There are several psychological and social factors that have been linked to increased individual life expectancy and quality of life in older adults. While the majority of attention in the life extension and successful aging field has focused on physical factors such as exercise, diet, sleep, genetics and so on, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that psychological and sociological factors also have a significant influence on how well individuals age (Warnick, 1995).

Warnick (1995) believes that adjusting to the changes that accompany late adulthood and old age requires that an individual is able to be flexible and develop new coping skills to adapt to the changes that are common to this time in their lives. Aging research has demonstrated a positive correlation between someone’s religious beliefs, social relationships, perceived health, self-efficacy, socioeconomic status, and coping skills among others to their ability to age more successfully. The term successful aging has been defined by three main components: “low probability of disease and disease related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life” (Rowe & Kahn, 1997).

Baltes and Baltes (1990) suggested that the term successful aging appears paradoxical, as aging traditionally brings to mind images of loss, decline, and ultimate death, whereas success is represented by achievement. However, the application of the term, successful aging, they argue forces a reexamination of the nature of old age as it presently exists. “An inclusive definition of successful aging requires a value based, systemic, and ecological perspective, considering both subjective and objective indicators within a cultural context” (Baltes & Baltes, 1990).

With medical advancements and improvements in living conditions people can now expect to live longer lives than ever before. But, the prospect of merely living longer presents many problems. This fact has led researchers to investigate the psychological aspects of aging, with a goal of making the additional years more worth living. There is a great deal of information that leads us to be hopeful about the prospective quality of life in late adulthood and old age.

Religious beliefs, spirituality, and church participation have been the focus of numerous studies involving older adults. Various studies have associated religiousness with well-being, life satisfaction or happiness (VanNess & Larson, 2002). Although it will be necessary for future research to more clearly specify which dimensions of religious participation are beneficial to which outcomes (Levin & Chatters, 1998), it appears that certain aspects of religious participation enables elderly people to cope with and overcome emotional and physical problems more effectively, leading to a heightened sense of well being in late adulthood.

It is commonly known that suicide rates are higher among elderly people, and there is evidence that persons who engage in religious activity are more than four times less likely to commit suicide (Nisbet, Duberstein, Conwell, et al: 2000). The inverse association between religiousness and suicide rate in elderly individuals may be due to the fact that religious beliefs help elderly people cope with or prevent depression and hopelessness, which are established risk factors for suicide (Abramson, Alloy, Hogan, et al: 2000). The relationship between religiousness and successful aging is an extremely complex one. This makes it difficult to pinpoint which factors of participation in a religious organization lead to the increased sense of well-being, satisfaction, and happiness. It is possible that religiousness exerts its beneficial effects by creating positive emotions that stimulate the immune system. Or, it may provide access to social and psychological resources that buffer the impact of stress and aid ones ability to effectively cope (Ellison, 1995).

Membership in religious organizations also provides older individuals with a social network from which to draw emotional support and encouragement, while enhancing one`s ability to adapt to change and buffer stress (Levin, Markides, Ray, 1996). Research has shown that social networks, such as those commonly found in religious organizations are associated with positive health outcomes in older adults, including lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and functional decline (Seeman, 1996). The relationships that are fostered within the church or religious group serve for many as a replacement for the social groups that they engaged in at work before retirement. In addition, the attitudes that are learned from religiously committed peers may benefit ones health through encouragement of healthy behaviors and lifestyle lowering the risk of disease (Levin & Chatters, 1998).

One of the common threads that has been found to correlate with successful aging is the individual’s socioeconomic status, particularly education and income levels (Meeks & Murrell, 2001). The relationship between education level and subjective well-being has been demonstrated consistently. Meeks and Murrell (2001) found that education did have direct effects on negative affect, trait health and life satisfaction. Their research concluded that higher educational attainment is associated with lower levels of negative affect, which is related to better health and increased life satisfaction (Meeks & Murrell, 2001). This may be due to the fact that “individuals with higher education levels benefit from the opportunities and resources related to educational attainment that produce accumulated success experiences and contribute to superior functioning in later life” (Meeks & Murrell, 2001). It is also possible that more educated people develop superior methods for problem solving and coping with change. Higher education levels have been shown to provide individuals with better occupational opportunities and social status through adulthood and greater financial stability during the transition to retirement. This establishes education level as ones foundation for successful aging (Meeks & Murrell, 2001).

Material wealth and income have been shown to have a direct relationship to subjective well-being (Andrews, 1986). For many, the sense of well-being is especially effected by their feelings of income adequacy as they move into retirement. Many individuals face retirement with great anxiety due to the lack of sufficient savings to replace their income. The reality of living on a small fixed income limits the lifestyle and ability to adapt to the changes of late adult medical needs for many elderly people. People with greater resources at retirement have access to greater variety of opportunities and activities (Jurgmeen, & Moen, 2002). In addition, the access to surplus income allows for more recreation and less stress from financial concerns. This notion that wealth and well-being are related is also supported by a microeconomics theory that states that an increase in the income level of a society would lead, other things being constant, to greater well being (Easterlin & Christine, 1999).

However, it is important to keep in mind that increases in individual income levels are relative to the changes in one’s reference group (Lian & Fairchild, 1979). Increases in income are considered to be relative. In other words, if an individual’s gains in economic status outpace the gains of the reference group then the individual will likely experience a greater sense of satisfaction. On the other hand, if their gains are equal to the average in their reference group, there will likely be no change. If the increases are less than the reference group than the result will be less satisfaction. Therefore, it may be important for many older adults transitioning to retirement to have adequate savings or other income in order to maintain or exceed their previous financial status.

The relationship between education and income to successful aging is a complex one that involves numerous external variables. But it seems that there is conclusive evidence that both education and income levels help to prepare an individual for the changes that they will face in old age and “influence on their ability to view aging as an opportunity for continued growth as opposed to an experience of social loss” (Steveink, Westerhof, Bode, et al, 2001).

One of the most important aspects of how well individuals age is related to their ability to develop and maintain strong relationships and social support systems (Rowe & Kahn, 1998). It is also important to mention that solitude, or a lack of social interaction, is considered a major health risk factor (Unger, McAvay, Bruce, et al, 1999). Recent studies suggest that the effects of social ties on the risk of physical decline in elderly are greater in men than women. These studies also report that there is a strong relationship between social support or social networks to the probability to cardiovascular and all cause mortality for men (Berkman, Seeman, Albert, et al,1993).

