Different Parts Of Body At Different Times

We all accept that getting older is inevitable. A leading clinicians have revealed the exact age when different body parts start to decline, most alarming being the brain and lungs.

French doctors have found that the quality of men's sperm starts to deteriorate by 35, so that by the time a man is 45 a third of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Here, with the help of leading clinicians, Angela Epstein tells the Daily Mail the ages when different parts of the body start to lose their battle with time.

BRAIN - Starts aging at 20
As we get older, the number of nerve cells - or neurons - in the brain decrease. We start with around 100 billion, but in our 20s this number starts to decline. By 40, we could be losing up to 10,000 per day, affecting memory, co-ordination and brain function.

GUT - Starts aging at 55.
A healthy gut has a good balance between harmful and 'friendly' bacteria. But levels of friendly bacteria in the gut drop significantly after 55, particularly in the large intestine, says Tom MacDonald, professor of immunology at Barts And The London medical school. As a result, we suffer from poor digestion and an increased risk of gut disease. Constipation is more likely as we age, as the flow of digestive juices from the stomach, liver, pancreas and small intestine slows down.

BREASTS - Start aging at 35
BY their mid-30s, woman's breasts start losing tissue and fat, reducing size and fullness. Sagging starts properly at 40 and the aureole (the area surrounding the nipple) can shrink considerably.

BLADDER - Starts aging at 65
Loss of bladder control is more likely when you hit 65. Women are more vulnerable to bladder problems as, after the menopause, declining estrogen levels make tissues in the urethra - the tube through which urine passes - thinner and weaker, reducing bladder support. Bladder capacity in an older adult generally is about half that of a younger person - about two cups in a 30-year-old and one cup in a 70-year-old. ...

LUNGS - Start aging at 20
Lung capacity slowly starts to decrease from the age of 20. By the age of 40, some people are already experiencing breathlessness. This is partly because the muscles and the rib cage which control breathing stiffen up.

VOICE - Starts aging at 65
Our voices become quieter and hoarser with age. The soft tissues in the voice box (larynx) weaken, affecting the pitch, loudness and quality of the voice. A woman's voice may become huskier and lower in pitch, whereas a man's might become thinner and higher.

EYES - Start aging at 40
Glasses are the norm for many over-40s as failing eyesight kicks in - usually long-sightedness, affecting our ability to see objects up close.

HEART - Starts aging at 40
The heart pumps blood less effectively around the body as we get older. This is because blood vessels become less elastic, while arteries can harden or become blocked because of fatty deposits forming on the coronary arteries - caused by eating too much saturated fat. The blood supply to the heart is then reduced, resulting in painful angina. Men over 45 and women over 55 are at greater risk of a heart attack.

LIVER - Starts aging at 70
This is the only organ in the body which seems to defy the aging process.

KIDNEYS - Starts aging at 50
With kidneys, the number of filtering units (nephrons) that remove waste from the bloodstream starts to reduce in middle age.

PROSTATE - Starts aging at 50
The prostate often becomes enlarged with age, leading to problems such as increased need to urinate, says Professor Roger Kirby, director of the Prostate Center in London . This is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia and affects half of men over 50, but rarely those under 40. It occurs when the prostate absorbs large amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone, which increases the growth of cells in the prostate. A normal prostate is the size of a walnut, but the condition can increase this to the size of a tangerine.

BONES - Start aging at 35
'Throughout our life, old bone is broken down by cells called osteoclasts and replaced by bone-building cells called osteoblasts - a process called bone turnover,' explains Robert Moots, professor of rheumatology at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool . Children's bone growth is rapid - the skeleton takes just two years to renew itself completely. In adults, this can take ten years. Until our mid-20s, bone density is still increasing. But at 35 bone loss begins as part of the natural aging process.

TEETH - Start aging at 40
As we age, we produce less saliva, which washes away bacteria, so teeth and gums are more vulnerable to decay. Receding gums - when tissue is lost from gums around the teeth - is common in adults over 40.

MUSCLES - Start aging at 30
Muscle is constantly being built up and broken down, a process which is well balanced in young adults. However, by the time we're 30, breakdown is greater than buildup, explains Professor Robert Moots. Once adults reach 40, they start to lose between 0.5 and 2 per cent of their muscle each year. Regular exercise can help prevent this.

HEARING - Starts aging mid-50s
More than half of people over 60 lose hearing because of their age, according to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf.

SKIN - Starts aging mid-20s
The skin starts to age naturally in your mid-20s.

TASTE AND SMELL - Start aging at 60
We start out in life with about 10,000 taste buds scattered on the tongue. This number can halve later in life. After we turn 60, taste and smell gradually decline, partly as a result of the normal ageing process.

FERTILITY - Starts aging at 35
Female fertility begins to decline after 35, as the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries start to fall. The lining of the womb may become thinner, making it less likely for a fertilized egg to take, and also creating an environment hostile to sperm.

