anti aging

It is not how many skincare products you own, how many minutes you invest in your skincare routine, or even how much money you spend on expensive skincare products that determine how beautifully you are aging. The real secret to having gorgeous skin is to have a careful, but quick and inexpensive routine. It is better to do twenty five quality sit-ups with correct form than fifty fast ones with an improper form, right? Your routine should be careful by consciously recognizing exactly what you are placing onto your skin and into your body.

Recent studies indicate that there are many ingredients in commercial products that are very hazardous and further irritate the skin. Your routine should be quick so that it is easy to stick to in the long term and you will not feel too tired performing it, even after long days. Your routine should be inexpensive so that it is easy to maintain and can still do so if you are on a tight budget. You have heard the advice to wear sunscreen over a zillion times by now probably, but all the sunscreen in the world will not make much of a difference if you make these mistakes that are about to be mentioned below.

First mistake: Not removing all makeup (or other unnatural facial products) thoroughly and washing twice every night.

It is crucial to completely clean off the face and neck if you wear any facial makeup such as foundation, blush, concealer, eye shadow, etc. This is one of the main contributing factors to clogged pores that could lead to acne and older looking skin (from previous foundation piled up on each other which will create an uneven, blotchy texture that may cause the skin to look older). One wash will not be enough. After cleansing off the makeup with an all natural makeup remover (to avoid harsh chemicals) be sure to wash the face twice with a gentle cleanser. This is to make sure all the makeup is off. After cleansing, gently blot dry with a clean towel, and apply a rich moisturizer.

Second mistake: Not letting water and tea make up 99 % of all beverages consumed regularly.

For the most part, let most of your beverage consumption be only from decaffeinated tea and water. Let water be around 90% of your beverage consumption and tea be around 10 %. From my experience, I drink around sixty-four ounces a day that the experts state, but some days I go under this amount, and some days over. It depends on a lot of different factors such as climate, exercise duration, sickness, etc. Water cleanses out toxins and wastes that could clog your system. Dehydration can lead to acne, constipation, premature wrinkles, and dry and dull looking skin.

Tea helps prevent wrinkles with its enormous antioxidant content. Dr. Stephen Hsu mentions that tea (especially green) helps alleviate skin problems such as rosacea and wrinkles. Be sure to purchase a brand of naturally decaffeinated tea using the process that involves water and carbon dioxide. Some other naturally decaffeinated teas use a method involving ethyl acetate, but studies reveal this type of process removes most of the beneficial phenols in the tea.

Fruit juices (excluding fruit juice from a raw fruit), coffee, and refreshments should be minimally consumed, if at all. Fruit juices are too high in sugar content and refreshments are mostly composed of chemicals and hazardous genetically modified ingredients (which is detrimental to your skin and body). Caffeine is known to dehydrate the body which may cause wrinkles, so it is best to stay away from coffee for the most part. There are decaffeinated versions to coffee, but coffee does not offer the antioxidant protection of tea.

Third mistake: Not using an eye cream starting from age 20 at the latest.

The under eye area is the quickest and easiest way to determine the age of someone. It is best to start using eye creams as young as possible to avoid premature wrinkling. To prevent the formation of wrinkles in this area from starting is far more effective than trying to cover up settled in wrinkles. The under eye area does not contain any naturally secreting oil glands. It is critical to provide natural oils under the eyes. If you avoid taking care of this area, over time, that area will develop wrinkles faster than any other area on the face.

You do not have to use a commercial eye cream to receive great benefits. I no longer use commercial skincare products because I have found greater improvements in my skin by staying close to nature as possible. I use grocery store bought oils and certain foods on my skin in place of commercial skincare products. A money and time saving trick is to use your moisturizer as a double up. Just apply only a small amount under the bone of the eye (not directly under the eye) and let it absorb into that area itself. Also, with some left over chilled)green tea, dip an eye gauze inside the cup to use as eye padding (with your eyes closed of course). Let the gauze stay on for at least ten minutes or more.

xThough this sounds far worse than it actually is but if your goal is the reduction of the visibility of face or neck wrinkles, then botox toxin can really only be used by directly injecting it into the muscle. This is really no more painful than a small prick to the skin. Once injected the effect of the botox is strictly localized, whereas it will only effect the place that it is injected and not spread throughout the body thus performing its' job of loosening muscles that are causing the wrinkles to be so noticeable. In other terms the relaxing of these relevant muscles allow the skin to tighten over the wrinkled area, effectually the Botox treatment diminishes the surrounding wrinkles.

How Does Botox Work, and Will Using Botox Clear My Wrinkles? Botox injections for wrinkles are not without side-effects, like any other drug. A full list of the side effects can be obtained through your doctor but some side effects taht have been noted may include a soreness where the injection was used, a dry mouth, maybe some difficulty swallowing,, allergic reaction, blurry vision, and/or headaches. Surprisingly, for a toxin, a professional Botox treatment has relatively few side-effects considering what some of the other medications have that people have used to try and do the same, if not as good a job, as Botox.

What is Botox?

The word Botox is a made up word from the shortened form of the word, botulinum toxin type A, known as a natural neuro-toxin. It was around 1989 that the FDA granted approval for the use of Botox for treatment of certain diseases involving muscle difficulties. Why botox works this way specifically is that Botox actually creates a block on the receptors in the muscles so when signalled to contract—the signal is therefore not recieved—forcing the muscle to be semi-permanently unable to contract. Simply in laymans terms—it acts to immobilize the affected muscles.

Can I Use Botox Myself?

The short answer is no! The only way to get Botox for wrinkles is through injection by a professional—it cannot be purchased over the counter so that it can be used as a home health remidy. What the normal practise is typically, is that a plastic surgeon will prescribe the Botox for your wrinkles for you. You will obtain the treatment when you go to his office and there he will provide the botox injection treatment for you.

