Live Longer: Long Life For All!

Running May Help You Live Longer August 12, 2008

A new study carried out in the US suggests that regular exercise through running or jogging can slow down the signs of aging. The study examined 500 older runners for more than 20 years, and found that the runners on average entered disability 15 years later and also were 50% less likely to die from sudden onset illness such as cancer.

Perhaps surprisingly the scientists at the Archives of Internal Medicine found no evidence that the runners needed more knee replacement surgeries over time, or other bone damage from the impact of running.

The general consensus is that exercise can help you live longer, and should be regularly pursued not only by younger people, but also as we get older. Of course as with any lifestyle change, it is important that if you start exercising again that you consult your doctor first, as rapid changes in activity levels can be detrimental to your health.

Happy (and long lived) jogging!

Tomatoes May Protect Your Skin April 28, 2008

New research has indicated that eating dishes containing cooked tomatoes may help your skin resist the damaging effects of the sun’s rays. The research, by the British Society for Investigative Dermatology, was carried out by feeding five tablespoons of tomato paste - made from cooked tomatoes - every day and comparing it to the effects of just eating additional olive oil. The results indicate that the tomato intake increases the skin’s natural sun defences by 33% - not enough to replace sun lotion, but enough to maybe keep your skin free from skin cancer and the aging effects of sun in general. Good news for those of us who like pizza and rich, red spaghetti sources. Mmm.

Are Vitamin Pills Healthy? April 16, 2008

A new study suggests that vitamin supplements of the kind taken by many millions of people globally, may not be as good for your health as we think. Scientists at Copenhagen University reviewed the results from many previous studies and came to the conclusion that at least three vitamin supplement vitamins - vitamin A, vitamin E and beta-carotene - may actually damage your health! Vitamin A results indicated a 16% increase in chance of dying - with 7% for beta carotene and 4% for vitamin E. The good news is that vitamin C and selenium did not seem to have any major downside from this study, but they also found no indication of major advantages to taking these supplements either.

The scientists suggest that the vitamins themselves may not be the problem, just taking them in excessive amounts in supplements. They believe that all vitamins should come from a healthy diet directly. Obviously many health groups related to supplement manufacturers, and others who aren’t, are up in arms about this as vitamin sales constitute a global market of $2.5 billion. Whatever the final outcome from further studies, it would seem that maintaining a healthy, balanced diet containing all the vitamins you need is the way forward - as the food itself has extra advantages for your body, such as energy and roughage.

Clean Your Way to a Longer Life April 10, 2008

A new scientific study has suggested that just 20 minutes sustained exercise a week - whether jogging or cleaning your house - can significantly reduce depression. In the same journal, another study suggests that regular sustained exercise can reduce the symptoms of old age. Keeping the body and mind active seems to be key to these results, with people who maintain a more sedentary, inactive life are more greatly impacted by their age.

Unfortunately ‘20 minutes sustained exercise’ does not mean a gentle stroll to the bus stop, to get the effects you need to induce at least some level of breathless-ness. Heavy sweeping and scrubbing will do the trick, but running a cloth over your shelves probably won’t. Scientists are also unsure as to the relationship between the exercise, how it affects depression and how it affects our youthfulness. It could be that staying active and in a ‘flow’ state releases pleasurable endorphins, reducing depression - and being happier naturally keeps us above our body’s aging process. Or alternatively it could be that people more inclined to do activities and live longer are less inclined towards depression. From my own personal experience I know that the less active I am, the more negative my world view becomes - with regular exercise important to my own life balance. However my 90 year old gran has never been a big one for exercise, enjoying rather the comforts of her sofa, knitting and East Enders on the telly. She does smile a lot though.

Disclaimer: As always, Long Life Blog’ post cannot be taken as medical advice. Before you undertake a change in your diet or exercise regime please consult a qualified doctor, as dramatic changes to our lives can have more downsides than upsides.

Changing Habits to Live Longer April 7, 2008

To live longer we need to work out what changes we want to make to our lives, and then carry out that changes - regularly, every day, for the rest of our new, longer life. For the lucky amongst us, blessed with an excess of willpower, that’s just another day. For most of us though, changing ingrained habits is harder work than we’d like. Now research has even indicated that when we try and use our willpower in a new area (such as shopping less) then our limited supply of willpower gets transferred from somewhere else (eating healthily). Thankfully even in these situations exercising our willpower leads to an increased supply to draw from, so it’s not all bad.

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Drink Plenty of Water, Stay Healthy - but how much? April 2, 2008

New research seems to indicate that drinking ‘excessive’ amounts of water every day can not be proven have any additional health benefits over drinking recommended levels, however it can also not be disproven. Traditionally, drinking high volumes of water has been recommended by those under-taking full body cleanses to help flush out toxins from your system. Although everyone agrees that drinking lots of clean, filtered water is good for you - the recommended volumes vary - with US guidelines suggesting near 2 litres (eight 8 oz glasses), and in the UK nearer 1.2 litres daily. Independent nutrition councils in the UK agree more with the US guidelines. So keep drinking plenty of water to stay healthy.

Heath Benefits of Blueberries March 27, 2008

We all know that blueberries are delicious, and loaded with anti-oxidants, well now according to research they can also help offset the effects of aging. Research carried out by the USDA showed that rats fed the equivalent of one cup of blueberries a day had significantly increase neurological abilities - equivalent to acting ‘younger’ than they were.

The research suggested that the anti-oxidants in blueberries were responsible for this mental improvement, so this means that other fruits high in antioxidants, or even dark chocolate and red wine would have similar effects.

Reduce Stress to Live Longer March 20, 2008

Cut anxiety and stress out of your life to live longer - that’s the message of a study carried out by the University of California. Researchers discovered that stress and anxiety cause aging damage to your body, by affecting the mechanisms that allow your cells to regenerate and stay long. So how can we reduce stress and stay young?

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Eat Less, Live Longer: Control Your Cravings March 18, 2008

As we covered in an earlier post, research indicates that if you eat less you will live longer, this doesn’t mean you should aim to be a skeletal fashion model - just that by reducing your average calorie intake by even a small amount you can extend your life. There is more research to be done on this, as it is a relatively new development, however in the meantime you can head over to Reader’s Digest to find sensible suggestions on how to reduce your food cravings.

Their suggestions include; destroying the source of your craving completely if you feel guilty while eating (not throw away - DESTROY!), brushing your teeth to get a minty fresh feel in your mouth, and drinking two glasses of water then eat an ounce of nuts. You can also try and replace your cravings, by finding healthy alternatives to un-healthy foods here. My personal preferred tip is to try and drink pints full of water on a regular basis to keep you feeling full. A friend of mine swears by drinking a pint of warm water first thing every morning, which not only combats dehydration from a night of sleeping, but there is also some indication that it can act like a mild colonic irrigation, flushing out toxins from your intestine. Either way it’s a winner.

Push-ups: A classic indicator of fitness and body age March 14, 2008

For years physical eduction teachers around the world have taught push-ups to complaining children everywhere. No one seems to really enjoy this form of exercise, which turns out to be a shame as it is still considered to be one of the best tests of overall body fitness, and hence ‘body age’.

The Washington Post had a great break-down of where you should be for push-ups depending on your age, as well as details on how to carry out a push up and figures for women’s modified push-ups (I won’t embarrass myself by telling you my scores):

Men: Push Ups (Full Body)

Women: Full Push-ups