Top 10 Study Tips For Success In Tests And Exams

There comes a time in every student's life when those things that you dread begin to loom on the horizon. Depending upon how confident you are about them, your horizon will either be measured in months, or maybe days. What am I talking about? Of course I mean examinations. You may be about to go into mid term mock examinations or you could be facing your final tests.
Whatever your situation and whenever you are going to be sat in an examination room it is never too early to start getting ready for those tests. Thorough preparation will provide you with a strong foundation and will give you the confidence and belief that you can do them and that you will get the grades you want.
But where do you start and which of the hundreds of study tips and study skill ideas do you use?
I am often asked for my top ten tips when it comes to exam success and over the years I have accumulated many ideas, some of which are more effective than others. However if I were to limit myself to just the top 10 that I felt were the most powerful based on all of the work I have done in this field, here are the ones that I think are the most powerful:
1. Find your own deep and compelling reason to successfully learn your subject and pass your exams.

This really is the most important of the study tips I shall share with you here because your success will be deeply rooted in your motivation to learn. Many kids at school do not want to be there and can't be bothered to try which is often why they fail. It does not mean that they are unable to learn, it just means that they have not applied themselves to the work at hand. I know that this is often true because I have met literally hundreds of people who "failed" at school by conventional standards yet later in life made the decision to go back to studying a subject because they wanted to do it. And because of their motivation to succeed the did.
So what does that mean to you? Well understand that you are driven by emotional needs and not necessarily logical ones. If we were driven by logic, the world would be a much better place. So you have to find a deep emotional reason for achieving success as a student. And if you can dig deep and find that reason then nothing will stop you because you will find a way.
2. Plan your time to include study, revision and social commitments - a balance of having fun, taking breaks and studying is vital.
Balance is very important to have a successful and rewarding life and the same is true when you are a student. OK you could spend every waking hour reading every book you could find and learning everything you could and yes you would pass your exams provided you had not burnt out. But it would not be fun, you would have no friends and you would definitely be out of balance.
Taking appropriate breaks and giving yourself little rewards when you have finished an essay or learnt something new for your exams is vital for your success. This is because it keeps you in balance and gives you a degree of variety that keeps you fresh and alert. Yes having a night out with your friends is good for you - but only if it is as a reward for doing good work and is as part of your overall plan.
3. Use multi-coloured Mind Maps for your notes.
My friend and mentor Tony Buzan developed the most powerful thinking tool ever (and I am not exaggerating here) when he invented the Mind Map. Imagine being able to get the key facts from an entire book on a single page in a way that was not only easy to remember but would stay in your memory for as long as you wanted it.
Imagine having a thinking tool that allowed you to prepare essays and assignments in a fraction of the time than you do at the moment AND have them much better. Imagine being able to give a powerful hour long presentation from a single page of colourful notes that you put together in about 10 minutes.
Well all these are possible with the Mind Map. It is an amazing tool that combines the power of association, the fact that we have a very strong visual processing mechanism and that it combines right and left brain processing.
I have seen what Mind Maps can do for students of all ages and all abilities and if I had my way it would be a compulsory tool taught to kids from a very young age.
4. Review your notes regularly to reinforce your new-found knowledge.
This is another very simple but extremely powerful tip for you. The experience of most students is that the learning that takes place in the classroom is really an information gathering exercise. When it comes to revising for their exams at the end of the year they go to their notes and often can't remember ever seeing that information before. They know they must have because the notes are in their handwriting but they can't remember anything! So the preparation for exams becomes a re-learning exercise.
This study tip is so simple and powerful yet most will not bother. If at the end of every day, every week and every month you quickly scanned what you have learnt, made a few key word notes and then reviewed those ultra-condensed notes regularly, you would be amazed at how much you could remember. This only need take 10 minutes at the end of the day, half an hour at the end of the week and maybe an hour or two at the end of the month.
Each time you review what you have learnt, even in condensed key word format, it is more deeply engrained in your memory.
5. Swiftly skim through your text books and course material before you read them in depth to give you an overview of your subject.
Now there is not enough space here to explain why this tip is important because it is a fundamental part of learning how to read faster and absorb more information. Just trust me on this one and before you start reading, skim through your book (no more than 10 minutes) to get a feel for the contents.
As you read in greater depth later on, some of what you have got from the quick scan will help put into context that information and allow you to make the necessary links in your mind and memory.
Doing this will often stop you from getting stuck at any point because you will have a flavour of what is to come later in the book and this added preview can help the understanding of earlier information.
6. Learn how to remember lists of things by linking each item to a location on a journey or route you are familiar with around your town. You could even use your own home.
At some point, once you have understood your subject, you will need to be able to memorise it. Many people think that just understanding it is enough to learn it but unfortunately that is not the case and so some memorization is necessary.
The most powerful way of doing this is to create a "filing system" in your mind. One way to do this is to create a little journey in your imagination (it can be a real place or you can make it up). See for example the chair, the bed, the TV, the door and the window in your bedroom. If you wanted to remember a sequence of items you would link an outrageous (and therefore memorable) picture to each location.
To recall the information, simply revisit the journey in your own mind and "see" the information in the silly pictures you have created.
7. Before you do any revision, warm up by doing some gentle exercise to relieve any tension in your body and to get a rush of healthy oxygen flowing to your brain.

