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Most people think they can recognize the song and dance of the swindler: someone who promises the goods and never delivers. But in today’s world, it’s harder to spot this purveyor of snake oil. Nowadays, the fabled “time-honored remedy to aging” is promised to the public through a sea of cosmetic products. And unfortunately, the majority of these treatments classified as “anti-aging” have a minimal concentration of beneficial, active substances, and have not been successfully tested or shown clear results. Because there is so much hype and misinformation based in this field, it’s imperative to keep informed about what to be wary of when dealing with these types of products:

• Be on the lookout for products that promise to “reverse” the aging process. As of this date, there are no treatments or products that can literally turn back the hands of time. The therapies that produce the most visible results work by improving skin conditions for a healthier appearance and protecting against further damage caused by aging; not by actually reversing your body’s aging process.

• Antioxidants are effective in combating the signs of aging, but check with your doctor if you decide to take them in supplement form. Taking the incorrect amount can cause serious health problems. You may be able to receive the proper amount of antioxidants from food in your diet and topical solutions.

• Growth hormone therapy has been touted as the new way to reclaim youth, but it is still in the early testing phase and its effectiveness has not been proven yet. Injecting “natural” growth hormones can carry serious health risks and side effects, including liver damage. Just because it’s a hormone doesn’t mean it’s completely safe for your body.

• Restricting calories from your diet has technically not been proven to increase your lifespan, but it can help you manage your body weight, reduce the amount of unhealthy foods you eat and promote a healthier lifestyle.

• Finally, it is important to thoroughly understand what benefits a product or treatment can actually provide for you. A dermatologist can help by advising you on what the best course of action is for your specific skin type.

With these critical guidelines in mind, you will be able to ferret out which men’s skincare products can benefit your appearance, and which are nothing but empty promises.

All is not so bleak, though: While no substance has yet been discovered to actually reverse the aging process, several ingredients have been tested by doctors and scientists and found to help protect against the effects of aging. Some of these worthwhile substances are antioxidants, the body’s natural defenders against the damaging effects of free radicals. Antioxidants nurture cells while repairing further skin damage associated with aging. Working off of the healing and revitalizing properties of antioxidants, a new generation of substances has been discovered and proven by doctors to provide visible results in the skin’s structure. These powerful substances include Idebenone, CoQ10, GABA and Peptides. Each of these ingredients contains highly-effective components and nourishing elements that promote healthier skin and a tighter, firmer, more youthful appearance.

The process of aging is a natural human function and no one can avoid growing older. But by taking certain precautions and maintaining healthy habits, you can achieve a vital lifestyle long into the golden years. Instead of banking on the next anti-aging fad to light up the market, stop and think about what it promises…and what it can actually do. Keep a good mindset about growing older. Everyone goes through it, and it’s important not to overlook the many benefits that also come with this stage of life.

It is well-known that chronic exposure to ultraviolet light found in sunlight leads to photoaging. Photoaging of the skin refers to the loss of tone, wrinkling, discoloration, increased redness, and the development of skin cancer, even melanoma. There is good evidence that UV radiation induces the production of reactive oxygen species, otherwise known as oxygen free-radicals, which can overwhelm the skin’s natural anti-oxidant defenses. These reactive oxygen species go on to damage proteins, cell membranes, and other macromolecules. The damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA in skin cells can build up over time and become evident as photoaging. The extracellular matrix which contains collagen and elastin also sustains cumulative damage that contributes to photoaging.

Green tea has recently garnered a lot of attention for the antioxidant polyphenols that it contains. Both oral and topical administration of green tea polyphenols in human and mouse experimental models has shown their ability to prevent signs of ultraviolet-induced damage. Green tea has even been shown to inhibit and reverse the formation of skin cancers in mice subjected to ultraviolet photodamage. Topical treatment of human skin with green tea polyphenols has been shown to prevent the DNA damage that leads to skin cancer. Clearly, green tea is a powerful anti-oxidant, and there is good evidence to support its use in the general population to help prevent photoaging and to decrease the risk of skin cancer.

Pomegranate has entered the scene a little more recently but has generated explosive interest. The juice and peels contain powerful antioxidants, anthocyanins, a group of polyphenolic compounds that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In a comparative analysis, anthocyanins from pomegranate fruit were shown to possess higher antioxidant activity than vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), ascorbic acid, and ß-carotene. Experiments in mouse models have shown that topical pre-treatment with pomegranate polyphenols prevented the molecular signs of ultraviolet-induced photodamage leading to skin cancer. Although green tea polyphenols have a head-start on pomegranate, the amount of research generated by pomegranate in the last 10 years has skyrocketed. More information related to prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease by pomegranate is likely to be published in the near future.

