Free Diet Tips & Top Diet Programs

Related Diet Information


Brain Research Shows That Diet and Exercise are Keys to Living Well




As brain research advances, experts are finding that some of the physical and mental changes normally associated with aging may not actually be normal at all, but instead, the result of treatable and preventable health conditions. In fact, by some estimates, only 30 percent of physical aging can be traced to our genes. The rest is up to each individual.

Developing and maintaining good "cognitive health" is as important to a person's quality of life at any age as maintaining good physical health. A series of four new booklets, "Staying Sharp: Current Advances in Brain Research," provides information and tips based on this new research. The booklets were derived from a series of public forums that were conducted in partnership with the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, and featured the country's foremost researchers, scientists and physicians working in the field of aging and the brain. These four booklets provide some of the most up-to-date information available.
One of the key findings of this new research is that diet and exercise are crucial not just for physical well being, but also for mental acuity at any age.

The Importance of Diet

The food choices we make throughout our lives can make a difference in the likelihood for many diseases that cause premature death or disability, including heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes. Three long-term studies being conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health have followed 300,000 people and suggest that:

- a diet rich in vegetables may help prevent breast and prostate cancer
- colon cancer is more common among those who eat more red meat
- high-fat diets increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers
- a diet with too many refined carbohydrates increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Although there are some nutritional changes associated with aging, for the most part, what was considered a healthy diet at 40 will still be a healthy diet at 60 or 70. Health experts recommend a diet that emphasizes whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other tips:

- Drink eight to 10 cups of fluid every day, and make at least five of those water.
- Limit caffeinated and alcoholic beverages.
- Reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet and replace it with monounsaturated fat such as that in olive, canola, sunflower, safflower and soybean oils.
- When snacking, choose fruits, vegetables or whole-grain products.
- Make eating fun by sharing dinnertime with family and friends, or joining community functions whenever possible.

The Benefits of Exercise

Many experts believe that regular exercise is the single most important thing anyone can do to improve overall health and well-being. New studies show that aerobic activity increases levels of brain chemicals that encourage the growth of nerve cells, which may be the reason moderately strenuous exercise is associated with enhanced memory skills.

Some ways that exercise can help retain mental capacity include:

- reducing anxiety and stress
- improving mood and possibly alleviating depression
- improving sleep
- increasing energy levels
- slowing the rate of bone loss
- enabling the body to use insulin more efficiently
- improving cardiovascular health
- controlling weight and preventing obesity

The National Institute of Aging suggests incorporating four types of exercises into your life. Endurance exercise, such as walking, helps increase stamina. Strength exercise, with free weights or resistance weights, increases metabolism and may help prevent osteoporosis. Flexibility exercise, such as stretching or yoga, prevents and aids recovery from injuries. And balance exercises, such as standing on one foot, help prevent falls.

By following these basic tips, as well as any advice from your physician related to any specific health conditions, it is possible to live well in old age as opposed to just living into old age.

The AARP Andrus Foundation's "Staying Sharp" series can be downloaded from the association's Web site at www.andrus.org/sharp/sharp_pubs.html. Each booklet covers a specific area: Memory Loss and Aging; Depression; Chronic Health Issues and Quality of Life. The booklets also are available by mail from AARP Fulfillment, 601 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20049, or by phone at 800-424-3410 and ask for series D17561 to get the booklets in English or D17461 to get the booklets in Spanish.

