Coz Being Ageless Is Priceless

Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Burgers Breaking Bones….

The China Study

Image via Wikipedia

I’m exaggerating! However, there’s this interesting piece of news that I read on AOL. Apparently, a lot of jaw problems has been associated with eating 3-inch thick burgers in Taiwan. A professor at the School of Dentistry at the National Yang-Ming University told China Post that his patients developed sore jaws after eating giant burgers. In the US, it hasn’t not been a problem (at least, not that we know of). The article also said that our mouth is designed to eat food only 1 1/2 inch high (interesting, huh?). Anyway, do you know that meat is acidic in general (compared to vegetables and fruits which are more alkaline in nature)? Having a lot of of meat can put our bodies into an overly acidic state that could contribute to chronic diseases associated with aging. One of these health issues is osteoporosis. When our bodies are overly acidic, minerals from the bone are recruited to buffer the acidity. This leads to softening of the bones (osteopenia) which makes them prone to breakage or fracture. In the book called “The China Study“, it chronicles how diet influences a person’s state of health. It has been shown that those places that adopt a fast-food/highly-processed/ primarily meat-based diet, have a higher incidence of chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. I would suggest eating more of an alkaline diet consisting of vegetables and fruits and if a person has a need for meat, eat the ones that are lowest in acidity such as fish, venison or wild duck. So, let’s eat (and drink) responsibly!

Category:

News, Tips

Tagged with:

Longer Telomeres, Longer Life…….

Animation of the structure of a section of DNA...

Image via Wikipedia

Telomere what? Sounds like some distant constellation in the universe. Well, it’s not as far as you think. It’s actually part of the micro-universe within our bodies. Telomeres are sections of DNA at the end of each chromosome that serves as a cap to our genetic material. This tends to shorten each time our cells divide. The shorter the telomeres are, the shorter the lifespan of the cell. Or to put it another way, the longer your telomeres are, the longer your lifespan. Are there tests available to measure your telomere length? Fortunately, there are. It’s not a one time test however but more of a serial testing to see how fast one ages relative to a normal population. Therapies directed at slowing the loss of telomere length may actually slow aging and age-related diseases.
Are there factors that affect telomere length? You bet! These are things like diet, stress, activity levels, nutritional deficiencies, etc. For instance, a pro-inflammatory diet consisting of deep fried/refined/fast/processed/”franken” (GMO) foods shorten telomeres faster. Calorie restriction, which I discussed in previous posts, also slows down telomere shortening. So, it might be a good idea to go to bed somewhat hungry rather than feeling “stuffed” (fasting 12 hours each night 4 days a week has been suggested by some sources). Stress reduction, sensible exercise (I recommend the PACE program by Dr. Al Sears), adequate sleep and rest (power naps included), essential oils (frankincense), nutrients like resveratrol and bioidentical HRT all go a long way in slowing down telomere shortening. I’ll discuss more ways to increase lifespan in future blog entries. Until then, let’s all strive to keep our telomeres longer longer……….

Related Articles

Category:

News, Tips, Trends

Germs can make you fat!

That’s a strong statement! Well, it’s only one of the possible reasons behind getting fat besides overeating and being lazy (c’mon, let’s call a spade a spade rather using the PC term, sedentary lifestyle). According to studies, germs such as viruses and bacteria could actually make you gain weight. One study implicated the role of viruses in causing obesity, thus making it contagious. This study was mentioned in the January 2006 issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, published by the American Physiology Society. Another study done at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, found that the human adenovirus Ad-37 causes obesity in chicken. Then, there’s another study mentioned in an article on Newsweek magazine. This time, it’s a “bacteria-made-me-fat” idea that Jeffrey Gordon and colleagues of Washington University reported in Nature magazine stating that obese and slim mice have different populations of gut bacteria. These germs are the “fat-causing” Firmicutes and the “slimming” Bacteroidetes. The article mentions how each of these bacteria can also be found in humans causing a person to lose weight or gain weight, depending on which one is the predominant gut bacteria. Interesting, huh? Anyway, this is still a relatively new concept behind (an infectious source) the causes of obesity. If you think about it however, 15-20 years ago, people would never think of an infectious cause of ulcers (H. pylori) but now, it’s a well-accepted fact. Same thing with C. sanguineum causing calcifications and other organisms causing “non-infectious” diseases. Anyway, as one researcher put it succinctly, “Eat right, exercise, wash you hands.” I toast to that!

