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, thebranch 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
ALL THE WAY THROUGH MY LIFE FROM A TEENAGER, I HAVE USED NIVEA CREAM MORING AND NIGHT. NOW YOU CAN GET NIVEA-TIGHTENING WITH Q10 AND VITAMIN C. LOW COST. THE KEY IS STARTING YOUNG AND MAKING IT A RITUAL OF APPLYING THE CREAM MORNING AND NIGHT. AT THE AGE OF 80 [2023] I HAVE WRINKLE FREE FACE SKIN AND PEOPLE CAN'T BELIEVE MY FACE IS 80 YEARS OLD, WITH NO COSMETIC FACELIFT - Keith Hunt
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.
………………..
TO BE CONTINUED
SO THERE WE HAVE:
ALL KINDS OF GREAT AND GOOD FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
AND SO MANY TO GIVE VARIETY
FOLLOWING GOD'S FOOD LAWS, ESPECIALLY WITH MEATS
CRAVING FOR CHOCOLATE, TEE AND COFFEE
VITAMIN D
A DIP IN THE SUN
ALL PROVEN TO BE GOOD FOR YOU, AND TO HELP YOU STAY FOREVER YOUNG.
Keith Hunt
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