LIVING LONG AND SMARTER

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY

Today • Wednesday • July 2, 2008

 

By Dr Bill Maier

 

Science may be able to help you live longer, but quality of life during those years is entirely up to you.

 

Thanks to medical advances, you and I may live well into our eighties or nineties – even longer. But how well will we be living? Extending life doesn’t do much good if we aren’t healthy enough to enjoy it.

 

So what’s the secret to staying healthy in our later years? Besides, of course, starting while we are young?

 

First, develop a diet that controls cholesterol. Foods rich in soy, fibre and protein have been shown to help lower cholesterol as effectively as most heart disease medications.

 

Second, get plenty of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. Not only do they help fight heart disease, but they’ve been shown to keep memory fresh and agile.

 

Finally, strengthen your bones with milk and other calcium-rich products. It’s good for the heart, and also keeps the teeth and muscles strong.