1. Include in your diet unrefined sunflower pumpkin and sesame seeds, plus walnut and Brazil nuts for healthy brain, arteries and skin.
2. Eat liver and kidney, cabbage and sardines for acetylcholine, a vital brain nutrient often lacking in Alzheimer’s patients.
3. Add sage to cooking to improve your memory. It inhibits an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. (Note: Avoid if you are pregnant.)
4. Relax with exercise, meditation or massage. Stress produces the hormone cortisol, which can damage the brain.
5. Do simple mental exercises such as a daily crossword to keep the brain active and improve brain function.
6. Eat salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring twice a week for healthy omega-3 fats to nourish nerve fibers and improve brain function.
7. Use a wobble board to improve balance and strengthen muscles around the joints, leaving them supple and healthy and to make you feel younger.
8. Don’t blame your genes. Genetic make-up may give a predisposition to certain conditions, but lifestyle and diet can minimize chances of certain genes ‘switching on’.
9. Spend one hour of every day in direct daylight— or use full spectrum light bulbs to improve mood and reduce winter blues.
10. Laugh more. Laughing aids your immune system, burns calories, exercises the lungs and releases pent-up tension. 11. Go to bed early. The two hours before midnight are the most beneficial in terms of anti-ageing as our systems arid adrenal glands recover then.
12. Eat more lettuce at night because It contains a natural sedative, called lactucarlum, that can help promote deeper sleep.
13. Think positive. Yale University scientists have found that people who are positive and adaptable have happier, more fulfilled lives, and on average live eight years longer than those with a pessimistic outlook.
14. Rub essential oil of basil and/or rosemary diluted in almond oil into your scalp to increase circulation to the scalp, clear the mind and improve concentration.
15. Eat spicy foods as they produce endorphin to lift your mood. Turmeric is highly anti-carcinogenic.
16. Take a walk in the sunshine. Exercise and sunlight release endorphin, that are natural anti-depressants, as well as the feel-good, hormone serotonin.
17. Don’t worry. Most of the things we fear never happen — and worrying ages you.
18. Learn how to meditate. Proponents of the art believe that, when you attain total stillness within, linear time stops. In other words, meditating can actually help you slow down the ageing process.
19. If you don’t want to meditate, sitting quietly for ten minutes will help.
20. Think young. Tell yourself that you’re years younger, and also act and dress younger. You will begin to feel and look younger, too.
21. Know how to handle stress. Cortisol and adrenaline are the natural ‘fight or flight’ hormones but a build-up may cause conditions from heart attacks to stomach ulcers.
22. Replace mercury fillings. Mercury can trigger memory loss and symptoms that mimic senile dementia.
23. Have prunes, raisins, blackberries, figs, apricots, apples, carrots and green vegetables to absorb excess free radicals responsible for most of the signs of ageing.
24. Investigate live cell therapy. Shark, sheep or bovine embryos that are injected into humans are said to rejuvenate older cells. After four to six weeks, patients say their memory has improved, joints no longer ache and skin looks fresher.
25. Strong winds can cause veins. Use thick protective cream when outdoors.
26. Take a detox bath. Airline flights and computers subject the body to radiation. A warm bath with one lb (½ kilo) of epsom salts counteracts these damaging effects.
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27. You can strengthen your eye muscles by exercising them. Hold your thumb at arm's length and move it in circles and figure eights, both closer and further away, following it with your eyes the whole time.
28. Facial acupuncture helps eradicate dark circles under your eyes, whether they're hereditary or because of lack of sleep.
29. Hearing loss needn't be a natural consequence of ageing. Protect your hearing by wearing disposable earplugs when using power tools or lawnmowers.
30. If your hearing is fading, take a gingko biloba supplement to increase circulation to the head.
31. Celery-seed extract aids drainage of excess water from your body, so helps reduce puffiness in eyes or face. Take a supplement of 500mg twice daily.
32. If you think you may be losing your sense of taste or smell, take a zinc supplement daily.
33. Deficiency of potassium sulphate can also cause loss of taste and smell. If you suspect this might be a problem, take a daily supplement.
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34. Drink water A baby’s body is over 75 per cent water but by the age of 65, we’re just 55 per cent water. Water keeps skin hydrated and improves cell function.