Category:

News, Tips

Tagged with:

CR is good for you

It seems that cutting calories or calorie restriction (CR) is not just good for weight loss. It’s also good for life extension. And, it’s not just adding years to your life but adding life to your years as well. This discovery was made in the 1930’s by a Cornell University researcher named Clive McCay. His original work was done on rats whose life-span were extended by putting them on near-starvation diets. Not much was done initially on this important discovery until recent years with the advent of a relatively new field in medicine called anti-aging medicine, otherwise known as age management or longevity medicine. Calorie restriction was found to increase the lifespan of different species by a third or more. In the latest edition of Fortune magazine, there’s discussion about the race for drugs to mimic the benefits of calorie restriction (CR). One drug that’s creating so much excitement is the anti-(transplant) rejection drug called rapamycin. It has been shown to be really effective in extending lifespan according to studies done by scientists funded by the National Institute of Aging. As far as side effects or pricing go, there was no mention in the article about this. A natural substance found in red wine called resveratrol was also mentioned in the article. Not much excitement there probably because it’s a natural substance that can not be patented. I suggest taking resveratrol (and other antioxidants, for that matter) at this point in time and not wait until 10-20 years from now when it becomes standard practice to give nutraceuticals. I would also suggest eating sensibly and staying away from SAD (Standard American Diet).

Category:

News, Opinions, Tips

Tagged with:

Magnets to Plug the Hole?

Project Runway (season 4)

Image via Wikipedia

Sounds like a great idea. I just saw it this morning on CNN. There is this Florida company that came up with the idea. It does make a lot of sense. I hope it works. So far, the pollution goes on. And it’s not just oil. Now, there’s the chemical dispersants to deal with. These chemicals were used to “disperse” the oil. In my own limited understanding of how this works, it means that the oil will just be invisible to the naked eye. It’s still present in the water though, causing harm to microscopic organisms (and the rest of the living creatures) in the water. It’s a mess, a hot tranny mess (as the contestant and eventual winner of the Season 4 reality show, Project Runway, would say)! I know it’s not funny, but we as a people should be open to alternatives especially when “standard” protocols are not working. In this scenario, alternatives should have been sought earlier in the game. The hole could have been plugged successfully by now, the 74th day since the oil started spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. Health-wise, I believe that we should incorporate therapeutic lifestyle changes into standard treatments. That makes the outcome of whatever health issue more successful. Happy 4th of July weekend! Signing out……

Related Articles

Category:

Environment, News, Opinions

Tagged with:

That’s Super! SuperFoods Against Cancer

A Sweetie (a cross between a grapefruit and a ...

