1) Watch your diet— a recent study at the University of Texas in San Antonio may provide some valuable insight into the effects of diet on the aging process. The study was conducted on a colony of laboratory rats who were placed on diet restrictions. Researchers found that by cutting the caloric intake of the rats by 60 percent of normal, and preventing malnutrition from occurring, they were able to lengthen the rats’ life spans by as much as 50 percent. The researchers are now studying this information, in hopes of finding ways of applying it to humans, to stay young and healthy. The experts recommend that you choose foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals, and stay away from those foods with empty calories from sugar and fat. The key is cutting your total caloric intake, while getting enough essential nutrients. One way to do that is to increase your intake of vitamins A and C.

2) Maintain a desirable weight— a study at Harvard School of Public Health links obesity—being 20 percent or more above desirable weight—with premature death. It is also known that obesity can contribute to adult onset diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, respiratory problems, gall bladder disease, menstrual abnormalities, and high blood pressure. If you need to lose weight, you should follow a moderate diet designed to take off 1 or 2 pounds a week (see chapter 4).

3) Exercise regularly— exercise leads to fitness which in turn provides defense against disease. It is also important that you maintain as much flexibility as possible to avoid stiffness and back trouble. Even if you can’t get a full work out, you should do some lower-body stretches for 5 minutes each morning and upper-body stretches for 5 minutes during the day. The more sedentary and out-of-shape you are, the older you’ll feel, and the faster the aging process will be working on your body.

4) Don’t smoke— you’ll have practically no chance of slowing down the aging process and staying young longer if you smoke. There is enough hard evidence to prove that cigarette smoking will shorten your life by causing heart disease, emphysema, cancer, and a multitude of other health problems. Smoking is an excellent way to grow old before your time.

5) Take time for rest and relaxation— there is a world of difference between being a couch potato and relaxing. A daily battle with anxiety, tension, and stress can make you feel as if the “weight of the world” is on your shoulders. It can also sap your strength and wreak havoc with your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to all sorts of health disorders. In short, stress is another factor that can rob you of your youth and speed up the aging process. The best way to deal with stress is by learning to relax (see chapter 7). You should learn and practice daily a relaxation technique.

6) Avoid overexposure to the sun and cold— as we get older, we also become more vulnerable to the excesses of heat and hypothermia, because the aging body doesn’t handle temperature fluctuations as efficiently as it once did. Whenever you are exposed to the sun, you should use a sunscreen with a protection factor of 15, especially during the late morning and early afternoon when the sun is at its strongest.

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1) Cancer— a study conducted by the American Cancer Society suggests that aspirin may reduce the risk of colon cancer. The study tracked over 650,000 people for a period of six years. Those men and women who reported taking aspirin at least 16 times a month had about 1/2 the death rate from colon cancer as those people who took no aspirin at all.

2) Immune system— a link between taking aspirin and a more effective immune system is suggested in findings from a study by researchers at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

The results of the study indicate that aspirin may increase the production of certain elements in the blood which, in turn, increase the potency of disease- fighting cells.

While most of the news about aspirin is encouraging, researchers caution that none of their findings are conclusive. Furthermore, while aspirin is generally safe, taken steadily over a long period of time, it can cause stomach irritation, intestinal pain and bleeding ulcers. Researchers also say that parents should be reminded that children under 18 should not be given aspirin, especially those who have a viral illness such as the flu, because it can lead to the liver disease Reye’s syndrome.

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Limiting your consumption of alcohol is not only important to your general health and well being, it’s also essential if you wish to maintain your desirable weight. Each gram of alcohol has 7 calories (there are about 200 calories in one ounce), compared to 4 calories in carbohydrates or protein. Even more significant is that calories from alcohol are considered “empty calories”, because they don’t add any nutritive value to the diet. If alcohol is served in a mixed drink, such as a whisky sour or a Manhattan, the amount of calories is even higher.

It is known that alcohol stimulates the appetite, and according to some recent tests, people on restricted-calorie diets may be more likely to eat more after consuming alcohol. That’s why most experts advise dieters to limit their consumption of pre-meal alcoholic drinks.

Another recent study, conducted by Stanford University researchers, provides some rather interesting news. In the study, several middle-aged, overweight men were furnished food and an average of two alcoholic drinks per day. While the men consumed more calories due to the added alcohol, and ate slightly more food, compared with non-drinkers, their basal metabolism experienced a pronounced increase after one drink per day, thus burning off some of the excess calories. The faster metabolism rate also appeared to counteract some of the excess alcohol calories in men who had one to three drinks a day compared with light drinkers or non-drinkers. The results seem to indicate that alcohol calories may not turn into fat as readily as other calories. While the study is not conclusive, and while alcohol consumption may turn out to be somewhat less fattening than traditionally believed, moderation is still recommended.

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The hiccup sound we hear is caused by a sudden involuntary contraction of the diaphragm followed by rapid closure of the vocal chords. While no one knows for sure what causes the contractions, some doctors speculate that they occur when nerve centers which control the muscles of respiration become irritable. Most cases of hiccups last only a few minutes. If they last longer than a day or two, you should seek medical attention.

Whatever “cure” is tried, the general goal is to increase carbon dioxide levels in the blood or to disrupt the nerve impulses causing the hiccups. However it’s done, hiccups cures sometimes work and sometimes they don’t. But since there’s really nothing to lose in trying, here are several home-tested ways you can “cure” hiccups:

1)Hold your breath— try holding your breath for at least 30 seconds— longer if you can.

2) Swallow some sugar— a teaspoon of sugar, swallowed dry, reportedly works for some people.

3) Bend over and drink— you may find this one hard to do but there are those who swear it works. Get a glass of water and instead of drinking the usual way, try bending forward and drinking the water from the opposite side of the glass.

4) Gargle with water.

5) Put a paper bag over your mouth and nose, then inhale and exhale into it repeatedly.

6) Pull your knees up to your chest.

7) Chew slowly, then swallow some dry bread.

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Flabby arms can be a thing of the past if you are willing to spend about 20 minutes a day to firm them up. This type of exercising will get rid of the layer of fat that sits on top of the muscle. You should start by working out two days a week, alternating days so as not to fatigue the muscles. Gradually work up to three to five times a week.

Once you’ve become accustomed to regular exercise, you can begin to exercise two primary muscles—biceps and triceps. Begin with basic exercises, such as bicep curls, using dumbbells or a straight bar. You can exercise the triceps (which are located on the back of the upper arm) by doing a tricep pushdown exercise on a cable machine. You should focus more on correct form rather than how much weight you are using.

You can lessen muscle fatigue by alternating workouts— do the chest and biceps one day, and the back and triceps the next day. An effective arm routine can be performed at home with a set of 5-pound dumbbells or a straight barbell. Twenty minutes should give your arms an effective workout. You can do curls at home, while you’re watching TV.

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