Protandim

Healthy eating can be as easy as crossing items off a list. When most people hear the term ‘eating healthy,’ they immediately get a bad taste in their mouth—no pun intended. They imagine abstaining from their favorite foods, eating tasteless, bland meals and being hungry all the time. The fact is you don’t have to suffer through any of those things to eat healthy. The following guidelines can help you develop healthy eating habits without wanting to pull your hair out.

1. Eat high-fiber foods. These include fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. These contain the good carbohydrates that are nutritious and are low in calories. Fiber helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar. These foods also provide essential vitamins and minerals.

2. Control your sugars! Sugar is the most popular additive. In some way we add it to every meal we consume. Bread products that contain refined grain such as white bread and salty snack foods block the absorption of vitamins and minerals if consumed in excess.

3. Portion control is key. We all have our guilty pleasures that are usually high in calories and low in nutrition. It’s acceptable to eat these, but in moderation. With the advent of super-sized meal, Americans believe, more and more, that bigger is better.

4. Focus on getting your vitamins and minerals from foods and not from supplements. It is easier for the body to absorb vitamins and minerals from healthy foods and from powders and pills.

5. Control your fats. Cutting down on animal fat that his high in saturated fat can help lower cholesterol levels. Instead choose lean meats like skinless poultry and low or non-fat dairy products. Trans-fats are also a trouble area. By cutting back on trans-fats, which are supplied by hydrogenated vegetable oils used in processed foods, you can lower you cholesterol and blood pressure. Eating foods that contain healthy unsaturated fats can aid in healthy living. Foods such as fish and nuts contain the good kind of fat and can help you on your healthy eating journey.

6. Give yourself some variety. Don’t eat the same foods everyday or you won’t get very far on your path to healthy eating. Try new foods or new food combinations. This will help keep meals exciting and not let your pallet get bored.

7. Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol. Moderation is the key when consuming alcohol. There is a lot of hype about the health benefits of red wine, but the benefits come from the grapes, not the alcohol. One glass of wine per day is the recommended amount.

There is a new treatment in the fight against aging. It seems that physicians are now looking to replace depleted hormones in the human body in an attempt to combat signs of aging. Hormones tend to decline as we age and biodentical hormone therapy is a natural hormone treatment aimed at replacing those lost hormones. Biodentical hormones are exactly the same as hormones that are present in the human body.

Biodentical hormone treatment starts with a consult with a qualified physician who will asses your condition on an individual basis. Together you will work to restore lost hormones and customize a medical treatment specifically for you. Your physician will also discuss the importance of a healthy diet, regular fitness and other lifestyle choices that will aid you in your path to look younger. As hormones are replaced in your body, your nutrition and fitness become equally important to seeing the changes in your life that you’re reaching for.

The biodentical hormone therapy can also aid women suffering from early menopause symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, memory loss, mood swings, weight gain and low libido. For men experiencing what is commonly known as male menopause, the therapy has been shown to aid in weight gain, low libido, fatigue, stress, and energy loss.

The first step in the treatment is to complete a thorough personal, family and medical history. Next, you’ll meet with a physician where you will have an initial and personalized consultation. You and your physician will review your questionnaire and determine best plan for you.

Your physician will test you for hormone levels by taking a sample of your saliva, urine and/or blood. An individualized treatment plan may include a combination of creams, gels, pills, patches, or self-injections.

Human growth hormone (HGH) has also become a popular, albeit expensive, anti-aging treatment. It has been shown to reverse signs of aging, but the long term risks are still unknown. Some researchers claim that hormone treatments can lead to tumor growth, increased fluid retention which can lead to problems for heart patients and even carpal tunnel syndrome. Hormone therapies are also believed to contribute to excessive bone growth and vocal cord thickening.

As with any medical treatments, you should first consult your physician. He or she may have alternatives to hormone therapy that would work just as well for your body type and condition. You can also further discuss the risks of hormone treatments for aging.

Aging can now be simply about numbers and dates, not wrinkles and age spots. Although anti-aging products are not perfect, they can significantly improve your appearance. Just because you are adding years to your life doesn’t mean you should be giving up on your beauty; it is just a matter of finding the correct product for your skin type and your skin conditions.

Topical, over-the-counter (OTC), creams can be a great place to start. There has been a small amount of literature produced on anti-aging products, and in general a few compounds have proved to be the most effective. The first of which is Vitamin C. Vitamin C has shown to reduce fine lines and increase skin laxity, as well as improve the overall surface texture. The next OTC ingredient shown to be effective is Alpha-Hydroxyl Acids, found in lactic acid, glycolic acid, and citric acid. It is common in a lot of fruits and teas, and is now being used in OTC products. The last is known as pentapeptides, it’s quite scientific and has been shown to work great through a product known as Matrixl. These substances have been shown to have the best efficacy, and should be tried before moving on to more drastic measures.

The next set of anti-aging products are prescription products. In order to get the best information about these products, you should contact a dermatologist. They have all sorts of brochures and information that can help you decide great prescription products. One of those products is known as the botulinum toxin, and its common drug is Botox. Botox is actually a toxin and can kill you if you have too much. According to Wikipedia it is the most toxic protein product known, but after 4.6 million administrations you can be assured it is safe. A qualified dermatologist can assist you with Botox, and you’ll notice the lines decrease within days.

If topical and injected prescription anti-aging products leave you wanting more, then you may need to consider a facelift or laser spot removal. In addition, you can have the skin around your eyes and your eyelids lifted. These types of products are generally not cheap, but they will show immediate results. Surgical-anti-aging products should be considered as a last result, since, with every surgery, there is an inherent risk. Again, the best resource for surgical information would be a plastic surgeon or certain dermatologists.

When it comes to anti-aging, you have a lot of choices and you should start with cheaper and topical products, and move to prescription or surgery if you don’t see the results you want. No matter what, just because you are getting old doesn’t mean you need to throw in the towel and forget beauty.