This gender difference could be explained by the fact that women devote a greater portion of their lives caretaking and developing friendships, so they are more accustomed to building and utilizing social networks. While men, in contrast, have devoted a greater portion of their lives to their careers, therefore, they have not developed the social networks or skills to utilize these networks that most women have (Unger, McAvay, Bruce, et al, 1999). In addition, social ties appear to be most important among elderly individuals with less physical ability (Unger, McAvay, Bruce, et al, 1999). It seems that people with physical disabilities have a greater need to develop friendships and support networks to assist them in coping with the limitations caused by their conditions. Friends and family provide them with a means to continue participating in social activities and complete the tasks of everyday living that they may be unable to accomplish on their own. This provides support for the belief that establishing strong social networks may increase not only quality of life, but quantity as well.

Social relationships and social support systems serve as protective factors in many ways (Bovbjerg & McCann, et al, 1995), (Krause & Borawski-Clarke, 1994). They benefit individuals by enhancing self esteem, providing encouragement, and promoting healthy behaviors. It is also possible that social networks may provide more tangible assistance such as food, clothing, and transportation. This type of assistance enables an elderly person to remain socially active even though they may not have the means to do so on their own. It is also important to distinguish the difference between receiving support and assistance from friends or relatives as opposed to agency assistance.

Possibly the most important source of social support comes from the family, which provides self-system mechanisms which increase an individual’s subjective impression of life satisfaction. In addition families provide a system of support and interaction that may not be available from outside sources for some elderly people. All of these types of networks may prevent the degree of social isolation in old age, that is associated with depression and other psychological problems (Krause, 1991).

With all of the physical and psychological changes that people face in late adulthood i.e., decreases in vision, hearing, memory, etc., the ability to adapt to life circumstances that force aging individuals to move from one living style to another is an integral part of successful aging (Warnick, 1995). Simply maintaining the ability to perform the everyday tasks of living is not necessarily considered successful aging. Successful aging requires the maintenance of competence involving cognitive, personality, material, and social resources (Baltes & Lang, 1993). Adapting to these changes requires the use of flexible strategies to optimize personal functioning (Baltes & Baltes, 1990).

The strategies that one may employ to cope with the changes that accompany the aging process may be limited not only by the individuals ability to utilize a new strategy, such as learning sign language or walking with a cane, but also by their perception of their ability to do so. Many elderly people will avoid using new tools to adapt to change if they believe that they are unprepared to make such an adjustment (Slagen-DeKort, 2001).

Perceived self efficacy is defined as “peoples judgment of their capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to attain designated types of performance” ( Bandura, 1986). People who believe in their ability will set higher goals for themselves and expect that they will be able to achieve these goals. Self efficacy has been found to influence the adaptive strategies used by older adults (Slangen-DeKort, 1999).

There are two dispositions besides perception of self efficacy that influence individuals ability to cope, these are flexibility and tenacity (Slangen-DeKort, 1999). Tenacity is defined by an individuals persistence with which they are able to remain focused upon their goals in the face of obstacles. Flexibility refers to ones ability to readjust goals based on new information. The research of Slangen-DeKort et al (1999) concludes that self referent beliefs regarding personal competence influence adaptive behavior and the choice of adaptive strategies. “The direct effect, which is strongest, implies that even if a person appraises a certain adaptation as the most optimal one, this adaptation may not be adopted when this person perceives that the required efforts exceed his or her personal competence. In this case, a less optimal alternative strategy will be embraced.” (Maddox & Douglas, 1973).

Given the enormous number of variables that are involved in determining how well an individual will age, it is impossible to point to one factor as being the most important. But, it is safe to say that ones ability to successfully age is determined to a great extent by their attitudes toward aging and growing old. These positive and negative attitudes will be the result of how effectively an individual is able to adapt to the physical, psychological, and social changes that will take place throughout adulthood. If someone is able to accept the changes of life and look forward to the challenges that they present with hope and desire to change, then they will be better prepared to face old age. In addition, the relationships and beliefs that are developed across the life span will be relied upon in old age as a resource for support and assistance in coping. Upon examining research on successful aging, it seems that many of the concepts that are applied to earlier developmental stages are equally important in old age.

For example, change, adaptation, personal growth, and cognitive function are aspects of development that may be as important in old age as they are in childhood development. In conclusion, it seems that the present and future of aging research may be used to develop medical and psychological interventions that will provide a more positive aging experience and well-being in old age.

References and Resources:

Abramson, L.Y, Alloy, L.B., Hogan, M.E., et al: (2000). The Hopelessness Theory of suicidality, in Suicide Science: Expanding the Boundaries. Norwen, MA., Kluwer Academic Publishers

Baltes, P.R., Baltes, M.M., (1990). Successful Aging: Perspectives from the behavioral sciences. New York: Cambridge University Press

Binstoek, RH. & George, L.B. (Ed.) (1996) Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. San Diego: Academic Press

Bovbierg, V.E., McCann, B.S., Brief, D.J., Follette, W.e., Retzlaff, B.M., Dowdy, A.A., Walden, C.E., Knopp, RH., (1995). Spouse support and long-term adherence to lipid-lowering diets. American Journal of Epidemiology, 141,451 – 460

Bosworth, H.B., Siegler, LC., Brummett, B.H., Barefoot, J.C., et al; (1999). The relationship between

self-rated health and health status among coronary artery patients. Journal of Aging and Health, 11(4),565-584

Easterlin, RA., (1995). Will raising incomes of all increase the happiness of all? Journal of Economic Behavior and Organizations. 27, 35-48

Ellison, C.G., (1995). Race, religious involvement and depressive symptomology in a Sontheastem U.S. community. Social Science and Medicine, 40, 1561 – 1572

Ford, A.B., Hang, M.R, Stange, KC., Gaines, A.D., et al; (2002). Sustained personal autonomy: A measure of successful aging. Journal of Aging and Health, 12(4),470-489

Glover, RJ., (1998). Perspectives on aging: Issues affecting the latter part of the life cycle. Educational Gerontology, 24(4), 325-330

