Eat This Healthy Diet to Live Longer

We all know that eating a healthy diet is good for us, but more specifically it can help with healthy aging. There is more and more research suggesting that the type of foods we eat is related to longevity of life. Eating healthy not only makes you look younger and feel younger, it may even slow down the aging process. First, eating healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish and nuts increases the body's overall health and can reduce the risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes which can lead to an earlier age of death. As we grow older the body systems need more help to do their jobs and promote healthy aging. This help is available by making sure you get the right nutrition to support the body during the aging process.

Foods For Healthy Aging
For a healthier, longer life here are some tips on foods and nutrients you can add to your diet and how they help with healthy aging.

Bright Colored Fruits and Vegetables
These foods are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent damage to healthy cells from free radicals and fight off disease. One way to tell if you are getting enough antioxidants in your diet for healthy aging is to look in the mirror. Wrinkles can be a sign of cell damage or cells that are dying. Antioxidant rich foods include tomatoes, leafy greens, blueberries, raspberries, carrots, peaches, bell peppers, cantaloupe, cherries, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and beets.

The antioxidant resveratrol can help the body with healthy aging by reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease and early aging. This antioxidant is found in grapes, peanuts and red wine. The antioxidants vitamin C, zinc and beta-carotene, such as found in spinach, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables, can help with eye health and vision problems that occur as we age. Yellow and green vegetables are particularly helpful in keeping skin looking more youthful.

Omega-3
Getting enough foods with omega-3 fatty acids in the diet can help lower cholesterol, fight inflammation, increase brain health as we age and reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart attack. There is some research that suggests it can also reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. The best food sources for omega-3 is fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and lake trout. Other food sources for omega-3 are flaxseed, blue green algae, walnuts, olive oil, edamame, wild rice, soybean oil, spinach, kale and chia seeds

Whole grains
Whole grains are rich in fiber that help keep blood vessels healthy, may reduce the risk of cancer, are good for heart health, reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and keeps blood sugar levels balanced. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the risk of death from heart disease can be reduced by 17% for every additional 10 grams of fiber you eat daily. Good food sources for fiber include oats, brown rice, barley, wheat, quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, apples and raspberries.

Dairy Foods
Low fat dairy foods give you the calcium and vitamin D needed for bone health and help prevent osteoporosis. Choosing low fat dairy helps in the fight against high cholesterol levels while still getting the nutrients that keep bones strong and healthy. As we age the body doesn't produce as much new bone to replace the natural process of bone loss. Other food sources for calcium include spinach, bok choy, mustard greens, sardines, fortified cereals and juices, beans, tofu, and fish. Vitamin D can also be found in cod liver oil, fish such as tuna and salmon, and egg yolks

Healthy Fats
Most of us know there are different types of fats and that some are good fats and some are not. Monounsaturated fatty acids can actually help with healthy aging and help us live longer. It can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. Nuts such as almonds and pistachios, olive oil and avocado are good sources of these healthy fats.

Proteins
As we age we have more damage to body cells. The body needs protein to repair these cells. Beans are a good source of protein as an alternative to red meat. This is a good way to get the protein you need without the saturated fat found in meats which can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Fat free milk, egg whites, tofu, chicken, pork, and turkey are other good lean sources for protein.

Supplements for Healthy Aging

In addition to adding the above nutrition into your diet, nutritional supplements can help you get enough antioxidants, omega-3, calcium and other nutrition that you aren't getting from your food sources. There are other supplements that can also help in the quest for healthy aging.

Stem Cell Support
Stem cells occur naturally in most body organs and tissues and help with our overall general health. They are different than other body cells in that they are able to divide and renew themselves for long periods, and are able to develop into other types of cells. When a stem cell divides, it can either remain a stem cell or become a red blood cell, muscle cell, skin cell or any one of the many other cells in our bodies. These new cells can migrate to the areas they are needed most as we age and where problems are occurring to repair damage.

Adult stem cells are already in our bodies and are not controversial like embryonic stem cell use is. They maintain and renew body tissue, help in maintaining a healthy immune system as well as with other health conditions. As we get older, we don't produce as many adult stem cells and they don't regenerate themselves as fast as when we were younger. This is where supplementation can help. Research has shown that certain nutrients such as are present in a stem cell support supplement can help promote the renewal of stem cells. It provides nutrition that supports the growth of stem cells and provides antioxidants that protect existing stem cells from free radical damage. Using this type of supplement can help counteract the reduction in the body's ability to regenerate stem cells as we age.

