Natural Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body at Any Age

Second Spring

Dark circles

"Fuji pears -- or Asian pears -- were used by Chinese courtesans to get rid of dark circles under the eyes," says Mao. Fuji pears are chock full of vitamin C and copper, which can help protect the delicate skin around the eye from free radical damage. Mao suggests adding a tablespoon of honey to a pealed, de-cored pear and then steaming for 15 minutes. Not only is it a delicious dessert, but the copper in the pear contains superoxide dismutase (SOD), an enzyme that helps mop up free radicals that enter the body via air pollution, says Mao.

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Skin detox

"Since the skin is your body's largest elimination organ it's overloaded all the time and unable to expel the toxins," says Mao. "Certain foods are traditionally used to help eliminate body toxins, such as seaweed, bitter melon, ginger, lotus root and Chinese cucumber. They support the body's more natural function to clear and detoxify the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, so the skin doesn't get overburdened." Mao suggests incorporating one of these foods into the diet every day to give your skin a healthy glow.

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Uneven skin

To help achieve smooth skin with an even tone, Mao suggests using yogurt as a gentle facial peel. Apply a thin layer of plain, organic yogurt to the face and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes. "It's got lactic acid, which is a weak acid that will help peel and renew the skin," says Mao. "People can do it every other day. It's perfectly safe, and it does not cause the same kind of redness from a chemical peel."

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Facial toning

Just like arm lifts can tone your arms, working the muscles in the face can prevent wrinkles by firming and tightening the face, says Mao. Because facial muscles can create a permanent crease or wrinkle in the face through repetitive expression [think frowning or smiling], Mao recommends a five-minute session of facial gymnastics followed by a facial massage in the morning and at night. First raise the eyebrows as high as you can and then relax them. Then inflate your cheeks. Finally, open your mouth as wide as you can and stick your tongue out. To massage the face, stroke the whole face with a circular motion until it's warm. Delicately pinch along your eyebrow line to help stimulate the muscles that keep the eyelids from falling. Finally, gently pat the cheeks with your fingers.

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Liver functioning

Dandelions may be blemishes on a perfectly manicured lawn, but they're making a comeback as an exotic green in your salad, says Mao. "The dandelion is filled with nutrients and helps the liver function more efficiently, which means less toxins need to be eliminated through the skin," says Mao. All parts of the dandelion are edible. The leaves can be thrown uncooked into a salad or after five minutes of boiling. You can also boil the roots for 20 to 30 minutes or roast and grind them into coffee. A word to the wise: don't pick dandelions off your lawn to prevent consuming pesticides. Instead, plant them in a garden or purchase from the grocery store.

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Age spots

To combat age spots and improve brain function, introduce anchovies and sardines into your diet. Dimethyl-aminoethanol (DMAE) found in small fish promotes energy, focus, concentration and has been found to reverse age spots, says Mao. One problem, however, is that some sardines come salted in oil. Mao suggests purchasing sardines fresh or packaged in water with little to no sodium.

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Hot flashes

To ease hot flashes, Mao recommends adding herbs to the diet, including 500 to 1,000 mg of chasteberry, which can also relieve breast tenderness and irregular menstruation. "Chasteberry can actually stimulate your pituitary gland to get your body to produce a little more estrogen. It doesn't contain any estrogen, but it helps to stimulate hormonal function in the body," says Mao. Similarly, wild yam can also help balance the body's hormonal system, alleviate sleeplessness, night sweats and joint pain. Yams can be found in grocery stores while yam extract can be found in most health food stores.

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Hormonal support

Lignans found in beans, nuts and seeds not only help balance cholesterol and prevent acne, but they also contain estrogen-like plant hormones called phytoestrogens that can increase your libido, says Mao. "Flaxseed oil contains a wonderful supply of omega-3 fatty acids, but lignans can only be found in the hull of the seed, which you throw away when you squeeze the oil out of it," he says. Instead of taking flaxseed oil, Mao suggests grinding flaxseeds yourself and sprinkling one tablespoon over oatmeal or cereal or mixing it into a smoothie. However, make sure not to heat up the seeds because an increase in temperature will destroy the omega-3-rich oil.

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Beat bloat

"Bloating comes from excess bacterial growth in the intestines," says Mao. Not only is bloat unsightly and uncomfortable, but it also isn't good for your health by increasing your risk for diabetes and heart disease. "One of the things people can do to [beat bloat] is not to give the bacteria much to eat," he says. Cut portions in half and divide meals up so you're eating five to six meals a day. "The idea behind that is that smaller portions don't give the bacteria much to work with, so they don't produce as much gas." He also suggests taking 300 mg of Magnolia bark to control bloat and help suppress your appetite.

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Sleeplessness

To combat sleeplessness, begin dimming the lights about an hour or two before you go to sleep, says Mao. Fifteen to 20 minutes before bed, turn off all the lights and use candlelight. "Your body will register it's time to go to sleep and start producing serotonin," says Mao. If you have trouble falling asleep, try soaking your feet in hot water and Epsom salt before bed. "It's a way to de-stress. Do a little meditation [while soaking feet] to let go of tension," he says. If you still have trouble sleeping, Mao suggests taking up to 200 mg of passiflora [passion flower] extract before bed. You can also steep one to two tablespoons of the dried herb in one cup of hot water and drink before bedtime, he adds.

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