Be young in old Age

Be Young in Old Age

Young in old age!  Quite  interesting to hear. But is it possible to remain young in old age?  Difficult to believe.

Hours roll into months, days into months and months to years. The old saying ‘Time and tide wait for no man’ is perfectly apt.

We can’t stop time ticking off. As days pass on, we get older. Our thinking changes, our attitude changes and our physical body changes.

Ageing is a natural process. We can’t completely change the effects of old age; but we can, of course retard the deterioration of the body to a certain extent by leading a healthy and positive life style.

Effects of Ageing

As we get older, changes take place both in the physical and mental levels. Increased blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, diabetes, cholesterol, cancer …. are some of the major common problems of old age.

The body cells start deteriorating and function less effectively; the skin loses elasticity, tissues break down, muscles weaken, eye sight reduces, hearing becomes weak, decayed teeth, increase in degenerative disease- all manifestations of old age.

The absence of care, love and affection from children and other close relatives and friends further add chances for depression and increased mental tension.

Causes of Ageing

As discussed earlier, aging is a natural process and we can’t completely reverse the process of aging. The main causes of premature aging are:

Faulty Life style:

Improper food, lack of physical exercise, increased mental tension- these all come under the category of faulty life style.

Heredity

The genes inherited from parents have got an important effect on aging. However one can’t do anything to influence the genes.

Free Radicals

Free radicals are highly corrosive oxidizing molecules. It is considered that free radicals are the main cause of aging and to a certain extent to cancer. The causes of these free radicals are – poor nutrition, cigarette smoking, strong sun light and air pollution.

Reversing the Process of Aging

The aging process can be reversed to a certain extent by taking the following steps.

-          Have balanced, nutritious food

-          Take anti oxidants : Vitamins A, C & E and the mineral selenium

-          Proper physical exercise

-          Sufficient rest and sleep

-          Avoid mental tension and worry

-          Engage in some sort of mental activity

-          Have a positive attitude

-          Involve in  creative social activity

And finally remember the old saying:

                        Unborn tomorrow and dead yesterday

                        Why fret if today be sweet?

                                   

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Avial

AVIAL

(A special mixed vegetable curry of Kerala)

Avial is a special dish of Kerala. It is a mixed vegetable curry and invariably is a must for all feasts in connection with marriage, birthday etc.

The legend behind the origin of Avial is as follows- In connection with the marriage of the daughter of  Maharaja, there was a grand feast. After the feast, lot of vegetables were left over. The Maharaja who saw these left over vegetables, asked his chief cook whether he can prepare any curry with it. The cook then used all the left over vegetables and prepared a new curry and called it Avial.

Ingredients (for 10 persons)

Carrots                        3

Beans                           10

Raw banana                2

Drum stick                  2

Ash gourd                   200g

Yam                             200g

Snake gourd               200g

Coconut (small)          1

Green Chillies             8

Curd                            1 cup

Turmeric powder        ¼ tea spoon

Salt                               1 tea spoon

Coconut (Refined) oil 1 table spoon

Curry leaves                3 sprigs

Water                           1 cup

Preparation

*Wash thoroughly all the vegetables.

*Cut them into small pieces of approximately 40 mm.

*Put these cut vegetables into a pressure cooker, add

 Water , salt , turmeric powder and mix it.

*Boil these vegetables for 10 minutes with out keeping

 the weight of the cooker.

*Grind the grated coconut and green chillies into a thick paste.

*Add curd to it and mix.

*Take out the cooker , open the lid and add the coconut - curd mix.

*Pour the oil over it and add the curry leaves.

*Mix thoroughly and Avial is ready.

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NB: Since Avial contains lot of green vegetables and is prepared without much

masalas it is  specially recommended  for diabetic patients.

Skin and Anti Oxidents

Learn About Antioxidants and How They Can Improve Your Skin

Free radicals are major cause of ageing. They can be neutralized by taking antioxidants which breakdown free radicals. The most effective antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E and the mineral selenium. The diet should be supplemented with antioxidants. They protect the skin from damage by keeping away oxygen molecules from eating collagen and elastin of the skin’s tissues. The main precipitating causes of   free radicals are sunlight, smoke, air pollution and mental stress. When free radicals damage skin cells, collagen breaks down and wrinkles formed.

The main antioxidants used in the skin care products are discussed herein.

Alpha Lipic Acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant. It is 400 times more powerful than vitamin C and E. When taken internally it helps in the production of cells and keeps  them to function more efficiently.

CoQ10 produces energy from glucose in our body cells. It is used in every cell of our  body. It serves as an electron transporter for mitochondria. It is important for health and survival.  A stressful life can reduce CoQ10.

Copper peptides activate collagen and elastin. It gives skin strength and flexibility.

Vitamin C is another antioxidant. It builds up collagen and elastin. Vitamin C is unstable. Vitamin C-Ester is more stable but has to undergo changes so as to benefit the skin. L-ascorbic is a particular form of vitamin C and is more useful. It should be used at 2% strength.

Vitamin E is also another skin antioxidant. It is effective in the oil part of cell. It protects against damage from ultra violet rays.

Kinetin delays the destruction of skin fibroblasts. It is taken from plant extract.

Nayad is a patented ingredient from the cellular wall of baker’s yeast. It improves the moisture in the skin by 27%, appearance of wrinkles by 56% and elasticity by 74%.The skin will look young with the daily use of this.

Pycnogenol is another antioxidant. It is twenty times more powerful than vitamin C and fifty times more powerful than vitamin E. It works against free radicals in the water and oil phase of cells. It helps in creating a more youthful skin. Pycnogenol is called “ the magic bullet of free radicals.” It is top of all antioxidants that are currently in the market.

It is   necessary to know the ingredients of the skin care products of daily use.

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