Enzymes
According to Dr. Edward Howell, known for his enzyme research, Food Enzymes for Health Longevity:

"Diets deficient in enzymes cause a 30% reduction in life-span."

Eating mostly processed and cooked foods depletes the active enzymes in our diets. These enzymes are necessary for good digestive health and immune system support. Not getting enough enzymes from the foods we eat puts strain on the pancreas, liver and spleen to replace the enzymes we are not getting from our foods. Adding an enzyme supplement to the diet can insure that we get the necessary enzymes to digest food and reduce stress on the body.

Enzymes can help with healthy aging in a variety of ways. Amylase helps with the well-being of the mind and body and relieves mental fatigue. Not getting enough of this enzyme can result in an unbalanced blood sugar level and mood swings. Lipase helps the body to store and break down fat. A lack of this enzyme can affect circulation, affect the immune system by inhibiting the circulation of white blood cells, increase cholesterol levels and contribute to high blood pressure. Cellulase helps with the breaking down and assimilation of cellulose into glucose which is a form of sugar the body can easily absorb and use for energy. A lack of this enzyme can cause bloating, excessive gas and abdominal pain. To insure you are getting enough enzymes, adding a high quality digestive enzyme supplement to your diet can make a tremendous difference.

Give yourself the best chance at leading a long and healthy life by making sure your diet has the nutrition it needs for healthy aging. Then go a step further and make sure your body is able to use that nutrition to its benefit by adding high quality nutritional supplements. We all want to remain healthy and active as we age and getting the right nutritional help is the key.


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5 Types of Power Foods That Boost Your Immune System

Your immune system is your body's defense system that keeps you from getting sick. In order for your immune system to do the best job it can, it needs to be healthy. Your immune system will be depressed if you eat a diet with a lot of junk food and don't get enough fruits and vegetables. Eating a well balanced healthy diet can go a long way to help supporting your immune system, but there are certain vitamins and nutrients that are known to give it an extra boost. For example, B2, B5, B6, B9 and B12 vitamins are known to help with antibody and blood cell production thus giving your immune system a boost. Protein also aids the body in white blood cell production and antibodies. Fish, chicken, eggs and dairy products are all good sources of lean proteins. Here are a few more ideas of how nutrition can be used as a natural solution to help strengthen your immune system.

1. Zinc Power Foods
Most people in the U.S. do not get enough zinc in their diets and zinc is a crucial mineral for boosting your immune system. This is especially true for vegetarians as beef is high in zinc. Zinc aids in the development of white blood cells that are a part of your immune system that destroy foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. If you are a meat eater, then eating lean beef, pork, oysters and poultry will add zinc to your diet. Other sources of zinc for you vegetarians include fortified cereals, sesame seeds, milk, yogurt, and miso. Miso which is a soybean paste also has protein and B12 which are immune system boosters.

2. Beta-Carotene Power Foods
Vitamin A is an antioxidant nutrient that comes from foods with beta-carotene. The body takes beta-carotene from foods and converts it into Vitamin A. Vitamin A is one of the vitamins that helps keep skin healthy and your skin is your body's first line of defense in the immune system for keeping out bacteria and viruses. Foods high in beta-carotene include sweet potatoes, apricots, blue green algae, carrots, squash, pumpkin and cantaloupe. Sweet potatoes also have the added benefit of phytonutrients that are good for healthy eyes and hearts.

3. Antioxidant Power Foods
Antioxidants fight the damage to our bodies' cells caused by free radicals. We get antioxidant enzymes naturally from the food we eat. Antioxidants come from fresh, raw foods that have minimal processing. Fruits and vegetables are the most commonly thought of source for antioxidants, but there are some that we can get more from than others and there are other consumables that also offer high levels of antioxidants.

