 |
|
|||||||
| Fitness Buzz: February 27, 2008 | ||||||||
The Beat Goes On!  If someone were to ask you at what age do you start to literally "age," what would you say? At birth? At twenty or thirty years old? While reviewing a manuscript recently for a physician who specializes in aging, I was surprised to learn that the aging process begins somewhere between the ages of 11 and 24 years (the exact age is different in everyone). That's when the accelerated rate of tissue growth and repair begins to slow down. It's also when we become more vulnerable to things like oxidative stress (ahem, those pesky free radicals), and inflammation.  I love learning little facts like that. It helps put things into perspective and provide more meaning to the ways in which we can stay young, healthy, and strong. When I lost my dad to a heart attack as a teenager, never did I think that something called "inflammation" could be to blame, and that I was already at an age when I myself also could be experiencing this heart-stopping condition. The fact that February is heart health month is significant to me. I've already "outlived" my dad–I'm now fifteen years older than he was at his untimely death. Heart disease remains the number one killer for both men and women, so it's frequently on my mind... as is finding ways to avoid it. |
||||||||
Inflammation is practically a celebrity on its own, and given its exposure in the media lately (starting in 2004 when Time magazine labeled it the "the secret killer"), you may already be familiar with it. Researchers are hot on its trail because it helps explain how killers like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer gain a foothold in our bodies when they're allowed to run amok. Volumes of international research clearly indicate that it's tied to virtually all chronic conditions.
The sneaky part about inflammation is that it can be going on inside us at a deep level like a slow smoldering fire without us really knowing it because we can't feel it. Until…we learn that we are battling something like heart disease or suddenly experience a cardiac arrest. So while we like to blame heart disease on things like high cholesterol and gummed up arteries, these conditions may in fact be the result of inflammation over time. It's no surprise that the key to controlling inflammation includes a healthy balance of super nutrition and exercise to "tame the flames." Of course rest and relaxation are also a part of this mix. The reason is simple: Inflammation is merely the outcome of the body's normal stress response system. And it doesn't like to activate this system on a daily basis as you juggle work, freeways, and growing children. Which is why I'm a big advocate for taking a daily multivitamin. Last year my online store began featuring and selling a product line from Rainbow Light, which offers premium supplements and vitamins–many of which are formulated especially for women. I take the Women's One every morning, and when I feel the need for an extra boost, I pop an Ultra Gram C, too. These help top off the supplies my body–and especially my vascular system–needs to stay up to speed with the oxidizing factors of life. While running a company and raising two kids is thrilling for me, I can't ignore the fact it's a taxing job on the body. And while I'm confident that I do a pretty good job at getting the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals from nutrient-dense foods such as leafy greens and colorful fruits and vegetables, I also like knowing that my supplemental program offers me an extra layer of protection. A daily multi like Women's One has a powerful blend of heart-bolstering ingredients, including the antioxidant kings C and E, as well as the B vitamins (folate, B6 and B12) that are famous for keeping homocysteine levels in check. High homocysteine, which is a by-product of protein breaking down in the body, is linked to a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. I want to be there for my kids for as long as I can. I don't want to give my body any excuse to slow down or age prematurely! So as we finish February and move on to March, don't forget to check in with your heart. It's the thing that never stops beating. And if you need fresh, heart-pumping ideas on getting that rate up for a cardio burn, I challenge you to try my new Peel Off the Pounds Pilates or my Cardio Fat Burner DVD. They will get your heart beating faster, and ensure that the beat keeps going on and on. 
|
||||||||
 |
||||||||