There is a saying - "a healthy body, a healthy mind" - and nowhere is this more true than when it comes to learning. Two things happen when you physically warm up before studying. First of all you get rid of any physical tension that will create stress in the body and mind (not good for learning) and secondly you will get a rush of oxygen to the brain which will help you think more clearly (definitely good for learning).
8. Do past papers under thorough exam conditions as often as possible to familiarise yourself with the format and the pressures of working under exam conditions.
If you are training in a sport or practicing a musical instrument, you will practice the plays or rehearse the pieces for the big day. It would not make sense to spend months doing push ups and then turn up on the big day and expect to play soccer really well. It would also be unwise to only practice scales on your instrument and then when the big performance comes up expect a perfect recital.
So the same is true of exams. Fortunately these days you can get hold of past exam papers from previous years. Do these, under the same exam conditions, over and over again so that when the big day comes you will have exam experience under your belt.
Doing this will give you more confidence, much better exam techniqe and an insight into how the examiners for your subject think. Remember practice makes perfect.
9. In an exam, make sure you read the question completely and fully understand what the examiner wants before you allocate your time and begin answering the questions.

This is commonsense but you would be amazed at how many people do not do this. Take your time, plan what you are going to write and then write it.
10. If you are faced with a mental block breathe deeply, relax and ask yourself "If I did know the answer to this question, what would it be?"

This might sound silly but if you do it with a positive expectation that your very powerful subconcious will give you the answer, then you will be amazed at what comes to mind. The combination of the breathing, relaxation and expectation is the key. Of course you have had to have done the preparation beforehand because this won't work with information that you have not previously learnt or covered in class.
So there you have my top 10 tips. Each are very powerful and just doing one of them will make a big difference to your success...but if you do all 10...Wow!

Tips to improve English

English language is extremely important as far as communication is concerned. Most of the interviews conducted for jobs or viva exams conducted for professional courses like medical, engineering, management courses are conducted in English language.

Good parents should always choose the best possible school for the baby so that from childhood, child will develop interest in English language.
Improving one's language skills is a very essential requirement and is a broad concept. It can be done in more than one ways at the same time which is highly recommended. One can not become better in one area e.g. grammar, one must improve skills in all aspects of the language.

Learning language requires strong will power.

1. Be as active as possible and make the learning fun for oneself. Taking tuitions / lessons is always important.

2. Join some reputed " spoken English" class where proper grammar is taught. Some classes will just advertise that " speak English in 1 week" or in a similar way. Remember that this is just a marketing strategy. One has to devote adequate time.

Other important aspects are as follows:

Be a good listener and observer

This is the basic rule in any language improvement programme.
Listen to internet radio stations. Famous radio stations are BBC, etc. Watch TV shows, news in English, general knowledge quiz etc. First listen news in Hindi or mother tongue and then listen news in English. This will help you in better understanding of the language.

Write/communicate

Join online discussion forums / communities. Discuss about subjects that you find interesting ( study groups, music/various artists, hobbies, etc.) and start communicating there with other people using English. Start using instant messaging systems in case you find some new friends or start emailing them.

Use a proper dictionary and each time when you see a strange word that you do not understand, search for it. Oxford dictionary is a standard one.

Make a group of friends. Discuss about various incidences in life. Discuss about political situation, economy, sports, etc. At home, discuss with parents in English. Use phrases, idioms, analogy, synonyms, antonyms,etc.

While writing, be careful about avoiding grammar related mistakes. be careful about punctuation, question tags, etc.

Try to make language learning as fun as possible. Try to find topics that interest you, read online newspapers, listen to BBC/NBC and other radio stations online, if you find a discussion forum for e.g. your favourite hobby or your idols in music do participate there, etc.

Hardwork is the key. There is no shortcut for this, one really must develop language skills in all these language "levels".

Tips On Writing Job Applications

A job application represents your first and possibly only opportunity to impress an employer into wanting to hire you. An application can make or break your chances of success with landing a job, so in this article, we'll let you in on some tips that can help make your job application stick out amongst the stack.

1- When you first go in to apply, be sure to be polite to the receptionist or whatever person you encounter that is getting you the application. Bosses sometimes ask these people their initial impressions of the applicant, and if you are polite and kind, you may stick out amongst the rest.

2- You should use a pen with blue or black ink when filling out an application. Pens are more formal then pencils, and any other color ink will be distracting to the person perusing your application. If you're unsure of your ability to fill the application out properly the first time, you may want to bring an erasable pen.

