It’s incredible, but 2017 is just around the corner! I know that many of you will be making resolutions about improving your health. This month’s column is about ways you can deepen that commitment with ease.
Drink more tea! In the Blue Zones (the places in the world where people live the longest) tea drinking is a part of life that has been shown to promote longevity and wellness. Why? Tea has polyphenols – little anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidant powerhouses that help protect your body from bad things you eat.
So what’s the benefit of drinking green tea? Regular drinkers, on average, have: Smaller waist-lines and lower BMI (body-mass index); Experience better exercise endurance due to the increased ability of green tea extracts to burn fat as fuel; Have a greater ability to fight off certain cancers including colon, breast, ovarian, prostate and others. It’s not a cure, but can help lower your risk; A better chance to fight free-radicals (those cellular bad guys that cause damage linked to heart disease, cancer and even Alzheimer’s Disease) due to the high anti-oxidant value of tea; Have greater bone strength when green teas are combined with strength training; Improved Blood Sugar regulation to the point that research suggests people who drink six cups of green tea per week are less likely to get diabetes; Improved Brain Power due to the high level of polyphenols which appear to slow the effects of aging in memory and learning centers.*
Dump Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners! If you’ve been reading this column regularly, you will remember I wrote about sugar being more addictive than cocaine! Not only is it addictive, consuming sugary foods and drinks are like sending napalm into your digestive tract. Only antibiotics are more harmful to the healthy balance of gut bacteria. The effects of eating this non-nutritive sweetener range from being overweight to diabetes, cancer and even dementia. And artificial sweeteners are equally deleterious to digestive and overall health. Just say No to processed and artificial sweeteners and switch to honey, stevia or maple syrup for sweeteners.
Move your body! Sitting is more harmful than smoking cigarettes. The human body was designed to move; to hunt, gather, harvest and more. It’s only for the past 150 or so years, since the Industrial Revolution, that humans sit more than we move and this is proving harmful to our health. Sitting sends a signal to the brain that this is rest time and all processes slow down. Periods of standing and moving send the signal to the body to rev up and get ready for action. Our hearts beat stronger, we take in more oxygen and our muscles get exercised. So use your smart phone or tablet or fitness tracker to set an alarm so you remember to get up and move at least once every hour.
Be a Savvy Senior! Live longer and healthier in 2017. Drink more green tea, dump the sugar and artificial sweeteners and move your body for better health. You’ll be glad you did. Here’s to a happy, healthy and meaningful 2017.
Anne Goldberg, The Savvy Senior, has a mission to help seniors know they are old enough to have a past and young enough to have a future. Her vision is to create an army of senior volunteers bringing their wisdom and experience back to the community. She helps seniors live into their future with vitality by teaching them how to use computers; with conferences & workshops on The Art of Living Longer ; with decluttering & organizing; and with “Tell Your Story Videos”, preserving the stories & wisdom of your life for future generations.www.SavvySeniorServices.com
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* Source: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/health-benefits-of-tea/?gl=584f398ddc7f1f407509de4f