Image via Wikipedia

It’s on AOL News. It never gets more mainstream than this! Among the 10 anti-cancer foods mentioned include turmeric, berries (blueberries, raspberries, acai berries, wolfberries and cranberries), green tea, garlic, broccoli and cabbage, onions and leeks, tomatoes, soy, watercress and spinach, and resveratrol. I would add essential oils like frankincense and D-limonene (from citrus fruits) to this list. This is awesome considering the bias (in mainstream media) against nutrition and supplements in general. However, the article ends with a cautious note which states that “none of this (advise regarding anti-cancer foods) is to say that anti-cancer foods or nutritional supplements should be used in place of doctor-recommended treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.” Interesting, huh? Anyway, that’s another controversial topic we can discuss in the future. In my opinion, an integrative approach to cancer works better than just doing the “slash, burn or poison” (for surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, respectively) recommendation. Fortunately, its starting to happen in more progressive areas of the country. “Alternative” modalities such as acupuncture, naturopathy and massage therapy are being brought in to these integrative cancer centers. This holistic approach apparently yields better results than the standard treatments alone, according to studies. In countries that I’ve visited over the years, they seem to have a more advanced approach to cancer. One particular medical center that I visited had a Department of Regenerative Medicine, right next to the Oncology Department. Clients who were scheduled for chemotherapy and radiation treatments were given an option to bank their stem cells prior to the procedures. Stem cell treatments actually help in their recuperation efforts after the said treatment procedures. Other novel treatments such as dendritic cancer vaccines (cancer immunotherapy) are now also being administered in other parts of the world. This is great, considering the “less than satisfactory” results of the “war against cancer.” Suzanne Somer’s latest book called “Knockout” is a collection of interviews she made with holistic doctors who are successfully treating cancer using an integrative approach. Anyway, as Benjamin Franklin once said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It still rings true, even more so these days. So, eat up on those superfoods!

Category:

News, Opinions

Tagged with:

My tummy hurts!

pH scale showing common substances

Image via Wikipedia

Stomach pain. That’s just one of the symptoms of gastropause. Wow, sounds like menopause or andropause. Very similar in a way. Anyway, this term was coined by one of the doctors I really admire. He’s the well-respected author and physician Dr. Eric Bravermerman of PathMed. Gastropause is basically a period in one’s life when the functions of the intestinal tract begin to decline (similar to ovarian function decline in menopause and testicular function decline in andropause). Gastropause may manifest with symptoms such as gas, bloating and indigestion (or heartburn). This usually happens during our 30’s, making the class of drugs called PPI’s or acid-blockers some of the best-selling drugs for this age group. What triggers the onset of these symptoms? Possibly, factors such as eating cooked (dead, devitalized) food majority of the time, eating mindlessly (eating fast and not chewing food properly), and eating the wrong kinds of foods (highly refined or processed foods with artificial ingredients and preservatives). Ways to relieve these symptoms include taking plant (or animal-based) enzymes and betaine HCl. Eating more raw foods is definitely helpful as well. For acute situations, the drug alternative may be used but only for a short period. However, what ends up happening, is that most people stay on these drugs indefinitely, without making the necessary dietary and lifestyle changes to address the problem. In fact, there’s an article in the latest issue of Scientific American on the overuse of acid blockers and how it poses long-term health risks such as nutritional deficiencies, hip fracture (buy inhibiting calcium absorption) and an increased risk of bacterial infection (by increasing the pH of the stomach). One thing the article stresses is that there’s a need to re-evaluate the use of PPI’s as a prophylactic agent (for hospital patients with serious injuries to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding and stress ulcers) since only one intensive care patient is saved from serious bleeding for every 900 treated. Therefore, to prevent or relieve the symptoms of gastropause, try these things. Eat slowly, chew thoroughly, in small (frequent) portions.

Category:

News, Tips

Tagged with:

Body Talk

Experiencing symptoms that are uncomfortable or dragging you down? Maybe it’s time to listen to your body talk. Symptoms are actually our buddies, alerting us that something in our lives is out of sync or out of balance. Sure, treating symptoms help. However, treating the root cause/causes of symptoms or illness makes more sense in the long run. For instance, treating headaches with tylenol may help but headaches are not due to a tylenol deficiency. By the way, tylenol could deplete the body of the antioxidant molecule called glutathione, which actually protects the liver, among other things. It has been promoted as a very safe drug until recent years when massive recalls of the product have taken place because of serious side effects. Anyway, headaches could be due to various factors such as dehydration, muscle tension, stress and other things. Find the cause and address it. Doesn’t that make sense? We just need to use our common sense and listen to our bodies instead of being brainwashed to think that there’s a pill for every uncomfortable physical or emotional symptom we experience. A good example of an emotional symptom is SAD, short for “social anxiety disorder”, meaning being extremely uncomfortable in social situations. In other words, being bashful or shy. Now, when has that been a medical disorder? Not too long ago. There are more normal emotional states that are being “medicalized” but I won’t even go there. Check this link however!