Jungmeen, KE., Moen, P., (2002). Retirement transitions, gender, and psychological wen-being: A life course, ecological model. The Journals of Gerontology, 57B(3),212-222

Krause, N., (1995). Religiousity and self-esteem among older adults. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 50B, 236 246

Krause, N., Boraski-Clarke, E., (1994). Clarifying the functions of social support in later life. Research on Aging, 16,251 – 279

Le Bourg, E., (2002). Are stress and longevity reaIIy linked in normal living conditions? Gerontology, 48(2), 108-111

Levin, J., Markides, KS., Ray, L.A., (1996). Religious attendance and psychological well-being in Mexican Americans. The Gerontologist, 36,454 – 463

Levin, J.S., Chatters, L.M., (1998). Religion, health, and psychological well-being in older adults: Findings from three national surveys. Journal of Aging and Health, W( 4), 504-53 I

Meeks, S., Murrell, S.A., (2001). Contribution of education to health and life satisfaction in older adults mediated by negative affect Journal of Aging and Health, 13 (1j, 92-119

Mitchell, B.A., (2002). Successful aging: Integrating contemporary ideas, research findings, and intervention strategies. Family Relations, 51(3),283-284

Nisbet, P.A., Duberstein, P.R, Conwell, Y, et aJ:, (2000). The effect of participation in religious activities on suicide versus natural death in adults 50 and older. Journal of Nerve Disorders, 188: 543-546

Parker, M.W., (2001). Soldier and family wellness across the life course: A developmental model of successful aging, spirituality, and health promotion. Military Medicine, 166(7),561-574

Rowe, J.W., Kahn, RL., (1997). ,Successful Aging. New York: Pantheon

Ryff, C.D., Marshall, V.W. (Ed.) (1999). The Self and Society in Aging Processes. New York: Springer Publishing

Seeman, T.E., (1996). Social ties and health. Annals of Epidemiology, 6, 442 – 451

Slangen-Dekort, Y.A. W., Midden, J.B.C., Aarts, B., Wagenberg, F.V., (2001). Determinants of adaptive behavior among older persons: Self-efficacy, importance, and personal disposition as directive mechauisms. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 53(4),253-274

Simonsick, E.M., (2001). Measuring higher level physical function in well-functioning older adults: Expanding familiar approaches in health ABC study. The Journals of Gerontology, 56A(lO), 644-670

Steverink, N., Westerhof, G.J., Bode, C., Dittman-Kohli, F., (2001). The personal experience of agjng, individual resourses, and subjective well being. The Journals of Gerontology, 56B(6),264-373

Tanaka, E., Sakamoto, S., Ono, Y., Fujihara, S., Kitamura, T., (1998). Hopelessness in a community populiltion: Factorial structure and psychosocial correlates. The Journal of Social Psychology, 138(5), 581-590

Unger, J.B., McAvay, G., Bruce, M.L., Berkman, L., Seeman, L., (1999). Variation in the impact of social network characteristics on the physical functioning in elderly persons. The Journals of Gerontology, 54(B), 245-251

Van Ness, P.R., Larson, D.B., (2002). Religion, senescence, and mental health: The end of life is not the end of hope. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 10(4),386-399

Warnick, J., (1995). Listening with different ears: Counseling people over sixty. Ft. Bragg CA, QED Press.

Doug Galligan is a Personal Trainer and Health Club Manager with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. You can visit his site at: http://www.louisvillepersonaltraining.com

E-Mail: d.galligan@Insightbb.com

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Conventional phrases like anti-aging and long life are deceptive. They imply that the goal of healthy living is to add more years to your life. In fact, you can add even more years to your life by living a healthy, optimistic life. Some scientists ascertain that the human body, when perfectly maintained, can comfortably last 120 years before typically giving out.

Modern health care and lifestyles have already given you the opportunity to live to a ripe old age far beyond those or our ancestors. The goal today isn’t merely extra years; it is good health while living longer.

Good health means that you are vibrant, creative, and energized at any age, from 41 to 89. It’s understanding that although we all have to die one day, sitting in a rocking chair should not be the way that we spend the final days of our lives. It means that you do not accept that the many diseases of aging like arthritis, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis need to be your destiny. Good health is living an active, healthy and purposeful life.

Good health isn’t achieved by just taking vitamins, starting another exercise routing, and you certainly don’t want to spend endless hours at the doctor’s office. Aging is neither a disease to be treated with medicine nor a progression to be reversed through denial, sacrifice, or hard work. Instead, achieving good lasting health is a process to be respected and enjoyed.

What then is the first step to achieving good long lasting health? Adjusting how you think about aging. Throw out notions that aging is a slow, sad decline toward death, and that your goal is merely to get to some artificial age threshold, like a high-stakes marathon race in which all that matters is reaching the finish line, no matter what agony it causes you.

The following tips are valuable in helping you live a long and fruitful life.

• You need to remain intellectually stimulated by reading and always trying to learn new things.

• Try and maintain some social relationships. My father is well in to his eighties and he still goes out to eat with his friends at least once a week.

• Keep up your creative interests. Take up painting or gardening or quilting.

• Try and get your financial affairs in line early enough in life to make sure that you don’t have financial stress in your later years.

In this day in age you’re less likely then previous generations to be living with a disability or in financial stress. So if you still have some bad habits like eating too much junk food or are smoking it’s not too late to change and have better prospects for a long healthy life.

Jeff is a proud contributing author and writes articles on several subjects including, health and fitness, computers and quilting. Would you like information about beginners quilting.

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There are some very interesting things being discovered about Resveratrol — the main ingredient in red wine that some say has “healing powers”. Studies are now showing that red wine can kill cancer cells. Fat related illnesses may be a thing of the past. Antiaging treatments are incorporating the Resveratrol molecules into them. In this article we will discuss these topics and why they’re so important.