There are lots of studies going on around the world trying to answer this question. Centenarian studies so far have not revealed any particular “thing” these old timers have in common.

Some centenarians are sweet, some are cranky. Some drink and smoke, some don’t. Some exercise regularly, some are proverbial couch potatoes. Some have high cholesterol, some low, and some in the middle.

Genetic research has shed little light on the question, although it’s assumed that centenarians have some mighty fine genes working for them. This is only an assumption at this point, though, and other factors play a role.

For example, relative to their advanced age, centenarians across the board tend to have:

* Low insulin
* Low blood sugar
* Low triglycerides

An aside: If any one of the above is high, chances are the other two are high as well.

The key player is insulin - more specifically, insulin resistance. We haven’t found the fountain of youth yet, but we have found the fountain of aging - insulin (as insulin resistance). If you have high insulin (hence insulin resistance) you have the basic ingredient in place to promote just about every chronic disease. And what are these chronic diseases? Symptoms of aging.

As we age, we become insulin resistant. That’s a fact. If we age prematurely, it’s because we are becoming insulin resistant too fast. Thus begins the cycle of chronic illness. No matter what symptoms of any chronic illness you may have, you can bet your bottom dollar that insulin is going have its fingers in illness pie.

Most people know that insulin is a hormone. They don’t always know that it’s an anabolic hormone, which means it “builds up” the body. It’s a regenerative hormone. There are other hormones called catabolic hormones. These are degenerative hormones.

If you have too much insulin floating around in your blood, it’s because insulin IS NOT WORKING. When insulin is working, there’s not too much floating around - it’s being used to do it’s regenerative work as it should be.

Yes, insulin keeps blood sugar down by storing it. But that’s just one little job it has. Insulin stores nutrients. If you have high blood sugar, one of two things is going on.

* Your pancreas is worn out and cannot produce enough insulin. You have type 2 diabetes at this point.
* Or, your pancreas is churning out plenty of insulin, but your cells are not responding to it. Insulin moves blood sugar (glucose) into cells. If the cells won’t listen to insulin and let that sugar in, then your blood sugar stays high and your pancreas keeps churning out insulin in response to all that sugar. You have insulin resistance.

Eventually, your pancreas will give up the good fight. It’s exhausted and stops producing more than a dribble of insulin. So now you have gone from being insulin resistant to having type 2 diabetes.

If your cells are no longer responding to insulin to let blood sugar get into cells, then ALL the other nutrients insulin stores in cells are not getting in those cells either.

Let’s look at one example of another nutrient: magnesium.

Insulin stores magnesium, just like it stores blood sugar and dozens of other nutrients. If magnesium can’t get into cells due to insulin resistance, it comes out in your urine. How important is this?

Well, magnesium is used inside EVERY single cell for all chemical reactions that produce energy. Magnesium is also required for insulin itself to even work. Magnesium relaxes muscles and reduces blood vessel constriction (think blood pressure here). This is just a little sample of the hundreds of things magnesium does.

If you’re not storing magnesium inside your cells because of insulin resistance, you’re affecting every single cell in your body negatively. Insulin can’t build up much of anything as an anabolic hormone because your cells aren’t responding to insulin as they should. Indeed, insulin resistance is now increasing as the magnesium flows out in your urine.

There’s so much more to say about the problems created with insulin resistance. A book can easily be written on the subject - and books have been written. I’ll write more as time permits in our shared quest to SLOW aging.

Final thoughts: STOP EATING SUGAR. That’s the first most important thing you can do to reverse insulin resistance and slow aging. That means, of course, taking your carb content very low for a while. Carbs are converted to sugar. Eat poultry, eat fish, eat red meat, eat cheese, eat any vegetable that’s green, eat nuts, and go easy on the fruits.

I’m often asked how I have been able to manage the aging process so well. The answer is that it’s not just one thing – it’s a combination of many things.

When I think about what I have done over the years that has really made a difference, one thing that stands out is that I have worked well beyond retirement age. I consider it a blessing because it has kept me out of what I call the “senior culture.”

What is the senior culture? It’s a lifestyle with a focus on living life as a pastime. Golf, cruises, gardening, bridge, shopping, volunteering (more on that in a bit) grandchildren, etc. become a way of life. Productivity and accountability for the most part are a thing of the past.

