Your body is being constantly attacked by very harmful substances known as free radicals or oxygen radicals. Free radicals can destroy your cells, tissues and organs.

Free radicals are highly unstable molecules that are naturally formed inside our bodies by the process of oxidation.
They are normal by products of everyday functions like digestion and physical activity. Free radicals also come from outside sources, such as smoking, environmental pollution, and synthetic chemicals that are added to our water and food. Some tips for living longer and anti-aging:

- Change your perception of time
- Access restful awareness and restful sleep
- Nourish your body with anit-aging food
- Eliminate toxins
- Make love the most important thing in your life

Scientific approach to ageing intervention, prevention and therapy is based on the knowledge gathered through more than fifty years of research on the biological basis of ageing. This research has shown that ageing occurs mainly due to the failure of maintenance and repair pathways. In this lecture, we will discuss the causes of ageing, limits of human lifespan, gerontogenes involved in ageing, and various anti-ageing methods, such as gene therapy, antioxidants, hormones and nutritional treatments.

BEST CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES: Artichokes, avocados, dark-green leafy vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, spinach, escarole, romaine lettuce, cherries, berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc.), apples, pears, barley, beans (dried and fresh), bean sprouts, endive, eggplant, cabbage, kale, red and green peppers, bok choy, and celery.

BEST FATS: Extra virgin olive oil, flax oil, flax seed, nuts (esp. almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and macadamia), pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds

BEVERAGES: Spring water, green tea, white tea, black tea

GRAINS: Buckwheat, whole oats, barley

SPICES: Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, oregano, basil, thyme, cayenne, (every spice and herb you can think of are stellar anti-aging foods).

Aging is a very complex process that involves many areas of your body. There is no single product, pill or substance which could cure all of the ills of aging. Your best avenue for a long and healthy life is to keep yourself healthy and prevent chronic diseases.

Drug rehabilitation center - Drug Rehabilitation Network is your best chance at long term sobriety, and that means finding the best treatment facility to suit your every need.

“You are what you eat”, a saying usually applied to the physical effects of the foods we eat, is also applicable to how food affects our emotional well being. Recent studies have shed light on the connection between what we eat and how we feel, particularly how we deal with stress. While stress management often involves psychological counseling, and pharmaceutical therapy, lifestyle changes involving nutrition and exercise can be very beneficial in developing a long-term strategy to handle stress. While most of us use the term “stress” to describe unpleasant anxious feelings, we need a more clinical understanding of the term to understand how food can affect it.

Conversely, making better food choices can alleviate the symptoms by helping your body and mind to restore the necessary hormonal balance. The Food and Mood project begun in the UK in 1998 to study the relationship between diet and emotional health produced a survey that highlighted the positive effects of proper nutrition on the mental well-being of the participants. The participants reported that consuming more food “supporters” was a significant factor in improving their overall mood. These supporters in order of importance were: water, vegetables, fruits, oil-rich fish, nuts and seeds, and whole-grain foods. The participants also noted that planning meals and snacks in advance was an important factor in improving mood and reducing stress. Scheduling time for breakfast every morning, and planning meals and snacks in advance rather than making at-the-moment decisions helped to steer them toward healthier choices.

Why are the foods identified as supporters effective in helping with stress? A major factor is the presence of B vitamins in many of these foods. The group of vitamins that make up the B complex support emotional health in many ways, most notably as supporters of neural functions. B6 helps to regulate blood glucose levels which can lead to a more relaxed emotional state because erratic peaks and valleys in glucose levels can have an associated effect on our mood. Good sources of b6 include salmon, turkey, and white potatoes. B2 also know as riboflavin is critical in enabling our bodies to metabolize the other B vitamins and can be found in beef liver, shrimp, and cheese. B complex vitamins are water soluble and are not stored in the body for long periods, (except for b12), so proper hydration as well as frequent ingestion are important.

Identifying B vitamins in food labels can be tricky because some, such as folic acid, are identified by their chemical name rather than with a “B” followed by a number. A chart such as this one is handy to help identify the B vitamins contained in packaged foods.

