HOW TO PROTECT AN AGING BODY

Start to protect your body and prepare for the aging process today, no matter what age you are. Developing good eating and exercise habits early in life will carry you through your twilight years with energy and vitality to spare. Important habits include engaging in regular exercise, eating a healthy diet and developing an active mind.

Limit your consumption of alcohol and refined carbohydrates in favor of whole grain, nutritious choices that provide your body and brain with the fuel they need to thrive. Avoid saturated fat and processed sugars as they increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Stay hydrated and avoid soda as it saps calcium from your body and leaves you prone to broken bones later in life.

Compound the benefits of a healthy diet with at least 4 hours of exercise each week. Recent studies have suggested that some types of exercise are more beneficial than others for cognitive ability, but all exercise is certain to lower your risk for heart disease and obesity. Exercise increases your blood circulation, which increases blood flow to your brain, nourishing the organ and promoting healthy functioning. With exercise, researchers have generally found that more is better and scientists and doctors alike encourage people to get as much exercise as possible without putting yourself at risk for injury.

An active mind can be a difficult thing to quantify but generally means that you are always challenging yourself and learning new things. Reading, engaging in a diversity of conversations and continually exposing yourself to new experiences are all helpful in cultivating an active mind. Learn a new sport, listen to a new genre of music, take a continuing education class at your local community college or start a book club with your friends. The most important part may be continually switching it up so that your mind stays engaged, which can stimulate new neuron firing patterns and extend your mental prowess.
Difficulty: ModerateInstructions
Step 1Exercise.

Several sets of clinical trials and research compilations recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reinforce the belief that exercise is an important element in warding off dementia and promoting cognitive abilities. Researchers in British Columbia found that resistance training is most helpful in promoting cognitive skills such as memory, decision-making and conflict resolution skills.

In a separate study conducted in Germany, researchers found that after two years of regular cardiovascular exercise elderly study participants were half as likely to have developed dementia than their less active counterparts. It is believed that regular exercise promotes blood flow to the brain and may stimulate nerve-ending growth.

Step 2Eat well.

Include lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and omega 3 acids in your diet. Concentrate on antioxidant-packed produce like spinach, garlic and blueberries. The antioxidants fight free radicals in your system and slow down the aging process. Generally the more colorful a fruit or vegetable the higher its concentration of antioxidants, so try to include five colors in your diet each day.

In addition to fruits and vegetables, make fish or flax seeds a regular part of your diet. Both foods supply omega 3, a fatty acid that has been linked to healthy brain function. Digest fats in the form of seeds, olive oil, avocados and nuts. Regular absorption of unsaturated fat is essential to healthy brain function and in addition, nuts, seeds and certain oils are a good source of vitamin E, thought to ward off Alzheimer's. Eat every three to four hours to provide steady fuel for your brain and body functions.

Step 3Drink well.

Fill up on water, coffee, tea and fresh squeezed juices. Leave sugar-packed soda, pre-prepared juice and most kinds of alcohol at the store.

Water aids in food digestion and helps flush toxins out of your system. Coffee and caffeinated tea have antioxidant powers that increase cognitive functioning. Herbal teas contain compounds that ease digestion, calm frazzled nerves and boost the immune system. Fresh squeezed juice, in moderate amounts, contains a supercharge of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

In contrast sugar-laden juice, soda and alcohol induce high blood pressure, weight gain and diabetes. Indulge in these beverage choices only occasionally to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4Never stop learning.

While there has been no direct link between activities like crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles or Sudoku and cognitive improvement, it is widely accepted that continuously challenging your mind leads to stronger cognitive function.

Robin Nixon, writing for Live Science, attributed this relationship to the "use it or lose it" theory, stating that the same way that exercise keeps our bodies fit and nimble, new thought processes keep our minds flexible. She points out that there are many ways to exercise and engage your mind and suggests individuals focus on the activities that they enjoy most.

Step 5Don't stress.

Stress is toxic. It makes you sick, it's bad for your heart and it may even impair your brain function. In December 2007, the journal for the Association for Psychological Science reported that "stress hormones inhibit neuron growth in parts of the hippocampus" which results in memory impairments. They also reported that stress appears to be cumulative, meaning that the effects on your health will worsen over time.

Learn to manage the stress in your life today through activities such as deep breathing (the fight-or-flight response triggered by stress speeds respiration), journal writing, effective problem management and light reading.

Step 6Record your health.

Stay on top of all recommended health testing so that you can handle problems in a proactive manner. Schedule regular bone density tests, cholesterol tests and eye exams. Monitor your blood pressure. Men should have prostate exams and women should have mammograms and regular pap smears to detect cancerous cells in these potential problem areas early.

Visit the Mayo Clinic Web site and enter your age and gender to learn more about which health tests you should plan annually. Also, keep a health journal so that you can be clear about symptoms and concerns at doctor's visits.