Do not be surprised if the effects of the injections, on the surrounding muscles, wear off relatively quickly, even so it is usual that the effect you are looking for on the deminished wrinkles will quite typically last four to six months so you may enjoy that fountain of youth look about yourself.

Generally speaking those using Botox for wrinkles do so because of the desired effect it leaves their skin in even though it has been demonized by the media. It can be a good thing that the media get involved inthese new treatments as it gives us all different points to ponder. Notwithstanding however I am sure that some of the points made by the media and the like are possibly valid, and the long term effects of repeated Botox injections for wrinkles will not be readily known for some time.

The use of Botox for the reduction of wrinkles is definitely an option whether you use it to reduce the look of wrinkles on your neck region or on your face. Whatever reason you decide to use botox you should be aware that the side-effects alone are enough to make the decision a substantial one, and not a course an action to be taken lightly. Self education is paramount here. There is no shortage of places to find information about botox especially on the internet.

The desire that most people have in common is to slow down the onset of aging. While the onset of aging may not be able to be stopped completely, you may be able to delay it by taking antiaging nutritional supplements and antioxidants.

Extensive studies and researchers have concluded over the years that antioxidants can retard the aging process by attacking the free radicals that weaken your immune system and makes your body susceptible to aging and diseases.

Research and studies of intake of antioxidants have shown that those who were supplementing their diet showed lesser signs of aging than those who did not. Antioxidants work with your immune system, making it stronger and healthier in order to delay the cycle of aging. There are antiaging nutritional supplements and antioxidants found in the form of capsules, which you should not take until you have consulted your medical doctor even if these drugs can be purchased without prescription.

Another means of getting your daily intake of antiaging antioxidants is to focus your diet on healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits, white lean meat such as chicken, turkey or fish. If you cannot reach your daily intake of vitamins and minerals through your food, you can ask your healthcare practitioner or a dietician for guidance and expertise. By asking for advice from your general practitioner or dietician you will be get a proper diet plan, which will be formulated for your body and metabolism. If the diet alone is not enough a supplement will be advised as well.

Depending on your lifestyle and activities, a medical practitioner and/or dietician will be able to help you delay the aging cycle by the right intake of antioxidants in your food and via other supplements as well.

There are many antiaging supplements that can be purchased for those of us who wish to delay the aging process and not get too many wrinkles. If you're thinking about using an antiaging supplement it is always best to embark on nature's way before exploring the other options. There are many benefits for purchasing natural antiaging supplements. Some of these benefits include minimal or absent side effects, easy to obtain and use. Antiaging supplements include natural supplements that are rich in antioxidants. These particular supplements are vitamin C, vitamin E and green tea. For more information on nutritional supplements, visit http://www.bodysupplementsinfo.com


Vitamin C

A well-known vitamin that serves as an antiaging supplement, in the role as an antioxidant, is vitamin C. Vitamin C has demonstrated promising results in repelling free radicals. A effective plan to take vitamin C is a nutrition plan that includes healthy portions of fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in vitamin C, along with minimizing intake of food loaded with fat, will be effective in reducing the effects of aging.

Vitamin E

As an antiaging supplement, antioxidants have been known to be successful at combating free radicals. An effective antioxidant is vitamin E. Specifically, consuming vitamin E protects certain cell membranes within the body that are attacked by free radicals. In providing this protection the fatty cell membranes fight against being mutated and therefore decrease the possibilities of cancerous cell growth from happening.

Also, vitamin E can be found in antiaging supplements that protect the skin from the aging process. Used as an essential ingredient in creams and lotions, vitamin E helps to provide a younger looking skin. This is accomplished as vitamin E acts as a moisturizer and helps to improve the resilience of the skin. Vitamin E can be found in supplements and many natural forms of food. These foods include fruits and vegetables.

Green Tea Extract

One additional supplement found naturally in food products is green tea. When made into a hot drink or taken in supplement form, this antioxidant has produced encouraging results as an antiaging supplement. Similar to vitamin C and E in its ability to fight free radicals, green tea has distinguished itself by outperforming other supplements in its ability to perform in this antioxidant role. The antioxidant role of green tea has not only revealed its capability to protect cells from cancer, but also to protect the heart and the possible resistance to other illnesses that could weaken the body.

In order to retain a youthful appearance, it's essential to eat healthy and exercise. Staying out of direct sun or applying an appropriate sun screen is also vital. Sun can badly damage your skin, and will give you wrinkles if you don't avoid it's damaging rays. Antioxidants assist your body to combat everyday dangers which we have to face whether we like it or not.

More and more, women and men too, are looking for a natural face-lift, that is, a way to maintain their youthful looking facial skin, naturally. Face-lifts using surgery, or cosmetic face-lifts using products such as Botox injections, are being replaced at least in part, by natural methods.

cupuncture has been used for millennia to treat disease and lines and wrinkles on faces have been part of that. After all, if Acupuncture can treat diseases of the body, why would it not work on the aging facial skin.

Face-lifts are common place these days, but not everyone wants to spend tens-of-thousands of dollars for a plastic surgeon, or have potentially toxic chemicals injected into their skin. More and more people are looking toward natural skin care solutions such as natural and organic skin care products and now Acupuncture for maintaining their youthful looks.

Acupuncture uses acupuncture points, located all over the body to stimulate the body’s own energy. Each point has specific actions, but can also have complex interactions when used together with other acupuncture points.