3- Another factor that employers often use when testing applicants is to see how exactly how prepared of a person the applicant is. Be sure to bring a pen with you when you are applying; asking the receptionist for a pen is seen as bad form by many bosses.

4- Be sure to bring with you a quick fact sheet based on your personal information that may come into play on the application. Be sure to have references, past job experience, and other notable application information with you so that you don't have to leave to find out the address or phone number of a former employer.

5- Be sure not to leave any blanks on the application. If there is a box that doesn't apply to you, don't leave it empty; employers may think that you just missed it. Write Not Applicable in the box to let them know that you saw the field.

6- If you have noticeable periods of unemployment between jobs in your job history, be sure to note on the application exactly what the cause of your lack of work was, such as saying that you were going to school for a period of time.

These quick hints can make the difference between whether or not you are chosen for your desired position. By being prepared and confident while undergoing the application process, you may seem of high stature to your future employer, furthering your chances at getting the job. Best of luck!

Students Exam Tactics

Write Notes And Answers In Flow Chart Format

What Is Meant By A Flow Chart?

Flow Chart is a special method of writing where we write important points and connect the headings with arrows. We can use different colors to write headings and draw arrows.

What Are The Advantages Of A Flow Chart?

1. It appears very neat and clean to the examiner and moderator who checks answer papers. 2. One can easily read the notes and revise fast. 3. As we don't write complete sentences, it saves a lot of time. This is especially important as many students complain that they can't complete paper in 3 hours or within stipulated time. This type of writing is especially useful for students who are doing engineering, medical, CA, MBA, etc. and similar higher studies.

Exam Tactics

1. Read complete question paper. This should be the first step when you get question paper. Why? a. Many a times, question paper itself contains answers to some questions. b. If student sees many questions for which he can answer well, this adds to his confidence. At the same time, he can plan approximately how much time is to be allotted to answer each question. 2. Suppose a student finds that he can't answer a few questions well. Don't worry. Select the question for which you can answer well. Write this answer first. Always remember " First impression is the last impression". Once examiner reads this answer, he makes an opinion about student and this affects checking all the answers. 3. Keep equal margins from both the sides while writing answer-sheets. 4. Underline the headings. If examiner is in a hurry, he may read only headings and will come to know about student's level. 5. Use Of Colors You can write main answer in blue ink and headings in black or vice a versa. Don't use red and green colors to underline or write headings. These colors are reserved for examiner and moderators.

Time Management

This is the key for success for entire life. 1. Give sufficient time for all questions. By this I mean - Don't write in excess for a question which carries less marks. If student does this, he may get less time to write an answer for other question which carries similar or even more marks. 2. Don't leave any question blank. You should write something about every question. Even if you write full details of a question, you will get up to 70% marks. In writing so much, if you don't write anything for other question, you will get 0 marks there. If you write answers to both questions, you may get 50% marks for each answer which when added becomes 100% - that means more than a well-answered single question.

Know Your Weaknesses And Strong Points

If one is weak about certain topic, try to discuss with teachers and friends. Try to make your concepts clear.

Exam-oriented Study

One should get knowledge after studying but do see question papers and know what type of questions are asked more frequently.

Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Format Exams

MCQ exams are gaining more popularity. In such exams, one will be given 4-5 options and will be asked to find the most appropriate answer. Some questions will be straight forward while some will be like " yorker in cricket" - I mean difficult.

What To Do When You Face A Difficult MCQ

Use method of exclusion. This means - Try to find which is not the answer. If you find 2 such options which are unlikely to be the correct answers, only 2 options remain. If you think further and try to remember, you can find out correct answer by eliminating 1 out of the 2. If you can't find out the 1 correct option out of the 2, you have following options - a. Temporarily leave that question and deal with it later if you get time in the end. b. If there is no negative marking system, you can still guess and select 1 out of the 2. Even if you are wrong, it won't reduce your marks. c. If there is a negative marking system, you should not do a guess work as you may lose your marks. In such case, its better to leave question unanswered.

Avoid Stress

Remember exams are created to help students to get through and enter in a higher class. If you think like this, your whole attitude towards exams changes. Exams and students are friends. If no exams, you can't enter the next higher class. Remember that examiners are also human beings like you and most of them will pass most of the students unless and until the student's performance is very poor.

Tips For Practical / Viva Exams

1. Don't bluff. If you don't know the answer, say I don't know. 2. Don't Dig Your Own Grave. By this I mean, don't utter a word about which you don't know or you know very less. While answering any question, tell only those words about which you know more. Most likely examiner will catch one of these words and ask you the next question. This will be the happiest moment for you. 3. Don't Argue With The Examiner. Don't do this mistake for God's sake. Examiners are always more experienced than student. They are in the same field for years.

You should know something about everything so that if your viva starts with any topic, you can answer certain questions.

You need not know everything about everything. Nobody can know this especially when syllabus is very vast like -engineering, medical exams.

