Just about all good books on Health, Nutrition, and Exercise, is an amplification of the old master of "Health and Strength" - Charles Atlas. HIS course is still available. I have his original course from when I was 14. Type in "Charles Atlas" into your web browser and…. up it will come - Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG!
by Nicholas Perricone., M.D.
Introduction
It seems impossible that my first book, The Wrinkle Cure, was published well over ten years ago, but time has a way of doing that. In fact, time seems to go by faster with each passing year. Since the excitement generated by that first book, I have continued to devote myself to slowing down time, or at least the toll it takes on our bodies. In The Wrinkle Cure, I introduced the concept that inflammation is at the basis of aging and age-related disease. This inflammation exists over abroad spectrum that ranges from low to high. On the low side, it occurs on a cellular level and is invisible to the naked eye. It can be discerned only microscopically or submicroscopically on a molecular level. On the high end of the spectrum, the inflammation is visibly evident as redness and swelling, as seen in a wound or sunburn.
In The Wrinkle Cure, I explained that this low-grade, subclinical, cellular inflammation is ultimately responsible for cell dysfunction, leading to organ dysfunction, aging, and death. In addition, I identified this subclinical inflammation as being the basis of such diverse age-related diseases as atherosclerosis, diabetes, various forms of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurologic diseases, as well as wrinkling of the skin.
My colleagues and mainstream medicine in general vigorously resisted the concept of the inflammation/aging/disease conrvectioti. Fortunately, a great deal has changed in a decade, and in that time, numerous studies have validated this concept. Many therapeutic interventions are now being developed counteracting subclinical inflammation, thereby prolonging both our health and our life span.
The Diabetes/Aging Connection
One of the models I use as an accelerated aging prototype is the disease of diabetes. Studying diabetes has helped me to understand the effects of irregularities in blood sugar and their role in the production of free radicals, leading to glycation and inflammation. Glycation is an inflammatory biochemical process that occurs when a glucose (sugar) molecule binds to a protein molecule without the influence of enzymes. In scientific terms we refer to these sugar/protein bonds as AGEs, an appropriate acronym for advanced glycation end products. Glycation and AGEs are highly damaging to all organ systems, including the skin. AGEs can cause arterial stiffening, atherosclerosis, cataracts, neurological impairment, diabetic complications, wrinkled, sagging skin, and more. The inflammation and glycation that I observed in diabetics whose disease was poorly controlled resulted in those patients' aging one-third faster than the normal population.
The Forever Young Approach to Aging
Uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes is not the only model for accelerated aging. As we enter a new decade, I am looking at another accelerated aging model. This model has provided me with the information I need to develop novel therapeutic interventions to further slow the aging process and radically decrease the onset of age-related disease. The culprit is an acute, severe, systemic infection known as sepsis, which leads to septic shock, the onset and progression of which closely parallel the bodily changes seen during aging. Sepsis leads to disorders that take place on a cellular level and closely mimics, in an abbreviated period of time, what happens to our bodies over a period of years and decades in the normal aging process.
Understanding how we age on a cellular level gives us the information we need to retard or even reverse the process. In Forever Young you will learn about the science of nutrigenomics and how some very special foods and substances can alter the way you age, both mentally and physically. Nutrigenomics is the study of how nutrition affects gene expression and how certain nutrients can turn on the genes that block disease and turn off the genes that cause accelerated aging and disease. As I have often told my patients, readers, and viewers, the fountain of youth may be no further away than your next meal!
As I observed accelerated models of aging, like poorly controlled diabetes and sepsis, and studied and implemented nutrigenomics, I have developed strategies designed to keep you, if not Forever Young, at least looking and feeling your very best for many decades into the future.
Thank you for joining me on this life-changing journey.
Nicholas Perricone, M.D., F.A.C.N., C.N.S. Madison, Connecticut January 2010
FREE-RADICAL CHEMISTRY
Many people are confused about free radicals. They know that they are bad and that antioxidants combat them. Understanding the chemistry of free radicals will give you an important perspective on aging.
Atoms and molecules are most stable when there is a pair of electrons circulating in their outer orbit. When a molecule or atom loses one of the electrons, it becomes a free radical. Its mission in life has now become the quest for another atom or molecule to hook up with. Any substance that rips electrons away from another molecule is known as an oxidizing agent or electrophile. Free radicals can damage tissues, cell membranes, and DNA, disrupting our store of genetic information, which may lead to the initiation of certain cancers.
Free radicals can also oxidize the fats that make up the cell wall membrane and the membrane covering the mitochondria and the nucleus. This oxidation can lead to cellular dysfunction and serious damage to the immune system and major organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys, and pancreas. Free radicals contribute to at least fifty major diseases, including atherosclerosis, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and lung disease, as well as accelerated aging. Although free radicals exist for only a fraction of a second, the inflammatory cascade that they generate goes on for hours or days.
Antioxidants, including vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, and Co Q10, are known as reducing agents. They neutralize free radicals and leave a much more benign antioxidant free radical in its place. Unfortunately, the mitochondria are a site of constant free-radical production and very susceptible to the damage that free radicals can cause. If we hope to preserve youthful function and prevent disease, it is critical to search for agents and antioxidants that will protect the mitochondria from free-radical damage.
GLUTATHIONE BREAKTHROUGH
A major breakthrough in the use of glutathione is a recently synthesized molecule that is proving to be extremely protective on a cellular level. This derivative of glutathione is known as S-acyl-glutathione. This new molecule is a combination of a fatty acid attached to the glutathione molecule. The combination of a fatty acid with the glutathione enables the glutathione to be easily transported into the cell and subsequently into the mitochondria. This process is similar to the results I have seen using the standard glutathione molecule in my phospholipid carrier system.
One of the new S-acyl-glutathione derivatives I have been working with is S-palmitoleic glutathione (glutathione combined with palm oil). In several studies, this molecule has been able to enter cells, where it neutralizes such free radicals as reactive oxygen species (ROS). The acyl derivatives of glutathione also provide protection to the cell plasma membrane, the outer fatty portion of the cell. Studies show that they are extremely protective to fibroblast cells, which are responsible for producing collagen and elastin in our skin. Protecting this important part of the cell can lead to more youthful-looking, healthier skin.
In other studies, the S-acyl-glutathione derivatives are proving to be protective to brain cells. You will see many examples of substances that are therapeutic to both skin and brain throughout this book. I refer to this phenomenon as the Brain/Beauty Connection.
The Brain/Beauty Connection
During medical school, I spent a good deal of time working with patients who were receiving pharmacological agents for the central nervous system. Each time these patients were given treatment, I observed a markedly improved appearance of their skin. This is understandable if you know the basics of embryology, the branch of biology that studies the growth of the fertilized egg to approximately four months of gestation. During this period, all of the body's organ systems are derived from three distinct and separate layers of tissue in the embryo. Both the skin and the brain are derived from the same embryonic tissue, which is known as the ectoderm. There is an important and powerful connection between the brain and the skin. It should not be surprising that therapeutic agents that affect the brain positively would also be beneficial to the skin.
One of the new S-acyl-glutathione derivatives I have been working with is S-palmitoIeoylglutathione (glutathione combined with a monounsaturated fatty acid found in palm oil known as palmi-toleic acid), which is an important discovery in the treatment of neurological problems associated with aging such as Alzheimer's disease. Thanks to the brain/beauty connection, they are also extremely efficacious in treating the skin.
Increasing Glutathione Production
Another strategy for providing glutathione to the cell and giving additional protection to the mitochondria is to provide precursors that are needed for the formation of glutathione. One very important precursor is a slightly modified amino acid known as acetylcysteine (NAC) - acetylcysteine is a derivative of the amino acid L-cysteine. NAC contains a sulfur group known as a thiol, and it is the thiol that gives this amino acid its antioxidant effects. The cysteine portion of NAC is one of the three peptides that make up the glutathione molecule, and because it provides this building block, more glutathione is produced.
In combination with two other amino acids, glutamine and glycine….. when administered together, are precursors or building blocks of glutathione and work synergistically to elevate glutathione levels in the cell.
Physicians have been administering NAC to patients suffering from acute sepsis to elevate levels of glutathione in the mitochondria and protect against organ failure. Oral supplementation is also an excellent strategy to protect the body as we age.
While I was interning in pediatrics at the Yale University Medical Center, I encountered a problem on more than one occasion in the ER involving children suffering from an acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose. Acetaminophen is extremely toxic when taken in large doses because it causes liver failure. At the time, the Yale Pediatric ER therapeutic protocol was to have the patient drink a foul-smelling liquid called Mucomyst. Designed to be used in a nebulizer, Mucomyst was a therapy for patients with respiratory problems. It worked by breaking down thick mucus in the bronchials of patients with lung problems. Mucomyst is a solution of N-acetylcysteine. The thiol in it is responsible for its terrible rotten egg aroma, because it is a sulfur group. In the Tylenol overdoses, NAC works by elevating levels of glutathione in the liver cells, preventing free-radical damage and liver damage. Although we all pitied the poor children who were forced to drink this horrible-smelling solution, we surmised that after experiencing this drink, they would not go near a Tylenol tablet, unsupervised, for the rest of their lives……
It is difficult to overstate the importance of glutathione as the body's primary antioxidant defense system……
Scientists and physicians, myself included, have spent many years researching methods to increase glutathione within the mitochondria. Elevating glutathione levels and other substances that protect against free-radical damage in the mitochondria is the cornerstone of our quest to look and feel Forever Young.
One of the greatest challenges in working with glutathione is the fact that glutathione supplementation has not been viable. This is because oral ingestion of supplemental glutathione is rapidly digested by the gastrointestinal system. Fortunately, we are finding ways to circumvent this problem. One such method is the focal point of my own research: the development of a phospholipid carrier system that is capable of transferring glutathione into the cells. This transdermal delivery system allows the mitochondria to receive increased levels of this protective tripeptide. When applied to the skin, glutathione, via the phospholipid carrier, is able to penetrate various levels, reaching into the deep dermis and finally into the subdermal microvasculature, or the small blood vessels under the skin. From this point, glutathione begins circulating in our blood, providing protective glutathione molecules to all organ systems and cells. When delivered in this form, the glutathione is able to enter the cells and provide elevated levels for increased protection. Once in the cell, the higher levels of glutathione are available to the mitochondria, where they help to maintain health and prevent disease.
In Forever Young, you are going to learn how to adopt these therapeutic interventions as a means of keeping the mitochondria in a youthful state.
The Universal and Metabolic Antioxidant
Another important antioxidant that can help elevate levels of glutathione in the cell is alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which has always been important in my research and was first introduced to my readers in The Wrinkle Cure. Alpha-lipoic acid is unique as an antioxidant because it is both fat-and-water-soluble. This means that it is able to protect all portions of the cell, including the mitochondria. ALA is also a metabolic booster that assists in energy production in the mitochondria. It is found naturally in our cells, locked in an enzyme system that is part of the energy-producing mechanism in the mitochondria.
Just say NO
Another mechanism by which ALA gives protection to the cell and mitochondria is by inhibiting the release of nitric oxide (NO). Free radicals are not alone in acting as a destructive force in the mitochondria; nitric oxide can also wreak havoc (more about this in chapter 2).
Nitric oxide has been studied by thousands of scientists in tens of thousands of laboratories for many years because it has a physiological function. It is a signaling molecule that is important in the central nervous system, arteries, and various cell systems. At elevated levels, NO can have negative effects, especially on mitochondrial function. In fact, nitric oxide plays a key role in the formation and perpetuation of various forms of cancer. Regulating nitric oxide release has become a new therapeutic strategy being used in the treatment of cancer. In chapter 21 will introduce additional substances that can block the production of NO and inflammatory transcription factors.
Increased concentrations of nitric oxide interact with oxygen-free radicals, resulting in the production of a superpotent free radical called peroxynitrite. During the metabolic stress seen during sepsis, there is a large release of nitric oxide, which disrupts the electron transport chain within the mitochondria. The powerful antioxidant properties of ALA can inhibit the release of nitric oxide, providing vital protection to the mitochondria. Since ALA is powerful enough to protect the cells during the extreme examples of sepsis and septic shock, it follows that this antioxidant can protect your cells from the changes seen during aging. All of the therapies that protect the mitochondria from damage suffered during sepsis can be implemented to prevent many diseases associated with aging.
ALA also helps with glucose metabolism, which becomes more important as we age. Insulin resistance and the elevated glucose levels of hyperglycemia are rampant in the aging population. Unfortunately, there is an epidemic of insulin resistance, elevated glucose levels, and type 2 diabetes in the young as well, due to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. It should come as no surprise that glucose dysregulation is also a hallmark finding in sepsis and in the multiple organ dysfunction system (MODS). ALA helps in the cell's uptake of glucose, independent of the action of insulin. It also sensitizes the insulin receptors in the cell plasma membrane, enabling the cell to utilize insulin and glucose more efficiently. ALA can help restore blood sugar control and prevent metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
ALA's powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties work through several mechanisms. One of the most important is its ability to prevent the activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors such as NF-kB and AP-1. Once NF-kB is activated in the cytosol (watery portion of the cell) during oxidative stress (excess free radicals), it translocates to the nucleus, where it activates gene expression for the production of pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines. These include tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-2, -4, and -8. This immune response initiates a cascade of inflammation that interferes with cell function and disrupts mitochondrial energy production, generating even more free radicals.
When ALA is administered in conjunction with NAC, it protects glutathione from destruction and increases glutathione production. ALA is an important tool in preventing cytopathic hypoxia—impaired cellular oxygen use—either acutely in the ICU or chronically in the prevention of aging. When ALA is applied topically, its ability to prevent cell death results in visibly decreased lines and wrinkles, increased skin radiance, and an enhanced overall appearance of the skin.
Co Q10
Another important antiaging nutrient that can be used to protect the mitochondria and treat MODS is coenzyme Q10, also known as ubi-quinol. Co Q10 is found within the mitochondrial electron transport chain and assists in passing the electrons through the chain for the production of ATP, the energy storage and transfer molecule that is essential to life. Co Q10 is also a powerful antioxidant, used both topically and orally to prevent the clinical and physiological changes seen with aging and aging skin. It has been found effective in reducing the incidence of fine lines and wrinkles in the skin when used orally and/or topically.
Summary
Although extreme examples, cytopathic hypoxia and MODS can also be a model for aging. Aging is characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction, with a disruption in energy production that eventually leads to cell death by apoptosis. The aging cell is unable to use oxygen even when there is adequate oxygen being delivered to the tissue. Finding therapeutic agents that can protect the mitochondria is critical to all organ systems, including the skin. When these agents are taken orally, there is improved function in all vital organs, including the central nervous system or brain, where they can slow the loss of memory and the decline of problem-solving abilities. They are also critical in preventing the diseases of the cardiovascular system, the greatest cause of mortality in the aging population. When they are applied topically, the results are significant, reducing the classic signs of aging skin, including wrinkles, loss of contour and muscle tone, sagging, loss of radiance, enlarged pores, and discoloration.
You have learned that you can positively affect the way your cells function and you can intervene in the cell death associated with aging.
In chapter 2, I will introduce you to exciting research that will demonstrate that you can manipulate the expression of your genes, turning off disease- and age-accelerating transcription factors and turning on those that fight age and disease. With the tools you will read about in Forever Young, you will be able to preserve and restore your vitality and youthful appearance with strategies that are based on the most up-to-date science.
………………..
TO BE CONTINUED
NOW ALL THIS SOUNDS VERY TECHNICAL; YES DR. PERRICONE WAS BEING TECHNICAL.
THE SIMPLE FACT IS AS WE SHALL SEE IN FUTURE CHAPTERS, THE TECH STUFF TAKES CARE OF ITSELF, IF WE ARE EATING A GOOD HEALTHY VARIETY OF FOODS AS ORGANIC AS POSSIBLE, AND USING SOME RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE FACIAL CREAMS EVERY DAY, GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP [ABOUT 8 HOURS A DAY], KEEPING STRESS FREE, A HAPPY MIND-SET, AND REGULAR EXERCISE [SOME THAT MAKE THE HEART PUMP, LIKE FAST SWIMMING AS ONE EXAMPLE], WE CAN HAVE THE HEALTH AND STRENGTH, LOOKING YOUNGER THAN OUR BIRTH AGE, AS THE OLD MASTER CHARLES ATLAS PROMOTED AND TAUGHT IN HIS COURSE.
Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG - parts of chapter 2
THE RAINBOW FOODS-COLOR IS THE KEY TO GENE EXPRESSION
I have long encouraged my patients to shop for the "rainbow foods" in the produce aisle. A full palette of sensual color will not only make your food beautiful, it will heal your body on a cellu-J lar level and will keep you young. Choose from the array of fresh fruits and vegetables at the market or, even better, at a local farmers' market:
ALL THAT THE AUTHOR STATES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FINE IF WITHIN GOD'S FOOD LAWS AS OUTLINED IN THE BIBLE - LEV.11 AND DEUT. 14. - AND ALSO GOD'S "SEED" LAWS OF GENESIS - FUGUS TYPE WHATEVERS SHOULD NOT BE EATEN - Keith Hunt
*A variety of baby greens, including watercress and
arugula
*Red,cabbage
*Dark green broccoli, broccoli rabe, broccolini
*String beans Red onions and tomatoes - Purple garlic
*Red, purple, and yellow bell peppers
*Bright red chile peppers
*Purple eggplant
*Alfalfa and broccoli sprouts
*Fragrant fresh herbs and spices, including basil, parsley,
thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, dill, cinnamon sticks,
golden turmeric root, thyme - IF ANY THING HERE PRESENTED BY THE AUTHOR IS NOT FROM "SEEDS" IT SHOULD BE AVOIDED - Keith Hunt
*Deep blue blueberries
*Brilliant blackberries
*Vivid red strawberries
*Royal purple plums
*Deep red or bright green apples
*Red-black
*Bing cherries
For condiments:
*Dark green extra-virgin olive oil
*An assortment of green and black olives
In the bulk food department, stock up on:
*Dark red kidney beans - Black and Red lentils
*Golden oats
*Warm brown walnuts
*Dark chocolate
*Almonds
*Bright green pumpkin seeds
And don't forget seafood:
*Rich, red Alaskan sockeye salmon
*Wild Pecific salmon - pink/red. [Again God has laws on what sea creatures to eat - Keith Hunt]
Seeing Blue and Going Green: Nutrigenomics in Action
The nutrients and other substances discussed in this chapter provide benefits that far exceed their function as antioxidants. Green, black, and white tea (Camellia sinensis), cocoa, and blueberries all contain special catechins (with active pharmacophores) that have significant effects on gene expression.
Tea has many benefits and is well known for both its anticancer and its antioxidant properties. Other positive effects include:
*The amino acid called theonine, a natural relaxant that won't make you drowsy
*The ability to increase metabolism, resulting in the burning of body fat
*The ability to suppress the absorption of fat High levels of antioxidants that act as anti-inflammatories and are protective for the skin and brain, and all your organs.
*The ability to improve glucose tolerance in diabetic mice, an effect that may help prevent type 2 diabetes High levels of an important polyphenol antioxidant, epigal-locatechin gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be responsible for much of green tea's promise in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, periodontal disease, and dental cavities……
WRINKLE BLOCKER
The EGCG in tea prevents the activation of collagen-digesting enzymes known as matrix metalloproteinase. This is a critical function because these enzymes are responsible for wrinkling of the skin.
