Natural Health

When medical folks offer advice about healthy aging, they often focus on ways to keep your heart and brain healthier.

Of course, those are crucial for a longer, more enjoyable life. But there’s another part of your anatomy just as vital to your well-being… your lungs.

Fortunately, there are some easy, everyday tips you can – and should – follow to breathe better and enjoy increased vitality as you age.

First, keep your weight under control.

By now you’re probably well aware that if you gain excess fat around your waistline, the accumulated fat triggers inflammation that causes a host of health problems as […]

Whether it’s a 79-year-old zipping along on his scooter, an 83-year-old chasing her hens up a hill, or a 100-year-old doing yard work, the people of a small village in Italy know how to live a long life and remain healthy throughout, with virtually no heart disease.

What’s the secret of this town that still looks much the way it did in the Middle Ages? Let’s take a look at what longevity researchers say.

Situated in the middle of the Aurunci mountains in central Italy is the ancient hamlet of Campodimele.

The signpost to the […]

Astronauts and U.S. presidents share something in common. Both are required to have a scan taken of their coronary arteries to see how much calcium is deposited. That’s because the scan is considered the most robust predictor of a potentially fatal heart attack.

A high level of calcium is not only a tell-tale sign of imminent danger for the heart, it can also predict the risk of death from all causes. In fact, this scan could be the most important test you’ll ever take.

There’s nothing “sudden” about a heart attack. Most heart attacks are caused […]

As you get older, an array of health problems lie in wait ready to do you in. Many of them are linked to inflammation – destructive misbehavior of your immune system. And you may have heard the term “inflammaging” – which refers to the danger of the immune system speeding up the aging process as inflammation ramps up.

Paradoxically, this type of inflammation can make your immune system both more active and less effective. Meaning it’s less able to protect the body against disease but more active in damaging the body’s own tissues.

But researchers say glucosamine, a popular supplement often used […]

As we get older, things change in the body – most often, not for the better.

For instance: The genetic material in every cell of the body can shift its activity in ways that are harmful and make you more vulnerable to disease. And old or damaged cells can lead to chronic inflammation that can result in a number of health problems.

But now, scientists in Israel claim they’ve found a way to dodge some of the woes of aging by using a technique that allows older cells to behave like healthy young cells once again.

Research at Tel Aviv University and the […]

Research described as “a major landmark” and “a milestone in the field” restored lost vision in old mice by restoring damaged cells in the eye to a youthful state.

This is the first time any treatment has succeeded in accomplishing this, and to say scientists are excited is an understatement.

The researchers believe one day this new “reprogramming” technique could help turn back time for other parts of the body as well.

Back in July we told you about a remarkable discovery from Juan Carlos Izpisúa Belmonte and his team at the Gene Expression Laboratory at San Diego’s Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Dying, […]

Diet soda first made an appearance in the 1970s, and ever since there has been much debate about its benefits (if any) and safety.

Some say it’s better to slurp down a diet soda than to drink one laden with sugar, while others contend that those who drink diet sodas are just fooling themselves.

Let’s dig into the research and see what the science really shows.

A new study performed in France noted that sugary drink consumption has increased worldwide in recent years. Researchers believe this in turn has damaged heart health.

Eloi Chazelas, a lead author of one study, set out to examine […]

For anyone seeking the best foods for fighting the aging process, there’s one fruit that stands out above other fruits and vegetables.

It’s overflowing with antioxidants and other natural chemicals that help the body fight off cellular damage and illness. And a wealth of research shows how it defends the brain, protects the muscles, suppresses cancer, lowers the risk of gout and helps the body heal.

On the way to those benefits, studies show, the phytonutrients in this amazing fruit boost the energy-making abilities of virtually every cell in the body, giving it remarkable anti-aging power.

I’m talking about the pomegranate. It’s a […]

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of compounds in plants that have antioxidant activity. Some are familiar, like vitamins C and E. Others, like coenzyme Q10 and lipoic acid, are less well known, unless you’re a health buff. Many are obscure to just about all of us.

Yet among this vast number there’s one that really stands out from the crowd; it’s a small protein called glutathione.

Glutathione deserves star billing because it combats two factors considered to be at the core of the aging process. Now a new study confirms what many scientists have long suspected; boosting glutathione can actually reverse […]

From fruit flies to mice to monkeys, scientific research shows calorie restriction consistently lengthens life.

Studies suggest calorie restriction can also lengthen the lives of humans, too, but the extremely low level of food intake you’re allowed is not sustainable.

Fortunately, new research has unlocked an anti-aging secret of calorie restriction. And one day, this new discovery may give us another way to trigger the same life-lengthening benefits of calorie restriction without reducing food intake.

A diet that restricts calories also reduces the intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, since these “macronutrients” are what contain the calories. (Vitamins and minerals have few or […]