FEATURE: Four Healthy Behaviors Might Add Fourteen Healthy Years!
Written by Kathryn Savage
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| Even if you're no spring chicken, you can adopt life-lengthening habits. |
Four simple (not to be confused with easy) behaviors might add fourteen extra healthy years to your life!
The four behaviors are not smoking, moderate alcohol intake, regular exercise and a healthy diet filled with lots of fruits and vegetables.
People who consistently demonstrate these behaviors live an average of fourteen additional years compared with people who don’t make these healthy choices.
What are great ways to start adopting these behaviors today?
Quit smoking
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has great resources for quitters (http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/index.htm) more fun than chewing Nicorette gum. That said, quitting smoking is really, really hard, I know, I get it. For me, it took - no joke - my left lung collapsing. I know quitting sucks, just like not reaching for the bag of chips after your 27-year-old cat dies sucks, but life can be hard. And using cigarettes, food and alcohol to squash painful feelings is not the answer. Ok, off the soap box, promise!
Moderate alcohol intake
Epidemiological studies show that moderate alcohol intake (1-2 servings a day) is associated with reduced stress, improved cardiovascular health and if your beverage of choice happens to be a heart healthy red wine like a Sardinian Cannonau you are getting a great dose of antioxidants and Resveratrol, a substance believed to slow the aging process.
Regular exercise
Meet a friend for an evening walk, take a yoga or pilates class, trying spinning or salsa lessons, go for a jog; these are all great ways to make physical activity a part of your life. Physical activity has been shown in numerous studies to be good for your heart, a great stress reducer, and great for your sex life. People who exercise regularly might have a higher libido than their couch potato pals. Naina Marballi, founder and head practitioner of Bioticare Holistic and Yoga Center located in New York City, in a Fox News report, claims:
"Any regular cardiovascular exercise and deep stretching that increases blood flow specifically to the buttocks, pelvis and groins area -- such as yoga, power walking, jogging or cycling--is going to increase circulation to the genitals, and as a result, rekindle sexual arousal and orgasmic function."
LInk: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251805,00.html
Healthy diet filled with lots of fruits and vegetables
A diet filled with fruits and vegetables is a diet filled with vitamins, nutrients, minerals and high in heart healthy fiber. When you eat fruits and vegetables, you are getting a dose of calorie light and flavor dense foods. It is good to focus on positives when talking about eating right. Try not to think "I can’t have this, that’s bad for me."
It is my belief that nothing is really terrible to eat in moderation. Well, maybe bugs. And string cheese. I hate string cheese (bad experience when I was eight.) But I digress...the point is, focus on the positive. Think, "I am going to make a kickass salad for lunch with pine nuts and feta cheese and a homemade balsamic dressing, and I am going to follow it up with some really amazing strawberries I scored at the local farmers market!
For great, healthy recipes I recommend these websites:
- www.bluezones.com - we represent in the recipe department, yo!
- www.epicurious.com
- www.health.com.
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