Natural Tips for fruitful aging

We are all growing old, it's a natural process. As it is going to come our way one day or the other, or if you have already started aging, well it's never too late to age in a fruitful and healthier manner. Don't worry about your age now. Here are a few tips that will help you to prevent the aging process or rather hide the signs of aging and help you age in a positive manner.

General Tips for healthier aging

• First tip would be to consume a good and balanced diet rich in all major nutrients. You accomplish the task by selecting the foods from various food groups like cereals, pulses, dairy products, fruits and vegetables.
• Free radicals that move freely in the body and attack healthy cells are quite the major cause for aging process. This can be overcome by the use of the antioxidants that immobilize the free radicals. Hence, if you consume foods that are rich in antioxidants.it could be beneficial. Generally, the citrus fruits have good amount of antioxidants. Doctors recommend the consuming of a glass of fresh orange juice along with your breakfast to promote the process of eliminating the free radicals from the body.
• A regular practice of the exercise is another factor that goes a long way in preventing the aging process. Practice of the yoga exercises is highly recommended. Physical workouts improve the overall health.
• In addition to the internal body care, it is also essential to take quite good care of your skin. Make sure that the skin is free of the wrinkles. Even if you have the perfect health and if your skin shows wrinkles, you will look a lot aged. Consuming a good amount of protein helps to maintain the basic skin structure intact.
• Never strain yourself too much, this will actually increase stress that intern promotes the aging process. A regular practice of the yoga helps to gain control over your thoughts.
• If you have any of the health hazards like diabetes never overlook them. Consulting your doctor immediately and taking his or her help could be beneficial.
• Avoid the use of the cosmetics. Go for natural herbs or the plant extracts for external application. Aloe Vera extract is very good to treat acne scars and the other scars caused due to pimples. A scar free skin always looks bright and young.
• Have control on your eating habits. Avoid the emotional eating. This will help to avoid the signs of obesity, a cause for the anti-aging.
• Regular application of the moisturizer helps to overcome the problem of dry skin.
• If you can get hold of the magic fruit -that is to say the Acai Berry, have it regularly. It is rich in the antioxidants that stabilize the free radicals and delays the aging process.
• Use the facial peels made of natural fruit extracts to hide the facial aging process, like the wrinkles, discoloration and the scars.
• Practice the facial exercises that reduce skin wrinkles without the use of any anti-wrinkle cream.
• Drink plenty and plenty of water. This will help to eliminate the toxins off the body in the form of sweat and urine.
• Consume a good amount of anti-aging foods like the fruits and vegetables which include berries, ginger and watermelon.
• Consume an egg daily. You can even take the non-vegetarian food like fish, poultry and meat once in a week or fortnight.
• Keep away from the harmful UV rays of sun. The application of the sun screen lotion before going out will be helpful to some extent. The increased exposure to the high intensity UV rays increases the risk of skin cancer, the various health hazard that makes you look a lot more aged.

Fooding Habits for healthier aging

1. Balance your food intake with the physical activity - the more active you are, the more food you need. Keep an eye on your meal portion size, if you are a lot lesser active choose smaller serving sizes and add plenty of the green and leafy vegetables, salad and fruit.
2. Include a carbohydrate food this could be (bread, rice, pasta, potato, or cereal) at each meal. Choose the high fibre options whenever you can (see following section for suggestions).
3. Aim for the five servings of fruits & vegetables each day. These are packed with the important nutrients to help you stay healthy. Remember that these can be fresh, frozen, tinned, or dried. Colour is important - have a mixture of the different coloured fruits and the vegetables each day such as apples, oranges, bananas, spinach, cabbage, carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, and sweet corn.
4. Protein foods will help to make the new cells and keep your muscles quite healthy. Stay fit and strong by eating a variety of the protein-rich foods each day. Great sources include the lean meat, poultry and fish. Salmon, sardines, trout, fresh tuna and the kippers are packed with heart-healthy omega 3 fats. Eating the beans, eggs and nuts is a simple way of boosting the protein in your diet.
5. Keep your bones healthy by having the three servings of low-fat dairy foods (milk, yoghurt, or cheese) each day. Dairy foods with the added calcium and vitamin D are even better. Look out for these in the supermarket as the fortified foods.
6. Choose heart-healthy fats. We all need some fat in the diet but it is a case of the choosing the right type :
   • Saturated fat or animal fat can raise your cholesterol level, which can in turn increase the risk of the heart disease. Saturated fat is found in the butter, hard margarine, lard, cream, cream based sauces, fat on meat, skin on chicken, and processed meats like the sausages, burgers, black and white pudding, meat pies and pate. It is also found in the biscuits, cakes, chocolate, toffees, takeaway foods, foods covered in batter and breadcrumbs as well as milk, the cheese and yoghurt.
   • Trans fat or the hydrogenated vegetable fat also raises the cholesterol levels. The Trans-fat is found in the hard margarine, cakes, biscuits and confectionery. It may be listed as the hydrogenated fat on the food labels and should be avoided.
   • Monounsaturated fat - aim to replace the saturated fat with the monounsaturated fat to help protect your heart as it helps lower the cholesterol level. Monounsaturated fat is found in the olive oil, peanut oil and rapeseed oil, the unsalted peanuts, cashew nuts and almonds.
   • Polyunsaturated fat can also help to reduce the cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fat is found in the oily fish (omega-3 fat), the sunflower oil (omega-6 fat), sesame oil, the flaxseed oil, walnuts and even the hazelnuts.

   *Note: Remember all types of fats and oils contain the same amount of the fat and calories. They can lead to the weight gain if used to excess!