It is important to remember that managing stress through nutrition is a long-term process. We are often tempted to deal with stressful situations with certain comfort foods, which can in fact provide very short term relief. The urge to grab a cookie or ice cream bar when we are upset was instilled in many of us during childhood. (How often did your mother offer you a soothing slice of beef liver when you stubbed your toe?) The challenge is to remind yourself how often the brief elevation provided by the cookies is followed by the agitation of the glucose spike, and the letdown of the sugar crash. Having healthy snacks available at all times will help in avoiding the spur of the moment decisions that can sabotage your plan. Hummus with whole grain pita triangles and bite-sized raw vegetables is an easy snack to keep on hand, and is much better as a stress fighter than the pre-packaged sugary snack you may be tempted to grab. Raw almonds are a good substitute for chips, providing protein and B vitamins instead of starch and empty calories.

Stress management is a key component of overall health, and proper nutrition is critical to stress management. Planning meals and snacks in advance, avoiding stress accelerators such as sugar and caffeine, and replacing them with foods high in B vitamins such as beef, seafood, and green-leaf vegetables will give you the nutritional base you need to take on the day. Take a long term approach, plan ahead for the inevitable agitations and the snacking habits that accompany them, and prepare to live a more stress-free life.

Organic fresh made juices have cleansing and laxative action, which will help you eliminate constipation. Taken regularly they will help you have daily bowel movements.

Organic juices contain loads of mineral, bioflavonoids, vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Citric fruits have citric acid and the more tart they are the more acid they have.

Fresh juice is a fast way to get all types of nutrients into the blood quickly. As juice nutrients get into your blood, they suck out toxics and build up tissues. In your colon they destroy bad bacteria, feed wall tissue, pull out toxins, and have laxative action.

Even though juices provide helpful action throughout the body, it is best to limit their use and drink them in larger quantities only when trying to accomplish certain health benefits.

If you use natural foods with laxative effects, their laxative effect diminishes after long-term use.

If you have diabetes or adrenal fatigue, limit your use of fruits and juices when you first wake up in the morning. However, exercise in the morning will help you tolerate drinking some juices in the morning

When juicing fruits and vegetables, the more fiber that is left with the juice the better results you will get with your constipation.

It is always best to use fresh juices, but as a last resort using packaged juices will be better than not drinking anything.

Some juices are helpful in treating constipation.. Pear, prune and apple juices all naturally contain the sugar alcohol, sorbitol that is poorly absorbed by the intestines.. The sorbitol stays in the intestines for a longer time and pulls water back into the intestinal tract causing the contents to have more fluid and move easier through the bowel.. These juices also contain fructose, a sugar found in many fruits, which can also be poorly absorbed.. These two sugars together can increase the fluid in the bowel contents and make the bowel movement softer.

Because sorbitol has in fact been used as a medication to alleviate constipation in extreme cases, using sorbitol containing juices and foods must be done with caution.. Cramps or diarrhea can occur when too much sorbitol is taken.. . One 8 ounce glass of pear juice can contain as much as 7 grams of sorbitol.. As little as 10 grams of sorbitol has been known to cause diarrhea in children.. So, use discretion when giving juice to your child.. Start out with a little and increase as needed.

What do the food labels such as “organic,” “natural,” “free-range,” and “non-GMO” really mean? Understanding this terminology is essential when you’re shopping for organic foods.

The most important point to remember is that “natural” does not equal organic. “Natural” is an unregulated term that can be applied by anyone. Only the “USDA Organic” label indicates that a food is certified organic.
USDA Certified Organic Food Labels

When you’re shopping for organic foods, look for the “USDA Organic” seal. Only foods that are 95 to 100 percent organic can use the USDA Organic label.

* 100% Organic – Foods that are completely organic or made with 100% organic ingredients. May display the USDA seal.
* Organic – Foods that contain at least 95% organic ingredients. May display the USDA seal.
* Made with organic ingredients – Foods that contain at least 70% organic ingredients. Will not display the USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the front of the package.
* Contains organic ingredients – Foods that contain less than 70% organic ingredients. Will not display the USDA seal. May list specific organic ingredients on the information panel of the package.

