5 Anti-Aging Benefits Of Yoga

The human body is capable of achieving the most difficult feats but when the same body starts giving you trouble, it can become a hurdle in doing the simplest of activities. In the early decades of your life, you’re mostly busy building your career and raising a family without paying much heed to your body.

However, as you age, you realise you haven’t done enough to take care of your body so that it can withstand the inevitable process of aging. No matter the age, you can start reaping the benefits of yoga within a few months of regular practice. Yoga can help align your mind and body so that you always stay in the pink of health. Here are 5 ways in which how yoga can ease your transition into aging.

1. Builds Strength

Yoga is a great way to build strength slowly without risking injury. Your strength comes from your muscles and as you age, muscle mass tends to decrease for both men and women. Even physically inactive people can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade after the age of thirty. When you do weight-bearing poses like downward dog or plank, you slowly build strength without putting too much pressure on your bones. This makes yoga a safer option than high-intensity exercises.

2. Increases Flexibility

When most people think of yoga, they look at the pretzel-like poses and write it off as something that only people who are already fit can do. Unfortunately, this perception is just not true. What you see on the internet and social media are people who have been practising for years and might have been just as inflexible as you are when they started. Practising yoga is what makes you flexible and not the other way round. With aging, your body becomes stiffer and there is a general increase in aches and pains. Yoga practice works not only on the muscles but also on ligaments and tendons keeping them lubricated and elastic.

3. Regulates Breathing

If you’re not breathing right when doing yoga, you’re not doing yoga right. Every pose in yoga comes with breathing instructions because yoga recognises that your breath is connected to your life force. Along with using your body to channel your energies, yoga also ensures that you use breath to regulate each movement and transition. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have found that regular practice of yoga also lowers blood pressure. Breathing properly also has other benefits like aiding digestion and reducing stress.

4. Increases Awareness

Aging can be a difficult process. As you grow older, the activities you were able to do in a snap will take considerable time and effort. Your body starts to come in the way of your life and this can bog you down. However, when you start practising yoga, you also work towards increasing your awareness. Part of learning yoga includes becoming aware of your body and listening to what it wants and needs. This awareness helps you understand your body better and filter out things that don’t work for you while sticking to things that do.

5. Brings Balance To Your Life

One of the main goals of yoga is to bring a certain sense of balance between your body, mind, emotions, and energies. As you age, your body and mind begin to lose their ability to work together. You may feel like taking a long walk but your legs just won’t be up for it or just reading for too long might tire you more than you realise. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 1 out of every 2 women and 1 out of every 4 men over 50 will suffer a fracture related to a fall. However, practising yoga poses builds strength and brings balance so that you’re always in control.

If you’re someone who’s just starting or is thinking about starting your yoga practice, know that flexibility comes with time and regular practice. Your yoga teacher will give you alternatives if you cannot fully bend or turn your body. Over time, you will slowly be able to not only do the pose but also comfortably hold the pose with complete awareness. So take up yoga with an open mind and take it one session at a time.

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    source: YogaYoga

For Better Memory and Healthier Brain Drink Hot Cocoa!

Who doesn’t love hot cocoa and hot chocolate? Yes, it’s delicious, but did you know that have many health benefits for your brain?

Researchers are reporting that seniors who drank two cups of hot cocoa a day for one month performed better on thinking and memory tests than those who didn’t. Brain imaging also showed cocoa-drinkers had better blood flow in the brain. The study’s authors say their research reflects a growing body of evidence that blood flow in the brain impacts thinking and memory.

“As different areas of the brain need more energy to complete their tasks, they also need greater blood flow,” says Dr. Farzaneh Aghdassi Sorond, an associate neurologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “This relationship, called neurovascular coupling, may play an important role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s.”

The research involved 60 people whose average age was 73. They were given tests of memory and thinking skills and the blood flow in their brains was measured. The participants were asked not to consume any other products containing chocolate during the study.

