How we age and die and how we can slow down aging

A telomere is a repeating sequence of DNA at the end of a chromosome. Each time a cell replicates and divides the telomere loses some of its length. Eventually the telomere runs out and the cell can no longer divide and rejuvenate, triggering a poor state of cell health that contributes to disease risk and eventual cell death. Depending on what we do we can speed up the process ( as most do!) or slow it down (anti aging). Another intriguing possibility is that you may be able to lengthen your telomeres while maintaining their quality, actually turning back your biological clock. The new science is showing that this is also possible, although we are far from any instant Fountain of Youth remedy.

The 21st Century is ushering in a new era of nutritional science, demonstrating the unbelievable power of nutrition to benefit human health. In this new understanding the search for the Fountain of Youth is no longer a fairy tale story. Scientific findings now suggest nutrition may be able to turn back the clock, at least a little bit. And the science clearly shows that nutrition can slow your rate of biological aging. Many nutrients can help protect and enhance repair capacity of your DNA, including your telomeres. A lack of antioxidants leads to increased free radical damage and more risk for damage to telomeres. Free radicals pr0duce inflammation which we want to avoid at all costs. The most basic supplements to address the inflammatory issue are vitamin D and DHA (the omega 3 fatty acid). Researchers have now demonstrated in 2100 female twin pairs, ages 19-79, that the highest levels of vitamin D were associated with the longest telomeres and the lowest vitamin D levels were associated with the shortest telomeres, a difference equating to five years of lifespan potential.  In a group of 608 cardiovascular patients followed over a five year period those with the highest intake of DHA/EPA had the longest telomeres and those with the lowest levels had the shortest telomeres.

The important point to understand is that you need an adequate supply of methyl donors in order for your telomeres to work properly, just like your car needs gasoline. The primary methyl donor for this purpose is called SAMe, which uses nutrients like methionine, MSM sulfur, choline, and trimethylglycine as building blocks.  Forming SAMe from these building blocks requires vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin B6.  

The most important basic supplement to help your telomeres is a good quality multiple vitamin along with adequate dietary protein, especially sulfur-containing proteins. Examples include whey protein, eggs, cottage cheese, dairy, red meat, chicken, legumes, duck, nuts, and seeds. Eggs are the highest source of choline in the diet, with other sources containing moderate amounts such as meat, chicken, dairy, nuts, and seeds.

Your brain also has a high need for methyl donors in order for your mood to feel good. If you are stressed out or depressed you are typically lacking methyl donors, meaning your telomeres are also running low of nourishment and prone to accelerated aging. This is a major reason why stress ages a person. Also, better quality skin as you age is directly related to the health of your telomeres.

On top of your antioxidant foundation there are specific antioxidant nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, carnosine, and especially tocotrienol E and resveratrol, are likely to have direct benefits for your telomeres. Nutrients such as quercetin, green tea catechins, grape seed extract, curcumin, and resveratrol all show specific ability to help preserve telomeres, with grape seed extract and curcumin showing the ability to generate longer telomeres.

RICO’S COMMENTS:

Of course any chronic health problem has increased inflammation and free radical damage as features and is likely to be associated with shorter telomeres. It all ties together: good nutrition, specific supplementation, exercise and mind-body connection (the 4 aspects of what I call Total Health). As telomeres shorten and/or or become functionally impaired, your body struggles to keep up. In this situation damaged molecules accumulate in your body and repair processes are hampered, aging is accelerated. The older you get the more the need for supplementation. You get out what you put in, just like any endeavor.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START MAKING THE CHANGES IN NUTRITION AND SUPPLEMENTATION THAT WILL SLOW DOWN THE SHORTENING OF YOUR TELOMERES. GROW YOUNG PEOPLE!

Resveratrol is a natural compound that is a rich source of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, that also activates sirtuin, a family of proteins associated with cellular longevity.  In that studies on lab animals show that orally delivered resveratrol exerts potent anti-diabetic effects,  Giorgio Ramadori, from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (USA), and colleagues explored the underlying mechanism of this benefit. The researchers found that resveratrol acts directly on certain proteins in the brain, thereby normalizing hyperglycemia and greatly improving hyperinsulinemia in diet-induced obese and diabetic mice, these effects being independent of changes in body weight, food intake, and circulating leptin levels.    The team suggests that: “[O]ur results unveiled a previously unrecognized key role for the CNS in mediating the antidiabetic actions of resveratrol,” and hopes these findings will lead to new approaches for diabetes prevention in humans.

