Rules of Life

The first rule of longevity is to keep moving. Scientists say that we humans were not designed to be couch potatoes. Our body is designed for movement. Sitting at a desk or on the couch for more than three hours a day may cause more cancer cases than smoking. Inactivity is also linked to obesity and diabetes. Even when we are required to work at our desk in the office, we should take stretch and walk exercises whenever we can throughout the day—everyday. This will not only increase the odds for a longer journey, it will also clear our minds and leave us with a more positive reasons to live.

The second rule of longevity is to drink coffee. Unless your body is over energized by caffeine causing nervousness or insomnia, drinking up to six cups of coffee a day acts like an elixir that wards off heart and respiratory disease. Studies now show that people who drink no coffee suffer more strokes and diabetes than those who drink some coffee every day. While the actual reason for this is unclear, there have been enough studies conducted to back up this finding with hard evidence.

The third rule of longevity is to fortify your digestive system with daily doses of foods that are naturally high in fiber. These include most fruits, vegetables, and enrichment grains. Studies show that eating high fiber food every day can reduce belly fat and lower the risk of cardiovascular problems. This, in turn, helps the body ward off obesity and cancer.  As a result, most dietitians now teach their patients how to live longer by adding fiber to their daily calorie intake.

The fourth rule of longevity is quite serious: Avoid saturated fats. There is a direct correlation between the intake of fats and premature death. Not all fats are bad though. The fat in nuts, avocados and vegetables are ok and may have benefits that offset any bad effects.

The fifth rule of longevity is to exercise. This does not have to be on a treadmill or at your local gym. Plain old walking is sufficient. Studies have shown that people who walk just a quarter of a mile daily can extend their life by six years. Additional research on this subject indicates that people who walk at a brisk pace each day tend to live longer than those who take casual walks or do not walk at all. This was true regardless of the sex and age of people studied.

While none of these longevity rules promise to lead us to the fountain of youth, each has scientific evidence backing it. Best of all they are not contingent on giving up our bad habits or forcing us to take weight loss drugs or sleeping pills.

Brushing, scraping and rinsing are quite easy to perform on a daily basis.  However, daily flossing may sometimes be postponed because it is more tedious to perform.

 Guide to Flossing:

 1.     Buy the right floss. 

The spaces between teeth may either be tight or loose.  Use the right floss that will slide easily in-between teeth.

The most important consideration is thickness.  Too thick and the floss will not slide in; too thin and it will break.  Also, there are waxed (coated) or unwaxed flosses.  The coated type slides in easily.  They are made out of nylon, plastic or silk threads.  The silk floss will break easily.  There are the ergonomically designed flosses with swiveling heads that allow easy access to the front and rear teeth.

 2.     Once-a-day floss.

The recommendation is to brush twice-a-day and to floss once-a-day.

The best time would be at night, before your regular tooth brushing, tongue scraping and mouth rinsing.  By flossing before brushing, the dental plaque and food debris will be removed between the spaces of the teeth.  The cleared spaces will allow the toothpaste and rinse to reach the in-between sides of each tooth.

 3.     Floss carefully.

There are so many spaces in-between teeth that flossing is really a tedious process.  Don’t hurry!  Don’t snap in-and-out the floss threads.  You either break the thread, or you cut your gums.

Bleeding gums are prone to gum infection called gingivitis.  Untreated gingivitis leads to periodontitis, meaning that the infection has spread to the ligaments and bones that support the teeth.  Weak support loosens the teeth which eventually fall off.

4.     Proper flossing.

Curve the floss around the sides of each tooth.  Then, slide the floss starting from the gum line, moving it up to the tip of the tooth, around 2-3 times.  Do this gently and meticulously.  Wash off any debris that sticks to the thread as you move from one tooth to another.

 5.     Use enough floss threads for one session, then throw them away.

Do not recycle floss threads.  Remember that you are removing dental plaque.

Dental plaque is a biofilm formed by layers of bacteria.  Colored pale yellow, it attaches itself on the smooth surface of a tooth.  Studies have shown that there are 25,000 species of bacteria in the oral cavity, with 1,000 species building up as dental plaque.

Flossing can accomplish what brushing can not do … reach into the inner sides and tight spaces between the tooth and gum line.  These areas are where cavities and dental plaque start and remain undisturbed.

Some may even consider it as a chronobiologically-related problem. As the body travels across a number of time zones, the natural body clock’s (circadian) rhythm goes out of sync with the current location’s time. There are a total of 24 time zones in the world, one for every hour of the day and approximately 1,000 miles apart. However, each zone actually varies to give way to geographical and political boundaries. A part of the brain, known as the hypothalamus, act as the body’s alarm clock and tells the body when to perform its different activities like when to eat, drink or sleep. Likewise, it controls blood pressure, hormone level, body temperature and sugar-level in the blood. The body determines the time of day through fibers attached to the optic nerve of the eyes, telling it of the presence of lightness or darkness outside. So when an individual crosses a number of time zones and sees that time is a couple of hours early or late, the hypothalamus trigger command actions that the body is not ready for, making way for jet lag to happen.

There are many ways to minimize the upcoming effects of jet lag when you plan to travel. Here’s some information on how to get rid of jet lag that may help you along the way.

Methods for deferring Jet Lag

Keep in shape and consult with your doctor. Physical conditioning will play a major factor. Keep your body fit weeks or months before a planned trip. It is going to be a healthy lifestyle that would benefit you in the long run. Make sure to seek your doctor’s advice for any medical conditions that you may have that may affect you on the trip.

Avoiding drinking alcohol and caffeine before, during and a day after your scheduled flight. These can cause unwanted dehydration, disrupt your sleeping habits, and initiate nausea. It may further the anxiety that you may currently be feeling as of the moment. Drink lots of water to hydrate yourself through the flight. You can also walk around the plane to keep blood circulation flowing in your legs and feet, preventing possible cramps and blood clots. Always wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

Schedule your trip. Get your body accustomed to the time differential of the new location. Set your routines a few hours back to get used to the time. For long trips, you may also break your trip into several stopovers so that your body can adjust easily to the change.

Jet lag is a nuisance that you can lessen and possible prevent in your trips. Be sure to keep yourself fit and do precautionary measures so that you may know how to get rid of jet lag whenever you travel.