Lose Weight and Feel Younger

Women can drop pounds and turn back the clock with Good Housekeeping's smart eating guidelines. The secret to the weight-zapping, youth-boosting diet: swapping empty-calorie dishes loaded with unhealthy fats (which accelerate the aging process by triggering chronic, body-wide inflammation) for nutrition-dense, antioxidant-rich alternatives.

Here's what you need to know:

Choose produce

Berries are antioxidant-rich, meaning they combat free radicals (molecules linked to chronic inflammation, the possible root of most chronic diseases). Berries' beauty bonus: They're chock-full of vitamin C, another potent antioxidant that may help keep your complexion looking smooth.

To keep your vision sharp, set your sights on spinach and other dark leafy greens. These veggies are prime sources of lutein and zea-xan -- thin, plant pigments that protect your eyes from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light.

Eat enough protein

Starting in your 40s, muscle mass begins to decline by up to 1 percent a year. That drop slows metabolism, which makes the pounds pile on more easily. To hang on to your metabolism-boosting muscle -- and keep you feeling full after meals (another protein plus) -- experts recommend eating plenty of skinless chicken and turkey breast, lean beef and pork, eggs, beans and seafood.

And don't forget protein-rich dairy: Minerals (primarily calcium, phosphorus and potassium) in fat-free milk and yogurt as well as low-fat cheeses help to keep blood pressure healthy and bones strong.

Try omega-3-rich fish

Fatty acids in seafood help quench the flames of chronic inflammation and may also improve your mood and attitude. The omega-3s in fatty fish like salmon and tuna have the most potent anti-inflammatory effects. But it's smart to consume omega-3s from plant sources, like walnuts and flaxseed, too -- especially if you're not fond of fish.

Select whole grains

A meal plan loaded with whole grains helps you stay slim, thanks, in part, to fiber's role in appetite control. Their low rankings on the glycemic index (a system that rates the effect of different carbohydrates on blood sugar levels) may also play a role.

Whole grains also offer protection against diabetes, heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, high blood pressure and gum disease. These benefits are tied to the array of vitamins, minerals, plant chemicals and, again, fiber that work together to promote health.

Exercise

A recent study found that running, in particular, promotes a long, independent life. Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine followed a group of runners and non-runners for 21 years and found that elderly runners put off age-related disabilities for 16 years beyond their non-running counterparts. Runners also lived longer and were less likely to die from heart disease, stroke, cancer and neurological conditions.

While this study examined running, 30 minutes of more moderate aerobic activity, five days a week, will keep you healthy, according to recently released guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Sports Medicine.

Drink red wine

The ruby beverage's resveratrol is a potent antioxidant, inflammation damper and artery protector. Limit yourself to one five-ounce glass a day; more could be harmful.

On another matter

You can't always predict cashmere quality by just looks. Here are tips to make better buys, from the Good Housekeeping Research Institute textiles expert Kathleen Huddy: Check for two-ply yarn. One-ply is weaker and will pill easily. Place your hand behind one layer of the fabric, and hold it up to the light. If you can see the color of your skin, the material is too thin. Turn it inside out and check if the armholes, collars, cuffs and waist ribbing are knit into the body of the sweater. If they're just sewn on, they may tear at the seams.

The scoop on supplements

Here's what Good Housekeeping says women need to know about taking supplements. Following is a breakdown of particular supplements, the recommended daily dosage and explanation

Multivitamin Standard formula with 800 to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D. Recommended when you're cutting calories, but avoid multis with iron. Excess amounts of this mineral may be harmful.

Calcium 500 mg. If you're getting about 850 mg of dairy through food, you can make up the difference with a 500-mg supplement.

Omega 3s 1,000 mg of EPA plus DHA. Take if you don't eat fatty fish twice a week or if you have heart disease.

Source: Roanoke.com