Simply Woman! by Crystal Andrus

You might believe that atrophy, deterioration, sickness, and senility are all an inevitable part of aging. That is what we have seen, and therefore it must be true. Yet, scientists have proven that eating well and exercising into our 70s, and beyond, can arrest, and even reverse, the signs of aging. In their book Biomarkers, authors William Evans and Brian Rosenberg, researchers at Tufts University, have outlined nine markers for age that are now considered reversible: high blood pressure, blood-sugar tolerance, cholesterol/HDL ratio, bone density, aerobic capacity, body fat, lean muscle mass, metabolic rate, and strength. Reversible – meaning we can undo the damage we’ve done.
What you do to and with your physical body, and what you believe about yourself and your future, are the keys to rebuilding a stronger, healthier you. Your thoughts, or intentions, have the most powerful influence on your health. You become what you believe. Before you can manifest positive changes in every cell of your body, you must believe that a new you – a healthier, more positive you – is your reality. You must erase any negative messages, and re-record positive ones that will carry you toward your wildest dreams.
Nutrition
Build a new reality and dramatically change the very essence of your current cells, or your body as you know it, by eating protein with every meal. Choose primarily fish, egg whites, non-fat (or one percent) cottage cheese, and protein shakes. Also eat fresh, fibrous vegetables with each meal. Cut back on starchy carbohydrates, and stick with high-fibre carbohydrates, such as salads. Continue to drink distilled water and take your vitamins. Essential fatty acids, apple cider vinegar, acidophilus, and fibre (if you are easily constipated) are also very important.
Stand tall
Posture is an important aspect of your health. If you sit at a desk all day in the wrong position, or if the chair itself is poorly designed, you can develop backaches, headaches, and even digestive problems. After a short period of time, your chest muscles shorten and tighten, and your posture is dominated by a rounded back and jutting head. As muscle imbalances become fixed, you soon lose all sense of correct, postural alignment.
Stand in front of the mirror sideways, and critique your posture. Do your shoulders fall forward? Do you have a sunken chest? Does your tummy round out your middle? Now pull your shoulders back and tuck in your tummy. Imagine a string attached to your head pulling you up as tall as possible. Align your cheekbones over your collarbones, and your ears with your shoulders. Focus on lining your hips up directly under your shoulders. Now how do you look? Not just 10 pounds smaller, but also 100 percent better. If you quickly fall back into your slouching ways, try some posture-building exercises to retrain your muscles.
Intensify your interval training
Warm up with three to five minutes of regular walking. Pick up the pace to a jog, or a brisk walking speed that is comfortable for you. Jog or walk at this pace for five minutes. Take it back down to a walk for two minutes. For the next 12 minutes, do three four-minute speed intervals. The first minute should be a light jog. The second minute should be faster and intense. The third minute should be all out, as fast you can go. For the last minute, drop back to a walk to catch your breath. Repeat this three times.
If you have a treadmill, switch to incline intervals. Continue to walk, but increase the incline to the same number in height as your original walking speed. For example, if you walk at a speed of 3.5, raise your incline to 3.5 for one minute. The next minute, incline the treadmill one level higher. Do this two more times, progressively increasing the incline height by one level each minute. However, do not increase your speed during incline intervals. Drop back down to a regular flat walk, catch your breath, and let the burning dissipate from your legs. Repeat this incline interval once more. For the next 10 minutes, jog or walk at a comfortable, steady pace. Always cool down with stretching.
Keep up with your core body strength conditioning and stretching. Ideally, work your muscles two to three times every week.

Crystal Andrus’s column is a condensed version of her new book on personal transformation. She is an authority on women’s health, a sought after speaker and author of the best seller Simply Woman! The 12 Week Body/Mind/Soul Total Transformation Program. www.hayhouse.com/details.php?id=2247
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