FOREVER YOUNG
Michael F. Roizen, M.D., shares simple strategies to help you look and feel 10 years younger
Your body is like a car, says Michael F. Roizen, M.D., coauthor with Jean Chatzky of AgeProof: Live Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip. Back in 1970, most vehicles lasted up to 60,000 miles. But today they’re on the road for 200,000 miles or more. And like a car, your body needs proper maintenance to avoid breakdowns — chronic health conditions like diabetes and heart disease, says Dr. Roizen. “You have the power to change your own oil and fill yourself up with fuel without breaking down or limping through life with duct tape on your bumper.” Read on for his simple how-to’s to help you live younger — no matter your age.
ENJOY WINE AND CHOCOLATE
“Sometimes you just want to unwind at the end of the day with a glass of wine,” says Dr. Roizen. “It’s nice and relaxing and there’s nothing wrong with that.” In fact, doing so has been shown to protect your heart and brain. But if you’re tempted to pour a refill, which can lead to fitful sleep and next-day headaches, he suggests finding a substitute for that second glass. “This can come in the form of a piece of dark chocolate or some other sweet treat.” Bonus: Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve blood flow and quell inflammation to ward off heart attacks and strokes.
“It’s never too late to have great health — you have the tools to live longer and healthier.” Michael F. Roizen, M.D.
TAKE A JUMP BREAK
Strong bones are key to healthy aging. But after age 30, it’s tough to increase bone mass. Jumping can help: It strengthens bones, builds muscle and improves balance, says Dr. Roizen. He points to a study that found that women who simply jumped up and down 10 to 20 times twice a day increased their bone density after eight weeks; those who didn’t jump lost density. For more of a challenge, add a rope. “Jumping rope is actually fun to do and you can practice with your
DITCH YOUR GPS
Doing so can help age-proof your brain. “Finding a new way to get to a place you visit often without using your GPS creates more connections that enlarge your brain’s hippocampus, shrinking the risk of memory loss,” notes Dr. Roizen. “Because our brains have plasticity, they’re flexible enough to grow and strengthen if we empower them to do so.” Also smart: playing sudoku, crossword puzzles or “speed of processing” games at Brain HQ ($5 a month, aarp.brainhq .com) for 20 minutes a day. In a 10-year trial of more than 2,800 people, this type of training cut dementia risk by 48 percent.
At-home fitness tests are an important way to assess your health. “They’re about giving you data points that tell you whether you’re on the healthy or the unhealthy side,” says Dr. Roizen. One that he recommends: the get-up test. “It has easy metrics because there are only two possible answers: Can you get out of a chair without using your arms to lift or balance yourself?” If you can’t, he advises doing exercises like leg lifts and sit-ups grandkids,” he says. “I actually was on The Dr. Oz Show and challenged Dr. Oz to see who could jump rope the longest. It’s the one athletic thing I could beat him on!” Knee issues? Try jumping on a small trampoline — it brings the same benefits but is easier on the joints.
MAKE IT A TEAM EFFORT
“You’re the CEO of your own body, but you need other people to help you get where you want to go,” says Dr. Roizen. That’s why he advises gathering a group of “experts” to help you get healthy — and stay that way. In addition to appropriate health-care providers and specialists, find a buddy to offer support and accountability. In one study, people who had this type of support lost three times more weight than those who dieted solo. Dr. Roizen’s advice: “Choose a buddy who is more knowledgeable than you about what you want to accomplish — one who isn’t afraid to help you figure out where you might have gone wrong and how to avoid choices that sabotage your health.”
EXPERIMENT WITH THE “GET-UP” TEST
to strengthen your leg and core muscles, which helps combat muscle loss common with aging. Promises Dr. Roizen, “The stronger your body, the better chance you’ll have of living longer with more energy and vitality.”