Anti-Aging Herbs: Do You Want to Look Great or Feel Great Too?
To Feel Great, Take a Holistic Approach to Anti-Aging.
Let's be honest—anti-aging creams and serums hawked by 20-something models may help you look better at 65, but they won't give you the energy or brainpower you need to fully enjoy life. Do you want to look great when you're 75 or do you want to feel great, too? Do you want to be able to travel, hike, ski, garden, play an instrument, entertain, learn new things? If you want the health and energy to do all the things you love, stop worrying about choosing the right skin serum and take a holistic approach to anti-aging.
A holistic approach considers the whole body and is focused on maintaining strength and stamina, brain health, and heart health as you age. Focusing on maintaining your physical health and cognitive abilities will go a lot further to ensure you enjoy your golden years than trying to prevent the inevitable wrinkles.
A healthy diet and exercise are the best insurance that you will be able to do all the things you enjoy as you age. Anti-aging herbs kick your holistic aging plan into high gear and can help you target certain age-related risks. Consider these five anti-aging herbs for a holistic approach.
Five Anti-Aging Herbs for a Holistic Approach
These are my top five herbs for a holistic anti-aging approach:
Astragalus
Ginseng
Green Tea
Hawthorn
Turmeric
Astragalus | Astragalus membranaceus
Revered in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, this herb’s superstar status in the anti-aging field has been cemented by modern scientific research. Astragalus is an antioxidant that helps us continue making healthy cells. As we age, changes in our DNA lead to more and more mistakes in cell replication. These errors drive age-related conditions like cardiovascular disease, including stroke and vascular dementia, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer. Do combine Astragalus with a plant-based diet, regular exercise, stress-reduction techniques like yoga or meditation, and a supportive social network. Why? A pilot study published in a distinguished medical journal, The Lancet Oncology, showed that these diet and lifestyle practices may also help us continue making healthy cells as we age.
Bonus! Astragalus is also an adaptogen that strengthens the immune system and acts as a lung tonic.Ginseng | Panax ginseng or Panax quinquefolius
In the longevity field, Ginseng is the stuff of legends. And, it's no less legendary in medical science—being one of the most researched herbs available. Ginseng is super energizing, increases stamina, and improves cognitive function and memory. It's a sexual tonic too—for men and women. Why shouldn't your anti-aging protocol include an herb for a healthy sexual response? Ginseng also helps to combat two common age and diet-related conditions, promoting blood sugar balance and healthy cholesterol levels.
Green Tea | Camellia sinensis
Did you know that the brain shrinks as we age? That osteoporosis is associated with an increased risk of falls and premature death? That cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for men and women? That green tea helps combat all of these age-related risks? So how about a cup of green tea? Actually, drinking two or three cups of organic green tea every day is a great way to up your game in combatting cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, memory loss, and cancer. It's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. And, bonus! It's also great for beautiful skin!
Turmeric | Curcuma longa
Turmeric is an antioxidant that contains powerful compounds with therapeutic potential in a wide range of conditions commonly associated with aging—cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. People in parts of India who eat turmeric at almost every meal have the lowest rates of Alzheimer's disease in the world—one-quarter the rate of Alzheimer's disease in the United States. Scientists believe that the daily intake of turmeric as part of the Indian diet may be partly responsible for this result.
Turmeric also acts as a blood thinner reducing the risk for an unhealthy build-up of plaque in the arteries and stroke. It also helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels (elevated cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease) and is considered cardioprotective.
Don't you think it's time to ditch the anti-aging creams and take a holistic approach that focuses on the things that will help you maintain vibrant energy, a healthy heart, and an active mind.
Your 80-year-old self will thank you!
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