The Old-New Superfoods—Cinnamon and Turmeric: Spices of Life
NRF2 to the rescue
Cinnamon is not only a delicious spice, it has a variety of health benefits, starting with one of the keys to staying Forever Young and wrinkle-free, the regulation of blood sugar.
The USDA Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, is a world leader in research on the links between nutrition and disease. In one study, the scientists were amazed to find that volunteers who had eaten apple pie, high in sugar and refined flour, did not experience the expected large rise in their blood sugar levels.
They soon discovered that cinnamon, that wonderfully fragrant, classic apple pie spice, was the reason. Cinnamon contains a variety of phytonutrients, including the flavan-3-ol polyphenol-class antioxidants similar to those found in grapes, berries, cocoa, and green tea (OPCs and catechins).
This class of antioxidants boosts the stabilizing effect of insulin on blood sugar. At the same time, these antioxidants inhibit insulin resistance. They achieve this by activating enzymes that stimulate insulin receptors, making the cells more sensitive to insulin, increasing insulin's ability to lower blood sugar. In addition, they augment the effects of the insulin-signaling pathways within skeletal muscle tissue.
Just a few of the benefits of these phytonutrients are as follows:
*Cinnamon acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory.
*It inhibits the release of the inflammatory fatty acid arachidonic acid from platelet membranes.
*It also reduces the production of an inflammatory prostaglandin (messenger) called thromboxane A2.
*Its essential oil inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi.
*It functions as a strong antioxidant.
Turmeric—Worth Its Weight in Gold
Turmeric is another spice containing the Michael acceptors. We are all familiar with this delicious spice, the hallmark of fragrant, flavorful golden curries.
Curcumin, chemically diferuloylmethane, and its derivatives demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, collectively known as curcuminoids, are responsible for the yellow pigment derived from the roots of the perennial herb turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). They are also responsible for turmeric's exceptional health-promoting properties. The curcuminoids prevent NF-kB from activation with extreme efficiency.
In fact, the single most promising food-derived compound to combat cancer, based on the current body of scientific evidence, is the curcuminoids found in turmeric. M. D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, Texas, and other top cancer research centers in the United States are involved in preclinical and clinical research on the anticancer mechanism and application of curcuminoids in conditions including colon, breast, head, neck, and prostate cancer, multiple myeloma, and respiratory tract cancers. The curcuminoids prevent NF-kB activation with extreme efficiency.
Many studies indicate that turmeric in general, and its curcuminoid fraction specifically, possess significant potential in preventing and treating cancer. The active constituents in turmeric have tremendous activity in the body, protecting several organ systems including the brain and heart.
The curcuminoids found in turmeric also function as a mild electrophile or Michael acceptor. By acting as a mild oxidizing agent, they activate the protective transcription factor NRF2, which then upregulates a multitude of cell-protective enzymes and molecules. Scientists are now studying the protective effects of NRF2 activation in reducing oxidative stress found in the central nervous system in diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's. Ingesting turmeric root on a daily basis can help prevent the loss of cognitive function that we face as we age.
As predicted by the brain/beauty hypothesis, the curcuminoids found in turmeric are also active in the skin. When applied topically, they function as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, partially because of their ability to upregulate NRF2, which provides the skin with many benefits, including increased radiance, decreased pore size, and, with continued use, a reduction in fine lines and discolorations.
The Antioxidant Attributes of Turmeric
*The curcuminoid pigments in turmeric are safe, highly effective antioxidants.
*Turmeric turmerin, a unique peptide, acts as a free-radical scavenger and offers 80 percent protection against oxidative injury to membranes and DNA.
*Animals fed curcuminoids show higher blood levels of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase, which, as we learned in chapter 1, is essential to our health as an important antioxidant and key player in the body's detoxification system.
The Antt-irflarnmaiory Powers of Turmeric
*By modulating the effects of key pro-inflammatory molecules, including cyclooxygenase 2, leukotrienes, prostaglandins, nitric oxide, interferon-inducible protein, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interleukin-12, the curcuminoids in turmeric suppress inflammation.
*Like alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), curcumin inhibits the proinflammatory actions of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1). As you will learn in "The Birth of a Wrinkle," on page 60, activation of NF-kB and AP-1 leads to inflammation-related microscarring of collagen, resulting in wrinkles.
*The curcuminoids may enhance the secretion of antiinflammatory corticosteroids from the adrenal glands or boost their anti-inflammatory power. The curcuminoids are safer anti-inflammatory agents than the standard NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. They work by blocking the pro-inflammatory mediator thromboxane (TXA-2) and not by blocking COX-1, which can result in gastric bleeding.
*Turmeric sensitizes the body's Cortisol receptor sites, which is important as we age, as elevated Cortisol damages all organ systems, including skin.
Eliminating Liver Toxins
When we ingest turmeric, it increases the liver's ability to eliminate dangerous carcinogenic toxins. Studies indicate that it raises the levels of two key liver detoxification enzymes (UDP glucoronyl transferase and glutathione -transferase).
Spice Up Your Life
Many spice-derived phy to chemicals have important therapeutic effects, including their ability to suppress NF-kB. The bad news is that once NF-kB is activated, it induces the expression of more than two hundred genes. As you have learned in these pages, NF-kB is linked to many diseases, including:
AIDS
Allergy
Alzheimer's disease Arthritis Atherosclerosis
Cancer
Crohn's disease
Diabetes Multiple sclerosis
Myocardial infarction activity is only part of the story.
Another part is the ability of these substances to mimic oxidative stress, thus tricking the protective transcription factors into action.
Watercress:
An Extraordinary Superfood
One of my great joys in researching and writing this book has been discovering "new" superfoods. And though they may be new to many readers, they are in fact ancient, known throughout history for remarkable healing and rejuvenating properties yet all but forgotten in today's world of fast and processed "food."
Watercress is a case in point. In our modern times, this green is relegated to serving as a garnish or as a tea party staple in the form of wimpy sandwiches cut into fancy shapes. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people do not realize the role of watercress in keeping us Forever Young, which I hope to remedy in this chapter. Watercress, like the spices and green tea, contains the active pharmacophores that control transcription factors and gene expression.
Veggie Tales
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Richard Burgoon, the president and owner, and Andy Brown, the vice president of marketing, of B&W Quality Growers, the world's largest grower and shipper of cultivated watercress. Its founding family has celebrated 140 years as watercress farmers.
Though I have long known of the tremendous health and longevity benefits of the cruciferous vegetables, I was truly amazed to learn about the remarkable nutrient-rich properties of watercress. On a tour of one of B&W's wonderful farms, Richard explained to me that watercress is extremely perishable and a challenge to grow, requiring the perfect combination of pure and cold water, ideal weather conditions, and unique soil requirements. To provide for a consistent year-round supply, B&W has developed a unique network of smaller sustainable-seasonal farms in six states. This "follow-the-sun" farming model allows B&W's watercress farms to lie fallow to rest and recharge naturally each year for a smaller ecofootprint and reduced strain on the land and environment. Combined, these seasonal farms qualify the family as the largest watercress growers in the world, though they seem focused more on quality than on size.
Watercress contains a storehouse of nutrients and has been used as a tonic since ancient times to cleanse the blood and liver of toxins and promote an overall feeling of good health. It has been used in a variety of ways, including to enhance stamina, to rid the body of excess fluids, and as a great antioxidant. Hippocrates, the "father of medicine," is said to have established his first hospital close to a watercress stream so that he could use fresh stems to treat his patients. Since that time scientists have identified many of the beneficial compounds contained in the plant.
Watercress is a juicy, vivid green, aquatic plant that is native to Eurasia and was introduced to North America, where it may be found throughout Canada and the United States. The original Latin name of watercress is Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, which was later changed to Nasturtium officinale. Like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mustard, horseradish, collard greens, turnips, and bok choy, it belongs to the family Cruciferae.
This hardy perennial is found in abundance near springs, and in open running watercourses, shallow creeks, ditches, ponds, lakes, brooks, and slow-moving rivers—wherever the water is clear and cool and slow-moving. Watercress thrives in shallow (2 to 6 inches), alkaline water in sun or even in pots of rich alluvial soil standing in dishes of water, and it has a creeping habit. The plant has smooth, fleshy stems that bear roundish, heart-shaped leaflets and small white flowers on the extremities. It has been used for thousands of years as a nutritious addition to cuisine and an important factor in herbal medicine. One of the very first plants cultivated by humans, watercress was used by Persian and Greek soldiers as a tonic to improve their health and stamina. Of particular interest to me, the famed seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper recommended this bitter, pungent, stimulant herb to "free the face" from blotches, spots, and blemishes. In North America, Native Americans used watercress for liver and kidney trouble and to dissolve gallstones.
Watercress has risen to a much-deserved starring role in elaborate culinary preparations. The good news is that it is both beneficial for the health and tasty to the palate. As mentioned, it is a popular garnish, and it is delicious in salads. It is also a delightful addition to herb butters, dressings, casseroles, soups, and sauces for fish, as well as making refreshing and nourishing teas. The ancient Romans enjoyed, as do their descendants, watercress dressed with olive oil and vinegar. Some of the constituents of watercress are volatile oil, flavonoids, phosphorus, nitrogen, beta-carotene, lutein, iodine, protein, folic acid, and sulfur (which probably accounts for the herb's pungent fragrance). It is particularly rich in iron, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C and includes many other valuable mineral and vitamins.
Beneficial Uses
Watercress is believed to be an effective diuretic that promotes urine flow, which helps in clearing toxins from the system. The diuretic properties help relieve excess water retention and edema, and it was historically used in heart failure to remove retained fluid. It is also thought to support good kidney function and ease urinary and bladder problems. People of many cultures have also used watercress to break up kidney or bladder stones.
Herbalists have employed watercress to clear toxins from the body.
Watercress is useful in treating skin eruptions, eczema, acne, rashes, and other skin infections.
In addition, watercress is considered a tonic for the liver. The herb has been used to promote bile production and flow, which supports liver function, eases gallbladder complaints, and is also beneficial to the digestive system. The herb has been thought to alleviate indigestion and inhibit gas formation.
In Victorian England, before oranges became affordable, watercress was eaten to ward off scurvy. Indeed, the plant gained the nickname "poor man's bread" in reference to the working-class tradition of starting the day with a watercress sandwich—or just watercress if bread was too expensive! Its high vitamin C content also helps correct other imbalances due to vitamin C deficiency.
Watercress is thought to be an effective expectorant that helps to expel excess mucus and is believed to relieve bronchitis, coughs, and mucus in the lungs.
The high biologically available iron content in watercress is thought to be useful in cases of anemia, and iron, coupled with watercress's high folic acid content, made the herb a staple recommendation for pregnant women in the early 1900s.
Watercress is loaded with nutrients and has been considered an overall tonic for good health. It has been used to ease the debility associated with chronic disease; to increase physical endurance, supporting the ancient soldiers' use of the herb to enhance the body's immune system; and to stimulate the body's metabolism.
Watercress was used in the past to help in cases of tuberculosis, and recent studies have found that it maybe effective against cultures of the tubercle bacillus.
The flavonoids in watercress are said to increase immunity, and research shows promise in studying watercress's potential role in cancer prevention and treatment. It is nature's richest source of a specific volatile mustard oil, phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), shown in many animal, and of late human, studies to fight cancer cells.
Watercress, the New Ancient Superfood
Key research findings on watercress and health and nutrition include:
Watercress is a cruciferous vegetable, and population studies associate an increased intake of cruciferous vegetables with reduced risk of cancers at several sites, including the breast and prostate.
Daily consumption of watercress results in a significant decrease in lymphocyte (white blood cell) DNA damage; DNA damage is an important event in cancer development. Watercress is a rich source of the glucosinolate derivatives phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) and methylsulphinylakyl isothiocyanates (MEITCs), which have a range of anticancer activities.
Beneficial effects against the three key stages of carcinogenesis (initiation, proliferation, and metastasis) were observed in a study involving watercress extract and colon cancer cells. When smokers ate watercress with each meal for three days, the activation of a key carcinogen in tobacco was inhibited. An in vitro study involving breast cancer cells found that the addition of a watercress extract inhibited their invasive potential.
A study investigating the effects of a diet supplemented with PEITC in mice grafted with human prostate tumors resulted in a 50 percent reduction in tumor weight. Watercress is a good source of key nutrients and caroten-oids, including lutein and beta-carotene, associated with the maintenance of eye and skin health. Daily consumption of watercress increases plasma lutein levels by 100 percent and beta-carotene levels by 33 percent. Daily watercress consumption has been shown to decrease plasma triglyceride levels by about 10 percent.
Watercress is rich in vitamin A (via beta-carotene) and vitamin C and a source of folate, calcium, iron, and vitamin E. It also contains a variety of phy to chemicals including glucosinolates, lutein, flavonoids, and hydroxycinamic acids. As discussed in chapter 2, the flavor cinnamic aldehyde contains Michael acceptor pharmacophores, which turn on gene expression of a number of cell-protective antioxidant enzymes. Cinnamic aldehyde in both cell culture and animal studies is looking promising as a therapeutic agent for the deadly skin cancer melanoma. Watercress has significant antioxidant activity in vitro. Eighty grams of watercress, one cereal bowl full, provides one of the "at least five a day" portions of fruit and vegetables.
Watercress is recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.
As a low-calorie vegetable, watercress may play a role in weight management. And 85 percent of watercress's calories are in the form of protein, an extremely high amount. Nutrients and phytochemicals in fruit and vegetables appear to work synergistically.
Cancer Protection/Antioxidant
The mix of nutrients and phyto chemicals in watercress makes it a valuable food throughout life as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. I find watercress particularly exciting for its powerful antioxidant and cancer preventing properties. An important study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in addition to reducing blood cell DNA damage, a daily serving of watercress increased the ability of blood cells to resist further DNA damage caused by free radicals.
The dietary trial involved thirty healthy men and thirty healthy women (including thirty smokers) eating an 85-gram bag (a cereal bowl full) of fresh watercress every day for eight weeks. The beneficial changes were greatest among the smokers. This may reflect the greater toxic burden or oxidative stress among the smokers, who had significantly lower antioxidant levels at the start of the study than the nonsmokers.
Professor Ian Rowland, who led the research project, said, "Our findings are highly significant. Population studies have shown links between higher intakes of cruciferous vegetables, like watercress, and a reduced risk of a number of cancers, though such studies don't give direct information about causal effects. What makes this study unique is it involves people eating watercress in easily achievable amounts, to see what impact that might have on known biomarkers of cancer risk, such as DNA damage." In other words, you don't need megadoses to get results.
Since the pioneering work by Professor Stephen Hecht in 1995, when he demonstrated that eating watercress neutralized a cancer-causing chemical found in the blood of smokers, there have been many studies linking watercress to potent anticancer activities. Most have been test-tube studies, some have been in animals, and in 2001, there was one in humans, when Professor Rowland showed that eating a bowl of watercress a day significantly reduced DNA damage in blood cells—and DNA damage is thought to be one of the key processes that can lead to the development of cancers. It is DNA damage that triggers cancer cell development, proliferation or uncontrolled growth of cancer cells, and metastasis, the spread of cancer cells. These are the three key stages of carcinogenesis, the process that results in cancer.
How Watercress Prevents Cancer
Recently, two exciting studies were published that provide new insight into the potential anticancer effects of watercress.
These studies were conducted over two years in the United Kingdom, where watercress has long been popular, and link laboratory and clinical research. They were led by Professor Graham Packham at the University of Southampton's School of Medicine at Southampton General Hospital and by Barbara Parry, senior research dietician at the Winchester and Andover Breast Unit at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
Professor Packham's main interest was in PEITC (beta-phenethyl isothiocyanate), which gives watercress its peppery taste. In fact, watercress is nature's richest source of this fascinating compound, long associated with anticancer properties.
Hundreds of research publications from around the world show that PEITC can slow the growth of or even kill cancer cells in laboratory and animal experiments. The research team set out to learn more about the ways in which PEITC exerts its effect on cancer cells and, most important, whether eating watercress could have a similar effect on cells in the human body. Professor Packham's group showed that PEITC is able to completely block the function of a protein called hypoxia-inducible factor, or HIE. This plays a critical role in cancer development.
Cancer cells are continually developing in our bodies. But thankfully they very rarely grow to form tumors. As cancer cells multiply to form a tiny tumor, smaller than 5 millimeters across, they invariably outgrow their blood supply and run out of oxygen and nutrients. To get past this roadblock, they send out signals that can trick the surrounding normal tissues into angiogenesis, growing new blood vessels. If they are successful in securing a good blood supply, they rapidly multiply to form a growing tumor. HIF is at the heart of this process, because it turns on blood vessel—promoting factors. Since PEITC, which is found in watercress, can block the function of HIF, watercress might control cancer growth by depriving tumors of this new blood supply. Therefore, one way in which watercress might control cancer growth is by depriving developing tumors of this new blood supply.
The research team went on to show that PEITC may turn off this HIF signal by changing the function of a second protein called 4EBP1.
Importantly, this provided a measurable readout indicating that HIF activity and could be used to find out whether eating watercress could affect this pathway critical to cancer tumor growth. Working with Barbara Parry, Graham led a pilot study using a group of volunteers, all female breast cancer survivors keen to help in research into new ways to fight the disease. The women underwent a period of fasting before eating a pack of watercress (the nice bit!) and then gave regular blood samples for up to twenty-four hours. The research team was able to detect significant levels of PEITC in the blood of all the participants following the watercress meal. Most important, the researchers showed that the function of 4EBP1 in the women's blood cells was indeed significantly affected—that is, the watercress meal led to biologically active compounds, most likely PEITC, getting into the bloodstream and inhibiting the ability of cells to trigger blood vessel development— something critical to the development of a tumor.
Professor Packham said, "This work is of significance since we have discovered more about how PEITC can act to interfere with key pathways in cancer cells. It will be important to confirm the clinical findings in a larger group of individuals, but the results of this pilot study do indicate that eating watercress as part of a normal healthy diet might modulate these pathways within cells in the body. This work does not prove that eating watercress would directly decrease the risk of cancer, but it does take an important step toward understanding the potential health benefits of this crop."
Dr. Steve Rothwell of the Watercress Alliance stated, "We are very excited by the outcome of Professor Packham's work. Many laboratory and animal studies point to the cancer fighting properties of PEITC— and thus indirectly to the benefit of eating nature's richest source of this special chemical—watercress."
But this work goes farther, showing a clear link between eating a serving of watercress and the down regulation of a biochemical pathway that's known to be involved in the development of breast cancer.
Watercress, Turmeric, and Breast Cancer
Numerous studies validating the cancer-fighting properties of watercress continue to appear in medical journals. Studies include human trials in Germany and the University of Minnesota that indicated that watercress consumption can repair damaged DNA. Studies in the United Kingdom of breast cancer survivors, published in early 2010, have recorded equally impressive results.
Rutgers researchers tested turmeric, and its active ingredient, cur-cumin-(see page 43 for more on this Indian spice), along with phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a naturally occurring substance particularly abundant in the cruciferous vegetables, especially watercress, cabbage, winter cress, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and turnips: The discovery was announced in the journal Cancer Research. According to Ah-Ng Tony Kong, a professor of pharmaceutics at Rutgers: "The bottom line is that PEITC and curcumin, alone or in combination, demonstrate significant cancer-preventive qualities in laboratory mice, and the combination of PEITC and curcumin could be effective in treating established prostate cancers."
Chocolate: "Gift from the Gods"
The source of all cocoa powder and chocolate is cacao beans, which are found in the pods of the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, an evergreen typically grown within 20 degrees of the equator. To make cocoa and chocolate, the beans are fermented, roasted, shelled, ground, and often combined with a sweetener or flavoring agent.