Sleep At Least For 6 Hours Before The day Of Exam

This is very important. Many students try to keep awake for the whole night just before the day of exam. This makes them exhausted -both physically and mentally. They can't memorize the answers properly and performance is affected. They remain in a confused state.

Study Tips For Students

Here I will write about study methods. 1. Have a well-determined mind. This is the first and the most important step. If student himself is motivated about a certain thing, he will struggle to achieve it.

2. Develop interest in subjects. This is the next important step. Unless and until one is interested in subject, one can't progress.

3. Discussion Discussion has a very important role in study. More you discuss, more you are likely to remember. Discuss with your parents, friends and teachers.

4. How To Develop Interest In Subjects? Initially read subjects which you like most. Later start reading other subjects which you like less.Slowly you will develop interest in those subjects also.

5. Study Timings There is nothing like morning timings or evening hours are better. Study timings has to be decided by the student depending upon his choice. If he gets quite atmosphere in the night, that will be the best time for him in his house. If during evening hours, his family members keep TV on for 4-5 hours, that will not be the right time for him unless and until he is having a separate room for study.

6. How Many Hours To Study Per Day? This again is variable depending upon homework and study load. Students from higher standards, 10th and 12th board, medical and engineering colleges will have to devote more time. Students who are studying in 8th standard and lower classes will have to devote less time. Slowly increase study timings.

7. How To Build Confidence? Solve old question papers. Get checked from teachers. This will improve your confidence.

8. Group Study Do group study. If you do not like to study in group, still you should sit in a group for 1-2 hours for the discussion.

9. Fear ( phobia) For A Particular Subject Remove fear related to any particular subject like Maths. Find out what you like. Many students go through this phase of confusion.

10. Memory Tips Use pnemonics and mind maps to remember. Underline with color pencils. Use specific figures like stars etc to highlight important points.

11. How To Improve Concentration? Do yoga, pranayam to improve concentration. Ideally one should have a separate room for study. Use mind relaxation techniques.

12. Diet And Health Diet is very important to maintain good health during exam days. Never neglect diet.

13. How To Take Notes Effectively? Read your course books properly and make your own personal notes. Use of more diagrams and codes while taking notes will save a lot of time.

14. Practice Makes A Man Perfect Practice is the most important thing try solving sample papers /problem set.

15. School Activities If your school is good, attend classes regularly. Ask questions in class everyday. This will help in clearing doubts. 16. Turn off your computer system and TV while studying. Relaxing music is allowed.

17. Set Goals Life without goals is like journey without destination. So set goals. Remember that one can achieve almost everything with a strong determination. One should always remember Swami Vivekanand and his speeches.

18. How To Select A Coaching Class? Discuss with senior students who have scored good marks in similar exams. Take their opinion about "A Coaching Class" . Just don't see the advertisements and join class. Compare the fee structure and see which teachers are available. Success of "A Coaching Class" is decided by teachers and students.

19. Avoid Stress Stress is going to affect a student's performance during exams. Minimal amount of stress is acceptable. Don't take too much tension. Exams are a part of life. After passing exams also, one has to face so many challenges like getting a job with good salary, family life stress and so on. So avoid stress.

COMMUNICATION TIPS

Communication is a back bone to pass and receive the informations. Communication is a vital part to share all ideas and knowledge .Be confident while speaking don't be doubt. Listen carefully and immediately think to give a alternate solution for that. Here are few tips to improve your communication skill. Always think positively before you speak. To improve the communication listening power is more important. You can absorb more informations and new vocabularies from others so listening will also shows a way to communicate effectively.

Communication acts as a bridge between each and every persons. It is the vital tool to implement any new ideas and new creations. It provides a way to develop the career. A good communicator can shine every where. So communication skill is very essential nowadays. Communication took an important part to get in to the job. Mainly basis on the communication only the people getting job and showing improvement by improving their communication skill. All companies will expect a very good communication skill from the employers. Good and effective communicator can lead a good and effective life. If you are self interested to become a effective communicator in your future, you just follow the tips and ideas to achieve the goal.

Follow the following actions which will leads you to improve your communication skill. They are as follows....Pay attention to others, Practice to listen others,communicate in a clear manner,be appreciative. If you follow these things definitely you will become a clear communicator. Communication acts as a bridge between each and every person. To get more Tips and ideas click the below given link.

Tips for more efficient Google Searches

For millions of people, Google is an indispensable search tool that they use every day, in all facets of their lives. From work or school, research, to looking up movies and celebrities to news and gossip, Google is the go-to search engine.

But instead of just typing in a phrase and wading through page after page of results, there are a number of ways to make your searches more efficient.

Some of these are obvious ones, that you probably know about. But others are lesser-known, and others are known but not often used. Use this guide to learn more about, or be reminded of, some of the best ways to get exactly what you're looking for, and quickly.

