Unusual Diet Tips from the World's Oldest Person

Here's a real Great-Grandmother:

From Dr. Weil.com

Just over 11 years ago, on Aug. 4, 1997, Jeanne Calment died at age 122. Born Feb. 21, 1875, the lifelong resident of Arles, France, was the oldest person who ever lived whose birth date was reliably confirmed.
Her quick wit, lifetime of exercise (she rode a bicycle until she was 100), and cheerful disposition - “I will die laughing,” she once said - all played a part in her longevity, but two of her dietary habits stand out: She reportedly ate nearly two pounds of chocolate a week, and was “devoted” to port wine.
I do not recommend eating so much chocolate (the caloric load could lead to obesity in many people), nor do I suggest “devoting” yourself to serious wine-drinking. But I will say that Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid is, I believe, the only food pyramid in wide circulation that includes both chocolate and red wine as health-promoting, antioxidant-rich food sources. I make no promises that these additions to an optimal diet will result in such remarkable longevity for everyone, but in moderation they are indeed healthy, and will possibly make a long life more enjoyable as well!

Your Brain on Chocolate

Good news chocolate lovers! And that includes everyone except for maybe five people on the planet. A new study shows that cocoa flavanols may help to keep our brains in good shape.

Here's some info from the study:

Cocoa flavanols, the unique compounds found naturally in cocoa, may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal. The researchers suggest that long-term improvements in brain blood flow could impact cognitive behavior, offering future potential for debilitating brain conditions including dementia and stroke. In a scientific study of healthy, older adults ages 59 to 83, Harvard medical scientists found that study participants who regularly drank a cocoa flavanol-rich beverage made using the Mars, Incorporated Cocoapro® process had an eight percent increase in brain blood flow after one week, and 10 percent increase after two weeks. In this first-of-its-kind study, the researchers found both short and long-term benefits of cocoa flavanols for brain blood flow, offering future potential for the one in seven older Americans currently living with dementia. When the flow of blood to the brain slows over time, the result may be structural damage and dementia. Scientists speculate that maintaining an increased blood flow to the brain could slow this cognitive decline. "The totality of the research on cocoa flavanols is impressive. This is just one more study adding to an increasing body of literature connecting regular cocoa flavanol consumption to blood flow and vascular health improvements throughout the body," said Harold Schmitz, Ph.D., chief science officer at Mars, Incorporated, which has supported research on cocoa flavanols for more than 15 years. "Though more research is needed, these findings raise the possibility that flavanol-rich cocoa products could be developed to help slow brain decline in older age."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118581.php

Waste Not

I'm a security-minded person and waste irritates me. So, those credit card soliciations that already have my name and other information printed on them make me nuts -- they are a waste of paper and ink, not to mention a drag on the mail system and potential for identity thieves.

While preparing to shred a half dozen of them today, I noticed an opt-out number to "no longer receive prescreened offers of credit." Whoo-hoo! I'd read an article a while ago about the number to call and that the number actually works, but I'd lost the article before writing it down.

I wasn't going to procrastinate this time, so I called: 1-888-567-8688.

There is only a computer voice and you have to input some pretty sensitive information -- name, address, date of birth, social security number. That last one gave me pause but, if the credit offers are based on my credit report, which is based on my social security number, it does makes sense they need the SSN to verify my identity.

Now that I've gone through the opt-out process, I'll hopefully stop getting those darned offers. The computer voice told me it could take a few weeks for the process to be complete. When it is, I think both I -- and my mailman -- will be grateful.

Breath for Inner Peace

From the Chopra Center:

http://chopra.com/namaste/meditationmoment

Nadi Shodhana, or “alternate nostril breathing,” is a simple but powerful technique that deeply relaxes the mind and body. Use it to quiet your mind before beginning a meditation session – or to calm racing thoughts and anxiety if you are having trouble falling asleep.

There are several different styles of Nadi Shodhana, but they all serve the purpose of regulating the flow of air through your nasal passages. Here is a practice you can try right now:

1. Hold your right thumb over your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril. At the peak of your inhalation, close off your left nostril with your third and fourth fingers, then exhale smoothly through your right nostril.
2. After a full exhalation, inhale through the right nostril, closing it off with your right thumb at the peak of your inhalation.
3. Continue performing Nadi Shodhana for the next few breaths, following the same pattern. Your breathing should be effortless, with your mind gently observing the inflow and outflow of breath.

Play Date

Playing outside used to be normal: hopscotch, kickball, even that hoop-and-stick thing in old movies. These days, though, sometimes things get so hectic we forget to make time just to play -- whether for ourselves or for our children.

The Play Pledge aims to change all that. Sponsored by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (but still a good idea), the concept is we sign a contract with our kids (but I think it could be modified to be with ourselves) to get outside and have some fun.

Play builds intellectual, social and physical skills. Oh, and it's fun. So let's get out there and play!

