Take care of your health

The young tend to think they are invincible and that their bodies will carry on with very little care and attention. In your 30s, you are often busy with family life and it is difficult to find the time to exercise and eat healthy food. However, how you take care of your body can show as early as 40. One 40-year-old person can be overweight, stressed and carrying around their medication while another 40-year-old is healthy, happy and carrying around supplements. Health is not something you can take for granted; it is something that you have to nurture. If you neglect your health, some diseases can creep up on you and suddenly at 50, you have type II diabetes and high blood pressure. We have two ages: Our chronological age and our biological age. We age according to our genetic makeup and lifestyle but scientific studies now tell us that we really do have control over the way we age — if we put the effort int. If your chronological age is 40 and your biological age is 55, you need to take action to reverse this, because you would be a 40-year-old with the body of a 55-year-old. The chronological age is the number of years a person has lived, but those who take good care of their health and body have a younger biological age and are healthy. You cannot do anything about your chronological age but you can do so much for your biological age. In the Gulf countries, there are many health concerns due mainly to sedentary lifestyles and climate. The Gulf climate can age the body very quickly, as I know, having lived in the Gulf for many years. It is very important to invest some of your time and money in your health now for the future. Exercise is key to turning the clock back Exercise is a key element and I have seen people who take up exercise even very late in life who have really turned back the clock by getting fitter. You can look as much as 10 years younger by taking regular exercise. Exercise not only strengthens and tones the body but it also helps you to have healthy blood flow. Healthy blood flow is so important: Arteries are the rivers of life and the better your blood flow, the better everything else will be. Exercise lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers, and also can help control stress and boost mood. Exercise gives you insurance for down the road. You want to try and be healthy your whole life. Eat to heal and protect the body Eating lots of plant based food is also important as these contain nutrients that the body needs. We have moved to a meat-based diet, so we need to make sure we are getting plenty of vegetables and herbs. Omega-3 has a lot of important benefits for your heart, arteries and joints and you can obtain Omega-3 from many natural sources: oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel; and nuts, sesame seeds, soy bean oil, flaxseed oil and eggs. Vitamin D is also important as many people are lacking in it because they spend so little time outside. Supplements can be an insurance policy to make sure your body has everything it needs to heal and protect including Vitamin D. I recommend Permea Plus for hair skin and nails as it is a pharmaceutical grade supplement and can be bought locally and online. When you take care of your body, it will take care of you. Ask Alva My skin is lacking in tone. I have also noticed sagging around my jaw line and eyelids. I feel that my face is starting to look old, whereas my body remains toned, but I am afraid of cosmetic surgery. —Angie There is good news, because there are many things that you can do to make a difference naturally: -    Always use a factor 15 UV protection (or higher) on your skin. -    Facial exercises are very important. You exercise your body to stop it sagging, so why not your face? If you e-mail me at facialan@naturalhealthlines.com I will send you a copy of my Mini-morning Facial. Anyone else over 30 who would like a copy can do the same. -    Massage your face every morning to improve the circulation and muscle tone. The only secret to this is to do it every day. Massage is a natural miracle. -    Drink hot water and lemon as your first drink of the day. -    Drink eight to 10 glasses of water each day. -    Exfoliate your skin twice a week to remove dead skin cells -    Take a good quality supplement such as Permea Plus for hair skin and nails. —Alva