No matter how long or short our time on Earth is, we owe it to ourselves and the ones we love, to remain or be as youthful as possible. Why? Good question - but mainly so that we can enjoy life to the full. Why do we age? Well much of the ageing process is caused through our bodies both externally and internally drying out and becoming depleted of essential nutrients that help to keep us looking and feeling young, not to mention healthy.
In order to preserve what we have or if needed to reverse the ageing process it is best to look at several parts of the body separately. The first being the brain - it holds our abilities and memories so we need to maintain and preserve this precious organ as much as possible.
The Brain
The brain is made up of 60% fat. Several types of fat are used in the make-up of the brain two of which our bodies are unable to produce. If we do not take these fats in during our daily diets then our brain cannot work to its best. The two fats, known as fatty acids, that our body cannot make are Omega 3 which is found in linseed or flax seed and oily fish with small amounts in white fish and almonds - and Omega 6 which is plentiful in evening primrose oil and sunflower seeds and sunflower seed oil. Seeds such as pumpkin, walnuts and hazelnuts and their oils contain both Omega 3 and Omega 6. If we do not include these two fats in our diet then our brain will begin to age.
Note: use olive oil in cooking as it doesn't change its composition when heated to high temperatures and is less likely to become rancid - never eat rancid oil.
The Blood
It is important to look after the blood (the taxi service of the body - it transport essential nutrients to all of the muscels and organs throughout the length and breadth of the body), which includes looking after your heart, kidneys, liver, arteries and veins. Firstly, keep well hydrated - use old-fashioned water and milk. Eat a mixture of good quality vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts to make sure that you have a daily supply of vitamins and minerals - if you do not eat meat you may require to take supplements such as Vitamin B12 (check with your doctor). Oats - flattened or rolled, made up as porridge are good for helping to keep blood vessels clean - they are the broom of the circulatory system and help to remove unhealthy deposits out of the body. The blood stream and entire body benefits with movement - even if you cannot exercise .... remember that any movement is better than no movement. Blood, especially around the ankles and at the bottom of the legs often finds it difficult to make its way back up the body without the aid of a little help - if we do not move it becomes stagnant and problems begin to occur.
Digestive system
Poor digestion is also ageing .... so slow down your eating speed, chew your food slowly and remember to drink water. Water helps your body to move the excess waste through the intestines. Never allow yourself to become constipated ... if you do, especially on a regular basis see a doctor. Occasional constipation can be alleviated with a variety of foods: runny porridge, boiled prunes, stewed apples, boiled rhubarb stems, six juicy dates, a desert spoonful of olive oil, aloe vera juice (follow the instructions on the bottle), syrup of figs, a desert spoonful of linseeds that have been left for at least one hour in water before eating/swollowing them - always follow taking linseeds with a glass of water.
The Skin and Hair
The skin and hair is possibly the most obvious parts of our bodies that shows ageing. To prevent or reverse the process you need both the inside and outside of your body to be well moisturized. Make sure that you eat good quality oils (if possible first cold pressing) - olive oils and nut oils - sprinkle them on to salads, add small amounts into soups, stir fries, sauces, etc. Drink a sensible amount of liquid every day. Eat well and sleep well.
To improve the skin all over and diminish lines and wrinkles after washing and bathing (use an old fashioned simple vegetable oil soap without perfumes - Sainsbury's supermarket produce a good one that costs 89 pence for four tablets) and immediately after drying gently rub into the skin glycerin and rosewater liquid - this is available at Boots, Lloyds and most good chemists or pharmacists - if there is none on the shelf they will make some up for you for a few pence. Always rub in gently over the body - especially on the face ... leave for twenty minutes (on face alone) and gently splash off with cool water before applying moisturiser. Standard Oil of Olay for sensitive skins is not too bad (usually the less ingredients a moisturiser contains, the better). Glycerin and rosewater is like a magic liquid - it gets rid of rough and split heels on your feet and dry skin patches and, most amazingly fine lines and tiny wrinkles on the face disappear if used daily.
The tops of arms and legs sometimes become both dry, rough and have an 'orange peel' appearance. To improve and get rid of these problems - firstly purchase a good quality pumice stone then ONCE each week only, preferably in the bath - use scent-free vegetable oil soap, lather the area to be tackled say the thigh, then very lightly - as though you were washing an egg shell - gently and lightly sweep up and down the skin a few times only. Do not press hard or you will either burn the skin with friction or remove it and make it bleed. Rinse off the soap suds and remember to gently towel dry and moisturise with glycerin and rosewater. You will notice the difference to your skin almost immediately.
Our hair becomes more drier and sometimes even brittle as we age so it is especially important to take care of it. Olive oil or almond oils may be old fashioned but they do help to nourish to scalp and soften hair - choose which one you prefer and rub a little in at least once each week before washing. If the scalp is very dry then try eating a handful of walnuts and almonds each day or drinking a teaspoon or two of walnut or almond oil - nut and olive oils in the diet help to moisturise the face and scalp.
Creaky and painful Joints
As we age, our joints often become painful and sometimes swollen and we need to take action. Part of the cartilage of the joints is made up of glucosamine (also found in our muscles, ligaments and tendons) which is made by the body. As we get older, or fairly young if we play sports regularly, our bodies cannot make sufficient. It may therefore be worthwhile considering taking supplements to counteract the shortfall. Other supplements to consider are marine chondroitin sulphate - chondroitin helps to form the soft spongy part of our joints that acts as a shock absorber during movement (many people think that it is best to avoid bovine chondroitin). There are also many natural anti-inflammatory things that can be taken to help reduce swelling and pain in the joints - such as green-lipped mussel extract (this comes from New Zealand), rose hips and rose hip tablets, bromelain (extracted from pineapple stems), turmeric (best in the form of a tablet to obtain a reliable strength), sulphur (usually purchased as MSM), cat's claw, devil's claw, collagen, vitamin D. It is dependent upon the individual as to which of the above may work best for them - your doctor may be able to advise the best choice.
General Aches and Pains
Aches and pains are something we have throughout the whole of our life - some however can be avoided with the correct nutrition. Ailments such as neuralgia, sciatica, nerve pains and shingles attack people who have diminished levels of Vitamin B1 in their bodies. (If you are considering taking Vitamin B1 as a supplement always take it in the form of Vitamin B complex - it is dangerous to take this supplement on its own and can lead to hair loss and other problems.)
Years ago - it was common place for women especially to have bone ache of the shin which was often alleviated by a pinch of Epsom salts or magnesium sulphate taken for three or four days at a time. Nowadays, magnesium tablets are widely available and easy to take.
*Information is power
Health Nut Wannabe Mom
is a lovely blog that concentrates on foods that can do wonders for you and your health. Very kindly, the following article has been written to give further information and advice in obtaining the optimum health possible and keeping your body and mind both active and young. If you enjoyed the above article and would like more really good information then please take a look at the following article:
Take A Bite Out Of Aging With These Tasty Snacks
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