Hints for Health

Studies have shown that those who live to be 100 or older exhibit some interesting lifestyle patterns such as drinking less alcohol, keeping weight steady, eating fruit and vegetables, exercising regularly, challenging their minds and staying socially active.

Be sure to read the labels on bottled water. Not all are calorie free. Some contain high-fructose corn syrup and unnecessary added vitamins. You never can wrong with just plain old water.

When choosing food oils, be sure to stick with the healthy ones. For a different flavor, try sesame oil when sautéing, walnut oil in salad dressing and mustard oil for dipping. Olive and canola oils are excellent choices for everyday use.

It’s all about attitude when it comes to aging. Those with a positive perspective on aging live longer, have stronger immune systems, walk faster and have better memories.

When it comes to chocolate, dark is the best. It contains polyphenols that provide the health benefits of relaxing and diluting blood vessels, decreasing blood clots and even lowering blood pressure. The downside of chocolate is its calories. There are about 150 per ounce, so eat it sparingly.

Variety of foods is key to good health. A study in Colorado found that women who ate a variety of 18 different fruits and vegetables had a significant reduction in DNA oxidation than those who ate from 5 varieties. It is presumed that this benefit comes from the different phytonutrients of the plant foods.

If you struggle with asthma, try eating lots of citrus fruit. Studies have found that those who ate more than 1 1/2 ounces of fruit a day, had half the risk of asthma than those that did not. Asthma appears to be benefited by vitamin C’s antioxidant effect.

The Nurse’s Health Study of over 10,000 nurses found that those with poor sleep patterns were associated with lower cognitive-function scores. In fact those that slept less than 6 hours a night received scores comparable to women 5 years older than them.
Laughter is one of the easiest ways to relieve stress. There’s no training, money or special equipment needed. Yet it reduces stress hormones and builds up the immune system. It is one of the best medicines out there.

The average American consumes about 3,300 mg of sodium a day, yet the USDA recommends about 2300 mg a day and 1500 is even better. By reducing salt intake, you can reduce your blood pressure. Skip the salt shaker, read food labels, avoid “convenience” foods and become physically active most days of the week.