Skip to main content

7 tips for adding years to your life

If you aren't much into calorie restriction in your pursuit of a long life, there are other practices you can adopt. Mark Liponis, M.D., says in his book Ultralongevity that the best way to live a long and healthy life is to have a healthy immune system. Translation: You want a quiet, peaceful immune system, not an overactive one. In the spirit of longevity, then, here are seven steps for soothing your system.
  • Breathe. Yes, if you're reading this, you are in fact breathing. But are you doing it right? The goal is to calm your breathing to two breaths per minute or less. Learn how to master this step here.
  • Eat. Eating is stressful to our immune systems. Germs, parasites, toxins, poisons, and other dangerous stuff gain access to our bodies when we eat. Grazing on healthy foods is the preferred eating pattern. More here.
  • Sleep. Chances are, you're not getting enough sleep. Bad news, because any lack of quality sleep robs the immune system. Time to learn how to sleep effectively. Keep reading.
  • Dance. The gym does a body good. So does dancing. There's something about rhythmic movement that is even better than random, non-rhythmic, even aerobic exercise, says Liponis. See what else he has to say here.
  • Love. Love is some pretty good medicine. Give it a try after you read this.
  • Soothe. When you feel stressed, so does your immune system. Massage, flowers, a hot bath, calm music -- they all soothe. Give them a try. Here's why.
  • Enhance. Liponis is talking supplements here -- but only as an adjunct to the previous six steps. See what he recommends here.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Baby eggplant: Healthy and delicious

Substantial enough to substitute for meat in a meal, eggplant is chock-full of phytonutrients as well as being rich in many vitamins and minerals. Other than in pasta dishes, I haven't cooked much with eggplant in the past. I don't know why... I think it's wonderfully tasty. Baby eggplants are in season right now, so it's the perfect time to try out some new recipes. Shape Magazine shares a few ideas for trying out this tasty and nutritious food. I love their idea for sauteeing diced baby eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes in olive oil and then baking in the eggplant skin. I think I'll substitute the tomatoes for summer squash. (I'm not a tomato fan... which is too bad because they're so rich in lycopene.) How about you? Do you have any favorite eggplant recipes to share?

How to Start Healthy Eating

If you currently do not eat a healthy diet, it can be difficult to start such a plan. However, healthy eating is important for maintaining bodily function and living a disease-free life. If you struggle with healthy eating, than you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. However, if you truly want to live the best lifestyle possible, it is important to follow tips in order to start eating a more healthy diet. A good beginning step when you want to start eating more healthily is to rid you home of all founds that do not into healthy categories. Keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so that you will not be tempted to snack during the day. If you’re worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, try keeping something tiny on hand, like chocolate chips. Eating a few of these won’t ruin your diet but ...

When hunger is real ... and when it's not

When emotions run high, a lot of people run for the fridge. Emotional eating is a complex habit. For many people, it's a habit that they've practiced for years and years -- maybe even since their childhood. Many people who eat due to emotions such as sadness, anger, depression, boredom, stressed, or loneliness, are fully aware that they are emotional eaters. Even though they're cognizant of their eating habits, in the heat of the moment it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between real hunger and emotional triggers. But knowing your body and finding healthier outlets for your emotions is important for health. Everyday Health shares some tips on determining real, physical hunger from emotion-based hunger : Physical hunger builds gradually, causes your stomach to growl, isn't accompanied by a sense of compulsion, occurs hours after you last ate, and goes away after eating. Emotional hunger develops suddenly, is a more mental craving (when you "get a taste...