Anti-Aging Vitamins And Diet
Nutrition Tips For Better Health & Longevity
We have to discuss it. You’ve heard it before
but it must be repeated. You ARE what you eat. There are over 13.5
million Americans alive today who have a history of heart attacks,
angina or a combination of both. 50% of them are age 60 or older and
83% who die of heart attacks are 65 or more.
Today, many doctors rank fat intake right up there
with smoking for leading cause of death. What can you do about? Plenty.
Fat
Americans love fat. We love fat so much that we eat
the equivalent of 1 ½ cups of butter every week! Yes, that’s
correct. Walk to your refrigerator and pull out 6 sticks of butter
and imagine them placed at different points in and out of your body.
Pretty scary, isn’t it?
Excess fat intake is directly attributable to:
- Elevated cholesterol
- Elevated triglycerides
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Excess weight
Taking control of just this single area of your overall
health will substantially reduce your chances of heart disease as
well as reducing the risk of stroke. Stroke occurs when blood clots
block arteries that supply blood to the brain.
French researchers examined 250 men and women age
60 to 70 and found that those who had fatty plaque narrowing the main
artery out of the heart were 9 times more likely to have a stroke
than those who did not have this buildup.
Cancer is another possible by-product of excess fat
in the diet. In fact dietary fat is credited with playing a role in
as much as 40% of cancers in men and 60% of cancers in women.
Red meat is considered to be one of the biggest culprits,
increasing the instance of colon, rectal and prostate cancer in men.
For women the results are colon and possibly breast cancer. And, researchers
are now beginning to believe it may play a role in lung cancer as
well.
So why do we still eat it? Believe it or not, many
of us just haven’t gotten the word yet, especially those over
60. Even though the information about fat has been around for a long
time, many people believe that fat is a necessary part of diet.
Yes, it is true that dietary fat exists for a reason.
It does provide us with the fatty acids we need to control our body
temperature, give us healthy skin and hair and protect nerves and
our vital organs.
The problem is that not all fats are created equal
and many of us just don’t understand the difference.
Monounsaturated fats such as olive and canola oils
and polyunsaturated fats like corn and safflower oils are considered
somewhat healthy when taken in moderation.
Saturated fats that we find predominantly in meat,
eggs and dairy products are attributed with causing major health problems
especially when consumed in large amounts.
Trans-fatty acids are another type of harmful fat.
These are unsaturated fats that food manufacturers use to solidify
certain foods like margarine and vegetable shortening. In addition
to being harmful they have no dietary value at all.
It is unfortunate that a typical American meal does
not consist of one type of fat or another but a combination of several
so that when we eat we can consume a large amount of bad fat.
Switching to a low-fat style of eating mostly unsaturated
fats you may very well quickly feel rejuvenated regardless of your
age. No matter what your age or medical conditions might be, diabetes,
high cholesterol, gout or heart disease a low-fat diet is the way
to go.
Limit saturated fat to less than 10% of your daily
calories and cut back on the fatty acids and the benefits will increase
life expectancy.
Fiber
If there was one element of our diets that we would
‘wish away’ it might be fiber. Fiber is what is left over
after our bodies have squeezed every bit of nutritive value from the
foods we eat. Don’t discount fiber, however. It is a very important
part of a healthy diet.
Sadly, most older Americans get no more than 14.8
grams of fiber a day when you actually need 25 to 35 grams to protect
against disease!
You can make up the difference by changing dietary
habits and do it easily. Researchers have found an astounding 33%
drop in cholesterol in some patients who did nothing more than increase
fiber and reduce fat.
And, there is research being conducted that indicates
the perillyl alcohol contained in fiber shows promise of actually
slowing down the growth of certain cancer tumors.
Before we take a look at how fiber can combat cancer,
we need to explore the two different types of fiber – insoluble
and soluble. Each type works differently to fight disease.
Insoluble fiber comes from a substance that forms
in the cell walls of plants. The reason it is called insoluble is
because your body does not break it down as it passes through the
digestive system. It is what gives your stool its bulk helping it
to move faster through your system. This is why certain foods that
are high in soluble fiber like bran are said to be natures laxatives.
Grain products and vegetables have loads of fiber.
While at first look it appears more as rabbit food than cancer fighting,
studies show that insoluble fiber helps to fight colon cancer and
researchers believe it also helps to fight breast, pancreatic and
prostate cancers as well. In Finland low rates of breast and colon
cancer are linked directly to diets rich in cereals.
