Shaklee Distributor in Dallas, Dallas Health Helpers, discusses healthy aging.

Shaklee Distributor in Dallas, Dallas Health Helpers, discusses healthy aging.

 Here’s to healthy aging.

Thanksgiving is next week! The start of the holiday season and, as the song says, the most wonderful time of the year. But it’s also the time of year when life gets more stressful. We tend to overindulge in high-sugar, high-fat, and artificially flavored and colored foods. We drink more alcohol than we should. And we’re exposed to an extra load of environmental toxins: smoke in our fireplaces; cigar smoke at parties; artificial fragrances at the mall; and exhaust fumes from sitting in holiday traffic. It’s enough to make you feel older than you really are! Well, don’t let the holidays age you. Here is what scientists have discovered about the aging process.  Following are some things you can do to age healthier, starting this holiday season.

Tips for healthy aging

1. Eat a balanced diet (low in saturated fat, rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains)
2. Maintain a healthy weight (helps to reduce risk of many age-related diseases)
3. Get regular exercise (weight bearing and endurance.  Go for at least 30 minutes per day)
4. Add these nutrients to your daily regime:

•   Vitamin D (improved bone and colon health, reducing risk of all causes of motality)
•   Calcium (again, healthy bones)
•   B Vitamins (healthy DNA replication
•   Vitamin C and Vitamin E  (help reduce oxidative stress on the cells in the aging process)
•   Polyphenols especially  Resveratrol  It has been shown to positively impact multiple mechanisms of cellular aging.

The National Institute of Aging says that achieving and maintaining health and function in advanced years can be aided by a commitment to a lifestyle of good nutrition, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding activities such as smoking and other activities that adversely affect your health.

The good news is that research shows that it is never too late to adopt healthy habits  Here’s to your good health!