Growing older is not an illness or disease, but the
increasing years do make the human body more vulnerable to disease.
People's genes tell the body's cells to quit dividing after they have divided between 20
and 30 times. New cells must be created to replace dying cells and
this process slows as a person ages. Additionally, existing cells are subject to
damage and early death. When there are no longer enough new cells
to replace cells that have died or taken damage, the result is what we
call aging. The free radical theory of aging has been an area of
much research in recent years, and it has been gaining
increasing acknowledgement. Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms that
are both highly reactive and extremely unstable. If they occur in
large amounts, they start attacking the body down on the cellular
level. Free radicals attack the cells' protective membranes and
genetic material like the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, causing cell
damage and cellular malfunction. Compounding the problem, the immune system may
then attack the damaged cells treating them like foreign invaders. Because
free radicals are so chemically reactive, they only exist for about a millionth of a second. This
makes it hard for
researchers to study them directly. But because there are millions of them,
they do considerable damage to our cells in their short life span.
Doctor Denham Harman, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska, is
considered the founder of the free radical theory of aging. Dr. Harman
postulated that many of the degenerative disorders we associate with
aging, including
cancer and
hardening of the
arteries, are not
inevitable results of the passage of time, but rather are the result
of nucleic acid breakdown, proteins, and cell structures
caused by the presence of these free radicals. He asserted that aging is in fact nothing more than the
constant increasing buildup of changes caused, or contributed to, by
the presence of oxygen-based free radicals. Thus, although oxygen gives
us life, it sometimes is also our greatest enemy.
A
significant number of problems faced by people 60+ years may
also be attributable to nutritional deficiencies.
Many
elderly people have malabsorption problems, in which the nutrients in
food are not properly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In
addition, as we age, our bodies do not assimilate nutrients as well as
they once did. At the same time, as the body ages, its systems slow down
and become less efficient, so the correct nutrients are more important
than ever for the support, repair, and regeneration of the cells.
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
Multi-vitamin
& Mineral supplement |
10 |
vitamin B complex,
inositol, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E all serve to
help lower blood pressure and help with regular
heart beat thus good for people who have
arrhythmia problems. A daily supplement provides nutrients
needed for good general health and well being. |
L-Carnitine |
10 |
helps in the
transporting of long chain fatty acids which
aides in prevention of heart disease, high blood
pressure, and other cardiovascular disease. Great
when combined with a omega
fatty acid and flax seed supplement. |
Coenzyme Q10 |
9 |
increases oygenation to the heart and has
been shown to prevent recurrences in people who
have had a heart attack. |
Methionine |
9 |
works with vitamin B6 and vitamin
C |
Magnesium |
9 |
low intake of magnesium has been linked to
high blood pressure, heart health, and other aging issues. A good source of magnesium is a
quality multi-vitamin
& mineral supplement. |
Calcium |
9 |
important for proper functioning of the
cardiac (heart) muscle and is a companion to
magnesium see above. |
Omega Fatty Acids |
10 |
important for
reducing blood pressure and also increasing blood
circulation as well as preventative aid on
general heart health. Fatty acids are found in
omega fatty acids from fish and flax and borage seed oils from
plants. |
Hawthorn |
9 |
herb that helps both
the heart and
cardiovascular system |
Grape
seed extract |
9 |
powerful free radical destroyer to
prevent aging problems. |
vitamin C |
9 |
vitamin C helps high blood pressure,
hypertension, heart, and cardio-vascular problems
by improving adrenal function. |
vitamin
E |
9 |
antioxidant that fights cellular
aging, protects cell membranes, and helps to improve
circulation. It also prolongs the life of red blood cells. |
Zinc |
8 |
mineral needed for healing
and general health. |
Potassium |
7 |
needed for electrolyte balance especially if
you take blood pressure medication. |
Selenium |
7 |
low intake of this mineral has been linked to
heart disease and cardiovascular problems like
arrhythmia, a good source for selenium is a
natural multi-vitamin with complete mineral
supplementation or a Cardio support supplement like
Cardio
Essentials. |
Garlic |
7 |
garlic has been
shown to help lower high blood pressure and help
with other cardiovascular disease. |
There are also problems with nutritional
intake. One study of older people living in an urban area
found that 90% of those examined had an inadequate intake of
vitamins
B1 thiamine and
B6 pyridoxine, and 30%
to 40% demonstrated deficiencies of
vitamin
A,
vitamin B3 niacin,
vitamin B12 cyanocobalamin,
vitamin C,
calcium, and iron. Only 10% of the subjects
consumed adequate amounts of protein. A diet that lacks
essential nutrients over a long period of time leads to a
greater risk of degenerative disease. A lack of vitamin B12
often is a major problem. A deficiency of
vitamin B12 may lead to the beginning of neurologic symptoms
ranging from tingling sensations, inability to coordinate
muscular movements, weakened limbs, and lack of balance, to
memory loss, mood changes, disorientation, and psychiatric
disorders. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can very easily be
misinterpreted as senility. Many older people become
deficient in vitamin Bl2 because their body does not produce
enough stomach acid for good digestion. This creates a really
good environment for the overgrowth of certain bacteria
that can steal whatever vitamin B12 is extracted from protein in
the digestive tract. Other people do not produce enough of a
substance called intrinsic factor, without which vitamin B12
cannot travel from the stomach to the rest of the body, even
if nothing else is standing in its way.
It is possible for a person to have vitality and a zest for living
no matter what the age. You
should not assume that pain and illness are inevitable parts
of aging. You can feel better at 60+ years old than you did at
30 by making the right healthy changes in your diet, spiritual
life, and general lifestyle. Adding
the right nutritional and herbal supplements may give you the added
energy to strengthen immunity and prevent or cure most
problems and also give you the ability to work or play even longer than people
half your age. Looking younger then your true age is an extra
blessing. But it is important to remember: It takes years for these problems
to occur, and so takes a little time to fix them as well. There are no
magic medicine or products that can offer a "quick
fix", only changing your diet and lifestyle will truly
work and give you the anti-aging that so many people want.
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
|