Typically a face-lift using acupuncture would involve a selection from points such as:

* CO. 20 (Yang Xiang)
* S.I. 18 (Quan Liao)
* TH. 23 (Si Zhu Kong)
* GB. 1 (Tong Zi Liao), GB. 14 (Yang Bai)
* ST. 2 (Si Bai), ST. 3 (Ju Liao), ST. 4 (Di Cang)
* Yin Tang, Yu Yao

In addition, other points on the body would be selected to treat any underlying health problems, which would also have an effect on the healthy look of an individual. Let's face it, if you are feeling a million dollars, you'll probably look better than if you're feeling low in energy and lack basic health.

In Australia an Acupuncture session would cost you around $100.- and you would need at least 6-8 treatment over 4-8 weeks to get results. Yes, you would need to repeat this once or twice a year, depending on your age and general health. Compare that to Botox injections or surgery, and you will save yourself a lot of money and pain, not to mension avoiding nasty side effects.

Natural face-lifts are simply a better option. You don't need to use potentially toxic chemicals, nor do you run any risk associated with even the most minor of surgical procedures and you do not need to worry about side effects. Acupuncture will not cause any lasting side effects. At worst, you may get a small bruise where a needle was inserted, but it will clear up in a matter of a day or two and the Acupuncture itself is not painful. In fact Acupuncture is usually very relaxing and energising.

It's no exaggeration to say that millions of people take vitamins for health. Medical professionals and nutritionists have known for a long time that vitamins are not only good for us, but essential to our good health: the numerous intricate ways in which vitamins assist in body processes are still being discovered. In recent years, the role of herbs has also gotten a lot of attention in medical research, particularly within the realm of alternative medicine.

The best way to get all the vitamins and herbs for health is to eat a nutritious diet that includes abundant whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A good knowledge of herbal remedies, particularly which ones have good evidence for their efficacy, will aid in selecting appropriate herbal preparations for particular problems. There are still those who maintain that taking supplementary vitamins for health does not provide the same benefits as obtaining them from whole foods, but vitamin supplements are often recommended by doctors nonetheless, and at least they are very unlikely to do any harm if taken as directed.

Some of the most important vitamins for health are the B vitamins. B vitamins are found in whole grains, vegetables, and beans. Vitamin B12, essential for health, can only be obtained from animal sources and particular strains of yeast - strict vegetarians must ensure that B12 is included in their regimen of supplemental vitamins and herbs for health. The B vitamins play a vital role in nervous and cognitive health; therefore, ensuring that our diets contain abundant sources of these vitamins is essential as we age.

Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of vitamins A, C, and K. Brightly colored vegetables tend to be better sources of these vitamins as well as being full of antioxidants, nutrients that are getting more and more attention as substances active against many disease processes and the unwanted effects of aging. The positive effects of antioxidants are becoming so evident that many proprietary vitamins for health now include them as well (and not surprisingly, some vitamins themselves have antioxidant properties, as do many culinary and medicinal herbs). All these facts considered, it makes a lot of sense to take vitamins and herbs for health, one way or another.

The remaining important vitamins for health are vitamins D and E. We make our own Vitamin D when our skin is exposed to sunlight, and in many countries it is also added to milk - Vitamin D deficiency is very rare in developed countries. Vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin, is found in nuts and seeds, a good reason to include these foods in your diet. It has also long been available as a dietary supplement and is added to many topical creams and skin treatments. One of the antioxidants identified as having anti aging properties, it is likely to become even more popular in the future. Taken as directed, it is a good addition to your choices of vitamins and herbs for health.

Banishing the signs of aging

If you are in your twenties or thirties, you may be surprised to find yourself with maturing skin. Your skin may start to lose its natural glow or elasticity. It’s likely to be developing more lines than you would like or becoming a slave to open pores. However, you can slow them down. Helen Foster who wrote Complete Beauty Book gives out some tips to banish the signs of aging skin.

How to care for maturing skin

Once a week, use a gentle exfoliating scrub (or a peel-off face mask). This will remove dead cells and keep the skin glowing.

In terms of moisturizing, you should be aiming to replace lost oils and water (the more hydrated the skin, the less noticeable lines and wrinkles are), so choose rich creams that provide oil and attract moisture to the skin. When applying moisturizer, don’t make the mistake of stopping when you get to your chin – the neck and chest are some of the first areas to show aging yet most of us ignore them. It will also help to choose products that incorporate age-fighting ingredients – like vitamin A (also referred to as retinol), vitamin C, coenzyme Q10, kinetin, and copper. Which you choose is up to you, as they all do the same thing – fight molecules called free radicals that destroy healthy skin cells, collagen and elastin. Use these in your moisturizer or try serums which deliver intense bursts of nutrients to the skin.

Finally, always wear sunscreen. None of the rest is worth doing if you don’t. Your moisturizer must contain sunscreen of at least SPF15.

Firming facial for maturing skin

1. Cleanse the skin using a milky cleanser, applying it directly onto your face with your fingers. Leave it to sink in for a few seconds, then, using circular movements (always moving up the face), massage it in. Remove with cotton balls in the same fashion. This will increase circulation to the skin.

2. Starting at your chin, move around the edge of the jaw and face, lightly tapping the skin 10 to 20 times at points an inch apart. Do the same around the eyes. This will help boost circulation and reduce puffiness, creating a firmer look.

3. Apply an exfoliating mask. This will get rid of dead skin cells. Apply tightening cucumber pads (or slices of the real thing) to your eyes and relax. Rinse off, finishing by splashing the face 10 to 20 times with cold water.

4. Apply a vitamin serum, again using upward stroking movements but this time from the neck. Slap the underside of your chin 20 times.

5. Finish with a thick coat of rich moisturizer. Leave this to soak in for five minutes, and then remove any excess with cotton balls.