Half the participants drank hot cocoa high in antioxidant flavanol, while the other half drank flavanol-poor hot cocoa. At the start of the study, 18 of the 60 participants had impaired neurovascular coupling. By the end of the study, it had improved by 8.3%. These participants also improved their scores on a working memory speed test. At the start of the study, it took them 167 seconds to complete the test, while at the end they did it in 116 seconds.

Drinking two cups of hot chocolate a day may boost memory in pensioners by almost a third. It is thought chocolate’s ability to boost blood circulation is the reason. The beneficial effects on the brain have been shown only for dark chocolate which is at least 60-70 percent cocoa. Milk or white chocolate does not provide the same benefits. Previous research has found that lovers of dark chocolate – with at least 60-70 per cent cocoa – benefit from a protective effect against high blood pressure and the risk of diabetes. And scientists say it can even benefit those who are already at high risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Dark chocolate also protects the brain against free radical damage. Your brain uses a lot of oxygen, about 20% of the body’s total intake. This makes it highly susceptible to free radical damage. Free radicals are unattached oxygen molecules that attack your cells much in the same way that oxygen attacks metal, causing it to rust. Cocoa powder has a higher level of antioxidants than other “superfoods” such as acai, blueberry, and pomegranate powders.

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Studies Show That Acai Berries Can Fight Cancer, Boost Immunity And More

We know that fruits and vegetables are responsible for proper functioning of our bodies to a large extent. If we want to be nourished with vitamins and minerals and energized throughout the day, then consuming several portions of fruits and veggies every day is a must.

Different kinds of berry fruits are considered to be one of the healthiest types of fruit due to their high content of antioxidants, natural substances that protect all the cells and tissues in our system from the destructive effects of the free radicals. These molecules are created in our body as a result of exposure to toxic substances from the environment and to excessive UV light radiation, poor diet, in the process of digestion, and other factors.

Free radicals damage and destroy the healthy cells in our organism, which makes them one of the leading causes for all kinds of inflammatory diseases and cancer. This cellular damage also leads to premature aging of the skin and all the organs.

Of all the berries that exist in the world, one of them is the ultimate winner when it comes to its content of antioxidants.

Is it a blueberry, a raspberry, or perhaps a cranberry? No, it is a berry that bears a scientific name Euterpe oleracea Martius– a small, reddish- dark violet fruit that has a very distinctive taste of red wine and chocolate. This delicious and precious fruit, commonly called Acai Berry, was almost unknown to us ten years ago.

It grows on palms trees hidden deeply in the Amazon forests and swamps, in Brazil, as well as in the northern parts of South America. The native people have been handpicking and utilizing Acai berries as food and medicine for hundreds of years.

Here are at least 11 important reasons why acai berry is super healthy for you:

1. It has a superior antioxidant capacity. It appears almost at the top of the ORAC score, which is a measurement of a number of antioxidants a particular food possesses. The abbreviation stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. The dark red and purple color of acai berry indicate the presence of valuable colored pigments, anthocyanins, in particular, that act as remarkable health-protective antioxidants.

Just for illustration, the amounts of anthocyanins in acai berry are ten times larger than in red grapes, and up to 30 times higher than in red wine. Furthermore, the antioxidants present in acai berry are quickly and fully absorbed by our cells, neutralizing the certain types of free radicals very effectively.

2. It maintains skin health and prevents premature aging of the skin, again thanks to its amazingly high content of antioxidants. Our skin is the organ that mirrors all the internal changes in our body. Premature wrinkles, discoloration, and saggy appearance are the early signs of free radical damage to the skin. Acai berry slows down the aging process, provides elasticity and beautiful complexion of the skin.

3. It improves memory and focus and overall cognitive abilities. It has also been found to protect brain cells from damage caused by inflammation and oxidative stress, which is of particular importance for patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is attributed not only to anthocyanins, but also to phenolic compounds such as ferulic and vanillic acids, resveratrol, catechin, and quercetin.

4. Acai berry abounds in heart-healthy fatty acids, like Omega 3 and 6 that promote heart health. Consumption of acai berry juice has also been found to improve blood lipid levels, which means that it helps protect the heart and the whole cardiovascular system. 