Certain parts of Africa where people consume lots
of high fiber foods the incidence of intestinal disease is practically
nil.
Let’s take a look at how it works.
Insoluble fiber will soak up water as if it were a
sponge thereby making stools bulkier. That excess bulk spreads out
cancer causing components over a larger area preventing them from
grouping together to do damage.
Fiber is the equivalent of a super highway through
the intestines that gets things moving faster so there are fewer opportunities
for any interaction between cells lining the colon and any cancerous
agents.
Fiber works with the levels of acids in the intestines
changing the way that certain bacteria do the job. The result is increased
fermentation. Yes, it may cause gas but it also makes it harder for
carcinogens to get in your body. It also plays a role in regulating
the levels of intestinal bile acids that play a part in the beginning
stages of colon cancer.
The “stuff” that causes breast, pancreatic
and prostate cancers latch onto fiber like a magnet which means that
those carcinogens are carried away with other body waste.
Researchers believe that insoluble fiber also contributes
to reducing levels of harmful estrogen that can contribute to the
beginning of breast cancer. Experiments appear to suggest that doubling
fiber intake and reducing fat can reduce the tumor rate by 50%.
If you can imagine eating foods that can actually
stop or slow the growth of tumors wouldn’t you want to eat it?
Well, you can.
Whether canned or dried, Beans in any form contain
large amounts of fiber. Reduce the amount of gas by soaking them overnight
in clean, clear water. Rinse again thoroughly before cooking.
Oat bran added to cereals or eaten as bread is a great
source for additional fiber.
Try eating brown rice instead of white. Brown rice will supply 3.32
grams of fiber per cup while white rice contains only 0.74 grams per
cup.
Whole grain bread products are a must. You can receive
3 grams or more of fiber per slice. Refined wheat loses fiber and
removes trace minerals.
Read the labels in the grocery store, especially the
fine print. The labels will tell you the fiber content of the food
per serving. If the first three or four ingredients listed are grains
it means that the product contains more grains than anything else.
Learn to balance the benefit of fiber versus other
ingredients. If a granola bar has one or more grams of fiber it is
only a good deal if the fat and calorie content are low. A snack bar
with 100 calories, 2 grams of fat and a single gram of fiber is probably
okay. But if the bar contains 300 calories and more fat that’s
way more than you need.
Introduce fiber in your diet one step at a time, gradually
increasing and setting goals you can realistically attain. Storing
easy to prepare foods in your pantry can help. Stock up on low-fat
soups, canned beans and cereals that are all easy to prepare. Keep
your freezer filled with vegetable that can be quickly steamed or
zapped in your microwave.
Keep the liquid from canned beans. There’s a
lot of soluble fiber there that may just go down the drain. Save it
to use in soups.
Don’t peel fruits and vegetables. The skins
of apples, pears, peaches and potatoes are rich in soluble fiber.
Eating the white rind of oranges and the membrane in grapefruit also
provide extra fiber.
Eat fruits and vegetable whole rather than as juices.
You may get concentrated nutrients from the juices but you lose the
fiber in the fruit. The 14 grams of fiber you get from eating six
carrots outweighs the 2 grams in the juice you created with those
6 carrots.
Some people prefer taking a fiber supplement. There
are many on the market, but be aware that most contain psyllium. While
it is a source of fiber and a natural laxative it can interfere with
certain medications you take. Be sure and check with your doctor.
Foods That Combat The Aging Process
While we have discussed certain foods high in fiber,
we haven’t even scratched the surface of foods that can help
you battle the aging process.
Plants and Phytochemicals
Nope, not the philodendron hanging in your kitchen
window, but the treasure you find in the fruit and vegetable aisles
of your supermarket. If there is one single piece of advice you can
get from studying the aging process, consuming more fruits and vegetables
are among the most important.
When you eat food made from plants, you are receiving
the benefits of a small army marching off to combat the aging process.
This army is comprised of agents known as phytochemicals. These are
completely separate from the vitamins provided by the vegetable themselves
but may be even more valuable.
Science used to believe that phytochemicals were absolutely
useless. However as more experts delve into the study of plants they
have found that they appear to help fight off cancer, heart disease
and stroke even though they don’t understand why.
In fact over 200 studies conducted show that a diet
high in fruits and veggies substantially cut the risk of cancer. That
alone becomes increasingly important as you get older and the risk
of disease increases.
Some of these phytochemicals are simple to detect.