This is amazing. The extract of red wine called Resveratrol has been shown to kill cancer cells. As you may know, cancer cells are mutations of regular cells. Mutations generally happen throughout the body periodically, but once these cells begin to rapidly reproduce in their mutated form they are called cancer. Cancer affects people of all ages; the risk for most types increases with age. Cancer is estimated to have caused 13% of all human deaths in 2007 — 7.6 million. If the mutation process could be inhibited from starting, then the cancer wouldn’t grow. That’s what antioxidants actually do for you in your body. An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or even preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Therefore, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

Resveratrol may actually lower the rate of diabetes, liver problems, and other fat related illnesses. The recent study done by the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Aging shows that in obese mice there are significant improvements when using this antiaging treatment. Mice are actually a good initial test subject for human drugs because their body functions are more similar to humans than not. Tests on human subjects to help such human ailments as diabetes are in the works as well, but let’s focus on what has been revealed in these initial tests.

Resveratrol works by spurring activity and regrowth in the cells’ mitochondria — “the powerhouses of the cell.” This is important because mitochondria are the organelles of the eukaryotic cells that compose higher-order life forms. Without them our body’s cells would cease to function.

This amazing compound was shown to reduce the negative effects of a high calorie diet. The fat related deaths dropped 31% for the obese mice that were on the supplement, compared to the untreated obese mice. Also, the treated mice lived long after they should have. The obese mice actually performed just as well in exercise tests as the healthy ones did. Lead author Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School said,”these fat old mice can perform as well on this skill test as young lean mice.”

Amazingly, the organs of the fat mice that received the wine extract looked normal when they shouldn’t have, said Dr. Sinclair. He also said that other preliminary work still being done in the lab showed that the wine ingredient may actually lengthen the life span of normal sized mice too.

“It’s not an excuse to overeat,” Sinclair said, but for mice at least, this shows you can be “fat, happy, healthy and vigorous.” What an amazing study the Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Aging has brought us. Because of these results, anti aging remedies are including Resveratrol in them. When we compare anti-aging treatments we should keep this amazing compound on our list.

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Why do we age? Currently, there are seven theories on the aging process. Actually, we do not have a good scientific explanation for aging. We just know that our bodies were designed to grow old. There are seven major theories about why we age. All of them have some credibility.

The first is that our genes program ourselves to divide a certain number of times and once this division has reached the maximum number our bodies will begin to fail. This is the Telomar Theory. These are genetic elements that are controlling the number of allowable cell divisions.

The second is the general degradation of the neuroendocrine system. The neurological and hormonal systems that regulate the body finally wear out and make us susceptible to a host of diseases.

The third is that our body builds up so many toxins and other waste products that our systems begin to shut down. This toxic waste build up can even affect the structure of our genes.

The fourth is the wear and tear theory that living itself causes our joints and body parts to wear out.

The fifth theory is the free radical damage of aging. The body builds up free radical oxidants that damage our organs and our DNA causing us to age quickly.

The sixth theory is the glucose toxicity theory, which also has to do with waste build up, and the poor utilization and control of glucose within our physiological system.

The seventh theory of aging derives from the law of entropy that means that in the universal there is continual movement from order to disorder and that in our bodies this movement is marked by aging.

Why Do We Age? | What Gets Old

So what part of our body ages? Aging happens in particulars, our arteries get clogged, our joints flare up with arthritis, our parts start to slow down and wear out, and we do not heal as quickly as we used to.

Scientists have found that we all have certain genes in our make up that we are born with and today we cannot change, yet, but how we age is primarily up to us. Our environment, our tendencies, our activities, and our interactions are what matters. As a matter of fact, our inherited genetics account for less than 30% of all aging effects and the importance of genetic inheritance matters less and less as we age. By the age of 80, behavioral choices account almost entirely for your overall health and longevity.

Some people are biologically predisposed to early onset of arterial aging. They have inherited a tendency toward high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and weight gaining. While other people are culturally predisposed to the disease because they are far more likely to develop bad eating habits, high in saturated fat, that will accelerate the aging process within the artery. Many say you are as old as your arteries. When your arteries become clogged, they diminish the amount of oxygen and nutrients that can get to your cells. When this happens, our entire body ages more quickly. Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of adult Americans that claim 40% of us and seriously effecting more than half of us.

Genetic controls in your cells protect your cells from becoming cancerous. When these cellular controls slip you have total body wide systems that help control any pre-cancerous cells that develop. This is your immune system. Many types of arthritis are good examples of a break down in the immune system.

How you react to environment biologically, psychologically, and socially all have to do with how young you stay. Living and working in a hazardous environment obviously has a negative effect upon your health. While maintaining increased mental activity, becoming a life long learner, and maintaining close personal relationships with a few people and having several other good friends that are not so close but where you can laugh, have fun and enjoy life. Developing some passionate life producing interests keeps one young.

Why Do We Age? | Men and Women

Men reach their peak of performance curve in their late twenties and women in their mid thirties. Our bodies are fully matured, we are strongest and at our most mentally acute then. Somewhere between 28 and 36 years of age most people reach a turning point, a transition from growing into an aging process. Most people experience significant backaches between the age of 28 and 36 in my practice. When they reach that turning point and their ability to compensate, musculoskeletal and physiologically it starts to turn. This can be quite momentous event for men and women, for the first time in their life that they are really suffering.

Statistically, our physiological function and cognitive ability performance declines as we age. Each biological function decreases 3% to 6% per decade after age 35. But the good news is certain functions such as mental acuity and IQ have some people show almost no decline or even improve as they progress from 35 to 75 years old.

You may wish to take the online questionnaire at http://www.realage.com to determine what your real age is according to their approach. The resulting age you will get there is based on epidemiological research.

Dr. Feely is an Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon, board certified in Family Practice, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, Acupuncture, Disability Evaluation, Independent Medical Evaluation, Quality Assurance and Utilization Review. He has a special interest in the use of Osteopathic manipulation and acupuncture for migraine headeaches, back pain and myofascial pain disorders. His site, http://www.tcmtests.com, offers information to help you pass your NCCAOM or California Traditional Chinese Oriental Medicine acupuncture board exams (tcm tests).

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If you asked a bunch of women what part of their body they worry about the most, a good number of them will admit it is their face. If you asked them why, a majority of them will tell you because this is the part of their body which shows age the most. Between crow’s feet and smile lines, thinning skin or bagging under the eyes, the face does control a lot of one’s perception of age. We know that people don’t get crows feet until they are middle aged, and that people get smile and laugh lines around this time, too.

