s your diet? Is it a healthy diet or is it a junk food diet?

How do people learn to deal with stress?

People learn to deal with stress all the time. It will take time, yet if you want it bad enough you will do it.

You have to learn how to cope with the stress before you can deal with it.

However, if you do this it will make it easier for you and you will stay healthier.

Therefore, the answer to your question is to learn new coping skills.

How can stress affect my health?

Stress can affect you in many ways.  Stress can make you feel sick more than normal.

Stress can make it difficult for you to make decisions, since it affects your concentration. 

Your normal sleeping patterns can be affected by stress.

Some people experience off balance eating habits.

Some people will eat more than normal and others will not eat at all. You might develop high blood pressure.

You could also be affected to the point of living with heart disease.

Stress causes anxiety and depression. Stress can affect your overall mental and physical character.

You need to learn how to control stress before it takes over you and your life.

You cannot just jump in and take control however, since it takes time to learn how to control stress.

Still, the effort you put forth is the gain you get back.

How do I find the ways to control my stress?

You have many options.

To learn how you can control stress, consider who you are and what you want from life.

You can write down things that stress you the most. Keep in mind some things in life you have no control over.

For instance, you have children who will cause you stress.

Perhaps you have a job, and sometimes it causes you stress.

As you age, sometimes as a parent you feel helpless, since you have no control over your adult children.

Remember, these children have rights to make their own choices, which may affect you, but you have no control. Let it go.

Do not spend your time worrying or yelling at the children, since they are grown and will do what they please, just as you did in your youthful years.

Work on you, not anyone else, since it is the key to finding ways to control your stress.

There are thousands of examples in life that we have little or no control over.

Consider the weather or the traffic.

Such things can be frustrating but we just have to learn to deal with even the difficult situations and make the best of them.

Learn how to say no and mean it.

This is a great way to reduce stress.

This is one way of caring for you.

Setting limits means you have to do what has to be done first for you, before doing for someone else.

Learning to manage your stress is not going to be easy but it can be done with some work and will power.

Each of us must endure a certain amount of stress during our lifetime. 

Although stress cannot be totally eliminated we can try to decrease it and its impact as much as possible.

Studies have shown that psychological stress can take several years off one’s life. 

Extreme stress causes cells to age faster than normal which results in a shortened life of the cells, specifically the immune cells.

Additionally, studies have shown a relationship between chronic psychological stress and impaired health, including cardiovascular disease and weakened immune function.

Stress causes an increase in blood pressure which results in an increased risk for heart disease. 

Stress can also lead to unhealthful coping mechanisms and less healthy lifestyles

Sleep Disorders and Healthy Aging

Studies have shown that around 70% of the US citizens do not get the proper rest they need.

For this reason, people are suffering poor health, depression and so on.

Getting proper rest will help you keep your health in good condition.

When you lack proper rest, it affects your concentration.

To stay healthy you need proper rest, sustenance and exercise daily.

As a person ages the body goes through changes.

The bodily functions start to decline.

For that reason we may suffer sleep disorders, including insomnia.

What you should know:

According to philosophers, theorists, experts, etc., women are likely to experience insomnia more so than men.

While many citizens find it difficult to fall asleep, some of us suffer insomnia, which is harder on our health.

On the other hand, if you sleep too much during wake hours, it will affect your concentration, impair your memory and cause other problems as well, such as sleeping at night.

If you get too much sleep, just like insomnia you may incur high blood pressure.

Heart disease and strokes are commonly caused from insufficient or oversleeping as well.

You should also learn about Sleep Apnea, which is a common sleep disorder.

This disorder is harder to detect than any other sleeping ailment.

Sleep apnea is often noted by sleeping partners.

Doctors can rarely detect the disorder until a sleeping partner comes forward.

The disorder causes the person to wake up all through the night gasping for air. During the day hours, the person often drifts into sleep uncontrollably.

The factors behind sleep disorders:

Sleep disorders, which causes interruption of restful relaxation can alter your internal organs.

Your patterns and rhythms may change often.

