Eight Anti-Aging Steps to Lifelong Wellness and Vitality
Wellness can be yours if you follow these eight steps: Do your FATS right. This is the most powerful nutritional strategy available to protect your health. -- Strictly avoid trans fats: partially hydrogenated oils (everywhere in processed and fast foods), stick margarine, and shortening. -- Minimize saturated fat: fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, whole dairy products, butter, palm and coconut oil. -- Consume the majority of your fats from the monounsaturated oils: extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, nuts/seeds, and avocados. -- Strive to have a serving of omega 3 fats daily: oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and sardines), walnuts, canola oil, flaxseeds, omega 3 eggs, wheat germ, and small leafy greens (arugula, watercress, etc.). -- If you do your fats right, you will: -- Lower your risk of heart disease and stroke -- Lower inflammation in the body -- Improve neurologic/mental health -- Reduce the risk of some cancers -- Decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol -- Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes Do your CARBS right! This is the second most powerful nutritional strategy available to protect your health! -- Minimize consumption of the highly refined, high glycemic index “bad”, white carbs – white flour products, white rice, white potatoes, sugar, and products containing them. -- I refer to these foods as the “Great White Hazards” because they promote obesity, increase your cardiovascular risk, promote type 2 diabetes in susceptible individuals, promote certain cancers, and lead to rapid fluctuations in blood glucose that aggravate the brain. -- Consume the majority of your carbohydrate calories from the following 4 categories: whole grains, beans/legumes, fruits, and vegetables (the “right carbs”). These carbs improve and protect your health! -- If you do your carbs right, you will: -- Lower your risk of heart disease -- Improve your gastrointestinal health -- Lower your risk of cancer of the stomach, mouth, colon, gall bladder, and ovary -- Protect against type 2 diabetes -- Have greater success with a healthy weight -- Lower inflammation in the body Eat as many and as much a variety of fruits and vegetables as possible – this is the simplest strategy of all! -- Strive to have 7 servings (about 4 cups combined) a day – but any improvement counts! -- The
-- The superstar fruits – berries, cherries, plums, any whole citrus, cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, red grapes, and apples.
-- The superstar vegetables – all cruciferous (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, collards), carrots, garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, winter squash, asparagus, and red/orange/yellow bell peppers.
-- If you do your fruits and veggies right, you will:
-- Reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke
-- Protect against high blood pressure
-- Improve your gastrointestinal health
-- Prevent age related vision loss (cataracts and macular degeneration)
-- Have greater success with a healthy weight
-- Reduce your risk of a host of cancers
-- Make meals beautiful, delicious, and exciting
Do Your PROTEINS right!
-- Consume them in the healthiest packages
-- Healthy protein packages – fish (oily fish best), shellfish, skinless poultry, beans/legumes, wild game, soy, omega 3 eggs, nuts/seeds and low-fat dairy products (yogurt best).
-- Limit the unhealthy protein packages – red meat (especially processed and fatty cuts) and whole dairy products.
-- Restrict red meats to 2 servings or less a week. Choose lean cuts when you do.
-- Strive to have some healthy protein at each feeding/meal. Protein is nature’s diet pill.
Drink the “make-me-healthier” beverages.
-- Clean water (should be your primary beverage)
-- 100% fruit or vegetable/tomato juice (avoid fruit juice if weight an issue)
-- 1% or skim milk or soymilk
-- Freshly brewed tea (green, black or white)
-- Coffee (in moderation)
-- Alcoholic beverages in moderation – 2 drinks or less for men, 1 drink or less for women. Best for those >age 50 and/or those at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Strictly avoid if medically contraindicated; red wine is best.
-- Just say “NO” to soda (including diet), fruit drinks and sports beverages.
Maintain an optimal weight (BMI <25; waist size <31.5” for females; <37” for males). This is the single most powerful means to protect your health. Overweight/obesity is a significant risk factor for almost all forms of chronic disease. BMI, weight gain after age 20, and belly size are the relevant aspects here.
-- Exercise daily the rest of your life
-- Consume the right foods (see steps 1-5)
-- Eat mindfully – become a “defensive” eater
-- Control your portions
Take Your Supplements.
--Comprehensive multivitamin/mineral daily with food – check it for:
-- 400 mcg folate
-- 400 IU vitamin D
-- 15 mg of zinc
-- 2 mg vitamin B6
-- 6 mcg vitamin B12
-- no more than 5000 IU of vitamin A (palmitate)
-- The “USP” symbol.
-- No iron (Fe) - males and post-menopausal females should not take iron from supplements unless directed by physician.
-- Long chain omega 3 fatty acids from pharmaceutical grade fish oil:
-- Dose – approximately 1 gram (combined DHA/EPA) daily.
-- Those on blood thinners consult your physician first.
-- If you take pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements.
Exercise regularly the rest of your life. An absolute for any wellness program.
-- Benefits almost too numerous to count.
-- “Perfect program” – what you know you can do on most days of the week the rest of your life.
-- “Idealized program” – 30 minutes or more of aerobic activity on 5 or more days a week, combined with 10-20 minutes or more of resistance exercise (weights) 2-3 times a week.
-- Use of a pedometer is an invaluable tool for objectifying your aerobic activity – strive for 10,000 or more steps per day.
Wellness and healthy eating guidance that fits in the palm of your hand (literally!) - check out Dr. Ann's purse-sized "What's for Dinner..." Menu & Recipe Booklet.
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