Let me hasten to say that those who choose to live a traditional senior lifestyle and are happy doing so are entitled to live however they choose to live. I totally understand it. It’s deeply ingrained in our culture as the preferred way to live after a certain age.

The problem is, it just isn’t amenable to holding on to youthful attributes, and as the years pass by, it eventually leads to decline of a fully functioning, independent mind and body. We are not intended to live forever, but we can extend and keep youthful attributes for a very long time by recognition of the reality that the human mind and body were not designed to lie fallow. Use it or lose it.

I have chosen not to lose it if at all possible.

By no means do I suggest that everyone should work forever. However, I do suggest that at midlife, you plan so that at traditional retirement age, you can leave work you may not enjoy, and finally do what you have always wanted to do.

More about volunteering for seniors that I mentioned above. I believe that if seniors want to volunteer, and it gives them pleasure and a sense of contributing, more power to them. However, I also believe that if seniors are able to work, they should do so for a paycheck. It’s great for self esteem and provides extra income so many seniors desperately need. To expect seniors to volunteer just because they are retired “with nothing better to do” is wrong. It disregards and devalues their worth.

Volunteering should be done by young people. It would give them a taste of reality, help promote maturity, increase empathy, and encourage doing for others. For midlife people, volunteering would help put their own future into sharper focus. When you have an opportunity to serve those who cannot help themselves, it can be a wake-up call to take preventive action in your own life.

The key to an energized retirement is successful integration of productivity and accountability with a lifestyle that allows adequate “pastime” living. It’s about finding balance. Balance will help preserve mental and physical strengths. You will “stay you” far longer. And this is so important because we are living longer. The lifespan has increased by 27 years in the past century and we need to factor that reality into the way we look at and approach aging. We need to prepare adequately for those “bonus” years by maintaining some degree of challenging productivity.

One person who has dramatically affected the way I look at my life and my aging process is Dr. Helen Harkness, author of “Don’t Stop the Career Clock”. Many times I’ve referred to her revolutionary concept of the stages of aging she gives in her book:

Young adulthood: 20-40

First Midlife: 40-60

Second Midlife: 60-80

Young-Old: 80-90

Elderly: 90 and above

Old-old: 2-3 years to live

Dr. Harkness is right on target. Once you apply this model to your own life, you will look at your aging process in a new light. Believe me, if you are over 65, and especially if you are healthy and vital, it makes a huge difference to think of yourself as being in your second midlife instead of elderly – the debilitating label our culture places on that stage of life. With a new energizing perspective as you age, your life can dramatically progress for the better.

If you are now at midlife, you don’t have to buy into the traditional life-limiting senior culture that is beckoning, not too far down the road. If you choose to opt in, that is your right, but knowing that you don’t have to do what everyone else does is to recognize the amount of freedom you have to create the kind of life you would prefer to have when you are “old” instead of blindly accepting traditional thinking that hasn’t caught up with reality.

Archaeological evidence suggests that tea leaves steeped in boiling water were consumed as many as 500,000 years ago. Botanical evidence indicates that India and China were among the first countries to cultivate tea

Green tea contains polyphenols which protect against certain cancers, and are also potent antioxidants. These antioxidants have been shown to be highly beneficial to the heart by helping prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.

There are four primary polyphenols in green tea, often collectively referred to as catechins. They are powerful antioxidants, and have been shown in recent studies to fight viruses, slow aging, and have a beneficial effect on health.

Much of the initial evidence that green tea is anti-carcinogenic is based on epidemiological studies which show lower rates of many types of cancer among populations such as Japan and China that drink green tea as part of a daily cultural habit.

Clinical tests have demonstrated that the catechins in green tea destroy free radicals which are highly reactive molecules and fragments of molecules that can damage the body at the cellular level leaving it susceptible to cancer, heart disease, and many other degenerative diseases More recently, controlled studies on green tea extract have yielded impressive results, identifying the polyphenol (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as the responsible component. EGCG is able to force certain cancer cells into a situation in which they must die or be killed in a process called ”apoptosis”. Further evidence shows that EGCG has an inhibitory effect on the enzyme, urokinase, which is required for tumor formation, thus preventing the formation of tumors.

It has been shown that (EGCG), an antioxidant found in green tea, is at least 100 more times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked to cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses. This antioxidant has twice the benefits of resveratrol, found in red wine.

