Blood flow and circulation help maintain good health in later years, according to Health magazine’s July issue. Boost your level 6.2 percent by increasing your fruit or vegetable intake by one serving a day. Or double that improvement with two servings.
The recommended Vitamin D level for older adults has been 1,000 IU. “But many experts now agree that most of us need more—up to 2,000 IU a day—to raise our levels high enough to fight disease,” the magazine states. It recommends that women especially ask their doctors for a “serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D” test.
For adequate Vitamin D amounts, Health magazine suggests oily fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna a few times a week. Look for D in milk, orange juice, and other fruity juices; soy milk; butter substitutes; and some cereals and yogurts. A supplement with at least 400 IU could be taken daily, and sun exposure for just 5 to 10 minutes each day also helps.
Dr. Andrew Weill suggests five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day to reduce pain caused by arthritis. Eliminate polyunsaturated vegetable oils found in many margarines, vegetable shortenings, and processed foods with fats the promote inflammation. Season meals with ginger and turmeric as often as possible, he says.
Three cups of coffee a day will lower your risk of developing dementia by up to 70 percent, reports the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A Mayo Clinic study indicates that a healthy diet of reading decreases the risk of developing mild memory loss by 30 to 50 percent.
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