1. Either/or. Google normally searches for pages that contain all the words you type in the search box, but if you want pages that have one term or another (or both), use the OR operator -- or use the "|" symbol (pipe symbol) to save you a keystroke. [dumb | little | man]

2. Quotes. If you want to search for an exact phrase, use quotes. ["dumb little man"] will only find that exact phrase. [dumb "little man"] will find pages that contain the word dumb and the exact phrase "little man".

3. Not. If you don't want a term or phrase, use the "-" symbol. [-dumb little man] will return pages that contain "little" and "man" but that don't contain "dumb".

4. Similar terms. Use the "~" symbol to return similar terms. [~dumb little man -dumb] will get you pages that contain "funny little man" and "stupid little man" but not "dumb little man".

5. Wildcard. The "*" symbol is a wildcard. This is useful if you're trying to find the lyrics to a song, but can't remember the exact lyrics. [can't * me love lyrics] will return the Beatles song you're looking for. It's also useful for finding stuff only in certain domains, such as
educational information: ["dumb little man" research *.edu].

6. Advanced search. If you can't remember any of these operators, you can always use Google's advanced search.

7. Definitions. Use the "define:" operator to get a quick definition. [define:dumb] will give you a whole host of definitions from different sources, with links.

8. Calculator. One of the handiest uses of Google, type in a quick calculation in the search box and get an answer. It's faster than calling up your computer's calculator in most cases. Use the +, -, *, / symbols and parentheses to do a simple equation.

9. Numrange. This little-known feature searches for a range of numbers. For example, ["best books 2002..2007] will return lists of best books for each of the years from 2002 to 2007 (note the two periods between the two numbers).

10. Site-specific. Use the "site:" operator to search only within a certain website. [site:dumblittleman.com leo] will search for the term "leo" only within this blog.

11. Backlinks. The "link:" operator will find pages that link to a specific URL. You can use this not only for a main URL but even to a specific page. Not all links to an URL are listed, however.

12. Vertical search. Instead of searching for a term across all pages on the web, search within a specialized field. Google has a number of specific searches, allowing you to search within blogs, news, books, and much more:

Blog Search
Book Search
Scholar
Catalogs
Code Search
Directory
Finance
Images
Local/Maps
News
Patent Search
Product Search
Video

13. Movies. Use the "movie:" operator to search for a movie title along with either a zip code or U.S. city and state to get a list of movie theaters in the area and show times.

14. Music. The "music:" operator returns content related to music only.

15. Unit converter. Use Google for a quick conversion, from yards to meters for example, or different currency: [12 meters in yards]

16. Types of numbers: Google algorithms can recognize patterns in numbers you enter, so you can search for:

o Telephone area codes
o Vehicle ID number (US only)
o Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equipment numbers (US only)
o UPC codes
o Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airplane registration number (US only)
o Patent numbers (US only)
o Even stock quotes (using the stock symbol) or a weather forecast regarding the next five days

17. File types. If you just want to search for .PDF files, or Word documents, or Excel spreadsheets, for example, use the "filetype:" operator.

18. Location of term. By default, Google searches for your term throughout a web page. But if you just want it to search certain locations, you can use operators such as "inurl:", "intitle:", "intext:", and "inanchor:". Those search for a term only within the URL, the title, the body text, and the anchor text (the text used to describe a link).

19. Cached pages. Looking for a version of a page the Google stores on its own servers? This can help with outdated or update pages. Use the "cached:" operator.

20. Answer to life, the universe, and everything. Search for that phrase, in lower case, and Google will give you the answer.

25 Proven Anti-Aging Guide

*25* PROVEN Anti-Aging Guide Unlocking the secrets to living longer and better,

It turns out that 70% of the factors influencing, life expectancy are due to good choices and good luck—not good genes.

1.0 Stay the Weight you were at 18 \"Next to not smoking, this is probably the most  important thing we can do to stay healthy and live longer,\" says Walter Willett, MD, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. Leanness matters, because fat cells produce hormones that raise the risk of type 2 diabetes. They also make sub-stances called cytokines that cause inflammation—stiffening the arteries and the heart and other organs. Carrying excess fat also raises the risk of some cancers. Add it up, and studies show that lean people younger than age 75 halve their chances of premature death, compared with people who are obese. The government deems a wide range of weights to be healthy (between 110 and 140 pounds for a 5-foot-4 woman), partly because body frames vary tremendously. So to maintain the weight that's right for you, Willett suggests you periodically try to slip into the dress you wore to your high school prom—assuming, of course, that you were a healthy weight at that age. If not, aim for a body mass index of about 23.5. Willett can't use the prom-dress test himself. Nevertheless, at 6-foot-2 and a lean 184 pounds, he dutifully hews to the BMI of his youth.