HAIR - Starts aging at 30
Male hair loss usually begins in the 30s. Hair is made in tiny pouches just under the skin's surface, known as follices. A hair normally grows from each follicle for about three years, is then shed, and a new hair grows. Most people will have some grey hair by the age of 35. When we are young, our hair is colored by the pigments produced by cells in the hair follicle known as melanocytes.

How to Stay Healthy While Eating Out

While eating out once in a while can be a great treat for you and your family, it doesn't necessarily need to be a guilty pleasure, or a break from your normally healthy diet. Just by paying attention to what you order, you can ensure that your next restaurant dining experience, whether it's at a fast-food chain or a sit-down restaurant won't be a burden to your body.





The most important thing is to see what your options are:

Avoid Sugary Drinks
One very easy way to lower your calorie intake is by being careful about what you drink. Instead of going for the soda, why not a glass of water instead? It helps to cleanse the palate, thus making your food tastier, and drinking plenty of water helps to send the message to your brain that your stomach is full, which helps you to eat less. Also, consider low-fat or fat-free milk for your children, and if you simply must have that soda, go for the diet option! Finally, beware of what you're getting when you order juice; while it might seem like a healthy option, many fruit juices out there today are little better than fruit syrups. When in doubt, go with the water option.

Go Whole-Wheat
Whether it's for your breakfast toast, your lunchtime sandwich, or the complimentary dinner bread, whole-wheat is the clear choice for the health-conscious consumer. White bread is made from refined flour, which loses fibers, vitamins, and minerals in the manufacturing process. Whole-wheat bread retains these essentials, and also acts as a powerful laxative to prevent constipation. Studies have also shown that consumers of whole-wheat bread weigh less on average, and enjoy reduced risks of heart disease, stroke, and hypertension.

Pick the Salad
Salad is also a great source of fiber, and contains plenty of antioxidants which help the body deal with harmful free-radicals. The fruit and vegetable content is also very high in vitamins and minerals, while providing many other benefits in addition. Vegetables play a role in reducing the risk of cancer, heart attack, and stroke, especially tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. One thing to keep in mind though: take it easy on the dressing. Salad dressings often contain high levels of fat and preservatives, such MSG, and hydrogenated oils, which contribute to the formation of unhealthy trans-fats. These additives can easily neutralize the health-benefits of picking that salad over a soup or a side of french fries, so order your dressing on the side if you can.

Fish for Your Protein
Fish is a healthy alternative to beef or pork as a source of protein and as a tasty entree. It has a much, much lower fat content, while being high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower the rsik of heart disease by boosting your levels of HDLs (the good cholesterol) and by reducing inflammation. Oily fish are also rich in vitamin A and vitamin D.

Order What You Want

When placing your order, don't be afraid to be as assertive as it takes to get the healthy meal you want. For example, see if you can get a smaller portion instead of eating that plate-sized steak. If a meal comes with a side of mashed potatoes drenched in gravy, ask instead if they have a salad option. Ask about the way your food is being prepared, and if it's possible to change it; get your salmon filet grilled instead of fried, wrap that burger in lettuce instead of white bread. It does not hurt to ask, so get the most for your buck!

10 Ways To Healthy Eating

Healthy eating provides your body with the energy and nutrition for its proper functioning, reduces your risk to many life threatening diseases, and protects you against several disorders and diseases. This article lists 10 ways that would pave way for healthy eating.

1. Never skip your breakfast - Breakfast is the most important meal of a day. Skipping your breakfast can reduce your overall energy levels, lowers your metabolic rate, reduces your concentrating capacity, decreases your blood sugar level, and leads to overeating during the other meal times. Start your day with a healthy breakfast that is low in calorie levels. A breakfast consisting of a cup of milk, some bread and a cup of fresh fruits can be wholesome breakfast.

2. Avoid salty foods - Many people who are used to consuming salty foods, adapt themselves to it too much that when they consume foods that have lower amounts of salt, they find them quite tasteless. A study says that most people worldwide consume twice as much salt as recommended. So, cut your salt consumption and add taste to your food with spices.

3. Maintain a food journal - Research says that maintaining a food journal can bring in discipline into your food habits especially when a dietary change is being implemented. So, write down everything that you eat in a day in a book. This will help you to recognize those areas where you need a healthy change.

4. Eat slowly - Slow eating is a great way to relish your food, to eat less, and to pave way for easy digestion. Eat mindfully and slowly. You can do this by putting down the spoon and cutting down your food into smaller pieces before taking them. Chew whatever goes into your mouth well.

5. Plan before you shop - Make a detailed grocery shopping list before you go for shopping. Evaluate the purpose of each food item on the list. Cut off all the filler foods from the list. This will help you eliminate buying those calorie rich things that are completely unhealthy. Also, be mindful to go for shopping in full stomach, else you will end up buying food stuff high in empty calories.

