We all want to know how to age [healthfully]. That’s why we ask: How do I prevent getting sick and stay mentally sharp? What are daily habits I can easily start to protect my mind and body as I age?

It’s clear that not everyone—or every brain—ages the same way. But by putting neuroscience into practice in our daily lives, there are a number of things we can all do to help preserve our mental abilities; prevent cognitive impairment . . . and improve our brain health for a higher quality of life as we age.

Women who experience an accelerated accumulation of abdominal fat during menopause are at greater risk of heart disease, even if their weight stays steady, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health-led analysis . . .

The study—based on a quarter century of data collected on hundreds of women—suggests that measuring waist circumference during preventive health care appointments for midlife women could be an early indicator of heart disease risk . . .

Incorporating social and behavioral factors alongside biological mechanisms is critical for improving aging research, according to a trio of studies by leading social scientists

The three papers, published in concert in Ageing Research Reviews, emphasized how behavioral and social factors are intrinsic to aging. This means they are causal drivers of biological aging. In fact, the influence of behavioral and social factors on how fast people age are large and meaningful. However . . . 

You may enjoy using your facial and skin care products, but have you checked to see how many ingredients listed on there that are not natural? Essential oils are minuscule in molecular size, which means they are absorbed well by the skin making them perfect to heal, soften, and nourish.

Top 7 Essential Oils for Glowing Skin

#1 Lemongrass

Lemongrass oil is a good choice in essential oils to increase your skin’s glowing appearance, because it has detoxifying . . . 

Macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts are not inevitable afflictions that accompany aging. Dr. Ken Berry, MD, explains in this video that these conditions can be prevented and even potentially reversed via lifestyle changes. Of the top five most prevalent causes of blindness, only one involves injury and the other four are avoidable by following low-sugar, largely plant-based dietary patterns, according to the doctor.

[C]linical studies have come to the conclusion that vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduction in the mortality rate from cancer of around 13 percent. Scientists . . . have now transferred these results to the situation in Germany and calculated: If all Germans over the age of 50 were to take vitamin D supplements, up to 30,000 cancer deaths per year could possibly be avoided and more than 300,000 years of life could be gained . . .

Joint problems come in many forms and can be uncomfortable at best and very debilitating at worst. . . . So much of it stems from inflammation. 

Knee problems alone affect around 25% of adults, limiting mobility and impairing their quality of life. However, it is likely that you will experience the symptoms of joint issues in multiple locations throughout your body. It is also a major symptom of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis . . .

If you believe you are capable of becoming the healthy, engaged person you want to be in old age, you are much more likely to experience that outcome, a recent Oregon State University study shows.

“How we think about who we’re going to be in old age is very predictive of exactly how we will be,” said Shelbie Turner, a doctoral student in OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences and co-author on the study.

Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein inside your body. It usually affects your legs, but may develop elsewhere in your body. It may develop for a number of genetic, health, and other factors. Certain natural dietary and lifestyle strategies and supplementation may benefit deep vein thrombosis.

Your bones are like other parts of your body – alive and constantly growing. Some bone cells dissolve and some grow to replace them in a process called remodeling.

Osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones and for people with this condition, bone loss outpaces the growth of new bone. This causes bones to become brittle and subject to fracture. Fractures of the vertebrae, hip and other bones lead to serious long-term consequences. Fully 24% of hip fracture patients older than 50 . . .  

Wondering about major sources of collagen? Fish collagen definitely tops the list. While there are benefits associated with all animal collagen sources, fish collagen peptides are known to have the best absorption and bioavailability due to their smaller particle sizes compared to other animal collagens, making them antioxidant powerhouses. Bioavailability is highly important since it largely determines the efficacy of any nutrient you ingest.

Fish collagen is absorbed . . .

One of the most common age-related vision problems is cataract—a clouding of the lens, the normally transparent structure located in the front of the eye that transmits and focuses light onto the retina.

According to the National Eye Institute, by age 80, 70% of white Americans, 61% of Hispanic Americans, and 53% of African Americans have or have been treated for cataracts. They’re so common . . .

[E]xcess sugar and alcohol, along with poor diet and sleep, often keep us from looking and feeling our best. Over time, they take their toll . . .

If you could take just one step to create a healthier future full of vitality, it would be to fight inflamm-ageing. While the term is used in the beauty industry because of the clear-cut connection between inflammation and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, inflamm-ageing is more than skin deep.

Dry eye syndrome or “ocular surface disease,” which is the medical name for this disorder, refers to a decline in the quality or quantity of tears bathing the eye. This condition is increasingly common with advancing age—there are estimates that 75 percent of people over the age of 65 will experience dry eyes. Women are also more susceptible to dry eye syndrome. Dry air, long hours in front of a computer, and certain medications . . .

You may not realize how much you depend on your senses until they begin to fade—and it’s an unfortunate fact that hearing, smell, taste, sight, and touch all decline with age. University of Chicago researchers estimated that 93% of older Americans have one or more sensory deficits, and two-thirds have impairments in two or more senses.

