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Aging
Gracefully
by Charlie Skeen
June 25,
2008
If there is one fact that we cannot escape it is growing older. However, if we pay attention to what we eat and how we treat our body we can age more slowly and avoid chronic diseases. This will allow us to have a quality of life that is enjoyable as we age.
Chronological Versus
Biological Age
When determining the age of a person we have to consider the chronological
age versus the biological age. For example, someone born in 1952 would
be 56 years old chronologically in 2008. If that same person smoked,
drank too much alcohol, drank mostly tap water with chlorine, fluoride
and other chemicals and drugs, ate mostly processed foods, fried foods,
processed oils and fats, sugar, sodas, did not exercise, carried too
much body-fat, did not get enough sleep, and failed to control their
stress levels, he or she could be 70 years old or more biologically
at the cellular level. Reasons for this biological aging are given below.
Starvation of Cells
Cells are always dying off. But before they do the nucleic acids DNA/RNA
create another one to replace it. A diet lacking the essential nutrients
over a period of years would weaken the cells. To understand this imagine
how you would feel if you only ate one meal a week? You would feel very
weak and have no energy and would eventually waste away. Now take it
one step further, that one meal a week is made up of processed food
with very little nutritional value. The same thing is occurring with
the cells, they die off too soon and a weaker cell takes its place speeding
up the aging process and developing weak organs, glands, bones, muscles,
tendons, ligaments, hair, eyes, cartilage, heart, blood vessels, skin
(wrinkles), and immune system .
Free Radicals
When people consume processed foods and water containing chlorine and
fluoride, and other chemicals, free radicals are produced damaging cells
including the DNA/RNA and mitochondria within the cells which are crucial
for maintaining their health and energy production. Exposure to free
radical creating chemicals come from our environment as well such as
pollutants in the air we breathe and the chemicals our skin comes in
contact with.
Oxygen - A Two Edged
Sword
While we have oxygen to sustain the life of our cells, in turn sustaining
us, oxygen also creates harmful free radicals.
Too Much Inflammation
Another area of concern is that too many people have excessive amounts
of chronic inflammation. Some inflammation is natural as the body uses
it for healing injuries. Too much inflammation not only increases the
aging process, it also is connected with arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular
disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and interferes with muscle and immune
system function.
Too Much Arachidonic
Acid Contributes to Excess Inflammation
Foods such as dairy, chicken, turkey, eggs, peanuts and red meat contain
an essential fatty acid called arachidonic acid (AA). When there is
an excess of AA it causes the body to produce too much of a prostaglandin
called PGE2 and modified forms of PGE2 called leukotrienes, which increase
pain and inflammation. Elevated AA, PGE2, and leukotrienes are also
involved with asthma, psoriasis, dermatitis and other autoimmune diseases
such as lupus, while AA and PGE2 stimulate cell division and growth
and can be directly linked to cancers and tumors.
Processed Oils and
Fats
There are many oils and fats available to the consumer for cooking and
adding to their food. However, most of them are very unhealthy. These
oils and fats have only been around for a relatively short period as
the technology to extract and refine them has only been around for a
short time. Some of these more modern oils and fats include;
Margarine
Canola Oil
Safflower Oil
Corn Oil
Sunflower Oil
Soy Oil
These oils are also used in many of the foods you eat such as crackers, breads, snack foods, and mayonnaise.
These oils and fats, especially the polyunsaturated and margarine, are very processed and are utterly useless to the body. They have been refined and deodorized so you can’t smell the rancid odor making it more palatable to use for cooking and on your food.
A Word About Flax
Seed Oil
I do not recommend using flax seed oil it as it is very sensitive to
oxygen and begins to go rancid soon after extraction. It is far better
to use the whole flax seed. To derive the most nutritional benefits
purchase organic ground up seed or meal. You can also buy the seed in
bulk and grind it yourself. You should then store it in the freezer.
By using the whole flax seed you get the benefits of the omega-3 oil balanced with the omega-6, natural occurring vitamins and minerals, fiber, and the lignans. You want use to use between 1 to 2 tablespoons daily, or more if you want.
Lignans
Lignans are phytochemicals found in plant foods like most unrefined
grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Flax seed is considered the
richest source of dietary plant lignans containing 75 to 800 times more
than any other plant. People who consume the most lignans have lower
risks of heart disease and certain cancers such as colon, breast and
prostate. Studies also demonstrate benefits for bone health, blood sugar
control, and assists women with menopause. The major lignan in flaxseed,
secoisolariciresinol-diglucoside (SDG), is converted into two other
types of lignans in your intestines, enterodiol and enterolactone, which
promote the beneficial health effects.
