YOU: on a Diet ( 03/01/08 - 05/31/08 )

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A Good Reason to Get 4 Whole Grains

Want to keep your blood pressure below the 140/90 danger point? Get at least four servings of whole-grain foods a day.

Hypertension risk starts to drop with just one to two servings of whole grains daily, but getting four makes the greatest impact.

Whole-Grain Heroes

For maximum RealAge benefits -- younger arteries, better bowel function, lower cancer risk, etc. -- you'll need six servings of whole grains daily.

Not consistently reaching that goal yet?

Use four as a stepping stone and research shows you'll enjoy better blood pressure on your way to six.

4 in a Flash

It's easy to get four -- or more! -- whole grains into your day. Start early with a whole-grain cereal like shredded wheat. Then, use two slices of a whole-grain bread in your sandwich at lunch, air pop some popcorn for an afternoon snack, and have a scoop of brown rice with dinner.

RealAge Benefit: Choosing whole grains rather than processed grains can make your RealAge 1.2 years younger if you are a man and 2.3 years younger if you are a woman.

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The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a modern nutritional model inspired by the traditional dietary patterns of some of the countries of the Mediterranean basin, particularly Southern Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Portugal, Turkey and Spain.

Common to the diets of these regions are a high consumption of fruit and vegetables, bread, wheat and other cereals, olive oil and fish; making them low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber.

A main factor in the appeal of the Mediterranean Diet is its rich, full flavored foods. Margarine and hydrogenated oils are considered bland and lacking the flavor olive oil can impart to foods. Red wine is also consumed regularly but in moderate quantities.

Although it was first publicized in 1945 by the American doctor Ancel Keys stationed in Salerno, Italy, the Mediterranean diet failed to gain widespread recognition until the 1990s.

It is based on what from the point of view of mainstream nutrition is considered a paradox: that although the people living in Mediterranean countries tend to consume relatively high amounts of fat, they have far lower rates of cardiovascular disease than in countries like the United States, where similar levels of fat consumption are found.

One of the main explanations is thought to be the large amount of olive oil used in the Mediterranean diet. Unlike the high amount of animal fats typical to the American diet, olive oil lowers cholesterol levels in the blood. It is also known to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. In addition, the consumption of red wine is considered a possible factor, as it contains flavonoids with powerful antioxidant properties.

Dietary factors may be only part of the reason for the health benefits enjoyed by these cultures. Genetics, lifestyle, and environment may also be involved.

Some questions have been raised as to if the diet provides adequate amounts of all nutrients, particularly calcium and iron. Nonetheless, green vegetables, a good source of calcium and iron, are used in the Mediterranean diet as well as goat cheese (a characteristic of Malta), a good source of calcium.

Reviews for The Mediterranean Diet

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Mediterranean diet lengthens Americans' lives
Tue Dec 11, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating the Mediterranean way could help you live longer, according to the first study to look at how the dietary pattern relates to mortality in a U.S. population.

Men whose diets were closest to the Mediterranean ideal were 21 percent less likely to die over five years than men whose diets were least Mediterranean-like. Similar results were seen in women.

"These results provide strong evidence for a beneficial effect of higher conformity with the Mediterranean dietary pattern on risk of death from all causes, including deaths due to cardiovascular disease and cancer, in a US population," Dr. Panagiota N. Mitrou of the University of Cambridge in the UK and colleagues conclude.

A number of studies have linked the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fish, fruits and vegetables and nuts and low in dairy foods and red meat, to health benefits, the researchers note in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

They looked at diet and mortality in 380,296 men and women, 50 to 71 years old, who were participating in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study.

For both men and women, the researchers found, the risk of death from any cause over the five-year follow-up period was lower for those with the most Mediterranean-like diets. Deaths from cancer or cardiovascular disease were also significantly lower in this group.