Blueberries are a good source of antioxidants and there is some evidence that suggests the same compound that gives them their blue color can help with diabetes. Oregano is another good antioxidant source which has the added benefits of helping with digestion and clearing congestion. Cinnamon is the spice that has the highest levels of antioxidants of all herbs and spices. It has also been shown to be effective in balancing blood sugar levels. Walnuts are not only high in antioxidants, but also have vitamin E which helps nourish the skin, selenium, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids. Drinking black and green tea is another way to get antioxidants into your diet and actually have more than fruits and vegetables do. Studies have also shown that when brewing your tea, if you bob the tea bag or tea ball up and down several times then you can increase the amount of antioxidants released by 5 times the amount. Green tea also has EGCG that may help in preventing heart muscle damage. Chamomile tea has also been shown to help with boosting the immune system. A study at London's Imperial College found that subjects who drank 5 cups a day for 2 weeks showed an increase in a compound that has antibacterial properties. Dark chocolate is another good source of antioxidants. It has flavonioids that may improve blood flow and aid in skin health too. As far as vegetables go, tomatoes can't be beat for providing immune boosting antioxidants as the lycopene in them helps white blood cells in the fight against free radicals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published one study showing people consuming a diet with a lot of tomatoes for 3 weeks and then no tomatoes for 3 weeks. During the time they ate a lot of tomatoes their white blood cells had 38% less free radical damage than when they were not eating tomatoes.

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables every day is the preferred method of getting antioxidant defense from free radicals and other nutrients that support your immune system function, and improve skin health. But we know sometimes it's hard with a busy lifestyle, traveling and eating out to get all the fruits and vegetables your body needs. When you can't get your antioxidants from the food you eat, you can supplement your diet with a fruit and veggie capsule. This supplement is a convenient and hassle-free way to obtain daily recommended servings of nutritious fruits and veggies in an all-inclusive, nutrient-packed vegetarian capsule. Each capsule has a premium phytonutrient concentrate, along with 12 organic berries, wholefood vegetables such as spinach, kale, tomatoes, carrots, and beets and the energizing superfood power from nutrient-dense organic blue-green microalgae. Even people who do get their daily recommended servings from foods can benefit from this type of supplement as it also contains a phytonutrient and antioxidant blend that includes Betacarotene and Lutein which promote overall eye health, Lycopene which promotes cardiovascular health, and EGCG found in green tea that is known for its antioxidant qualities.

4. Probiotic Power Foods
Your intestinal tract is also part of your immune system and is full of "friendly bacteria" or probiotics that keep harmful bacteria and other invaders from getting into your body through the intestinal wall. So many things we encounter today, such as antibiotics, chlorinated water, high fat high protein diets, environmental toxins, and other medications, destroy these populations of friendly bacteria that we need help replenishing them. Yogurt and kefir are two sources of these probiotics such as acidophilus and bifidus. These foods are also good sources of calcium, phosphorus and protein. Be sure to look at labels before you buy and get brands that contain live active cultures. You want to particularly make sure there are active cultures of acidophilus and bifidus.

Acidophilus is especially important for keeping the small intestine healthy since without proper cleansing, the small intestine can accumulate harmful byproducts that impair natural digestive function. Taking a high quality acidophilus supplement can help the body process food efficiently and eliminate waste. Bifidus helps creates a favorable environment for the growth of "good bacteria" in the large intestine which is responsible for absorption of water from food that is consumed and passage from the body of remaining waste products. Lactobacillus casei is another probiotic known to give a boost to the immune system.

5. Beta Glucan Power Foods
Scientists found in the 1960s that the complex carbohydrate beta glucan has immune boosting properties. Beta glucan activates macrophages, which are a type of white blood cell produced in bone marrow, that travel throughout the body fighting off bacteria, viruses and other foreign invaders. Oats are a great source of beta glucan and steel cut oats are reported to have twice as much as rolled or quick cooking oats.

You can also get your beta glucan through an immune system boosting supplement that contains a patented form of beta glucan called WGP beta glucan. Studies reveal that WGP beta glucan is able to activate macrophages (type of white blood cell in body's defense system). Activating these macrophages can result in a stronger immune system. Numerous studies conducted at such prestigious research institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University have documented this supplements potential for boosting the immune system through WGP beta glucan's ability to activate macrophages.

Now you know some of the key ingredients for cooking up a stronger immune system. By adding these power foods that have natural immune system boosters and adding a few select supplements to your diet, you can help your immune system in helping you stay healthy.