The cacao tree was originally found in the tropical rain forests of Central America. It was cultivated thousands of years ago by the ancient Aztecs, who believed that the plant was a gift from their gods. In fact, its very name, Theobroma, means "of the gods." The tree can grow to forty feet in height and has a very unusual appearance because the football-shaped pods that contain the beans grow directly out of the trunk. So valuable was the fruit of this tree that the Aztecs were using cocoa beans as a form of currency when the Spanish first arrived on the continent.
When Europeans were introduced to this remarkably delicious substance, they were very impressed by the stimulating effects of cocoa extracts and the feelings of well-being they generated. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, cocoa is an excellent source of phytonutrients known as catechins and, like tea and blueberries, controls gene expression by turning off damaging transcription factors such as NF-kB and turning on protective transcription factors such as NRF2.
Phytonutrient-rich chocolate and the cocoa it is made from are complex foods containing more than three hundred compounds and chemicals in each bite. These exert powerful effects on brain chemistry, specifically serotonin, dopamine, and opiate peptides, resulting in a positive mood and euphoric feelings. Chocolate stimulates the release of brain opiates known as endorphins, which are chemically similar to morphine; in fact, the brain responds to them in the same way as it responds to morphine. These brain opiates are largely responsible for the body's response to pleasure, stress, and pain.
Love at First Bite
It is now believed that cravings for sweet and high-fat foods like chocolate may be partly mediated by these brain opiates. One substance in chocolate, phenylethylamine, mimics the action of these natural opiates and gives us the feeling of being in love. Perhaps that is why chocolate is the gift associated with Valentine's Day. We may indulge in chocolate after a failed relationship and a broken heart to reproduce that incomparable feeling. The natural antidepressant effect of chocolate is one of the many benefits we receive when enjoying a piece of dark chocolate. Chocolate is also rich in oleic acid, the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, which helps us absorb important nutrients.
For optimum health henefits and enjoyment, choose extra-dark chocolate—at least 70% to 85% cocoa content. Also choose non-Dutched cocoa, as the process of alkalinization or "Dutching" cocoa significantly reduces the amount of flavonols in cocoa. By weight, cocoa has more antioxidants than blueberries, green tea, or red wine. Chocolate and cocoa protect the cardiovascular system, significantly reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis. Chocolate is also similar to the blueberry in that it affords protection to our brain. As we know, substances that are neuroprotective are also therapeutic to the skin.
Skin Science and Cocoa
When ingested orally, cocoa has potent neuroprotective effects, the result of specific micronutrients. The neuroprotective effects of cocoa are derived from the cocoa procyanidin fraction, which is extracted from cocoa powder using natural solvents that then become rich in these active molecules. The solvents, now rich in the navonoids and procy-anidins, display powerful activity in the cell and affect gene expression in a very positive way.
Scientists have found that procyanidin B-2 protects brain cells from inflammation and are looking at the cocoa procyanidin fraction and procyanidin B-2 to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease.
My interest in the cocoa procyanidin fractions, and specifically procyanidin B-2, lies in their protective effects and therapeutic efficacy when applied to skin. The skin is our interface between our bodies and the world. Unfortunately, it is under constant bombardment by external stressors, including the environment, UV and electromagnetic radiation, air pollution, and chemical irritants, as well as internal stressors, including poor diet, alcohol ingestion, smoking, and stress, to name a few. Procyanidin B-2 is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can switch off the production of the pro-inflammatory chemicals that are released in the skin by these stressors.
The Birth of a Wrinkle
Excess exposure to ultraviolet radiation is hugely damaging to the skin. It increases free-radical activity in the cell plasma membrane, which releases arachidonic acid, the precursor of numerous pro-inflammatory chemicals including the prostaglandins and HETEs. This activates transcription factors such as NF-kB and AP-1. These in turn upregulate negative genes that produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that damage skin cells. When transcription factors such as AP-1 are activated, they produce and release collagen-digesting proteins (matrix metalloprotein-ase), resulting in microscarring in the deep portion of the skin called the dermis. The multiple micro-scars lead to macro-scarring, and this is "the birth of a wrinkle."
The Death of a Wrinkle
The cocoa procyanidin fractions, including procyanidin B-2, upset the wrinkle-producing process. They prevent the oxidation of lipids in the cell plasma membrane, blocking the production of arachidonic acid, while at the same time inhibiting the activation of the transcription
THE EXTREME NO-SUN-EXPOSURE PRESCRIPTION
For years I have recommended that people have no unprotected sun exposure, as have all of my colleagues in dermatology. This recommendation was made because of the pro-inflammatory, photo-aging, and cancer-causing effects of ultraviolet light. If the skin is the only organ we are concerned with, this is good advice, but dermatologists, like other subspecialists, can often fail to see the implications of treating a single organ system at the expense of other vital organs.
We now know that vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is produced by sunlight on the skin. It is then absorbed and circulated in the bloodstream. Vitamin D is stored mainly in the liver and must be processed by the liver and kidneys before it is converted to the active form.
Vitamin D is also present in cold-water fish, another good reason to consume that delicious piece of salmon. Dietary sources of vitamin D are often inadequate to meet our minimum needs, and this is now resulting in an epidemic of subchronic vitamin D deficiency diseases.
Vitamin D is known to enhance all vital organs and reduce the risk of all forms of cancer throughout the body. Scientists now recognize that low vitamin D levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and mental depression, as well as the obvious disease, osteoporosis. Laboratory tests are revealing very low levels of vitamin D in adults, increasing our risk for multiple age-related diseases. Supplementation with vitamin D capsules is an unexplored area, and I believe will prove to be nowhere near as effective or safe as getting vitamin D from sun exposure. I advise my patients to get moderate amounts of sun exposure, unprotected by clothing or sunscreens, on a regular basis. This does not mean sitting in the sun until the skin shows signs of redness. We can slowly increase our exposure as the protective melanin in the skin increases with repeated exposure. Each person is different, so be caution and don't overdo it. The goal is not to get a suntan or bake in the sun.
For sunbathing to be effective, our skin must contain adequate, natural oils. I recommend not showering or bathing before taking a therapeutic sunbath. After sunbathing, these oils need to be absorbed into the skin and to enter the tiny blood vessels called the dermal vasculature, so the deal is not to shower for at least eight hours after sun exposure. By following this technique, we can produce thousands of units of vitamin D that the body can utilize, without the fear of overdose seen with oral supplementation.
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TO BE CONTINUED
SO THERE WE HAVE:
ALL KINDS OF GREAT AND GOOD FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
WONDERFUL WATERCRESS
CRAVING FOR CHOCOLATE
A DIP IN THE SUN
ALL PROVEN TO BE GOOD FOR YOU, AND TO HELP YOU STAY FOREVER YOUNG.
Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG - the book - parts of chapter three
THE METABOLIC MIRACLE:
LOSING FAT, PRESERVING MUSCLE AND BONE
With obesity on the rise in America, weight loss has become a national obsession. We are awash in a plethora of different weight-loss programs and countless weight-loss supplements. Unfortunately, rather than waning, obesity appears to be on the rise, so it is no surprise that we are a nation obsessed with dieting, diet books, diet foods, and diet fads. Our quest for weight loss is as unending as it is unsuccessful. But who knew that that hard-earned 5-, 10-, or more-pound weight loss was destroying both muscle and bone, with far-reaching deleterious effects? The fact is that the wrong kind of dieting increases our levels of inflammatory markers and accelerates the loss of precious muscle mass. Unfortunately, this is not the only problem with conventional dieting/ weight loss "wisdom." Dieting is a key culprit in declining bone mass-density (BMD). We are never informed that weight loss, including loss facilitated surgically through gastric bypass or banding procedures, has been/repeatedly documented as depleting bone density and increasing fracture risk.
Risky Business
I was a coinvestigator on a study on sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle tissue with age, titled "Sarcopenia: When Weight Loss Is Counter-Productive" with colleagues including Harry Preuss, M:D. M.A.C.N., C.N.S., at the Department of Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center. The idea that weight loss in an otherwise healthy person could be counterproductive seems hard to believe, but as you will discover, the wrong kind of weight loss can wreak havoc on both your muscle tissue and your bones.
Skeletal muscle mass and strength generally peak between 20 and 35 years of age. From then on, 3 to 8 percent of muscle mass maybe lost per decade, a loss rate that has previously been reported to accelerate after the age of 60. We have long known that with each passing decade we tend to lose 5 pounds of muscle mass and gain 10 pounds of body fat. My own research has shown that dieting can speed up this loss.
As we age, we develop an increased risk for osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Osteopenia can be defined as the thinning of bone mass, most common in postmenopausal women due to a lack of estrogen. This decrease in bone mass is not usually considered severe, but it is considered a very serious risk factor for the development of osteoporosis. Health experts are well aware that osteopenia and osteoporosis are consequences of the age-related decline in bone density, but few are cognizant of the deleterious effects of sarcopenia.
In this chapter, I will tell you about a "metabolic miracle," an efficient way to say good-bye to body fat. In these pages you will learn the secret of body fat, how to minimize the risks of weight loss, and how to prevent and/or reverse this trend of muscle and bone density loss. You will gain a new understanding of the role that toxins play in weight gain and how to beat them at their own game.
Understanding Sarcopenia and the Importance of Muscle Versus Fat
Sarcopenia differs from the involuntary muscle depletion that is seen when our nutrition is inadequate or caused by starvation or diseases like cancer or AIDS. It is also distinct from cachexia, a cytokine-driven loss of lean body mass that occurs despite maintenance of body weight. Sarcopenia is sometimes seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, congestive heart failure, or renal (kidney) failure. As Ronenn Rou-benoff and Carmen Castaneda wrote in a paper titled "Sarcopenia— Understanding the Dynamics of Aging Muscle," published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, "Sarcopenia is not a disease . . . but is the backdrop against which the drama of disease is played out: a body already depleted of protein because of aging is less able to withstand the protein catabolism that comes with acute illness or inadequate protein intake."
As you will learn in the Metabolic Miracle diet described in these pages, supplying protein in an efficient absorbable form with the right supportive nutrients can sustain muscle and reverse the trend of catabolism, or breakdown.
Although cachexia generally connotes a state of advanced malnutrition and wasting, we now know that this term refers more specifically to a loss of body cell mass. Studies of starvation, critical illness, and normal aging have found that a loss of body cell mass greater than 40 percent is fatal. Even with as little as 5 percent loss of body cell mass, there are demonstrable changes in morbidity (a diseased state), including loss of muscle strength, altered energy metabolism, and increased susceptibility to infections. Accompanying the muscle loss is a reduction in voluntary strength, about 30 percent between 50 and 70 years of age.
With the huge number of baby boomers aged 50-plus, we know how important it is to prevent this loss of critical muscle mass. Fortunately, this generation has a penchant for physical fitness. As I often write, we don't have to age like our parents. We have a choice, and my great joy in writing Forever Young is letting readers know their options. Too often we think of flabby, sagging muscles, potbellies, and excess body fat as simply an aesthetic problem. Nothing could be further from the truth. Body fat is toxic, and the loss of precious muscle mass and bone is equally deleterious to health and well-being.
The word "sarcopenia" is derived from the Greek root words sarx, meaning "flesh," and penza, meaning "loss." Sarcopenia has important consequences for balance, metabolism, physical appearance, general well-being, and quality of life. As the length of the human life span increases, the number of people suffering from sarcopenia is also projected to increase. Sarcopenia causes many problems because as it progresses, our mobility is further impaired, impeding the normal activities of daily living. This can result in osteoporosis, falls, fractures, thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism, isolation, depression, and other adverse consequences. An estimated 14 percent of people between the ages of 65 and 75 require assistance with the normal activities of daily living, and this figure increases to 45 percent for persons over 85 years of age. The medical effects and economic costs of sarcopenia are profound, and, as one reviewer has reported, "Sarcopenia is an important cause of frailty, disability, and loss of independence in the elderly, and recent estimates suggest that it costs the United States over $18 billion per year, a sum on par with the economic consequences of osteoporosis."
A Deadly Duo
Some studies suggest that sarcopenia is the major predictor of function limitations, while others suggest that it is the combination of obesity and sarcopenia that is the primary cause of disability. The implications are that the dangerous combination of sarcopenia and obesity in old age is more strongly associated with disability in daily living than either sarcopenia or obesity alone. As you can see, the implications for disaster are enormous and the quality of life is severely compromised when muscle mass has been replaced with toxic body fat. The goal of the Perricone Forever Young Program is to keep you strong, fit, and active while maintaining a healthy weight.
Healthy Weight-Pulling the Scales from Our Eyes
Most people assume a healthy weight can be determined by the reading on the bathroom scale. But this is not an accurate assessment. It is not the amount of weight you lose that is the most important measure of well-being but rather the kind of weight you lose. The secret in determining healthy weight is your body composition index (BCI). If you gain 2 pounds of lean muscle mass and lose 2 pounds of body fat, your scale weight will not have changed, but you will be in better shape. Your goal is to lose body fat and maintain and/or restore muscle mass—not the other way around.
For overall beneficial health, health professionals and scientists do not pretend to know how many pounds of muscle it takes to offset gains in body fat or how much fat one has to lose to offset losses in muscle. What is clear is that loss of lean muscle and gain of body fat are clearly negative treatment outcomes, regardless of any changes in scale weight. The litmus test of a safe and efficacious weight loss program is the preservation of lean muscle and the depletion of excess body fat—in short, the kind, not amount, of weight that is lost.
The bad news is that some level of sarcopenia exists in all older individuals. In the face of acute or chronic illness, maximizing muscle mass and protein stores with adequate nutritional support, as you will learn in the Metabolic Miracle diet that follows, aggressive physical therapy, and exercise programs become all the more important if muscle function and quality of life are to be preserved as we age.
Living in Fat City
What is behind the increasing rate of obesity/sarcopenia plaguing the world?
There are many reasons for it, foremost among them the superabundance of junk and processed "food" available today, so let us consider a few possibilities.
The primary treatment for improving the muscle/fat ratio is exercise and diet.
In the case of muscle, it is generally accepted that most people get too little exercise. No one would disagree that such a state leads to a smaller muscle mass and a larger fat mass.
As for the fat factor, dietary indiscretion is rampant everywhere. The public was first trained to focus on the saturated fat content of foods to avoid atherosclerosis and heart disease. Never mind that trans fats were ignored; excess calories and refined carbohydrates that often replaced the avoided saturated fats were also ignored. Consuming refined sugar, white flour, and other simple carbohydrates causes your insulin level to spike, because these carbohydrates break down quickly and turn into glucose in your bloodstream.
Insulin regulates fat storage. When insulin levels are elevated, we store fat in adipose tissue; when they are low, fat is used as fuel. What you eat helps to maintain the right hormonal balance to produce energy at a steady level. Complex carbohydrates like whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and beans are digested more slowly, leading to gradual and smaller increases in insulin. What you eat is used as energy for your body rather than stored as fat.
I have always contended that pro-inflammatory, easily digestible (high-glycemic) simple carbohydrates, not dietary fat, saturated or otherwise, are the major cause of obesity, heart disease, and many other chronic diseases of civilization, perhaps even sarcopenia. The message of reducing calories and avoiding fat has gained so much popularity that it is possible that such a diet may lead to even more sarcopenia. The unfortunate surfeit of nonfat and low-fat diets has been responsible for widespread avoidance of good fats like the omega-3s, which can be a factor in today's widespread depression and obesity, because we need healthy fats to metabolize fat.
In my first book, The Wrinkle Cure, and the seven that followed, I described a diet high in pro-inflammatory, high-glycemic foods— refined sugars and starches—as the culprit and causative factor in elevated blood sugar and insulin levels and resulting inflammation. This chronic, low-grade, subclinical inflammation is at the root of obesity and a host of age-related diseases and degenerative conditions from bone loss to sarcopenia, from arthritis to Alzheimer's, and so forth.
Getting Off the Roller-Coaster Ride
When we are overweight or obese, there is a constant exchange of fat for muscle. Improper dieting will greatly accelerate this exchange, because we have reduced our overall caloric intake. When we are significantly overweight, we experience chronically high insulin levels, which start to drop as soon as we start to diet. Though this might sound like a good thing, it is, in fact somewhat of a catch-22. Though low levels of insulin will decrease inflammation, allowing us to utilize the body fat for energy, insulin is required to bring protein into the cells to maintain muscle mass, a process known as the anabolic effect. Since overweight people have chronically high levels of circulating insulin, they become insensitive to decreased levels and cannot recognize these new lower levels. In this state, their bodies are unable to trigger the amino acid uptake needed to maintain muscle mass. Insulin is needed to take up both glucose and amino acids into the muscle. In addition to the loss of critical muscle and bone, being overweight or obese also increases your risk for type 2 diabetes. When we have excess body fat, we also have higher levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and some of the interleukins. Transcription factors like NF-kB are also activated. Once NF-kB is activated, we become insulin-resistant.
This is why it is essential to take a powerful anti-inflammatory approach to dieting. Inflammatory chemicals like NF-kB block the effects of insulin—whether metabolizing blood sugar or nourishing muscles with amino acids. As I said before, the inflammation must be treated first. It is important to note that overexercising can further put us into a catabolic state, in which complex molecules are broken down into simpler ones. This happens because active muscles require more nutrients.
CLOCK WORK----
THE KEY TO BEAUTIFUL SKIN AND HEALTHY WEIGHT
I have often written about the importance of sleep for health and beauty, including numerous blogs on the Huffington Post. Providing a wonderful service to readers of her blog, Arianna Huffington has been very vocal about the importance of sleep. Right after New Year's, Arianna posted a Sleep Challenge 2010 to raise awareness about the serious problem of women suffering from sleep deprivation. Now more than ever, women have tremendous demands on their time and, as a consequence, suffer greatly from the lack of sleep. As you will discover, insufficient sleep seriously disrupts our health, our weight, our sense of well-being, and our skin.
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Sleeping Beauties
As some of the world's most beautiful and talented actresses converged on the red carpet at the 2010 Oscars, many wondered how they did it, looking so radiant and wonderful despite the grueling schedules they keep. This year's nominees included Helen Mirren, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Penelope Cruz, Mo'Nique, Carey Mulligan, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gabourey Sidibe; Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick, whose ages ranged from the early twenties to the early sixties, proving once again how ageless beauty can be.
Regardless of age, each star has her own unique style. And though I cannot profess to know their secrets, I can share with you some of my own secrets for radiant skin and a healthy body weight—it all saris with our internal clock and a good night's sleep.
We humans are creatures of habit, for better or worse. We like to set our meals at the same time, go to bed at the same time, and so on. There is an excellent reason for this. We all need to follow a daily Orcadian rhythm—that is, a rhythm based on the twenty-four-hour cycle, the time it takes the earth to make a full rotation on its axis.
For thousands of years this was not a problem: humans went to sleep when the sun went down and arose when the sun came up. But those days are long gone. It has become apparent that this is not a positive change, as scientists have discovered that disruption of this cycle causes us to develop a number of metabolic discords.
Staying up too late, snacking throughout the day, and skipping meals all upset the genes that control daily rhythms in the brain and throughout the body. One important finding is that the "clock," which scientists thought was only in the central part of the brain, is also present in the part of the brain that controls appetite. In fact, biological clocks function not only in the brain but in many other parts of the body as well. They govern not only the sleep cycle but also functions including fluid balance, body temperature, oxygen consumption—and now, it has been shown, appetite. Researchers at Northwestern University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have identified wide-ranging molecular and behavioral changes in mice that have a faulty circadian system. In people, similar changes in body fat and metabolic activity are known as metabolic syndrome.
