Longevity is a hot topic these days, which isn't surprising considering the largest generation of the last 100 years, the baby boomers, are beginning to hit their golden years. In response to that, more and more interest in how we can live longer has come to the fore and analysis of centenarian's lifestyles and eating habits has become common front page coverage. And, of course, anti-aging beauty products are flying off the shelves. If fighting the sands of time is one of you priorities, here's some good news to aid in your battle.

A new study conducted at Canada's McMaster University, published in the current issue of the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, found they were able to extend the lifespan of mice by an impressive 10 percent using thirty different vitamins, minerals. and herbs. They based the carefully chosen nutrient subjects on dosages recommended for humans and adjusted for mouse body size.

Unlike past studies of this type, the researchers decided to look for "youthful markers" as well as lifespan. In this way they were really looking at quality of life while aging rather than just how long the mice lived. They looked at declining physical movement as a biomarker of aging and mortality risk.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Losing your hair, especially as a female, is traumatic. For reasons of vanity, obviously, but then also because it's something that you feel you have absolutely no control over. This problem affects millions of women leading to depression, anxiety, a loss of self-esteem and withdrawal from friends, family and daily activities. Losing your hair can mean losing your vitality and lust for life-it's never something that should be taken lightly by your health care provider. Any sudden hair loss should be taken seriously. Some physicians might say: "It's because you're getting older" or "It's because of your hormones," but if you think you're losing hair, your physician had better listen, because most likely, you are.

Superfoods are foods which are particularly high in certain aspects of nutrition. Some of them, like raw chocolate, acai berries or green tea are particularly high in antioxidants. Others are quite high in certain vitamins or minerals, such as goji berries being very high in vitamin C. And some superfoods, like bee pollen, are all around health tonics due to a number of reasons.

Bee Pollen is often referred to as the "perfect food" because it is said to contain all the vitamins, amino acids, trace minerals and enzymes needed to sustain the human body. It has been used as a supplement for multiple generations stretching back thousands of years. It's even mentioned in the books of many major religions including the Bible, the Koran and the Talmud.

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet.
Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Have you ever gone from one room to another, only to stop and wonder what you were going for in the first place? How many times have you known the word but just couldn't quite grasp it? How many times has someone's name been at the tip of your tongue? Is that what happens to all of us? Or is there something we can do to prevent this nervous system demise?

Your brain is made up of an intricate network of wires (neurons) that connect with each other via chemical messengers. Communication is a complex process. There are many factors involved, such as the integrity of the fatty coating (myelin sheath) around each neuron (which insulates the neurons and aids in signal transmission), or the chemical messenger levels in the end of one neuron and receptor endings on another. Even your mood or emotional state on any given day can affect your concentration and memory. It is well established that chronic anxiety or depression dramatically reduces your short-term memory and ability to focus.

Now, let's devise a simple plan to keep your brain working optimally...

Natasha Turner, N.D. is a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor. She is the founder of the Clear Medicine wellness boutique and author of the bestselling book The Hormone Diet. Each week in her column for That's Fit.ca, Dr. Turner advises readers on how to remedy common health issues as well as improve their overall health.

Have you ever been caught grabbing a bit of shut-eye at your desk? What was your excuse to your boss? New sleep research may be your best answer.

A 2002 study from Harvard University considered worker burnout over four days of training and the effect of napping. As the four days of training wore on, the workers began to experience burnout. But the good news is - the study found that workers who were allowed to take a 30-minute nap on the second day of a four-day training session experienced less decline in visual tasks. A one-hour nap was actually found to return performance back to normal in the last two sessions.

That is not to say that curling up for an hour or so at the office should be sanctioned, but keeping it to less than 30 minutes might not be so far-fetched. It seems that half-hour naps should not only be recognized as acceptable by companies, but also beneficial. This is old news to many European countries where afternoon siestas are standard practice and many shops close for an hour or so each afternoon.

Afternoon drowsiness is a major problem for many corporations: it is estimated that lost productivity costs billions of dollars every year. A possible solution is to allow 20 to 30 minutes of napping per day when it is deemed necessary, creating a work environment that may actually help boost workplace productivity rather than hinder it. In today's fast-paced society and tough economy, however, most companies frown on napping in the workplace rather than encourage it.

Can't squeeze in a nap? Use these nine tips to boost your energy and productivity during the day: