Real Age Tips (Wed-Fri)
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| Wed, 02-01-2006 - 11:55am |
Seek the Sunshine Vitamin
Up your intake of this cancer-fighting vitamin during gloomy winter months.
Cloudy winter days may leave you deficient in vitamin D, an important cancer-fighting nutrient that your body can manufacture using sunlight. Research shows that vitamin D may help reduce the risk of colon, breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers. Seek out fortified cereal and dairy products or a supplement to help ensure you get the optimal amount.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 400 IU of vitamin D and 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day can make your RealAge as much as 1.3 years younger.
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Vitamin D enhances immunity, helps the body utilize calcium, and may help reduce the risk of many cancers. Your skin manufactures vitamin D with help from the sun so you may be deficient in this vitamin during months when sunshine hours are fairly short and the weather brings more clouds. You're more likely to be deficient in vitamin D if you live in extreme northern locales or have darker skin. Make up for the lack of sunshine by including ample amounts of vitamin D in your diet. Food sources of vitamin D include Atlantic mackerel, eggs, and fortified cereal and dairy products. It's difficult for most people to get the daily RealAge Optimum dose (RAO) of vitamin D -- 400 IU for people under the age of 70 and 600 IU for people who are 70 or older -- through diet alone. So seek out a supplement, especially during overcast months.
Thursday
The Best Plaque Attack![]()
You could plug into a healthier smile with help from the right toothbrush.
Rotation oscillation electric toothbrushes proved to be more effective at removing plaque and reducing gum inflammation than manual toothbrushes in a recent study. But don't take short cuts just because you have a high-powered brush. Dentists recommend people brush for a minimum of 2 minutes, at least twice a day, regardless of brush type.
RealAge Benefit: Flossing and brushing your teeth daily can make your RealAge as much as 6.4 years younger.
MORE Regular brushing and flossing may seem like a chore, but the benefits of a healthy smile extend beyond your mouth; they may extend to your heart as well. Bacteria in tooth plaque may provoke inflammation in the arteries. This condition helps set the stage for cardiovascular disease. Several studies have suggested that a rotation oscillation electric toothbrush, the design that has brush heads that rotate in both directions, is much more effective at removing plaque and reducing gum inflammation than a manual toothbrush. This type of electric toothbrush doesn't have to be expensive. Several models are available for under $20.
Friday
Tube Got You Down?![]()
You might tune into a brighter mood if you turn off the tube for a bit.
Watching too much television was associated with higher rates of depression in women in a recent study; however, the results were not the same for men. Regardless of your gender, spending less time engaging in sedentary behaviors such as TV viewing and more time engaging in physical activity is a great prescription for boosting your mood.
RealAge Benefit: Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your RealAge up to 16 years younger.
MORE Exercise is a natural mood booster. It helps release endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals the body produces naturally. The average American watches more than 4 hours of television per day and approximately 1 in 3 Americans report no leisure time physical activity. Most people would probably experience a boost in both physical and mental health by cutting down on sedentary activities, such as television viewing, and replacing those sedentary activities with some extra sessions of exercise, be it walks in the park, bike rides with the family, or house or yard work. If you'd like to cut down on TV, try gradually decreasing the amount of time you spend viewing until you're logging no more than 2 hours per day. You also could use commercial breaks to do something active, such as jumping jacks, sit-ups, or arm curls with small dumbbells.