The benefit was especially strong in smokers who were not overweight, who nearly halved their risk of death if they closely followed the Mediterranean diet pattern. Smokers may have had the most to gain from the antioxidant and blood fat-lowering effects of Mediterranean-style eating, Mitrou and colleagues suggest.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, December 10/24, 2007

Mediterranean diet lengthens Americans' lives | Health | Reuters

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The Mediterranean Diet

Can it Reduce Your Risk for Heart Disease?

Higher in fat (40%) than the 30% recommended by the American Heart Association, the Mediterranean diet is gaining in popularity as a tasty, heart-healthy alternative to low-fat eating.

The diet is from the Greek island of Crete where Cretans and other Greeks live longer than any other populations in the world - and - they are 20% less likely to die of coronary artery disease than Americans.

They also have 1/3 less cancer than in the U.S. Is the Mediterranean way a better way to eat? Let's look at the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and compare it to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid.

Note 1: The authors of the Mediterranean pyramid recommend regular physical exercise, drinking 6 glasses of water a day and moderate consumption of wine.

Purple grape juice may offer the same heart health benefits of red wine without the concerns of alcohol.

Note 2: Other oils rich in monounsaturated fats, such as canola or peanut oil, can be substituted for olive oil. People who are watching their weight should limit their oil consumption.

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How does the Mediterranean Pyramid differ from USDA Food Guide Pyramid?

* Both pyramids recommend eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but the Greeks ate very little red meat, and, they consumed far more plant foods - averaging nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich vegetables.
* The Greeks ate cold water fish several times a week - another heart-healthy investment since fish contain omega-3 oils that not only reduce heart disease risk but also boost immune system functioning.
* The USDA Food Guide Pyramid groups high protein foods together and does not separate out the red meat from the heart-healthy fish and nuts.
* The Greek diet contains little of the two kinds of fats known to raise blood cholesterol levels: saturated fat and trans fat (also called "hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil" in the ingredients section of food labels).

The USDA Food Guide Pyramid does not make the distinction between the healthy fats like monounsaturated oils and the unhealthy fats like saturated (found mostly in red meats and tropical oils) and trans fats (found mostly in margarines, snack foods, processed peanut butter and commercial baked goods). Both recommend limiting total fat if watching weight.

What we can learn from the Mediterranean diet about reading food labels?

Understanding the differences in kinds of fats and knowing how to read and interpret food labels can help one become a smarter food shopper. Look for snack chips without hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils (check the ingredients section).

Try natural peanut butter instead of the pasty, hydrogenated kind. Alter recipes whenever possible to replace unhealthy fats with healthy fats like olive, canola or peanut oil. Use butter very sparingly or use butter flavoring.

Don't believe "Fat Free" or "Cholesterol Free" labeling means that a the product is good for you. Many of these items are made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils and they have "empty calories" that can raise blood triglyceride levels.

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Is this a good diet for people with known heart disease?

In one study, French researchers assigned 600 heart attack survivors to follow either a Mediterranean diet or a regimen similar to the one recommended by the U.S. Government and American Heart Association.

The short-term results were virtually the same: both diets reduced cholesterol levels by comparable amounts, but the long-term results were surprising. Only 8 new heart attacks occurred over the next two years in the Mediterranean group, compared to 33 in the other group. What the researchers don't mention, however, is the gender of participants.

Statistically, women are at much greater risk of suffering a second heart attack. Another consideration is that heart disease is multi-factorial. Diet is just one factor. Family history, lifestyle and blood pressure management are other risks.

What about wine?

The authors of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid recommend moderate consumption of wine. The American Heart Association recommends drinking in moderation. Most Mediterranean people drink with their meals. Consuming an alcoholic beverage in moderation means drinking no more than one glass of beer, wine or a cocktail a day for a woman and two for a man.

This may reduce heart attack risk by raising HDL levels somewhat and by inhibiting blood clotting, however, alcohol is addictive and can lead to destructive behavior. Over-consumption can cause high blood pressure and weakening of the heart muscle. Studies suggest drinking grape juice can have the same beneficial effect as drinking wine.

OPC's (Oligomeric Proantho Cyannidins) are located in the skin and seeds of grapes and are powerful free radical quenchers. If you do drink, do so in moderation. If you don't drink, don't start. Drinking purple grape juice may be a healthier alternative for some.