Your bodily functions will flip out and feel confused, causing a series of interruptions.

You may experience joint and muscle pain, especially in the legs, or you may snore at night.

These factors can lead to high risks of illnesses, depression, etc.

To avoid such complications you will need to reduce stress and perhaps seek help for your sleep disorder.

What should I avoid?

When you find it difficult to sleep, try staying away from caffeine after 7 p.m.

Avoid nicotine and alcohol also before going to sleep. If you find it difficult to drift into sleep, try counting sheep.

This will bore your mind watching visuals of sheep jumping over a fence repetitiously.

Some people can fall asleep watching television. If it works for you do it.

If you are one of those people who listen to music and television and it starts your adrenaline flowing, then leave it alone.

You want to avoid eating or exercise before heading to bed as well.

Exercise will boost metabolism. Eating may cause indigestion.

Helpful tips:

If you find it difficult to sleep at night, try adjusting the room temperature, especially if you feel uncomfortable.

Turn out the lights so that the room is dark, unless you need a night light due to consistent waking at night due to restroom visits.

If you are afraid of the dark, keep in mind that burglars can easily trip in dark areas verses lighted areas.

This gives you the advantage of calling for help, since you are aware that someone is in your home.

If the lights are on, you are inviting the burglar to stroll freely, tip-toeing through the house without awakening you.

If you find it difficult to sleep at night, you will likely need medical attention, especially if the problem is ongoing. 

The average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep nightly. 

While some may need a little more and others require a little less, a lack of sleep or sleeping at odd hours results in an increased risk for several major illnesses. 

Some recent studies have shown that less than six hours of sleep per night results in an increased risk of death.

Research indicates that the obesity epidemic is at least partially driven by a decrease in the average hours spent sleeping. 

This results in a disruption to the hormones that regulate appetite. 

When an individual is sleep deprived the body becomes alerted and this results in an increased production of stress hormones. 

That leads to an elevated blood pressure which is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Socializing to Continue Healthy Aging

It is always a good thing to have friends.

There are so many good things about being around people.

It is difficult living alone without someone there to lend you an ear when needed.

When you are alone your body and mind endures unwarranted stress from lack of socialization.

Experts tell us all the time to get out and enjoy life, since withering away, locked behind the walls of your home will affect your health.

Non-socialization can affect your mind and body.

While you may enjoy being alone, away from stressful relationships, you need balance in your life.

Socializing helps to keep you active.  

What can I do to meet more people?

There are many ways to meet people.

You can visit your local stores and meet new people.

Taking a walk is a great way to say hi to passer-bys.

You never know when you might find a friend for life. 

Maybe you would like to go to a local church.

Church is a great way to meet people.

Perhaps you can get involved with church groups and join in group activities.

Give your time to a local shelter for people in need.

You have options.

On this note, take action now to live your healthy aging life with success following your every path.

Isolation and loneliness are not a natural way of being. 

The human body responds to those conditions in a similar manner that it does to stress. 

Much research has been done to determine this and other facts.

Studies have shown that people with an insecure attachment style have a lower immune activity and they are more likely to develop certain diseases.  

The increased stress from this insecure attachment style may be the missing link.

A particular study involving adults aged 70 – 79 asked several questions regarding feelings related to interactions with others. 

These same individuals were tracked for a period of seven years. 

The participants that ranked themselves high as being useful to family and friends were less likely to suffer from chronic illness or mortality during that timeframe. 

This study indicated a link to the development of cognitive problems for the individuals that rated themselves higher for loneliness.

How your Socioeconomic Status can affect your aging

There is a debate among the experts about the relationship of one’s socioeconomic status and their health/life expectancy. 

Some say that health determines or at least impacts income and therefore socioeconomic status. 

Others say that socioeconomic status impacts health and therefore life expectancy.

The healthy (healthier) individuals are more likely to hold jobs and work competitively. 

That means they are more likely to advance both socially and economically and that in turn will help to protect their health.