Fred W. Turek, a member of the research team, stated that the study provided new genetic evidence that physiological outputs of the biological clock, sleep, and appetite are interconnected at the molecular and behavioral levels.
This research data give new credence to the concept that we are creatures of habit. Perhaps more important, it establishes the fact that we need to follow a regimen in our daily lives, one based on cycles as primary as the rising and setting of the sun, to which humans have been acclimated since the dawn of civilization. Though it is not practical to go to bed with the sun, it does make sense to get up with it, and this provides us with a good excuse not to stay up to all hours and become sleep-deprived. Not getting sufficient high-quality sleep has been linked to increased appetite and unwanted weight gain.
(FOR MOST YOUNGER PEOPLE UNDER AGE 55 GOING TO BED BEFORE MIDNIGHT SHOULD IN NORMAL CIRCUSTANCES BE REGULAR [AS I WAS WHEN UNDER AGE 55] - HENCE A GOOD 8 HOURS SLEEP SHOULD BE AIMED FOR. NOW INTO MY 60s AND 70s MY BODY RYTHM HAS CHANGED - I'M NOW A "NIGHT OWL" - SELDOM GOING TO BED BEFORE 12 MIDNIGHT.. I HAVE NO "MORNING JOB" 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME, AND SO I CAN SLEEP TILL 10 AM OR AFTER. I FIND THIS HAS NOT GIVEN ME ANY TROUBLE IN MY OVERALL EXCELLENT HEALTH, AS I WATCH WHAT I EAT AND GET REGULAR EXERCISE, IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS - Keith Hunt)
Sleep to Lose Weight
An important study at the University of Chicago demonstrated that sleep deprivation causes us to overeat, because it disrupts the balance between two appetite-related hormones—ghrelin and leptin. When we don't get enough sleep, our levels of ghrelin, a hormone produced by stomach cells and believed to increase feelings of hunger, rise. Leptin, a hormone produced by our fat cells that suppresses appetite and burns fat stores, is decreased.
Even worse, the most sleep-deprived people in the study craved fattening, carbohydrate-rich foods, such as cookies, cake, candy, pasta, and muffins. According to Dr. Eve Van Cauter, the lead researcher, these cravings are the result of elevated levels of the stress hormone Cortisol. When we are fully rested, our Cortisol levels drop; sleep deprivation has the unfortunate opposite effect. The study participants also metabolized glucose less efficiently. Dr. Van Cauter reported that the effects of sleep deprivation on glucose metabolism are similar to those found in the elderly. She therefore concluded that chronic sleep deprivation may have long-term harmful effects on the body—not the least of which are weight gain and possibly accelerated aging as well.
(IT IS INDEED VERY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A REGULAR 8 HOURS OR OF SLEEP EACH DAY - Keith Hunt)
As with exercising, we need to establish regular, healthy habits and regimens. We should strive to get close to eight hours of sleep per night and learn not to skip meals, including breakfast. Implementing these simple rules will eliminate the pro-inflammatory habits we tend to fall into and help us achieve and maintain optimum weight.
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I was determined to help these individuals lose weight rapidly in a healthy manner yet not sacrifice the health benefits of my traditional anti-inflammatory diet. I was confident that by taking the anti-inflammatory approach, my patients could successfully preserve muscle tissue and bone while metabolizing body fat.
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Obesity has traditionally been defined as a weight at least 20 percent above the ideal weight corresponding to the lowest death rate for individuals of a specific height, gender, and age. A weight of 20 to 40 percent over ideal weight is considered mildly obese; 40 to 100 percent over ideal weight is considered moderately obese; and 100 percent over ideal weight is considered severely, or morbidly, obese.
The BMI (Body Mass Index)
Another way to determine healthy weight is via the body mass index (BMI). This number is calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a fairly reliable indicator of body fat for most people. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but research has shown that it correlates well with direct measures of body fat, such as underwater weighing and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
To calculate your BMI, see the directions at www.nhlbisupport .com/bmi.
Weight, and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese—every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight.
The rats drinking HFCS in the Princeton study became obese and those drinking sugar water did not. In a classic example of gene expression, it appears that the fructose activated the genes that store fat, while the sucrose activated the genes that either process the glucose for energy or store it as a carbohydrate known as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
Tricking the Brain into Overeating
When we consume such simple sugars as HFCS, we cause an immediate pro-inflammatory spike in our blood sugar. Unlike glucose, however, fructose does not stimulate the secretion of insulin or enhance the production of leptin—key hormones that regulate the appetite. Since insulin and leptin act as signals to the brain for the regulation of food intake and body weight, the ability of fructose to circumvent these mechanisms may contribute to overeating. This completely upsets the body's natural balance. Fructose bypasses the natural mechanisms that prevent overeating and tricks the body into thinking it is still hungry— even after consuming a large meal—making it a fast-food marketer's dream! No wonder they supersize the sodas! (And those who drink them.)
(MANY EATING PLACES SAY YOU CAN HAVE A RE-FILL ON THE SODA POPS….. NOT AS GENEROUS AS YOU THINK; THERE IS THE UNDERLYING REASON WE HAVE JUST SEEN FOR SUPER-SIZING THE SODAS - Keith Hunt)
The reason for this is the difference between the digestive and absorptive processes for glucose and fructose. When we consume large amounts of fructose, which is basically an unregulated source of fuel for the liver, it is converted to both fat and cholesterol. As my readers know, I am no advocate of sugar—in fact, sugar is toxic—but the effects of fructose, particularly in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, are an even more significant cause for alarm. I am not talking about the narually occurring fructose found in fresh fruit. Eating fresh fruit provides us with many nutrients, minerals, enzymes, and phytochemicals, and is highly recommended.
The Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement
Kelly, whose high-profile lifestyle and livelihood underscored the importance of looking good, was a perfect candidate for the Metabolic Miracle diet. For breakfast and lunch, she had the Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement Drink and the recommended supplements. For dinner she had a piece of fresh fish—salmon as often as possible—or a boneless, skinless chicken breast sauteed lightly in olive oil and served on a bed of cooked lentils, together with a salad made of watercress and dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice and a cup of steamed veggies, such as broccoli or cauliflower. I also recommended that she drink a lot of green tea, which contains a very special catechin, EGCG, that accelerates weight loss and helps block fat absorption.
We must eat fat to burn fat, which means that cold-water fish, chia seeds, extra-virgin coconut oil, and olive oil all help us burn fat.
The pro-inflammatory sugary, starchy foods are just the opposite. Because they raise insulin and blood sugar levels, they put an actual "lock" on fat burning. The Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement, the supplements, and the recommended dinner menu consist of foods with potent anti-inflammatory properties as well as highly bioavailable nutrients that protected Kelly's muscle and bone while she rapidly metabolized body fat, ensuring that her weight loss would be rapid.
Within weeks, Kelly had lost 25 pounds and 5 inches from her waistline. "Dr. Perricone, I am going to stay on this forever!" she vowed enthusiastically at a follow-up meeting six weeks later. Eventually she would introduce more foods into her diet, but she planned to maintain the Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement drink for breakfast, as it kept her energized and filled with a sense of well-being for hours. Kelly also intended to take the supplements on a regular basis, because they improved both her physical and mental well-being.
The high-quality protein in the Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement drink is vital to cellular repair, and the metabolic supplements are critical to the suppression of appetite. This protein, as well as the omega-3 essential fats, will ensure that your skin will be radiant and glowing as the unwanted body fat melts away. For Kelly, whose face is her fortune, the results were superb—she looked years younger, with a luminous complexion to match her new lithe, slim, and toned figure.
Wini told me that Kelly was a wonderful yoga student, eager to learn and making rapid progress. Like nutrigenomics and the metabolic miracle, yoga is all about self-empowerment. As with nutrigenomics and the metabolic miracle, visible results are seen in a very short time, which helps to keep Kelly's enthusiasm and motivation at optimal levels.
I know the Metabolic Miracle diet plan will help you to take control of your weight and consequently your health. Being chronically overweight stresses our bodies and will age us prematurely. Following my program will help you to maintain a lean body at a healthy weight, increase your energy, and conquer your food cravings. You will lose weight without that haggard, dried-out, pale, and exhausted look. Instead, you will be radiant, fresh, and youthful in body and spirit.
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DR. PERRICONE DOES NOT GET INTO EXERCISE IN THIS CHAPTER, BUT ELSEWHERE HE DOES. THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD PHYSICAL EXERCISE CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. SOME OF THAT EXERCISE SHOULD CONTAIN GETTING THE HEART PUMPING AWAY - HENCE FAST SWIMMING, OR FAST STILL BIKE WORKOUT [AS FAST AS YOU CAN GO FOR 30 SECONDS, THEN 90 SECONDS REST; REPEAT 5 OR 6 TIMES]. ALSO GET SOME WEIGHTS [THE QUICK ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT ONES] - BAR-BELLS, AND WORK WITH THEM FOR 15 MINUTES 3 TIMES A WEEK - AGAIN GETS THE HEART PUMPING. THEN THERE IS FAST WALKING; AND ALSO SOME GOOD OLD CHARLES ATLAS DYNAMIC TENSION EXERCISES FROM HIS "HEALTH AND STRENGTH COURSE" [STILL AVAILABLE].
Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG - parts of chapter 3
Chia Seeds:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Nutritional Power Food
No discussion of weight loss would be complete without the omega-3 essential fatty acids. Your body needs the right fats to burn fats rather then store them. As you learned in chapter 2, the omega-3s activate nuclear receptors called peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, or PPARs. These receptors, located in the cell nucleus, control blood sugar,, the storing and burning of body fat, and the way energy is used in the body. The omega-3s produce a protein known as uncoupling protein 3, which uncouples oxidative phosphorylation. This results in greater energy dissipation as heat and a decrease in stored body fat.
Traditionally, I have recommended consuming foods rich in the omega-3s, such as wild salmon, sardines, anchovies, and so on, as well as taking high-quality fish oil capsules. I cannot repeat often enough that the omega-3s are vital to the health of many organ systems, including the skin, heart, and brain. They are also indispensable in any-successful weight loss program.
I can recommend an outstanding new source of the omega-3s: chia seeds. I call them "new" only because they are new to the majority of us, but chia has been used for centuries. I have been working with the Green Foods Corporation to introduce these remarkable seeds, which,; as you will soon discover, are unsurpassed for increasing energy, endurance, and much more.
The seeds of the chia plant (Salvia hispanica L.) are a concentrated source of high-quality macronutrients required by the body: omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, high-quality complete protein without gluten, and low-glycemic carbohydrates. This outstanding combination of nutrients ensures that I enjoy at least one serving of chia seeds daily.
I suggest that you sprinkle chia seeds on salad, veggies, fruits, cottage cheese, yogurt, main dishes—wherever you can—to take advantage of their tremendous health benefits. They are basically without taste and add crunch when used in this way. They absorb fluid, so if you mix chia seeds in water, they will form a gel, which will add body to salad dressings, sauces, and cooked dishes.
Though micronutrients support all biochemical processes in the body, they are more involved in the structural components of cells and tissues. For example, omega-3 fatty acids are vital components of cellular membranes, while amino acids from protein are needed as integral structural components of muscle tissue, connective tissue, and enzymes, among other functions.
Chia seeds contain micronutrients including substantial amounts of vitamin E and other antioxidants that offer twofold protection, protecting our body and its natural oils from oxidation. Chia seeds are also a good source of bone-building minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and contain a high level of lignans, phytochemical compounds that act as phytoestrogens. Lignans also possess anticancer properties.
Not only are chia seeds nutritious, they are nonallergenic, contain very little sodium, are gluten-free, and, unlike flax seeds, have been granted GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status by the FDA. Since they possess so many healthful qualities without any known drawbacks, they are gaining well-deserved popularity as a superfood.
Although chia seeds are relatively new to the world food market, they have been a staple food for the peoples of Mexico for centuries. Chia seeds form a hydrophilic colloidal suspension (gel) in water because of their high soluble fiber content. They slowly release their nutrient content and water into the digestive tract for absorption and utilization over extended periods. This provides an even and sustained source of nutrition, hydration, and energy for the body as the gel passes through the digestive tract. Chia seeds were highly valued as an endurance food because of this attribute by the Mayans and Aztecs and are still used today as food in Mexico and the southwestern United States. The ability of chia seeds to form a hydrophilic gel helps in maintaining normal blood sugar levels and promoting gentle detoxification by physically cleaning the lining of the digestive tract during transit.
The Ideal Ratio of Omega Fatty Acids
Chia seeds are an excellent source of both of the essential fatty acids (EFAs), linoleic acid (LA), and the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). In fact, chia seeds provide the highest amounts of vegetarian omega-3 fatty acids. They have an ideal omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio of 1:3. Though all omega fatty acids, including omega-3, -6, and -9, contribute to our health, our modern dietary habits often result in many people consuming diets with both an unbalanced ratio of EFAs and not enough omega-3 fatty acids. There are many fatty-acid chemical structures but only two kinds of essential fatty acids: omega-3 and omega-6. Both the absolute and the relative amounts of these fatty acids consumed per day are important, since omega-6 fatty acids may interfere with some of the actions of omega-3 fatty acids, including their anti-inflammatory benefits.
Omega-3 Benefits
Increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and reducing omega-6 fatty acids may help prevent excessive inflammation by inhibiting the expression of a gene involved in the production of inflammatory-related proteins and help lessen the risk and/or progression of chronic diseases.
Unfortunately, it is often difficult for people to consume a diet that contains a favorable ratio of essential fatty acids, since much of our food supply is heavily skewed toward fast foods, dairy products, and meat, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids.
MEAT
It's time for me to make a point about meat. We have been told that red meat has an unhealthy nutrient profile. This is true if we are talking about agribusiness and grain-fed cattle raised on feedlots. If you have access to 100 percent grass-fed, pasture-raised beef and lamb, the nutrient profile begins to resemble that of cold-water fish. Grass-fed beef and lamb contain high levels of omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid, making this type of meat a healthy choice.
The good news is that people are becoming more aware of and receptive to the value of adding more plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and legumes to their diets. Not only will this help increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and shift the balance back to a favorable, noninflammatory ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 EFAs, but eating more plant-based foods will improve a person's antioxidant.
Another supernutrient had to be part of the meal replacement. From my own experience with organic virgin coconut oil, I knew I had found my metabolic booster.
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil:
The Saturated Fat You Should Eat Every Day
Coconut oil is a superfood I have incorporated into my own diet. I am certain you have heard the dire warnings about saturated fats, but they are not to be confused with the trans fats in processed foods. Saturated fats constitute 50 percent of our cells' membranes, the phospholipid component of every cell. They strengthen the cell walls, protecting the inside of the cell. They play a vital role in the health of our bones, protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins, and ensure the proper use of the omega-3 fatty acids.
Virgin coconut oil is a medium-chain saturated fat (MCFA) that speeds weight loss, lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart attacks, and improves diabetic conditions. MCFAs do not need the liver and gallbladder to digest them, which means instant energy and increased metabolic rate through thermogenesis. Coconut oil is beneficial to the immune system, because it has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. Coconut oil targets the thyroid and beefs up the metabolism, melting abdominal fat quickly. I knew I had to include this powerful nutrient in my weight loss program.
The Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement
I wanted to use these ingredients—egg white-sourced albumin and virgin coconut oil—as a Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement, which I carefully balanced with nutritional supplements that act as mitochondrial metabolic enhancers, cell membrane stabilizers, insulin sensitizers, and blood sugar stabilizers:
To ensure that your Metabolic Miracle Meal Replacement drink is rich in nutrients and flavor, I recommend these recipes:
Puree 1/3 cup of blueberries, raspberries, or mixed berries of
your choice in a blender.
or
*Mix 1 teaspoon of non-Dutch-processed cocoa with stevia and a little hot water. Blend until thoroughly smooth.
*Add 1 teaspoon of organic virgin coconut oil to either the berries or the cocoa and blend until smooth.
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TO BE CONTINUED
FOREVER YOUNG - from chapter four
The King of Carotenoids
Astaxanthin is one of the most powerful all-natural antioxidants known to science and an irreplaceable key to any successful antiaging regimen. Often referred to as the "king of carotenoids," astaxanthin provides the greatest protection against damage to our bodies by reactive oxygen species such as singlet oxygen, which can result in lipid peroxidation (oxidation of fat). As we will learn in this chapter, astaxanthin is the key to mitigating the damaging effects of these oxidative assailants in every cell of our body.
What Is Astaxanthin?
Astaxanthin, a member of the carotenoid family of natural pigments, is closely related to beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein. This powerful, natural, biological antioxidant is found most abundantly in seafood. It A gives the pink and red color to salmon….. Since we cannot produce astaxanthin ourselves, we have to depend on our diet to obtain it as well as other carotenoids.
Let's take the case of salmon to demonstrate evolution at work. For salmon, the antioxidant power of astaxanthin is indispensable. Having evolved with a unique life cycle that demands more physical exertion than any other fish, salmon require protection against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals, especially singlet oxygen, the most damaging of the ROS, generated during the rigorous journey from the sea back up the rivers and rapids to spawn. Salmon store the astaxanthin in their bodies, and it produces the deep orange, pink, or red color of their flesh as they grow and mature in the ocean, preparing for their final life cycle journey up the river to spawn.
Where Is Astaxanthin Found?
The most abundant source of astaxanthin in nature is the single-cell microalga Haematococcus pluvialis, which accumulates astaxanthin in lipid (fat) vesicles (small, anatomically normal sac or bladderlike structures) during periods of nutrient deficiency and environmental stress. Since H. pluvialis often grows in places that are exposed to intense sunlight, during its dormant phase astaxanthin functions to protect the cell nucleus against free radicals generated by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, thus preventing damage to its DNA and preventing lipid peroxi-dation.
Astaxanthin serves the same purpose for all life forms as it moves up the food chain from a single-celled microalga to krill to salmon to human. This purpose is protection against oxidative damage, whether caused by UV radiation, excess physical exertion, or diabetes-generated glucose toxicity, or by many other sources of oxidative stress.
This astaxanthin-producing microalga is naturally found in arctic marine environments as well as freshwater rock pools all over the world. These are great sources of astaxanthin for aquatic life, flamingos, whose brilliant plumage is also the result of their astaxanthin-rich diet, and other animals, but they are not practical sources of astaxanthin for humans. Fortunately, there is an answer to this challenge. Cultivation facilities have been developed throughout the world to grow this astaxanthin-producing microalga. A leading cultivation technology developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Fuji Chemical Industry employs the concept of fully enclosed biosystems designed for maximum control and purity. The trade name of Fuji's premium all-natural astaxanthin is AstaREAL.
(WELL SALMON DOES THE JOB….JUST FINE….. PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS WANTING YOU TO BUY PILLS…..THEY MAKE GOOD PROFITS, GET RICH, HAVE EXPENSIVE CARS AND HOMES, AT YOUR EXPENSE….. JUST EAT SALMON A FEW TIMES A WEEK - Keith Hunt)
Unlocking the Secrets of Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin actually does only one thing well—but that one thing has an impact on all the cells in our body, including all the cells in our organ systems: it provides us with a highly effective defense against oxidative stress, which has a direct impact on damaging cellular inflammation and the inflammatory process.