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Getting Off the Cow
Reducing the amount of red meat in your diet can be easy with these tips.
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, October 2005

Cutting back on red meat makes good health sense and makes your RealAge younger.
Studies show that eating too much red meat can increase your risk of many chronic health conditions.

But what kind of nutrition hole is created when you limit red meat in your diet? The truth is, it's easy to miss out on important nutrients when you cut back on a major food source.

So, when you cut back on red meat, make a balanced eating plan to help ensure you don't shortchange yourself on important nutrients such as protein, vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, and zinc.

To get enough of these important nutrients, replace red meat with other foods that contain them.

Soy products, such as tofu or soy burgers; legumes, such as lentils or garbanzo beans; low-fat dairy; dark green, leafy vegetables; nuts; and whole grains can supply many of these nutrients.

Also, poultry and fish are leaner sources of protein that provide many of the same nutrients found in red meat.

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Fruits and Vegetables Can Protect Your Health

Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.

The Colors of Health

Fruits and vegetables come in terrific colors and flavors, but their real beauty lies in what's inside.

Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C.

Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.

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Nutrient Information

Fruits and vegetables are sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Some of these nutrients may also be found in other foods. Eating a balanced diet and making other lifestyle changes are key to maintaining your body's good health.

Fiber

Diets rich in dietary fiber have been shown to have a number of beneficial effects including decreased risk of coronary artery disease. Excellent vegetable sources:
navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, lima beans, white beans, soybeans, split peas, chick peas, black eyed peas, lentils, artichokes

Folate*

Healthful diets with adequate folate may reduce a woman's risk of having a child with a brain or spinal cord defect. Excellent vegetable sources:
black eyed peas, cooked spinach, great northern beans, asparagus

Potassium

Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Good fruit and vegetable sources:
sweet potatoes, tomato paste, tomato puree, beet greens, white potatoes, white beans, lima beans, cooked greens, carrot juice, prune juice

Vitamin A

Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections. Excellent fruit and vegetable sources:
sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, winter squash, cantaloupe, red peppers, Chinese cabbage

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keep teeth and gums healthy. Excellent fruit and vegetable sources:
red and green peppers, kiwi, strawberries, sweet potatoes, kale, cantaloupe, broccoli, pineapple, Brussels sprouts, oranges, mangoes, tomato juice, cauliflower

Good sources: These foods contain 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value per reference amount.

Excellent sources: These foods contain 20 percent or more of the Daily Value per reference amount.

*The Institute of Medicine recommends that women of childbearing age who may become pregnant consume 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid per day to supplement the folate they receive from a varied diet. Synthetic folic acid can be obtained from eating fortified foods or taking a supplement.

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Creative Marketing -- Don't Get Fooled

If you are thinking that one way to keep your diet wholesome is to focus on natural additives instead of artificial ones, think again.

Artificial additives are anything that doesn't come from spices, fruit or fruit juices, vegetables, edible yeast, herbs, bark, roots, and other natural sources. They are artificially produced using chemicals or synthetic compounds.

Natural flavor, on the other hand, derives its taste-making power from all the aforementioned naturally occurring substances. For example, powder made from beets provides a natural food coloring.

But natural does not always mean safe. For example, some FDA-banned food additives come from plant sources. "Natural" is not a regulated food term. It has no legal meaning and can be misleading. The term might refer to the natural flavoring only.

Also, it's difficult to tell from product packaging which items contain only natural ingredients and which contain synthetic or artificial ingredients.

Planning Around Processed Foods

With so many variables and so many different additives serving different functions in processed foods, it might seem like an overwhelming task to decide which ones you feel are safe or appropriate to include in your own diet.

But processed foods are a fairly inevitable fact of life -- without some form of processing, many foods would spoil before consumers could buy them at the market. Eliminating processed foods from your diet is not a practical solution.

Minimizing your intake of unnecessary ingredients or highly processed, nutrition-poor foods is a good idea, however. Opt for fresh, whole foods when available.