Eat your way to younger skin

What you put inside your body is as important when it comes to creating younger skin. Here’s what you need:

Vitamin A

Not only is it a powerful antioxidant, but vitamin A also helps your skin produce keratin (a substance that strengthens skin cells, maximizing their protective role) and proteins that help with cell regeneration. If you’re lacking in it, your skin may be drier and flakier than normal. You can get your daily dose from fruits and vegetables that are high in an ingredient called beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is found in the highest quantities in fruits and vegetables like orange, carrots, peaches, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes.

Vitamin C

Collagen keeps your skin firm and well toned. Vitamin C helps fight free radicals that destroy collagen, and can be found in many fruits and vegetables – one of the richest sources is kiwi fruit. Other great sources are oranges, red peppers, blueberries, and melon.

Iron

Low iron levels in the body lead to reduced oxygen in the blood and this can be the cause of pale skin and pronounced dark circles under the eyes. In order to boost your iron levels, you should include more lean red meat and plenty of dark green leafy vegetables in your diet.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that is vital for healing the skin. You’ll find high levels of zinc in foods such as shellfish, hard or crumby cheese, nuts and seeds.

Essential fatty acids

One of the most frequent symptoms of deficiency of fatty acids is dry, scaly skin. EFAs are commonly found in oily fish, nuts, and seeds (which also contain high levels of another important skin nutrient, vitamin E).

Water

Without enough water in your skin, you’ll never recapture the healthy glow. Aim for at least eight glasses of water a day.

I have previously written about the power of exercise and omega-3s to protect the brain and improve function. Several more studies, released this week, added support for methods to keep elderly brains fit and agile.

Exercise Improves Brain Function

The first, published in the Journal of Gerontology and highlighted in the Wall Street Journal, demonstrates that a few hours of aerobic exercise a week helps keep brains young. The study followed three groups of adults, aged 60-79. One group performed aerobic training by walking around a gym for an hour a day, three days a week. The second group performed non-aerobic training by stretching and doing some resistance exercises. The third group did not exercise.

The study found that after only three months, the aerobic exercise group (but neither of the other groups) increased their grey matter in frontal brain regions that control higher functions, like memory, multi-tasking, focus and decision-making. The aerobic group also increased the volume of white matter tracks that cross the brain and carry communication signals between the two brain halves. The researchers likened the changes that occurred over the three-month exercise period as equivalent to making the brain three years younger!

Exercise Increases Independence

A second study published in the same issue of the Journal of Gerontology showed that seniors enrolled in an exercise program improved their physical fitness and independence level over those that were simply ‘educated' about healthy living. After 6 – 12 months in the program, seniors that received physical fitness training were able to walk longer distances at higher speeds than those that just received information about exercise and nutrition. The study cited the importance of increasing independence in senior citizens in an age where medical science is extending the average life span of our population. Committing to healthy lifestyle choices will help us live longer and not just die slower.

Omega-3s Decrease Dementia

Finally, a third study was the most recent in a string of evidence touting the benefits of fish for brain health. This recent study actually looked at the levels of DHA, an omega-3 fat obtained from fish, in the blood of about 900 seniors (average age of 76). They showed that seniors with higher levels of the omega-3 fat in their blood had the lowest chance of dementia from Alzheimer's disease or other reasons. In fact, the seniors in the top 25% of blood omega-3 content were about 50% less likely to succumb to the debilitating cognitive disease. The average intake of fish in these top performers was about 3 servings per week or 180 mg of DHA per day, which can be obtained from supplements.

These studies all sum up the importance of lifestyle choices on healthy brains and bodies in the later years. So when you see your grandparents this holiday season, plan a fishing trip. Dust off the poles and reels and take them for a walk down to the creek. A little aerobic activity, some fresh air and a dose of omega-3s will help them stay mentally and physically healthy.

Everybody ages, but as this happens, an increasing number of people are developing brain-related disorders that include memory loss, awareness impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Why are these problems occurring?

As the brain ages the number of healthy neurons or nerve cells is slowly but progressively declining. Over time, continuous damage from “oxidative stress” (a factor of aging made worse by environmental problems related to pollution, tobacco, excessive sunlight) can deteriorate overall brain function. This deterioration may affect your ability to respond to immediate needs like instant recall or prompt decision-making. Even though symptoms of brain aging may not appear in the early senior years, your brain may be slowly losing these capabilities. In severe cases, these symptoms may be a warning sign for slowly evolving Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

How can we slow or stop this process?

A Leading Role for Dietary Antioxidants

Research over recent years has begun to show that the brain ages mainly due to a combination of damaging oxidative stress and decreased amount of antioxidant defenses, often due to a diet lacking antioxidant-rich foods. High levels of reactive oxygen species (sometimes called “free radicals” that are produced by normal metabolism), left unchecked by sufficient dietary antioxidants can accelerate brain problems. Antioxidants are thought to neutralize these damaging free radicals, helping to prevent further cell and tissue damage. This idea is leading to further research about brain aging.

Many studies have shown that individuals who consume a regular intake of colorful fruits and vegetables may reduce their risk for developing age-related disorders. Research from the laboratory of Dr. Jim Joseph, US Department of Agriculture, Boston, suggests that dietary supplementation with fruit or vegetable extracts high in antioxidants (e.g. blueberry or spinach extracts called phenolics or carotenoids) might decrease our vulnerability to oxidative stress that occurs with aging.

These findings imply that regular consumption of antioxidant-rich foods could beneficially affect three primary conditions determining Alzheimer’s disease:

1) Inflammation

2) Production of damaging free radicals

3) Neuronal signaling and transmission defects

Such an effect remains an untested but promising hypothesis for human clinical trials.