Here is a brief summary of the benefits of the king of carotenoids
Antioxidant CAPACITY Astaxanthin is a lipid-soluble (fat-soluble) antioxidant that has been shown to provide exceptional protection against lipid peroxidation at the cellular level. Astaxanthin is also a powerful free-radical fighter. As you know, oxygen is a two-edged sword; it sustains life because it is essential for energy production in the mitochondria, but it becomes dangerous when it loses an electron and becomes a free radical, or reactive oxygen species. Astaxanthin has the ability to scavenge singlet oxygen, which is a damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, to put astaxanthin's superior power into perspective, three separate studies comparing astaxanthin with other well-known antioxidants demonstrated astaxanthin to be 1,000 times more effective than vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) against lipid oxidation and 550 times more effective against singlet oxygen.
Cell MEMBRANE POSITIONING Astaxanthin has a unique structure. It is a lipid-soluble polyene chain with a polar region at either end. This structure allows astaxanthin to penetrate the bilayer of the cell membrane, protecting both the lipid center layer and the water-loving outer layers. When the cells undergo oxidative stress, transcription factors are activated, including NF-kB, which migrates to the nucleus and attaches to the DNA, resulting in cellular production of pro-inflammatory cytokines—the so-called serial killers of the cellular world. This ability to protect the cell membrane against oxidative attack is the key to suppressing the activation of NF-kB, which is the signaling compound responsible for the initiation of inflammation.
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECT Several studies have shown the ability of astaxanthin to reduce inflammation, which could be considered the underlying mechanism for its many beneficial effects. In one study, it was shown to play a role in cytokine regulation by inhibiting the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.
Aging Gracefully
Astaxanthin is the underlying defender of your body, helping to protect and amplify the defense of your cells. It is involved with the major systems of the body, including the skin, the largest organ in the body; the cardiovascular system; and the muscles, the source of your vitality.
Skin Health, Age, and Beauty-Regardless of age, most women perceive wrinkles as heralding the loss of the skin's youth and beauty.
Skin is composed of three layers: the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous fat layer. The dermis contains collagen, elastin, and other fibers that support the skin's structure. These elements give skin a smooth, youthful appearance. The dermis, our "outer defense" layer, is the part of the skin most readily damaged by UV radiation. As you will learn, taking astaxanthin supplements is of critical importance in keeping the skin youthful and supple.
(AGAIN SALMON DOES THE JOB JUST FINE - Keith Hunt)
Antiwrinkle Mechanism
The UV radiation that affects the skin is composed of two types of waves, UVA and UVB. UVB rays are shorter than UVA rays and are the main cause of melanin production. However, it is the UVA rays, with their longer wavelength, that are responsible for much of the damage associated with photoaging. UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis, where they damage collagen fibers, leading to wrinkle formation.
UV rays induce the production of radical oxygen species (ROSs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) within the cells of the body exposed to the UV rays. These factors are the root of wrinkle formation because they destroy the collagen matrix in the dermis. Something discussed in chapter 2 bears repeating here. You have heard endlessly that excess exposure to UV radiation is hugely damaging to the skin. UV radiation increases free-radical activity in the cell plasma membrane, which releases arachidonic acid, the precursor of numerous pro-inflammatory chemicals including the prostaglandins and HETEs. This activates transcription factors such as NF-kB and AP-1. These in turn upregulate negative genes that produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that damage skin cells. When transcription factors such as AP-1 are activated, they produce and release collagen-digesting proteins (matrix metalloprotein-ase), resulting in-microscarring in the deep portion of the skin called the dermis. The multiple microscars lead to macrosczrr'mg, and this is how wrinkles are born.
(KEEP THE SKIN MOISTURIZED WITH FACIAL CREAM - AND IT WAS PROVED ON A TV INVESTIGATIVE PROGRAM [TALKING TO SCIENTISTS AND THOSE IN THE FACIAL CREAM BUSINESS] THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO SPEND MORE THAT $25 ON A FACIAL CREAM…..SPENDING MORE WAS THROWING YOUR MONEY DOWN THE TOILET AND DID YOUR SKIN NO MORE BENEFIT - Keith Hunt)
The skin's repair mechanism will rebuild the damaged collagen but can be compromised by repeated exposure to uncontrolled levels of ROS and MMP, which then leads to the formation of wrinkles.
Astaxanthin supports skin renewal by attenuating factors that contribute to wrinkle formation.
Human clinical studies conducted with AstaREAL astaxanthin and performed in Japan and the United States showed significant improvement in the appearance of wrinkles as well as the elasticity and moisture content of the skin after only four weeks of supplementation.
(AGAIN THEY WANT YOU TO BUY A SUPPLEMENT THAT IS USUALLY EXPENSIVE…..EATING SALMON [REGULARLY] AND USING A FACIAL CREAM [EACH DAY - MORNING AND NIGHT - $25 OR LESS] DOES THE JOB JUST GREAT - Keith Hunt)
Triathletes, Take Your Cue from Salmon!
Another outstanding benefit of astaxanthin relating to our vitality is its ability to increase muscle endurance and recovery. The amazing physical endurance salmon demonstrate on their arduous journey up the rapids and rivers to their spawning grounds led to the investigation of astaxanthin as related to physical endurance in humans. A number of animal and human studies have shown that astaxanthin can increase and improve muscle endurance as well as reduce muscle damage.
All physical activity, whether at work, sport, or leisure, generates reactive oxygen species (ROSs), and the more intense the activity, the greater the number of free radicals produced. For years I have been telling my patients that I do not recommend vigorous activity for more than forty-five minutes, because the free radicals generated overwhelm our endogenous antioxidant protective mechanisms…..
You do not need to be a world-class athlete to benefit from the effect of astaxanthin on muscle endurance. We can all use a bit more stamina, regardless of age or vocation. Remember: as we age, we gradually lose muscle mass, which weakens our bodies and makes us more prone to falls and injuries as well as age-related illnesses exacerbated by inactivity. Keeping your muscles strong and healthy will sustain the quality of your life.
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TO BE CONTINUED
YES REGULAR EXERCISE, SOME OF IT FAST MAKING THE HEART PUMP, SOME OF IT WEIGHT STRENGTH WITH BAR-BELLS; SOME OF IT WITH FAST WALKING; SOME IT WITH STRETCHING EXERCISES AND DYNAMIC TENSION AS CHARLES ATLAS WAS FAMOUS FOR; SOME COULD BE YOGA TYPE; VARIOUS SPORTS THAT GET YOU MOVING [SOCCER, TENNIS, BADMINTON, AND THE LIKE]. MIX IT UP IN YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAM……BUT GET UP AND EXERCISE IN SOME FORM EACH AND EVERY DAY!!
Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG - from chapter four
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids and Life Span: The Long and Short of It
Omega-3
As you will learn later in this chapter, stress plays a role in shortening life span, and I will retell several excellent news stories that Craig Weatherby and the team at Vital Choice generously shared with me. The good news is that certain nutrients, such as omega-3 essential fatty acids, can help counteract this effect. I have long championed the benefits of wild salmon and other cold-water fish for a variety of reasons, including their ability to keep skin supple, youthful, and radiant; increase brainpower and cardiovascular health; protect joints; and improve and stabilize mood, to name just a few benefits. I believe there is a solid link between diet and disease, including some forms of cancer. I also believe—and science bears this out—that stress is one of the single greatest precipitators of accelerated aging.
(YES INDEED; TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE RECENT PRESIDENTS OF THE USA, AND NOTE HOW 4 TO 8 YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE AGES THEM…… BILL CLINTON IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE - Keith Hunt)
If we are to be Forever Young, we need to find successful strategies to conquer stress, both physical and mental. A loving, nonjudgmental companion animal is a great antidote to stress, as are forms of exercise such as yoga, spending time out in nature, or simply making the time to restore yourself.
Stress can shorten your life span—this is not a theory but an actual measurable fact. A recent study at the University of California has not only implicated stress in cell aging, it also suggests that stress accelerates the rate at which cells age. We have long known that stress precipitates premature aging, but the exact mechanism of how this occurs has been unclear.
According to researchers, stress affects telomeres, strips of DNA at the end of chromosomes, which appear to protect and stabilize the chromosome ends. A chromosome is a type of cell that carries hereditary information. Telomeres are involved in regulating cell division. Each time the cell divides, the telomere shortens, until eventually there is nothing left, making cell division less reliable and increasing the risk of age-related disorders. Like the wrapped tips of shoelaces, without which the laces would unravel, telomeres ensure that a cell's chromosomes do not fuse with one another or rearrange themselves during cell division, which can lead to cancer.
With each replication the telomeres shorten, and when the telomeres are gone, the cells are programmed to commit a form of cellular "suicide" called apoptosis, which was discussed in chapter 1. Telomeres are highly vulnerable to oxidative stress from free radicals generated by:
Eating a pro-inflammatory diet (i.e., high-glycemic carbohydrates)
Environmental stressors
Weakened immune system
Excess exposure to ultraviolet light
Hormonal changes
Stress
Normal metabolism
Since they protect telomeres by neutralizing free radicals, foods rich\in antioxidants, which help the body neutralize free radicals, help maintain good health and a youthful appearance.
Omega-3s to the Rescue
Researchers have shown that omega-3s may also protect telomeres, as one study with heart patients demonstrates.
Researchers based at the University of California conducted a study designed to determine whether omega-3 blood levels were associated with changes in telomere length among heart patients with coronary artery disease.
A team led by Ramin Farzaneh-Far, M.D., recruited 608 heart patients between September 2000 and December 2002 and measured the length of their leukocyte telomeres at the beginning of the study and again after five years of follow-up.
After comparing the starting lengths of the cardiac outpatients' telomeres with their length after five years, the researchers found that people with the lowest Omega-3 levels experienced the speediest rate of telomere shortening.
In contrast, those with the highest omega-3 levels showed the slowest rate of telomere shortening.
RESULTS MAY HELP EXPLAIN OMEGA-3s' PROVEN HEART BENEFITS
The findings offer one plausible biological explanation for why eating cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, and anchovies as well as taking fish oil helps heart patients.
The authors speculated that omega-3s may counteract oxidative stress, or increase the production of telomerase, an enzyme that lengthens and repairs shortened telomeres.
If you find it surprising that they'd suggest an antioxidant role for Omega-3s, you've been listening to the wrong people.
Many observers make erroneous assumptions about the susceptibility of dietary Omega-3s to oxidation in the body.
While Omega-3s oxidize rapidly when exposed to air, several recent studies have shown that they act as antioxidants inside our vascular system . . . thereby reducing inflammation and, in turn, the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. . . .
The researchers studied only the effects of fish oil on cellular aging in heart patients, so it is not clear if the association would hold true in healthy people.
But as Dr. Farzaneh-Far told Reuters, "There is no reason to think that it wouldn't."
He expressed the essence of his team's finding this way:
"Telomere length is an emerging marker for determining biological age. . . . We are excited to identify omega-3 fatty acids as a potentially protective factor that may slow down telomere shortening."
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TO BE CONTINUED
MORE GOOD REASONS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING ENOUGH OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS, THROUGH EATING SALMON AND OTHER FOODS RICH IN OMEGA-3. SUPPLEMENTS OF OMEGA-3-6-9 ARE NOT THAT EXPENSIVE.
Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG - chapter five
THE IMPORTANCE OF BONE HEALTH
When I started researching this chapter, I had no idea how radicalized I would become about healthy bones and their crucial function in all aspects of healthy aging and disease prevention. In fact, this is one of the most important chapters in this book because, as you will learn, healthy bones are the very foundation of our immune system, and until now, we did not have the most ideal strategies to ensure that we could prevent bone loss.
Bone formation—the acquisition of bone mineral density (BMD)— peaks between the ages of 20 and 30. After the age of 35, both men and women begin to lose bone mass unless they take action to prevent it. Unfortunately, at that age few of us are thinking about our health, our longevity, or anything in between. By the time we begin to think about our bones, we may have already suffered serious damage. It seems hard to believe that this can happen so early in our lives. Often our conception of age-related bone loss is that of a person of advanced age—seventies or eighties—bent under the burden of the dowager's hump.
You need to protect your bones from an early age. If you are in your twenties or thirties and reading this chapter, you can take active steps to prevent future problems. If you are older, take heart because there are exciting new strategies that can make a significant difference now.
Regular exercise is far and away the single most important action we can take to prevent and help reverse bone loss. Unfortunately, we are raising a generation of couch potatoes and computer/video jockeys who rarely exercise. If you happen to be a small Caucasian female with a penchant for dieting, the risk of bone loss is even greater. But there is good news. According to many studies, a high-intensity exercise program prevents bone loss in early postmenopausal women with low bone density.
The Weighting Game
As many studies affirm, weight-bearing exercises have an extremely beneficial effect on bone mass and bone density. The pressure exerted on the bones during this type of exercise stimulates the building of bone. Ideally, your exercise routines will be complex and will involve the total body; in this way you can achieve the greatest benefits.
A Step in the Right Direction
In conjunction with weight training, I recommend a thirty-minute brisk walk or jog every day. My colleague Harry Preuss, M.D., and I are firm believers in the use of pedometers to encourage an active lifestyle. A pedometer senses your body motion and counts your footsteps. If you are like me, you enjoy a challenge—and a pedometer motivates me to increase my movements. Many of us spend long hours in front of computers, and wearing the pedometer reminds us of just how sedentary our lives have become. If it is 10 a.m. and you glance at the pedometer and see that it is registering a meager 200 steps and your goal is 10,000 per day, it can help spur you into immediate action. I set a goal each day and am always delighted when I exceed it. You need to take 6,000 steps per day for overall good health and as many as 10,000 steps per day for weight loss. It is never too late to start an exercise program, and consistency is always the key. Walking is a great default exercise program in that you don't need a gym; the only equipment you need is a pair of good walking shoes, and, weather permitting, walking is something you can do 365 days a year.
(CHARLES ATLAS EXERCISES NEED NO OUTDOORS, GYM, OR MACHINES - HIS COURSE IS STILL AVAILABLE - Keith Hunt)
Who Is at Risk?
According to information from the National Osteoporosis Foundation posted on the National Institute of Health's Web site (www.osteo.org), the following factors can put you at increased risk for osteoporosis:
History of fracture after age 50.
Current low bone mass.
History of fracture in a close relative.
Being female.
Being thin and/or having a small frame.
Advanced age (osteoporosis is a major public health threat
for 55 percent of people 50 years of age and older; the older
you are, the greater the risk).
A family history of osteoporosis.
Low lifetime calcium intake.
Vitamin D deficiency.
An inactive lifestyle.
For women only: estrogen deficiency as a result of menopause, especially early or surgically induced. Also, women who stop menstruating before menopause because of conditions such as anorexia or bulimia or because of excessive physical exercise are at greater risk.
For men only: low testosterone levels. For both men and women: use of certain medications to treat chronic medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, endocrine disorders (i.e., an underactive thyroid, which can be helped by coconut oil), seizure disorders, and gastrointestinal diseases may have side effects that can damage bone and lead to osteoporosis.
One class of drugs that has particularly damaging effects on the skeleton is glucocorticoids (a group of steroids that have metabolic and anti-inflammatory-effects). The following drugs can also cause bone loss:
Excessive thyroid hormones
Anticonvulsants
Antacids containing aluminum
These facts notwithstanding, the news is particularly grim for women. It is difficult to overstate the importance of BMD, which is often viewed as the "gold standard" for bone health. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, BMD is decreasing in women in the United States. In 2004, Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General predicted that by 2020 (a scant decade away) half of all American citizens older than 50 will be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis and low bone mass if no immediate action is taken. The report concluded that Americans' bone health is in jeopardy due to increasingly sedentary lifestyles, an absence of current information about bone health (which this chapter will hope to alleviate), and inadequate nutrition. The surgeon general recommended that people of all ages ensure that they get the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D, and that supplementation maybe helpful. Pointing out that people are never too young or too old to improve their bone health, the surgeon general issued a "call to action" for the development and evaluation of bone health programs that incorporated three components: (1) improved health literacy, (2) increased physical activity, and (3) improved nutrition. Though this is a vitally important initiative for everyone, women in particular need to be educated on their risks, which pose a significant threat to BMD with the passing years.
Bone loss accelerates after menopause because the female hormone estrogen, needed to maintain bone density, is greatly reduced. The lack of estrogen accelerates a process known as bone remodeling, the process in which small areas of bone are destroyed and subsequently rebuilt. Estrogen deficiency can lead to an imbalance, resulting in more destruction and less formation, which can predispose women to osteoporosis as they age. If a woman's ovaries are surgically removed, even more rapid bone loss may occur because estrogen is made primarily in the ovaries. The most rapid rates of bone loss in women occur during the first five years after menopause, when the decrease in the production of estrogen results in increased bone resorption and decreased calcium absorption. In-fact, according to statistics, women may lose as much as 3 to 5 percent of bone mass per year during the years immediately following menopause, with decreases of less than 1 percent per year after age 65. Two studies are in agreement that increased calcium intake during menopause will not completely offset menopause bone loss. Other studies show that nutritional supplements such as silicon in the form of choline-stabilized ortho silicic acid improves the bone health benefits of both calcium and vitamin D. As you will discover, specially targeted nutrients can not only slow bone loss, they can actually encourage new bone growth.
While there is an extensive and compelling body of research supporting the positive effects of calcium and vitamin D3 on bone health, a review of forty-eight studies on the effects of calcium on bone health concluded that other micronutrients are needed to optimize bone health, including vitamin K2, magnesium, and trace minerals. Vitamin C has also been reported as essential to collagen formation and normal bone development.
Healthy Bones, Healthy Heart
Vitamin K1
Many of us are familiar with vitamin K (phylloquinone, also known as phytonadione), commonly referred to as vitamin Kl, which is a fat-soluble vitamin found in foods such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, turnip greens, and other dark leafy greens, cereals, and other vegetables. Vitamin Kl makes up about 90 percent of the vitamin K in a typical Western diet and plays an important role in blood clotting. Because this is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is important to eat these foods dressed with a little extra-virgin olive oil to ensure absorption of the nutrient. Some studies indicate that only 10 percent of the vitamin Kl in foods is absorbed by your body.
Today, emerging evidence in human intervention studies indicate that vitamin Kl at a much lower dose may also benefit bone health, in particular when co-administered with vitamin D. Several mechanisms are suggested by which vitamin K can modulate bone metabolism. Besides the gamma-carboxylation of osteocalcin, a protein believed to be involved in bone mineralization, there is increasing evidence that vitamin K positively affects calcium balance, a key mineral in bone metabolism. The Institute of Medicine has recently increased the dietary reference intakes of vitamin K to 90 micrograms per day for women and 120 micrograms per day for men, which is an increase of approximately 50 percent from previous recommendations.
A new analysis by Joyce McCann, Ph.D., and Bruce Ames, Ph.D., of Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute of data from hundreds of published articles dating back to the 1970s also advises that the current recommendations for vitamin K intakes be increased.
Current recommendations are based on levels to ensure adequate blood coagulation, but failing to ensure long-term optimal levels of the vitamin may accelerate bone fragility, arterial and kidney calcification, cardiovascular disease, and possibly even cancer.
Vitamin K2: Don't Leave Home Without It!
Though this is good news, the news about vitamin K2 is even better when it comes to both bone and arterial health. Vitamin K2, also known as menaquinones, stays in the body for a significantly longer time than Kl. It makes up about 10 percent of a typical Western diet's vitamin K and can be synthesized in the gut by microflora.
