The highlight study of the year was a detailed gene analysis performed on one of the world's healthiest older men at 113 at the time. Disastrous bone drugs were not part of his plan. Researchers expected to find genetic advantages enabling him to live a long life. Much to their surprise, he didn't have any better "genes" at all – he had better bones! And the reason he had better bones was because he ate a diet containing fresh fruit and vegetables (bone anti-inflammatory nutrients) and stayed very active thus stimulating bone health. Bone health can be greatly enhanced by weight bearing exercise.

Vitamin K, which is a fat soluble vitamin, is critical for good health, in particular for proper bone formation and blood clotting. Only with vitamin K can our health be aye okay, and it would thus be prudent for us to ensure that we get a decent amount of it via our diet.

Good sources of vitamin K include green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, collards, kale and spinach. It is also found in vegetables such as asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, green peas, romaine lettuce and Swiss chard. Other decent dietary sources of the vitamin include canola oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil and soybean oil.

Here’s how exercise works at the cellular level. Your body is made up of many billions of cells that live by and large the for a few weeks or months. Then these cells die and are replaced by new cells in an endless cycle. For instance, blood cells live 10 days, and your muscle cells live about three months. Even your bones dissolve and are replaced, over and over again. A few key stem cells in each organ and your brain cells are the only ones that last as long as you do. All of one your other cells are in a constant and state of death and renewal.

Considered that way, you are walking about in a body that is brand new every 3 months. That includes lungs, liver, muscles, skin and more. Whether your body is function­ally younger or older is a choice you make by how you live. Yes, you choose whether those new cells come in stronger or weaker. You select whether they grow or decline each day. Your cells don’t care what choice you make and they simply fol­low the directions you send. Exercise, and your cells get stronger; sit down, and they decay.

Movement and exercise is a signal that it’s time to grow. So, when you exercise, your muscles release specific sub­stances that travel throughout your bloodstream, telling your cells to grow. There are other signals to our cells that are equal and, in ways even more important than exercise is emotion. One of the most fascinating revelations of the last decade is that emotions alter our cells through the same molecular pathways as exercise. Anger, stress and loneliness are signals for starvation and chronic dangerous to your longevity.

People who move from a sedentary lifestyle to and active one geared toward fitness, cut their risk of dying from a heart attack by 75% to 80% over a five year period. Both men and women can double their strength with three months of exercise, and most of us can double it again in another three months. This is true whether you’re in your 30s or your 90s. Men who have a heart attack and come home to a family are four times less likely to die of a sec­ond heart attack. Women battling heart disease or cancer do better in direct proportion to the num­ber of close friends and relatives they have. Ba­bies in the ICU who are touched more often are more likely to survive. Everywhere you look, you see the role of emo­tion in our biology. Like exercise, it’s a choice.

It may be difficult to exercise every day with our busy lives and it’s even harder to find the time and energy to maintain relationships and build communities. But it’s worth it when you consider the alternative. Go for a bike ride, walk or a run, and think about it. Deep in our cells, down at the level of molecular genetics, we are wired to exercise and to care. It’s not a miracle or a mystery. It’s your biology, and you’re in charge.

Physical activity is a recurring theme: the people in these studies are walkers, bikers, and golfers. In Okinawa, centenarians do tai chi and karate. People who live to 100 and beyond exercise their minds, too, by reading, painting, and playing musical instruments. Some continue to work, an indication that our love affair with retirement may be a mixed blessing.

Centenarians don't escape unharmed as they age. Although 75% of the people in the New England study were well enough to live at home and take care of themselves at age 95, this number dropped to 30% by age 102. About two-thirds of centenarians suffer from some form of dementia. Danish investigators, who have taken a decidedly less sunny view of extremely old age than their New England counterparts, published a study reporting that many of the centenarians in their study had cardiovascular disease (72%), urinary incontinence (60%), osteoarthritis of a major joint (54%), and dementia (51%). And life expectancy is short at 100. On average, centenarians will only live another year or two, but that could well change as the size of the age group increases.

