AGING ISSUES NEWSLETTER

Physical Activity is Essential to Healthy Aging
As an older adult, regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger so you can keep doing your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.

Not doing any physical activity can be bad for you, no matter your age or health condition. Keep in mind, some physical activity is better than none at all. Your health benefits will also increase with the more physical activity that you do.                                                                                                                                                                                  
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HEART HELP CAN BE EASY

If you have heart disease your doctor may encourage you to participate in the hospital's cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) program. A cardiac rehab program is designed to help you exercise safely and maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle. The program generally includes a tailored exercise program, education, and help with changing your risk factors (such as quitting smoking and changing your diet), and help managing your disease. Cardiac rehab programs also offer emotional support. The cardiac rehab program will allow you to meet others like yourself who can help you stay on track to maintain a healthier heart. ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— HEALTHY EATING FOODS THAT
WORK FOR YOU
                                                                                            Avocados lead my list of anti-aging foods because that are just so delicious. Of course, avocados are loaded with healthy fats to help improve your cholesterol, but the main reason to eat avocados is because they taste so good. 
Walnuts: I know I need to eat more omega-3s and that fish are a great source, but I have to admit that possible mercury contamination of fish has got me a bit scared off. That's where walnuts come in. Turns out that walnuts are a great (and mercury-free) source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Eat a handful or two a day for all your omega-3 needs.                     Berries are packed full of antioxidants and other chemicals that your body can use to make repairs and prevent some of the damage caused by aging. Best of all, berries taste really, really good. Be sure to eat your berries without any sauces or sugars. Just enjoy them plain for good taste and easy to eat snack.
Green tea has been a longevity supplement in Asia for thousands of years. It is a great thing to work into your daily life. Green tea contains high concentrations of just the chemicals your body needs. Green tea is also inexpensive, delicious and gives a mild (and gentle) energy boost from its caffeine.                                                                                                                                Beans are a great source of healthy protein and antioxidants. Really, beans are a wonder food. Some researchers  believe that animal protein may cause many of the illnesses we face as we age. Switching to a (healthy) vegetarian diet certainly will help improve the health of your heart and arteries. Beans are a necessary part of any healthy vegetarian diet. If you don't want to go all the way to vegetarianism, then just start by substituting a few meals a week with bean-based entrees. 
I put chocolate last in this list only because it doesn't need to be higher up to get your attention. Chocolate (dark chocolate, that is) is good for you. It has a balance of fats that don't harm your body and tons of healthy chemicals that your body needs. The only draw-back is that chocolate also has calories. Have a little square every day, but don't overdue it.    —————————       

SLEEP KEEPS YOUR HEALTH HEALTHY Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours. This fact may be explained by the way sleep interacts with the blood vessels. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening of blood pressure and cholesterol, all risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. ————————————————————--
Dr. Oz says one of his favorite anti-aging foods are blueberries. You can tell blueberries are chockfull of antioxidants because of their dark color. "All foods with dark colors in them have some of these really protecting antioxidant chemicals in them," he says. "Blueberries lead the charge."

Other good anti-aging foods include sweet potatoes, broccoli and tomatoes. "[When eating] tomatoes, heat them up a little bit and put a little oil in them. It makes it easier to absorb the lycopene," Dr. Oz says. "Lycopene is another antioxidant, but it has additional benefits as well, which are particularly valuable for the heart."

While he's mentioned many of these antioxidant-rich foods before, Dr. Oz is ready to introduce a new entry to his hall of fame—the acai (pronounced "AH-sigh-EE"), a small fruit from South American rainforests that is often found in the United States in juice. "It has twice the antioxidant content as a blueberry, so it's a wonderful alternative," Dr. Oz says. "Look at the food label and make sure they don't have too many carbohydrates in there. It's available in all major stores now. It's just sort of breaking through."