2010 - The year we get younger?

Another year may have been and gone, but 2010 could officially be the year we turn back the clock.

Feeling young at heart is all about being healthy and happy from the inside out and is the key to renewed wellbeing and vitality, whatever age this New Year brings.

So, to help you start off your year in the right direction, we’ve identified six anti-ageing health products that promise to breathe new life into all the important parts of your body, making you see, move, think, feel and act as youthful and fresh as always.

Remember, it’s not a year just gone, but a new one just beginning!

Eye feel young!

As a nation, over 90% of us fear losing our sight above any of the other senses, and perhaps understandably so - vision impairment and loss has a direct impact on more than two million people in the UK today.  Statistics also suggest that by the time we reach 60, one in 12 of us will be blind or partially sighted, rising to one in six when we hit 75.

A healthy diet, high in vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids has long been recognised as essential for maintaining the health of your macula – the part of the eye responsible for central vision.

Ocuvite Complete is an advanced supplement, formulated to provide nutritional support for the macula based on the most current research. Ocuvite Complete contains high-quality lutein, zeaxanthin, 500mg of omega-3 fatty acids - of which 360mg is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and vitamins C & E, and zinc – all of which are backed by extensive research linking their consumption to the maintenance of eye health. Unlike any other eye health product, also contains.  DHA is one of the building blocks of the eye, brain and nervous system.  In fact, the highest concentration of DHA in the body is found within the retina, where it plays an essential role in regulating its function. 

Available as two-a-day soft gel capsules over the counter at most pharmacies. Priced at £14.95 (RRP) for 60 soft gels – a month’s supply.

Freedom to be

An estimated eight million Britons suffer from osteoarthritis and around one million people in the UK suffer from muscle and joint pain – all of which can severely restrict movement and impact on your ability to feel energised and active.

Flexeze Fortify is a dietary supplement that has been shown in clinical studies to support the regeneration of joint cartilage and improve joint health. It contains Fortigel - a unique blend of Collagen Hydrolysate which, when ingested, accumulates in highly stressed joints stimulating the cartilage cells to produce more collagen and proteoglycans. This results in more cartilage and therefore increased flexibility and mobility.

Flexeze Fortify is ideal for people who suffer from constant or intermittent joint pain and related conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as those who wish to take action to address the deterioration of cartilage in their joints.

Priced £29.99 for 30 sachets and is available from Flexeze.com.

Think young, feel young

Mental focus and memory are crucial for quality of life, but as we age our brain not only shrinks in size, its cells and tissue are also damaged by free radicals.  Half of people in their 50s now struggle with their memory, regularly experience forgetfulness and suffer from a decreased ability to think quickly. 

Recent research has linked an increased intake of fish with a reduced risk of dementia – by about 20% - the findings of which add to a large body of evidence supporting the benefits of omega-3 for reducing the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as maintaining healthy brain function.

Unfortunately 80% of us don’t consume the recommended amount of omega-rich fish – two portions of oily fish a week - so this is where a supplement such as Efalex Active 50+ could prove a natural and effective alternative. 

Efalex Active 50+ is a unique combination of omega-3 rich fish oil, Ginkgo biloba, phosphatidylserine, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid, which are all known for their beneficial role in maintaining working memory and brain performance.

Available from Boots, Waitrose and Holland & Barrett priced £9.49 for 30 capsules.

Young love

Only as young as the woman or man we feel? Well if we want to be loving and laughing well into our later years take a tip from the East, where people live and love longer and look fantastic too.

Traditionally used in Asian cultures, Eleutheroccus Senticosus (often called Siberian Ginseng) is becoming increasingly popular in the West and was recently launched in the UK in the form of Sun Eleuthero. Described as one of nature’s finest adaptogens, Sun Eleuthero doesn’t produce the short-lived, instant hit of artificial stimulants, such as caffeinated drinks, but works on a cellular level with your body to adapt to stressful situations and help dispense energy all day long.

Keeping the body in balance at all times, Sun Eleuthero may reduce irritability, aid work capacity, and alleviate anxiety, all of which go towards making it an excellent libido booster. Eleuthero’s reputation for aiding male sexuality has made it a favourite amongst men in the East, and more recently in the West, as it is thought to strengthen sex drive. More recently it has also been thought to help stimulate libido in women.

Priced £17.95 for 300 tablets (a 20-30 day supply) or Sun Eleuthero Extract Drink (available in plum and vanilla flavours) £89.95 for one litre and available from SunEleuthero.co.uk, victoriahealth.com, Planet Organic stores and planetorganic.com.

Age is skin deep

Skin is what protects us from the everyday elements and is a real reflection of what is going on inside our bodies.

Feed and nourish your skin to help it feel supple and youthful by taking an essential fatty acid food supplement, which will help support the skin from the inside out.

Efamol Evening Primrose Oil has been shown to improve skin elasticity, moisture, smoothness and firmness. Essential fatty acids maintain the skin’s moisture barrier, which may help promote a smooth, glowing complexion. They are also important for regulating the body’s inflammatory processes and found helpful for dry, irritated skin and eczema.

Priced from £7.99 and is available from Boots, Holland & Barrett, independent pharmacies and health food stores.

Young at heart

Protecting our heart is the key to a healthy life, regardless of our age, and by reducing the risk factors which lead to heart disease, such as hypertension or an abnormal level of HDL cholesterol, we can not only keep our hearts healthy but also protect against diabetes, strokes and, more recently, dementia.

‘help: cholesterol’ contains 3g of barley beta glucan, the soluble fibre naturally found in the cell wall of cereal grains, which recent clinical trials have shown, reduces total and LDL-cholesterol by an average of 10-14% over a dose range of 3 to 8g/day and is effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels among those suffering from mild hypercholesterolaemia, when consumed in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

help: cholesterol is available from Waitrose and Holland & Barrett stores, priced at £16.49 for a week’s supply.