In fact, recent research suggests that the body's gradual decline stems not from the passing of years, but from the combined effects of inactivity and poor nutrition. So, no matter what your present health status or your chronological age, regular exercise and improved eating habits will lower your biological age.

To lose fat and gain muscle: Be sure to combine a low-fat diet with regular exercise.

• Aerobic capacity is most important. To gauge fitness, doctors often measure the body's ability to process oxygen during exercise. The greater this aerobic capacity, the faster oxygen is pumped throughout the body and the fitter the individual. Like other biomarkers, aerobic capacity often declines with age. Typically, by age 65 it is 30% to 40% below its level in young adulthood.

oBlood-sugar tolerance is of great importance. For most Americans, aging brings about a gradual decline in the body's ability to metabolize blood sugar (glucose). This problem is so common that by age 70,20% of men and 30% of women are at an increased risk of diabetes, a potential killer.

At special risk for problems are the overweight, the sedentary and those who eat a fatty diet.

Now the good news is that a low-fat, high-fiber diet, combined with regular exercise, will cut your diabetes risk. Be sure to include both strength-building and aerobic exercise in your routine.

• Cholesterol ratio. As most of us know, high cholesterol boosts your risk of heart disease. But total cholesterol isn't the only thing that counts.

An important aspect to keep in mind is the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good cholesterol). For older people, the ideal ratio is 4.5 or lower. A person whose total cholesterol is 200 and whose HDL is 50, for example, has a ratio of 200/50, or 4.0.

To lower your HDL/LDL ratio. Stop smoking, lose weight, reduce your intake of fatty, cholesterol-rich foods and exercise regularly

• Blood pressure. In many parts of the world, advancing age brings little if any change in blood pressure. In the US, however, where older people tends to be both overweight and sedentary blood pressure does rise with age. To keep pressure in check: Stay slim, don't smoke, get regular exercise and limit your consumption of fat, salt and alcohol. If these steps fail to regulate pressure, pressure-lowering drugs may be necessary.

• Bone density. As we age, our skeletons slowly become weaker and more brittle. While some mineral loss is inevitable, the severe and potentially deadly condition known as osteoporosis is not.

Bone loss prevention can be accomplished with supplements. Although consuming 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day will retard the loss of bone, that alone rarely does the trick. You also need vitamin D and weight-bearing exercise, such as walking and running. Some exercise is not helpful. For example swimming and other forms of exercise that do not subject the long bones to the stress of gravity will not help prevent bone loss but it is still good for cardio vascular health so do not abandon it but supplement it with weight training exercises.

We all want to enjoy good health don't we? But some of the food we allow to enter our bodies is definitely not in our best interest.

Too much stodgy or fatty foods, that fill us up, make us feel full but within a very short time we are hungry again.

So What Should We Be Eating?

A Balanced Diet:

Doctors and Nutritionists talk about eating a Balanced Diet, but what is a Balanced Diet?

The Nutritional Value in our food is made up of:

• Proteins
• Fats
• Carbohydrates

Proteins

Are essential for bodybuilding. This does not mean making us fat, but rather building bulk and muscle. We need good strong muscles for practically everything. The heart is a muscle and that has to work really hard for the whole of our lives. When the heart stops working properly, we get Heart Failure, Heart Attacks etc.

We need good muscles to be able to digest the food we eat. Then we have muscles that keep us upright so that we can walk and run.

We have muscles in the eyes that help us to see by focussing.

Now this Protein is made up of blocks that interlock to form amino acids.

There are about 20 Amino Acids. 9 of which are called First Class or Essential Amino Acids. Without these First Class or Essential Amino Acids the body would be a mess, with very little working, as it should.

What Foods Contain Protein?

Most dairy products, for example Meat, Milk, Cheese, Fish and Eggs are called Complete Proteins.

Milk is a complete protein in that it has all 9 essential amino acids.

Egg whites are a complete protein as well.

Protein is also found in other Food Sources, eg Whole Grains, Rice, Corn, Beans, Legumes, Oatmeal, Peas and Peanut Butter.