Use less salt. Too much salt in the diet can also contribute to the high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to the stroke or heart disease. You can reduce the amount of salt in your diet by:

• Avoiding the adding of salt to your food at the table and in cooking. Use pepper, lemon juice, the variety of herbs and spices to flavour food instead of salt.
• Choosing the fresh foods as often as possible e.g. fresh meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, home-made soups and the sauces without salt.
• Limit the intake of processed or canned food.
• Avoid the foods high in salt such as packet and the tinned soups and sauces, instant noodles, Bovril, Oxo, Marmite, stock cubes, soy sauce, garlic salt and sea salt.
• Avoid the processed meats such as ham, bacon, corned beef, sausages, burgers, black and white pudding, meat pies, pate as well as the smoked fish.
• Keep away from the snacks such as salted biscuits and the salted crisps and nuts.
• Check the food labels to help you to choose foods with a low amount of salt. Too much salt is more than 1.5g (0.6g sodium) per 100g of any food item.

Limit the amount of foods high in 'empty calories' like biscuits, cakes, savoury snacks (crisps, peanuts), and sweets, confectionary. These foods are rich in the calories, fat, sugar and salt, so remember - not too much and not too often.

Stay hydrated. Among the other things, dehydration causes the tiredness, dizziness and constipation. Get plenty of the fluids (water, fruit cordials, juice, or even milk) on board each day. As a general guide, have about 8 glasses a day as that should be adequate.

Alcohol should be enjoyed only in moderation. The recommendations are no more than 11 standard drinks a week for a woman or 17 standard drinks a week for a man with a number of alcohol free days in the week.

Yoga Postures for a healthier aging

Yoga is trending these days as an effective means for being fit and healthy. Here are some interesting yoga postures that you could try at home, for a healthier lifestyle. Remember practice makes a man perfect, so don't lose heart, if in the first go it's not successful, keep trying also do it regularly for better results.

1. Tree Pose

   The tree pose helps to improve the balance, which in turn can help prevent you from having the tendency of falling easily.

   • Stand with your legs together and also with your arms straight over your head, and the palms should be together.
   • Raise your right leg slightly off the ground so that the toes are to the back still on the ground and your heel is touching the inside part of your ankle.
   • Balance for at least 20 to 30 seconds if possible.
   • Repeat the same with the other leg. Hold onto something if at all considered as necessary.

   As you gain the balance, draw your raised foot in the position which is upwards, then resting the sole of your foot on the inside of the lower leg. Eventually, then work towards having your raised leg bent, with the foot resting on the inside of the opposite leg above your knee.

2. Warrior II Pose

   Any of the standing pose helps to improve the bone density, while also improving the lower body strength. "Not only does it actually strengthen you to get a stretch through your hips ,the groin, and the inner thighs, but also helps you to stretch your whole body as a whole."

   • Begin with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms as straight at your side.
   • Turn to the right, and then you have to step your right foot out wide about 3 to 4 feet while keeping your heels in the line. Turn your right foot out to form a perfect 90-degree angle.
   • Inhale and then raise your arms straight to the sides to the shoulder height.
   • As you exhale from your nose , bend the right leg until your thigh is quite parallel with the floor. Your left leg should be straight then.
   • Hold the pose for up to 30 seconds while concentrating on your breath. Repeat pose with other leg.

3. Extended Puppy Pose

   As a cross between two of the better-known yoga poses, downward dog and the child's pose, extended puppy pose offers the benefits of lengthening your spine without some of the discomfort that some people find on their knees and the hips in the other poses.

   • Start on all fours in a tabletop sort of a position, with your knees under your hips, and the wrists under your shoulders. Place a towel under your knees if necessary.
   • Walk your hands in front until your chest is close to the ground while your hips remain over the knees.
   • Keep your head in the down position, and then press your arms and hands into the ground.
   • Breathe deeply for about 20 to 30 seconds, and then return slowly to tabletop.

4. Low Lunge Pose

   This move offers the benefits of a lunge, but with the added stability of the back leg remaining in the contact with the ground.

   • Stand with your legs hip-distance apart and the arms at your side.
   • Step the right foot forward and then bend the knee until your knee is directly over your ankle.
   • Your left leg is straight behind you with the knee or the shin resting on the ground. Place a towel under your back leg if necessary.
   • Press your hands or the fingers into the floor to the side of your right heel.
   • Keep your upper body in the position which is lifted.
   • Breathe for around 20 seconds, and then return to standing and repeat with other leg.

5. Bridge Pose

   The bridge pose is good for your hips and it also strengthens your lower back. "This is great if you've spent many years working at a rather desk job or if you haven't been active in a long time,"

   • Begin by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor, hip-distance apart directly under your knees.
   • Arms should be straight at your side.
   • Breathe in as you press your hands into the floor.
   • Exhale and tighten your stomach muscles as you tilt your pelvis and then your spine off the ground until you are in a bridge position.
   • Hold for around 30 seconds, and then slowly lower your spine starting from the shoulders until your back is quite flat on the floor. If needed, put a folded blanket or even a towel under your shoulders for support.

6. Legs up the Wall Pose

   This is a restorative pose can offer some of the gentle release of other poses without the strain of bending over. It also helps to recirculate blood back to the heart. Sit with one side of your body against a wall. Slowly then lower you're back to the floor. Shift your legs up the wall until the backs of your legs are quite flat against the wall.

   • If you can't get your legs flat against the wall, move your body back slightly from the wall and bend the knees slightly.
   • Keep your arms flat at your side.
   • Breathe deeply through the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.
   • Slowly swing your legs down from the wall.

As can be seen, all of the above tips are quite simple and natural without the involvement of any of the artificial products such as the anti-aging creams. They are worth giving a try.