Dr. Oz, America’s Heart Doctor, Gives Anti-Aging Tips

Dr. Oz says that we can control 70 percent of our aging destiny with the right nchoices and that we ALL can live to be 100! Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen nhave written a best seller entitled YOU: Staying Young. They recommend a few nsimple alterations we can all do to turn back time with the latest anti-aging nfood, drinks and vitamins.

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To start your new anti-aging lifestyle a few simple foods can be added to nyour diet for increased longevity. First off, antioxidants. As their name nimplies, antioxidants do to your body what the lemon juice does to an apple—help nprevent the damage caused by oxygen exposure. And some antioxidants are more npotent than others. For instance, Dr. Oz says one of his favorite anti-aging nfoods are blueberries. You can tell blueberries are chockfull of antioxidants nbecause of their dark color. "All foods with dark colors in them have some of nthese really protecting antioxidant chemicals in them," he says. "Blueberries nlead the charge." Other good anti-aging foods include sweet potatoes, broccoli nand tomatoes.

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While Americans' number one source of antioxidants is from coffee, Dr. Oz says nthere are better hot beverages out there, like green tea and white tea. Be sure nto download then Anti-Aging Checklist on EdibleNature.com to get daily serving nrecommendations to live your best life.nn

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Recently, red wine has received a lot of press for being good for your nhealth. Dr. Oz says part of the reason is the alcohol and part is resveratrol, a npowerful antioxidant that comes from the skins of grapes (which are only added nback to red wine rather than white). If you don’t want the alcohol, you can get na portion of the benefit drinking Concord grape juice.

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• Additionally, your spice rack is full of anti-aging secrets. Dr. Oz says nresearch shows that cinnamon can decrease blood sugar levels and lower ncholesterol, especially in people with type-2 diabetes. • Arthritis sufferers may also find relief in turmeric, a spice found in curry nthat has also been reported to help prevent Alzheimer's disease, he says. • Paprika and cayenne pepper can help fight high blood pressure and improve ncirculation, he says. • In lab studies, Dr. Oz says, eating rosemary has been shown to improve nlea ing rates in rats—data that has been reproduced in humans. • Even ginger can decrease blood pressure, alleviate arthritis pain and reduce nyour risk of cancer. Although fresh herbs are usually best, dried herbs can provide great benefits as nwell and if ease of access allows you to incorporate them into your diet more nreadily, then use dried herbs.

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Next great anti-aging tip: fiber. Fiber keeps your intestines healthy and bowels nregular. In order to keep them functioning properly, you need about 25 grams of nfiber daily. That's about two and a half times more than the average American neats a day. Fiber works by keeping all the nutrients you eat in your intestines nand releases them as needed. So how can you increase your intake? Eat more nfruits, vegetables and foods rich in whole grains. One intestinally gentle way nto increase your fiber is by adding psyllium husks to your food.

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Another way to stay young that has gotten plenty of media attention lately is nomega-3 fatty acids. In addition to salmon and other oily fishes, flax seeds are none easy way to add this nutrient into your diet. Other good sources include nwalnuts, spirolina algae and hemp seeds. nn

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Olive oil, one to two tablespoons a day, is also a crucial part to any nbalanced diet. Rather than putting the oil in the pan and heating it, a better nmethod is to put the food in the oil first and then add it to a heated pan. That's a wonderful way of reducing the amount of oxidation that occurs–and less noxidation means more healthful benefits for your body.

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One key component to longevity includes exercise. In addition to cardiovascular nexercise, Dr. Oz says it is also important to build muscle mass through strength ntraining and both activities should be done at least 3 times a week.

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Another key element to adding years to your life is taking five minutes a day nfor prayer, meditation or yoga. These activities release nitric oxide which nrelaxes blood vessels. Now that you are relaxed, time to move to the bedroom.

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Dr. Oz recommends 7-8 hours of sleep per night and monogamous sex 2-3 times nweekly. Lack of sleep is dramatically aging us because during sleep is when our nbodies reboot. Likewise, lack of sex can be damaging to our health as well. Dr. Oz says sex creates an increase in chemicals that keep us young. "When you have nloving conjugal love with someone and you actually have that passionate moment, nyou not only exchange bodily chemicals, but you make chemicals within you," he nsays.nn

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The last category on Dr. Oz's anti-aging checklist is vitamins. There is a nationwide deficiency of Vitamin D. Researchers believe this nnationwide deficiency could be a cause of many serious health problems, nincluding autoimmune disease, Dr. Oz says. "We think it might be responsible for na lot of cancers in this country.”

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Another important supplement you should take is calcium. But for maximum nabsorption, you should take it with magnesium. Calcium builds strong bones and nalso helps to calm nerves, improve sleep, and regulate the heartbeat. This is nbest to take at night before going to bed, since calcium coats, soothes and nrelaxes the muscles.nn

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Dr. Oz says the next vitamin on his list is often forgotten: DHA omega-3. Dr. Oz says a dose of DHA omega-3 is similar to fish oil but comes in a small pill nform. "It comes from a source that we know is pretty clean and doesn't give you nthe anti-coagulant problems that sometimes you run into with fish oil, so I nthink DHA omega 3s make a lot of sense," Dr. Oz says. He recommends taking 600 nmilligrams a day.nn

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Vitamin B is important for boosting cell metabolism. This vitamin can be nfound naturally through many leafy green vegetables, but Dr. Oz says a nsupplement may be necessary. "Most of us don't get anything near what we need, nin part because our food supply has changed and we're not eating what we should neat. So taking vitami B in a supplement makes sense." nn

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The last vitamin on Dr. Oz's list is the all-important multivitamin. Dr. Oz nsays this vitamin should be cut in half so you have two doses. "If you divide nthe vitamin in half, then you stabilize your dose during the day. Take half in nthe morning, half in the evening." If you're confused about which multivitamin is right for you depending on your nage and sex, Dr. Oz says to keep it simple. "Everyone takes the basic same nmultivitamin with two small exceptions," he says. Pre-menopausal women should ntake a multivitamin with iron in it and 5,000 units of vitami A. Men and npost-menopausal women can take a basic multivitamin with 2,500 units of vitami A. When taking your daily vitamins, Dr. Oz says to make sure to get plenty of nfluids. "If you don't like taking the pills, you can get liquid vitamins. They nwork as well. Find something that agrees with you that you can automatically nmake part of everyday life for you." Maybe you've been dealt a bad hand of genetics, but that doesn't mean you can't nexchange a few cards, or at least change how you play them. When it comes to nyour body and longevity, here's what we know: It's less about what genes you nhave and more about how you treat them. So take the advice of America’s Doctor nand you too can live a much longer, healthier life.nnnn