Be 100% healthy for an extra 21 years
With each passing birthday, what we really want is to age gracefully and sail through life healthy, happy and mentally sharp. Thankfully, new studies from the University of Georgia and elsewhere prove that you can halt the aging process— adding up to 21 h
Sip iced tea at lunch
Keep your blood-sugar level low and steady, and you’ll slow aging of every cell in your body, cutting your risk of heart disease and cancer in half and adding eight healthy years to your life, say Yale University researchers. And it’s surprisingly easy to do! Studies prove that pairing each meal with 6 oz. of black or green tea cuts carbohydrate absorption and heightens insulin sensitivity, reducing blood-sugar levels by 15% in as little as one week.
Nap on Saturday afternoon
Great news from Cornell University: People who make up sleep by napping on weekends live up to five years longer, are 33% less likely to suffer high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke and bounce back 50% more quickly from injuries. Neurologist Walter Moraes, M.D., explains that sleep is your body’s prime time for slowing cellular aging and supercharging immunity.
Putter around the house
Move around for two minutes each hour, and you’ll cut your risk of diabetes, dementia, bone thinning and muscle shrinkage by 45%, plus add five years of great health to your life. That’s because even easy moves switch on genes that slow the aging of your brain, pancreas, bones and muscles, say British researchers. Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D., suggests setting a timer to ping once every hour, then doing a brisk two-minute burst of walking, organizing or cleaning.
Nosh on creamy cabbage
This popular side dish is an anti-aging powerhouse and can add three vibrant years to your life if you nosh on 1⁄ cup daily!
2 Cleveland Clinic researchers say cabbage is packed with a healing nutrient (sulfur) that energizes cancer-killing white blood cells, prevents plaque buildup in arteries and switches on tissue-healing enzymes inside muscle and joint tissues. — Brenda Kearns