2.0 Take the dynamic duo of Supplements They're what Bruce N. Ames, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and  molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, swears by: his daily 800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and 2,000 mg of acetyl-L- carnitine. In these amounts, he says, the chemicals boost the energy output of mitochondria, which power our cells. \"I think mitochondrial decay is a major factor in aging,\" Ames says—it's been linked to diseases such as Alzheimer's and diabetes. In his studies, elderly rats plied with the supplements had more energy and ran mazes better. \"If you're an old rat, you can be enthusiastic,\" Ames says. \"As people, we can't be sure until clinical trials are done.\" (They're under way.) But the compounds look very safe—the worst side effect documented in humans is a rash, Ames says—and \"the data in animals looks really convincing,\" says S. Mitchell Harman, MD, PhD, president of the Kronos Longevity Research Institute in Phoenix.

3.0 Skip a Meal This one move could have truly dramatic results. Rats fed 30%  less than normal live 30% longer than usual—and in a recent study at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the hearts of the leaner human calorie-cutters appeared 10 to 15 years younger than those of regular eaters. In other research, calorie restrictors improved their blood insulin levels and had fewer signs of damage to their DNA. Eating less food, scientists believe, may reduce tissue wear and tear from excess blood sugar, inflammation, or rogue molecules known as free radicals. Edward Calabrese, PhD, and Mark Mattson, PhD, have opted for \"calorie restriction lite.\" Calabrese, a professor of toxicology and environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, dumped the midday meal. Mattson, chief of the laboratory of neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging, has done without breakfast for 20 years. Try it Skip a meal a day. You don't need to try to cut calories; Mattson's research suggests you'll naturally consume less that day. Or try fasting one day a week. Just drink plenty of water.

4.0 Get a Pet Open up your home and heart to Rover or  Boots. Owning a pet reduces the number of visits to the doctor, prolongs survival after a heart attack, and wards off depression, says James Serpell, PhD, director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society at the University of Pennsylvania. (His family has a cat, a dog, a large green iguana, a bearded dragon, and a dozen fish.) Pet ownership also protects against a major problem of aging: high blood pressure. In one standout study at State University of New York, Buffalo, stockbrokers with high blood pressure adopted a pet. When they were faced with mental stress, their BP increased less than half as much as in their counterparts without animal pals. But pick your pet with care. There is nothing stress-reducing about a dog that chews the baseboard to bits.

5.0 Get Help for what Hurts Studies suggest that continuous pain  may dampen the immune system —and evidence is clear that it can cause deep depression and push levels of the noxious stress hormone cortisol higher. So enough with the stoicism: Take chronic pain to your doctor and keep complaining until you have a treatment plan that works, says Nathaniel Katz, MD, a neurologist and pain-management specialist at Tufts University School of Medicine. Your mood will improve—and your immune system may perk up, too.

6.0 Take a Hike To make the walls of your arteries  twice as flexible as those of a couch potato, just walk briskly for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. That's what Hirofumi Tanaka, PhD, an associate professor of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas, advises after tracking the elasticity of people's blood vessels using ultrasound. With age, blood vessel walls tend to stiffen up like old tires—the main reason two-thirds of people older than age 60 have high blood pressure. Exercise keeps vessels pliable. Mild exercise also reduces the risk of diabetes, certain cancers, depression, aging of the skin, maybe even dementia. That excites exercise researcher Steven N. Blair, past president of the nonprofit Cooper Institute in Dallas. He's run nearly every day for almost 40 years. \"Not bad for a 66-year-old fat man.\"

7.0 Fight Fair Nasty arguments between couples  increase the risk of clogged arteries. In a recent University of Utah study, women's hearts suffered when they made or heard hostile comments; men's hearts reacted badly to domineering, controlling words. \"It's normal to have a fight with your spouse—it's a matter of how you fight,\" says Ronald Glaser, PhD, an immunologist at Ohio State University. What he and his wife, Ohio State clinical psychologist Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD, put off-limits: \"Getting nasty, sarcastic, or personal, or using body language like rolling your eyes. It's better to simply agree to disagree.\"

8.0 Stop and Plant the roses Gardening or being around  plants bears fruit. In one study, blood pressure jumped in workers given a stressful task—but rose only a quarter as much if there were plants in the room. And patients who had a view of trees as they recovered from surgery left the hospital almost a day sooner than those with a view of a brick wall.

9.0 Hoist a few (Weights, that is) Everyone knows cardio exercise is key  to slowing the advance of time. More surprising: Strength-training is crucial, too. That's because after their mid-40s, people lose ¼ pound of muscle mass a year, gaining fat in its place. But, says Miriam E. Nelson, PhD, an associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University, \"For a couple of decades, you don't have to lose any muscle, if you do the appropriate exercises.\" Even people well into their 90s can regain muscle, she's found. Just lift weights 2 or 3 days a week, for a minimum of 30 minutes. The payoff: more endurance, stronger bones, less risk of diabetes— and better sleep and thinking. Nelson rock climbs and does plenty of other weight-bearing exercise.