This research also forms a reasonable and simple basis for making dietary recommendations to seniors. In other words, include colorful plant foods in each day’s diet to promote slow and healthy aging.

Bone is living tissue that constantly undergoes remodeling - old bone is replaced by new bone. Osteoporosis is the most common human bone disease and is characterized by low bone mass or bone mineral density (BMD) and loss of bone tissue. Osteoporosis develops when bone that is lost is not replaced by new bone. This results in a decreased bone mass and the increased risk for fractures. The many common causes of osteoporosis range from lack of physical stress (exercise) on the bones, malnutrition, low hormone levels (ie estrogens, androgens, IGF-1), and old age. Secondary causes may be due to glucocorticoid therapy, where cortisol-like compounds, usually given to control inflammation, increase the rate of bone loss.

Osteoporosis was once viewed as a disease that primarily concerned older women due to decreasing levels of estrogen during the postmenopausal years. Estrogen causes increased osteoblastic (bone formation) activity and after menopause, minimal estrogen is secreted from the ovaries. However, since the recognition of The Female Athlete Triad, osteoporosis, osteopenia, and stress fractures are now a concern for much younger women. It is also evident that more and more men appear to be developing osteoporosis as well. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 10 million people have osteoporosis and another 18 million have low bone mass, with the odds favoring that these people will also develop osteoporosis (1). This is very unfortunate because osteoporosis is largely preventable.

The NIH defines osteoporosis as a “skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing to an increased risk of fracture.” A common mistake is to think of osteoporosis simply as the result of bone loss. For individuals that never reach optimal bone mass, osteoporosis may develop without substantial bone loss. For further reading on osteoporosis, the NIH Consensus Statement at (INSERT URL HERE) is an excellent place to start. This article will cover more recent developments, address some ongoing concerns, and offer some practical interpretations.

Exercise: What Do We Need To Do?

To improve the quality of their bones, people need specific exercise programs and directions on how to do the exercises. In the case of young female athletes who may be over-exercising, an appropriate recommendation may be to reduce their training volume. This article will assume that the individual is older and lack of exercise is the problem. It’s clear that not all exercise protocols are effective, so the focus will be on what has been proven in research and what is applicable today. There is a strong relationship between muscle mass, strength and bone density (2, 3). A simple interpretation is that in general, stronger people have stronger bones. In controlled studies where subjects were strength-trained, bone density also increased, thus lending support to cross-sectional studies (4, 5). Recent research using rats even suggests that resistance exercise may be more beneficial than aerobic training for stimulating bone formation (6). While there is no guarantee the same results will be found in people, animal studies do allow researchers to exert greater control over the study as well as study mechanisms that may be difficult to study in people. Unlike pharmacological and nutritional approaches, strength training can influence multiple risk factors for osteoporosis and other diseases by increasing strength, balance and muscle mass simultaneously.

Strength training or resistance exercise is not simply going to the gym and “pumping iron.” A properly designed program can address balance, flexibility, cardiovascular conditioning and agility. These are often overlooked fitness components that can easily be incorporated into a program. Programs are designed based upon what a client has available to them (equipment, location, etc) and what they can actually do (physical limitations, contraindications, personal goals, etc). In previous research elderly subjects lifted food items (ie soup cans, bags of potatoes, milk containers, etc) and improved their strength, muscle mass, bone density, body composition and mental outlook.

Research in the past had older subjects lift weights in a very slow and controlled fashion because of the fear that fast or explosive movements may harm them. Today things are approached very differently. One of the consequences of aging is that there is a decrease in function in faster twitch motor units and hence muscle fibers. Observations so far indicate that power-type training in the elderly may be very beneficial in multiple areas, including improved speed, a decrease in medications for blood pressure, blood glucose control, and decrease in depression. It’s easy to get depressed when you can’t move around.

A properly designed exercise program is preceded by a doctor’s approval and a physical assessment to determine the individual’s functional capacity, joint integrity, and muscular strength. For example if a subject has weak legs and is without joint problems, single legged squats to a bed or chair can work well. Initially the range of motion is limited, and with improvements in strength and balance, the range of motion is increased. The chair or bed provide a safety measure so the subject does not squat too deep too fast. Push-ups and straight leg sit-ups (on a bed or carpet with the lower back pushing down against the bed/carpet) are also very effective movements. Try to select movements that make balance difficult, use primarily body weight (or some fraction) as resistance, use full range of motion unless contraindicated, and emphasize the lifting phase at a one or two tempo (subject says “one” or “one-two” and tries to complete the movement at the same time), with the lowering phase usually about twice as long. The main point here is that we know resistance exercise works to increase or prevent loss of bone mass (with many other positive benefits), now let’s see how we can make it fun, yet appropriate for the people we work with.

Diet: What Can We Recommend?

Recommending an increased intake of dairy products along with some sunlight will work with some people, but usually not most elderly clients. Other dietary factors be bone saving. Fruit and vegetable intake has a positive relationship with bone density (7, 8). While there may be other explanations for these positive relationships, there is overwhelming evidence that supports their prudent recommendation. The standard recommendations apply - five to nine servings each day for adults, with lots of variety. Results of the Framingham Osteoporosis Study indicated that even after controlling for multiple factors, a lower protein intake increased bone loss (9).

Studies on rats indicate that high protein diets do not adversely affect bone turnover and in support of the Framingham Study, show that low protein intake lowers IGF-1 and induces IGF-1 resistance in osteoblasts (10, 11). Given that most elderly people consume insufficient protein, a low protein intake appears to be more of a concern than a high protein intake when it comes to preventing osteoporosis. While terms such as high and low are often used based upon the relative percentage of calories contributed to the diet from protein, this can be very misleading. A better strategy to determine the adequacy of protein intake is relative to body mass and activity pattern of the individual. The RDA for protein is .8 g/kg of body mass. However, strength training increases the upper recommendation to as high as 1.8 g/kg of body mass.

