Look younger, feel better on any budget

Dr Health
We all desire to look our best. Many people think that it is difficult to not only look great, but feel great too. One of the most common challenges that we face in looking and feeling our best is the conception of “getting older”.
People believe that this natural process causes the deterioration in your health and your looks.
How can you beat the clock and look great without needles, surgery or spending a lot of money? You have a lot of enemies that wreak havoc on your skin and your health. Chemicals in cigarettes break down the most important components of the skin and muscle; collagen and elastin. This causes muscular breakdown and saggy, wrinkly skin.
Alcohol and highly processed food items such as coke and chips also cause damage to the body. These products are heavily laced with sugar and artificial colourings, flavouring and preservatives. These products have been found to be very acidic and produce inflammation in the skin, soft tissues and organs of the body.
Too much salt can lead to puffy bags under the eyes. The other major condition affected by salt is blood pressure. Blood pressure and cardiovascular disease is now at epidemic status. Africans have accepted high blood pressure, kidney failure and heart attacks as normal. The drug treatment of high blood pressure artificially lowers the blood pressure, never fixing the underlying problem.
Sugar: Not so sweet
Sugar is very unhealthy for your skin, muscles, organs and your overall health. Sugar is now linked to the development of obesity, heart disease and increased risk of infections. Inflammation and sugar slows one’s metabolism and promotes cellular death in tissues. This cellular death contributes to the development of disease and aging.
If you look at the food items available, a lot have a tremendous amount of sugar. Why do food companies put sugar into their products, is it a necessity? They add sugar for the taste and they understand that it is highly addictive. That is music to their ears; you addicted to their food.
Unfortunately, when you are addicted to low quality food and nutrients, your body suffers. This produces acceleration in the ageing and disease process. Many people say it is cheap or cost efficient to eat unhealthy, but is it? You may be surviving the day, but tomorrow is more expensive. When you eat poorly, you will develop premature illness and disease. What does a visit to your doctor or a hospital stay cost?
Turn back the clock: Eat right
Studies now find that diet can help turn back the clock and prevent ageing. Eating highly processed food items may taste good, but is a the kiss of death. Substances that are highly processed contain little or no antioxidants.
Antioxidants are needed in the body to help protect cells from dying prematurely (ageing). Antioxidants are found in most fresh vegetables and fruits, especially berries. Other products with a high antioxidant status are green tea, coffee and dark chocolate.
When we use the term eat right, there is also an “eat wrong”. Unfortunately, we do not know what wrong is or care because everyone else is “doing it” too. People commonly think that eating right costs you more, takes you more time and is too difficult to implement into your life. Let’s put these thoughts to death and create life with improved daily choices.
Water: The fountain of youth is not Coke
Drink a lot of water, two to three litres per day. Avoid all other beverages, even fruit juice. Fruit juice should be named sugar water. If you want to give fruit juice to your children, make it half water-half juice, and don’t get them used to having something sweet. Water is needed for hydration.
The cells of your body are made of 60-70 percent water. If you are not replacing the water that you sweat or expel, you are causing the cells to shrink, become diseased and die early. Think of the difference between a raisin and a grape. Which one has more wrinkles? The difference is hydration status.
Studies have quoted that up to 90 percent of health conditions could be reversed simply by drinking more water. That is a pretty powerful statement, isn’t it? Water has been found to have a better medicinal affect than medications. Which one would you rather take?
Children play, seniors sit
Studies now show that people who exercise have firmer skin and healthier muscles and organs because working out infuses oxygen and nutrients needed for collage production. Exercise also reduces the ageing effects of stress. We all have stress in our lives. The body knows how to respond to the stress naturally.
Think of a child; they run, fall down and do things that we can’t do as adults. Their bodies know how to respond to the physical stressors that they place on their bodies.
As we become older the effects of stress start to effect us more. Studies now show that ageing is not associated with the age, but the response to stress.
The secret to anti-ageing, healthy living and disease prevention is to maximise how your body can respond to stress.
Exercise is good for your muscles, but also your organs. It is most important for your heart, lungs and brain to function properly. These are the common organ systems that fail as we become older, less active and have a diminished response to stress.
Sleep or forever sleep
Get the rest you need, it’s called “beauty sleep” for a reason. People are looking for the fountain of youth but commonly find themselves in their bed sick, not sleeping. If you are looking for a whole body makeover without doing anything extreme, start by getting eight hours of sleep a night. Have a routine to go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning.
Let’s make 2012 the best year of your life. Let’s do it together!
I would like to ask a question. If you could help and improve the health of a friend, family member or business colleague, would you? Share this page with someone you love and care about. Let’s partner together to make an impact in this great nation.
One of my New Year’s resolutions is to become a better resource for as many people possible in this world. I have placed additional free information on my website and strongly encourage you to email any questions, concerns, or future topics. Health should not be a secret. Share this!
2012 is a New Year for a new you!

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The column is not meant to give or replace valuable medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is designed for educational purposes. If you have questions or would like to request a future topic, email [email protected]