10.0 Do a Good Deed Pick up trash in the park or shop for a neighbor  who needs help, says William Brown, PhD, a lecturer of psychology at Brunel University, West London. He studied people in Brooklyn and found that those who had a denser social network and gave more to their friends and family than they received—whether the gift was in the form of money, food, advice, or time—reported feeling healthier than others, even when he factored in activity levels. Another study, at the University of Michigan, looked at 423 elderly married couples; after 5 years, the pairs who were more altruistic were only half as likely to have died. \"Many people grow up thinking it's a dog-eat-dog world,\" Brown says. \"But there's a lot of data that suggests the best way to be healthy is to be kind to others.\"

11.0 Eat a Rainbow... ...made of vegetables, says  Peter Greenwald, MD, director of the division of cancer prevention at the National Cancer Institute. Their cancer- preventing abilities are unparalleled. Remember: Aim for nine servings  of fruits and vegetables each day.

12.0 Sup from the Sea Don't just slap anything with fins onto  your plate: You want fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, and lake trout. They contain the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which many studies show help prevent sudden death from heart attack. Omega-3s may also help ward off depression, Alzheimer's disease, and age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness - and maybe some cancers, although evidence is mixed. To get more of the benefits of good fats, snack on an ounce (a handful) of walnuts a day. Use less corn oil, and more canola and olive oils. Greg Cole, PhD, a professor of medicine and neurology at UCLA, also avoids cookies, margarine, and snack foods such as chips, which are loaded with unhealthy trans fats. On his menu: two tuna sandwiches plus a couple of DHA-enriched eggs a week. He takes 2 g of fish oil daily.

13.0 Belt out a Tune Exposing yourself to music  might help boost your immune system: In a study done by Robert Beck, PhD, a professor emeritus at the University of California, Irvine, levels of an infection-fighting antibody called IgA increased 240% in the saliva of choral members performing Beethoven's Missa Solemnis.

14.0 Drink a Cuppa Intrigued by studies (of mice,  cells in lab dishes, and people) that say tea may fight prostate and breast cancer and heart disease, researcher Anna Wu, PhD, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California, downs at least 3 cups daily. Green is best, although black tea confers some benefits, too.

15.0 Whittle your Waist To determine if your body is staying  young, the tape measure is better than the bathroom scale: Your weight can remain the same while you lose muscle and pack on fat, including visceral fat, the culprit behind a thick waist. It's linked to a heightened risk of age-related ills such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. If your waist measures more than 35 inches (for a woman) or 40 inches (for a man), you probably have too much belly fat. The best way to shed that inner load: exercise, says Kerry Stewart, EdD, director of clinical and research exercise physiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In a 6-month study of 69 men and women, he found a 20% reduction in visceral fat, though participants lost only 5 pounds. Stewart's program was brisk but not too arduous: 45 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobics three times a week and 20 minutes of moderate-intensity weight training, also three times weekly.

16.0 Double up on D If there's one vitamin supplement you should take, this  is it, experts say. Vitamin D is made in the skin when sun hits it—but as people get older, the D factory doesn't work as well. About half of Americans fall short. Research suggests that a lack of D raises the risk of osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, and various cancers. \"No other nutrient is so widely deficient in the United States,\" says Meir Stampfer, MD, chair of the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. \"Unless you eat a lot of fish, you have to supplement.\" Stampfer takes 1,800 IU daily in the winter and 800 to 1,200 IU a day the rest of the year. Make sure your supplement contains vitamin D3,  the form the skin makes.

17.0 Dine on Curry Turmeric, the spice that makes curry  yellow, is loaded with curcumin, a chemical with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In India, it's smeared on bandages to help heal wounds. East Asians also eat it, of course—which might explain why they have lower rates than we do of various cancers and Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. (Animal research is promising.) Cole, of UCLA, makes sure he gets a good dose of Indian food with \"lots of yellow stuff\" three times weekly. Don't like the taste? Try a daily curcumin supplement of 500 to 1,000 mg.

18.0 Donate Blood The life you save may be your own. Many  researchers think that we take in too much iron, mostly from eating red meat. Excess iron is thought to create free radicals in the body, speeding aging and raising risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's. Until menopause, women are naturally protected from iron overload, but after that the danger of overdose climbs. Preliminary studies suggest you can lower your risk of heart disease by regularly giving blood. Thomas Perls, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Boston University who leads the New England Centenarian Study, donates a unit every 2 months. He has a rare blood type, so he's helping others—and he may get something out of it, too. If you're scared of needles, at least go easy on red meat: no more than a daily serving the size of a pack of cards.

19.0 Look out for your Eyes Getting plenty of omega-3s in food or  supplements may help ward off age-related macular degeneration. Plant antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin (found in leafy green vegetables like kale and collards) are helpful, too. People who have drusen—tiny deposits within the retina that can be early signs of macular degeneration—can reduce their risk of blindness in both eyes by 25% if they take a supplement, says John Paul SanGiovanni, ScD, a staff scientist at the National Eye Institute. What to take, according to his study: 500 mg of vitamin C, 400 IU of vitamin E, 80 mg of zinc, 15 mg of beta-carotene, and 2 mg of copper.