Choose foods that have been minimally processed or foods that have undergone necessary or valuable processing, improving the nutritional status of the food or preserving it long enough so that you can benefit from it.

With this approach, you can minimize the potential negative aspects of certain processed foods while optimizing your intake of essential nutrients. RA

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•Diet Devotion

Worry less about which diet to try and more about whether you can stick with it.

As long as a diet provides healthful and balanced nutrition, the type of diet you choose may not matter much to your long-term goals.

In a study, researchers found that diet adherence was a much more important factor than the kind
of diet people chose when it came to how much weight people lost.

Take stock of your eating preferences and lifestyle when you choose a diet.

Your ability to stay with it long term will depend in part on how easy you find the program to maintain.

Before you revamp your diet, consider the following questions:
Does the program entail cooking or pre-prepared foods?
Will you be able to eat out?
Will you eventually feel deprived by the elimination of a food group?

You'll be more likely to stick with a diet that fits easily into your lifestyle and doesn't leave you feeling deprived.

A combination of balanced, nutritious eating habits and regular exercise remains your best defense against weight gain and related chronic diseases.

RealAge Benefit: Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

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Zap Stress and Grow Younger with a Sniff of This

Feeling overwhelmed? A quick liaison with lavender may help keep things under control.

Seems a scant 5 minutes of exposure to mild lavender aromas helps curb the release of cortisol -- a key stress hormone that can prematurely age you by triggering inflammation.

Bonus Scents

In a recent study of Japanese co-eds, sniffing lavender not only lowered cortisol levels but also may have enhanced antioxidant activity in their bodies -- a double blow to the aging process.

6 More Ways to Relax and Live Longer
Every little bit of stress busting helps your health. So in addition to lavender baths and aromatherapy kits, help kiss your stress goodbye with these tips:

* Practice a muscle relaxer.
* Think it away.
* Set your iPod to your "slow tunes" playlist.
* Try calm-you-down-quick foods.
* Set aside some time to get your worrying done.

RealAge Benefit: Managing chronic disease can diminish its effect on your RealAge.

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Berries for Your Blood Pressure

Don't think of them as a treat. Berries should get daily play in your diet -- especially if you’re at all concerned about your blood pressure.

People with high BP who ate berries daily as part of a study saw a 7-point dip in their systolic blood pressure -- after just 8 weeks of berry love!

Bursting with Goodness

Berries have a lot going for them: They're jam-packed with polyphenols, like flavonols and anthocyanins. Plus, they're loaded with vitamin C, folate, potassium, and fiber. With so much in such a tiny package, it's hardly a surprise that it took just 4 ounces of a berry medley each day to boost the health of the study participants.

Not only did their blood pressure go down, but their HDL ("good" cholesterol) went up, too.

Berry Many Possibilities

The berry medley in the study contained everything from bilberries and lingonberries to strawberries and raspberries, so the juicy possibilities for getting your daily dose are infinite. Given that you can eat berries one by one, they're the perfect alternative to chips when stress calls for some hand-to-mouth action.

* Add them to salads. Sprinkle raspberries on dark, leafy greens.
* Drink 'em.
* Use them on barbecued meats.

RealAge Benefit: Getting 31 milligrams of flavonoids a day can make your RealAge 3.2 years younger.

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Tuesdays Menu

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups two thirds decaf with soy and evap. milk
walnuts

Breakfast:
one fried egg
oatmeal with raisins and buckwheat honey
Cara Cara orange

Pre-Lunch:
Granny Smith apple
grn. tea w/lemon, orange blossom honey

Lunch:
baked Healthy Harvest rotini with mozzarella
Italian eggplant sauteed in garlic and oil

Pre-Dinner:
organic plain yogurt with blueberries
5.5 oz. V-8 juice

Dinner:
vegetarian chili w/brown rice & raw chopped onion
banana

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Can You Get Your Hair Back?
Written by RealAge, Inc., peer-reviewed by Dr. Axel Goetz, October 2004

Bald can be beautiful. But for men and women, the prospect of losing one's hair usually is not a welcome thought. Although it is common to lose up to one hundred hairs per day, you may be looking at the hairs in your shower drain and wondering if there is something more you could be doing to control it.