The only possible negative side effect from green tea is possible insomnia because it contains some caffeine. Its caffeine content is, however, much lower than coffee.

When was the last time your took a complete fitness test?

By middle age, most of us have had at least one fitness test as part of a medical check for a job or life insurance policy. Many of us take the easy way out of judging our fitness by our energy levels. We gauge our energy levels by how tired or energetic we feel. We can also get a good idea of our cardio-vascular fitness by climbing a few flights of stairs, or going for a run. But gauging our fitness in others areas is sometimes not as easy.

Restricted joint movement can be from previous injuries or the onset of age-related degenerative changes. Or maybe, it is just because you have lost your flexibility fitness.

Lack of energy may result from poor sleep or a metabolic disorder, and have no relation to our true fitness. Unless you undertake a complete fitness test you really just don’t know. A typical testing program includes:

* Cardiac Fitness - Step Test
* Flexibility - Trunk and Hip Flexion Tests
* Agility - Zigzag Test
* Balance - Standing Balance Test
* Upper Body Strength - Push Up and Bench Press Tests
* Lower Body Strength - Wall Squat Test
* Core Strength - Crunch Test
* Explosive Power - Burst Test

A comprehensive fitness test is usually carried out by a Fitness and/or Medical Professional using gym equipments and special measuring equipment. However, the tests above can be done at home and give you sufficient accuracy to use effectively in any fitness program.

Body Measures

Along with your fitness tests you will want to take a set of body measures. These will be sued as valuable indicators of functional progress.The range of measures includes:

* Body Frame
* Weight to Height
* Body Mass Index [Body Fat]
* Heart Rate
* Blood Pressure

The real benefit of completing these measures and tests every six months or so, is that it gives you feedback as to what areas of your fitness program you need to change. Most of us have limited time available for staying in shape, so you want to ensure that your efforts will reap the best rewards.

In addition, continuing to play sports in later years requires a more comprehensive training approach. In early years when our joints move freely, muscles are well formed and tendons flexible, we are not so likely to injure ourselves from normal movements.

As we age, our muscles tend to reduce in size and strength, tendons shorten and joints move less freely. These all put additional strain on the body to achieve the same movements, so injury is more likely.

If you don’t feel confident undertaking your own measurements and tests, get a professional to do one for you.

Most Doctors will measure weight, heart rate and blood pressure. But few do a complete physical assessment, unless you specifically ask for one, and in most cases, this means being referred to a diagnostic physician.

The local gym is a good place to get a Fitness Assessment. The instructors are all trained to complete the tests and in many cases, have a better understanding of the interrelated movements of the body than many Doctors, who concentrate more on pathology.

Some fitness tests are best done by professionals as they take you closer to the limits of exertion. This is the case for the Cardio-Stress Test. This test is a more aggressive form of the 3 minute Step Test, but instead of a simple step, it uses an exercise machine such as a treadmill or exercise bike, and an ECG machine. It is a progressive and maximum exercise test; starting from a walking pace and gradually increasing pace. Electrical impulses from the heart tissue are recorded by surface electrodes places on the chest wall. A stress test is useful for detecting early changes in the heart function indicating potential heart disease.

Before you undertake any new fitness program it is recommended to seek medical clearance. It is also important to make sure you have warmed up sufficiently. Sometimes the warm up can be integrated into the test program, such as using the 3-minute step test as a warm up to lower body flexibility tests. Overstraining cold or still muscles to get a better test score is counter-productive, and it is of more value to you to have a true result, rather than an over-stressed, possibly damaging one.

Microfiber is absolutely the best way to cleanse ANY skin type. It’s a very powerful anti aging tool that promotes cell renewal through exfoliation. You’ll see the difference it makes the first time you use it. The Microfiber Cleansing Cloth removes all makeup, including the “permanent” lipstick that only oil removes! As an Aesthetician, I’ve never seen anything like it.

Here’s what you can expect from using a Microfiber Cleansing Cloth:

* You only need to use water which saves you money on cleansers
* Doesn’t disturb PH levels in the skin - a huge benefit!
* Exfoliates so well that your skin will look like you just had a peel
* Reduces the appearance of wrinkles & lines
* Keeps skin completely flake free - no more dry skin!
* Minimizes age spots and freckles
* Keeps oily skin under control
* Diminishes acne, blackheads, whiteheads & scars
* Removes pore clogging dirt & bacteria. You have never seen such clean pores.
* Evens skin tone

If you have keratosis pilaris (the little flesh colored to slightly red bumps that develop on upper arms and thighs, you can get rid of them with the “cloth”! You’ve probably tried moisurizing those areas in hopes that they would go away, right? Each one of those pesky little bumps is a plug of dead skin cells that form at the site of a hair follicle. You can moisturize 5 times a day and they’ll still be there! Buff those areas with the Microfiber Cleansing Cloth at least a couple of times a week and they WILL go away!

