Continuing with What Causes the Human Body to Age

7. Ignoring Early Warning Signs

How many times do we ignore warning signs because we are too busy or something else seems more important at the time? Remember that mild high blood pressure can almost always be corrected through adjustments in diet, exercise, lifestyle and with natural remedies. This would mean the avoidance of requiring pharmaceuticals, all of which carry a host of unknown adverse effects. Damage to arteries is a result of high blood pressure, so listening to warning signs and making corrections early is vital.

Also, ailments such as depression, low thyroid activity or nutritional deficiencies are known to cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s disease. Early signs of diabetes such as frequent urination, fatigue and thirst should impel one to seek treatment before damage to the eyes, nerves and circulation occurs.

Detection in the early stages of many problems can enable correction or treatment effectively. Don’t delay if you feel something is not right.

8. Negative Thinking and Spiritual Poverty

Whatever one thinks, one can achieve. A great quotation is
“Whoever has been negligent, but later becomes vigilant,
is like the moon which, freed from the clouds,
lights up the world.” - Dharmapada

Research shows that a belief in your own capacity to organise, take action and take charge to help yourself will improve the outcome of the majority if not all physical problems. We often read about people who, through positive thinking, have had complete malignant tumours just disappear. This may sound profound or unreal to many, but how can we ignore such cases as those reported.

9. Depression and Chronic Tiredness

Professional help may be required to find the cause of these two major risk factors for mortality. There are some natural remedies which may be useful for depression such as St Johns Wart, and it is a fact that exercise stimulates the heart and produces a feel good hormone (serotonin). Counselling is a wonderful treatment for depression, so approach early before deep level depression sets in.

For the final on What Causes the Human Body to Age, check tomorrow.

What Causes the Human Body to Age - Part 4 and Final in this series.

10. Not Coping With Stress

These days, it can be difficult to avoid stress in our lives. Are we trying to do too much in too little time? Are we trying to please everyone else and not ourselves? Is our load too heavy to bear? When we are overloaded with stress, the body secretes cortisol and too much of this disrupts the brain.

For whatever reason we feel stress, we can try to lighten the load. Step back and take a look from the outside. What is important? Prioritise and focus on one thing at a time. When you have a degree of control over your emotions, health, relationships and career, you will find it easier to accommodate levels of stress. Stress will often be offset by adopting a healthier lifestyle including moderate exercise and a healthy diet.

Do not be afraid to seek professional help if stress becomes a burden.

11. Poor Education and Poverty

It is a sad fact that the greatest causes of premature ageing is both a poor education and poverty. This fact has been verified by every major survey done in developed countries. Unfortunately many can not escape the situation at this level, however with personal development, positive thinking and awareness, we can ease the situation.

12. Pharmaceutical Drugs

This is a tricky one. Wherever possible, avoid pharmaceutical drugs - unless a life threatening situation occurs. Unfortunately in Australia, studies have shown that nearly 33% of all patients over the age of 65 were taking one or more medicines deemed inappropriate for elderly patients, and that less than 7% of all drugs prescribed actually cure a disease, and lastly, that 20 - 40% of all drugs taken by patients may no longer be necessary.

I do not doubt that in some circumstances, pharmaceutical drugs are the only treatment that will aid a patient, however if concerned, always seek a second opinion from a medical professional.

There are absolutely many causes of premature ageing and these will be covered over time in various blogs posted here.

Feel free to leave any comments or additions to this post.

Continuing What Causes The Human Body To Age

4. Free Radicals and Insufficient Antioxidants

Free radicals are molecules that are reactive and potentially damaging in the body, and result from body processes and various toxic chemicals. To counteract the damage caused by free radicals, we need antioxidants. Some of these antioxidants are made by the body, however we must supplement these with those from healthy foods notably fruit and vegetables.

As we age, the body produces fewer natural antioxidants and therefore it is necessary to consume a wide variety of foods in as natural a state as possible and supplement with at least a multivitamin and mineral complex daily.

5. Poor Dietary Habits

In today’s time poor society, we consume too many processed foods, ‘junk’ foods and biscuits, chips and quick snacks of poor nutrient components. We will be unlikely to sustain adequate nutrients for both the mind and the body with a diet like this.

Ensure you consume a selection of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains and low fat dairy products to ensure across the board healthy diet is maintained.

6. Damaging Lifestyle Habits

Habits that promote the human body to age prematurely include cigarette smoking, excess alcohol, insufficient exercise and exposure to chemicals.

