What if the fountain of youth were in your own kitchen? While we’ve come to expect certain physical and mental changes as an inevitable part of getting older, the fact is that the foods we eat - or don’t - may speed those processes along, aging us before our time. The reason is simple: “We eat too many processed foods,” says David Katz, MD, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center. “They’re often high in calories and low in nutrients such as vitamin B12 and omega-3s, so we end up with islands of deficiencies in a sea of excess.” These inadequacies can result in symptoms we tend to assume are due to aging, such as the four below.
Mistake #1: You avoid all animal protein.
Why it’s aging you: You may lack of vitamin B12, which is essential for energy.
Found only in foods that are derived from animals, this nutrient helps regulate your metabolism and energy production and is key to maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. “Fatigue is a classic sign of B12 deficiency, which usually occurs in people who don’t eat very much animal protein,” says Danine Fruge, MD, associate medical director of the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Miami. Chewing a lot of antacids to relieve heartburn can also lead to B12 deficiency because antacids interfere with B12 absorption.
Food Fix: Have a minimum of two servings of nonfat dairy foods, such as fat-free milk or nonfat yogurt, and 4 to 8 ounces of the following lean protein daily that are good sources of B12: seafood such as fish, clams, oysters, and mussels, as well as lean beef and pork, chicken, and fortified cereal.
Supplement Solution:
Take 500 to 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 in tablet form every day to raise and maintain your B12 levels.
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Mistake #2: You avoid supplements.
Why it’s aging you: You miss manganese and copper, which help to prevent joint pain and discomfort.
Because manganese and copper are both essential for maintaining joint cartilage and flexibility, “in most cases, supplementing these nutrients reverses the joint deterioration and eliminates the pain,” says Dale Peterson, MD, director of the Comprehensive Wellness Center in Sapulpa, OK. “The body can actually repair a significant amount of damage if it’s given the proper support.”
Food Fix: Nuts, beef, and spinach are good sources of these nutrients, but you won’t be able to eat enough to get all your copper and manganese, so opt for a supplement, Dr. Peterson advises. Take 2 mg of copper and 5 mg of manganese each day. Within 2 to 3 months, your joints should feel less painful.
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Mistake #3: You avoid fish and fat.
Why it’s aging you: Fish and healthy oils (like olive) offer the best source of omega-3 essential fatty acids ,which help prevent memory loss.
“These fatty acids are part of the brain’s building blocks,” explains Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. “If you’re not getting enough in your diet, the architecture of the brain becomes weak, and brain function, including memory, suffers.” But it’s not only the amount of omega-3s that’s important; the balance between omega-3s and omega-6s is equally crucial. “Our diets are flooded with omega-6 fatty acids, mostly from processed foods,” says Dr. Weil. “The more omega-6s you eat, the more omega-3s you need to balance your levels. Most of us aren’t eating enough omega-3s and are eating too many omega-6s.” {Prevention Magazine's, "THE VANISHING NUTRIENT" IS A MUST READ. If you are eating too much of the WRONG fats, oils nuts and seeds, you could be STORING FAT WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT!
Food Fix: First, reduce your consumption of refined and processed foods much as possible, and cook with olive or canola oil. Then, eat 3 1⁄2 ounces of wild salmon and 3 1⁄2 ounces of herring, sardines, or halibut each week. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed to cereal, whole grain side dishes, or shakes daily, and garnish salads or cereal with 1 tablespoon of walnuts 5 days a week. Finally, enjoy 9 to 12 almonds 4 times a week. Click HERE for my yummy Lemon Pepper Salmon recipe!
Supplement Solution:
Take at least 2,000 mg of fish oil daily. Look for 1,000 mg capsules of combined docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
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Mistake #4: You favor packaged, processed foods over whole, fresh foods.
Why it’s aging you: Packaged foods are high in blood pressure, which spike sodium, but fresh fruits and veggies contain blood pressure - lowering potassium.
“Having too little potassium in your diet magnifies the toxic effects of excessive salt intake,” Dr. Fruge says. Most processed foods have added sodium but no extra potassium, so if your meals come from boxes, you’re likely at risk. Worsening the situation, when your kidneys try to flush out the salt, you lose even more potassium. “The imbalance damages blood vessels, driving up blood pressure,” Dr. Fruge notes. “Eating better can correct the problem—I’ve seen people drop thirty points in three days.”
Food Fix: Cut your sodium consumption to no more than 1,500 mg per day, and eat seven to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
I process servings of veggies into condensed forms while I cook, such as 1 - 2 cups each of fresh spinach, peppers, zucchini, onions, celery, artichokes, tomatoes and carrots minced finely in my food processor and added to meatloaf, folded into spaghetti sauce, as a soup base, folded into chili, etc, adding amazing flavor and nutrients.
How to eat THAT much daily can be a challenge, but consuming the needed amount of nutrients in a whole food form with ease is within the palm of your hand. Just one to two ounces a day of Saxi, internationally known for topping the ORAC {Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity} score chart of 74,000 per liter and with nutrient-rich components, of Elderberry, Acai, Mangosteen, Pomegranate, Maqui Berry, Aloe Vera Juice and New Zealand Black Currant, Saxi provides exactly what you need. Being antioxidant-rich, diabetic friendly and with no artificial ingredients, sweeteners or preservatives, Saxi infuses your body and health at an advanced cellular level. For more information about Saxi, simply email me at tracy@vibrantdrinkactlife.com.
{New Zealand Bla
ck Currant}
{Above article from Prevention Magazine - a favorite of mine!}
Words can merely touch on the feelings that summer time brings. The memories made, the vacations taken, the relaxing times spent, the cocoa brown tans adorned, the sun-kissed hair, the playing, swimming, camping, exploring, discovering and simply loving the long days and sweet nights... many to be had under the stars by a crackling fire. Better yet, on a beach listening to the waves as dreams take over our thoughts.
Please share below with me what makes your summer days so beautiful, memorable and special to you! I will randomly select someone from the comments left and send them a little something "summery"! 