Bad Fats Equal Bad
Health; Good Fats Equal Good Health
Processed oils and fats are unhealthy to the body and prevent essential
fatty acids required for good health from working. Essential fatty acids
are necessary for healthy cell walls, many metabolic processes such
as energy production, fat utilization and healthy body fat levels, hormones,
and there is evidence to suggest that low levels of essential fatty
acids, or the wrong balance of the essential fatty acids, may be a factor
in a number of illnesses, including osteoporosis. These processed oils
and fats also promote inflammation in the body, thereby increasing pain
and premature aging.
Healthy Sources of
Fats
Healthy sources of fats would include nuts and seeds such as raw walnuts,
sesame, pumpkin, and almond. These can be found as raw nut butters as
well such as Tahini and Almond Butter. The avocado is an excellent source
of monounsaturated fat, and no it doesn’t make you fat that is a myth.
If you are going to use oils in a bottle there are only two that have been used for thousands of years and are very healthy, extra virgin unprocessed sesame seed oil and olive oil.
Excessive Body Fat
Increases Inflammation
Immune system cells called macrophages, which also produce cytokines
that promote inflammation, are normally present within cells throughout
the body, including fat cells. They act as the first line of defense
against any unwanted invader that may attack the body and assist in
the healing process by removing damaged tissue. In people of normal
weight there will be fewer macrophages, thus there will be fewer cytokines.
However, as an individual gains body fat they increase in number which
also increases the inflammation promoting cytokines.
As people gain more body fat they do not make more fat cells they just grow larger. Over time some of the fat cells become overburdened to the point that they rupture, leak, or die. As this occurs the body’s immune system directs the macrophages to this cellular waste to clean it up. As a result more cytokines are produced increasing inflammation.
Excessive Body Fat
Contributes to the Deterioration of the Brain
MRI studies of the brains of obese people at the University of California
in San Francisco revealed that their brains age faster than people of
normal weight. Other researchers have discovered that people with excessive
body fat have higher brain levels of a toxic protein called amyloid
beta which is implicated in Alzheimer’s disease.
Joints Suffer from
Too Much Weight
Being overweight from carrying too much body fat wears out the joints,
especially the knees and hips. As these areas wear out it becomes increasingly
difficult and painful to move around.
Abnormal Blood Sugar
Levels
Research reveals that when the blood sugar rises excessively and stays
that way for long periods of time cells become altered increasing the
aging process and promoting chronic diseases such as cardiovascular,
gall bladder, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and cancers such
as breast, ovarian, and endometrial. Some commonly eaten foods that
can keep the blood sugar chronically elevated are processed grains like
puffed rice and corn and corn flakes, sugary cereals, white bread and
rice, white potatoes, sugar laden candy and soft drinks, cakes, pies,
and doughnuts.
Ways to Combat Premature
Aging and Protect Ourselves from Disease
If we want to prevent premature aging and protect ourselves against
diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto
immune diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
asthma, and cancer we really need to apply ourselves to really take
care of our body at the cellular level and protect them from free radicals
and inflammation.
Consume A Healthy
Diet
Obviously, the first step would be to examine our eating habits. How
much processed food do you eat? Always remember that the more processed
food eaten the harder your body has to work to break it down and eliminate
it robbing you of energy and aging you more quickly. Our food should
provide us with the required nutrients to feed the cells which in turn
give us energy and good health. To do this the food should be fresh
as possible especially fruits and vegetables as they contain antioxidants
that protect the cells against free radicals. Instead of using box cereals
use whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, oats, millet,
amaranth, spelt and many more. They are far more nutritious and contain
more fiber and won’t spike your blood sugar like the processed box cereals.
Always try to eat organic.
To see if you are obtaining
enough antioxidants Take
the Personal Antioxidant Profile Questionnaire.
To help reduce inflammation reduce arachidonic acid (AA) and PGE2 by eating less dairy, chicken, turkey, eggs, peanuts and red meat and eat more fish such as salmon, sardine, tuna, lake trout, anchovy, and pilchard which contain more omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. To preserve the omega-3 fatty acids do not fry the fish. If you do not eat fish very often, or you do not eat it at all, you can supplement with fish oil in softgels. A minimum of 1,000 mg each of EPA and DHA should be taken daily. Fish oil with its omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA increases the production of PGE3 which reduces inflammation and pain.