Source:  www.worldhealth.net

RICO’S COMMENTS:

Resveratrol is one of the newest most potent anti-aging antioxidants. It has numerous health benefits: fighting cancer, anti-aging, preventing cardiovascular disease, etc. It is found in grapes, red wine, peanuts, grapes, and other plants. Resveratrol opens up the arteries by enhancing the production of nitric oxide. It helps to prevent heart attacks by keeping blood cells from sticking together and keeping arteries from narrowing. It should be a part of everyone’s health regimen.

Resveratrol is a natural compound that is a rich source of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant, that also activates sirtuin, a family of proteins associated with cellular longevity. In that studies on lab animals show that orally delivered resveratrol exerts potent anti-diabetic effects, Giorgio Ramadori, from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (USA), and colleagues explored the underlying mechanism of this benefit. The researchers found that resveratrol acts directly on certain proteins in the brain, thereby normalizing hyperglycemia and greatly improving hyperinsulinemia in diet-induced obese and diabetic mice, these effects being independent of changes in body weight, food intake, and circulating leptin levels. The team suggests that: “[O]ur results unveiled a previously unrecognized key role for the CNS in mediating the antidiabetic actions of resveratrol,” and hopes these findings will lead to new approaches for diabetes prevention in humans.

Source: www.worldhealth.net

OUR COMMENTS:

Resveratrol is one of the newest most potent anti-aging antioxidants. It has numerous health benefits: fighting cancer, anti-aging, preventing cardiovascular disease, etc. It is found in grapes, red wine, peanuts, grapes, and other plants. Resveratrol opens up the arteries by enhancing the production of nitric oxide. It helps to prevent heart attacks by keeping blood cells from sticking together and keeping arteries from narrowing. It should be a part of everyone’s health regimen.

Here’s the Good News…

You don’t have to starve yourself to switch on your longevity gene. You can activate it with a simple nutrient. It’s called resveratrol.*

Resveratrol shifts your cells into high gear, stimulating them to perform a variety of activities that promote health and longevity.* Resveratrol also acts as a potent antioxidant, binding with “free radicals,” the molecules that cause cell damage and lead to death over time. And its power to enhance and prolong your life goes way beyond anti-aging. You could even say it’s nature’s wonder drug.*

During recent studies, resveratrol excelled across the board. Some of its benefits include:

• Promoting healthy glucose metabolism and optimal body weight.*
• Supporting cardiovascular health.*
• Enhanced mitochondrial energy production (the mitochondria are the tiny power plants inside each of your cells…)*
• Improved motor function, including balance and coordination.*

That last benefit is worth repeating… Resveratrol actually improves your quality of life, by boosting your physical abilities. You would expect these daily skills to decline as you get older, right? Wrong. During the test of balance and coordination, those taking resveratrol made steady improvement as they aged.*

Resveratrol is found naturally in grapes, blueberries, cranberries, and other plants also make it. But it’s difficult – if not impossible – to get enough of it to create an anti-aging effect from food alone.

That’s why I tell my patients it’s possible to…

Turn Back Your Aging Clock with Powerful Antioxidants

Reseveratrol is a powerful, “high capacity” antioxidant. Not only does it protect the cells in your body from early death, it triggers the activation of your anti-aging genes.*

I’m sure you’ve heard of antioxidants. People throw that term around all the time. But they seldom tell you what they really are… or why you really need them.

Antioxidants protect every cell, tissue and organ in your body – keeping them healthier, longer. It’s just like a sandwich. If you leave it on the counter, the air makes the bread stale. And if you leave it out for a few days, the meat and cheese go rotten. (This destructive process is called oxidation. Oxidation is carried out by free radicals.)

But seal it in a zip-lock bag and throw it in the fridge, and it stays good for weeks. Your body is the same… Give your cells the right antioxidant protection and your body will last years – even decades – longer.*

When I first discovered resveratrol years ago, I started using it with my patients. And it didn’t take long before I saw results. Using their blood tests as a guide, I measured changes in heart health and mobility – I even recorded a general slowing of the degenerative problems that come with aging.*

Resveratrol is a major breakthrough. There’s no doubt about it…

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, M.D.

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Resveratrol……an amazing nutrient.

One of the reason’s my #1 supplement is Mona Vie……a two oz. serving of Mona Vie has the same amount of Resveratrol that you’d get from drinking 20 glasses of Red Wine!!!!!

Rico Connor

CEO, Total Health For Life