Benefits of Yoga

Welcome to the Antiaging Extra. This e-zine will offer extra information on antiaging including news items, product suggestions and recipes each month. Looking for more antiaging tips and tricks? Check out the articles below as well as some suggested links. Don't look your age - Look younger!

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July 2009, Issue # 11

Table of Contents

In this issue you'll find:

• The Benefits of Yoga
  
• In the News - An anti-aging pill?
  
• Preparing for Yoga
  
• Book Review - The Blue Zones
  
• Summer Salsa
  

The Benefits of Yoga

Yoga has many forms. Some are based on meditation, others focus more on the physical. I've found that using the basic physical forms or poses helps my balance and increases flexibility. But what are the other benefits?

Many of the benefits are the same as the benefits to any exercise program. But here are a few benefits specific to yoga.

• Flexibility - I've already mentioned this one, but yoga helps give your body a greater range of motion.


• Balance - Yoga helps with your anti-aging efforts by increasing your balance. You might feel a little unsteady at first. Use a chair to help your balance until you've mastered the pose. Women's Health Magazine stated in their Jan/Feb. 2009 issue that a women's balance improved 228 percent "after they did yoga 3 times a week for 8 weeks." That's impressive.


• Muscle tone and strength - You'll be using your muscles in new ways and gaining muscle strength.


• Stress Relief - The slow movement and deep breathing associated with yoga helps to alleviate stress.

If you've never tried yoga, consider adding it to your exercise routine. You won't want to only do yoga. Your body needs a cardio workout, but yoga can offer many health benefits. You can read more about yoga exercises on the website and see if yoga might be right for you.

In the News - An Anti-aging Pill?

Some biogerontologists like Aubrey de Grey suggest that antiaging is as simple as finding out what's breaking down and fix it. In fact, he uses a strategy that has identified seven breakdowns and he is working toward a "fix" for each of them. Studies have shown progress in mice, but de Grey states that it will "probably be 20 or 30 years before we see effective antiaging drugs on the market."

You can read more about this and other research, including Stanford's reversal of the aging of skin in mice in this article from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Preparing for Yoga

If you are new to yoga and don't know where to start, I have a website to suggest to you. My Yoga Online is a subscription service that allows you to access their vast yoga library for only $9.95 a month (even cheaper with a yearly subscription). You can do a different routine every day. They last from only a few minutes to over an hour from beginners to advanced. Check it out. You can even sign up for a trial week to see if it's for you. It's a great way to get started with yoga.

Book Review - The Blue Zones

Most of the tips are similar to what I've been saying on my website. Eat healthy foods, get enough exercise and reduce stress. Of course there is much more and each area has unique differences.

You can read about each area and their specific antiaging tips at The Blue Zones book review.

There is also a chapter on changes you can make in your life for your own personal "Blue Zone." These include:

• Get exercise on a regular basis through everyday activities.


• Only eat until you are no longer hunger, not until you are full.


• Eat more fruits and vegetables and less meat.


• Drink red wine in moderation.


• Have a purpose for your life.


• Reduce stress.


• Participate in a community of faith.


• Put your family first.


• Surround yourself with people of like values.

What's interesting is, as the western lifestyle of poor eating and fast pace has infiltrated these Blue Zone areas, the longevity rates are beginning to decline. That should be a wake-up call to all of us.

Summer Salsa

One of the great things about salsa is that is it very forgiving. You can add more of an ingredient you like and less of another. Very good friends of mine gave me this recipe years ago. We make it every summer with fresh ingredients.

1 quart chopped tomatoes
1-2 large onions, chopped
1 small (or 1/2 large) bell pepper, diced
1 small jalepeño pepper, diced (or small jar)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/8 tsp. sugar (to cut the acid)
tiny dash of lemon juice
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. sea salt (or more to taste)

Mix all of these ingredients together and serve. YUM! When I'm making it, I taste it to see how hot it is. My husband loves to throw in a cayenne pepper. That's the beauty of this recipe. Use different peppers. Use more or less of anything until it tastes like you want it too. The first time I made it, I left out the salt to try and reduce sodium. Big mistake - it was missing something. So now, I use sea salt. Serve this fresh salsa with tortilla chips.

You can also combine all of these ingredients (we quadruple the batch) and simmer for 2-3 hours, then can in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. That way, we have healthy salsa without preservatives all winter long.

Homemade Tortilla Chips

6 whole grain tortillas
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
salt to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (opt.)

Preheat oven to 375. Spread parchment paper on 2 baking sheets. Lightly coat each tortilla with olive oil using a pastry brush. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the cut side over each tortilla. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cheese on each tortilla if desired. Then sprinkle salt over all. Cut each tortilla into wedges and transfer to the baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Serve plain or with salsa.