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The Gut-Brain Connection: How Healthy Food Affects Your Brain's Reactions

You can probably see how eating healthy food makes for a healthy body which includes making a healthy brain, but there may be more of a connection between what goes on in your gut and your brain. Recent studies have been showing that probiotics in the gut have an affect on brain activity when we are anxious, stressed, depressed or afraid. These studies indicate that there could be a reduction of these types of behaviors through the types of foods we eat that keep the probiotics in our intestinal system healthy. The other indication is that this communication between gut and brain goes the other way and that brain reactions can affect the population of microflora in the gut.

These studies indicate that one way of supporting brain health is to also support intestinal health. This makes sense if you think about there being two nervous systems in the body. There is the central nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord and there is the enteric nervous system that is involved with the gastrointestinal tract. Both of these contain the same type of tissues and are connected by the vagus nerve. It is this nerve that facilitates the communication between gut and brain. Specific probiotics in the gut have actually been identified as being able to perform functions that affect regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain and that affect the corticosterone hormone which is responsible for reducing anxiety and depression type behaviors. Studies have also led to the discovery that serotonin such is found in the brain and controls mood, depression and aggression, is found in even greater amounts in the gut.

Studies have also found that an imbalance of gut flora can affect brain development and that low levels of these gut flora have a connection to symptoms associated with autism, ADHD, ADD, dyslexia, and other conditions. While all these studies are relatively new and more research is needed, preliminary results are promising that increasing the friendly bacteria in the gut can be beneficial for brain health.

There are many foods that have been shown to not only increase general body health, but are particularly good for brain health. These include foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids such as berries, nuts, olive oil, vegetables and coldwater fish.

I know you've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it is absolutely true. Here's some high powered breakfast ideas that can help kick start your brain at the beginning of the day.

--Yogurt that has live active cultures is a good source of probiotics and protein and if you add some walnuts and berries to it, you get some omega-3 and antioxidants as well. Add in some whole grain cereal and you've got a breakfast that is also high in fiber which makes for slower digestion thus improving concentration.

--Make an omelet using olive oil instead of butter to get some extra omega-3s. The eggs will give you some protein as would adding some cheese. Put spinach and tomatoes on top before you fold the omelet over so that they end up in the middle and you'll be adding some good antioxidants. Get your fiber by putting the whole thing on a piece of whole grain toast. 

--Make a breakfast shake for a breakfast-to-go by blending yogurt, berries, a little milk and some flax or chia seeds. For an even faster shake, you can get a powdered drink mix that contains soy and blue green algae and add to some fruit juice. This alternative gives you protein from soy, vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, K and niacin as well as the omega-3 and omega-6s and all the other amino acids and whole food nutrition from blue green algae. 

--Cereal is always a good quick breakfast standby if you don't have time to cook in the mornings. Mix a high fiber cereal with a whole grain cereal, add some walnuts, almonds or pecans, fruit and seeds, then get some probiotics added in by using keifer instead of milk. If you've got a little more time, oatmeal is also a good breakfast for brain health.

--When you've got a little more cooking time, whole grain waffles or pancakes topped with fruit and yogurt makes a healthy filling breakfast. For an extra boost, stir some nuts like walnuts into the batter.

Basically anytime you take some whole grains, add in berries and walnuts along with keifer, you are getting antioxidants, fiber, probiotics, omega-3, polyunsaturated fat, and protein all in one meal. Stir in some powdered blue green algae and you've really got a power breakfast or lunch going. Of course other nuts can be used and flax or chia seeds stirred in also, but the Journal of Alzheimer's Diesease has cited walnuts as contributing to better memory and increased brain functioning. They also attribute the antioxidants in walnuts as being helpful in reducing the chance of cognitive decline as we age.

We've talked about how probiotics in the gut are associated with brain health, but digestive enzymes are another gut aspect to consider when thinking about brain functioning. Digestion requires a lot of energy and the more energy it takes to digest food, the less there is available for other physical and mental activities. We've all experienced that afternoon slump especially after eating lunch. Taking high quality digestive enzymes can help support the digestive process. Enzymes are present in every cell, tissue and organ in the body and responsible for every chemical reaction associated with the metabolism of the body. Enzymes are critical to the proper functioning of everything from breathing to thinking to circulating the blood. .

Now you know how your brain and gut are connected and how adding healthy food and some of the natural solutions discussed can give you a boost for your brain. Giving your brain the support it needs to stay healthy no matter what age you are now will pay off in keeping you mentally sharp into your elder years.