The bright orange color of carrots, sweet potatoes or yams are obvious.
The pungent whiff of phytochemicals is apparent in garlic. However,
most are undetectable.
The chemicals are there to actually protect the plant.
It is believed that they evolved to protect plants from oxygen, wind,
insects and weather. Remember that plants feed on carbon dioxide and
oxygen is actually waste.
Without protection from the ultraviolet rays of a
hot sun plants would shrivel and die. In the dirt where bulb plants
grow, they are subjected to the hazards of bacteria and insects.
Edward Miller, Ph.D., professor of biomedical sciences
in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Dentistry
in Houston states that, “We can save more than 150,000 lives
a year, right now, with no treatments, no medical costs, no long-term
recovery – if people would just eat the foods that protect them.”
Worldwide studies have proven that phytochemicals
protect against, but there is no one phytochemical or any other substance
that you can take or eat for protection.
Eating plant foods does give you a lower risk for cancers that attack
the lungs, bladder, cervix, mouth, larynx, throat, esophagus, stomach,
pancreas, colon and rectum.
Laboratory studies show that phytochemicals prevent
cancer forming substances and defective cell that can turn into cancers,
from gaining a foothold or spreading.
Phytochemicals also help to keep your heart healthy.
The 60 to 80 age group that has a higher risk of heart disease than
younger people do, can substantially reduce the risks by eating a
diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Plant foods also combat free radicals. Many phytochemicals
do double duty as anti-oxidants. They neutralize the free radicals
which are unstable molecules that damage or destroy healthy cells.
In addition to the free radicals that your body produces
routinely, they also find their way into your environment through
other means like cigarette smoke, pollutants, medications, pesticides
as well as household cleaners.
They have also been linked to more than 60 medical
problems and diseases. In addition to the obvious disease like heart
disease, cancer and stroke, they can also manifest as premature aging,
stiff joints, wrinkled skin, arthritis, diabetes and cirrhosis of
the liver.
The study of phytochemicals in plants is a relatively
new field, but here is a list of those that appear to provide the
most protection:
Organosulfur compounds
These are foods that we recognize mostly by their
pungent odor and flavor. Garlic, onions, leeks, chives and shallots
are organosulfur compounds. You can also find these compounds in vegetables
like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
Foods that are rich in organosulfur are sometimes
referred to by some members of the medical community as dietary anti-carcinogens.
They help the body block and eliminate cancer causing agents before
they do their damage. They are also instrumental in fighting heart
disease and stroke.
The best methods to derive the most benefit from organosulfur
compounds is to eat them raw or lightly cooked. Puree vegetables into
a healthy soup and be sure to add garlic and onion.
Isothiocyanates
Isothiocyanates are plant chemicals found in leafy
green vegetable like watercress, arugula, cabbage, brussel sprounts,
Chinese cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. These compounds help rid
the body of cancer causing substances and actually act to remove the
trash. Isothicyanates make it difficult for cancer causing substances
to target the DNA of healthy cells and in laboratory experiments have
actually kept tumors from forming.
The most benefit you can receive from isothiocyanates
in your food is to eat some of the vegetables raw. The compounds are
released when chopped and chewed. Eat them as fresh as possible and
eat plenty of them.
Indoles
Indoles go with isothiocyanates like salt and pepper
complement one another. Indoles protect against breast cancer in women
and prostate cancer in men. Indoles stop the growth of small virus
caused tumors. You can best benefit from indoles by eating the equivalent
of a quarter head of cabbage a day or an equal amount of broccoli,
Brussels sprouts or cauliflower.
Isoflavones
Isoflavones are a group of plant estrogens that are
found in soy products. To help increase your soy consumption, try
tofu. It is far less bland when it absorbs the taste of spices and
other foods that are cooked with it.
Try more Asian recipes or drinking soy milk. When
you are baking trade off 25% of your regular flour for soy flour.
You’ll get all the benefit with little or no difference in the
recipe.
Lignans
Little is known about lignans as it is a newer area
for research. What is known, however, is that lignans seem to prevent
breast cancer at lest in the laboratory. As antioxidants they may
help prevent damage from LDL cholesterol which, as we know, lays the
groundwork for heart disease.
Add lignans to your diet by including flax. Some baking
companies add a trace amount of flax or linseed to add a slightly
nutty flavor. You can find flax in health food stores, but use it
very sparingly as adding it to your diet too quickly can cause intestinal
distress.