Another argument is that education leads to a better earning potential as well as a decreased likelihood of engagement in unhealthful behaviors, including recreational drugs, drinking and smoking.

This debate will probably continue for a long time but it is obvious that having proper medical care can result in the control or elimination of certain illnesses. 

It can be said that not everyone has this advantage.

Achieve lifetime fitness with Exercise

Exercise has been proven to keep a body fit.

Exercise helps us to live a long productive life.

As we grow older, the bodily functions decline. If a person fails to stay active in their lifetime, the aging process speeds up full force ahead.

If you work out when you are young, you will feel good for a long time to come.

Exercise should include cardiovascular workouts.

Aerobics is a great workout that helps you to work the heart.

The workout will increase your heart rate as well as pump your blood so that it flows smoothly to the heart.

You will also need to build strength to prevent injured joints.

You may enjoy weightlifting to achieve a resistance workout.

Studies have shown that those working out with weights can live a long and productive life.

Weightlifting has also been proven to boost metabolism, which gives us energy and helps us lose or maintain our weight.

Workouts will strengthen the muscles and provide you with the will to carry on through life while enjoying endurance.

Those who fail to workout should be alert that the density of bones decrease.

Once the bone density decreases, the blood will slowly channel to the heart, which puts you at risk of heart disease.

Additionally, weightlifting has been proven to decline the risks of high cholesterol. In addition, working out will slow the aging process.

Exercise is necessary for optimal health. 

Although exercise cannot restore tissue that has already been destroyed, it can maximize residual function and also help to protect against many chronic diseases of old age.

However, before beginning any exercise regimen a visit to the physician is in order. 

The risk of a cardiac emergency is substantially increased during exercise.

As we age our resting metabolism decreases. 

In old age there may also be some overall reduction in cellular metabolism. 

Food intake or more precisely, caloric intake must be decreased if body fat is not to be increased.

Aging results in a decrease of muscle strength and of flexibility. 

Muscle strength can be greatly improved with as little as 8 weeks of resistance training – this is true even for the very old. 

Flexibility can be maintained or improved by taking the main joints of the body through their full range of motion each day.

Anti-aging skincare tips

As we age our skin goes through changes. 

Most markedly our skin loses some of its elasticity quality and we notice the appearance of wrinkles. 

Several factors can contribute to this, see list below.

·             Smoking

·             Sun Exposure

·             Lose of subcutaneous support

·             Stress levels

·             Gravity

·             Daily facial movement

·             Obesity

·             Sleep positions

 

Smoking – Smokers tend to have more wrinkles than non-smokers. 

The wrinkles may be partly due to the puckering of the mouth around the cigarette but are primarily due to the production of free radicals.

Exposure to sun – Sun exposure results in a breakdown of the elastin fibers.  

The skin sags and stretches but loses the ability to snap back after stretching.  

The skin bruises and tears more easily and takes longer to heal. 

This damage may not be apparent until later in life.

The loss of fat below the skin of the face can result in loosening skin, sunken eyes, and a general skeletal appearance to the face.

Gravity, daily facial movements and sleep positions can result in drooping of eyebrows and eyelids, looseness and fullness under the cheeks and jaws and even longer ear lobes.

To postpone these effects one should limit exposure to the sun and avoid smoking. 

Additionally a daily skin care regime consisting of a cleanser, toner and moisturizer is recommended.  Facial exercises can also be helpful.

What is Botox?

Botox is a purified protein derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. 

Injections of this ingredient are used to relax muscles enough that the skin appears smoother, firmer and more refreshed.

The goal of Botox injections is to lessen the severity of frown lines and wrinkles. 

Injections can last up to 4 months.

What about plastic surgery?

Plastic surgery seems to be changing the way many people think and feel about aging. 

We’ve all heard that your appearance affects how you feel and that perhaps has never been truer than now. 

Plastic surgery seems to be becoming increasingly popular as time goes by.

With financing options available face lifts are no longer only for the rich and famous. 

This procedure can not only reduce wrinkles, it can eliminate slight signs of aging and improve the overall appearance of the face and jaw area.  

