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Be A Smart Health Care Consumer
Turn Back The Clock
Sweet and Sour Pasta Salad

Be A Smart Health Care Consumer

Before relying on a product, procedure or medicine to change your life, make sure there is proof of its effectiveness. Consult your doctor. Do research. Ask questions. Be sure that it is science-based and supported by sound medical advice. Here are some tips provided by medical experts that can keep you and your family safe. It's important for you to be able to recognize the difference between a product that really works and a product that just makes you feel better.

5. Don't be fooled by the term "natural." Just because it's natural doesn't mean it can't be harmful.

6. Look out for time-tested and new found treatments. When a product claims to be both a breakthrough and an ancient remedy, it is highly questionable. And remember that the newest and most expensive treatment is not necessarily better than the standard one.

7. Beware of promises of easy weight loss. For most people there is only one way to lose weight: Eat less food and exercise.

8. Meaningless medical jargon may sound impressive but it can be just that: meaningless.

Don't be seduced by fanciful terms that you don't understand. The more you know about your health, the healthier you'll be. Keep this information and share it with your family and your doctor.

It's not how many years you've lived that determine your true well-being: it's how rapidly you've aged. Your driver's license may say you've passed the half-century mark but we know better. Your physiological age- the way your brain and body actually function- may be more than 10 years younger!

Chronological age is only a number. What matters is how quickly we age. Take two 55-year olds: One may have the responses of a 40-year-old and the other of a 60-year-old. The reason: One is aging at a much slower rate - which can mean the difference between an active old age and years of chronic disability.

With basic changes in lifestyle, most of us can trim a decade or more off our biological age. Here are some recommendations based on the latest science of living longer, stronger and younger.

In Your 30's

Strength, stamina, reflexes and resilience peak between ages 25 and 35 in men and women, but a steep downward decline is not inevitable. If you smoke, quit. On average, smokers die nearly seven years earlier than nonsmokers. Mother smart move is keeping tabs on your blood pressure. In a recent study that followed 10,000 healthy men for 25 years, those who developed hypertension as young adults were at higher risk of eventually dying from heart disease.

In Your 40's

Watch your weight-and your waist. More than 20% of Americans have metabolic syndrome, characterized by a bulging belly, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol readings. Men with waists at least 40 inches and women with waistlines wider than 35 inches are at risk. Extra pounds and inches also are culprits in the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes, which increases the danger of blindness, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease and premature death.

In Your 60's

Memory problems, such as forgetting names, become more common with age. However, fewer than 5% of men and women aged 65 to 69 experience more serious lapses. Mental workouts, such as crossword puzzles, can strengthen cognitive muscles. Physical activity helps too. In a recent study of women 65 or older, those who walked regularly were less likely to report memory loss.

Get your vitanñns. Due to age-related metabolic changes, even older adults eating a balanced diet may need supplements.

How To Buy Time

While there is no magic formula for staying younger longer, a combination of factors can add up to a big difference:

PICK YOUR PARENTS WELL - Of course, we can't choose our genes, but they may contribute to how we age. One gene - ApoE-2 - is associated with longer life and a lower risk of degenerative diseases. About 8% of the population inherits this gene, while an estimated 15% carries the more ominous ApoE-4, which has been linked with heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Most people carry ApoE-3, which does not affect health risks. Testing for the ApoE genes as a clinical tool is not recommended except to further investigate an independent Alzheimer's diagnosis.

TAKE ONE CHANGE AT A TIME - First, commit to one healthy habit. If you start smal l- with a 10-minute walk, - other steps, like eating fewer French fries, will follow.

KEEP MOVING - Studies in nursing homes have shown that even 90-year-olds stay healthier and live longer when they're active.

EAT YOUNG - You are as old or as young as what you eat. Simply eating fish two times a week trims a year from our biological age. Other food choices that lower biological age include brightly colored fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and pastas, dry-roasted nuts, beans and brown rice.

REACH OUT - Nothing adds more years to our lives or more joy to our years than other people. These ties help keep us forever young.

In conclusion:
While we can't change our-birth date, we can control the impact of the passing years.

Sweet and Sour Pasta Salad

Cook pasta as directed on package - except omit salt and do not drain. Place frozen vegetables in colander. To drain pasta, pour hot water over frozen vegetables in colander. Let stand until vegetables are thawed. Place vegetables and pasta in large bowl. Add corn, ham and sweet-and-sour sauce. Toss.

Prep: 20 minutes

Yield: 6 servings
Diet Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 lean meat, 2 vegetables, 1 fruit

Per serving:

Calories 250 (Calories from Fat 45)
Fat 5g (Saturated 2g)
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 730mg
Carbohydrate 41 g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Protein 13g

% Daily Value:

Vitamin A 2%
Vitamin C 28%
Calcium 2%
Iron 14%