More Diet Information


Related Diet Information

Rosemary Flower Candies Rosemarinus OfficinalisLeave your tic-tacs at home. This medicinal plant provides delicious mouth fresheners to integrate into a balanced healing diet. Masturbate and Feel Good"Masturbation ... is not approved of the Lord nor this church, regardless of what may be said by those whose norms are lower", President Kimball of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 1981 Uncovering The Whole Truth About Whole GrainsNC-A research poll recently revealed that only seven percent of Canadians understand the important distinction between a complete whole grain product and a grain product*. Even though Canadas Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends five to twelve servings from the grain group each day - clearly emphasizing whole grains - most of us arent making the wisest of food choices! To help you boost your intake, registered dietitian Rosie Schwartz offers the following whole grain information and advice. Health Thoughts Living on the Health Minimum WageRandom thoughts taken from valuable sources, what many nutrition experts consider to be the most important nutrients and health habits a person should have to help them stay healthy long term. We would categorize them into the following areas. How Can Green Tea Benefit My FamilyNo doubt youve heard of Green Tea and the health benefits you can experience from drinking it. Teen Advice On-lineThere is no doubt about it. We are an electronic society. From our cable television sets to our satellite radios, our cell phones to our beepers, our global positioning devices to our palm pilots, and of course the world wide web – we are a truly connected society. Get that Glow!!!Wanna know the secret behind "getting the glow on the face" Here you go... Forget All About That Calorie Counting Crap And Learn How To Lose Some Weight!That's a pretty "in your face" statement, but really its frustrating for me to see and hear all the different admonitions coming at me from sources I am not absolutely convinced have this whole thing nailed down tight. Build Health: Initiate A Health Strategy MakeoverMy mother-in-law, a widow of a doctor, recently died. The way she exited was a nightmare. This was because her health strategy produced a lousy result. Beating the Weight Loss BanditsIf youre on a weight loss program youre under constant attack - attack from the food bandits all around you. How to Write Great HeadlinesAccording to experts, just changing the headline of an ad or sales letter has been known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent! Yes, headlines are that powerful--and that important! Nutrients On The Decline In Our FoodsNC-The amount of nutrients in our food is steadily declining, according to recent research. A recent survey found some fruits and vegetables we buy today contain far fewer nutrients than they did 50 years ago. This is especially noticeable in foods such as potatoes, tomatoes, bananas and apples. Specifically, the potato has lost 100 per cent of its vitamin A, 57 per cent of its vitamin C and iron, and 28 per cent of its calcium. Depression MantraDepression is the most prevalent of all the emotional disorders. This may vary from feelings of slight sadness to utter misery and dejection. It brings together a variety of physical and psychological symptoms which together constitute a syndrome. The Fail-Safe Weight Loss FormulaYes Virginia, the fail-safe weight loss formula exists. What Every Woman Needs!As a woman, your body is very complex. Throughout every phase of your life you will require extra care and nutritional support. Todays scientific advances support a number of natural choices for women, like soy. Still, the fact remains that calcium, folic acid and iron continue to be the most important nutrients that can impact a womans total health. All women should take a daily multiple vitamins with these essential nutrients. Eating for Health, Happiness and Successful Weight ControlDont diet, just eat and lose weight! High Protein Diets Can Have a Bad Impact on Your CareerWith all the excitement regarding high protein diets, one area that is often not talked about is a diet rich in protein can be a major contributor to bad breath. Actually, there are several causes of bad breath, many of which most people have given little, if any, thought to. The Isometric Diet and Balanced HealthThe concept isometric has been a part of the health care vocabulary for decades. The most common application of the term, until now, has been with respect to physical exercise. Taken from the Greek root word Iso, meaning equal, the familiar term Isometric exercises involves applying equal weight to achieve strength goals. Want Healthy Glowing SkinAre you struggling with skin problems like acne, eczema, psoriasis etc. Various factors such as toxins, vitamin, mineral, protein deficiencies, long-term exposure to sun light, dehydration etc. might be the cause of your skins unhealthy state. Would you like to have beautiful glowing skin again Luckily there are several options that can help you restore your skins healthy glow. Crave Sweets On the Weight & Mood Roller Coaster Perhaps Its More Than You Think!The sugar industry and the food manufacturers are capitalizing BIG TIME on the addictive nature of carbohydrates sweets, breads, deserts in the human body. Blood sugar-handling problems promote arteriosclerosis plaque in the arteries, adult-onset diabetes, mood swings, weight problems, chronic fatigue, PMS and much more. Additionally, there is evidence that sugar addiction has a component of alcoholism!
Member of the Primary Source Book : General Information Directory Search Network

Copyright © 2006 Free Diet Tips & Top Diet Programs