How to use and care for a Microfiber Cleansing Cloth:

* Wet the cloth with warm water and wring it out
* Use one side to completely remove ALL makeup
* Use the other side to cleanse & exfoliate your skin - it’s powerful so don’t scrub too hard!
* Wash it out with soap & water - hang to dry and it’s ready to use again
* Do not use bleach or fabric softener

It is every person’s secret wish to find the elixir of eternal youth. Cosmetic companies work on this weakness to make big profits. However, it is not very difficult to look young if you live right. Looks can be compared to the savings a person makes. If you start saving at an early age, you can look forward to a comfortable retirement. Similarly, youth is an asset. If you squander it, you may regret it later. If you preserve it well when you have it, can be stretched to last - a long time. You can defy ageing by making certain lifestyle rules. It is vital to follow a disciplined lifestyle. Practise the following lifestyle rules to turn back the hands of the clock.

Avoid Excess sun:

Agreed that sunlight is essential for development but experiments have proved that a person gets the daily needed quota of vitamin K from 15 minutes in the sun. The ultraviolet rays in the sunlight harm the skin. Excess exposure may lead to cancer too. So, while venturing out, smother your skin with sunscreen. Use umbrellas and shades to keep those nasty UV rays off your lovely skin.

Eat right:

Eat healthy food and this will show on your skin. This does not mean that you have to follow a strict diet. In fact too severe a diet and a total lack of oils in food, robs your skin of its elasticity and glow. So, avoid crash diets. Vitamin C is good for the skin, so incorporate foods rich in it in your diet. Eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Avoid fried and spicy stuff in excess.

Diet supplements:

It is essential to supplement your diet with these additives for greater benefit. Vitamins give you vigour and glowing skin. Iron peps up your energy level, calcium is necessary for good bones and nails and Omega three will work wonders for your general well-being. Consult your doctor and ask him to prescribe the best combination for you.

Pamper your skin:

Nothing cuts down your age like a healthy glowing skin. Never step out without using a moisturiser. Use a sunscreen in the summers. Exfoliate once a week to remove dead skin. Use extra hydration for your hands, under the eyes and on your lips.

Exercise:

Besides getting rid of the extra calories, a regular exercising routine steps up your metabolism too. This revs up your circulation and gives you extra energy, vitality and a blooming complexion. Notice the people around you who move slowly, slouch and look much older than they are. A person who stands up straight and is agile looks much more youthful. Your body is machine that deteriorates if not used regularly. Some yogic exercises are said to retard ageing. Exercise at least three times a week for 30 minutes.

Sleep:

Your overworked body needs sleep to regain its vitality. Do not deprive yourself of sleep. Lack of proper sleep makes you sluggish and tired. Ensure that you have at least eight hours of peaceful sleep daily. Draw up a sleep routine and stick to it religiously. However exciting they might seem, frequent late night parties take their toll. Restrict them to once a week.

Keep stress at bay:

Notice how a problematic situation prematurely ages a person. Stress is one virus that eats up your vitality from within. The face is the mirror of the mind. A worried mind reflects worry on the face too. Avoid stress. This is easier said than done. Stress has became a way of life. You have to tutor your mind to stay away from unnecessary worry. Breathing exercises and yoga help. Keep yourself occupied, as an empty mind is a devil’s workshop.

Enjoy life:

Try to extract the best out of life. If you are bored, it will reflect on your face. A person who is passionately involved in anything remains energetic. Find something that fires your imagination. If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Do not lose your vitality in the dreary desert sands of dead habit.

No smoking:

Apart from those much touted health hazards, smoking regularly leads to the formational feathery wrinkles along the upper lip. Lack of oxygen makes the skin sallow and dull. Smoking causes the lips to blacken too. These side effects of smoking are very difficult to reverse. Hence, it is advisable to refrain from smoking if you wish to preserve your youth and vigour.

Anti-aging exercises are about the closest thing to the legendary fountain of youth that exists today. The slow ravages of aging can be slowed or reversed with a program that includes the proper anti-aging

exercises.