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Healthy Lifestyle Tips: Worried About Cancer? You Have More Control Than You Think!

If you have done any research on cancer, you probably walked away with one of two responses:

1. Fear: OMG! What am I gonna do?
2. Empowered: Wow, I have more control than I think!

The truth of the matter is that it doesn't really matter what kind of reaction you had. Why? Think about it. If you had a fear reaction, then you can live in fear but you won't be helping yourself live a longer, healthier life. So while that reaction may be perfectly normal, if you are interested in a healthy lifestyle, it's time to dump that reaction!

The second reaction is far more helpful, not to mention far more truthful.

Why You Have a Lot of Power Over Cancer
If you read studies put out by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and other researchers in this field of study, you may be amazed to discover these facts:

• 1/2 to 2/3 of our cancer risk is under our own control
• 1/3 of all cancer deaths in the U.S. are correlated with physical inactivity and diet

In other words, living a healthy lifestyle has a lot to do with whether we are at risk for cancer or not. Most of the factors that lead to a healthy lifestyle are common sense, and may have you saying, "Yeah, yeah... I've heard these before." You may have heard these tips before, but if you really want to reduce your risk of cancer, then you really have to LIVE these tips, not just read about them or know about them.

So please, read the following healthy lifestyle tips with an eye toward really integrating them into your everyday life, not just nodding along in agreement with no intention of actually using them.

Healthy Lifestyle Tip #1: Exercise, Even a Little
Consistent exercise has been linked to a reduced risk in cancer, according to research on the subject. For instance, certain studies demonstrate that higher levels of physical activity are correlated with reduced rates of breast cancer. The ACS recommends a mere 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity--anything from gardening to a quick walk around the block!

Healthy Lifestyle Tip #2: Eat Right in Two Simple Ways
There are plenty of articles out there on how to eat right, so we won't bore you with all the details. However, there are two particular areas of dietary focus for supporting your body's ability to fight off cancer.

First, eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies daily, especially the colorful ones, which tend to have many antioxidant properties. When shopping, look for yellow peppers, leafy greens, orange fruits, and blueberries. If you think 5 servings sounds like a lot, you can supplement your dietary intake with antioxidant-packed fruits and veggies put into convenient capsule form.

Second, decrease your intake of red meat and go for more plant-based proteins, such as those from tofu and beans. Does that mean you have to give up all those juicy steaks and ribs? Nope. Just remember, a healthy lifestyle is all about moderation!

Healthy Lifestyle Tip #3: Get Your Beauty Rest
While our society currently rewards workaholic behavior and frowns on people who need their "beauty sleep," the truth of the matter is that people who get a healthy eight to nine hours of sleep tend to develop cancer less frequently than those who get seven hours or less of sleep. Some experts suggest that the hormone melatonin could be the cause. When we sleep, the absence of light triggers the body's production of melatonin, which seems linked to decreased risk of cancer. Although researchers are not totally clear on the connection, that connection is definitely present. So... get your beauty sleep as much as you can. Now that's a health tip that should be easy to follow!

Healthy Lifestyle Tips and You
Not to beat a dead horse, but if you managed to make it through the list of healthy lifestyle tips above, we have to ask: did you actually take any of it in? Did knowing that those simple tips can probably reduce your risk of cancer make you feel any more motivated to take action?

We hope so! I mean really... it's not like we suggested you run a marathon, give up all animal protein, or work harder. In fact, we suggested you sleep more and work less... how hard can that be, right? Sleep more, get healthier!

Well, the choice is up to you as always, especially since you now know that you have a LOT of control over your cancer risk. It's all about living healthy and being happy!

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Why You Should Go "Wild" With Supplements

A lot of people come to me for nutritional counseling and I always suggest that they "go wild" when they choose their supplements. When I say "go wild," I don't mean that they should go buy up everything in the vitamin aisle, I mean that they should consider supplements that are made from wild, organic, whole foods. These kinds of supplements benefit is in four different ways.

1. Wild Foods Fit Our Bodies
Foods from nature are made to suit our bodies. We are all part of the same ecosystem and wild foods, especially ancient foods that have been on the planet for millions of years, strengthen our genetic and cellular integrity.