Soybeans and flaxseed (oil or meal) are excellent sources of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant chemicals that can modulate estrogen function. Many phytoestrogens have been implicated either indirectly or indirectly to have an impact on bone turnover. While there still isn’t enough evidence to say exactly how these foods may influence bone tissue, there is sufficient evidence to warrant recommending their consumption. Given the common problem that older people have of eating enough calories, the real trick is how to get this group to actually eat what may help them. For other groups, many people just don’t see the value in taking time to plan out and make all the healthy foods they know they should be eating. A practical example that has worked very well for some people is to make smoothies or some type of blended mixtures. A scoop of why protein mixed in with some frozen berries and flaxseed meal supplies lots of nutrients that can benefit bone. It is quick, convenient, can be stored for later consumption and transported to another location. For variety, switch between flaxseed oil and meal, use different fruits, and alternate between soy and whey proteins.

Supplementation: Do We Really Need Everything On The Market?

It’s clear that supplements (and drugs) can be effective when compared to a placebo. What is not so obvious is whether or not supplements to prevent bone loss work any better than eating a diet that provides similar nutrient values as in the supplements. Collectively most studies support the notion that if people get enough calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, and boron from their diets and lead an active lifestyle, they will achieve and maintain healthy bone densities. The dilemma is that substantial portions of the population do not get the required amounts those nutrients. While counseling is often tried, this group is usually comprised of older adults who may have deeply established lifestyle patterns. Supplementation may be an appropriate recommendation as long as they remember to take the appropriate pills in the correct doses at the correct times.

Calcium is the most important specific nutrient for developing peak bone mass and preventing bone loss. Recommended intakes of calcium to prevent or treat osteoporosis are 1,000 - 1,500 mg per day for older adults. Calcium may displace or be displaced from being absorbed by other minerals. Calcium supplements should generally be taken at separate times from other mineral supplements or foods that contain minerals if one wants to maximize calcium absorption. They can be taken with juices and vitamins. Vitamin D is needed for optimal calcium absorption and has a recommended intake of 400-600 IUs per day. Vitamin D on its own has limited therapeutic value for people with normal vitamin D levels (12), but can increase bone density in people with depressed serum levels (13).

Since so much research has focused on calcium and vitamin D, other dietary constituents are often overlooked. Boron initially received attention for use as an intervention to treat and prevent arthritis. In parts of the world where boron intake are less than one milligram per day, arthritis incidence rates are 20-70%. In other places where boron intakes are three to ten milligrams per day, arthritis occurs in 10% or less of the population. A significant favorable response has been reported with 6 mg per day. The combination of 45 mg/d vitamin K2 and .75 micrograms of vitamin D3 increases bone density in post menopausal women with osteoporosis (14). Vitamin C is also correlated with increase bone density in postmenopausal women taking calcium and undergoing estrogen therapy (15). The supplement intake ranged from 100-5,000 mg/d with an average intake of 745 mg/d.

One supplement that has received lots of marketing attention is ipriflavone. Ipriflavone is a synthetic isoflavone sold over the counter. In some European countries it is considered to be one of the first and most effective treatment approaches to combating osteoporosis. Studies on ipriflavone however offer mixed results, with some indicating that it increases bone mineral density and others indicating that it does not. A recent study published in JAMA indicated that there was no effect on bone mineral density and that lymphocyte concentration decreased significantly (16).

Several companies have produced supplements marketed as anti-osteoporotic agents. Based upon the doses above, a supplement recipe for osteoporosis would consist of 1,000 - 1,500 mg/d of calcium, 400-600 IUs of vitamin D/d, 745 mg of vitamin C/d, 45 mg/d of vitamin K and 6 mg/d of boron. There is no research at this point in time that has examined the effects of simultaneously giving all of the above agents on bone density. Whether or not the combined use these supplements is more effective than some smaller combination is a matter of opinion. The most appropriate place to try this supplemention protocol is in clinical practice where a competent professional monitors patients. A greater concern is that individuals may self-prescribe these agents without monitoring and/or guidance from a competent professional.

Putting It Into Practice Today

One of the problems with research on preventing bone loss or increasing bone mineral density is that there are many variables to control for. Activity patterns can vary considerably and the results of a nutritional intervention may reflect the synergistic effects of nutrition plus exercise, even though only the nutritional component was carefully monitored. Another issue is that when bone mineral density has reached a certain critical point, significant interventions from a statistical perspective may mean little from a practical perspective. That is while the subject’s bone density increased, they may still fracture their bones at the same rate as before the study. This makes interpreting the results somewhat problematic.

A simple and prudent strategy is to get people to perform resistance exercise where balance is challenged (ie they work against gravity). The program should incorporate progression so as they get stronger, they will perform more challenging tasks. The diet should provide at least .8 g/kg body mass per day and not more than 1.8 g/kg per day if resistance training. It is generally understood that most nutrients can be obtained from the diet, however a substantial portion of the population has signs of low levels for one or more nutrients relating to bone health. While recommendations for lifestyle modifications are certainly warranted, compliance does not appear to be very high over the long-term. Supplementation of one or more of the following may be warranted: 1,000 - 1,500 mg/d of calcium, 400-600 IUs of vitamin D/d, 745 mg of vitamin C/d, 45 mg/d of vitamin K and 6 mg/d of boron. Ideally such strategies would occur under the guidance of a competent professional.

You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars a month on high priced skincare products to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. There are many safe and natural methods available that are just as effective for preserving your youthful complexion without having to resort to risky surgeries or injections.