Category:

Common Sense, News

Tagged with:

We Need Bugs….

The good ones, that is. In a recent article in Scientific American magazine, it was reported that prophylactic bacteria may protect critically ill patients against pneumonia. The study was done at the Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska and was subsequently published earlier this month at the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. This is great considering that you rarely hear about preventive medicine in mainstream medical journals. Good bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifodibacterium are part of the body’s normal flora. Their numbers can decrease due to factors such as antibiotic intake, NSAID use, and even just by drinking tap water (chlorinated and fluoridated). When this imbalance between good and bad bacteria happens, conditions such as antibiotic-related diarrhea, small bowel bacterial overgrowth, candidiasis and “leaky gut syndrome” could occur. Symptoms of these conditions could range from gas, bloating, food sensitivities, allergies, joint pains, muscle aches, fatigue and brain fog. It’s really important to take probiotics on a regular basis nowadays (even without a history of taking antibiotics or NSAID’s because our water supply is not as safe as it used to be). Typical water purification methods usually remove particulate matter and certain microbes. It does nothing however for removal of heavy metals (lead, mercury, arsenic, etc.), VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals), certain bacteria (such as Cryptosporidium), and mostly importantly, pharmaceutical drugs (from people flushing them in the toilet, etc). It certainly won’t hurt to invest in a good water purification system. Remember, most water sold in plastic containers may just be filtered municipal water. Let’s not even get into that now! I’ll save that rant for another day. How about that? In the meantime, take a good probiotic supplement daily and make sure to stay hydrated with pure water. By the way, the probiotic that I use is called Life 5.

Category:

Environment, News, Tips

Tagged with:

Air Supply

Love my new HEPA air purifier ...

Image by brendanlim via Flickr

If you’re thinking about the 1980’s singing group sensation, think again. I actually want to discuss about something that we rarely think about: breathing. It’s more than just an interchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide). And it better be good gas. Hey, that didn’t sound right. Anyway, I’m talking about the purity of the air we breathe. Air pollution is so bad that the incidence of asthma and allergies especially in major cities have gone up. And it’s not just outdoor air that’s bad, indoor air is supposedly worse. And for those of you frequent fliers out there, airplane air is the worst. Ever wonder why a lot of people feel tired or get sick after a plane ride? I thought that we could all blame it on jet lag but I don’t think so! According to an article published on Natural News, recirculated airplane air is toxic the way it’s created. Combine that with the low pressure when you’re high up in the sky, occasional sick passengers, synthetic fragrances and petroleum-based cleaners, then you’re in for a treat or is it a trick? So, to protect yourself especially on long flights, I recommend therapeutic-grade essential oils. Not the store bought ones though coz they’re of poor quality in general. Think about it, how could something so difficult to produce (steam distillation for most oils) be sold at very low prices unless they’re diluted or something. I recommend a blend that’s been used since the middle ages. This ancient oil blend called “Thieves” consists of lemon, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus and rosemary. Each of these oils have specific therapeutic functions but in combo, they have synergistic therapeutic properties. These oil’s chemical structures by the way, are more complicated than you think (compared to synthetic antibiotics). It’s so complicated that it’s harder for pathogens to develop a resistance against them. They practically go gaga when this happens (not to be confused with Lady Gaga). And for those doubters out there, look at the research (it’s even in PubMed). There’s a lot mentioned even in the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian scroll (1555 BC) and Shen Nong’s Herbal book (3000 BC), the oldest surviving medical book in China. Cool, huh?

Related Articles

Category:

Environment, News, Tips

Tagged with: