Try To Stay Alive As Long As Your Possibly Can! (General Weightloss & Healthy Eating Tips)

Member Name: splodgethecat

Product:	General Weightloss & Healthy Eating Tips
Date:	03/08/01 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Feel great, Look better, Live Longer

Disadvantages: Have to cut out some foods not so good for you

When you get to my age, (nearer the end than the beginning) you have to start taking measures to ensure that you stay breathing as long as you possibly can! Apparently, by the year 2002 a fifth of the population will be over 65 and the fastest growing age group of all is the over 80s. So, it looks like we are more able these days to look forward to an old age, not necessarily dogged by disease and illness. If we look after ourselves, of course. Doctors say that our bodies gradually wear out when we no longer have enough cells to stay healthy. Cells are destroyed by free radicals and damage caused by excess sugar in our blood. We can though, fight this by eating particularly healthy foods and drinking plenty of water.

~~~

Over the last couple of years, and the last twelve months particularly, I have started taking much better care of myself and have become much more aware of how heating healthily and getting enough gentle exercise is crucial to longevity. Apart from doing Yoga, I have cut down my red meat intake drastically and have been really getting to know what is good for my body and what isn’t. There really is no excuse for people to be unaware of what good nutrition is these days. There is information everywhere; in magazines, books and on the Internet.

~~~

Because I have become much more aware of how certain foods make me feel, I am now able to make a conscious effort to either partake – or not. I know for example, that bread makes me a little irritable so if I am feeling a little off colour a particular day, I know to completely steer clear of it because it will make me feel worse. Chocolate sometimes gives me a headache, so I weigh up *how* much I want the chocolate first.

~~~

I used to have a water retention problem and my wrists would tingle and go numb and my fingers would turn into little sausages. After finding out for myself which foods can alleviate this problem, I started eating t
hem regularly and the problem is much less severe these days. I find that pure juices, pineapple, celery, grapes, grapefruit, cabbage are all good for this.

~~~

I have taken particular interest in so called ‘super foods’, those which are particularly nutrient-packed that are supposed to be so good for you. So I try to incorporate plenty of these into my diet. I thought an overview of these foods would be a good topic for this category therefore. So following, is a list of foods which all have many excellent health-giving properties and which if incorporated into your diet will give you extra vitality, and hopefully enable you to live as long as possible!

Onions and Garlic
-----------------
These help boost natural immunity and could actually guard against cancer and lower cholesterol. Garlic, fights colds and flu and lowers blood pressure.

Brazil Nuts
------------
Excellent source of selenium, an important anti-oxidant. They may also reduce the risk of heart attack. One study showed that those who ate Brazil nuts regularly were a third less likely to die from heart disease.

Dark Skinned Fruit
------------------
Including grapes, bilberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries etc. These are all rich in vitamin C and flavonoids which keep our blood vessels strong. This encourages good blood circulation.

Oily Fish
----------
Heart attacks are rare in Eskimos, who, of course, eat a lot of fish. Researchers found that omega 3 oils which are found in oily fish, such as mackerel, sardines and herrings, may help prevent red blood cells from clumping and blocking vessels. These fish are also rich in zinc which helps prevent prostate problems.

Cabbage
--------
Any veg from the cabbage family contains natural chemicals that helps the liver break down cancer-causing toxins. Cabbage also helps prevent osteoporosis by providing vitamin K, which is neede
d for healthy bone formation and repair.

Beans and Pulses
-----------------
These protect you from high cholesterol and may help prevent prostate problems. They are also low in calories and provide masses of fibre.

~~~

Although I used to eat quite unhealthily all in all, I now know the benefits of good nutrition. Only because I’m relatively old, it doesn’t stop me from learning more about what’s good for me. I have definitely had an improvement in all areas of my life, particularly in the last year or so. Therefore, I would encourage everyone, no matter what age to try to eat a little more healthily. It really never is too late to start. I’m so glad I made a change. I feel better now than I did 10 years ago!

Summary: