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TCM GUEST EDITOR

Meet one of our fave pros on the topic of hormones, aging and women's health, Dr. Sara Gottfried. We're talking about easy ways to anti-age, including a killer red sangria recipe...

Girl talk. We’d like to think that hormones aren’t something we have to deal with til late in life, but our bodies are constantly changing and if we learn to read between the (fine) lines early, growing up can be graceful — and actually kind of fun.

We’re thrilled to have hormone whisperer and one of just a few repeat TCM Guest Editors, Dr. Sara Gottfried, back in action all month long, helping us navigate the ins and outs of well-being with her signature combo of serious science and woman-to-woman relatability.

This Harvard-trained MD’s first two bestselling books — The Hormone Cure and The Hormone Reset Diet — were game changers for millions of women. Her latest, Younger, shares more tools to own the aging process and we’ll be sharing our favorite insights all May.

To start the month in true Dr. Sara style, we’re sharing five of the most fun ways to hack the aging process. We asked Dr. Sara her favorite ways to age well and she shared everything below – including a killer recipe for red sangria. Cheers!

Biodynamic wine

When mixing up that pitcher of sangria, opt for a biodynamic wine. These wines are made from grapes cultivated by a form of organic agriculture with a tiny carbon footprint. Non-organic wines contain a long list of toxic additives, including sugar, tannin (beyond the tannins that occur in oak-barrel aging), acids, enzymes, copper sulfate, coloring agents, dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC, a microbial-control agent designed to kill microorganisms) and fining agents. Keep in mind that not all wines that are organic are biodynamic, but the key is choosing a wine that is better both for your health and the planet. Sadly, not all biodynamic or organic wines are superb; a few of my favorite brands that taste similar to wines I love include Quivira (white) and Emiliana Coyam (red). Quench free radicals that accelerate aging with antioxidants with sexy sangria (recipe below).

Brazil nuts

Enjoy that sangria with some fresh Brazil nuts. Munching on these tasty nuts fill you up with magnesium. Brazil nuts provide 100% of your recommended daily allowance of selenium, which you need to keep your thyroid happy. With a healthy fat content, Brazil nuts help keep you full and assist your body in warding off toxins. Just don’t overdo it: Five to six Brazil nuts per day is just right.

Vitamin D

Did you take your vitamin D today? Eighty percent of Americans are low, and it helps you de-age in two ways: It mends your telomeres and improves your sleep. Vitamin D appears to have direct brain effects on your regulation of sleep, specifically in the diencephalon (the part of your brain that contains the hypothalamus and regulates hormones) and brain stem (trunk of the brain). Some hypothesize that sleep disorders have risen to epidemic levels because of widespread vitamin D deficiency, and I agree. Vitamin D has hormonal, neurological and immunological influences on pain in the body, playing a key role in the cause and continuation of chronic pain and associated problems such as insomnia. Lack of sleep, disrupted circadian rhythms and low vitamin-D levels can impair healing and repair and make you age faster, as covered in my new book, Younger.

Floss Twice. Every Day.

Floss twice per day! Did you know that you have more than 700 microbes in your mouth? According to research statistics, flossing fosters longevity (independent of brushing one’s teeth), as does seeing the dentist at least twice per year (I go quarterly). Flossing can prevent periodontal disease after as little as one month of regular use. If we’re already discussing oral hygiene, make sure to use an electric toothbrush, especially after drinking wine as it stains the teeth. Powered toothbrushes reduce plaque and gingivitis more than manual brushing in the short and long term. Aim for a two- to three-minute date twice per day with your brush.

Sexy Sangria

Ingredients:

1 bottle red wine (preferably organic)
3 oranges, thinly sliced
1 tsp lemon zest (I prefer Meyer lemons)
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lime, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup raspberries
1 to 2 quarts sparkling water (optional)
sprigs of rosemary or crushed pink peppercorns, for garnish

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in large pitcher. Chill in fridge and add ice. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary and crushed pink peppercorns.

The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. 
All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health related program. 

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Comments


  1. Seriously? This article is about sangria and flossing? Lol. Kind of a joke.

    Susie | 05.01.2017 | Reply
  2. I agree Susie, it almost reads like a spoof, I came to read something interesting and to learn more about hormonal changes, this was fluff.

    Charlotte | 05.02.2017 | Reply
  3. You’re the bomb Dr. Sara. Thank you so much you do for helping women navigate their health. Younger is fabulous.

    Chrisdy | 05.02.2017 | Reply
  4. Great recommendations here– who would have thought flossing was so important! Can’t wait to make some sangria this weekend! Thanks, Dr. Sara!

    Daniela | 05.02.2017 | Reply
  5. Thanks for reminding me how important Vitamin D is! This will definitely be a help alleviating my post baby grogginess.

    Yoni | 05.02.2017 | Reply
  6. Where’s the part about the sauna and fascia blasting???!!!

    Fran | 05.03.2017 | Reply
  7. Yoni:
    Don’t forget about making sure you get plenty of omega 3s post birth. I heard that the baby takes what they need for development and the mother can come up short.

    Terry | 05.04.2017 | Reply
  8. Thank you for writing this article ! I came across at the right time.

    rupali | 05.05.2017 | Reply
  9. I don’t even drink alcohol… why push something that’s not really healthy? THIS is our society? Sad.

    dabney | 05.05.2017 | Reply
  10. I think every little bit helps. Positive advice. To other comments, I think being over critical ages you more quickly.

    Sherri | 05.12.2017 | Reply
  11. 5 minutes I’ll never get back

  12. That’s great that u don’t drink but for some of us, a glass of wine is the icing on the cake after a good day’s work – and its a great way to bring my friends together for some laughs…WHICH IS VERY HEALTHY! 🙂

    Suzanne Rogers | 05.25.2017 | Reply
  13. Dr Sara is the real deal! Sometimes what may seem trivial or nonsense really does move the barometer on our health. As we get older, any simple but profound advice to help us age better is appreciated.

  14. If you want the deep stuff buy the book. All her books are excellent. As a dental hygienist I wholeheartedly understand that flossing is highly under estimated. It does affect your whole health in many ways. I wanted to see about the fascia blasting but I’ll go crack open my new book for it. The deep things of her books may intimidate an interested person if dumped out in a short article. They’re trying to attract people to her by saying it’s fun. Which it really can be if you give it a try! I was intrigued by the wine section I don’t love wine but my friends do so I have some with them, but now I believe I will keep organic wine on hand at least for my own health, didn’t realize all the garbage in reg wine!!

    Jmjrdh | 07.19.2017 | Reply
    • Ok, this is super gross but alas… I once went through a bout where I seldom flossed my teeth, then one day when I actually did, I realized my dental floss stunk… badly! It was super nasty! Now I make sure to floss every day.

      Ashley | 04.06.2018 | Reply
  15. Some people are so rude… I found this to be great info and am gobbling up everything from Dr. Sara these days. Trying to get my stress hormones under control and I think this sangria sounds like a beautiful way to still enjoy a glass of wine while cutting back thanks to added sparkling water. Thank you for this! 🙂 Love & Light xxx

    Julie | 11.02.2017 | Reply

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