5. The results of another study have revealed that acai berry has the ability to prevent hardening of the arteries, thus maintaining heart health. 

6. Ingestion of acai berry pulp has shown to reduce the harmful cholesterol levels, as well as blood sugar concentrations in a pilot study that involved overweight people. It can, therefore, be used to help lower the risk of diabetes and heart diseases.

7. Acai berry has strong anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties that significantly contribute to joint health and improvement of mobility, according to a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods.

8. It boosts the immune system with its content of arabinogalactan, a compound that increases the activity of the cells responsible for immunity. The abundance of vitamins and minerals also strengthens the defense mechanisms in our body. Using acai berry on a regular basis will help you ward off different bacterial and viral infections, like colds and flu.

9. Acai berry improves digestion and promotes weight loss. It has a high content of dietary fiber that plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy metabolism. When the digestion process is healthy, the shedding of extra pounds is guaranteed.

10. It cleanses the liver and helps flush out toxins from our system, which is vital for the proper functioning of our body.

11. It quickly boosts energy levels and reduces exhaustion with its high content of essential amino acids. There are as many as 19 natural amino acids in acai berries that are quickly absorbed by the body, as opposed to those of animal origin. Amino acids are essential components of proteins that build our muscles and tissues.

It is linked with cancer prevention and treatment. According to the results of a study from 2006 performed by scientists from the University of Florida, acai berry has shown the ability to destroy almost 90 % of leukemia cells. The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, titled “Brazilian Berry Destroys Cancer Cells.

Let’s have a closer look at the nutrition information of acai berry per 100 grams.

Energy (kilocalories)	533.9
Sugars (grams)	1.3
Dietary fiber (grams)	44.2
Fat (grams)	32.5
Protein (grams)	8.1
Minerals – mg and Daily Value (DV)
Calcium	260 mg, 4% DV
Iron	4 % DV
Sodium	30.4 mg
Magnesium	4% DV
Manganese	130 % DV
Copper	8 % DV
Other Nutrients
Vitamin A	1002 IU or 15 % DV
Beta Carotene	<5.0 IU
Sterols	0.48 mg/g
Cholesterol	13.5 mg
Proanthocyanidins	12.89 mg/g
Amino Acid	7.59%
Oleic Acid (Omega-9)	56.2% of total fats
Palmitic Acid	24.1% of total fats
Linoleic Acid (Omega-6)	12.5 % of total fats

What about the highly acclaimed Goji berries? Are they better and more nutritional than acai berries and what is the difference between them?

Both types of berries burst with different nutrients and both have been utilized for their marvelous nutritive value and medicinal properties since ancient times.

Goji berry has a rich content of B-complex vitamins, more than 15 essential amino acids, healthy fats, around 20 minerals, and beta-carotene. It is also known for an array of health properties it possesses.

It promotes fertility and eye health, boosts the functions of the brain, eases digestion and reduces appetite, lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, provides a lot of energy and muscle strength, and flushes out toxins from the liver. Acai berry offers nearly the same benefits.

There are slight differences in regards to their composition. Goji berry has no cholesterol, sodium or saturated fats but it has a somewhat higher content of carbohydrates and sugar, as well as of vitamins C, A, and iron.

The greatest difference between the two is regarding a number of antioxidants.

Acai berry is unparalleled in this respect – we have already mentioned the ORAC scale which measures the concentrations of antioxidants in certain foods. Acai berry has the score of 102, 000, while goji berry has the score of 30, 000. The difference is quite impressive, don’t you agree?

Having in mind that both berries are extremely healthy and very rich in nutrients, we cannot conclude that one is better than the other. We suggest that you combine them and utilize their health properties in different mixtures and recipes.

How to use acai berries

Just like other berry fruits, acai berries rapidly lose their nutrients in the fresh form, within a day’s time after they have been picked. This makes the growing and shipping process of acai berries difficult for suppliers. Unless you live in Brazil, it is best to utilize all their benefits in the form of dried powder, frozen juices, and supplements.

This small disadvantage should not prevent you from enjoying the immense health provisions of this incredible berry.

source:http://bewellhub.com