Secrets To Healthy Aging

Healthy aging begins before the signs of aging are even
apparent and the foundations on which it is built are nutrition
and physical activity. It is inevitable that your resting
metabolism will decrease a little each decade after you reach
the age of thirty and if you do not compensate for the fewer
number of calories you burn while at rest with more exercise or
smaller meals, you will eventually pay for it in weight gain.

Fighting Middle-Age Spread

This weight gain can be aggravated by the changes in hormonal
balance which the body also experienced over time, causing it to
store more fat--hence the spare tire of middle age--while losing
muscle. Healthy aging will require a diet which limits the fat
and has adequate protein to assist in muscle building, and an
exercise program designed to strengthen muscles. Muscle tissue,
even at rest, burns energy, and will help compensate for that
reduced metabolic rate.

Healthy aging also addresses the increased bone mineral loss
which occurs, especially in women, with a calcium-rich diet
and/or calcium supplement; calcium carbonate is the most easily
absorbable form. Weight bearing exercises have been shown to
stimulate bone growth, so a healthy aging exercise program
should include walking or running, as long as it is done in
moderation and does not overly stress the joints.

The Importance of Antioxidants

While cutting back on calories to compensate for a lower
resting metabolic rate will help fight weight gain, the lower
calorie diet may result in less nutrition. One of the biggest
obstacles to healthy aging is the amount of free radical damage
which your body accumulates over the years, and one of the best
ways to prevent further free radical damage is to increase your
consumption of antioxidants. Antioxidants are vitamins and
other nutritional substances which bind to, and neutralize free
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Any healthy aging regimen will have to include a diet rich in
antioxidants, including Vitamins A, C, D, E, and beta carotene.
Citrus fruits, berries--especially blueberries, yellow and
orange vegetables and organ meats are excellent sources of
antioxidants.

Wild salmon and flaxseed are terrific ways to get Omega 3 fatty
acids, which contribute to brain health and mental alertness by
stimulating the communication among the brain's neurons.
Healthy aging is as much a matter of maintaining your mental
capacity as it is of physical vitality.

Staying Involved

Healthy aging also includes social interactions; those who
maintain friendships and have a focus beyond themselves have
been shown to live longer healthier lives than those who have
lost a purpose for getting up each day. Even having a pet to
take care of can make a big difference between healthy aging and
simply growing old.

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