Menaquinones (MK-n) can also be found in the diet: MK-4 can be found in meat; MK-7, MK-8, and MK-9 are found in fermented food products like cheese, and an especially rich source of MK-7 is natto, a popular, centuries-old breakfast dish in Japan made from steamed fermented soybeans. Because of its rather unpleasant—some might call it "slimy"—consistency, natto, said to be the food of samurai warriors, can be a hard sell to the Western palate.
Chairman of the Board Certified
My friend and colleague Stephen Sinatra, M.D., F.A.C.N., C.N.S., is board certified in both internal medicine and cardiology. The buildup of arterial plaque is deadly to the healthy heart, and Dr. Sinatra continually searches for effective strategies to decrease this threat. A number of studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of vitamin K2 in reversing plaque in blood vessels. Vitamin K2 appears to assist in the decalcification of hard plaque formations.
Dr. Sinatra has seen outstanding progress in his patients taking the MK-7 (menaquinone-7) type of vitamin K2, which offers the following unique benefits:
Provides the most active and bioavailable form of vitamin
K2, MK-7
Helps reduce the level of calcium in the bloodstream
Supports cardiovascular health
Helps strengthen bones
Aids in calcium absorption by bones
Helps increase bone density
I recently met with Dr. Sinatra to learn even more about this remarkable nutrient. Although this is a chapter on bone health, the remarkable discoveries about vitamin K2 demonstrate the holistic nature of the body and how all systems are intrinsically linked—in this instance, bone health and heart health. This makes it difficult to compartmentalize each organ system into a neat little chapter. There is tremendous overlap among bone health, digestive health, the immune system, the cardiovascular system, and so forth. As you will discover, a great bone structure means much more than just getting us on the pages of Vogue.
Dr. Sinatra had impressive news from Dr. Cees Vermeer, a biochemist from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and one of the top vitamin K2 researchers in the world. Two new studies (published in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology) by Dr. Vermeer's team of researchers have reported the following:
The first study showed that vitamin K2 is more absorbable by the body than vitamin Kl, so K2 is able to provide more support for the enzyme process that contributes to bone health—and more protection against osteoporosis. This absorbability puts vitamin K2 at greater risk of interfering with Coumadin, which is a vitamin K antagonist. Vitamin K promotes clotting, and Coumadin is prescribed to keep the blood thin by preventing clotting. According to Dr. Sinatra, new evidence from Europe suggests that Coumadin may also interfere with a vitamin K2 protein system that keeps calcium out of the arterial walls. It now appears that on one hand, Coumadin thins the blood, but on the other, it contributes to arterial calcification. Coumadin causes a deficiency of both vitamin Kl and vitamin K2. It should come as no surprise to learn that Coumadin takers suffer more osteoporosis in conjunction with more abnormal calcium deposits in other areas, such as the heart valves—in fact, twice as much as those not taking the drug. Dr. Sinatra has become extremely cautious about prescribing Coumadin because of these risks, reserving its use for only the highest-risk patients.
(MY DAD WAS ON COUMADIN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE - HE ALWAYS MADE SURE HE HAD LOTS OF CALCIUM AND "D" EACH DAY - HE LIVED TO BE TWO MONTHS SHORT OF BEING 94 - IF I COULD HAVE GOTTEN HIM TO LOOSE HIS BIG BELLY, I BELIEVE HE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD HIS STROKE AT AGE 91, AND COULD HAVE LIVED TO BE 100 OR MORE - Keith Hunt)
To better understand the role of calcium in the body, consider this:
Normal deposits of calcium occur only in bone and teeth.
Abnormal deposition of calcium in the body occurs in three places:
the intima, the innermost layer or lining of the arteries that causes atherosclerotic plaque; the heart valves; and the medial calcification, which is the muscle layer of the arteries.
Studies also show that people with coronary disease, in conjunction with reduced blood levels of vitamin K2, show more advanced atherosclerotic plaque. It also appears that calcium is an active participant in the buildup of coronary plaque—and not the innocent bystander once supposed!
In a second study, Dr. Vermeer found that a diet high in both vitamins Kl and K2 could prevent and reverse Coumadin-induced arterial calcification in rats. The rat arteries that were studied resembled human arteries affected by common diabetic and age-related sclerosis (hardening of tissues).
Traditionally, calcification has been thought to be an irreversible end-stage process in arterial disease. There is a very real possibility that a vitamin supplement could roll back the sclerosis that destroys the arteries. Imagine what this could mean to individuals with diabetes and heart disease.
Could it be that many detrimental physical processes associated with age are not part of the so-called normal aging process? More and more, the answer is yes, and many of the pillars supporting the "carved in stone" scientific beliefs are toppling. As this information demonstrates, many of these processes can actually be reversed—and, equally important, prevented altogether.
The calcium link between arteries and bone is fascinating to me. One of the biggest tragedies of aging is osteoporosis, which predisposes us to weakness, frailty, and dangerous bone fractures, greatly limiting our mobility. Unfortunately, the calcium that belongs in our bones is transferred to arterial walls, predisposing us to cardiovascular disease and more. Adequate intake of vitamin K2 can stop this from occurring. We now have what appears to be a highly effective strategy to keep bones strong and arteries free of dangerous plaque. As you can see, strategies that can keep bones healthy have significant impact on our cardiovascular systems as well—absolutely critical information for women with each passing decade.
(MY DAD READ AN ARTICLE AT AGE 63 THAT TAKING "LECITHIN" EACH DAY, WOULD KEEP YOUR ARTERIES CLEAN; AT AGE 85 THE DOCTORS AND NURSES COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW CLEAN HIS ARTERIES WERE ON EXAMINATION, AND THEY ASKED HIM WHAT HE HAD BEEN DOING FOR SUCH RESULTS - HE TOLD THEM. I ALSO HAVE BEEN TAKING A LECITHIN TABLET EACH DAY FOR YEARS - Keith Hunt)
Although it is breast cancer that puts the fear of death into women, the fact is that women have a much greater chance of dying of heart disease. Vitamin K2 can greatly reduce your odds of developing this disease. Although heart disease was thought of as a "man's disease" in the past, it is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, and women account for 52.6 percent of the total heart disease deaths. In 2005, heart disease was the cause of death in more than 454,000 females. Heart disease is often perceived as an "older woman's disease," and it is the leading cause of death among women age 65 and older. The fact is that heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women age 25 to 45 and the second leading cause of death among women aged 45 to 64. Remember that many cases of heart disease can be prevented!
The graph below shows how breast cancer compares with other common causes of death in women of all ages.
Diseases of heart 349, 238
Cerebrovascular diseases 86, 993
Lung and bronchus cancer 69, 078
Chronic lower respiratory disease 68, 497
Alzheimer's disease 51, 038
Accidents (unintentional injury) 41, 426
Breast cancer 41, 116
Diabetes melitus 38, 581
Influenza and pneumonia 34, 949
Colorectal cancer 26, 224
0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000
Number of Deaths
TOP TEN CAUSES OF DEATH FOR WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES
Source: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program (www.seer xancer.gov) SEER*Stat Database: Mortality—All COD, Public-Use with State, Total U.S. (1969-2005), National Cancer Institute, DCCPS, Surveillance Research Program, Cancer Statistics Branch, released February 2008. Underlying mortality data provided by CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. For more information and facts, visit the CDC's Heart Disease site, http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/.
(REMEMBER THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN 2010 - Keith Hunt)
As you can see, you are eight times as likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer. Not to downplay the breast cancer risk, but you are also more likely to die from an accident than you are from breast cancer! I personally find this lack of awareness by many women about their most dire health threat a matter of great concern.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 37 percent of all female deaths in America occur from cardiovascular disease. Many women simply do not understand the dangers of heart disease and stroke.
………………..
TO BE CONTINUED
FOREVER YOUNG - from chapter five
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that functions as an important hormone.
Vitamin D communicates to the intestines to increase the absorption of calcium by as much as 80 percent. Vitamin D is also well known for maintaining normal calcium levels. These are just a few of the extremely important functions of this essential nutrient.
Vitamin D Deficiency
In March 2006, Mayo Clinic Proceedings printed an alarming article about the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. The highly respected, author, Michael Holick of the Boston University School of Medicine, stated, "Vitamin D inadequacy has been reported in approximately 36 percent of otherwise healthy young adults and up to 57 percent of general medicine inpatients in the United States and even higher percentages in Europe. Low sunlight exposure, age-related decreases in vitamin D synthesis in our skin, and diets low in vitamin D contribute to the high prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy."
Supplemental doses of vitamin D (taken together with calcium and magnesium) and sensible sun exposure could prevent deficiency in most of the general population, according to Holick. In this section we will learn which forms of vitamin D are most effective, starting with the most natural: the sun.
Vitamin D Sources
Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D. It can provide you with your entire vitamin D requirement. Children and young adults who spend a short time outside two or three times a week will generally synthesize all the vitamin D they need. If you are older, you have diminished capacity to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight exposure. Many of us use sunscreen and/or wear protective clothing in order to prevent skin cancer and sun damage, depriving ourselves of vitamin D. In these instances it is important to consider getting your vitamin D from food and supplements. Vitamin D is unique among vitamins in that it can be provided to the body through food or by exposure to the sun. Sunshine is a significant source of vitamin D because ultraviolet rays from sunlight trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin. I recommend spending fifteen minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen. This will increase vitamin D production, known to reduce the risk of many internal cancers as well as the risk of osteoporosis. Although sun exposure has been greatly vilified in the past decades, exposure to the sun is our most important source of this critical vitamin.
The application of sunscreen with an SPF factor of 8 reduces the production of vitamin D by 95 percent. In latitudes around 40 degrees north or 40 degrees south (Boston is 42 degrees north), there is insufficient UVB radiation available for vitamin D synthesis from November to early March. Ten degrees farther north (Edmonton, Canada), this "vitamin D winter" extends from mid-October to mid-March. According to Dr. Holick, as little as five to ten minutes of sun exposure on arms and legs or face and arms three times weekly between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. during the spring, summer, and fall at 42 degrees of latitude should provide a light-skinned individual with adequate vitamin D and allow for storage of any excess for use during the winter with minimal risk of skin damage.
Vitamin D Supplements
There are many health benefits of vitamin D, and, as mentioned in chapter 2 and this chapter, I recommend that we get it from sunlight. However, when this is not practical, a vitamin D supplement may be a strategy to ensure adequate levels. But what vitamin D supplement is best?
Since a large body of science shows that vitamin D works closely with calcium and magnesium, it is best to take vitamin D in combination with calcium and magnesium to maintain a proper balance. Recent literature shows that most calcium supplements have too little vitamin D to be effective. And some of them use synthetic vitamin D2. A much better form is natural vitamin D3, which stays in your system longer and with greater effect.
Effects of Vitamin D Deficiency
A deficiency of vitamin D can result in the following conditions:
RICKETS
In infants and children, severe vitamin D deficiency results in the failure of the bone to mineralize. Rapidly growing bones are most severely affected by rickets. The growth plates of bones continue to enlarge, but in the absence of adequate mineralization, the weight-bearing limbs become bowed. Although fortification of foods has led to complacency regarding vitamin D deficiency, nutritional rickets is still being reported throughout the world.
OSTEOMALACIA
Although adult bones are no longer growing, they are in a constant state of turnover. In adults with severe vitamin D deficiency, the collagen bone matrix is preserved but bone mineral is progressively lost, resulting in bone pain and osteomalacia (soft bones).
Muscle WEAKNESS AND PAIN
Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness and pain in children and adults. In a cross-sectional study of 150 patients referred to a clinic in Minnesota for the evaluation of persistent muscle and bone pain, 93 percent had vitamin D deficiency! Muscle pain and weakness were prominent symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in a study of Arab and Danish Muslim women living in Denmark. Another trial found that supplementation of elderly women with 800 IU per day of vitamin D and 1,200 milligrams per day of calcium for three months increased muscle strength and decreased the risk of falling by almost 50 percent compared with supplementation with calcium alone. This is an extremely significant finding and a compelling case for supplementation.
Risk Factors for Vitamin D Deficiency
If you are in any of the categories below, you would be well advised to get a blood test to determine your vitamin D levels.
TOTAL COVERAGE OF THE SKIN OR OVERUSE OF SUNSCREEN
Osteomalacia has been documented in women who cover all of their skin whenever they are outside for religious or cultural reasons. The application of sunscreen with an SPF factor of 8 reduces the production of vitamin D by 95 percent, creating a problem similar to that of covered skin.
DARK SKIN
People with dark skin synthesize less vitamin D on exposure to sunlight than those with light skin. The risk of vitamin D deficiency is particularly high in dark-skinned people who live far from the equator.
AGING
The elderly have reduced capacity to synthesize vitamin D in the skin when exposed to UVB radiation and are more likely to stay indoors or use sunscreen. Institutionalized adults are at extremely high risk of vitamin D deficiency without supplementation.
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL disease
If you suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's disease, you may be at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, especially if you have had small-bowel surgery.
FAT MALABSORPTION SYNDROMES
Cystic fibrosis and cholestatic liver disease impair the absorption of dietary vitamin D.
OBESITY
Being overweight increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Once vitamin D is synthesized in the skin or ingested, it is deposited in body fat stores, making it less bioavailable if you have large stores of body fat.
A Special Message for Menopausal Women
One of the negative effects at the onset of, during, and following menopause can be bone loss. Women in these groups are more susceptible to all of the maladies associated with weakened bones due to an increase in the rate of declining bone density and the associated loss of bone health.
Getting on the Right Tract
As mentioned, our bone marrow produces both red and white blood cells. Our red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to every tissue in the body. Our white blood cells are the foundation of our immune system. Seventy percent to 80 percent of our lymphatic system (immune system, tissue) is located in our gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The digestive system is the first and most important step in processing the nutrients we need to exist. It is estimated that the surface area of the digestive tract is similar in size to a football field. With such a large exposure, the immune system has to work overtime to prevent pathogens from entering the blood and lymph systems. On account of this function, the GI tract is the system in the body that is most at risk from foreign matter in our food and water. It is the site of important life-protecting "recognition and response" signaling and processing, both accepting and processing the beneficial food and drink while rejecting and/or disposing of the potentially toxic.
Since our bodies are composed of food processed by the digestive system, rebuilding the digestive system itself is dependent on the efficiency of this process. It is self-perpetuating, which is why the quality of food and food supplements is so important. This is also why so much of the body's lymphatic system tissue is located in the gastrointestinal tract. A healthy digestive system is essential to healthy immune function and vice versa. And a healthy digestive system is essential to good health. If our GI tract is not functioning at its best, our immune system is also struggling. As a result, declining digestive health and function lead to declining overall health. As stated previously, all of our white blood cells are made in our bones (B cells), some of which are directed to our thymus gland, the master gland of the immune system, to become T cells.
When we contemplate these intricate interactions, it soon becomes clear that the health of our bones is instrumental to our health and longevity in general. This understanding is especially important today, because there are so many toxins and contaminants in the environment and food chain. Keeping our bones and GI tract healthy is the first step to maintaining a healthy immune system, which is vital in protecting us from the epidemics and pandemics that seem to be lurking around every corner.
Red and white blood cell production alone makes maintaining optimal bone health an important requirement for optimal overall health, especially as we age. It is no coincidence that with aging, diminishing bone health is also accompanied by reduced energy, increased fatigue, an increase in digestive problems, and an increase in maladies associated with a weakening immune system. These maladies include such disorders as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, irritable and inflammatory bowel disorders, and a host of other chronic inflammatory and degenerative problems—another excellent reason to make sure your diet is rich in high-quality probiotics and foods that are not pro-inflammatory, since pro-inflammatory foods will compound these problems.
During medical school, one of the many basic science course requirements was embryology, the branch of biology that deals with the formation, early growth, and development of living organisms. As we studied the development of the fetus from conception to four months, we learned that all of the major organs of the body, as well as muscle, bone, and other types of tissue, are derived from three basic layers of tissue within the embryo. As you will recall, I learned that both the skin and the brain are derived from the same layer of embryonic tissue, which I call the brain-beauty connection. Bone cells and immune stem cells have a common origin and a functional relationship, just like the skin-and-brain connection known as the osteoimmune relationship. That functional relationship is the basis for the growing field of osteoimmunology. Consider this alarming fact: it is now known that chronic immune system overexertion leads to bone loss and can also promote muscle wasting and increased fat storage.
This unfortunate triumvirate does not have to be inevitable. Muscle wasting/loss of muscle mass in older people is called sarcopenia. As discussed earlier, I had long suspected that there was a strong link between inflammation and sarcopenia and used it as a model to measure and compare the loss of muscle mass seen in those who diet. I was not surprised to discover that patients who suffered from sarcopenia had higher circulating levels of inflammatory markers than those who experienced less loss of muscle mass, while other parameters had insignificant differences. Those other parameters, including levels of growth hormones and sex hormones, were fairly close to the same level in both groups. In simple terms, the subjects with the greatest loss of muscle mass were in an inflammatory state. Inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein and cytokines such as interleukin-6, are elevated in the people who suffer the most loss of muscle mass, or severe sarcopenia.
This loss of both bone and muscle mass, in conjunction with increased fat storage, has very special disease implications that reach far beyond the obvious aesthetics. According to Navinchandra Dadhaniya, M.D., a specialist in geriatric medicine at Illini Hospital in Pittsfield, Illinois, a healthy young person's body composition includes 30 percent muscle, 20 percent fat, and 10 percent bone. A person age 75 or over may have 15 percent muscle, 40 percent fat, and 8 percent bone.
Reduced bone density, loss of bone health, osteopenia, and osteoporosis portend much greater risks to the body than the broken hip so common in the elderly. These conditions have a systemic impact, predisposing the body to other potentially very serious disorders as well. For example, in a study presented in June 2008 at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, researchers from Washington University reported that maintaining bone density could be a key to decreasing the spread of breast cancer.
The Weight Loss Dilemma:
Bone Health Is the Ultimate Victim
As we have seen, dieting increases our levels of inflammatory markers, accelerating the loss of precious muscle mass, but that is not the only negative consequence. There is currently an epidemic of aging people who are either overweight or obese. This is especially true for women in the process of menopause. In our efforts to combat this global problem, we run the risk of an often overlooked yet extremely harmful consequence of weight loss: the adverse effect it typically has on bone mineral density (BMD), fracture risk, and functional bone health.
At any moment millions of Americans of all ages are dieting and struggling to lose weight by means of a wide variety of programs and plans. This is particularly true of women; many start radical diets as early as their teens and continue with erratic eating habits throughout the decades. The goal of most weight loss programs is to lose as much weight as possible, as quickly as possible. In virtually all major weight loss plans, whether based on weight loss pharmaceuticals, nutriceuticals, and/or calorie-fat-, or carbohydrate-restricted diets, little or no consideration is given to the kind, as opposed to the amount, of weight that is lost in spite of the adverse, sometimes life-threatening, effects dieting can have on both muscle mass and bone health. People are obsessed with scale weight, but it is not scale weight that is of primary importance. As we saw in chapter 3, "The Metabolic Miracle," we can and will actually weigh more if our bodies are well muscled, because muscle weighs more than fat.
Weight loss, including that facilitated surgically through either gastric bypass or gastric banding procedures, has repeatedly been documented as depleting bone density and increasing fracture risk.