In this report we will examine the advantages natural anti-aging exercises hold over other ways to slow the aging process. We will show you three of the best exercise types to aid in the battle against aging. And we will take a look at other anti-aging tactics that work together with exercise to keep us young and vibrant.

While many people turn to drugs or surgery in an attempt to look and feel younger, natural methods of countering the aging process are much superior. With natural methods, such as anti-aging exercises, you can avoid the dangerous side effects associated with drugs and surgery. These artificial ways of combating the effects of time are usually quicker but that convenience comes with a heavy price tag. Using exercise to combat aging is a far better solution for most healthy people.

There are three main categories of anti-aging exercises. These are muscle building exercises, flexibility exercises, and cardiovascular training. Muscle building exercises are important in many ways. The body tends to lose muscle mass as we age. Muscle building counteracts this natural decline. In addition, muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat. If you have more muscle mass, you will burn more fat.

Flexibility exercises play an important part in any anti-aging regimen. These exercises are often neglected. While many people can see the need to build muscle and improve their cardiovascular capacity, they often fail to recognize the great benefits of being flexible. Flexibility is an important factor in our quality of life. Being able to twist, turn, stretch, and reach like we did when we were younger is a fundamental part of resisting the pull of time. Stretching exercises, yoga, and pilates exercises are all great ways to stay supple and youthful.

A strong healthy heart and cardiovascular system will enable you to lead an active vibrant life. You will still be able to engage in many of the activities you have always enjoyed. All the physical activities in life are effected by the fitness level of your cardiovascular system. A strong cardiovascular system will help you on the stairs and in the bedroom.

Aerobic exercises can help improve and strengthen your cardiovascular system. If you do aerobics for at least 20 minutes a session 3 times per week, you will see benefits. Be sure to train at no greater than 70% of your maximum heart rate. To determine your maximum heart rate, simply subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 70% .

Proper diet and stress management work hand in hand with anti-aging exercises. If you want to get the most out of your workouts, be sure to eat right and manage your stress. The good news is that exercise is a great stress reducer. Diet is more complicated and beyond the scope of this report. Just remember to eat a healthy balanced diet and hydrate properly.

In this article, we have highlighted three different types of anti-aging exercises. It is best to include all three in your workout program. Muscle building exercises, flexibility training, and cardiovascular training are all important components in your anti-aging strategy.

In the final analysis, how you go about combating aging is a personal decision. The benefits of anti-aging exercises are great. There are many options that can yield great and lasting benefits. I hope this report has helped you get started on the path to a more youthful and vibrant life.

When was the last time you walked into a room and forgot what you went there for? Have you recently been in a conversation with a really good friend and just couldn’t come up with their name? Embarrassing? Yes. Alzheimer’s? Probably not.

Memory loss can be the result of a number of factors including aging, hormonal changes, diet, and trying to do too many things at once. The good news is that there are a number of steps you can take to improve your memory and slow it’s decline as you age.

-If you’re not physically active, get moving. 2006 data from a study that began in the 1930’s shows that moderate exercise (as little as two times a week!) can lower your chances of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s by 60%.

-Quit smoking now. This may sound like a “no brainer” (no pun intended), but when you quit smoking, your risk for Lung cancer over time drops to that of a non-smoker. Unfortunately, this is not the case for degenerative brain conditions due to smoking, which are not completely reversible, so the sooner you quit, the better.

-Eat Mediterranean. The evidence is clear that the Mediterranean Diet is the optimal diet to significantly slow cognitive decline. Eating Mediterranean means more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fish and less full fat dairy and animal products.(For more on the Mediterranean Diet check out our June 2006 newsletter—it’s on line at www.acupunctureinthepark.com )

-Drink green tea. Results from a 2006 study reports that as little as a cup or two a day of green tea, which is packed full of antioxidants, can cut your risk of cognitive problems by 50 percent. However, while black or oolong tea or coffee are also antioxidant-rich, their consumption didn’t produce the same results.

-Make a list. Memory lapses can be the by-product of simply trying to do too many things at once. At a certain point, your brain just can’t hold any more details. Make a list of the things you want to do or remember to get rid of some of that brain “clutter”.

-Play some mind games. Crossword puzzles, soduku, trivia quizzes, or even learning a new skill or language can keep your brain exercised and can slow memory loss.

The good news here is that small changes can be enough to yield big results as long as you keep them up. A few cups of green tea, exercise a couple of days a week and moderate changes in diet can be sufficient to lower your risk of age related memory problems.