By Michelle Schoffro Cook for Care2.com
Trying to maintain a youthful appearance but don’t want to undergo the knife, Botox, or some other invasive procedure? Natural herbs and nutrients can help. Here are 11 of the best ones for anti-aging:
1. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA): ALA is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your body from free radical damage. It also helps to recycle other antioxidants like vitamins E and C, giving you greater protection against free radicals. Free radicals are to blame for aging and disease, including skin damage and wrinkling.
2. Bilberry: Packed with antioxidants, bilberry is potent medicine against many age-related concerns. It is helpful to preserve vision and prevent degenerative eye diseases.
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There are two things I’ve learned since moving into my new home.
1. I had no problem meeting my step goal from Miss Courtney Crozier’s summer challenge since I now have 3 sets of stairs to go up and down all day.
2. The creaking noise I’m hearing is not from my stairs, it’s from my knees.
I’m not sure what caused it: whether it’s my years of sports playing goalie and catcher in high school or rugby in college. It could be the stress on my body from the extra 120 pounds of weight that I had less than a year ago. Maybe I’m just getting, dare I say it, … getting old??
The good news is I’m not in pain…yet. However, this could be the warning signs of something greater and as a health care professional I should not be ignoring things. I am considering taking some supplements to help lubricate my joints like I’m the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.
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There comes a certain point in some people’s weight loss journey where they start to get frustrated and desperate. They may turn to options other than diet and exercise to kick start results and if it’s something quick and easy, they’ll take it. One of those options most frequently includes diet pills and supplements. One particular little fruit has become increasingly popular for fast and easy weight loss: the acai berry. But, does it live up to the hype?
Acai berry came onto the American market when it was promoted as a superfood for age-defying beauty by Dr. Nicholas Perricone on the Oprah Winfrey show. The fruit is grown in Brazil and tastes like a cross between wild berries and chocolate. Acai in berry form contains significant amounts of healthy fats and fiber and the juice contains antioxidants making it a smart addition to any diet.
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Yoga has many long lasting health benefits when practiced on a regular basis. It is proven to lower blood pressure, increase flexibility, strengthen muscles and improve cardiovascular health. As we get older, it is important to continue an exercise program that is appropriate for our bodies. Most styles of yoga are gentle enough to practice through a lifetime, however there are a few considerations we must honor to avoid unnecessary strain or discomfort.
Warm Up
A proper warm up makes a tremendous difference in the way we carry our bodies in yoga. A loose and limber spine is paramount for getting into and out of poses with ease. Simple flexion and extension movements of the spine increase its fluidity by lubricating the spaces between each vertebra, allowing the adjacent muscles to release stiffness. Spinal mobility is a key component for a fit and healthy body, especially as we age.
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90-year old Lillian Lucas in action
You can learn a lot from a 90-year-old woman. They have seen so many changes in the world, from the rise and fall of the Third Reich to television and the World Wide Web. Their wisdom runs deep, but I bet you wouldn’t think that they could teach you a thing or two about how to be fit.
Then again, if you make it to 90, maybe you are doing something right. On March 21, 2011 Lillian Lucas celebrated her 90th birthday with some of her students.
Lucas is no gimmick. No, she isn’t guesting in some 30-year-old instructor’s class to show how much “spunk” she has. The New Baltimore, Michigan woman has been teaching fitness for 30 years.
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