Being sedentary could be detrimental to maintaining more youth. Include at least a modest amount of exericse such as two 30 minute brisk walks per week to cut the risk of death by up to 44 percent. Exercise has also been proven to increase response time and body structure, thereby preventing many accidents. The addition of weight training to your exercise regime will give beneficial molecular changes in muscles within 2 to 4 weeks of undertaking such a program. Note that it is not necessary to do weight training to be healthy though, and always begin with lighter weights and slowly increase as your muscles strengthen.

For more on What Causes the Human Body To Age - see Part 3 tomorrow.

What causes the human body to age?

Well, the answer is not as clear cut as one might think, but a combination of a variety of factors. Making changes in one area is a start, but we must look at the holistic approach if we want to have the best results and slow down the ageing process.

One can enjoy life a whole lot more when you are both physically and mentally healthy. Most importantly as we progress in years, it is important to develop good thought patterns and an appropriate philosophy. It is time to nurture your inner self to provide happiness, clarity and peace as well as provide strength and tone in our physical bodies.

We will take various components one at a time now to clearly understand what causes the human body to age.

1. Cell Renewal.

Tiny components within each cell called Mitochondria make energy available for use by the body. When the energy supply is lowered or interrupted, our cells do not work as efficiently. The human body is composed of cells and therefore energy metabolism is critical to good health.

Many factors disrupt mitochondria - ageing, hazardous chemicals and infections.

To prevent this from occurring, try to avoid exposure to chemicals by wearing protective clothing, gloves, mask when using these chemicals such as pesticides, oven cleaners and other chemicals.
Should infection be experienced, try to treat with ‘no harm’ remedies to protect your mitochondrea and improve the quality of life.

2. Insufficient Nutrients and Oxygen

When we age, sadly our digestion, respiration and circulation become weaker and at the same time less oxygen and nutrients are carried to the cells. To provide an increase in the supply of oxygen to these cells, correct breathing and physical activity are vital.

Essential nutrients as well as physical activity are vital to maintain the cells as lively as possible. Research proves that lack of folate (Vitamin B9) causes breaks in the DNA chain, and similar studies show the same for most of the 45 essential nutrients. Not only must we have good absorption of the nutrients, but we need a good intake as well.

3. Breakdown of Collagen

A technical description is that fibroblasts are part of skin collagen, and inside each fibroblast, on the end of each chromosome, is a telomere which is like a timer. When we are over exposed to the sun, the telomeres have to work hard to repair and replace damaged cells. As the telomere function is not everlasting, and damage from the sun runs the timer down, we constantly contribute to the ageing process. The aging process is also accelerated by poor diet and lifestyle as the collagen inside your body has a similar ageing component.

Read tomorrow’s blog to discover more of what causes the human body to age.

By Danette Hibberd

Imagine discovering the secret weapon to fight the ageing process; a weapon that is virtually free, yet priceless; a product that is readily available to the entire population and yet, many don’t even know it.

Do you know what is this anti ageing secret weapon that no-one seems to recognise?

Yes, the answer is water. Plain, old water. The anti-ageing secret exposed is that water is our best friend in the battle to restore or hold on to our youth.

The fact is that without water there would be no life. Water is important for mere survival and is essential for any living thing to survive. When NASA is looking at new planets in our solar system, to determine if life is present, they first look to see if water is present. We know that oxygen is crucial for the survival of the human race, and without it we would perish, however there are known forms of life that don’t require oxygen or are in fact poisoned by it. However, every living thing must have water, be it plant, animal or human.

We know that the human body consists of between 55% to 75% water, depending on a person’s physical build and size and is essential for all of our metabolic processes. Water helps circulate nutrients throughout the body and also eliminates toxins. These substances are dissolved or held in suspension by our bodily fluids that are mostly water, and carried around the body. As well, the importance of water to retain health in body organs such as the colon, kidneys, liver, the brain and just about everything else has been proven.

Can you believe that almost everything we consume contains some water, from all the fluids we drink to even the driest biscuit? However, these fluids are either used up or lost rather quickly, in ways you probably don’t even think about. Obviously we use or lose water each time we go to the bathroom, yet also through evaporation from our skin, perspiration and even in every exhalation. Recall how a mirror steams over when you breathe on it? This occurs as the airborne water in your breath condenses on the colder surface of the mirror. This fluid must constantly be replaced, and the best way to do it is simply by drinking pure water.

Keeping well hydrated by drinking lots of water is particularly beneficial to the skin. In fact, drinking lots of water is more effective in washing toxins from the skin than by showering. Showering only cleans off the perspiration and other substances from the surface of the skin. Ensuring that we are never deficient of water on the inside, however, dilutes and washes away toxins in the pores and at the same time, moisturises the skin, thereby assisting it to look more youthful and even reducing wrinkles.

