Forever Twenty

The stench of garlic may be offensive, but it's well worth it. This herb has many anti-aging properties.

Garlic fends off aging by revving up immune functions. It thins the blood and helps to prevent blood clots. It helps us hold on to memory and mental functioning. It helps cells resist degenerative changes that lead to cancer, and it helps destroy cancer cells. With it's many antioxidant chemicals, it fights free radicals. ~ (Garlic, Vinegar, Olive Oil, & Nuts) Micro Mags.

Note: After chopping or chrusing garlic, let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. This allows the oxygen to react with the chemicals producing allicin, which has all the goodies.

posted by Jennifer  # 8:59 AM

When contemplating healthy habits, sleep is one of the last things people think of. That's if they think of it at all. But you would be sadly mistaken if you think getting a good night's sleep isn't an important factor in one's health. Sleeping well will enhance your cognitive ability. You will remember things far better and be able to problem-solve more efficiently. Getting enough sleep is crucial to the anti-aging regimen because it releases growth hormone. And growth hormone equals youth hormone.

In order to rest easily, try cutting back on alcohol during the evening. It may make you feel drowsy initially but it produces norepinephrine in your system which is one of the hormones that go up with excitement or stress causing many to wake up at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. Try avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or any food that raises your blood sugar rapidly (this will interfere with growth hormone production). Make sure your bedroom is a place of peace and tranquility without distractions. You can also try half to one milligram of melatonin 30 minutes before bed to induce sleep.

posted by Jennifer  # 1:45 PM

A new study at the University of Cincinnati suggests that sweetening beverages with fructose adds body fat. It's not just the fact that calories are consumed but fructose appears to affect your metabolism in such a way that it encourages fat storage.

The team led by Matthias Tschvp allowed mice to freely consume either water, fructose sweetened water or soft drinks. They found increased body fat in the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water and soft drinks--despite that fact that these animals decreased the amount of calories they consumed from solid food.

posted by Jennifer  # 6:28 PM

Men have always had an upper hand when it comes to aging. Take a look at male news anchors and hollywood actors. Their careers last considerably longer than their female counterparts. So why is it that men seem to age better than women? Dr. Murray Feingold has a theory as to why this is:

With age, women frequently develop cellulite while men do not. Cellulite is the dimpling of the skin due to fatty deposits and gives the skin an orange peel appearance. The reason it occurs more frequently in women is that women have thinner skin and a greater amount of fat accumulation, especially in the area of the thighs and buttocks, than do men. Other factors associated with the appearance of aging, in both sexes, are the loss of elasticity, the effects of the sun and smoking. Let me propose another theory, perhaps not as scientific, why women may appear to age less gracefully. The skin of a young woman is much more appealing and attractive than that of a man with his beard and furrowed brow. Therefore, women start out looking much better than men and have more to lose. Also, because women are more concerned about the aging process, they may be more sensitive regarding their appearance than the male who was never that great of a beauty.

I agree mostly with what the good doctor has to say, but I personally think it has a whole lot to do with femininity versus masculinity. When a woman has an hourglass shape and a pretty face it enhances her femininity. Of course as a women gets older these characteristics tend to decline. A man's "ruggedness" which can be classified as masculine doesn't necessarily decline with age. Sometimes it even gets better. Femininity and masculinity is ultimately what attracts the sexes to each other in the first place. So this may very well be one of the reasons why men seem to age better than women.

Well, at least that's what I think.

posted by Jennifer  # 6:22 PM

Celebrities having been touting the benefits of Pilates for eons now. But this age-old fitness regime is no mere trend. It has stood the test of time because it actually works. Here is a mini list of it's positive effects on the body.

• Builds strength without “bulking up”
• Increases flexibility and agility
• Develops optimal core control
• Creates flat abdominals, slender thighs & strong back
• A refreshing mind-body workout
• Challenging, yet safe

Not only is it an exercise but a way of life. To quote KJ Luker, a pilates advocate, "Pilates is a journey, an evolution, rather than a repetitive, boring set of exercises that build sometimes useless bulk. As you progress, your body changes, your confidence in how you move, think and work increases, and you bring what you learn in class into your day, so the workout doesn't end with the individual training. Pilates is a way of empowering the sincere student of many levels, not the least of which is having a body that looks and feels fantastic.

posted by Jennifer  # 10:12 AM