If you are losing more hair than you think is normal, your first step is to uncover the reasons for your hair loss. The sooner you find this out, the sooner you can control it.

Get to the root of the problem

A certain amount of hair thinning is a natural part of the aging process for some people. However, if you have sudden or patchy hair loss, a doctor appointment is in order. Sudden hair loss or patchy hair loss can result from an underlying disease, toxicity, or condition.

For example, skin conditions such as vitiligo, autoimmune disorders such as Addison's disease or alopecia areata, and certain thyroid conditions all can cause sudden or uneven hair loss.

Food for thought

Could your diet be causing your hair loss? If you are a vegetarian or eat few iron-rich foods, such as red meat, it could be. Dietary deficiencies can cause hair loss in some people. If your thinning hair is accompanied by thin and fragile fingernails, ask your doctor about a blood test for iron deficiency anemia.

Additionally, a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and biotin may play a role in the condition of your hair. Although these nutrients won't put hair back on your head, they may help preserve the shine, strength, and integrity of your hair.

Cold-water fish, such as salmon and herring, are good sources of these nutrients.

Some studies have shown that green tea may have a positive effect on inherited hair loss. Although the evidence that green tea can prevent hair loss is not strong, drinking the antioxidant-rich tea is a valuable addition to any diet.

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Adults who eat apples, drink apple juice have lower risk for metabolic syndrome
Apple product consumers likely to have lower blood pressure, trimmer waistlines, and more nutrient dense diets

SAN DIEGO - Not eating your apple a day. Perhaps you should be. Adults who eat apples, apple juice and applesauce have a significantly reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health problems that are linked to numerous chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The study results, presented at the Experimental Biology 2008 meeting this week, were derived from an analysis of adult food consumption data collected in the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the government’s largest food consumption and health database.

Dr. Victor Fulgoni analyzed the data, specifically looking at the association between consumption of apples and apple products, nutrient intake and various physiological parameters related to metabolic syndrome. When compared to non-consumers, adult apple product consumers had a 27% decreased likelihood of being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

Fulgoni notes, “We found that adults who eat apples and apple products have smaller waistlines that indicate less abdominal fat, lower blood pressure and a reduced risk for developing what is known as the metabolic syndrome.”

In addition to having a 30% decreased likelihood for elevated diastolic blood pressure and a 36% decreased likelihood for elevated systolic blood pressure, apple product consumers also had a 21% reduced risk of increased waist circumference – all predictors of cardiovascular disease and an increased likelihood of metabolic syndrome.

Additionally, adult apple product consumers had significantly reduced C-reactive protein levels, another measurable marker related to cardiovascular risk.

Furthermore, apple product consumers’ diets were healthier than non-consumers – they had an overall greater intake of fruit and key nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium. These consumers also ate less total fat, saturated fat, discretionary fat and added sugars.

Metabolic syndrome is believed to affect an estimated 36 million Americans. Metabolic syndrome, also known as Syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome, is defined as having three or more of the associated symptoms, which include elevated blood pressure, increased waist size and abdominal fat, and elevated c-reactive protein levels.

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Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure

Published: Wednesday, 9-Apr-2008
Medical Research News

Scientists in the UK claim that drinking a glass of beetroot juice each day can help reduce high blood pressure.

The scientists at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and the London School of Medicine, say they found 500 millilitres of the juice led to significant reductions in blood pressure within hours.

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia and Professor Ben Benjamin from the Peninsula Medical School say their research revealed that it is the nitrate contained within beetroot juice, also found in green, leafy vegetables, which affected the blood pressure.

The research involved fourteen healthy volunteers who were asked to drink either 500 millilitres of beetroot juice or the same quantity of water within 30 minutes.