Here are some of the top natural anti aging tips to help you maintain your youthful appearance and keep it that way well into your 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond.

Drink Water - Water is necessary for detoxification and maintaining the health of your skin. Cell function, including regeneration, and health of every organ system is dependent on water. One common sign you are not drinking enough water is dry, itchy skin.

Drinking plenty of water keeps your skin moist. Without this moisture your skin will become dry and wrinkly. This causes premature aging. That is why you almost always see celebrities carrying bottled water with them all the time. They take the necessary steps to preserve their skin.

Water can also be a miracle cure for many other common ailments, especially helping you lose weight. Try drinking some now and see if you don't feel better!

Quit Smoking - smoking has been proven to cause wrinkles so be eliminating this you eliminate one factor says the researchers at the Mayo Clinic. Smoking accelerates the normal aging process of your skin by damaging collagen and elastin which give your skin its strength and elasticity, causing wrinkles and sagging skin much earlier than they should. These skin changes are irreversible.

How does smoking lead to wrinkles? Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. This impairs blood flow to your skin, depleting it of oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A.

In addition, repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes and the facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

Visit the Mayo Clinic for more information about the effects of smoking on the skin - http://www.mayoclinic.com

Eat super Foods - Add super foods to your diet can help you increase longevity and can help prevent many common diseases. Super foods are loaded with skin-boosting anti-oxidants. The Goji Berry, for example, contains 500 times more vitamin C than oranges.

Recent research shows the Goji Berry has more beta-carotene - which helps fight heart disease - than carrots, while its high levels of polysaccharides stimulate the immune system - keeping you from getting sick or cutting down the amount of time you are ill. And when you eat foods rich in things like that, they will make a difference on your body and skin.

A side benefit of the Goji Berry is that it can boost your sex drive and is being called "natural Viagra."

Blueberries are another super food that gets a lot of attention due to its ability to slow the ageing process by helping to prevent and reverse memory loss.

Other notable super foods to incorporate in your diet include broccoli, strawberries, oats, oily fish, green tea, and nuts.

These three tips are simple and easy to do. They cost you very little but can have a profound impact on your health and longevity. Give them a try alongside your regular anti aging regimen and see if you can tell the difference.

There is no such thing. You do not Grow, you Un-grow. It starts with your teeth at any age and just keeps going. I have never seen anything that grows old. Aging is not growing. So lets start over. “Aging until you are dead.” Now I don’t want to write a gloomy article here but that is exactly what happens. If you have good health until you die, aging is not too bad for a long time but the closer that last breath comes the more you think about it. I suspect most of the aged come to terms with dying and hope it happens in their sleep. You have had your fun or your misery. Life is going on outside your window but you have to drop out. We old folks have a saying, “Growing old is not for sissies”. Now I cannot speak for the rich. I am not rich but I was at one time. The old car I drive now is as comfortable as my Oldsmobile 98 was. The food is what I make it. The air is the same. So maybe the rich get to do more and have more laughs. But I sort of have my doubts. I personally enjoy life just as much as if I were on a beach somewhere. I don’t realize I am 73 and act and feel like 40. I have what I call “The Right Mental Attitude” which I have always had from birth. Some folks do not have that and need to work on positive thinking. I don’t have a quarterback’s body so I have to work on that, and yes I am a bit behind.

There are two rules. Have a good head. If your head is not right the whole thing sucks. Have as good a body as you can make it. Most of us have a choice about both. Of course when I say head I mean the real you inside that head. You don’t have to have any special kind of mind to have the Right Mental Attitude. And mostly, if you keep your hands from stuffing that hole under your nose you can have a good body. I won’t mention smoking. That is suicide and I am not qualified to help people with a bad death wish. I mean bad death. The two rules about quality aging are:

1. Right Mental Attitude. I could write a page about that but you know exactly what I mean.

2. Take Care Of Yourself. That’s pretty easy to understand. Those are the two rules for aging until you die, as nicely as possible.

There is one rule for aging miserably and dying poorly. That rule is, “Don’t pay any attention to the first 2 rules.”

When the body breaks down and when you are sick that is the hard part of aging. You folks reading this who are not old do not want to be old and sick. That is hell on earth. So get right in your mind now and start tomorrow to age well. If you get nothing else out of this article, remember this, you are not a military tank. You are an ordinary vehicle made to haul your brain around. Inside that brain is the pilot. You are the pilot. If you let your vehicle set in one spot the thing starts to rot. If you let it do what it does naturally every day, taking care of it with good maintenance and fuel it will pass many junk vehicles along the side of life’s road that had stupid Pilots. Pilots that let their vehicle smoke. Pilots that paid no attention to nutrition. Pilots that made the vehicle lazy and parked it all the time. Pilots who thought of self only and did not enjoy the wondrous feeling of helping others.

Just a little neglect here and a little neglect there and your vehicle will rust out and you will be a cripple. Start by helping others. That alone will add years to your life because it is the right mental attitude. The rest will follow. Trust me on this. I cannot say it enough. There is no peace of mind or joy like the wondrous feeling of helping others. You mellow inside and have self-esteem, The Right Mental Attitude.

The natural aging process and gravity can cause loose and sagging skin to form on different areas of the face. One of the most common areas where this can take place is near the jaw line. The skin that loses its elasticity there will eventually begin to form jowls. When this happens prematurely, a person can look many years older than they are and experience a significant decrease in self-esteem.

“Many patients who come to my office looking for options to alleviate their jowls are worried about their appearance and others’ interpretation of their age,” says San Francisco-based plastic surgeon Dr. Miguel Delgado. “They feel that other people assume they are much older than they are and want to get back to looking and feeling as young as they should.”