Naturally because of this, many of us will do whatever we can in order to hide these signs of aging. Even better, we’d like to erase them if we can. This is where there is a plethora of anti aging skin care products and youth-restoring medical treatments available on the market for people to use in order to maintain their youthfulness. Ranging from plastic surgeries to injections to lotions to creams, the anti aging skin care realm is very diverse. The options available to an individual depend on how much they are willing to spend on themselves, and how much risk they are willing to take in the process.

For example, one can invest a great deal of their savings or pocket change into procedures performed by plastic surgeons or licensed professionals. This could be anything from a surgical face lift, to injections of fat or collagen. People can even get laser treatments which tighten up and lift the skin. Many celebrities spend money on these sorts of procedures to maintain their appearance, although the average individual may struggle to afford these procedures and their follow ups.

On the other end of the cost spectrum is the range of anti aging skin care products one can find in their department or drug stores. Anti aging skin care products are made by many different manufacturers, and these come in a variety of formulations and types. There are anti wrinkle serums and age defying lotions and creams, some made for the face, some for the body, and some that are created for specific areas, like the eyes and the lips. Made with cosmeceuticals designed to penetrate the skin, these anti aging skin care products are meant to be used over time for the best results.

Though one will get instant results from a medical procedure or spa treatment, these are too costly for most. Beyond this setback, these have high risks associated with them, and sometimes they have additional costs. For example, laser procedures have been proven to cause discoloration and scarring in some people and plastic surgeries have been shown to disfigure a person if done incorrectly- which results in additional cost in order to have this fixed. Anti aging skin care products are much more affordable- there are store brands that cost less than the designer labels and include the same ingredients. These anti aging skin care items are risk free- they cause no side effects.

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Collagen and elastin are proteins that reside in the dermis layer of the skin, just beneath the epidermis. Both collagen and elastin are produced by special cells called fibroblasts and are responsible for the youthful appearance of the skin. While collagen cushions the epidermis and makes it firm and taut, elastin allows the skin to stretch and strain without getting ruptured. Both of them are excellent water binders and thus help keep the skin smooth and wrinkle-free.

Deterioration of Collagen & Elastin

As the levels of collagen and elastin begin to deplete, the skin becomes thin and starts to sag and develops wrinkles and fine lines. Here are some common factors that are responsible for the breakdown of the fibers.

Age

As we grow old, the natural levels of collagen and elastin fibers in our body depletes. Also, the regenerative process of the body slows down and as a result collagen production is slowed. Consequently, the skin starts becoming dry and saggy

Excessive Sun Exposure

Prolonged and unprotected exposure to sunlight can break down the collagen and elastin molecules and cause wrinkling and sagging of the skin. Sun damage on the skin shows in the long term.

Smoking

Smoking results in premature aging of the skin. It damages the collagen and elastin fibers and makes the skin prone to early wrinkles and fine lines.

Prevention of Collagen & Elastin Breakdown

Aging is an irreversible process. However, it is possible to delay its effects and slow down the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers. Here are some tips to do the same.

Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure

The best way to slow the breakdown of your collagen and elastin fibers is by limiting your sun exposure. This includes outdoor tanning as well as indoor tanning. Make sure you wear a sunscreen daily whenever you venture out in the sun. Use a sunscreen that offers broad spectrum protection against the UVA and the UVB rays of the sun.

Product Suggestions:

La Roche-Posay Anthelios SX – It is an amazing sunscreen that also doubles up as a moisturizer. It offers full protection against sunburns and moisturizes the skin intensively. It contains Mexoryl SX which is photostable against UVA rays so it does not breakdown and lasts longer than most sunscreens.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is a crucial reason for the development of crows feet and wrinkles around the mouth. Moreover, it tends to make the skin sallow and leathery. Therefore, quit smoking and develop healthy skin habits.

Use Anti Aging Skin Care Products

Include anti aging skin care products in your skin care regimen. These products have specialized ingredients that helps replenish the lost collagen and elastin fibers. Here are some ingredients that you should look out for.

Vitamin C – It encourages the production of collagen and eliminates the damage caused by free radicals. However, Vitamin C gets oxidized very easily upon contact with sunlight, heat or air. Therefore, it is packed in dark containers and requires to be stored in cool dry places.

Retinoids – This is a derivative of Vitamin A that stimulates the production of collagen and encourages cell turnover. As a result, the skin becomes smoother and younger looking.

Peptides – These are special proteins that promote collagen production and foster healthy cell function.

Product Suggestions:

Obagi Professional C Serum 15 Percent – It is a superb anti aging serum that contains Vitamin C. It neutralizes the effect of free radicals and prevents them from damaging the skin. In addition it stimulates the production of collagen within the skin and provides it superior protection. It is suitable for all skin types.

NIA 24 Intensive Recovery Complex – It is a rich anti aging cream that moisturizes the skin intensely and helps activate its regenerative powers. With regular use, the skin becomes firm and toned. It contains active ingredients like ceramides, liposomes and peptides within it. It locks in the multi-level moisture and minimizes transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Avoid Collagen Creams

There are several anti aging skin care products that contain collagen that claim to restore the youthful appearance of your skin. However, it should be understood that collagen molecules are larger than the size of your skin pores and are unable to penetrate though when applied topically. Topical application of collagen only serves to moisturize the skin and doesn’t have any anti aging benefits.

About The Author

Dr. Marilyn Syrett is a renowned physician and nurtures a keen interest in skin care and the effectiveness of skin care products. She believes that every women has the right to healthy and flawless skin. She has also reviewed several products from popular brand names like Obagi, iS Clinical, Clinique Medical and so on.

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Top Tips for Fantastic Skin – Keep Young and Healthy from the Inside Out
 by: Penny Williams

Top Tips for Fantastic Skin

Keep Young and Healthy from the Inside Out

When you meet people, what do they see? Your face, your skin, that’s what. Your skin condition can say a lot about your health and your lifestyle. Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? An adult human skin weighs around 5kg (11lbs) and has a surface area of 2 sq. metres (22 sq. feet), which is approximately the size of a double bed. Even with your clothes on that’s a lot of target for damage from the outside – injury, sunlight, cigarette smoke, environmental pollution. So your skin can be damaged by what it is exposed to, and at the same time, it reflects internal emotions (e.g. when you sweat or blush) and conditions (especially the health of your digestive system). The condition of your skin is closely dependant on what you eat.

