Eagle's Eye: Smart health habits that can extend life

In addition to plenty of calcium and vitamin D to maintain bone mass, we need protein to keep bones strong. Take dairy products such as milk and yogurt that contain the whole suite of nutrients, including calcium and protein.

During our parents' middle years, the belief is that after a certain age, decline is inevitable. Now, research reveals that smart health habits can extend an active, joyful midlife indefinitely. In fact, it rests upon two key pillars.

The first pillar is a lifelong commitment to preventive health. We've sifted through the latest research about how to remain physically strong, ward off diabetes and heart disease, preserve perceptual skills, and bolster an immune-boosting sunny outlook.
The second pillar is an active social life. We're also aware of the protective benefits of emotionally satisfying relationships. Now, new research details the advantages conferred by happy friendships.

Know to imbue these with more personal contentment, joy, and vibrancy:

1. A Strong Heart: It's the engine that drives an active lifestyle, essential to our ability to maintain healthy muscles and bones, a sharp mind even an upbeat attitude. It is all about cholesterol. If it is high, control it with a low-fat diet.

2. Stable Blood Sugar: For most people, type 2 diabetes is preventable meaning the associated higher risks of heart attack, circulation problems, and dementia are too. Eating complex carb whole grains, nuts, and vegetables is the key to preventing diabetes.

3. Comic Relief: A good laugh is one of the easiest and most reliable tools for managing health because the benefits of laughter are so much like those of physical activity. Latest study found that over the course of a year, the levels of good HDL cholesterol in volunteers participating in a mirthful-laughter group jumped 26%, while their levels of C-reactive proteins, a measure of inflammation linked to both heart disease and diabetes risk, dropped 66%.

4. Good Vision: Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) damages the retina, eventually threatens the vision of about one-third of people. See better with supplements. Those with vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and zinc can slow vision loss by 25% in people with early signs of AMD.

5. Keen Hearing: Load plate with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables and take a standard multivitamin and, of course, avoid very loud, sustained noises, a leading cause of hearing loss.

6. Close Friends: Friends save lives. Happiness spreads through social networks, affecting not only friends but also friends of friends. Surrounding yourself with cheerful companions is beneficial. The real pals evoke a host of positive emotions that bolster immunity.

7. Sturdy Bones: A strong skeleton provides the foundation for an active lifestyle. In addition to plenty of calcium and vitamin D to maintain bone mass, we need protein to keep bones strong. Take dairy products such as milk and yogurt that contain the whole suite of nutrients, including calcium and protein.

8. Deft Balance: One-third of older adults suffer tumbles, and serious falls can hamper ability to remain active. Do exercises that promote balance, flexibility, and strength regularly.



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