Every 15 minutes from one hour before taking the drink to three hours afterwards, their blood pressure was measured and readings were taken every hour for six hours and a final test conducted 24 hours after the drink was consumed.

The researchers found that the volunteers who drank the juice started to show reductions in blood pressure after just one hour and after two and a half hours, their systolic rate, the heartbeats, was around 10 millimetres lower than that of participants who had drunk water.

The diastolic reading, the "resting" pressure between heartbeats, was 8 millimetres lower in the juice drinkers after three hours.

After 24 hours, the systolic BP was still more than 4 mm Hg lower for volunteers given the beetroot, while there were no differences for diastolic BP.

Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure

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The 3 Things You Need to Know About Soy

The claims are amazing -- soy does everything from lowering cholesterol and fighting cancer to thwarting brittle bones -- but scientists are still arguing.

Let 'em. Because if you're looking for a high-protein food that's low in saturated fat (this, of course, is where cheeseburgers and steaks flame out) soy's awesome.

And hey, if it turns out that all those other claims are true, jackpot! Plus, training your taste buds to love foods that thwart aging can make your "RealAge at least 3 years younger.

So here's all you need to know:

1. Drink up. Even die-hard carnivores -- not to mention the lactose intolerant and people who just don't care for dairy -- like soymilk. (The vanilla Silk brand gets them hooked.) Just make sure it's calcium fortified. A cup of fortified has 200–400 milligrams of calcium, or 20%-40% of your recommended dietary allowance.

2. Keep it simple. Heavy-duty processing isn't any better for soy than it is for whole grains. Choose basic Asian soy foods, such as tofu, tempeh, and miso, rather than highly processed soy sausages, frozen desserts, and energy bars. Otherwise, you're likely to find the label full of cholesterol, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium.

3. Think whole beans. Soybeans -- widely known as edamame (ed-a-mommy) -- give you the purest punch of the plant's phytochemicals, especially its isoflavones. Many supermarkets now stock frozen soybeans (in and out of the pod), and some even have fresh ones.

Keeping frozen shelled beans on hand makes it easy to toss them into soups, salads, pasta, tortillas.

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It’s the Least You Can Do

Exactly how little can you do and still get fit? A new study suggests 1.7 might be the magic number.

Middle-aged men and women at risk for heart disease who walk at a moderate pace for just 1.7 miles a day improve several important measures of their aerobic fitness.

More Is More

Ok, we admit it. The data show that jogging at full speed for nearly 3 miles a day reaps the greatest cardiovascular benefits.

But if jogging shorts and running shoes aren't your style -- or you're just feeling kinda tired today -- at least get yourself out there for 1.7 miles. It's still enough to keep you on the road to better fitness.

More Ways to Do Less

Going slower doesn’t always mean that you'll lose the fitness race. Here are some other ways to keep yourself in the game when you feel like throwing in the towel:

* Slow it down. You don't have to keep up with that marathon runner.
* Take a breather. Right in the middle of your workout.
* Break it up. Can't pull together 30 minutes of exercise? Grab 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes after dinner. Done.

RealAge Benefit: Exercising regularly can make your RealAge as much as 9 years younger.

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Slow and Steady

Do you huff and puff your way through workouts -- and hate every gasp?

Then slow it down, especially if weight loss is one of your goals. New research shows that lower-intensity exercise may help you shed more pounds than a faster-paced activity -- as long as you burn enough calories from it.

So get out of the high-speed lane. Walk, don't run. Jog, don't sprint. Skip the spinning class and pedal an exercise bike at a comfortable speed, all the while chanting: Do less, lose more.

The study compared two groups of women who did slower- or faster-paced sessions on the treadmill 4 days a week.

During the sessions, each group exercised at their respective paces until the same number of calories was burned. After 3 months -- with absolutely no dieting -- the slower-goers had lost an average of more than 7 pounds each, while the quicker group had dropped only 4. Although the study was small, the numbers are compelling.

Not a treadmill type? No problem. Do whatever you like; just do something. The results are waiting!

RealAge Benefit: Exercising regularly can make your RealAge as much as 9 years younger.