There are many different avenues to eliminate jowls through cosmetic surgery. Depending on the degree of the problem, a facelift or mini-facelift can be used to pull the sagging skin taut again. If the jowls have formed as a result of loose skin and excess fatty tissue, a combination of slight liposuction, a pre-jowl implant and a facelift may be a more appropriate solution.

In many cases, volume replacement with fat injections is an option. Using a patient’s own skin from a facelift for lip augmentation helps with the fine lines around the mouth. Many patients are candidates for a TCA chemical peel, which gives a great finishing touch to further tighten the skin and improve sun damage.

“The overall affect of the procedures can be really dramatic,” explains Delgado. “Some of my most satisfied clients have had their jowls eliminated through facelifts. They came away from the procedures looking years younger than they did previously and with much more self-confidence.”

A facelift can successfully address the problem of jowls and other sagging skin on the lower half of the face. For other areas of the face, Delgado advocates additional, targeted cosmetic procedures including browlifts and eyelid lifts.

Good nutrition and aging slowly go hand in hand. This conclusion becomes self evident once we realize that aging is merely the cumulative effects of wear and tear that our cells receive as we go through life. Eating well to provide the body's tissues with optimal resources for maintenance and repair can only be helpful. Medical research in recent years has not only revealed many ways that nutrition influences disease processes, but also many ways that it affects healthy maintenance and function of tissues and organs.

Nutritionists today will give the same general advice to those seeking diets to slow aging as they will to individuals looking for a diet that is simply healthy. It's advice we're all used to hearing, but often bad at following: enjoy foods that are low in fat, particularly saturated and trans fats, and high in fiber. Include a variety of fruits and vegetables and stick to proteins of plant origin as much as possible. For those with a particular interest in nutrition and aging, foods that are high in antioxidants may be stressed. These include brightly colored fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, herbs and teas.

Antioxidants aren't only for diets to slow aging! They are important for all of us, as they help to ward of many diseases and keep our cells healthy and regenerating even when we're young. Of course, no matter how young we are, all of us are getting older and it's never too soon to think about nutrition and aging. A little effort early on can pay big dividends in healthy productive years later.

To put together a good personal plan for nutrition and aging, consult a professional dietitian. He or she will be able to help you assess your current diet and identify places where you need to change your eating habits. A regular exercise program may also be recommended as regular activity is vitally important in maintaining good health and great mobility later in life. Exercise programs and diets to slow aging can also help address weight problems – being overweight is a major factor in many diseases and aging processes. It’s good advice too, to see your physician regularly and have any routine screening tests (like cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure) appropriate for your sex and age group.

It's possible that your dietitian or doctor will also recommend a multivitamin and mineral supplement as a wise part of all diets to slow aging - just to make sure that any gaps in your nutritional needs are covered. There are now dietary supplements available on the market to specifically address nutrition and aging needs. At a minimum, choose a product that includes a good range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, with detailed information about the amounts of each and the percent of the recommended daily value (DV or RDA) provided.

Remember, however, that while supplements can be valuable additions to diets to slow aging, they cannot make up for a diet that is inherently unhealthy. If you're not committed to a healthy lifestyle, you will enjoy minimal anti aging benefits.

There’s a new laser on the market. No, it won’t bleach away age spots or iron away face furrows, but it will tell you how much collagen you’ve lost. And according to a study just released in Optics Letters, the novel laser finds that women lose collagen faster than men.

The laser uses ultra-brief pulses of infrared light to stimulate tissues to emit light at shorter wavelengths -- blue in the case of collagen, and green in the case of elastin.

Because upper layer of the skin is virtually transparent to infrared light, the infrared laser can reach the deeper layers of the skin with intense pulses of light without damaging the upper layers. By two different “quantum” processes, collagen and elastin will then respond by glowing blue or green respectively.

Even though this technique is still at the experimental stage, women can take action now to slow their untimely collagen loss.

Smart anti-aging steps women can take include consuming foods to optimize their skin’s estrogen and collagen content. Estrogen is important to preventing premature aging because this hormone determines the moisture level and collagen concentration of the skin with age.

Research has established the link between estrogen and collagen. Estrogen boosts the skin’s moisture content by increasing the amount of hyaluronic acid in the skin.

Hyaluronic acid is naturally found in the body. One of hyaluronic acid’s primary jobs is to make the skin firm and provide support for the collagen and elastin fibers that give skin a firm, youthful appearance.

You can potentially increase that amount of hyaluronic acid in your skin by increasing your intake of certain estrogens. For example, animal studies show that soy isoflavones protect skin against sun damage and may increase production of hyaluronic acid.

Soy dishes come in a variety of options including soy tofu, soy protein shakes and even soy protein bars.

While eating your way to a firmer face, you don’t want to overlook vitamin C. Vitamin C remains a potent antioxidant and it also helps your body to produce collagen.

Ironically, even though vitamin C’s beauty potential is loudly touted by the media, 33% of the US population is not getting enough vitamin C according to a 2005 survey done by the U.S. Agricultural Research Service's Food Surveys Research Group.

You can enjoy vitamin C in foods like broccoli, red or green peppers, strawberries, oranges and Brussels spouts.

Eating vitamin C and optimizing your estrogen levels are just one step in a series of things you can do to slow down the aging process. One simple tip to keep your anti-aging regime working is to ask yourself each time you eat, “Is this food protecting me from radials and allowing my body to repair itself, or causing more radial damage?” This way you’re sure to be eating your way to more youthful skin.

For now, you do not need a laser to tell you how well your skin is aging. What’s on your plate can serve as your anti-aging barometer instead. Take a tip from the Food and Drug Administrations and enjoy at least five fruit and vegetables a day. Your face will thank you.