The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rumana Chowdhury

"To keep the heart unwrinkled, to be hopeful, kindly, cheerful, reverent that is to triumph over old age. "- Amos Bronson Alcott

Laugh and find humor everyday. An aging person with a young, positive attitude will never feel old.

There is a big difference between growing old and growing up. Anybody can grow older even if he is doing nothing. The best idea is to grow up and find the opportunity to change for the better.

Youth is the condition of being young. The appearance of freshness, vigor, spirit, of one who is young.

We are all trying to find the "magic bullet" that delays the natural aging process. Yet if you're trying to look your best without going under the knife, a secret ingredient might be right under your nose.

Healthy aging is also defined as living a longer, healthier life. And many studies have documented the link between a healthy diet and prevention of age-related or chronic diseases.

Aging is something that humans would love to conquer. Everyone seems to be obsessed in staying young. Of course, nobody wants to be the senile old man who depends for other person for everything.

Nobody would want their bones to become denser, their skin loose and wrinkled, their knees buckling every time they stand up, their sights becoming blurred or worse becoming blind. Nobody would want to have those persistent backaches or have a losing combat with Alzheimer's disease. Aging does not mean that you have to be frail, weak, bitter and depressed.

Relaxing and maintaining a positive outlook in life is effective in combating aging. Stress will help you age. Unhealthy habits and laziness will help you age. Be adaptive and learn to accept change.

Here are some tips for staying young.

1. Meditate

Meditation reduces stress levels, keeps the mind positive and free from worries and anxieties. "Age is in the mind" and through a regular practice of meditation one can attain a positive, illumined and youthful mind.

2. Exercise regularly

Moderate exercise practised on a regular basis promotes longevity, builds and maintains strength and flexibility and most importantly makes you feel alive.

3. Eat a well balanced vegetarian diet

Studies show that a well balanced vegetarian diet with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains provides optimum nutrition for a fit and active body.

4. Eliminate

Do away with harmful influences in your life. Smoking, drugs, alcohol and junk food are all detrimental substances which can be safely eliminated from your life to ensure a happier, healthier and more youthful existence.

5. Be creative

Whether through music, painting, dancing, writingt Getting in touch with your own unique creativity positions you in that sacred and childlike spontaneity of the now moment.

6. Give joy to others

You never lose what you give. In fact by offering your own joy, happiness and oneness to others you nurture your own treasure-chest of good qualities. Be like a child and give joy to others!

7. Don't smoke

Each puff hastens the degenerative processes of aging. Plus, smoking lowers your aerobic capacity, making it harder for you to do the things you enjoy and making you feel old before your time.

8. Sweet dreams

Get enough sleep. While you rest, your body uses the nutrients you've consumed that day to repair the damage done by the day's activities. Not getting enough sleep keeps your immune system from doing its job and keeps your body in a state of disrepair.

9. Intimacy with near and dear ones

Stay close to your friends and family. A circle of support helps you deal with problems better, feel healthier and live longer.

10. Laugh

Children laugh an average of 300 times a day, while adults laugh just 30 times per day. Laughter is an expression of inner happiness and is a tonic for the soul. When you are laughing you are not brooding or despairing which are exclusively adult pastimes. Spend time with people, and do things that make you laugh.

Lucille Ball once stated: "The secret to staying youthful is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age."

The signs of aging include wrinkles, but also memory loss, decreased brain function, and an increasing risk for chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity, adequate rest, avoiding tobacco, and a diet full of healthy foods and beverages can be the best defense against aging.

Dietary choices are critical to delay the onset of aging and age-related diseases, and the sooner you start, the greater the benefit.

Antioxidants and Inflammation

Some foods and beverages contain powerful substances called phytonutrients that some believe are capable of unlocking the key to longevity. Phytonutrients, which are members of the antioxidant family, gobble up "free radicals" -- oxygen molecules that play a role in the onset of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer's disease.

As we age, we become more susceptible to the long-term effects of oxidative stress (a condition where the body basically has too many free radicals) and inflammation on the cellular level. The theory is that antioxidants and other age-defying compounds help cells ward off damage from free radicals and minimize the impact of aging.

Beyond antioxidants, some other compounds in foods can affect aging. They can be classified according to their impact on inflammation at the cellular level, experts say.

"All foods fit into three categories: pro-inflammatory, neutral, or anti-inflammatory," says dermatologist and best-selling author, Nicholas Perricone, MD.

"Age-related changes may be reversed by consuming foods and beverages that are rich in a variety of compounds, including antioxidants, and are anti-inflammatory, such as cold-water fish and richly colored fruits and vegetables," he says.

If "we eat large amounts of saturated or trans fatty acids, sugars, and starches, insulin levels surge and trigger an anti-inflammatory response and accelerate the aging process," says Perricone.

While the benefits to eating healthy are many, Perricone notes that diet is certainly not the only factor that affects the aging process.

"Stress, hormones, ultraviolet light, and a weakened immune system also contribute to aging," he says.

Food for Healthy Aging

For maximum benefits, experts say, you should load up on a variety of healthy foods.

Follow the guidelines of the American Heart Association and eat twice weekly, especially the fatty kind that is rich in fish(omega-3 fatty acids). This is a powerful anti-inflammatory food that offers a multitude of health benefits.

Fruits and vegetables are powerhouses of antioxidants. Aim for a variety of colorful produce. Enjoy at least 5 servings per day for the maximum benefits.

Whole grains provide soluble fiber to help lower blood cholesterol levels, and also have phytonutrient content equal to any fruit or vegetable. Strive for at least 3 daily servings.

Legumes are unsung heroes, packed with nutrients similar to fruits and vegetables and with very few calories. Add them to your diet 3 to 4 times a week.

Yogurt has all the benefits of dairy foods, plus probiotics that help add healthy bacteria to the intestines. Moores recommends eating a yogurt with active cultures as one of your 3 dairy servings each day.

Nuts are a great source of B vitamins that are good for your heart and your brain. The healthy fats in nuts benefit the elastin and collagen in skin, helping to maintaining skin's structure and keep it resilient. Small portions are advised, as nuts are high in calories.

Water is essential for hydration of the skin, muscles, circulation, and all organs in the body. Enjoy 3-4 glasses of pure water in addition to other liquids and watery foods.

Drinking 6-10 small cups of green tea daily is also good and your blood level will never be high enough to retard or reverse skin changes. Antiaging benefits when green tea polyphenols were applied directly to skin, and "protected the skin by absorbing ultraviolet light and eliminating free radicals."

Blueberries are chockfull of antioxidants because of their dark color. All foods with dark colors in them have some of these really protecting antioxidant chemicals in them.

Other good anti-aging foods include sweet potatoes, broccoli and tomatoes.