Nutrition and Your Skin

Nutrition is fundamentally involved at every stage of your skin development. Collagen makes up 70% of your skin and depends on vitamin C. Dry, rough skin (caused by the build up the protein keratin on the outer layers) can be prevented by Vitamin A. The membranes of skin cells are made from essential fats. Dry skin can be caused by a lack of these fats. The flexibility of your skin is reduced as you get older mainly because of oxidation damage caused by free radicals – from pollution, cigarette smoke, fried and burnt foods, sunlight. This damage can be limited by nutrients such as vitamins A, C, E and selenium. Lack of zinc can lead to stretch marks and slow wound healing, and is associated with a wide variety of skin problems from acne to eczema.

Foods to Keep You Young and Beautiful

Foods that can enhance your appearance need to feature as many of the following as possible: antioxidants, antibacterials, fibre to clear toxins, essential fats to support skin and reduced levels of saturated fat and sugar.

The sorts of foods where you’ll get this kind of combination are: fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, fish, pulses, nuts and seeds.

So, to improve your skin, include the following in your diet:

Apricots, cantaloupe melon, carrots, eggs, liver, pumpkin, red peppers, watercress – contain Vitamin A and beta carotene.

Blackcurrants, broccoli, citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, papaya, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and sprouted seeds – contain Vitamin C.

Almonds, avocado, eggs, hazelnuts, olive oil, Sunflower seeds, walnuts – contain Vitamin E.

Brazil nuts, cabbage, chicken, eggs, liver, molasses, mushrooms, onions, seafood, tuna – contain Selenium.

Almonds, chicken, cauliflower, carrots, cucumber, eggs, oats, potatoes, sardines, tuna – contain Zinc.

And reduce your intake of these:

Alcohol

Coffee/tea (no more than 2 cups per day)

Sugar

Saturated fat (found in meat and dairy products).

And think about these other factors:

Avoid strong sunlight and use a sun block (sunlight causes oxidative damage and speeds the ageing process of your skin).

Wash your skin with a gentle oil-based cleanser, not soap, and consider what is in your skin products such as your moisturiser (many cosmetics contains strong petroleum/alcohol based substances –remember these are absorbed through the skin).

Take regular exercise (it stimulates blood flow, which will enhance delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells).

Drink plenty of water (6-8 glasses per day (1- 1½ litres)) to hydrate the skin. Too little water can be a major factor in dry skin.

Consider taking some nutritional supplements: a good quality multivitamin and mineral supplement; vitamin C; an antioxidant blend (containing at least vitamins A, C, E, zinc and selenium); and an essential fatty acid supplement (linseed oil, fish oil or evening primrose oil or oil blend). Remember supplements should be considered as an addition to a good diet and healthy lifestyle, not a replacement for one.

Use a skin brush for your body (upward strokes working from feet to torso) and an exfoliation cream for your face. Exfoliation helps to clear blocked pores and smooth away dead, dry skin.

If that sounds a lot to think about, don’t let it put you off. You can have the skin you deserve, the skin that reflects a healthier you. Just take it step by step. First introduce apricots, cantaloupe melon etc (the Vitamin A foods). Then when you’ve worked through introducing the healthier range of foods, start reducing the alcohol and sugar. In no time at all you’ll be on the road to better health and better skin.

Written by Penny Williams, Nutritional Therapist: www.lifefirst.info

About The Author

Penny Williams

You may re-print or distribute this article however you like on condition that you include this statement and the following sentences concerning the author and her website. Penny Williams is a nutritional therapist specialising in helping women to achieve optimum health. Her website, including newsletter sign-up, is www.lifefirst.info and wellness products can be bought at www.lifefirst.info/shop.html

Technorati Tags: healthy ageing

With these two precious ingredients we enter the dominion of fire. They both are the most pleasant substances in gastronomy, we cannot do without salt, but we do not have to forget that they dry up and burn food. Think of the preservation of food under salt; it is a precious technique, but it will never equal the capacity of the sun in this field. No meat dried under salt will ever have scents and flavors comparable to sun dried meat. No cod under salt will ever compare to fish dried by the air. Also, prosciutto are better when they are produced through adequate ageing, rather than an excess of salt. Salt and vinegar represent the extreme limits in the range of flavors, an analogous extremity, since vinegar also has a salted background flavor. This background flavor is clearly perceived in fish soups with vinegar. In the dish you will not perceive the vinegar, but a salted accent instead.

We use them sparingly

These extreme flavors can be overwhelming to some palates, and to their honor I propose the beef steak with salt and vinegar: grill the meat and dress it with romarin, balsamic aceto, and coarse salt before serving. A good culinary rule of thumb, however, holds that salt and vinegar must be used sparingly. Their flavor should lend strength to a dish, but never dominate it. Too much of either can ruin a meal, so err on the side of caution because you can always add more later. If you feel your dish lacks flavor, use other spices and herbs to help flesh it out.

Salt: fine or coarse

Too often the quality of salt and vinegar are neglected and two different products are assumed to be the same. This is a big mistake. The flavor of salt varies if crude or refined, its yield in a dish varies depending on its grain size. French ocean salt, rather moist, is surely the best one to give flavor to raw dishes, but it is not always easy to find in our stores. To cook instead it is better to use a more refined salt, very dry, since it is saltier and small amounts are enough. On salads less refined salt is recommended.

Salt, a precious good

Salt is one of the most diffused minerals on the planet, but the difficulties connected to supplying it in ancient times, rendered it a precious good to which were attributed symbolic and important meanings. Hospitality, one of the most sacred practices, was made legitimate by the ritual of the partitioning of the salt with the host in all of Mediterranean East, Japan and ancient Greece. Still today it is a widely held belief that spilling salt brings misfortune. A pinch of salt is then thrown over the left shoulder, in order to hit the demons who are behind the back. Leonardo da Vinci painted a salt container turned upside down under the elbow of Judas in his painting, the Last supper.

