Greater New Orleans Living offers the following helpful hints to slow aging
You can do a variety of simple things–from eating protein at every meal to taking a regular whiff of lavender–to help slow the aging process and maintain health and vitality as long as possible
1.At every meal, eat foods high in protein, such as fish, turkey, egg whites, or tofu. A gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight is a good rule of thumb. (That’s 22 grams or 0.8 ounces of protein per meal for a woman weighing 145 pounds.) You should choose protein-rich foods that are low in fat. Protein slows insulin levels, which you want to keep in balance to avoid weight gain and to lower the risk of disease. Eating protein also promotes stable blood sugar levels, reducing stress, which in turn helps keep that pesky stress hormone, cortisol, in check.
2. Ease stress with extracts from the magnolia flower, green tea or milk peptide, all of which are available at your local health food store. Talk to a health-care professional before you try any of these. Massage is another way to calm stress.
3.Take 100 to 200 milligrams each of vitamins B6 and B12 daily to reduce cortisol and increase levels of serotonin, a chemical in the body that helps ease depression and anxiety.
4.Lavender, a natural relaxant, helps keep cortisol levels stable and smells terrific. Put this essential oil in the bath or rub it onto your face and body, or tuck a sachet of the dried flower under your pillow.
5. Exercise regularly. When you’re physically active, you make more growth hormone, a key factor in remaining youthful as growth hormone plays a role in almost anything you can think of related to aging–whether it’s skin tone, libido, weight gain mass, or energy levels.
6. Get nine hours of sleep each night, if possible; eight hours won’t do it. When our bodies are in the repair mode of deep, restful sleep, we produce growth hormone. People who have trouble sleeping often have lower levels of growth hormone. Furthermore, lack of sleep is a stressor.
7. Take a selection of antioxidant vitamins to target all 13 types of free radicals. Taking vitamins A, C and E and selenium (often available in one pill) daily helps clean up free radicals. Remember, you should talk to your health-care practitioner, who can help you choose a supplement and proper dose. Of special note, don’t take any of these agents if you are on blood thinners.
8. Relax. Smile. Be happy and stress-free. What comes out in your body when you’re unhappy and stressed wreaks so much havoc. Don’t sweat the small stuff.