2. Whole Foods are Easily Absorbed
Our bodies often require enzymes, co-enzymes, and other co-factors to absorb and use vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Synthesized supplements often lack these co-factors, so our bodies can't use the supplements. They often just come out the other end. On the other hand, whole foods have a much higher absorption rate, so we get more nutrition for every bite.

3. Balanced Mineral Ratio
It's very important for the food we eat to have balanced mineral ratios. Many disease conditions are caused by imbalanced mineral ratios, so taking supplements that don't have a balanced mineral ratio can worsen pre-existing health conditions. Luckily, Mother Nature produces foods that tend to have balanced mineral ratios, so whole foods are always better than artificially created supplements.

4. Organic Foods Are Not Polluted
Many of the chemicals used in farming cause the vitamins and minerals in our food to be unavailable for our bodies to use, not to mention that these chemicals can cause serious health problems. Organically-certified foods meet a rigorous standard of testing and contain far fewer harmful ingredients.

So when you go to the health food store to pick out your daily supplements, go wild, go green, go natural, go organic. In other words, go healthy!

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Healthy Aging Doesn't Have to Put a Dent in Your Wallet!

Have you ever noticed that products that are supposed to help with aging gracefully are more expensive than regular products in the same category? For example, skin moisturizers that are for "mature" or "aging" skin can be two to nine times as expensive as moisturizers designed for people in every other age group.

And here's the really crazy thing: the price of these products, such as moisturizers for aging skin, shoots through the roof just as people transition into retirement and begin to live on less income! Boy does that hit you where it hurts!

The good news is that aging gracefully does not have to stress you out or put a major dent in your wallet. You might be amazed at the number of simple lifestyle habits that you can incorporate into your life that will not only put you on the path to healthy aging, but don't cost very much. In fact, some of these lifestyle habits don't cost a single penny ... they only require a little of your time, attention, and dedication.

Three Strategies for Healthy Aging That Don't Cost a Penny!
The funny thing about lifestyle habits that contribute to healthy aging is that they are actually quite applicable to healthy living at any age. In fact, if you were to apply the three following lifestyle habits early in your life, you would find that aging gracefully is a cinch. You don't have to "learn new tricks" as you age if you practice and stick with healthy habits starting early in life.

Healthy Aging Tip #1: A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way
Experts in exercise science state that to remain healthy, we need to get 30 minutes of daily exercise, regardless of age. Exercise and movement promotes circulation, strength, and flexibility. Life is movement, and the longer you can stay active and moving, the longer you will hold off the effects of aging. Exercise affects the body on all levels, even down to the cellular level. Studies show that exercise can improve the efficiency of energy production at the cellular level. If simple movement on a daily basis can kick start every single cell in your body, imagine how much overall daily energy you will feel!  And don't think that you have to go race around the track or take up kick boxing. Gentler exercises, such yoga or tai-chi, have proven just as effective in keeping you healthy. For instance, a regular yoga practice can keep the digestive tract in good working order, tone up the arms, flatten the stomach, improve muscle tone, increase energy, and increase flexibility.

Healthy Aging Tip #2: Drink the Right Amount of Water
Our bodies are mostly water, so staying hydrated is important to aging gracefully. Just think of your skin. When your skin doesn't get enough water, it loses elasticity and firmness. The result? Dreaded wrinkles! So drinking enough water is definitely one key to staying healthy as you age. At the same time, you don't want to drown your body with too much water, as this can overwork the kidneys. If you are not sure how much water to drink, read this article for a simple formula to help you calculate a healthy water intake for your situation.

Healthy Aging Tip #3: Eat Right and Be Merry
Tip #2 above was the "drink" part of the "eat, drink, and be merry" formula for healthy aging! The other two parts--eating and being merry--are also important. As we age, our bodies are less and less able to digest foods. The "gut bombs" we so easily ate as teenagers become a real burden to our bodies as we grow older. So eating right is actually "eating light." Find out more about how eating light is a lifestyle habit with many health benefits in this article. As for being merry, we all know that laughter is definitely good medicine. Studies have definitively shown that happy people live longer and stay healthier for longer. Whatever it means for you to be merry, go for it. Having hobbies you enjoy, a spiritual practice, or work that you enjoy can go a long way towards aging gracefully.