Vinegar

When speaking of quality, vinegar is the big unknown. The product of wine fermentation, but also of fruit, cereal, malt and honey, vinegar is often made with the poorest raw materials like, for example, wine gone bad. This is a big mistake, especially considering that vinegar is not a necessary food for a balanced diet, but a condiment of pleasant and particular feelings. Therefore it must be of good or excellent quality. It cannot be made with poor wine, since the flavor of the wine remains in the vinegar. Fortunately, some manufacturers have understood it and very good vinegars can be found in the markets. The balsamic vinegars fermented naturally and aged for five years in small barrels of various woods, one for every year of aging; chestnut, cherry, mulberry, ash and often juniper to confer the characteristic scent, are a good example. Other vinegars are based on the extraordinary quality of the starting wine to become true gastronomic wonders. Also interesting are the aromatized vinegars: raspberry, blueberry, apple, scallion, and many the others. To be good these need excellent raw materials, fruits and herbs perfumed, not to be aromatized with extracts, therefore the good ones are relatively expensive. But if you like to use vinegar choose a good bottle, or banish it from your kitchen.

No vinegar on salads

Do not put vinegar on green salad since it cooks it and takes away all of its scent. Abandon this bad habit. Take a tender green salad and season it with a fruity olive oil and you will taste the difference. Vinegar must be used mainly for sauces. Always make it to evaporate well so that the best aroma is felt. In salads vinegar is used when it recalls the flavor of one of the ingredients, as an example only put some drops of a raspberry aromatized vinegar in a salad containing raspberries. Pure acetic acid on a salad or, even worse, on tomatoes that are already acidic in their own right, ruins a gift of nature.

About The Author

David Russo, VMD, PhD

Veterinary Scientist, Gourmet Lover and Amateur Cook

http://www.high-net-worth-gourmet.com

718 8247308

dgrusso@verizon.net

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Better Aging
 by: Susan Dunn

My friend who retired last year from years on Wall Street tells me, “I have to watch very carefully how I spend my money. I don’t know how to do anything.”

One of the reasons people find retirement challenging, is also the solution to the problem of better aging: we identify with roles in our lives. Worse than that, we enjoy them. They’re what our life is all about or we wouldn’t have been doing them in the first place.

Now my friend certainly knows how to do things. He can cook his breakfast, he’s an attentive father, he knows how to mow the lawn. But to his way of thinking, now that he’s no longer a broker, he “doesn’t know how to do anything.”

Whether it’s being a manager, a doctor, or a mother, a recent study confirms we do best when have control over roles we value, and that this is more important than a sense of control over life itself. ["Role-Specific Feelings of Control and Mortality," Neal Krause, Ph.D., and Benjamin A. Shaw, Ph.D.; Psychology and Aging, Vol. 15, No. 4.]

What does this mean to you and me on a daily basis?

In the study, conducted over 6-7 years, participants were asked to name the roles they valued most in their lives, including such things as parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, friend, homemaker, provider, volunteer work, church member, etc.

In the follow-up study it was found that participants who were able to maintain a sense of control over the role most important to them were less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors (smoking, drinking, obesity) and less likely to die prematurely. And, the research found, it was only the most important valued role that correlated with decline, not choices two and three.

By “having a sense of control,” I imagine they mean being able to continue doing that. I also would imagine, unless your life has been different of mine, there’s no sense assuming control over life in general. You’ve learned that by now!

Your most-valued role amounts to why you like being alive, or what makes life worth living. In other words, what matters to you.

The researchers suggest that psychological coping abilities “decline” with age. I suggest they can be bolstered, even increase by studying EQ, and a look ahead is an emotionally intelligent thing to do.

In my coaching work with clients in transition, the “transition” often amounts to the fact they’ve lost or been ousted from a role they enjoyed. Some were fired, some forced into retirement, others lost children prematurely, others are between parenting and grand parenting, and not “needed” by anyone in that special nurturing role.

How can you cope better? While life is about losses, it is equally about gains and wins. While you may be dumb-founded by an immediate loss, with time and Emotional Intelligence competencies, you can make the next step and find a new role. Resilience is one of the many EQ competencies and it means being able to bounce back after loss, failure, and defeat, while remaining hopeful and enthusiastic.

Somewhere there’s a baby crying … a group that needs managing … an account that needs balancing. How you define your role is up to you. It’s personal choice and that’s what EQ is all about. You may no longer run Coca-Cola, but you can run the volunteer department of the local children’s shelter.

We’re so busy when we’re young, and so many of the roles are proscribed, we can forget it’s an open and flexible system.

Lamenting my “last baby,” I was reminded by an older friend that she went weekly to the neonatal unit at the hospital and sat and rocked the newborns.

On a recent flight to Seattle, I met an 80 year old woman with her foster baby. She took newborns to their adoptive parents, usually a plane ride. There she was with infant seat, bottles, diaper bag, and the whole thing. How she did it physically I don’t know. It must’ve been the drive of her heart, the satisfaction she got, and the physical condition she had to be in to do it. The heart will motivate.

Emotional Intelligence involves flexibility and being able to generate new solutions. Just as the teenager must one day have her first job, you will one day have to move into new territory. Re-creating roles is one thing you can do for better aging. If you are “stuck” on a certain definition and in the “yes, but” mode, consider something different.

CLIENT: I miss so much being a mother.

ME: Then go mother someone.

CLIENT: That’s not the same thing. That’s not being their REAL mother.

ME: Says who?

I have had, when working at the children’s shelter, a child tell me, “I know you’re my real mom.” Yes, it’s heart-rending. Yes, that’s part of it. Wasn’t it part of it the first time round?

As a volunteer director, I relied on many people who were starting new roles, and the more they considered it their job, their real job, the more helpful they were to me.

Managing the kitchen of the shelter can be as much a real management job as you make it, and if you think it isn’t “real” and isn’t needed, on what do you base your judgment? Does money have to change hands? There are other things to work for, and other rewards, and if being important is one of them, you will, if anything, be more important, because many volunteers call in at the slightest whim to cancel, or don’t show up at all. They don’t take it seriously. Taking things seriously is a personal decision and totally within your control.

Molly has “adopted” her niece and nephew by-marriage, who are very young and going through some very difficult times. Notice these people are not even related to her. With a newborn in the house, their toddler has been diagnosed with a heart defect, possibly terminal, and requiring lots of care, while one of their parents is also dying. No one told them Molly wasn’t their mother. And believe me, no one asked for her credentials when she showed up at the door of this overwhelmed young couple.