Sensory deficits can have a significant impact on your quality of life. They may limit your ability . . .

The longevity-boosting, disease-preventing cellular process that we are referring to is called autophagy. It eliminates damaged cells and debris, and regenerates newer, healthier cells. It’s a cellular cleansing process analogous to cleaning your house.

The goal with aging is to age well, and autophagy is key to just this. Autophagy not only predicts how healthy we are, but also how long we live.

Team sport effectively counteracts diminished vascular function in women with high blood pressure, even several years after the onset of menopause. This, according to new research from the Copenhagen Center for Team Sports and Health at Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen.

When we think about how we can put the brakes on aging, what’s usually top of mind is how well we take care of our bodies with food, movement, exercise, rest — the physical essentials. And that’s a good thing. But let’s not forget there is another extremely important element that’s often given short shrift, the emotional one. If you’re an emotional wreck or just lonely and disconnected from others, you’ll likely be in for a rough aging ride. In fact, numerous studies indicate . . .

Millions of Americans take blood-thinning medications such as warfarin (Coumadin) . . .

[A]ll blood thinners have in­herent serious risks such as the po­tential for excessive bleeding in any organ.

That’s why I want to address the problem of thick blood—which is, after all, a main condition causing the need for all these blood thinners.

What Makes Blood Thick

One of the main ways that your blood becomes thicker than it should be involves a protein called fibrino­gen. 

Older adults who walk, dance, swim, or garden tend to have less brain shrinkage.

Walking, dancing, swimming, or gardening on a regular basis may offset brain shrinkage in older adults . . .

As we age, our brains tend to shrink. After age 40, previous research has shown that human brain weight typically decreases by about 5 percent each decade. After age 70, brain shrinkage typically occurs . . .

Our bodies are amazing, living, breathing machines. With good care and maintenance, they can run beautifully for a long, long time. But why is it that some bodies seem to run better, and longer, than others? Why do some folks age rapidly, growing old before their time, while others seem perpetually youthful? 

[I]f your goal is to slow down the aging process, there’s lots you can do to put the brakes on. One of the most important anti-aging moves . . .

Nobody likes wrinkles, right? That’s why we all shell out so much money for wrinkle-fighting skin creams and serums.

But here’s the deal. It’s true that putting these formulas on your skin can work wonders, at least temporarily. However, feeding your skin moisturizers from the outside is only part of the solution.

What’s the other part? Feed your skin wrinkle-fighting nutrients from the inside. And one of the most powerful wrinkle-blasters is hyaluronic acid.

Recently, the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine announced they’re starting a six-year study to test the life-extending properties of metformin on 3,000 older adults. . . .

Not only do I disagree, I warn my patients not to take it. . . . 

So why would someone willingly take a pharmaceutical when they don’t need it? Many people — including doctors — believe metformin is an anti-aging powerhouse . . . 

Sarcopenia is the loss of lean body mass, especially with advancing age. Think frailty. Indeed, physically inactive people can lose between three to five percent lean body mass every year—starting as young as age 30! . . .

A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics evaluated the relationship between lean body mass, physical activity and protein intake looking at a cross-section of a cohort of postmenopausal women . . .

Our bodies are meant to age, they change with each passing year and we may notice both internal and external signs that things aren’t working the way they used to. But, it’s important to note, that though aging is a natural process, many aspects of our modern world can unnecessarily accelerate the process and lead to a much more rapid decline of function and appearance.

The good news is that with scientific breakthroughs we’re able to understand . . . 

Are you “hormonal” or is your body just trying to tell you something?

Hormones affect your skin and health as you age more than you may realize.

Hormones are biochemical messengers that influence your metabolism, mental focus, memory, cognition, aging, sleep, and even sex drive. They also play a role in cardiovascular health, bone growth, and blood sugar regulation.

Think of your body as a symphony and your hormones . . .

A key goal to boosting brain function and fighting degenerative brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease is to bathe the brain in “super nutrition.” Numerous studies have shown that brain function is directly related to nutritional status. High nutritional status equals higher mental function and a reduced risk for disorders of the brain related to aging.

Particularly important are the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids . . .

People often ask me, “What are the things you do to stay fit and looking young?” I do many things to support my health on a daily basis, but here are the top 5 strategies I personally implement and use with coaching clients to support them in reaching health goals which also decelerate the aging process. Without further ado, here are my best anti-aging secrets…

CoQ10 (short for Coenzyme Q10) is an essential element for many daily functions and is required by every single cell in the body. As an antioxidant that protects cells from the effects of aging, CoQ10 has been used in medical practices for decades, especially for treating heart problems.

. . . Lack of CoQ10, or CoQ10 deficiency, is most commonly associated with the damaging effects of oxidative stress . . .

We usually feel inflammation as pain, swelling, or redness—especially after an injury–and it’s a normal and essential part of healthy immune function. But unlike acute inflammation, an ever-present, systemic, and low-grade inflammation in women is a major contributor to the aging process . . .

Inflammation is involved in nearly every disease process either as a contributing factor or . . .