Advice is Like Snow

"Advice is like snow--the softer it falls, the longer it dwells, and the deeper it sinks into the mind." Samuel Taylor Coleridge

I just liked this quote a lot. Remember it when you are bugging your loved ones to lead a healthier life. And remember to be gentle with yourself when you slip up -- in healthy living, relationships --anything at all. I got the quote from a website on EFT, check it out: http://www.emofree.com/ I highly recommend it.

And please send us your (or your great-grandmother's) favorite quotes. It's great to share.

Firmly Planted

Growing something, whether it's a flower or a food or a tree, is a beautiful gift to ourselves and to future generations.

In fact, The National Garden Bureau has come up with a great-grandmother-worthy top 10 list answering the question "Why garden?"

The answers include safe, healthy food; relaxation; exercise; creativity; emotional needs; and spiritual connections. I think you'll find the entire list interesting.

This concept of tending the soul through gardening is "taking root," so to speak, at hospitals. Many medical facilities are adding or increasing their use of gardens to treat both mental and physical ailments.

If you know someone undergoing treatment or if you just want to enjoy a garden, this database of healing gardens may be of help.

Stories

In the last few days, I met two people in passing who confirmed the whole "great-grandmother's shopping list" concept.

The first was a gentleman at the garage, a big and tall man, maybe in his early 60s. He said when gas hit $3 a gallon, he began walking or biking to work. He said it was a 40-minute walk or a 20-minute bike ride each way. He said at first he was angry and missed driving his van. But, as time went by, he said he began enjoying the extra time between work and home and the interaction with nature. (It looked like most of his ride would be along busy streets, but he said there was nature to be found.)

This gentleman also said he has lost 12 pounds so far, has had his lowest blood pressure readings in years and his arthritis in his knees is vastly improved.

"The way things are going, now I'm gonna outlive my ex-wife," he said. "Serves her right."

The second person I met in passing was a clerk at a big-box store, probably about the same age as my garage gentleman. She admired by BYOBs and mentioned her mother came to this country from Germany.

"Over there, they never used this plastic stuff," she said, pointing to the store-emblazoned bags on her side of the counter. "I'm glad people here are getting sensible."

It sure is "greener" on the "sensible" side of the fence these days!

To a 'T'

If you have old t-shirts that are no longer stylish/wearable, you may think you have three options if you don't want to just throw them out:

• Hope a friend wants them.
• Give them to Goodwill.
• Offer them up on Craigslist or a freecycle group.

Those are all great, but have you considered eco-crafting? This would allow you to:

• If you knit or crochet, rip or cut the t-shirts into yarn strips.
• If you enjoy quilting, make your own t-shirt quilt (or you can hire a company to do it for you).
• If basic sewing is more your thing, make a t-shirt pillow.

There is something time-tested and beautiful about creating something with your own, two hands. Giving a new life or a new usefulness to something you already have used makes it even better.

Anxious? Here's Relief That's Good for You

Great-grandmother didn't take "mother's little helpers" like BuSpar, Ativan, Valium, and Xanax for her difficult times. Maybe she would have if they'd been available, but there are lots of advantages to getting at the cause of anxiety instead of just treating the symptoms.

Below are excerpts from an article on the subject. I especially recommend physical activity and EFT. For the full article, click: http://www.womentowomen.com/depressionanxietyandmood/anxiety.aspx.

Physical activity is the single best anxiety medication I know. It’s just essential to hormonal balance. In one study, people who engaged in 30–60 minutes of moderate exercise every day reported less anxiety than a similar group on anti-anxiety meds who did not exercise.

Get enough sunlight and fresh air. Fifteen minutes of sun exposure (without sunscreen) in the early morning and late afternoon stimulates the production of vitamin D in your body.

Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep is paramount to brain health. Women should get 7–9 hours a night. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid all caffeine (including chocolate and green tea) and set a bedtime for yourself that you stick to. Practice a calming technique like meditation or deep breathing before bed.

If you can afford it, find a counselor to talk to about your emotional experience. Ask for a referral from a doctor, family member or friend. The local Y, religious institution, or grief counseling center may have a list of therapists they can offer. Interview several to make sure you find someone you really like and trust.

Try using the Emotional Freedom Techniques, widely known as EFT.... I like it because unlike conventional relaxation methods, EFT gets at the root causes of anxiety rather than masking them.

Investigate integrative manual therapy (IMT). Using gentle applied pressure, IMT opens up blocked energy channels to help the body do what it does best — heal itself. Anxiety is in a sense blocked energy, and bodywork helps redirect that energy constructively.

If you are paralyzed by catastrophic thoughts and debilitating physical symptoms of anxiety, talk to your healthcare professional about the usefulness of short-term medication. If your doctor does not offer additional support techniques to help you in the long term, look around for an alternative or integrative medical practitioner. Long-term use of anti-anxiety medication will not cure you.