Somewhere there’s someone who needs you in the role you value most, and if you haven’t found them, you’re being lazy. Don’t be lazy. You’re needed. Get out there!

About The Author

© Susan Dunn, MA, Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc. Coaching, Internet courses and ebooks around emotional intelligence for your personal and professional development. For FREE EQ ezine, mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc with “ezine” for subject line. I train and certify EQ coaches. Email me for information on this fast, affordable, comprehensive, no-residency program.

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Uses and Benefits of Acetyl L Carnitine
 by: Raj Khatri

Carnitine Nutrition can play an important role in promoting brain wellness. The older we are, the more likely we are to suffer from cognitive loss. While some survive into their sixth and seventh decades with good mental function, this becomes less likely as we age further. Decline is almost universal in at least one cognitive area among those over .

Certain nutrients have also undergone examination for their role in promoting brain health in older adults. One of the most extensively researched nutrients for its role in promoting brain wellness is Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR). ALCAR has demonstrated marked positive effects on brain aging, both from a preventive and therapeutic standpoint.

There is also a great deal of evidence that age-related memory loss is cholinergic in nature. Therefore, maintaining healthy acetylcholine levels must be the centerpiece of any brain antiaging strategy. ALCAR levels decline markedly as we age, even in healthy adults. Restoring ALCAR levels to those seen in twenty-year olds may be desirable for older adults. Declining ALCAR levels may in fact be one of the causes of the cognitive decline seen with aging.

What other benefits does carnitine have?

Improved cognitive function – ALCAR plays a strong role in the brain in many ways, and has beneficial effects in many conditions including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies in aged rodents show markedly improved memory and learning capacities, , while studies in younger rodents show a variety of promising effects as well. Other rodent studies have shown that ALCAR significantly protects the brain against a variety of stresses, such as ischemia and repurfusion and mitochondrial uncoupling. It also protects against peripheral nerve trauma, “almost eliminating neuron loss, and in vitro neuronal apoptosis. ALCAR also increases levels of dopamine, amino acids, and acetylcholine in the brain, as well as facilitating cholinergic activity.

Cardiovascular benefits – The carnitine have considerable potential in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Rodent studies with L-carnitine have shown decreased triglyceride and cholesterol levels and protection against arrhythmia and ischemia, and a study with ALCAR found a reversal of the age-related decline in mitochondrial function in the heart.

Improved hearing and visual function – Two animal studies indicate a significant reduction in noise-induced and age-induced hearing loss with ALCAR. One measured outer hair cell (OHC) density after three weeks of noise exposure, and found less than a 10% reduction with ALCAR as opposed to 60% with placebo, and noise induced threshold shifts were less than 10 dB in the ALCAR group as opposed to 30-35 dB with placebo. A six-week study with aged rats found ALCAR to improve auditory thresholds by upregulating mitochondrial function and reducing oxidative stress.

Reduced stress and depression – In rats, ALCAR protects against the decreases in dopamine and testosterone that normally occur after exposure to both acute and chronic stress and decreases other markers of stress, and no tolerance develops to this effect. Preliminary human studies in the elderly and those undergoing treatment for certain conditions indicate a reduction in depression and fatigue and an improvement in quality of life.

Are there any side effects?

Carnitine has no toxicity, teratogenicity, contraindications, or drug integrations. There are very few side effects associated with carnitine use, and no serious side effects have been reported (58, 64, 65). Some users report nausea or stimulation, but these tend to be transient and disappear with time (65). There are also many anecdotal reports of more vivid dreams.

Increasing Molecules Needed for Memory

ALCAR increases levels of nerve growth factor (NGF)–an important brain healing compound. In the central nervous system, nerve growth factor (NGF) protects cholinergic neurons. NGF helps increase levels of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), which makes the valuable neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The aging process reduces both nerve growth factor levels and the ability of neurons to bind to this valuable cellular messenger. ALCAR ameliorates these age-related deficits, therefore demonstrating another way it naturally helps create more acetylcholine needed for neuronal transmission, learning, and recall. ALCAR has been found to optimize the response of the NMDA receptors and lessen their decline in number.

In summary, ALCAR has proven itself safe and effective in ameliorating the symptoms of cognitive loss in older adults, relieving depression, speeding stroke recovery, and slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. What are now needed are prospective, randomized trials of ALCAR in subjects who take it from middle age onward to see if ALCAR can prevent the cognitive loss in healthy adults.

Other Benefits of Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Protects and Enhances Mitochondrial Function
Enhances Immune Function and IGF-1 levels
Protects against the loss and reduction in axonal transport of substance P
Reduces HPA axis hyperactivity
Increases hippocampal synaptic contact zones
Protects against stress-induced neuroendocrine changes
Enhances long-term memory
Increases learning capacity
Prevents age-related memory deterioration
Helps maintain a normal number of both axosomatic synapses and giant bouton vesicles
Increases membrane fluidity and counters the increase in membrane viscosity seen both in aging and in neuronal lipid peroxidation
Protects cell membranes from physical stress
Reduces lipofuscin accumulation in neurons
Helps neurons remain energetic by using alternate energy sources such as lipids and ketones
Increases the efficiency of neuronal transmission
Protects against ischemia/reperfusion induced cellular damage and lowers lactic acid levels and speeds recovery from ischemic events
Protects neuronal RNA from damage
Helps maintain cholinergic transmission between neurons
Protects against DNA breakage

We studied the effects of acetyl-L-carnitine on pain in 16 HIV+ patients affected by painful distal symmetrical neuropathy. Patients were treated with 0.5-1 gr per day of acetyl-L-carnitine either i.m. or i.v. for 3 weeks. Pain intensity was measured before and after the treatment by the Huskisson’s analogic scale. Ten patients (62.5%)reported an improvement of symptoms, five patients (31.25%) were unchanged, one patient worsened. The results of this open study show that acetyl-L-camitine can have a role in the treatment of pain in distal symmetrical polyneuropathy related to HIV infection. However, further double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.

About The Author

Raj Khatri

For more information please visit

http://www.acetyl-carnitine.com

raaj81@gmail.com

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