For optimum health and ultimately the anti aging effect, you
absolutely must have a diet rich in vegetables and fruits. This anti
aging diet is believed to cut the risk of colorectal cancer in half,
substantially reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes,
decreases common gastrointestinal problems such as diverticulosis
(protrusions in the inner lining of the intestine) as well as
constipation. Just the process of switching from a high fat to
low-fat diet will frequently reduce total cholesterol by a significant
degree, with many experts predicting reductions by about 10 mg/dl. It
is also believed to reduce high blood pressure by a significant
degree.
A good diet can theoretically provide all the vitamins and minerals
that you need, but many experts believe that we may still come up a
little short in our diets. When people get into their 60’s and older
it is believed that even with a good diet that they may still be
deficient in vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid, vitamin D, and calcium.
A good multivitamin can usually fill in these nutritional gaps. Many
experts say that older adults and especially women, should probably
still take a calcium supplement. When combined with the proper diet,
a 500 mg supplement may be sufficient to meet the daily need (1500 mg)
and improve your anti aging efforts.
Healthy aging requires maintaining the complications of excessive
weight, which includes Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary
heart disease, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (intermittent
cessation of breathing during sleep) are second only to smoking as
preventable causes of death.
Many experts use body mass index (BMI) as a criterion for maintaining
a healthy weight. It is estimated currently that about 61% of American
adults are either overweight or obese. One survey found that at any
given moment about 43% of women and about 20% of men are attempting to
lose weight. However, despite all their investment in time and money
in trying to lose weight, excessive weight remains a problem for
millions of individuals.
If you're one of these individuals who is trying to lose weight and
finds it incredibly difficult to do so, don't despair. Even if you
lose a few pounds you can have a significant effect on your general
health and contribute to your anti aging efforts. Many of these
lifestyle measures when properly implemented can be highly effective,
and if you fail, there are medications or even surgery which may be
an option for individuals who are severely overweight.