Vegetarians, Vegans and others who do not eat Meat, Dairy Products or Fish, must make sure to eat the above foods in order to keep healthy.

Carbohydrates

Are major sources of energy and an active adult should be burning 50 – 60% of Calories each day.

Carbohydrates are converted into sugars and starches within the body.

• Sugars are found in Fruits, Milk and Soft Drinks and Sweets
• Complex Carbohydrates are found in Whole Grain Cereals, Flour, Bread, Rice, Corn, Oats, Potatoes and Legumes.

We are inclined to eat more Carbohydrates than we should. This is because of the sweetness and the feeling of fullness we get when we tuck into a Cream Cake.

Too much Carbohydrate will, if we are not active enough, turn into fat, which is what happens when we put on weight.

Yet not enough Carbohydrates would mean the body would not function at its best. Therefore a certain amount of Carbohydrates each day is essential.

So the lesser evil would be to fill up on the Complex Carbohydrates like Whole Grain and Cereals. In other words plants and nuts. These have the added advantage of also providing us with Proteins, so we get two for the price of one.

Fats

Three Types of Fat

• Saturated Fat
• Polyunsaturated Fat
• Monounsaturated Fats

Saturated Fat is found mostly in meat and dairy products and some vegetable oils.

Saturated Fats tend to increase Blood Cholesterol levels.

Why Is Too Much Cholesterol Bad For Us?

Cholesterol is the Fatty Deposits found in the Blood Vessels. This fat coats the inside of the Blood Vessels (especially the Arteries) so making it difficult for the Blood to pass through, resulting quite often in various Heart Problems eg High Blood Pressure, Heart Attacks and Strokes.

Polyunsaturated Fats are found mostly in Plant Sources, Safflower, Sunflower, Soybean, Corn and Cottonseed.

Polyunsaturated Fats are able to lower the Blood Cholesterol levels

Monounsaturated Fats are able to lower the Bad Cholesterol Levels, known as LDL Cholesterol.

Monounsaturated Fats can be found in both plant and animal products such as Olive Oil and in Avocado Pears.

Fat should only be consumed at less than 30% of the daily calories, but no more than 10% should be Saturated Fats.

Fats are a concentrated form of energy that helps maintain body temperature and protect Body Tissues and Organs.

If you are thinking of going on a Weight Loss Programme, try to cut Saturated Fat out of your food. Eat less of the other fats and become more active. So that you are eating at least 100 Calories less than you are using as energy when exercising.

An Example of Calories Used When Being Active

These activities are done over an hour for someone weighing an average of 155 pounds.

• Aerobics 422
• Cycling 10 miles an hour 281
• Running 563
• Walking 2 miles per hour 176
• Swimming Leisurely 422
• Dancing 317
• Cooking 176
• Childcare 246

With a Calorie Controlled Balanced Diet, you will have more energy and feel good about yourself as the pounds and inches disappear.

Watch for my next article where I will talk about the importance of Vitamins and Minerals.

Eva Moffat a 66 year old disabled lady, living in Manchester England.
Eva was a nurse in the early 1970's. She is interested in all aspects of health, concentrating on Nutrition and Weight Loss.
She has written several Health Related Articles and these can be seen on her website.
http://www.weight-loss-4-you.com

We all age. That fact is inevitable. But a lot of the negative changes that take place in our bodies are not. As we age, we become more susceptible to such things as heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and arthritis. However, medical research has shown that proper nutrition can slow down and even prevent many of these ailments.

It is estimated that nearly one half of all health problems in the elderly are directly related to poor nutrition. The elderly are by and large some of the most poorly nourished people. Some reasons for this are as you age your sense of taste and smell decreases, it is harder to chew, and you just don't feel hungry.

In some cases, financial reasons may affect the food choices made and it may be harder to get out and shop for food due to various physical factors. On top of this, as you get older your body may not be able to absorb some of the nutrition from food as well as it could when you were younger. In some cases a good multi-vitamin (preferably in liquid form) could help offset this. Your doctor can help you find one that's right for you.

