The second most popular diet of 2012 was 17 Day Diet, and the brand continues to make headlines in the new year. Since its debut in 2010, the book has grown in to a brand where you can apply Dr. Mike Moreno’s 17 Day principles to weight loss, cooking, and even slowing the effects of aging. This month, get some insight on his 17 Day Diet Plan to Stop Aging in Men’s Health Magazine.

Dr. Mike makes an appearance in the magazine’s January issue to talk about the book, but also set you up for your healthiest year yet.

Here are some of Dr. Moreno’s recommendations for prolonging the signs of aging.

1. Keep your heart healthy with exercise: As we age our hearts becomes more effective. In order for our hearts to become stronger with age, we have to do aerobic workouts. Walking, jogging, and running are just a few suggestions. Dr. Mike mentions that with the help of exercise and a healthy diet, “an older person can have the heart of a very young person.”
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The world’s oldest woman celebrated her 116th birthday this past weekend, and we couldn’t help but wonder how she reached the milestone without looking a day over 89.

Besse Cooper of Monroe, Georgia, received a unique gift this year: a bridge named in her honor in her Georgia hometown. The city leaders were pleased to name the bridge after their Guinness World Record holder, and to highlight their town on the map.

Besse is one of only eight people who have been confirmed to be at least 116 years old. That is one seriously impressive accomplishment. Besse told Guinness World Records that her keys to longevity have been minding her own business and not eating junk food. Hard to argue her logic; clearly her methods work.

While Besse is nearly in a league all her own, many people do live to see higher digits even if they don’t make it to 116. According to GeronGuide.com, there are seven effective health habits of centenarians. Besse’s core habits can be found on the list.
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“If you’re about to turn 40, you can’t afford to miss this show,” says Dr. Oz of an upcoming episode focusing on women’s health issues after the age of 40. The show focuses on equipping women in their 40s, 50s and 60s to feel reenergized about the second half of their life. 

In what Dr. Oz calls his, “My Book of 40: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving the Second Half of Your Life,” he presents solutions that every women needs for her later years of her life.

Dr. Oz will address a number of health and beauty concerns, including everything from menopause to sexual health to aging fears. For a taste of what to expect, the first chapter of “My Book of 40″ is called Fatigue Fighters. This segment will walk viewers through ways to feel re-energized thanks to simple items that can fit in your purse like cheese, tea and edamame – which contains 11 grams of protein per half cup serving.

Two other important topics to be discussed are menopause and sex drive. One expert on the show suggests using progesterone cream to re-boost sex drive and even help stabilize hormone levels.

Yet another expert featured on this episode will explain how what you eat, and changing what you eat can help normalize your blood sugar levels and fight off weight gain and fatigue.
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If living a long, healthy life is your aim, you may want to perk your ears to the latest study from the Milken Institute, which claims to have found the nation’s best cities for successful aging.

The basis of the study was founded on the idea that the older population doesn’t want to sit around and do nothing as they age; they want to be active, live healthy, fulfilling lives, and be engaged in the community they settle in.

To conduct the study, researchers judged how capable a city was at providing successful aging based on 78 indicators ranging from health care to financial well-being.

The indicators were split into two categories: general and specific. General indicators were those that influence decisions about where to live regardless of age, such as cost of living, crime and safety, overall economic prosperity and weather. Specific indicators instead focused on the needs of older Americans, being the availability of specialized housing, financial factors, transportation systems, continued education programs and community engagement.
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By Dana Shultz and Mary Hartley, RD

Belly up. It’s time for a discussion on two important health topics that just so happen to be incredibly unsexy: Gut bacteria and fermented foods. Yep, here we go.

These two terms often conjure up images of grotesque stomachs and intestines and the most detestable foods you can imagine. But if you can get past the questionable terminology, fermented foods and healthy gut bacteria are extremely important to our health.

According to a recent article from NPR, a new study has found that diet can promote beneficial bacteria in the stomachs of older people, and as a result, promote healthy aging.

Scientists looked at the diets of 178 elderly people, some of whom lived on their own and the rest lived in assisted living centers or nursing homes.

Researchers found that those living on their own had more varied gut bacteria and scored better on tests measuring frailty and cognitive function because they had more diverse diets rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables grains and poultry. Conversely, those living in assisted living centers subsisted on more of a  “mashed potato and porridge” style diet that offered less variety and nutritional value.
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