BMD losses are particularly pronounced in middle-aged or older Caucasian women, particularly those who are thin, petite, and over 40 with a long history of dieting. This should come as a serious and startling wake-up call to women of all ages as they struggle to keep excess weight off. In a study typifying the adverse effects of weight loss, premenopausal and early perimenopausal women who were randomly assigned to a lifestyle intervention lost 3.2 kilograms (around 7 pounds) over eighteen months and experienced rates of BMD loss at the hip that were twice those of weight-stable control subjects. In another study, in spite of a daily intake of 2,000 milligrams of calcium, bone loss occurred at some sites in overweight postmenopausal women because of weight loss. The authors report that daily calcium intake of 3,400 milligrams is more likely to minimize bone loss during weight loss postmenopausal overweight women.
Therefore, evaluation of the overall risks and benefits of weight loss in overweight women should include monitoring its effects on BMD and the potential risks for osteopenia and osteoporosis, especially for women approaching, experiencing, and following menopause. Consideration should also be given to the type, duration, and intensity of physical activity that may retard BMD loss. Perhaps most important, diets need to be focused on decreasing inflammation as opposed to overall calories, as we will see in the next chapter. This means eating adequate high-quality protein, especially cold-water fish, lean free-range poultry, and grass-fed beef and lamb; fresh fruits and vegetables; and healthy fats such as extra-virgin olive oil.
You should do your best to limit your intake of starchy foods, eliminate all sugar, refined starches like white flour, and other processed grains. The prospect of avoiding foods that are so abundant might seem daunting, but you will feel so much better when you drop these foods from your diet that you will not even miss them.
(CHARLES ATLAS IN HIS COURSE "HEALTH AND STRENGTH" [STILL OBTAINABLE] SAID YOU SHOULD AVOID WHITE FLOUR PRODUCTS LIKE THE PLAGUE; ONE OF THE WORSE THINGS EVER INVENTED BY MAN IN FOOD PRODUCTION WAS THE "WHITE FLOUR" PRODUCT - Keith Hunt)
Not Just for Women
More recently, one study tested the hypothesis that weight loss in older men is associated with increased rates of hip bone loss regardless of adiposity (fat) and intention to lose weight. Higher rates of hip bone loss were found in men experiencing weight loss, regardless of body mass index, body composition, or intention to lose weight. Even among obese men (those with a body mass index greater than 30) trying to lose weight, those with documented voluntary weight reduction experienced a greater amount of hip bone loss. Loran Salamone and colleagues examined the effect of changes in body weight on BMD in normal-weight populations. They evaluated the effect of a lifestyle intervention aimed at lowering dietary fat intake and increasing physical activity to produce modest weight loss or prevent weight gain on BMD in a population of 236 healthy, premenopausal women aged 44 to 50. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analyses (DEXA) of BMD at the lumbar spine and proximal femur were made before and after eighteen months of participation in the trial. The researchers found that women in the top quartile for weight loss experienced more than three times the rate of BMD loss compared with all other women.
Alarming facts such as these inspired me to write The Perricone Weight Loss Diet, because with the right food and supplements, you can lose body fat while maintaining precious bone and muscle. As you learned in chapter 3, "The Metabolic Miracle," there is one safe, proven, and effective way to lose weight; this program will not decrease muscle or bone. In all my years of studying this topic, it has proved to be extremely effective in rapidly decreasing body fat, reducing inflammation, and improving overall health.
Almost all nutritional programs targeted at weight loss are based on various types of calorie or fat deprivation tactics, which have been shown to distress bone metabolism and health. Ironically, severe calorie restriction is also one of the only modalities shown to increase life span in animals! As contradictory as this may sound, I believe that if subclinical systemic inflammation, which is the foundation of these problems, can be reduced, body fat can safely be lost without sacrificing muscle and bone.
Studies appear to indicate that the negative relationship between reduced bone health and weight loss is affected by alterations in serum hormone levels, deficient nutritional factors, impaired energy metabolism, immune system distress, the reduction of the beneficial mechanical impact of excess weight, an increase in inflammatory markers, or some combination of these factors. Speaking of inflammation, it also appears that chronic long-term inflammation can have the effect of removing calcium from the bones, weakening and shrinking them. For women, these issues become even more pronounced with the onset and completion of menopause.
Fat Reduction Surgery and Bone Health
Though it may seem extremely radical to the average person, fat reduction surgery is very real, with more and more people who are desperate to lose weight and unable to succeed now choosing this option.
The adverse effects of weight loss on bone are being exacerbated by the tenfold increase in the number of bariatric (weight loss) surgeries performed in the United States from 13,365 in 1998 to an estimated 140,000 in 2004, a rate of increase that appears to have accelerated even more from 2004 to 2007. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery estimates that 220,000 people in the United States had bariatric surgery in 2008. Of the bariatric surgeries, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is the most commonly performed surgery and appears to have substantially greater detrimental effects on bone health. For example, a prospective study of twenty-five women found that following RYGB, calcium absorption declined by 24 to 36 percent. Another study of 230 subjects found that within the first year following bypass surgery, BMD had decreased by an average of 7 percent.
Clearly, the results of these studies indicate that people who have had bariatric surgery should be screened with bone density testing along with repeated evaluations of their bone health—building nutritional regimens. Research also shows that postoperative bariatric patients most often have lower vitamin D levels, increased parathyroid activity, and chronically higher rates of bone mineral loss than their unoperated-upon counterparts. Therefore, aside from increasing weight-bearing exercise, it is highly recommended that bariatric surgery patients increase their vitamin D3 intake.
I want to drive home the message that you must do everything naturally possible to enhance bone health and make it your most important health priority, especially if you are nearing menopause. For all of you who have a decade or more to go before menopause, now is the time to ensure that your bones are receiving optimal nutrition to protect them now and in the future. If you are a mother with daughters, even better, as you can start them on the road to improved bone and immune health, which will provide them with a strong, healthy body.
The Adverse Effects of Disease and Medications on Bone Health
A wide range of common diseases are known to decrease bone health, including insulin-dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, anorexia nervosa/bulimia, COPD, endometriosis, hemophilia, hemochromatosis, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, long-term immobilization, renal disease, endocrine disorders (including suppressive doses of thyroid hormones), Addison's disease, Cushing's syndrome, sarcoidosis, organ transplants, liver disease (including hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis), bariatric surgery, and more. As I have just shown, a number of these disorders are either caused or contributed to by declining bone health. So it appears that there is a vicious circle working here, and one in need of a powerful cease-and-desist order.
It is very disturbing that a number of popular medications being used to treat many of these disorders also contribute to bone loss. A significant body of research has found that a wide variety of medications are associated with reduced bone health in people of all ages. The list includes glucocorticoids and related immunosuppressants, antidiabetic drugs, lithium, Depo-Provera and other contraceptives, cyclooxygenase inhibitors, proton pump inhibitors (pharmaceutical antacids), total parenteral nutrition (this means not administered via the alimentary canal), aromatase inhibitors (letrozole, exemestane, an-astrozole), gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (Lupron, Lupron Depot, LH-RH agonists, leuprolide), immunosuppressants, anticonvulsants (phenobarbital, phenytoin), cytotoxic drugs, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which lead to the issue of stress and depression. The stress hormone Cortisol inhibits the cells that form bone. Excess Cortisol also causes many other negative effects, including the storage of abdominal fat, which you will learn about in the next chapter.
While stress and excess stress-induced depression have been shown to cause loss of bone mass, antidepressant medications have been shown to cause even further significant bone loss. This is another issue of special importance to women going through menopause, who experience a greater rate of depression and its related disorders and who are prime candidates for such medications. This could be a situation where the "cure" is worse than the disease.
In addition to good nutrition, you have to learn to manage the stress that comes with living in the modern world. That is why I have included a chapter with a full yoga workout designed to balance your body and mind.
Another recent study suggests that diabetics who are being treated with thiazolidinedione, an antidiabetic drug, provided "further evidence of a possible association between long-term use of thiazofidin-ediones and fractures, particularly of the hip and wrist, in patients with diabetes mellitus."
Taken together, the information presented in this chapter alone, which is only a small portion of what is available in the medical and scientific literature, continues to confirm that men and women should make bone health a top priority. Women especially need to improve the menopausal transition and minimize the consequences that have become so commonplace.
Now comes the good news—saving the best for last!
As you now know, the information on bone health, as stated in this chapter, is a genuine wake-up call to the importance of bone health. Almost every system of the body benefits from improved bone health. In fact, improving bone health at any age seems to be an important factor in our ability to slow the clock of aging. It is not too far a stretch to say that healthy bones are the foundation of the fountain of youth—because you can't have one without the other. But what are the best tools to accomplish this feat? Fortunately, we have some very exciting new strategies to introduce, such as vitamin K2 and AlgaeCal.
Conclusion
New and ongoing research provides exciting insights into the importance of a well-functioning skeletal system, the broader range of nutrients than calcium needed to form healthy bones, and the probable advantages of plant-form sources of minerals rich in calcium, magnesium, and a wide range of other naturally occurring cofactors.
The profound influence of bone health on overall health and well-being cannot be overstated, especially for women approaching, experiencing, and having completed menopause. Healthy bones are a foundation and prerequisite for healthy blood, strong immunity, energy, vitality, and optimal health.
The growing body of research into plant forms of minerals demonstrates that a number of different vitamins, minerals, and cofactors are needed to optimize bone health, enhance the body's immune system, and reduce the body's automatic propensity to store fat. Plant forms of minerals also contain indigenous phytonutrients that contribute to bone health. In looking to natural, "user-friendly" forms of minerals, we may have found the key to stopping bone loss while dramatically improving our overall health regardless of our chronological age.
Armed with this life-changing knowledge, you can reinvigorate, restore, and protect yourself, while giving the term "great bone structure" a whole new meaning.
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TO BE CONTINUED
FOREVER YOUNG - and Menopause
chapter six
THE FOREVER YOUNG APPROACH TO MENOPAUSE
Although I am often referred to as an "antiaging expert" and often use the term, my goal has never been to minimize the many positive qualities that we gain with age. Optimum health, beauty, and wisdom occur when we embrace the benefits and joys that come with healthy aging. These attributes include the power to learn from past mistakes, helping us to build character, compassion, tolerance, and kindness, as well as enhanced spirituality.
This philosophy defines my approach to healthy menopause and beyond. Even if you have years to go before menopause or if you have experienced this change years ago, you can significantly benefit from the Forever Young strategies delineated throughout this book. We are never too young or too advanced in years to enjoy all of the benefits of supple, youthful skin, a clear mind, abundant energy, and overall good health.
Half a Lifetime
After decades of research, designing an effective program to keep us healthy and youthful has been both a labor of love and a labor of necessity. When it comes to healthy menopause, women face unique challenges as well as opportunities. My patients all report that they are responding beautifully by following the anti-inflammatory lifestyle.
Consider this fact: most women now spend one-third to one-half of their lives in post-menopause. The vast majority of women have no clear understanding as to what to expect from their post-menopausal years. They lack the knowledge they need to stay vital and glowing with health and energy.
For those who have read my books and seen my public television specials, you are familiar with the idea that our appearance can be a prime motivator for starting a health program. The good news is that the benefits go far beyond a rejuvenated and more radiant beauty. Taking pride in how you look means taking proper care of yourself. When you do so, your risk of developing such diseases as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more is greatly reduced.
Menopause and Healthy Aging
Every day, new studies are published in the fields of health, beauty, and aging that portend a brighter future in which the negative effects of aging on mind and body are greatly mitigated.
Forever Young has not just been about introducing new strategies to reverse many of the debilitating diseases associated with so-called normal aging. As a physician with more than two decades in private practice and a dermatologist who has spent more than twenty-five years studying the aging process, I can categorically state that nothing can compare with untreated menopause as a model for accelerated aging, although high levels of stress and diabetes come very close. Throughout these chapters, I have introduced strategies that help all of us in general, and menopausal and post-menopausal women in particular, avoid the damaging effects of aging. What I have learned and shared in this book will mitigate many of the less positive aspects of aging and menopause—both physically and mentally.
Understanding Menopause
Simply put, menopause is the time in a woman's life when menstrual periods cease, the end of the reproductive phase of a woman's life. During menopause, a woman's hormone production drops below the level necessary to continue her periods. Menopause, a normal, natural part of aging, becomes official when you have gone twelve months without a menstrual period. Menopause occurs when your ovaries no longer produce eggs. That change is accompanied by a concomitant decrease in the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
There are three different types of menopause: natural, medically induced, and what some people refer to as "cold turkey."
Natural menopause is the result of normal aging.
Medical menopause is the result of chemotherapy, a hysterectomy, or another medical intervention.
Cold turkey menopause results from ceasing to take hormone therapy for the treatment of breast cancer or simply ceasing to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Regardless of the type of menopause, the physical transition will dramatically alter a woman's physical appearance if left untreated. At the same time, all organ systems can experience a decline in function. The changes experienced during what can be an emotionally and physically tumultuous period all point to the same conclusion: a rapid and obvious decline.
Perhaps the most devastating part of the clinical picture is the emotional aspect of this event. My patients describe many disturbing symptoms, ranging from simple irritability to wide emotional swings, from prolonged depression to unfounded fears and anxiety. These mental states are often accompanied by many physical changes, including increased thinning of the skin, loss of facial contours, increased lines and wrinkles, increased body fat, loss of muscle mass, decreased athletic performance, decreased bone density, and loss of sexual desire. Symptoms of menopause can include the following:
Fatigue
Stress
Weight gain
Headaches
Loss of libido (sex drive)
Tender breasts
Fibrocystic breasts
Vaginal dryness
Uterine fibroids
Heart palpitations
Fluid retention (edema)
Depression
Irritability (mood swings)
Anxiety
Hot flashes, resulting in flushing and redness
Night sweats
Joint and/or muscle pain
Skin wrinkling
Loss of skin tone/firmness
Loss of skin radiance
Forgetfulness
Osteopenia
Osteoporosis, bone loss, increased risk of fractures
These psychological and physical symptoms indicate measurable physiological changes and accelerated aging. An increased risk of age-related diseases, such as heart disease, including hardening of the arteries, chest pains, and high blood pressure, is among the changes.
Take Heart
After menopause, the risk of heart disease in women becomes comparable to the incidence in men. Even I was surprised to learn that heart disease kills eight times as many women as breast cancer. In fact, as we learned in chapter 2, heart disease is the leading cause of death for woman aged 65 and over. Conversely, only about one-third of women younger than 65 with heart disease die. With proper guidance, especially nutritional and lifestyle guidance, we can significantly decrease this cardiovascular risk.
Since the number of women experiencing menopause is growing significantly, physicians and scientists need to introduce effective therapeutic strategies to ensure that women do not needlessly suffer the debilitating effects of untreated menopause. Note these national and global statistics:
North American Menopause Society, 2000
The median age of onset of peri-menopause is 47.5 years.
In the United States, there are an estimated 41.75 million women over the age of 50.
Most women spend one-third to one-half of their life in post-menopause.
Smoking has been identified as a cause of early menopause.
Natural menopause occurs at the average age of 51.4 years in Western women.
The menopausal transition lasts an average of four years.
In 2000, there were 45.6 million post-menopausal American women; 39.9 million of them were over the age of 51.
International Menopause Society, 2004
Half of all women over 50 will at some time have a fracture caused by osteoporosis.
Menopausal women are up to three times as likely as men to have Alzheimer's disease, and research suggests that menopause may play a significant role.
Recent surveys have found that more than half of all women don't know that menopause is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
By the year 2025, the World Health Organization estimates, 1.1 billion women will be age 50 or over.
Decelerating the Aging Process
Despite the seriousness of the risks that accompany menopause, we know that we can overcome many of the avoidable illnesses resulting from the accelerated aging associated with untreated menopause. As we have learned in earlier chapters, we can help maintain radiant, healthy, and firm skin; an athletic and toned body; elevated mood; clear, logical thinking; and freedom from memory loss, maintaining the same problem-solving abilities we had in our twenties and a renewed enthusiasm for all aspects of life. Forever Young offers a simple and realistic approach to facing a new and different reality, one that shows you how to experience the joys of continued health, vibrancy, and beauty throughout life.
Menopause is a wake-up call to our own mortality. You will see and feel the negative effects if you don't rise to the challenge; the choice is yours. This goes too for men, who also go through a prolonged and not-so-obvious change, a male menopause known as andropause.
Making the Most of a Major Milestone
Menopause does not have to be a model for accelerated aging. Instead, it can symbolize a milestone in your life, one that motivates you to achieve a new level of health, beauty, wisdom, and spirituality. This is not hyperbole but well-researched, science-based information that can change the way you look and feel as you approach this momentous event on the biological timeline.
Menopause does not mean farewell to femininity and glamour, health and well-being. The Perricone philosophy is firmly rooted in mental and physical health and function. I often tell my patients that radiant health is true beauty. This starts with the foods we eat. In fact, I have discovered that the greatest gift I can give my readers is permission to eat healthful, delicious food. There is no more powerful medium for good or ill than our daily food choices. This simple concept is hugely empowering, because it means that the most effective health and beauty strategies are accessible to everyone, every day.
Reducing Menopausal Symptoms with Diet
I place nutrition, the foods we eat, and the beverages we drink at the very center of the Forever Young program. Regardless of your age, you can and will benefit from following the anti-inflammatory diet. In this book a number of outstanding foods that slow aging and also rejuvenate the body at a cellular level have been introduced. Many of my patients are surprised to learn how much power our food choices wield, and this is particularly evident when it comes to some of the common discomforts that women experience during menopause.
During this time frame a number of health concerns surface, affecting women during this stage of life and into their later years. There is a wide variation of symptoms both among women of the same culture and among women of different cultures. A common link in these differences appears to be lifestyle and diet, although as with most health concerns, genetic factors play a role as well, but a genetic predisposition to a health condition can be influenced greatly by both diet and lifestyle.
***Cultural differences underscore the importance of vegetable consumption in preventing menopausal symptoms. A much lower percentage of Asian women than U.S. women experience menopausal symptoms. For example, for women over 50 years of age, hot flashes are experienced by approximately 75 percent of American women and less than 25 percent of Asian women. This dramatic difference in the occurrence of hot flashes may be attributed to differences in diet. Americans consume a diet much higher in meat and animal fats and lower in vegetables, fruits, and fiber than do Asian women. Due to dietary differences and perhaps higher activity levels as well, Asian women have a lower percentage of body fat than do American women. This contributes to a lower circulating level of estrogen, since fat cells, as well as the ovaries, produce estrogen***
Therefore, a diet high in meat and animal fat that does not come from organic, 100 percent pasture-raised animals and low in vegetables and fiber promotes higher circulating levels of estrogen in premenopausal women. This may result in more noticeable symptoms once the body ceases to produce estrogen. This contrasts with the situation of Asian women, who, because of their low intake of animal fat and high vegetable and fiber intake, have lower premenopausal circulating levels of estrogen. This means that they do not undergo as dramatic a decrease in circulating estrogen levels during menopause. Reducing the intake of animal fats and increasing that of fiber-rich vegetables (which can also help lower body fat), as well as cold-water fish, can help decrease menopausal symptoms by reducing the circulating levels of estrogen prior to the onset of menopause.
That is not all. A diet rich in plant foods provides many other health benefits, including support for digestion and liver function, cardiovascular health, bone strength, energy levels, immunity, vision, and mental function, among others. As you know, the antioxidants in plant foods act as natural anti-innammatories. In that capacity, they are able to ameliorate a great many unpleasant symptoms associated with menopause as well as aging in general.