Here are a few things that you can do to plan for better nutrition in your diet and a healthier life as you get older:

Plan out regular meals for each day and try to include vegetables in at least 2 of them every day. If you must snack, use fruits and vegetables rather than junk food like potato chips and candy.

If you have problems chewing meat, try going with things like fish and ground meats. Also try to eat more soups as they can have plenty of nutrition in them and they are great choices if you are on a budget.

Make meals more interesting by inviting a friend to lunch or dinner once in a while. Sometimes it can get boring to always eat alone and having someone over can entice you to get more creative with meals than you might when eating alone.

One thing you can do to ensure that you'll be getting better nutrition is to make each plate colorful. Different color vegetables for example generally contain different nutrients so the idea here is, mix it up.

Growing old may be inevitable but that doesn't mean you can't grow old gracefully and healthier and with a steady diet of proper nutrition, you can maintain better health well into your golden years.

Jim O'Neill gives you tons of valuable information on the subjects of weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to make it easy for you to live a healthy lifestyle. Sign up now for his free 7 part mini e-course at: http://www.mrgymfitness.com/minicourse.php

There have actually been studies going back to the 1980s and even prior, demonstrating safety and efficacy for these two nutrients, both individually and in combination. Some studies have focused on determining whether supplemental intake of CoQ10 or vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) alone or in conjunction could improve brain function in aging mice.
Researchers noted that the findings suggested that concurrent supplementation of alpha tocopherol (vitamin E) along with CoQ10 is more likely to be effective for age-related learning deficits than CoQ10 or alpha tocoperol alone.

In another study published in Experimental Gerontology in February 2006, a group of mice with accelerated senescence (memory loss) were supplemented with CoQ10. Feeding old rats ALA and ALC for a few weeks restored mitochondrial function. Human studies published in the most prestigious and reliable neurological medical journals using 400 to 1,200 mg per day of CoQ10 shows that it will slow the loss of brain cells that support the maintenance of healthy movement as we age. There have been many other studies, performed primarily in animals, showing benefit for reducing effects of aging of the brain, especially with use of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC).Double-blinded clinical trials of ALC in humans with mild cognitive impairment showed significant efficacy versus placebo.

In an archipelago southwest of Japan, lies the island of Okinawa, which is home to the healthiest population of centenarians (people over 100 years old) on earth. They suffer fewer instances of cancer, diabetes and heart attacks. Their secrets include a more nutrient based diet and less stressful living.

Okinawan centenarians stay lean by eating fewer calories than they burn off during the day. They maintain a healthy weight. For them, meals are a social event where the focus is on the social interaction and not the food itself. They eat until they are almost full before they get stuffed.

It takes 20 minutes for the body to signal to the brain that is it full. Americans like to eat until they are stuffed. You can use a hunger rating system to monitor your level of satisfaction. During a meal, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 5- (1 is famished and 5 is stuffed.) By just taking the time to think about how you actually feel, you are less likely to overeat.

They eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins. They include fish and soy in their diet. They eat more food but less calories since the foods they choose have more nutrients, greater bulk and fewer calories per gram. Besides feeling fuller, eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits and low in saturated fats from animal proteins have been shown to significantly cut your risk of chronic disease.

They eat locally grown foods, so their food choices are fresher, riper and more flavorful. They are also always changing their dietary intake so the constant changing of nutrients helps build their resistance to chronic illness. They also engage in many physical activities daily. They tend to exercise in the evening to relieve their daily stress and get their bodies ready for rest. They go to bed early and take naps during the day giving their bodies the proper sleep.

A major part of their diet is seafood which provides omega-3 fatty acids. These fats protect the body from heart disease, depression and Alzheimer's because they reduce arterial inflammation. Another stable in their diet is soy which is made up of antioxidant-rich proteins. You can try to get more fish into your diet. Try to get some soy into your diet at least once a week.

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Allison Preston runs http://www.Fitness-Web.com a websites about diet, health, fitness and nutrition related topics. You can read more nutrition articles by visiting her website.