Now you may read the above tips and think to yourself, "Well, duh!" And you would be right.. these tips are not the stuff of rocket science. They are simple common sense. But at the same time you have to consider that we humans are not particularly good at doing what we know to be good for us. For many years now the top New Year's Resolution in the U.S. has been to lose weight. For the same number of years, less than 10% of people who make that resolution are still sticking to that resolution by February 1. Does that tell you how little we are able to commit to simple, common-sense lifestyle habits that we know are good for us? At the same time, if you can persist in adding one or more of the above tips to your daily life, you will find healthy aging is a no-brainer.

More Tips for Healthy Aging and Aging Gracefully
Want to know more about how to support, nourish, protect, and rejuvenate your body as you age? Here are some article that may have some of the answers you seek:

Natural Solutions for Staying Active as You Age

Simple Ways to Reverse Aging

Healthy Aging: How to Help Your Aging Teeth

Graceful Aging: Foods for Healthy Skin

Want to Slow Aging? Forget Time, Think Healthy Cells Instead

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.

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Sugar Cravings? Yikes ... What to Do After Your Sugar Fix!

Get this:

-- The average American consumes his or her body weight in sugar each year! --

Wow, is that scary or what? That factoid comes from the American Heart Association, so it is not an urban myth. More specifically, the average American eats between 22 and 50 teaspoons of added sugar per day... adding up to about 150 pounds of sugar per year.

While sugar is sweet, the side-effects of eating that much sugar are not so sweet. Eating sugar to excess can lead to obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Sugar can also affect your mood, how you feel, and mess with your skin. Sugar side effects are definitely bitter rather than sweet. In fact, the above list of sugar side effects should give you pause the next time you consider munching on a candy bar or slurping down a chocolate malt!

The Worst Sugar Side Effect
We are all tempted to get a sugar fix from time to time, whether because we need some comfort food, we want to celebrate something good, or we just have a sugar craving. The reasons don't actually matter, but the side effects of sugar do matter. As discussed above, sugar can dramatically affect our health in numerous ways.

What we did not mention above is one of the most insidious and dangerous sugar side effects: the destruction of probiotics in the gut. Probiotics are the friendly bacteria that live in the gut and perform an amazing number of important bodily functions. These functions include:

• acting as a first line of defense against foreign invaders
• producing enzymes to digest food and deliver nutrients throughout the body
• moving food through the digestive system, preventing constipation, gas, bloating, etc.
• preventing harmful fungi from invading and taking over the gut (candida is a good example of harmful fungi)
• support liver and kidney function
• move toxins out of the gut and body

And that is just the short list of what the beneficial bacteria that live in our gut do for us. For us to remain healthy, studies show that we need to have a ratio of at least 6:1 of healthy to harmful bacteria in our guts.

So... taking all of this into consideration, you can see how damaging it is to eat excess sugar, which destroys the probiotics in the gut. Sugar not only destroys the probiotics, but also stops the gut from performing all of its digestive, immune, and other functions.

How to Avoid the Worst Sugar Side Effect After a Sugar Fix
Clearly eating too much sugar is a bad idea, but did you know that chugging even a single gigantic milkshake in a single sitting can have a serious effect on the probiotics in your system? Not only does it destroy a certain percentage of probiotics, but it can actually cause more sugar cravings. Seriously! One of the benefits of probiotics that we did not mention above is that probiotics can actually reduce sugar cravings. Why? Because the healthier we are (the higher the ratio of healthy bacteria in our gut), the less we crave sugar. So eating too much sugar kicks off a vicious cycle in which probiotics die off, sugar cravings increase, we eat more sugar, and even more probiotics die. The whole cycle is basically a downward spiral into poor health!

If you haven't guessed already, one of the best ways to avoid sugar side effects after eating a giant sugar fix is to take some probiotics. Acidophilus is one of the most effective probiotics for battling sugar side effects, and supports the health of the small intestine. Bifidus is another helpful probiotic, and supports the health of the large intestine.

We suggest taking probiotics such as acidophilus and bifidus as a daily supplement. When you have eaten a sugar fix, take extra probiotics (especially acidophilus) with pure spring water as soon as possible. This reverses the vicious cycle described above, and starts your body on an upward spiral of health.

If you MUST have a sugar fix, don't worry. Just take some probiotics afterward to fix the effects of the sugar fix!

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