How to age gracefully (for women)

(NaturalNews) You're getting older. You've earned those wrinkles along with every gray hair on your head. You've done a lot of living, but you've decided you'd like to stick around for many more years. The thing is, you'd like the coming years to be quality years - happy, healthy years.

Vibrant health is within your reach, regardless of your age. It's time to take stock and decide what changes you need to make in your life in order to create the future you desire.

Make yourself the priority

First and foremost, it's time to put yourself first. Chances are you may have been the last on the list for most of your adult life. While this is not true for all women, we have certainly been socialized to take care of our boyfriends, husbands, and children long before we take care of ourselves. The children are grown. It's your turn.

Sleep well and often

Sleep is essential for the body and the mind. Sleep experts say we need less sleep as we age - an average of seven hours rather than eight. But they also say everyone is different. You may need nine hours or ten. Find out how much sleep you need by catching up on your sleep and then allowing yourself to wake naturally. And if you can, allow yourself the luxury of napping.

Find an exercise (or two or three) that you like and do them often

If you do not exercise now, it's time to start. Yes, you can take up running. But why not start with walking? Or turn up the stereo and dance. Swimming is great and so is yoga. But regardless of the exercise or exercises you choose to incorporate into your daily life, do a few get-ups every day.

Get-ups are aptly named. Basically, you lie down on the floor, flat on your back, then you roll over to one side and get up. Each time you get up, roll to the alternate side and use the alternate leg.This deceptively simple exercise uses lots of different muscles and keeps you limber. Too many older Americans can't get up off the floor if they fall. Don't be one of them.

Eat a truly healthy diet and get the nutrients you need

In order to achieve vibrant health, you must eat a truly healthy diet. A truly healthy diet is a whole foods diet, a plant based diet, more vegetables than fruit. A full 80% of your diet should be fresh, raw, organic produce. This is how you get the most nutrition out of your food. Focus on a wide variety of nutrient dense foods. Also, make sure your diet includes omega 3 fatty acids. Flax seed oil, combination omega 3 oils, fish oil...choose one or several and make an omega 3 oil a daily part of your diet. Drink lots of pure, clean water.

Eliminate all artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, MSG, trans fats, and GMOs. In other words, toss the processed foods. You don't need to eat from cans or boxes. It's not real food. Get off processed sugar - completely. It destroys your immune system. Avoid caffeine. And if you're willing to go all the way, get off dairy and gluten, too. Eat a big salad with lots of vegetables, and make cranberry lemonade every day. Drink a lot of it. See below for recipes. You will be amazed at the difference in the way you feel.

Learn about alternative medicine and healthy supplements

Conventional medicine does not treat the cause of disease; it treats the symptoms while creating more disease. Learn about alternative medicine but begin with the knowledge that your diet is the basis of your health. There are supplements and vitamins that may help you, but do not assume that all are created equal. There is a huge difference between synthetic vitamins and whole food vitamins. Purchase your vitamins and supplements from trusted sources.

If you are suffering from any disease, heal your gut. If You Are Sick Chances Are Candida Is the Foundation of Your Illness is a must read. To make your own nutrition powder bursting with vitamins and minerals, check out Total Nutrition - How to Make Your Own.... Add this powder to a smoothie once a day, and you will definitely give your nutrition a boost. Also check out the first two sources below for the recipe for salads and cranberry lemonade. Between cranberry lemonade, lots of raw produce, and elimination of toxic foods from your diet, your body will naturally detox and you will find renewed health and vigor.

Sources:

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Allene Edwards first became interested in alternative medicine and holistic treatment modalities when she successfully used diet therapy to manage her children�s ADHD. Later when she became chronically ill with an auto-immune disease that multiple doctors could not identify, much less cure, she successfully treated both the symptoms and the cause through naturopathic treatment and nutrition. She is the Managing Editor of Organic Lifestyle Magzine and a regular contributor.