Fortunately, diet and lifestyle can be adjusted to help reduce, prevent, and even reverse some of the menopausal and post-menopausal symptoms. Though genetics plays a major role in determining the age of onset of menopause, diet and lifestyle are key players in determining the intensity, frequency, and duration of menopausal symptoms. Adopting dietary and lifestyle strategies to help cope with menopausal symptoms will improve overall health, vitality, and longevity. Leading nutrition and medical experts advocate daily consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits as a prerequisite for good health. Fresh vegetables and fruits also contain phytonutrients and phy two chemicals that I believe can help reduce menopausal symptoms as well.
Phytoestrogens
While an anti-inflammatory diet high in vegetables and healthy fats from cold-water fish, olive oil, nuts, and seeds (especially chia seeds) and low in animal fat can help lower body fat and pre-menopausal estrogen levels, vegetables are also a source of certain phy to chemicals known as phytoestrogens that may help lessen menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens, chemicals found in hundreds of different plants, have a structural similarity to estrogen. Understanding the role of phytoestrogens in women's health is of particular importance in this chapter because it is a key factor in health and well-being both during menopause and beyond. Understanding the different sources of phytoestrogens and how they work in the body is critical in making the right choices. Supermarkets, drugstores, and natural food market shelves are filled with myriad products from supplements to foods, protein bars, and drinks, directed at women with claims about their targeted health benefits. Unfortunately, many women make choices based on the extensive marketing and advertising that these companies pay for rather than on a clear understanding of the products' mechanism of action.
Mechanism of Action
Phytoestrogens bind to estrogen receptors and may exhibit weak estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects. Phytoestrogens do not have the same ability that estrogen has when it comes to effecting changes mediated by the estrogen receptor. The small effect that phytoestrogens do have appears to help offset some of the more common menopausal symptoms. These include hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. Studies also suggest that phytoestrogens may play a role in preventing the occurrence of chronic diseases during post-menopause, including coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, cancer, and osteoporosis.
Soy and Flaxseed: The Pros and Cons
Both laboratory and clinical studies indicate that phytoestrogens provide health benefits during both menopause and post-menopause.
These include protecting cardiovascular health by lowering levels of blood cholesterol and increasing the strength and elasticity of blood vessels, inhibiting the onset and progression of cancer, and conserving bone mass.
In this regard, two major sources of phytoestrogens have been the focus of epidemiological studies: soy and flaxseeds. Soy and flaxseeds have both been reported to reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes during menopause. They have also been reported to decrease rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis during post-menopause.
Isoflavone phytoestrogens such as genistein from soy and certain lignan phytoestrogens may protect against the possible carcinogenic actions of estrogen by:
*Inhibiting the production of estrogen by the enzyme aromatase, which is responsible for a key step in the biosynthesis of estrogens.
*Competing at the estrogen receptor level, with either estrogen or xeno- estrogens (industrial and agricultural chemicals such as bisphenol-A and pesticides), which have potent estrogen-like and carcinogenic activities.
Preventing overstimulation of estrogen receptors and providing low-level estrogen stimulation help prevent the negative effects of estrogen while providing a beneficial lower level of estrogen stimulation.
There is somewhat of a catch-22 to this scenario. Some isoflavones from soy may actually increase estrogen activity rather than inhibit it. These opposing effects of different soy phytoestrogens maybe responsible for reports of both negative and beneficial actions of soy on women's health. Using soy is somewhat controversial, and it may be safer to avoid soy and soy-based products.
Estrogen is produced in a series of enzymatically controlled biochemical reactions. Aromatase is a key enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. The good news is that, at low concentrations, phytoestrogens have been found to inhibit aromatase activity, lowering estrogen production and estrogen-related changes in the body. At high concentrations, phytoestrogens may mimic the effects of estrogen. Inhibition of aromatase at low concentrations may contribute to the reported anticancer effects of phytoestrogens.
The plant lignans secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), ma-tairesinol, and pinoresinol in flaxseeds are converted in the colon of humans and other animals into the mammalian lignans enterodiol and enterolactone, which are more potent phytoestrogens than plant lignans. Enterodiol and enterolactone are called mammalian lignans because bacteria synthesize these lignans in the mammalian colon from plant lignans. They are found only in mammals, not in plants.
This is another important reason why we need to keep the natural flora in our colon intact by eating the right foods and supplements that supply both probiotic bacteria, such as that found in plain unsweetened yogurt and kefir, and the fructo-oligosaccharides that the bacteria feed on.
Chia Seeds Versus Flaxseeds
Though almost all research on lignans has centered on flaxseed lignans, there are concerns regarding the content of cyanogenic glycosides in flaxseeds and the potential for oxidation of ground flaxseed powder and flaxseed oil. Chia seed, which contains the same or higher levels of lignans as flaxseed, has no known toxins, is resistant to oxidation (a key point), and may be preferable to soy and flaxseeds as a safe, effective source of phytoestrogens.
Chia Seeds, a Remarkable Superfood
I introduced chia seeds in chapter 3, "The Metabolic Miracle," and reintroduce them here as an important food to eat during menopause. As with any food, especially food eaten specifically for health reasons, it is best to consume those with organic certification. One of the few organic chia seed products on the market is Green Foods organic chia seeds. This is made from organic chia seeds grown in fertile, organic soil in an ideal subtropical climate that provides the best possible conditions for growth and nutrient content, eliminating the need for herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. Organic chia seeds from Green Foods Corporation also contain many other nutrients, including vitamin E; minerals for hone support; high-quality protein; a perfect balance of omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids; and soluble fiber for gentle internal cleansing and digestive support.
Omega-3 s and Hot Flashes
For many years, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been the only reliably effective treatment for hot flashes, but unfortunately it may pose real risks. The good news is that the results of a new trial, reported in the Vital Choice newsletter and generously shared here, supports prior indications that omega-3 fish oils may substantially reduce hot flashes.
While several non-prescription treatments—isoflavones and black cohosh, for example—have shown promise in preliminary investigations, none possess conclusive evidence of efficacy. One challenge facing any alternative to HRT is that hot flashes respond to placebo (inactive) treatments more strongly than most medical conditions do.
Accordingly, any proposed treatment for hot flashes has to be highly effective to improve on the very strong placebo effect seen in most clinical trials.
CANADIAN TRIAL FINDS OMEGA-3s MAY FIGHT HOT FLASHES
Dr. Michel Lucas and his colleagues at Quebec's Universite Laval recruited 120 women aged 40 to 55 and divided them into two groups.
When the study started, the average number of daily hot flashes experienced by all of the women was 2.8.
Women in the first group took fish oil capsules standardized to provide one gram of EPA—one of the two key omega-3s in fish oil—every day for eight weeks.
Women in a second, "control" group took capsules containing sunflower oil free of EPA. The women taking omega-3 EPA reported 1.58 fewer daily flashes, compared with only 0.5 fewer flashes in the control group, taking sunflower oil.
The researchers found that the odds of experiencing positive results were about three times greater among those taking EPA than among those taking the placebo. The Canadians did qualify their results, saying their findings needed to be confirmed by a clinical trial specifically designed to evaluate hot flashes in more symptomatic women. What is remarkable about their findings is that the decrease of 1.1 hot flashes per day that they attributed to the use of omega-3s is equivalent to results obtained with hormone therapy and antidepressants.
To conclude, I want to assure you that menopause is not synonymous with loss. Menopause does not have to herald a precipitous decline into old age. It is a time of transition, like adolescence, except now you have the experience and power to move through these changes with grace and serenity. Forever Young has given you the tools to manage your menopause, to reduce, prevent, and reverse some of your symptoms so that you can live life to the fullest.
In the following chapter we will explore the physical and mental revitalization that practicing yoga can produce—just a few simple yoga poses a day will result in wonderful and very visible benefits regardless of your age or physical condition.
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I AM NOT GIVING THE CHAPTER ON YOGA….. YOU CAN SOON FIND OUT ABOUT YOGA FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTERS, THAT OFTEN HAVE "YOGA CLUBS" AS PART OF THEIR SOCIAL OFFERINGS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
OF COURSE OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE THERE ARE MANY….. ALSO PRESENTED IN MOST COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND THERE IS THE SWIMMING POOLS IN TOWNS AND CITIES; WALKING CLUBS; THERE IS THE GOOD OLD BIKE; THERE ARE THE FITNESS CENTERS; AND THERE IS ALSO THE "HEALTH AND STRENGTH" COURSE BY CHARLES ATLAS STILL OBTAINABLE, WHERE NO GADGETS OF ANY KIND ARE NEEDED TO KEEP YOU FIT.
THERE WILL BE ONE MORE SECTION GIVEN FROM THIS BOOK FOREVER YOUNG - AND THAT WILL BE TO DO WITH THE SUPER SALMON AND A FEW MORE NOTED FOODS AS GREAT FOOD.
Keith Hunt
FOREVER YOUNG - other points
Salmon:
The World's Best Forever Young Secret
Not too long ago, Madonna, the ageless superstar, announced to the world that she was embarking on a "salmon rejuvenation" program to "knock twelve years off of her appearance."
Though it might be ambitious to think we can knock more than a decade off our looks, think again. If anything can do it, it is the anti-inflammatory lifestyle of diet, nutritional supplements, and topicals. This is because inflammation is responsible for many of the internal and external signs of aging.
Madonnas truly inspiring sense of determination and commitment will go a long way to helping her achieve her goals. Madonna's dedication to the salmon diet has also inspired me to have a little fun, as you will discover in the upcoming pages.
Why Eating Salmon Is Antiaging
I have to say it once more: I am probably the single greatest advocate for adding wild salmon and other omega-3 cold-water fish (think sardines, anchovies, halibut, trout, and so on) to your daily diet.
Wild salmon contains essential fats and powerful antioxidants, such as the carotenoid astaxanthin, that have important anti-inflammatory properties.
Salmon is also probably the world's most heart-healthy source of protein. It is rich in long-chain omega-3 essential fatty acids—the most beneficial kind—which protect heart health, inhibit inflammation, act as natural antidepressants, increase feelings of well-being, and help keep skin young, supple, and radiant.
Protein for Cellular Repair
Wild salmon and other cold-water fish are great sources of protein, which is necessary to maintain and repair the body—including the skin—on a cellular level. The lack of protein is first visible in the face, even in a young person, but especially as we age.
Like a Surgeon
Not only plastic surgery can give you that sculpted look. Adequate protein is vital, because without protein, you will lose contours and definition in your face. This is another reason why a diet rich in salmon is important for Madonna if she wants to maintain that chiseled look of high cheekbones, well-defined jawline, good eye contours, and so on.
Protein cannot be stored in our bodies. For good health and outstanding cellular repair, protein needs to be eaten with each meal, and salmon is an outstanding protein source. Women, however, are very often protein-deficient, which shows up in their faces. Men, on the other hand, do tend to gravitate toward protein and are more likely to go for a burger or a steak while women choose a salad—or worse, a cookie. This is one reason (but not the only one) why men appear to age better than women.
Secret
As a dermatologist, I know that when it comes to their skin, women will invest great sums in topical products, procedures, and so forth. If it is the right product, with high, efficacious levels of anti-inflammatory antioxidants, they will see beautiful and gratifying results.
But there is a little beauty secret that is worth its weight in gold.
If women understood that eating a simple, inexpensive small can of sardines or salmon would give their skin an unrivaled radiance, softness, and suppleness, like nothing else in this world, those foods would fly off the supermarket shelves. You would see a stampede toward the fish aisle. While the extraordinary multiorgan benefits of sardines and wild salmon almost sound like a fantasy, they are very real. Try canned salmon and sardines, which also contain both skin and bones, to experience just a few of these skin, brain, mood, and health and energy benefits of these amazing omega-3-, protein-, and calcium-rich fish, including:
Decreased inflammation in all organ systems, including the
skin
Decreased body fat
Ample quantities of high-quality fat and protein
Beautiful skin
Elevated mood
Improved brain function
Increased energy
Improved athletic ability
Decreased puffiness
Decreased fine lines and wrinkles
Decreased sagging
Increased radiance and glow
Dramatically improved acne and decreased acne scarring
Improved attention span
Stabilized blood sugar levels
Lowered insulin levels
Healthy serotonin levels
Decreased appetite
Healthier immune system
Increased energy levels
Decreased symptoms and severity of rheumatoid arthritis
Reduced symptoms and severity of chronic skin conditions such as eczema
Decreased stroke and cardiovascular risk
Decreased pain and inflammation in joints
With a list of benefits like this, how can you resist?
Beautiful Stranger
I am guardedly optimistic that Madonna, ever the trendsetter, will inspire women everywhere to try the "salmon rejuvenation" program.
To be Forever Young—or to at least look and feel your finest—follow the anti-inflammatory diet, which consists of the following:
High-quality protein, like that found in fish, poultry, and tofu
Low-glycemic carbohydrates (these will not provoke a gly-cemic response when consumed in moderation), including
(Avoiding sugary, starchy foods is also essential, as these types of foods blur our contours, giving our faces a soft, doughy look. In fact, it is always easy to spot people who are addicted to these types of carbs because they do not have attractive facial contours) (let me add - the white flour products - Keith Hunt)
colorful fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as old-fashioned oatmeal, and legumes such as beans and lentils.
Healthy fats, such as those found in cold-water fish (especially wild salmon, halibut, sardines, herring, anchovies, and trout), nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Antioxidant-rich beverages, such as green tea
You will notice a visible difference in as little as three days, with even more dramatic results by week's end. After four weeks, your friends and family will be commenting on how different you look.
And when you look in the mirror, you may begin to wonder, "Who's that girl?"
Salmon: Fish for Compliments
Anti-inflammatory Extraordinaire
If we are going to rate a food group as either pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory, we will find that protein, on the whole, is neutral. However, some sources of protein, such as the fish listed above, provide powerful anti-inflammatory benefits because of two of their constituents:
Omega-3 essential fatty acids
The carotenoid antioxidant astaxanthin, introduced in chapter 4.
Thus wild salmon is anti-inflammatory.
Beef and other forms of meat that are not grass-fed, like most meat available in supermarkets, tend to be high in saturated fats, making them pro-inflammatory.
The Borderline: Moderation Is Key
Madonna has also reportedly started a more cardiointensive gym routine. Her rigorous routines are already legendary. But she needs to be careful and not subject her body to too extreme a workout. She should exercise some restraint because overexercising can produce inflammation-generating free radicals. It is not just pollution, poor diet, and the like that generate an abundance of free radicals; they also result from the metabolic process that takes place internally from overexercising and can damage the cell's DNA. That is why the previous chapter is dedicated to yoga. Madonna (surprise!) is reportedly an avid practitioner of Ashtanga yoga, a particularly strenuous form.
Exercise is vital to your health. It is also unsurpassed at lowering blood sugar, a key antiaging strategy. There are many studies proving that exercise can take off pounds, reduce the incidence of heart disease, lower blood pressure, improve mood, solve sleep problems, and even cut the risks of certain cancers.
Exercise will also ensure that you have beautiful skin. Studies have indicated that exercise benefits the skin in much the same way it improves bone and muscle quality.
Youthful Skin—Naturally
When the skin of those who exercise regularly is examined under a microscope, the impact of their high fitness levels is clearly apparent. The skin is thicker and has more and healthier collagen, the fibers that give the skin its strength and flexibility. Exercise also increases circulation and gives the skin a healthy, radiant glow.
Bedtime Stories
Having an exciting romantic life is also a key to looking younger than our years.
MORE LOVE AT FIRST BITE:
FOODS TO HELP RENEW THE LIBIDO
No, this section is not about the HBO hit series, True Blood. And you won't find one mention of vampires, Bon Temps, Louisiana, Anna Paquin, or Stephen Moyer. What you will discover is the anti-inflammatory diet (not a drop of synthetic blood on the menu), which will work wonders for your sex life. As we have seen, chocolate has many benefits, including its ability to mimic the sensation of being in love. In addition to chocolate, here is a selection of foods that can help increase the libido and promote the loss of unwanted body fat, which will help make you feel more attractive—always a boost when it comes to the libido.
Healthy fats are vital to hormone production, and a healthy sex life is all about the hormones.
Here is a short list of some wonderful foods that will go a long way toward enhancing your sex life as well as your overall sense of happiness.
* Wild salmon and other cold-water fish (sardines, herring, trout, and anchovies, to name a few) are high in omega-3 fats. In fact, if you want just one food group that is guaranteed to help increase overall health and sexual stamina, these fish are for you. Omega-3s are critical to the brain and nervous system. They also improve your mood, increase your sense of well-being, fight depression, give you glowing, radiant skin, and improve your memory and brain-power.
* Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that helps improve blood flow. L-citrulline supports the body in optimizing blood flow when it converts to L-arginine and then to nitric oxide.Nitric oxide is involved in vasodilation (dilation of the blood vessels). Low levels of nitric oxide are associated with mental and physical fatigue and sexual dysfunction. Like Viagra, L-citrulline increases blood flow to the sexual organs but without any negative side effects. In fact, some experts are asking, "Is watermelon the new Viagra?"
* Extra-dark chocolate contains phenylethylamine, a chemica believed to produce the feeling of being in love. We all know how good chocolate makes us feel. In fact, a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found that women who enjoyed a piece of chocolate every day had a more active sex life than those who didn't.
* Asparagus is rich in folate, a B vitamin that helps increase the production of histamine. The correct levels of histamine are important for a healthy sex drive in both men and women.
* Blueberries. When it comes to boosting dopamine levels, blueberries rule. Blueberries give the body a greater ability to release dopamine, an energizing, stimulatory neurotransmitter. They also protect us from the loss of dopamine cells normally seen with aging. By increasing brain energy production and maintaining youthful brain function, dopamine exerts an extremely important antiaging effect. Since dopamine levels decrease with age, blueberries become even more important as we get older.
* Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds, are extremely rich in zinc and promote the health of the male prostate gland. And don't underestimate the power of zinc when it comes to a woman's sex drive. One study found that pumpkin seeds are a great libido booster. Pumpkin seeds are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which act as a precursor of prostaglandins— hormonelike substances important for sexual health.
* Garlic contains allicin, a compound thought to increase blood flow to the sexual organs. Some experts believe that garlic is a very powerful aphrodisiac. But garlic doesn't work overnight. It is necessary to take capsules or eat garlic daily for about a month to reap its remarkable benefits.
* Avocado is rich in folic acid for increased energy production and healthy fats to improve mood and sense of well-being.
* Peanuts, especially for men. Studies show that the amino acid L-arginine is helpful for improving sexual function in men. L-arginine is used to make nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels. Preliminary studies have found that L-arginine may help with erectile dysfunction because it relaxes the blood vessels. Peanuts are a rich natural source of L-arginine.
Enjoying a healthy and robust sexuality confers many health and longevity benefits. Some studies even suggest that sexual activity may be associated with reducing the risk of the two leading causes of death in the United States: heart disease and cancer.
Lucky Star
We wish Madonna much luck on her salmon regimen. Her hard work and self-discipline have kept her at the top for more than two decades. Though I can't promise that she can turn back time, the anti-inflammatory benefits of foods such as salmon will guarantee that she can greatly slow down its negative effects while emphasizing the positive. These include good health, ample energy, increased sense of well-being, and radiant, glowing skin.
In other words, we can be sure that she will live to tell us all about it, in her own inimitable way.
A Note on Chia Seeds
As you have read throughout this book, chia seeds are truly a super-food for their many benefits: healthy weight loss, their omega-3 profile, and their considerable (and unique) ability to increase endurance and stamina. I want to again thank Bob Terry, Ph.D., the technical service adviser of Green Foods Corporation, for his outstanding scientific insights and Jason Nava, the executive vice president of Green Foods Corporation, for generous help in explaining the benefits of both chia seeds and the green foods.
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