Article by Dr. Grace Soltynski, DAOM, LCSW
Do you ever wonder why some people look and feel younger than their actual age while others appear much older than they really are?
Do you believe that the way you age is predetermined genetically?
Do you feel helpless about aging, as if there was nothing you could do to impact on it or change it?
I hope to answer some of those questions and empower you to live young up until your very last breath. And yes, you would know who you are. We have the capacity to live well beyond our 100 birthday. Let’s mention several myths about the aging process:
1. Genes determine how long I will live. FALSE
2. I smoked for a long time and there is probably nothing that can be done to make my life healthy again. FALSE
3. I am on 5 prescription medications and the doctor said I will have to take those for the rest of my life. FALSE
4. Eating healthy, organic foods costs more. FALSE
5. Buying supplements at Costco and taking one-a day multi is really enough for my health. FALSE
Below, I will unveil secrets of longevity, in simple, yet powerful steps that will add years to your life. The material comes from researching healthful habits of centenarians from around the world and from combining my knowledge of both western and Chinese medicine for a truly integrative approach to longevity.
To achieve optimum health and longevity, we must approach wellness with a whole-body and mind perspective. We need to take into account our emotions, food, what we do, exercise habits, our spirituality, our support system, and our environment.
As we identify healthy habits to help you truly achieve a goal of feeling young and vibrant, no matter what your age is, these habits will reflect the five most important factors for preserving your well-being and longevity:
1. Alkaline water and food
2. Supplements
3. Environmental surroundings
4. Physical exercises
5. Emotional and spiritual health
The 8 major steps to achieve our goal of wellness and longevity are:
1. Detoxify Your Body
2. Sleep for Restoration
3. Create Energy and Stamina
4. Reduce Stress and Lift Your Mood
5. Build Your Immune System
6. Eat Like a Centenarian
7. Get a Healthy Heart
8. Boost Your Brain Power
The time to create a new habit varies from person to person, generally, for a simple activity, it takes about 21 days to engrain a new habit, provided that the activity is simple, and you practice it daily. In addition, you really need to be very clear and specific about your habit. For example, if you wish to drink 8 glasses of water daily, you need to count how many glasses and when to drink in order to accomplish the task. Start with one glass of water every morning and one glass of water before every meal. That gives you 4 glasses already. This repetition over time creates a mental association between the action and the situation. When the situation is encountered, the behavior is performed automatically—therefore a new habit is formed!
Let’s talk about the 8 step journey to wellness. It will be just a broad outline of what such a journey entails. You are welcome to come in for your individual assessment of your health status any time.
Step 1: Detoxify Your Body
This is a beginning of the whole process, so start fresh! Cleansing your brain, spine, liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, and Lymphatic system is a must. You have to start from looking into your mouth and if you have any amalgam feelings in your teeth, removing those if possible, would be a fantastic idea, especially if you have any neurodegenerative disease. Why you need to detoxify your body: your body will process and eliminate some of the chemicals that enter it, but overflow gets stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys, fat cells, intestines, bloodstream, and skin, which all can result in chronic illness down the road. To maintain optimum health, it is essential that you cleanse and eliminate environmental toxins that are often a culprit in cancer and other degenerative and chronic diseases. If possible, go to a licensed health care professional to help you with this process.
How do you know if you need to detoxify:
New habits for your detoxifying step:
1. Flush toxins with alkaline water
2. Detoxify with herbal teas and detox formulas
3. Grow fresh air indoors (air purifier)
4. Take a cleansing walk a day
5. Breathe toxins away (proper abdominal breathing)
Pearl for this step: Drink at least 8 glasses of purified water per day
Step 2: Sleep for Restoration
Cut back on coffee. Hopefully you are not drinking any soda, but if you do, please stop the addiction. Make sure that your room is conducive to sleep. It needs to be completely dark.
Pearl For This Step: Take 3 mgs of Melatonin, Slow Release; it is a natural sleep aid
Step 3: Create Energy and Stamina
Low energy puts a drug on your day and your longevity. Disease, according to Chinese medicine, is the result of stagnation or blockage in either energy or blood. This means that when you keep your energy flowing, you will enjoy better health. This week, focus on habits that keep your stamina up and protect your vitality. 1. Stop eating carbohydrates for breakfast. I mean It. Eat 30 gms of protein for breakfast and your energy will increase instantaneously. Even better, promise yourself a week free from carbohydrates and not only will you have more energy, but you will feel less foggy, and irritable. You will be sharper and stronger physically.
Pearl for this step: Eat 30 grams of animal protein 3 times a day, including at breakfast; Avoid carbohydrates; Take a Co Q10 Supplement
Step 4: Reduce Stress and Lift Your Mood
A major factor in sustaining your vital energy is reducing the stress in your life. Immediately stop worrying about what someone else is doing. Whether it is your spouse or child or a grandchild. You are not in control of their behavior. You are not in control of their behavior…Please repeat after me…I am not in control of… behavior!
In addition, please try a fantastic tool to help cope with various emotional or physical ailments. Is it called Emotional Freedom Technique. Visit www.emofree.com for more information. If you get intrigued by what you read about it, do not hesitate to come in for a one on one to learn more about this powerful method of stress reduction.
Pearl for this step: when negative thoughts come on, immediately interrupt them and say out loud: I feel good and today is a good day!
Step 5: Build Your Immunity
A strong immune system is your most important ally in protecting your health and longevity. In this step, we learn ways to boost the immune system and maintain wellness. Sleep, exercise, and taking Vitamin D3 are powerful immune boosters.
Pearl for this Step: Know your Vit D 3 number (ask your doctor to measure the levels) and if you have a deficiency, start taking 10 Thousand IU every Day in Winter and during the flu season.
Step 6: Eat Like a Centenarian
Eat like a centenarian, meaning really restriction of calories. Diet is a cornerstone of your longevity whether you desire to lose just a few pounds or 100 lbs, to avoid diabetes ,or just feel better when you play with your grandchildren. Eating less is the key to longevity. How about eating small meals, on desert plates. Look at your palm. This is your plate.
Pearl for this step: Meanwhile, if you just stop eating gluten, you would already be a winner.
Step 7: Get a Healthy Heart
To live a long life, taking care of your heart is a must. Heart disease is one the leading causes of death in Western world-but you do not have to become a statistic! In this step, we learn the ways to protect your heart, minimize plaque buildup, reduce stress, and eat your way to a healthy heart! Do not worry about your cholesterol, but focus on LDL.
Pearl for this step: Take Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Coenzyme Q 10.
Step 8: Boost Brainpower
Conditions such as Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and age-related memory loss can definitely be delayed or even prevented. First, have your doctor check homocysteine levels in your blood. Having higher levels of this amino acid, which is a byproduct of animal protein intake, can put you at a higher risk for Alzheimer’s as well as heart disease.
Pearl for this step: Take supplements for brain: Fish Oil, Gingko Biloba, and B Vitamins, especially folate if your homocysteine Levels are too high; Also try www.lumocity.com for brain exercises.
Finally, reduce pessimism. If you believe you are old…you really are!
Dr. Grace Soltynski is a board certified Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) in California. She specializes in functional medicine and has successfully supported and treated patients with health problems such as cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraines, menopausal symptoms, hormonal imbalance, including polycystic ovary disease, and numerous orthopedic conditions.
Learn more about her current program Total Weight Loss Cure.
