As we move from season to season, we need to refocus our Anti-Aging strategies. All of the things in today's newsletter are useful at any season....but they are especially useful for those who are heading into winter.

A change of seasons is an opportunity to refocus your Anti-Aging efforts. Here are some tips gleaned from recent research

1. ACTIVITY - You know that 45 minutes of aerobic activity is good for your heart, your weight, your bones, your blood sugar (especially if it is done right after meals) and your Cholesterol. If you have depended on a daily walk and the temperature is heading towards 10 degrees, you need to plan now so you will be active all winter.

Here are a few suggestions: Daily: dance - square dance, tap, Irish step dancing or just make up your own moves while you dance in the kitchen, playroom or hallway. Do jumping jacks in the basement (If you have osteoporosis of the hips, do give your doctor a call to make sure this is OK).

Go up and down the stairs for 15 minutes twice a day, March or run in place (Music helps), snow shoe, cross country skiing, join an aerobics class or get a DVD and do it at home. But move! Your health and brains depend on it. (Lack of aerobic exercise is a precursor of adult onset dementia.)

2. FOODS - All of the following are especially good choices. They reduce cholesterol, help prevent dementia and are good for balancing your blood sugar: Apples, Avocado, Blueberries and Cranberries, Yogurt/Kefir as long as it has 'active cultures', Extra Virgin Olive oil (try cutting out prepared salad dressing and use olive oil and balsamic vinegar as often as you can)Oats (I buy the kind you are supposed to cook but use them as dry cereal with some nuts, raisins or berries - much less sugar than the store bought kind), Soy milk, tofu or soy beans [not the rest of the prepared soy products], Spinach and other greens, Walnuts (10 a day).

I shall be adding pages with the research about each of these to the web site. I recommend them to you because there IS documented research on their brain, blood sugar and and cardio benefits.

Spices: add Cinnamon to anything - research study of 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day for 40 days reduced fasting glucose 18 - 29%, triglycerides 23 -30% and LDL (bad) cholesterol by 7 - 27%. Put it on toast, cereal, top off coffee, yogurt or tea, add it to bread and butter, apples or oranges. Cinnamon is your spice of choice for winter.

Try green or black tea instead of coffee - especially at night. Oh, and cinnamon in tea is a preference for many.

3. POSITIVE DAY DREAMING - take some time every day to day dream. Make your day dreams pleasant - feel yourself on a pleasant vacation, use your hands to give your arms and hands the gentles of massages while imagining yourself in a pleasant spot. Day dreams can bring back good memories or create new ones. All of us can find a few minutes a day for pleasant daydreaming ---- and the positive effects of such time is well documented.

Research shows that those who 'imagine themselves 10 - 20 years younger than their chronological age begin to look younger, act younger and feel younger. Your imagination is one of your strongest 'medicines'. There is a page on the web site giving some of the research on this - it is under 'longevity'

4 WEBSITE UPDATES: I am adding to the section on retirement and the main page will be revised soon so all the new articles are listed. Also, I was away this month giving a paper at an academic conference so if you emailed me and did not get a response, please try again.

I want this web site to be just what YOU want, so do let me know if there is a topic I should cover. Someone did ask that I add some material about cholesterol to the site. I just finished reading enough research and there will be a page going on line this next week.

Until next month.....

Kate