Articles Index
The DASH diet
An introduction to the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) including links to the National Heart, Lung and and Blood Institute's guide on the DASH diet.
Salt and High Blood Pressure
Understanding salt (sodium) is important to control your blood pressure. Read here about how salt can change blood pressure, the current recommendations for salt intake, and what salt sensitivity is.
Skin Aging - How Skin Ages
Our skin's health is an important part of our appearance. The skin ages naturally and due to exposures to sunlight and other things. Gravity, sleeping position, facial expressions and our body's own natural processes all contribute to the aging of the skin. Understanding why skin ages can help in anti aging skin care.
Think Positive About Aging and Live Longer
Having a positive attitude about aging can add 7.5 years to your life. So, think about what gets better as you get older, take action to maintain your health and look forward to adding on the years.
Health Benefits of Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the world's favorite foods. Recent research shows that eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate also brings health benefits to your heart. The antioxidants in dark chocolate protect your heart against aging, damage and heart disease.
The Vilcabamba of Ecuador
Many of the inhabitants of the Vilcabamba, in the southern region of Ecuador, are reported to reach 100 and beyond in good health. Some people attribute this longevity to the natural mineral water. However, the claims of the Vilcabamba to have reached [link url=http://longevity.about.com/od/researchandmedicine/g/Supercentenaria.htm]ages of 120 and beyond are probably exaggerated.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals for Lifestyle Change
Using S.M.A.R.T. Goals to make lifestyle change for high blood pressure - a technique to create specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, and time-based goals.
Red Wine and Longevity
Red wine has been reported to have a multitude of health benefits. Over 400 scientific studies support some benefit to red wine. Studies giving mice incredibly amounts of some of the components of red wine show tremendous benefits in protecting against unhealthy eating habits.
Sex, Aging and Longevity
Sex is a basic need of human beings. There is some evidence that sex can increase life expectancy. Sex and touch certainly help to cement relationships, improve mental health, and make us happy.
Understanding Heart Aging and Reversing Heart Disease
As you get older, so does your heart. For the most part, the heart can adjust to changes in our arteries that occur with age. But by improving the health of our arteries, we have a chance to prevent and even reverse heart disease.
Calorie Restriction and Longevity
Calorie restriction is thought to be a method to increase life span through reducing the total number of calories consumed everyday. Calories restriction has been shown to increase life span in rats and other animals. It is unknown how effective it might be in increasing human life span.
Buster Martin - 100 + and Running Marathons
Buster Martin is perhaps the world's oldest working man. Born in 1906, he is an anti-aging miracle. Still working and even training for a marathon, Buster Martin serves and an inspiration -- reminding us that aging doesn't have to be a steady decline.
Methuselah: The Oldest Person Ever?
The Book of Genesis states that Methuselah lived 969 years. Some people believe the claim literally while others explain it due to conversion errors and different ways of tracking time.
The Fountain of Youth: Myth or Fact?
The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring which restores the youth of anyone who drinks from it. During the 1500s, there was romanticizing of this legend and some thought the Fountain was in what is now Florida.
How Sugar Makes Us Age - Protein Cross-Linking and Aging
As we age, the tissues in our bodies stiffen. This is caused by sugar molecules bonding with protein molecules. The result is that two protein molecules are stuck together, or cross-linked.
The Somatic Mutation Theory of Aging
Somatic mutations are changes that happen to your genes during your lifetime. These changes are caused by errors and exposures but are not inherited. Over time, the somatic mutation theory of aging states that these changes accumulate, which causes the effects of aging.
The Michael Pollan Diet -- 9 Principles for Healthy Eating
Eating used to be simple. We ate food. Now we must choose between a sea of nutrients and products in order to try to get the right combination. Michael Pollan takes us back to the simple eating of the past with his 9 Principles for Healthy Eating.
The Hormone Theory of Aging
The hormone or endocrine theory of aging puts forth the idea that hormones ultimately control the pace at which we age. Theoretically, by identifying the hormones that control aging, the process can be slowed. To date, no such hormones have been discovered.
Telomeres and Aging - Understanding Cellular Aging
Telomeres are a DNA sequence that appears at the end of each chromosome. When cells divide, the telomeres get shorter. Eventually the telomeres are so short the cell can no longer divide. This triggers cell aging and death of the cell.
Programmed Theories of Aging
There are several programmed theories of aging, meaning that aging is programmed into our bodies. These theories assert that aging is an essential and innate part of the biology of people, and that aging is programmed into our body systems.
The Genetic Theory of Aging
The genetic theory of aging believes that the genes we inherit are the most important factor in determining how long we will live. While there is some evidence for this theory, it ignores our behaviors and exposures throughout life.
Free Radical Theory of Aging
The free radical theory of aging states that the damage caused by free radicals can, over time, create the changes we see in our bodies as we age. Consuming antioxidants by eating plants is the best way to combat free radicals.
The Immune System Theory of Aging
The immune system theory of aging believes that many age-related conditions are caused by a decrease in the function of the immune system over time.
Rate of Living Theory of Aging
The "rate of living theory" of aging says that your biological age is dependent on our rate of living. The faster your heart beats, your breathing occurs or your energy metabolizes, the more quickly you will age. This theory is one of the oldest theories of aging, but has little evidence to support it.
Wear and Tear Theory of Aging
The wear and tear theory of aging believes that our bodies simply "wear out" due to all the damage and exertion caused by living. Over time, our body can no longer keep up with the damage being done due to exposures and physiological processes.