Research also shows that drinking plenty of water helps in the prevention of many of the diseases that we associate with ageing. Insufficient water consumption can contribute to high blood pressure and high cholesterol which in turn are factors in heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

Unfortunately, some people become concerned that they may suffer from water retention and bloating if they drink too much water. However, this is not going to happen. A healthy body will expel all the water that it does not need and flush out waste along with it. It is true that water retention is caused by other factors. If you are one that suffers from bloating, you should still drink plenty of water, otherwise there will be a buildup of waste and toxins in your body that will only exacerbate your problems.

The latest recommendation from the US National Research Council is that the average woman should have 2.7 litres of water per day and the average man 3.7 litres. However these figures are dependant on body size, so a larger woman would need more and a small man would require less. Women who are breastfeeding require a larger amount. Those living in hot temperatures or people who are very physically active would also require more water.

An average of 20% of the water that we need is gotten from food, so after subtracting that, the National Research Council’s figures mean that we should drink about 2.1 litres for a woman (9 x 8 oz glasses) or 3 litres for a man (13 x 8 oz glasses).

Do you think that sounds like a lot? Yes, but remember, it’s worth it! If you are not drinking near that amount right now, you are sure to have some health benefits from increasing your consumption of liquids. You will probably also find yourself looking younger, your skin appearing clearer and you would be feeling more energetic as well as being healthier. It is suggested that you spread your intake of water through the day, rather that too much at once.

There are other drinks that will count toward your daily intake, including milk, non-sweetened juices and green tea. Avoid anything containing alcohol as that will contribute to dehydrate the body and sodas or many fizzy drinks are also best avoided due to the usually high sugar content.

So, the anti-ageing secret is out. It’s plain old water that is the purest way to treat your body in the fight against ageing.

Join the anti-ageing war by drinking water. Lots of water.

By Danette Hibberd

Stay young and happy naturally - is this possible?

In today’s youth obsessed society, many women go to extraordinary measures to keep signs of ageing at bay, from swathing the skin in expensive creams and luxurious potions, enduring painful injections such as botox and restylane and even going under the dreaded scalpel and spending so much valuable time recovering from sometimes rather dangerous surgery.

Is that what you want to do? Are you prepared to spend precious time recovering in the dark, wrapped in bandages, sporting black eyes simply to have a few creases flattened or a little extra skin taken out? Well, if you are, good for you, and understand that it is your choice to do so. As for me, yes, I’d love to have a few years taken off my looks however I guess that I simply don’t have the nerve.

So instead, I say to myself that the wonderful lines and creases that dance spiritedly across my face are signs of living the good life, proof of laughing often, and evidence of nurturing my family as they themselves have gone through childhood and grown into amazing adults. These telltale signs are just the road map of my life’s experiences to date, and I aim to have them around for many years to come.

Years already spend on this planet should not factor in the state of happiness. Women can live absolutely fabulous lives, whether in their twenties, thirties and even beyond forty, fifty, sixty and more.

The choice is yours to make your life the best it can possibly be.

Tips to Stay Young and Happy Naturally

1. Throw out unimportant numbers such as age, weight and height. Who cares? It is time to let the doctor worry about them as that is why they are paid.

2. Mix with only cheerful, happy people and avoid keeping friends with grouches who only pull you down.

3. Continue learning and discovering. The world is your oyster so choose to always move forward. Find hobbies that you absolutely love such as computer, crafts, gardening, writing or dancing. Never allow the body or the brain be idle. As the saying goes, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.

4. Take pleasure in the simple things in life. Revel in the dawn of each new day, take time to smell the roses.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until your eyes water and you gasp for breath.

6. The will be times when tears happen. Be sure to endure, grieve, and then move on. The only person who is with you your entire life is yourself. So be alive while you are alive.

7. Find pease and serenity. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it is family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies. Your home is your castle and it is your refuge. Make of it what you want.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, seek help. Know that many problems can be resolved by learning how to control your thoughts and emotions, so always keep a positive mind.

9. Be grateful for what you have and share the kindness. The art of forgiveness may be difficult at times, but learning to forgive and love yourself will enable you to move forward with peace and share your love with the world.

10. Finally, tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

It’s worth remembering that - Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

The importance of following the ten tips above will allow you to let go, be free and enjoy every day on your journey through life. It is time to grow old dis-gracefully - with a smile on your face, a bounce in your step, love in your heart, and with the knowledge that you have not wasted one precious second of your time on this earth. Don’t wait until it’s too late to begin. Coaching is always available should you need a helping hand to take the necessary steps to achieve the life you desire.

Be happy. Make your life successful and abundant. You can discover how to awaken and achieve the Goddess that is in you, regardless of your age.

Stay naturally young women 40 yrs plus, and always be, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS beyond forty, fifty and for-ever !!!