How to Age-Proof Your Diet

By Sarah Jio
From Health magazine

Remember when you swore that Lucky Charms could kill a hangover? Note to your older and wiser self: These days, your body needs more than a sugar rush to feel good.

The 30s

“Women in their 30s are trying to do it all,” says Keri Gans, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Your body needs plenty of energy to handle the load—and the right foods to counter the inevitable metabolism slowdown that happens as you get older. An active woman in her 30s of average height who weighs about 140 pounds should shoot for about 2,200 calories a day, Gans says.

MEAL PLAN

1. Breakfast: Scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes; whole-wheat toast. Egg whites provide lean protein to help control your weight. Tomatoes lend vitamin C to help with absorption. Spinach adds iron, a mineral you need to stay energized, Gans says. And whole-wheat toast provides fiber (so you don’t get the midmorning munchies).
2. Lunch: Veggie pizza with half the cheese; mixed-greens salad. Hope Ricciotti, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard Medical School, says pizza with less cheese is practically a “health food”—if it’s made with a whole-wheat-flour crust and eaten with a mixed-greens salad. Ask for half the cheese at your favorite pizza place, or just make it yourself.
3. Dinner: Sirloin steak stir-fry or grilled salmon; steamed asparagus. Meat is iron-rich; choose lean and use it as a flavoring (like in a stir-fry). Don’t like steak? Salmon is packed with good-for-you omega-3 fats. And asparagus is a rich sources of folate, Dr. Ricciotti says.

Last Updated: February 26, 2009
Filed Under: Nutrition and Eating Well

Erase Your Age: Three Ways to Look Younger

From Health magazine

Scientists in search of the Fountain of Youth share their findings. You can try these tricks today!

Rest up.
During deep sleep, your skin grows cells, builds proteins, and repairs damage from stress and sun. Aim for seven hours of zzz’s a night.

Drink up. 
Hydrating from the inside out will keep skin firm and plump. Sneak in eight cups of water a day. Sip green tea at your desk, have soup for lunch, snack on some juicy watermelon (91% water) or crisp cucumber (95%).

Straighten up. 
Rounded, hunched shoulders age you instantly. Here’s a one-minute refresher from Janice Novak, author of Posture: Get It Straight. Stand tall with knees soft (not locked). Inhale. Exhale, pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Lift the front of your rib cage an inch or two. Check that your ear, shoulder, hip, and ankle are all in alignment, and—voilà!—bye-bye hunchback.

Last Updated: March 13, 2009
Filed Under: Skin and Anti-Aging

Are You Making Yourself Look Older?

From Health magazine

We asked makeup pro Jeannie Mai and wardrobe guru Alison Deyette of TLC’s 10 Years Younger, to name their top instant agers—the things women do that actually make them look older.

1. Heavy foundation cakes between fine lines, making wrinkles stand out, Mai says. Instead, lightly pat foundation onto trouble spots with a blush brush.

2. Clumpy mascara on upper and lower lashes creates a dated look. Try Mai’s “rock and roll” method: Curl lashes then, starting at the base of the lash, rock the mascara wand horizontally back and forth, and roll it out to the tip of each lash.

3. Side-swiped blush high on the cheekbones is so five years ago. Today, for a younger look, brush your blush just on the apples of your cheeks.

4. Light-washed jeans age you. The darker the wash, the more flattering,” Deyette says. Go for a midrise waist and boot-cut legs.

5. Anything boxy or tight works against your shape, Deyette says. Forget the size number and choose what fits your curves.

Last Updated: February 24, 2009
Filed Under: Makeup
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Eat for Gorgeous Skin

A delicious edamame appetizer followed by a grilled-tuna dinner might help cure crow’s-feet.

Researchers in Korea recently discovered a naturally occurring fat (phosphatidylserine) in foods like edamame (green soybeans), as well as tuna and mackerel, that can fight wrinkles caused by sun damage and natural aging.

This fat actually stimulated the production of new collagen; that’s good news because collagen, a protein, keeps skin strong and supple. The catch? The study involved applying a solution made with phosphatidylserine to skin—not eating it.

Plus, the solution isn’t yet available to consumers, and it’s not clear how much of these foods you would need to eat to fight wrinkles. Still, while researchers figure that out, there’s no reason to skimp: Fish can protect against heart disease, and edamame has a lot of fiber and vitamin C.

Last Updated: February 11, 2009
Filed Under: Nutrition and Eating Well