35. Tap water and most bottled waters have chemicals and minerals. These are not necessary beneficial as they are inorganic and our body can only use organic minerals (from plants). For 99.99 per cent pure water, get RODI (reverse osmosis de-ionized) water, either from a supermarket or from a plumbed-in unit
36. Drink green tea for powerful antioxidant properties that neutralize excess free radicals.
37. Increase your exposure to oxygen. Consider ozone therapy — a treatment that floods the body with oxygen, that is said to inactivate viruses and stimulate Immune function.
38. Vitamin C is great for building collagen but cannot be stored in the body. It is most effective when taken with food in several small doses during the day – or in sustained release form capsules/tablets.
39. Don’t have milk in tea. Both green tee and black tea contain antioxidants, but their effect is neutralized by adding milk.
40. Cut down on excessive sun exposure — it triggers oxidative damage that contributes to wrinkled skin and can help to cause age spots.
41. Take antioxidant supplements (ACES – Vitamins A, C, E and selenium).
42. Take Carnosine daily. It is a naturally occurring compound in the body and can also be found in red meat and chicken. It extends cell life and regenerates the skin.
43. Use a pH-balanced soap. Skin is slightly acid, which helps repel bacteria and pollution. Many soaps are alkaline and can neutralize the skin’s acidity, reducing its resistance to infection and damage.
44. Remember oils and creams do penetrate the skin — the average woman absorbs 2 kilos of ingredients from them every year. So opt for organic skin products – or better yet, use foods like olive oil and flaxseed oil. If you can eat it, it’s safe to put on your skin.
45. Exfoliate skin regularly for a fresher look.
46. Sleep on your back to reduce wrinkles on face and chest.
47. Take Echinacea supplements — on a two-weeks on, one-week off basis to boost your immune system.
48. Apply moisturizers to slightly damp skin to increase their penetrating and hydrating effects.
49. Reduce any sun damage by a cream like Jurlique’s Calendula C cream. Calendula reduces inflammation and nourishes skin.
50. Avoid synthetic fabrics. They stop your skin breathing properly, so your body retains toxins.
51. Breathe deeply through your nose to use your lungs to their greatest capacity. increase your oxygen Intake and promote easier digestion.
52. Put your hands on your lower abdomen and watch them raise and lower as you breathe in and out. This re-alkalizes your system, expands the lower lungs and re-energizes the body.
53. Ability to take a really lung-filling breath declines with age. Minimize this decline with exercise and singing.
54. Watch your weight. Excess weight puts a strain on almost every organ in your body, stressing the skeleton and the circulatory system and reducing your life expectancy.
55. Invest in a purifier to rid the air inside your home of toxins such as monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and benzene vapor – all of which can be more damaging to the body than outdoor pollution.
56. Keep indoor plants. They remove carbon dioxide from the air and increase the levels of oxygen in your home.
57. Stop smoking. Every cigarette you smoke takes 15 minutes off your life, ages your skin and robs you of vital nutrients — so don’t light up.
58. Cut back on sugar in all forms. Sugars contribute to obesity and diabetes, trigger inflammation, and age the skin and brain.
59. If you find it hard to cut sugar from your diet, start supplements of chromium - 2OOmcg a day should help reduce cravings (but give it time – at least 2 months). Chromium is also believed to reduce the incidence of late onset diabetes.
60. To boost your circulation, use a body brush regularly. Circulation becomes less efficient with age and means less oxygen and fewer nutrients are delivered to cells, leading to leg ulcers, cold hands and feet, and memory loss.
61. Take a magnesium supplement every day to relax constricted arteries and so reduce the risk of stroke.
62. Cut down on sodium-based salt. It dehydrates the skin, causing it to wrinkle prematurely, and can also contribute to high blood pressure and hardened arteries. Try replacing it with magnesium (most minerals taste salty and we don’t get enough magnesium any more).
63. Instead of using salt, chop a seaweed, such as kelp, over your meals.
64. Improve circulation to your head with a regular head massage. The health of your hair is dependent on circulation to the scalp. (Men and some women lose hair on the top of their head, where blood flow is reduced in comparison to the sides.)
65. Take regular exercise to boost circulation. Also, eat more foods containing Vitamin E (such avocado) that help to thin blood naturally.
66. To avoid varicose veins, ensure you maintain good circulation in your legs. Don’t cross your legs.
67. If you have been on your feet all day, lie on the floor and place your lower legs on a chair or bed for 15 minutes. This rests the valves in the blood vessels and encourages absorption of excess fluid.
68. If you spend most of the day sitting at a desk, make an effort to take regular breaks — try once every hour, if only for a few minutes — and use them to be active.