Meat and dairy labels: other terms you need to know

The organic label is the most regulated term, but when it comes to meat, we often see many other terms used. In order to make informed choices, it is helpful to know what some of these terms mean.

* Natural – This label means “minimally processed” and that the meat can’t have any artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, or any other artificial ingredients in it. Animals can still be given antibiotics or growth enhancers. For example, this term can be applied to all raw cuts of beef since they aren’t processed.
* Grass fed – This term means that the animals are fed solely on a diet of grass or hay. These animals have access to the outdoors. Cattle are naturally ruminants that eat grass, so they tend to be healthier and leaner when fed this way. In addition, grass fed beef has been shown to have more of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
* Free-range – This means that the animals weren’t confined to a cage and had access to the outdoors. Unfortunately, the animal density can still be very high and the animals may have only short periods outside in an area that’s quite small. It is difficult to tell exactly what free-range means when you see it on meat packaging. You can contact the producer directly for clarification.
* No Hormones added – This term is allowed when animals are raised without the use of any added growth hormones. For beef and dairy products it can be helpful, but by law, poultry and pigs cannot be given hormones, so don’t pay extra for chicken or pork products that use this label.

You hear a lot about living a healthy lifestyle, but what does that mean? In general, a healthy person doesn’t smoke, is at a healthy weight, eats healthy and exercises. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

The trick to healthy living is making small changes…taking more steps, adding fruit to your cereal, having an extra glass of water…these are just a few ways you can start living healthy without drastic changes.

Eating Well

Eating a healthy diet is another part of the healthy lifestyle. Not only can a clean diet help with weight management, it can also improve your health and quality of life as you get older. You can use the new Food Guide Pyramid to determine how many calories you need and what food groups you should focus on or, if you’re looking for smaller changes, you can use these tips for simple ways to change how you eat:

* Eat more fruit. Add it to your cereal, your salads or even your dinners
* Sneak in more veggies. Add them wherever you can–a tomato on your sandwich, peppers on your pizza, or extra veggies in your pasta sauce. Keep pre-cut or canned/frozen veggies ready for quick snacks.
* Switch your salad dressing. If you eat full-fat dressing, switch to something lighter and you’ll automatically eat less calories.
* Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy. Switching to skim milk or fat free yogurt is another simple way to eat less calories without having to change too much in your diet.
* Make some substitutes. Look through your cabinets or fridge and pick 3 foods you eat every day. Write down the nutritional content and, the next time you’re at the store, find lower-calorie substitutes for just those 3 items.

Exercise

One of the biggest problems in America today is lack of activity. We know it’s good for us but avoid it like the plague either because we’re used to being sedentary or afraid that exercise has to be vigorous to be worth our time. The truth is, movement is movement and the more you do, the healthier you’ll be. Even moderate activities like chores, gardening and walking can make a difference.

Just adding a little movement to your life can:

* Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes
* Improve joint stability
* Increase and improve range of movement
* Help maintain flexibility as you age
* Maintain bone mass
* Prevent osteoporosis and fractures
* Improve mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
* Enhance self esteem
* Improve memory in elderly people
* Reduce stress

So, even if you opt for small changes and a more modest weight loss, you can see the benefits are still pretty good. One study has found that just a 10% weight reduction helped obese patients reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and increase longevity.

The closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Fresh fruits and berries are great and will satisfy a craving for sweets. Whole vegetables have lots of vitamins and minerals, so eat more green, orange and yellow vegetables. Steam them to retain the most nutritional value and be careful with sauces, they may be high in calories and fats that aren’t good for you.

Any pasta or baked goods should be made from whole grains. Avoid sugary snacks and pastries as well. An apple is good for you, an apple pie really isn’t.

Shop for lean meats and don’t forget the fish. The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in ocean fish are often deficient in our diets, so serve seafood two or three times per week. Baked fish and chicken are healthier than fried, and lean meats like bison or venison may be healthier than higher fat beef.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean drastic changes. In fact, drastic changes almost always lead to failure. Making small changes in how you live each day can lead to big rewards, so figure out what you can to be healthy today.