Kick and Scream Your Way to a Younger Body

So you're older now and here's what you can expect.

It's harder to work off that spare tire.   You're hair thins and then falls out, muscles weaken from disuse, vision becomes blurred, hearing is diminished, balance is off center, bones thin, joints become arthritic and your skin gets wrinkles. Whew! I think I'll just go back to bed.

Now not so fast. All is not lost, at least not yet. There is nothing we can do about getting older, but there is plenty you can do about aging. Getting older doesn't mean we can't age without kicking and screaming the whole way.

Here's what I propose you get yourself used to. Exercise, some kind of exercise, every day. Now if you're thinking, "But I've never exercised a day in my life, why start now?"  Go look in the mirror. Compare that image to the old photo of you at the beach 20 years ago. Yeah, I know. This only happens to other people. Sorry, it's happened to you.  But exercise is not just about looks, it's about staying healthy and functionally fit.  

Exercise and proper care of your skin can significantly reduce and slow down the aging process inside and out. Let's take a look under the microscope & see what's going on inside you and every human being that's getting older.

You've got chromosomes with genes in them. On the ends of these gene strands are what's called telomeres (DNA). These little telomeres act just like those plastic wraps, or caps, around the ends of your shoelaces. As we age the telomeres deteriorate and the shoelaces (chromosomes) begins to fray and come apart as they continually replicate themselves.

During cell division, enzymes that duplicate the chromosome and its DNA cannot continue their duplication all the way to the end of the chromosome. If cells divided without telomeres, they would lose the ends of their chromosomes, and the necessary information they contain. The telomeres are disposable buffers blocking the ends of the chromosomes and are consumed during cell division and replenished by an enzyme called telomerase. When this happens some of the DNA is lost and genes deteriorate which promotes the symptoms of aging.

There is no known way to reverse this process but there are many ways to fight it. Five small meals a day instead of three big ones. If you're not a construction worker, don't eat like one. Keep it light and low cal. Perform weight bearing exercises, start light and work your way up to heavier loads. No matter what your age is your muscles will respond to lifting weights, period. Exercising helps to maintain hormonal balance. All the hormones flowing through your blood increase and help your organs operate to their best ability. It's like putting high test gas in your bloodstream; you'll run like a top.

Thirty minutes a day of exercise is enough to get your hormones pumping. It's also very important to stretch after exercise of any type. Keeping the range of motion in your arms and legs are what help you keep doing the things you love most. Applying skin care products to your face and body will keep your skin smooth and clear. This is good advice for men too.

All this sounds like a bunch of extra work but the payoff at the end of the day is you'll sleep like a baby. Say goodbye to insomnia and any other sleep disorders you may have. Want to know why? Because you're going to be pooped! But you'll wake up with more energy, a younger body and a sharper mind. That's something that no pill on earth can offer.

Copyright © 2011 Functional Fitness starring Suzanne Andrews

How To Stop Osteoporosis in a Snap

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Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone due to deficiency of bone matrix occurring frequently in post menopausal women and men. This condition is preventable and treatable with a bone builder plan of action. Osteoporosis results from a natural loss of bone substance which occurs naturally with aging. In some older adults, this bone loss reaches signifigant proportions, so that bones become thin and porous. When the amount of bone mass decreases as a result of osteoporosis, bones are weakened and may fracture. In the spine, the vertebrae can collapse and the back can take a 'bent' appearance. Osteoporosis can lead to fractures of the hips, wrists and ribs. These fractures occur with only slight trauma such as opening a window, and sometimes occur with no trauma at all.

Osteoporsis Prevention and Treatment

Calcium is stored in your bones and is essential for keeping your bones strong, nerve conduction and your heart beating. When your body is given a choice between your heart beating or your bones thinning, your body is going to choose your bones in order to keep you alive. So it's imperative that you get enough calcium.

The usual recommended dosage of calcium for pre-menopausal women is 1,000 mgs a day and for post menopausal women, 1500 mgs a day. Men under 65 should have 1000 mgs a day and men over 65 need 1500 mgs a day.
Calcium should be taken 2 to 3x a day, as your body can only absorb 500 mgs at a time. There are many calcium supplements; however Calcium carbonate had the highest amount of Calcium per capsule. It's also the least expensive and has the fewest side effects.

Bone Robbers

Some habits can steal calcium from your bones. These including eating large amounts of red meat, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, excessive caffeine and stress.

Role of Vitamin D

Vitamin D acts to increase your body's use of calcium so be sure to include 1000 mgs a day of vitamin D in your diet.

Medications for Osteoporosis

Your doctor may also recommend medications such as;

Actenol
Boniva
Fosamax
Forteo

However just taking a pill is not going to be enough. You have to include exercise in your plan of action if you want to strengthen and thicken your bones.

Role of Exercise

Regular WEIGHT BEARING exercise is essential for development and maintenance of strong healthy bones.
Exercises that combine movement, pull and stress on your arms, legs and spine is best for bone mass.  Just 30 minutes a day can save you from painful fractures and expensive medical bills.

Special Thanks to the Orthopedic Clinic of Daytona Beach for the above information.

Build Strong Bones with doctor recommended Functional Fitness Bone Builder DVD. Free Preview now
Osteoporosis Bone Builder DVD