69. The body requires essential sugars for the immune cells to function at their optimum level. Most fruit and vegetables that we eat are picked before they are ripe and before the essential sugars have developed. Go out of your way to find "ripe-picked" vegetables and fruit.
70. Maintain a good acid-alkaline balance. Cells function best when alkaline, and ideally our bodies should be 70 per cent alkaline and 30 per cent acid. However, the average person is 80 per cent acid and 20 per cent alkaline, so most people need alkalizing foods such as honey, watercress, carrots and celery.
71. Look after your liver and bowels. Anyone with CFS (ME in the UK) or chronic exhaustion has a liver and bowels overloaded with toxins. Once they clean up their diet for a month, improvements start to be noted. Take psyllium husks or whole linseeds daily – start with ¼ teaspoon and work very slowly up to two tablespoons daily.
72. Have a glass of good red wine or red grape juice daily. The antioxidant polyphenols counteract some ageing processes.
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73. Avoid refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pizza, which are acid-forming. Osteoarthritis and diseases of ageing are linked to an excess of such foods.
74. Massage your nails regularly with jojoba, olive or almond oil. Along with a good diet, this will keep them looking young and healthy.
75. Sit in the sun for 15-30 minutes a day to build up a supply of Vitamin D.
76. Over time, teeth get worn away and gums recede – regular cleaning and flossing will keep them healthier.
77. Avoid concentrated fruit juices. Their sugar content can weaken enamel and allow bacteria to enter the teeth.
78. Eat Thai food. It has lemon grass, coriander and garlic, all great for bones and teeth.
79. Build muscle. Ratio of lean muscle to fat is an indicator of age. In our 30s we lose an average of 300g of muscle tissue a year. Exercise using weights increases muscle and strengthens bones.
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80. To avoid hangovers, take 500mg of GLA (gamma linoleic acid, the main ingredient in evening primrose oil), one gram of vitamin C, a B complex, plus a milk thistle supplement with a full glass of water before you go out.
81. If you have to take a painkiller, avoid too many paracetamol tablets. They are bad for the kidneys. If you are taking painkillers regularly, switch around between the different types on a weekly basis.
82. Look after your liver. Your liver detoxifies the body. If it cannot do so effectively, this can contribute to making your skin look prematurely old.
83. Good portions of broccoli, globe artichokes, cauliflower and radishes all cleanse and support the liver.
84. If you go out drinking, try to be in bed before 1am. Chinese medicine says the liver detoxes between 1am and 3am and is most efficient when you’re lying down.
85. If you feel hungover when you haven’t been drinking, try a liver cleanse (seek doctor’s advice first). Mix 6tbsp lemon juice, 3tbsp olive oil, 1 small garlic clove, a pinch of ginger, a pinch of cayenne pepper — whisk in a blender and drink immediately Do not eat for at least an hour afterwards.
86. Eat raw or lightly cooked vegetables. They are higher in anti-ageing vitamins and minerals.
87 Take an acidophilus/bifidus supplement. These bacteria maintain a healthy gut.
88. A little of what you fancy is good for you. There’s no point in living longer if you don’t enjoy life. (There’s a saying: eat carefully, exercise: die anyway.)
89. In the West the average person eats 40 per cent more food than they need. Eating less places less strain on the digestive system and liver.
90. Serve your meals on smaller plates — your brain will still see a full plate of food. (As you age, you tend to eat less anyway, of course.)
91. Avoid junk food because it contains very few nutrients and is high in sugar, salt and fat.
92. Avoid eating last thing at night. This places an extra burden on the digestive system. If you need to, because of blood sugar fluctuations, eat a very small high-protein snack.
93. Avoid drinking too much with your meals because this dilutes the stomach acid needed to digest your meal.
94. If you have fluctuating blood sugar, snack. Try to eat a small, balanced meal every two or three hours. (This does not cure the problem, but it helps with the symptoms.)
95. Improve levels of stomach acid by taking two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm water about an hour before each meal.
96. Swap your regular honey for Manuka honey; it can help heal the stomach and strengthen the immune system.
97. Fiber in your diet is essential for healthy bowels. Try rice and oat bran instead of wheat bran.
98. Detoxing is a great anti-ager. Eliminating foods containing flour, sugar, caffeine and dairy for just one week will greatly help to cleanse your system.
99. Use fresh coriander over salads to remove toxic metals (that damage cells) from the body.
100. Know the consequences of the way you live. If you live on coffee, burgers, alcohol end cigarettes, you’ll accelerate your ageing.
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