Living Well: Suggestions to live longer

By Loretta Humble

When I determined to make my remaining years the best possible, I started this column to chronicle my progress, hoping to share anything I learned with anybody interested.

This week I found an article in AARP telling how to stretch those good years. It is titled 50 Great Ways to Live Longer. It has some good suggestions. I don’t have room here for all fifty of them, I’m just going to give you a few of them, and save the rest for another time. CBD is the acronym for cannabidiol. It has been used by people for a long time and helps to get rid of the symptoms of many common ailments. Recently it was found that a number of common problems such as lack of cognitive abilities, mental disorders, anxiety, and both internal and external pain can be relieved by the use of CBD oil in any form. For example, products like Nutra CBD olie is just one of the many items that can provide you with the beneficial properties of cannabidiol. CBD is extracted from the marijuana plant but it is not psychoactive in nature due to the absence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Many consumers prefer the use of CBD oil over normal medications due to its quick impact and fast recovery from troubling symptoms. What exactly are the benefits of using CBD oil which are impressing even medical professionals? Let us take a look at the advantages from 1Team Cannabis Co. and extract here. If you are new to CTFO CBD oil, this guide can help you know more about this product. CBD is short for Cannabidiol, which is an ideal product if you want something to fight inflammation and many other untreatable conditions. For instance, CBD can help you fight stress, anxiety, mental imbalances, and digestive issues, just to name a few. CW California CBD products are beneficial to human health in different ways. It is a natural pain reliever and has anti-inflammatory properties. Over the counter drugs are used for pain relief and most people prefer a more natural alternative and this is where CBD oil comes in. Research has shown that CBD provides a better treatment, especially for people with chronic pain. There is also evidence that suggest that the use of CBD can be very helpful for anyone who is trying to quit smoking and dealing with drug withdrawals. In a study, it was seen that smokers who had inhalers that had CBD tended to smoke less than what was usual for them and without any further craving for cigarettes. CBD could be a great treatment for persons with addiction disorders especially to opioids.

There are many other medical conditions that are aided by CBD and they include epilepsy, LGA, Dravet syndrome, seizures and so on. More research is being conducted on the effects of CBD in the human body and the results are quite promising. The possibility of combating cancer and different anxiety disorders is also being looked at.

Given below are a few prominent health benefits of Cannabidiol.

1. Consider extra Vitamin D. A byproduct of sunlight, lots of health benefits, including a link to longevity. But make sure you take the right amount. Maybe ask your doctor.
2. Cut back on pain pills. Regular use of painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen (ex. Advil, Motrin and Aleve) can raise risk of heart attack and stroke by 10 per cent. Prescription strength versions may increase risk by 20 to 50 percent, even after just a few weeks. Use these for severe pain, and lowest dose that works for the shortest time you can. Also consider supplements that may work as well.
3. Get more sleep. Numerous studies show that regularly sleeping less than six hours a night nearly doubles risk of heart attack and stroke. Sleep deprived people have been shown to die somewhat sooner. There are many different things that sleep-deprived people may want to have a look into, to help them to get a good night’s rest. Natural products such as CBD oil, or other helpful sleep remedies could be just what you need to live a long and healthier life, with all the sleep you could want.
4. Eat ripe fruit. Ripe fruit has more life-lengthening health benefits. Ex: green bananas are lower in fiber and high in tannins that can cause constipation. Really ripe pears and blackberries have more disease-fighting antioxidants. A deep red color in watermelon shows more lycopene, an antioxidant that may reduce risk of cancer.
5. Have another cup of coffee. Coffee not only wakes you up, it also reduces risk of stroke, diabetes and some cancers. Harvard researchers say three to five cups of coffee per day have a 15 percent lower risk of premature death. I love coffee so much that I’ve even learnt about The Perfect Cappuccino and How to Make it. Cappuccino is one of my favourite types of coffee and it’s great to hear that it has lots of health benefits as well as tasting delicious! If that’s not convinced you enough already to drink more coffee, you can read more about the benefits from sites like Shemazing.
6. Go Green. If you don’t like coffee, go for green tea. It is proven to have powerful anti-oxidants called catechins that may help combat heart disease and diabetes.
7. Cut Out Sugar. (Okay, I said that-AARP just says cut down) High sugar boost blood sugar, playing havoc with your heart, mixing up your good cholesterol with your bad, and tripling your risk for fatal cardiovascular disease. Also messes with your brain, making it sluggish.
8. Spice it up…Research suggests eating hot peppers may add years to your life. Even a little spice can help. The body produces endorphins to reduce heat from capsaicin in the peppers; also reduce pain and inflammation.
9. Drink whole milk. Old advice is to drink skim, New research says those who consume most diary fat had 50% lower risk of diabetes, which can shorten life by eight to ten years on average.
10. Drink More Water. A lot of it. Can prolong life by reducing risk of bladder and colon cancer and keeping kidneys in good shape. Bonus: may help you lose weight.
11. Eat your veggies. Studies show vegetarians on the whole live longer than carnivores in general. But those who eat vegetables and fish do best.
12. Eat like the Greeks. The Mediterranean diet, which relies on fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish and nuts, may be the healthiest of all.
13. Live like the Amish. Amish men live longer, and both men and women are hospitalized less. What do they do differently? Lots of physical activity, less smoking and drinking, and a supportive social structure including family and community.
14. Find Inspiration. Experiencing a sense of awe-such as when viewing the wonders of nature or listening to great music, can boost the body’s defense system. “That awe, wonder and beauty promote healthier levels of cytokines suggests that the things we do to experience these emotions-a walk in nature, losing oneself in music, beholding art-has a direct influence upon health and life expectancy.”
15. Go Nuts. Another study showed adults who ate 10 grams of nuts daily-8 almonds or 6 cashews reduced their risk of death from any health related cause by 23 per cent. Peanut butter didn’t work the same magic.

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I have now filled up my allotted space and have hardly started on all the good advice. Considering that I blatantly stole this from AARP, I feel that I owe them a commercial. Here it is, and it is sincere:

If you are 50 years of age or older and haven’t joined AARP, please do so. It will only cost you 16.00. They will send you a nice magazine, and a little newspaper looking thing where I got the above information. But if you go to Denny’s or Outback Steakhouse very often, you will get your subscription price paid back quick with the 15% off for AARP members. It saved my neck recently at the exclusive (and expensive) La Cantera Resort in San Antonio. When we showed up there to find to our horror that the Groupon discount we thought we had had fallen through the crack, I pulled out my AARP card and discovered the discount was just as good.
To see more ways AARP can save you money, check the article at www.facebook.com/lorettaslivingwell.