20.0 Take fern extract for your Skin Studies suggest that the antioxidant-rich extract of the South American  fern Polypodium leucotomos may help keep your skin youthful by protecting against free radicals and reducing inflammation. Until clinical trials find proof, \"it's like chicken soup—it can't hurt and it might help a bit,\" says dermatologist Mary Lupo, MD, a Prevention advisor and a clinical professor of dermatology at the Tulane University School of Medicine. Lupo takes 240 mg every morning in a supplement called Heliocare, made by Ivax Dermatologicals. She also slaps on broad-spectrum sunscreen and Retin-A daily and eats a diet loaded with colorful fruits and vegetables—blueberries, raspberries, grapefruit, broccoli, spinach. It may also help to drink green tea and nibble flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, she adds. What you must do: Avoid excessive sun exposure and don't smoke.

21.0 Take a Deep Breath Strife at work, bumper-to-bumper traffic, little Will's  report card: Stress increases the concentration of the hormones cortisol and norepinephrine in our bloodstream, kicking up blood pressure and suppressing the immune system. Chronic stress delays wound healing, promotes atherosclerosis, and possibly shrinks parts of the brain involved in learning, memory, and mood. \"The key is lowering the concentration of those stress hormones,\" says Bruce Rabin, MD, PhD, medical director of the Healthy Lifestyle program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He's devised a research-based program that mutes the hormone flow: It includes meditation, deep breathing, writing, chanting, and guided imagery. Check it out at the Healthy Lifestyle program Web site. Deep breathing is the top anti-stress pick of Prevention advisor Andrew Weil, MD: He makes time for it at least twice a day. \"It only takes 2 minutes,\" he says. \"I do it in the morning, when I'm falling asleep in the evening, and any time I feel upset.\" Technique: Exhale strongly through the mouth, making a whoosh sound. Breathe in quietly through the nose for a count of 4. Hold your breath for a count of 7; then exhale with the whoosh sound for a count of 8. Repeat the cycle three more times.

22.0 Hey-Turn it down! Exposure to noise damages the  delicate hair cells of your inner ears. So when you're around loud noise, wear earplugs - the cheap type you can buy at the drugstore, or pricier ones that preserve sound quality. Andy Vermiglio, a research audiologist at the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, offers free hearing tests at trade shows for audio engineers (aka sound guys). He can always tell which 40-year-old engineer was religious about ear protection and which one was careless: The latter typically has the hearing of a 70- year-old.

23.0 Get more Shut-Eye Some sleep problems raise the risk of  high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes—maybe even obesity. Everyone's sleep needs are different; to find out what yours are, sleep experts recommend you turn off the alarm clock when you're well rested, and see how long you naturally sleep. (Most people need 7 to 8 hours.) While you're at it, ask your spouse if you snore. Snoring and honking through the night are signs that you may have sleep apnea, which causes you to stop breathing at least five times an hour; it raises your risk of stroke. An estimated 18 million Americans have the disorder, but many don't know it, reports the National Sleep Foundation. Doctors are more likely to miss sleep apnea in women, says Joseph Kaplan, MD, codirector of the Mayo Sleep Disorders Center in Jacksonville, FL—and women may not want to mention their unladylike habit. Ladylike, schmadylike. Tell your doctor.

24.0 Drop that Hot Potato High-glycemic foods, rich in  quick-digesting carbohydrates, can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes and contribute to overeating and diabetes risk —which accelerates aging. We need to retrain our taste buds, says Willett. What to ditch: sugary drinks. And cut way back on America's favorite veggie, the potato. It has the highest glycemic index of any vegetable, sending more sugar rushing into the bloodstream faster. Willett's team at Harvard recently found that over a 20- year period, women who ate more whole grains and fewer spuds had a 20 to 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. His carb picks for his own dinner: brown rice and whole grain bread, and sometimes whole wheat pasta or bulgur.

25.0 Put on your Rose-Colored Glasses \"Embracing some of the positive aspects of aging  is helpful,\" says Becca Levy, PhD, an associate professor of epidemiology and psychology at Yale. She found more than a 7-year survival advantage for older men and women with a positive attitude toward aging, compared with people who have a negative one. If you're a cranky sort, you might also want to tweak your attitude about other things. \"People who have a goal in life—a passion, a purpose, a positive outlook, and humor—live longer,\" says Robert Butler, MD, president of the International Longevity Center in New York City. Embrace life, and the coming of old age—it happens to all of us. If we're lucky.

LIVE A LONG HEALTHY LIFE AND RETIRE WEALTHY Discover the Secrets of  Staying Healthy and Live Longer Make More Money Than  Your Peers Think of \"opportunities\"  rather than \"losses.\" Join Now To Get and Stay Happy, Make More The Secrets 0f Staying Younger Money, Retire Wealthy And Health Supplements Click this. and Be Healthy4Life! Your Success is Guaranteed!