6. Buy loads of seasonal fruits and vegetables - Nature has its own way of teaching us healthy eating styles. It produces certain fruits and vegetables in abundance in certain seasons to tell us that we need to consume those in plenty during those times. Besides, seasonal fruits and vegetables taste good and they do not make a hole in our pockets.

7. Avoid buying drinks other than milk - Beverages available at stores may seem attractive, but they are loaded with artificial sweeteners and sugar that add to empty calories. Avoid even those packaged fruit juices. You can make fresh and healthy fruit juices at your own home. Besides, they won't cost much if you make them by yourself.

8. Make your own snacks - Cut down buying those commercial snacks. Instead, prepare them at your home. Fruit salad, boiled sprouted pulses, air-popped popcorn, steamed vegetables, baby carrots, rice cakes, dry fruits, etc are healthy snack alternatives. You can come up with lots of them by being a little innovative. You can also prepare homemade soups and stews at home for your family.

9. Variety is the key - Ensure that the food items that you consume in a day contain all the nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, fibre, water, and protein. For this, you need to eat a variety of food stuff each day.

10. Take reduced amount of fat and fatty food - Taking too much fat is not healthy. However, you need fats for the proper functioning of your body. So, consume fats in a lower quantity. Let the fats that you consume be of the "good fats" group. The good fats are rich in mono unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Sunflower oil, olive oil, avocados, peanut oil, canola oil, cashews, etc.

10 Must Have Foods to Beat the Summer Heat

It's hot out there and as the mercury soars across the country, counteracting the hot, sticky summertime heat can be a big task. Most of us try to stay indoors to beat the heat. Indulging in a variety of nutritious foods is another great way to stay comfortable. Being a natural coolant, these foods lend you a hand to beat the summer's heat. Try these delicious and cool options to keep your body cool.

1. Tender Coconut: The first thing that comes to our mind when we think about summer is tender coconut. This delicious water is a great coolant and is a rich source of potassium. It should be a staple diet for everyone in the summer to keep the body cool and hydrated.

2. Mangoes: Mangoes are available abundantly in summer. Indians make complete use of the fruit. In addition to savoring delicious mango pulps and juices, traditionally there are many preparations using raw green mango as well. Raw mango is rich in vitamin C and iron. Aam ka panna is a great summer cooler and help greatly in beating the heat. It prevents you from heat stroke and helps to get rid of stomach problems in the summer.

3. Watermelon: Watermelon is an ultimate summer fruit and contains 90% water. It is not only delicious but also is rich in anti-oxidants, iron, beta carotene and a good source of potassium. Besides a thirst and heat reducer, Watermelon is filling and has fewer calories and hydrates the body. This crunchy, juicy summer fruit is a must to stay cool and healthy in the hot summer. In addition, they are good for cardiovascular diseases, colon cancer and diabetes.

4. Curd: Curd is an excellent coolant. Making curd a part of a meal is necessary in the summer. Buttermilk is a great beverage in the summer and boost digestion. In place of soda and aerated drinks, drinking a glass of buttermilk will help to stay fresh and hydrated throughout the day. For those who do not like plain curd or buttermilk, masala chass with full of spices is the way to go.

5. Lemon: Lemon is packed with vitamin c and serves as a natural antiseptic for all small cuts. Fresh lime water, the good old nimboo pani is not only the easiest to make but also keeps the body intoxicated and cool.

6. Onions: In spite of its tear inducing properties, onions are excellent coolant and adding a raw onion in your meal on hot summer days protect you from sunstroke. It is better to have few mints handy for later use.

7. Mint: Mint is known for its cooling effect and is widely used in India, Middle East and Europe. Besides offering a soothing flavor to the food, adding mint leaves to buttermilk, lemon water and salads provide cooling effect as well. It can be used in many ways. You can have it as a chutney or simply add mint to your drinking water. Moreover, it has therapeutic property and is used in making ointments for burns and other beauty products.

8. Cucumber: This crunchy vegetable is packed with water and lots of fiber and is a popular summer food. In addition to its cooling effects, it has antioxidant properties that help to fight against cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Add cucumber in salads, make delicious dishes by combining it with curd and stay as cool as a cucumber

9. Gulkand: It is also known as rose jam and has amazing cooling properties. It is made from the extract of rose petals and is handy to make rose sherbet.

10. Spicy foods: Though it may seem contradictory, spices are cooling aids. They induce sweat and thereby reduce body temperature. Add cardamom in tea to relieve heat and chunk in some turmeric while cooking.

During the summer, our body loses water through perspiration. So, it is imperative to keep the body hydrated. Ensure to drink several liters of water, fresh juices, stews and broths that keep you cool along with pumping essential nutrients.