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| Popular Anti-Aging Techniques: Find Out Which Ones Work and Which Ones Don't |
admin writes, "By: Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege
Aging. What is it about this word, or rather the process it implies, that causes many Americans to endlessly seek the fountain of youth? Perhaps the ideals of our youth-oriented society have pushed the desire to stay young too far, or perhaps as society has developed it is only natural for us to strive to live longer, healthier lives. "
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By: Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege
Aging. What is it about this word, or rather the process it implies, that causes many Americans to endlessly seek the fountain of youth? Perhaps the ideals of our youth-oriented society have pushed the desire to stay young too far, or perhaps as society has developed it is only natural for us to strive to live longer, healthier lives.
Whatever the reason--and most likely the reasons are personal with each of us--it is clear that Americans have an intense desire to stay young. Some 60 percent of Americans aged 65 years and older are pursuing anti-aging methods and many begin their search much younger than that.
As Mark Twain said close to 100 years ago, life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18. But the reality of it is that we can’t avoid aging, although many will certainly try, and the anti-aging market is expected to reach close to $42 billion by 2006 as a result. Here are a few of the more common anti-aging techniques out there, along with whether or not they actually work. Keep reading to the end and you’ll find out my personal recommendations of the best "anti-aging techniques" out there.
Calorie Restriction
Thousands of research studies have shown caloric restriction to be effective in extending life and delaying disease in a myriad of different species.
The mechanism behind these effects is not fully known, but I suspect the majority of the benefits from calorie restriction are related to its influence on insulin, as reducing calories also reduces insulin, the major accelerant of aging. Many scientists believe that the benefits of caloric restriction are due to lower oxidative stress from less calories (oxidative stress is what we all seek to counter with antioxidants).
Eating less may in fact be a healthier option in the long run but only if it’s done properly. You must be sure you are getting enough nutrients and are not simply starving yourself--malnutrition will certainly not help anyone to live longer.
The next level of caloric restriction is called CRON (Caloric Restriction combined with Optimal Nutrition). Properly executed, CRON can be an effective tool to extend life, delay disease, optimize weight and increase performance. For tips on how to cut calories wisely you can read my past article, "Want to Extend Your Life? Cut Calores... But Cut Them Wisely," on the topic. If you are considering CRON, I strongly urge you to consider Living Fuel Rx, as it is a very convenient "superfood " that meets all the requirements of intelligent caloric restriction and is far superior to any daily vitamin or meal replacement as it is low caloric and combined with optimal nutrition, has a low glycemic response and is high in antioxidants.
Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone (HGH), a naturally occurring hormone that decreases with age, is touted as a "cure" for old age. One Internet ad goes so far as to say that with HGH, "Now you can develop a new body, with no change in diet and no exercise."
While a synthetic version of HGH is approved for treating children with growing problems or adults with muscle wasting or other severe conditions, it’s estimated that tens of thousands of Americans take HGH for its possible anti-aging effects.
Using this hormone for anti-aging is an unwise decision. Side effects associated with its use include:
Swelling of the arms and legs
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Joint pain
Can raise blood insulin levels, which may promote breast and prostate cancers
Arthritis
Edema
Other potentially unknown side effects
Elderly are more likely to have adverse reactions
Weight training can increase growth hormone in your body naturally along with improve your strength and is a much better option to forcing hormones on your body.
Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery is a growing phenomenon, and men and women between the ages of 35 and 50 spent $20 billion in plastic surgery and non-surgery skin treatments in 2003 alone.
Now if your goal is simply to LOOK younger, cosmetic surgery will certainly give you what you want (although there is always the risk of surgical errors or side effects), but the problem--and it is a major one--is that plastic surgery will do nothing to help you FEEL younger. And what good is it to look like you’re 30 if you feel like you’re 80?
Of course, this did not stop Americans from getting 7 million cosmetic procedures in 2002. Still, this quick fix is not the answer to looking younger. The best bet to fighting wrinkles and more is to take a proactive stance, as I’ll discuss below.
My Anti-Aging Techniques
There is no way to avoid aging--it’s a natural part of life--but there are many things you can do to keep your skin and body looking and feeling young and healthy. It’s not a quick fix and there is some effort involved, but the rewards are well worth the effort.
You will likely not be surprised when I say that, perhaps above all else, the real "fountain of youth" is a healthy diet. As I mentioned above, insulin is the major accelerant of aging, and you can keep your insulin levels down by reducing or eliminating grains and sugar in your diet.
Vegetables are also extremely important. One of the reasons I started vegetable juicing is that I would see 75-year-old women in my practice who looked like they were 40 years old and had virtually no facial wrinkles. Most of them were doing large amounts of juicing and led healthy lifestyles. There will be times, such as while traveling, that you won't be able to juice, and Living Fuel Rx makes an excellent healthy alternative in these cases.
For optimal results you will want to adjust the amount you juice, along with what types of vegetables you use, depending on your metabolic type. For instance, since finding out that I am a strong protein metabolic type, I have reduced my daily juice from one quart to 12 ounces and only juice celery and spinach, as they are appropriate for my metabolic type. I go into this concept in detail in my new book, which also includes a basic test for you to determine your own metabolic type.
You will also want to be sure that your diet includes plenty of raw food, including raw dairy, as this is another of the central keys to avoiding the surgeon’s knife and regaining the lost beauty of youth.
Another key is regular exercise, though not in excess, as excessive exercise can also cause wrinkles.
A good night’s sleep and properly addressing emotional stresses are additional keys to regaining your optimum physical appearance. One of the best ways to address emotional challenges, which can also lead to insomnia, is with psychological acupressure techniques like EFT.
So as you can see it there is not one thing to do to feel and look your best as you age. Rather, it is a combination of things that, when adhered to as a lifestyle choice, will ensure that your body shows what has been going into it for all those years. And if you’ve been treating your body with care and respect, it will be reflected in your healthy skin, bright smile and strong energy. After all, it’s only natural.
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Posted on Dec 26, 2004 07:00am.
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