Anti-aging Supplements

Free radicals are atoms with unpaired electrons. 

The Free Radical Theory states that free radicals damage cells which leads to aging. 

When oxygen is burned or metabolized by the body cells free radicals are produced.

Free radicals can disturb cellular structure that results in cell damage in protein, fat, and DNA molecules.

The defense against this is antioxidants. 

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and beta-carotene, as well as a variety of enzymes can be used by the body to destroy free radicals. 

They combine and inactivate the free radicals thus preventing further cellular damage.

HGH

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is made naturally by the body to generate growth during childhood. 

It is also used to help maintain the health of tissues and organs throughout life.

The amount of HGH produced by the body decreases at about the age of 40. 

Studies have shown that when adults with low HGH receive injections of synthetic HGH several effects are the outcome. 

An increase in muscle mass, a decrease in body fat, an increase in the heart’s ability to contract, improved mood and motivation as well as an increase in exercise capacity have been noted.

However, when healthy older adults are injected with HGH they have been noted to increase muscle mass and decrease body fat but no increase in strength has been reported. 

A cheaper and more effective alternative may be strength training. 

This can increase muscle mass and the strength of the individual.

Cardio for the Over 50 Gal

The absolute fastest and best way to burn fat calories for women over fifty is with cardiovascular workouts.

That means you get your big bottom in gear. Once your bottom is moving your heart will follow. 

Elevating your heart rate is the key to a productive cardio vascular workout.

Steady State Cardio Training

There really isn't an easy way to break the news.  Steady state cardio training promotes fat loss, because you burn calories.

Getting your heart rate up to a point where you are effectively engaged in cardiovascular exercise is going to take the first 10 to 15 minutes of your workout. 

Steady state cardio training means that your heart rate is elevated to the point where your body is burning fat.

  Once there, you have to maintain that heart rate for the duration of your workout period. 

That's where circuit training can help. 

You may start out on a treadmill or with a vigorous walk to get your heart rate elevated, then ad in the circuit training to exercise muscle groups. T

he key is to keep that heart rate up.

So you only are allowed a few second pause between the exercises on the different pieces of equipment used for the circuit training. 

If you've ever watched "The Biggest Loser" on television you've seen this method. 

However, instead of using standard circuit training equipment, they use items to keep the audience entertained. 

You may have seen one of the contestants lifting and tossing bales of hay or wheeling heavy loads of rocks in wheelbarrow up and down a hill. 

While these exercises offer the audience huge entertainment, they aren't recommended for an unsupervised beginning cardiovascular exercise routine.

You also don't have to use circuit training for your cardiovascular exercise. 

Other great options are walking, jogging, swimming, biking, workout DVDs, or dancing.

Using a cardio training machine like a stair climber, treadmill, elliptical machine and stationary bicycle are also great tools to keep your cardio rate elevated. 

Interval Training

At some point, once your body is accustomed to the increased cardio rate and exercise, you may need to shake up the routines. 

Interval training is used to add variety to a cardio routine as well as to help people who have plateaued at a specific weight or fitness level. 

With interval training you'll alternate high-intensity workouts with low-intensity cardio training exercises. 

This method kind of tricks your body into burning more fat calories which in turn helps to get you to lose more weight and get to the next fitness level.

Over 50 Circuit Training

Women over fifty entering into menopause find that weight gain happens just by taking in more air. 

The pounds start to add up without benefit of additional calories. 

The metabolism of women entering into menopause is much slower than for younger women.  This makes weight maintenance that much more difficult.

The body is burning fewer calories even though day to day activity and eating routines are the same.

Starting an Exercise Routine

Enthusiasm works wonders to get you started with a workout routine. 

However, for the sake of torn muscles and over extended joints, you should start your new exercise program with caution. 

If you can walk outdoors, or on an indoor track for 30 minutes a day 4 times a week that is a often recommended approach. 

However, using a circuit workout will stimulate muscles and improve muscle tone.

