Fighting the effects of aging: diet, exercise and supplements keep cells fit

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 2002 by Marshall Jr. Norton

Folate. Folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of neurological birth defects such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus, and it ensures cardiovascular health. Found in beans, peas, citrus juice and green leafy vegetables, folic acid can lower the instance of various cancers, including prostate cancer. Insufficient amounts of folate in the diet can lead to the onset of Parkinson's disease.

Lutein and zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants--which can be found in kale, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress and corn--help prevent macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness. Present in the macula, a structure at the back of the eye, lutein and zeaxanthin absorb sunlight that can damage vision.

Lycopene. This antioxidant is known to lower the risk of prostate cancer and may also reduce the risk of other cancers. Found in tomatoes--more readily absorbed when cooked--and watermelons, lycopene accounts for 50 percent of carotene levels present in the blood.

Supplementing your diet with these healthy essentials doesn't have to mean popping pills all day (see "More Than Skin Deep"). A variety of natural health and beauty products--everything from moisturizing skin creams to toothpaste--are fortified with many of these supplements. Check with your health care practitioner for expert advice on the supplemental nutrients you need.

Use It or Lose it

"Some people look very bad at age 50, and others look terrific at 90," says Ruth Lipman, PhD, a research assistant scientist in the Labs for Cardiovascular Research at the Harvard University Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The effects of aging have a lot to do with a person's physiology." Along with supplements and healthy eating habits, another way to ensure you and your cells stay healthy as you age is to get lots of exercise. Lack of exercise is associated with several age-related medical concerns such as high blood pressure and osteoporosis. Yet people of any age can engage in a variety of physical activities to improve their health.

According to the National Institute ore Aging (NIA), a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services, regular exercise can help you retain your vitality, mobility and independence as well as feel better physically and emotionally. Physical activity may help prevent or delay certain disabilities and diseases such as some kinds of cancer or chronic conditions such as diabetes. Exercise can also improve mood and relieve depression.

"Exercise is important as you age," says Lipman, "because, with age, people tend to lose lean muscle mass." If your muscle mass is low, you'll become winded more easily after carrying a bag of groceries, walking up several flights of stairs, or other typical daily activities. Much of what is assumed as inevitable about aging has nothing to do with aging but rather with lack of muscle use. The NIA says people lose 20 to 40 percent of their strength as they age. One major cause of muscle-mass loss is becoming sedentary, or not exerting physical activity.