As mentioned under the section on fats eliminate the bad fats and consume the healthy fats for the essential fatty acids required to the keep the cells and body healthy.
| A
List of Some of the Worst Foods That Contribute to Premature Aging and Chronic Disease |
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| Bacon | Sugary Processed Cereals |
| Hot Dogs | Sugary Soft Drinks |
| Potato Chips | Red Meat |
| White Bread and Rice | Doughnuts |
| Processed Fats and oils | Chlorinated, Fluoridated water |
| A
List of Some of the Best Foods That Contribute to Slower Aging and Prevent Chronic Disease |
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| Apples | Raw and seeds nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and sesame |
| Blueberries | Legumes |
| Spinach, dark leafy greens | Green tea |
| Salmon and Sardines | Extra virgin olive and sesame oil |
| Whole grains | Taking in more healthy chemical free water with a natural mineral balance. |
| Flax Seeds | |
Healthy Water Daily
Water as well should be clean of all contaminants such as chlorine and
fluoride. Eliminate sodas and sugary drinks. Don’t drink more than two
cups of coffee or tea with caffeine daily and keep alcohol to a minimum.
Instead of drinking coffee and sodas try to include more healthy teas
like ginger which assists with digestion, and green tea which contains
antioxidants to protect the cells and cardiovascular system against
free radicals.
Reduce Excessive Body Fat Levels
To reduce inflammation, damage to the joints, and avoid chronic diseases
excess body fat is going to have to come down. This can be done by using
a sane and healthy approach. No weird diets, just learning how to eat
healthy and incorporating a well designed exercise program. If you feel
a little overwhelmed and are not sure how to go about doing this then
I suggest you hire a professional to set up a program for you. It will
be money well invested.
Quality Supplements
Besides eating healthy, drinking healthy water, and exercising we can
take quality supplements to assist our cells to be all they can be to
slow down the aging process and avoid chronic diseases. Many of you
may be taking supplements. But what most people do not realize is the
supplements they are taking may be promoting the aging process and breakdown
of the cells. How can that be?
The Correct Forms
of B-12 and Folic Acid for Repair and Health of the Cells
The majority of supplements made today use minerals that are not very
absorbable, and can even block absorption of other nutrients in the
digestive system by plugging up the villi in the small intestine. Also,
the B-12 is in a form, cyanocobalamin, the body cannot use. Folic acid
as well is in a form that is also very difficult to absorb, convert
and use and actually interferes with the health and function of the
cell. I mention these things because they are important for the repair
and function of the nucleic acids, DNA/RNA, which are required for healthy
cell function and replication to prevent premature aging and chronic
diseases.
I have mentioned this before in other articles but it bears repeating. The repair and function of the nucleic acids, DNA/RNA, are extremely important if you wish to age more slowly and prevent chronic diseases. B-12 needs to be in the form of methylcobalamin, a bioactive form, or it is entirely useless. And while the right form of folic acid, tetrahydrofolate, can be found in foods it is very sensitive to heat and light and is easily destroyed. Also, even this natural form of folate can be difficult to convert into the critical form L-5-Methyltetrahydrafolate required for the repair and maintenance of the DNA/RNA.
The Correct forms
of B-12 and Folic Acid
To make sure that these two essential B vitamins are available to your
body supplements containing them in the bioactive forms should be taken.
While there are some supplements that contain the right form of B-12,
methylcobalamin, there are very few containing the bioactive forms,
folinic acid and
L-5-Methyltetrahydrafolate.
Supplementation of
the Correct Forms of B-12 and Folic Acid
Realizing the enormous benefits of these two B vitamins, especially
the bioactive folates, is the main reason why they are found in the
MultiFuel™
Mulitple, the B-Logic™
B-Complex, and the 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate
in capsules of 1,000 mcg.
In Conclusion
If we want to slow down the aging process and prevent chronic diseases
we need to really apply ourselves to this task. No one can do this for
you. There is no one magic pill, potion, elixir, drug, or mystical Fountain
of Youth to drink from. It is a combination of healthy eating, healthy
water intake, healthy mental attitude, exercise, supplementing with
the right quality supplements, sufficient sleep and rest, and elimination
of health destroying habits.
Growing older doesn’t have to mean that we spend our remaining years in pain and misery. And if you do suffer from some of the ailments mentioned before they can improve when health building principles are incorporated daily. Like they say, “A thousand mile journey begins with the first step.”
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