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are evidenced in the bright red, orange
and yellow pigments displayed in some plants like carrots, tomatoes,
sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, winter squash, parsley, green peas, pink
grapefruit, swiss chard, spinach, beet greens, pumpkin, watermelon,
broccoli, mangoes, oranges, papaya and tangerines. You will also find
them in okra, red peppers leafy green vegetable and even in fish liver
oil.
Diets rich in carotenoids fight disease and in one
study a high carotenoid diet actually helped reduce the risk of lung
cancer in nonsmokers. One particularly powerful carotenoid is lycopene.
Lycopene is found in tomatoes and
everything made from them including pizza sauce and ketchup. You will
also find lycopene in watermelon guava and pink grapefruit.
Include them in your diet along with a little bit
of fat as they are fat soluble. Most carotenoids are not damaged by
cooking. The color is the most important key in identifying fruits
and vegetables that will provide the most benefit. You might be surprised
to know that red leaf lettuce has more carotenoids than iceberg lettuce
just as there is more benefit from pink grapefruit than white.
Flavonoids
Flavonoids are a serendipity because they are found
in just about every plant from apples to onions and soy and even black
and green tea contain flavonoids that help fight cancer.
Get the most benefit from flavonoids try these tips:
Sip wine. Drinking a little wine each day as well
as tea. Have your cup of coffee first thing in the morning, then switch
to tea for the remainder of the day. Combine fruits and make a fruit
salad (fresh only). Buy a variety and vary different combinations.
Add finely grated orange or lemon peel to fruit drinks,
carbonated drinks and on salads, vegetable and even meats.
Tannins are not just colorful substances used in dying,
making ink or tanning leather. Ellagic acid, one form of tannin, is
in foods that stain. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Get
more tannins into your system and fight cancers, heart disease and
stroke.
Skip juices and go for the whole fruits. Check the
labels of your jams and jellies and select according to which have
a higher content of real fruit. This is more than likely the premium
brands. Top off your food with a few berries to work them into your
daily eating habits. Sprinkle them over cereal, pancakes and desserts.
Some meat is good for you, but try and stick to these:
Eye of the round roast. A lean 3
ounce serving has 143 calories, 59 milligrams of cholesterol and just
over 4 grams of fat. Protective nutrients include vitamins B12 and
B6, zinc, niacin, potassium, riboflavin and magnesium.
Top loin steak. One lean 3 ounce
serving with fat trimmed contains 168 calories, 65 milligrams of cholesterol
and 7 grams of fat. Protective nutrients include vitamins B12 and
B6, zinc, niacin, potassium, riboflavin and magnesium.
Lamb foreshank. One lean 3 ounce
serving of the meat gives you 159 calories, 88 milligrams of cholesterol
and 5 grams of fat. Protective nutrients include vitamin B12, zinc,
niacin, riboflavin, magnesium and potassium.
Pork tenderloin. One lean 3 ounce
serving contains 139 calories, 67 milligrams of cholesterol, and 4
grams of fat. Protective nutrients include vitamins B12 and B6, riboflavin,
zinc and magnesium.
Low Calorie Treats To Enjoy
3 Chocolate kisses – 75 calories, 4.5 grams
of fat
24 fresh grapes – 81 calories, 0 grams of fat
1 cup fresh strawberries with 1 tablespoon powdered
sugar – 86 calories, 0 grams of fat
½ cup of cranberry juice over ice with club
soda and an organge slice - 91 calories, 0 grams of fat
5 vanilla wafers – 93 calories, 3 grams of fat
19 pieces of candy corn – 95 calories, 1.9 grams
of fat
2 tablespoons low-fat yogurt topped with ½
cup of cherries and 2 teaspoons sliced almonds – 96 calories
3 grams of fat
2 cups air-popped popcorn tossed with 1 teaspoon melted
margarine and 1 teaspoon honey - 97 calories, 3.8 grams of fat
½ cup sugar free instant pudding made with
skim milk and ½ teaspoon shaved semi-sweet chocolate –
99 calories, 0.6 grams of fat
10 (1 inch) cubes of angel food cake topped with ¼
cup frozen raspberries in light syrup – 100 calories, 0 grams
of fat.
Use supplements like the ones below which have specific
anti-aging benefits
Human
Growth Hormone (HGH) Supplements
Anti-Aging Superfoods
Anti-Aging Vitamins
Antioxidant Supplements
Bee Pollen Extracts
Green Tea
DHEA
Bilberry Complex w/Lutein
for Vision