Start out with a 12-week plan.  That provides you with a definite end-date.

Of course you want to extend an exercise program to last a lifetime, but when you are starting out, twelve weeks is a lot easier to grasp than a lifetime. 

Twelve weeks gives your body time to show progress with weight loss and muscle toning.

A circuit workout usually requires equipment that you probably don't have at home. 

Your local YMCA is equipped with an excellent inventory of equipment for circuit training.   They also have treadmills, cycles, rowing and other workout appliances to give you a variety of equipment to use. 

Circuit Training

A circuit workout is a series of exercises designed to improve strength. 

The exercises are performed one right after another with a 5 to 8 second rest between exercises.

Circuit training focuses on using alternate muscle groups, starting with one, and then progressing to another.  This method benefits you in several ways:

·         Builds muscle

·         Firms muscles

·         Increases aerobic capacity

·         Burns calories

When starting a circuit training program, you need some basic instruction on how to use the equipment. 

You don't want to injure yourself right during your first week of workout using circuit training equipment.

Don't try to go through a circuit training workout without first understanding how to set the appropriate weight on the machines.

Circuit workout equipment isn't totally intuitive.  The machines have odd configurations.  You need to know where to put your hands and feet and the basic use of the circuit machines. 

Once you get through the first series of circuit training workouts, you'll easily remember how to work the equipment. 

If you have a memory lapse, just ask the onsite assistant to give you a refresher. 

Decompress With 3 Yoga Positions

Studies show that women who participate in simple yoga routines on a daily basis benefit from by reducing the conditions accelerating the aging process going on in the body. 

Other benefits of yoga are better flexibility, improved balance, a reduction in back pain and better movement throughout the muscle groups. 

Now you may have visions of wrapping your leg around the back of your neck or having to perform some incredible pretzel movement in order practice yoga. 

In fact, the positions described in this article are extremely easy to execute yet they do wonders to reduce stress and improve flexibility. 

In fact, you won't even break a sweat. 

There are three simple positions that you can do in 10 minutes that will rejuvenate your energy levels and reduce stress.  They are:

1.       Sitting Pose

2.       Child's Pose

3.       Supported Bridge Pose

Sitting Pose

Sometimes this is referred to as Bound Angle pose. 

When you perform Sitting Pose your inner thighs and groin muscles are gently stretched. 

This position helps to relax and promotes meditation. 

It helps reduce fatigue and the symptoms of menopause.

Use a firm pillow or thickly folded blanket to sit on. 

This helps get your hips is a position that is more comfortable than sitting directly on the floor.

Place the pillow or blanket on the floor and sit on it. 

Sit tall, your back straight, bend your knees and gently pull in your heels as close to your pelvis as you can. 

This is similar to sitting "Indian syle" without crossing your legs.  The soles of your feet are touching each other. 

Grasp your big toe on each foot with the first and second fingers and thumb of each hand. 

Hold this position for 3 minutes. Sit tall.

Close your eyes and let your face muscles relax.  Focus on your breathing.

Child's Pose

This yoga position stretches hips, thighs and back muscles.

Start this position by kneeling. 

Sit back on your heels and spread your knees apart to about hip-width. 

Bend forward with your arms stretched out and lower your upper body from the waist to your forehead toward the floor. 

As you stretch, run the palms of your hands along the floor stretching as far as you can comfortably.

Some people benefit by placing a blanket between the calves and hamstrings to minimize the stress on the knees. 

Rest in this position for about 3 minutes. 

Focus on your breath flowing in and out of your lungs.

Note: People who don't have a yoga block can substitute a thick phone book or firm pillow for the yoga block.

Supported Bridge

This is the more challenging position of the three stress reducing yoga positions. 

It stretches the spine, chest, and abdomen and strengthens your lower back muscles.  You need to use a yoga block for support. 

Lie on your back with the knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms to the sides with palms down. 

Press the soles of your feet into the floor and lift your hips. 

While your hips are lifted, slide the pillow or yoga block under your hips and allow your body to rest on the block. 

Remain in this position for three minutes; focus on your breathing, in out, in out.

To come out of the pose, press into your feet, lift your hips and remove the block.

Lower your back to the floor and gently roll to your side and then up into a seated position. 

Look & Feel Younger Without the Scalpel

Everyone, especially women, want to look and feel younger. 

Women who exercise do look younger and have more energy.

That's not a huge news story, but the fact is many women are more inclined to go under the knife to look younger in one location while the rest of her body could benefit from a makeover. 

Instead of opting for plastic surgery to adjust one area of your body, take a whole-body approach to an improved appearance through weight loss and exercise.

The metabolism in your body starts to slow about 5 percent for every 10 years.

That means the metabolism for a 50 year old woman uses about 25% less energy (calories). 

Women see and feel this change with an increase in body fat and decease in muscle mass. 

In fact, by age fifty many women have gained about 10 pounds of fat and lost 5 pounds of muscle. 

It just doesn't seem fair, but the older you get the more you have to work to keep fat off and muscle weight on.

Exercise Makes Your DNA Younger

Studies have proven that exercise extends certain biological markers for aging in DNA.

This is scientific validation of what we already knew: exercise helps you look and feel younger.  The study was done using twins.

One group of twins exercised as little as 30 minutes a day while the other group exercised less than 16 minutes a week.

The group that exercised regularly each day had longer telomeres than the lazy (sedentary) group. 

A telomere is a region of DNA that indicates aging.

Diet to Lose Weight - Exercise and Diet to Look Younger

Reducing your calorie intake will help you lose weight.  However, losing weight alone does not help you look younger. 

A plan to look younger involves diet and an exercise routine to help you look slimmer, feel younger, reduce stress and increase your overall strength.

Women of every age can roll back the years with a two-pronged approach of diet and exercise. 

Of course, this is more work than writing a check for plastic surgery to remove a neck waddle. 

This plan is for women who want to achieve a youthful all-over appearance, to feel younger and develop a healthy routine for a lifetime of benefit.

Begin and exercise program at home, at a gym or with a personal trainer. 

The biggest challenge is getting started.

Whether you are a man or woman, if you haven't been active is awhile, start with a low impact program. 

People often start to build up to a more rigorous workout routine with yoga. 

Others choose to mix low impact exercise like yoga with cardio workouts and body sculpting exercises. 

People often say they feel younger and fitter with daily sessions of yoga. That's a great place to start.

Continue to Research

The search for a ‘Fountain of Youth’ began long before you or I ever worried about getting old. 

There are many products on the market that promise amazing results and it seems that some actually work.

We can use the creams and potions as well as Botox injections and plastic surgery to improve our outward appearance and defy the wrinkles and sagging of our skin. 

Looking younger may indeed result in one feeling younger.

But if we do not take care of the inside of our bodies the diseases and debilitation associated with old age will persist. 

Taking care to ‘age gracefully’ (anti-aging) is trendy in this modern day and age but vanity is only a small part of its popularity. 

The true focus of Anti-Aging is health throughout the lifespan which will result in a longer and healthier life.

Some negative elements in life are difficult if not impossible to completely avoid but they can be minimized. 

Because we know the sun can present problems we can avoid direct sunlight or use protective creams when we are outdoors. 

Stress can present with multiple problems so it is wise to learn about helpful coping mechanisms.

It is my hope that the information contained in this ebook will be used as a springboard for learning more about the various topics. 

Armed with this and additional information – including seeking the advice from a medical professional – you should incorporate healthier habits into your life. 

The goal should be to always take care of yourself in the best possible way you can in every aspect of your life. 

It really should be a holistic approach. 

This will help to ensure that your life will indeed be a long and pleasurable journey!

More Resources

There are many fabulous anti-aging guides you can get online, as well as a range of natural supplements and tools to help you exercise and stay in shape for life.

I recently published a book to help everyone stay younger for longer, and as a Baby Boomer myself, it is a very important topic to me - lol!

7 Ways in 7 Days to Youthful Mind & Body

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