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

Vegetarian Times, Oct, 2002 by Marshall Jr. Norton

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends people of all ages get at least 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise four or five times a week. You can do this in sections if you want--five to 10 minutes here, five to 10 minutes there. In addition, ACSM recommends you do some strength-training exercises of all your major muscle groups three times a week.

Lipman says many people are timid about getting regular exercise, but even a walk around your neighborhood or in the park can be enough to keep you healthy as you age. She advises exercising at 70 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate to achieve the optimal benefit. (To figure out your maximum heart rate, take the number 220 and subtract your age.) While you can start small and gradually increase your rate, the percentage is ideal for anyone who is in good heath, young or old.

Grow Old, Feel Young

Nutritious foods, dietary supplements and exercise can slow the aging process and allow you to lead a healthier lifestyle. As William R. Clark, PhD, writes in A Means to an End: The Biological Basis of Aging and Death, "For some, old age is a time of peace and joy, of reflection on life's bountifulness, a time to contemplate the only immortality we can know: the lives of our children and grandchildren."

Clark, professor emeritus of immunology at the University of California--Los Angeles and an authority on cellular-immune reaction, says by eating a combination of healthy, natural foods, taking dietary supplements and staying active, you can continue to feel young as you're growing older. While enriching your life, you'll also reduce the risk of developing serious conditions like low bone density, poor eyesight and various forms of cancer. By making some healthy changes to your lifestyle and diet now, you'll be able to grow old gracefully.

More Than Skin Deep

Reaping the benefits of antioxidants doesn't always mean adopting a pill-popping diet. For total cellular health as you age, try incorporating antioxidants into your skin care regimen.

"Common environmental sources such as ultraviolet light, fluorescent light, impure water and air pollution cause free-radical damage, which can alter the skin's primary structure," says Jeffrey Light, president of Jason Natural Cosmetics. "Adding natural antioxidants to skin-care products is the best way to protect skin."

Ingredients such as vitamins A, C and E, CoQ-10, pycnogenol, alpha lipoic acid and Ester-C can protect your skin cells from free-radical damage, increase cellular renewal, encourage the repair of damaged skin and reduce the visibility of fine lines, brown spots and other irregularities that become more prevalent with age.

Vitamins aren't the only source of antioxidants. "Herbs and botanicals such as green tea, sea buckthorn oil, blue-green algae, grape seed extract, rosemary and citrus seed extract also have strong antioxidant properties that can help repair cellular damage," says Sandie Coretti, product specialist for Aubrey Organics.

Are you ready to expand your cellular health regimen? Try some of the following products for personal care that's more than skin deep.