You can influence the aging process

Breathe with purpose

If you do yoga, you know the importance of deep breathing. Among other things, deep breathing can lower your blood pressure and relieve your stress. So – while you should do it periodically throughout the day – be sure to start and end the day with some deep breaths. Fill your lungs with air slowly, pushing your stomach out and expanding your chest as you inhale. Then, exhale slowly. Repeat at least 10 times.

Consider doing chi-gong

While many forms of physical activity can help reduce inflammation, I really like a form of movement called chi-gong – or qigong – which, like yoga, combines meditation and exercise. This activity also seems to help reduce the changes of several disorders, including shingles, a painful condition that can occur when your immune system weakens with age. Visit realage.com for a simple chi-gong routine.

Sweat while you exercise

Working up a sweat with aerobic exercise – for example, swimming, cycling, or on an elliptical machine – will help your blood pressure by forcing your blood vessels to dilate and therefore stay more elastic. So add to your walking – and maybe chi-gong – regimen a minimum of one hour a week of sweaty exercise, where you raise your heart rate for an extended period of time (20 minutes, three times a week would be great!)

Take a half aspirin a day

Taking half an aspirin – or two baby aspirin – with warm water can lower your risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, and a bunch of other cancers. Aspirin reduces inflammation throughout the body. There may be a reason why your doctor doesn’t want you to take aspirin,  so double-check with him or her before taking it.

Improve your balance

Again, yoga is a good exercise for improving balance. But even if you’ve left your yoga mat at home, you can prevent falls by improving your balance by:

• Using free weights
  
  
• Doing lunges and step-ups
  
  
• Practicing standing on one leg at a time
  
  
• Using a stability ball to do crunches
  
  

Exercise your brain

Strengthen your mind by exercising your brain. Realage.com has crossword puzzles and sudoku that will challenge you.

Fight wrinkles, sagging, and more

I’m sure you already protect your skin from the sun and wear moisturizer. But don’t forget to protect your skin from the inside by drinking lots of water to keep your skin’s elasticity and suppleness. Also, eat vitamin-rich foods like the ones we discussed last month. Find more skin-healthy food selections with the RealAge Vitamins and Nutrients Best Bets on Realage.com. The same nutrients that protect your skin also do wonderful things for your eyes, teeth, nails, bones, and heart.

Take the RealAge test

Want to find out if your body is actually younger – or older – than your calendar age? Take the free RealAge test. You’ll get a personalized plan to feel and be younger and a list of the things that are making you younger or older.

Who is Dr. Roizen?

A nationally renowned expert, Michael Roizen, M.D., or “Dr. Mike,” is personable, witty, and full of important health insights imparted through his books, a radio show, and his Website, www.realage.com.  He’s also chief wellness officer and chair of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, where he practices both internal medicine and anesthesiology. He’s listed – along with his physician wife – as one of the 1,000 Best Doctors in the United States.

At the age of 61, Dr. Mike has also been a top-ranked squash player. His RealAge books and his “YOU” books – coauthored with Dr. Mehmet Oz – YOU: On a Diet, YOU: The Owner’s Manual,YOU: Staying Young and YOU: The Smart Patient – are runaway bestsellers. His radio show, “YOU: The Owner’s Manual with Dr. Michael Roizen,” is sponsored by Humana and heard on radio stations nationwide. His Website, www.realage.com, has a program aimed at helping health-conscious consumers stop biological aging and live longer, more exciting lives.