Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Understanding Cellular Aging

Cellular Aging 

To answer the age-old question of why humans age, scientists have focused their research on the cells of the body. Chronological age is often not a good measure of a person's health and well-being, with some people looking (and acting) younger than their age, while others are just the opposite. The health of our cells may very well be the key to feeling healthy as we age. 

Aging typically means loss of muscle strength, bone density, lung function, and memory, while our risk for conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer all increase. A graph of incidence of disease versus age illustrates this point nicely: many chronic disease conditions are rare when we are young but their incidence begins to increase around age 50. To scientists who study aging, this upsurge around age 50 suggests that there might be a common reason underlying the onset of these age-related diseases and that reason may be cellular aging. Quiz 

Driver JA, Djoussé L, Logroscino G, Gaziano JM, Kurth T. Incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer in advanced age: prospective cohort study. BMJ.2008 Dec 9;337:a2467. PMID: 19066258

When we are born, we start out with healthy cells; damage tends to accumulate as our cells are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, environmental toxins, stress, or a poor diet. The more cells are exposed to these insults, the more potential for damage to those cells. It is this accumulated damage that eventually crosses a threshold that may lead to recognizable disease.1 It is critical that our cells are able to first defend themselves against these attacks, and then repair any damage should it occur. 

One key to understanding cellular defense is knowing that cells require antioxidants and certain nutrients in the right amounts in order to be able to perform their normal functions and to protect and repair themselves.2

If overall health is really is a reflection of cellular health, then it is important to maximize the nutrition and lifestyle changes that help those cells defend themselves.



1 Polidori MC. Antioxidant micronutrients in the prevention of age-related diseases. J Postgrad Med. 2003 Jul-Sep;49(3):229-35. PMID:14597786.

2 Møller P, Loft S. Interventions with antioxidants and nutrients in relation to oxidative DNA damage and repair. Mutat Res. 2004 Jul 13;551(1-2):79-89. PMID: 15225583.
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Steps to Slow Aging Naturally

Steps to Slow Aging Naturally

The thousands of studies that have been done on aging are beginning to point to one inescapable conclusion: we may be able to modify our aging process by changing what we consume and how we live.
Quiz
Here are the steps everyone can take to naturally slow the aging process:

Be active
In recent studies regular exercise has been associated with a reduction in risk for breast cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and colorectal cancer. One study even suggested that that regular exercise is associated with a longer lifespan, especially when combined with weight redution.1


Reduce your stress
Sustained stressors such as emotional trauma, feeling threatened or insecure, and even natural disasters appear to be associated with increased aging biomarkers.2 You can work to reduce the stress you feel from those events by practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, and biofeedback. Walking or jogging is another great stress reducer—and my personal favorite.


Maintain your ideal weight
Being overweight is associated with a wide variety of age-related diseases, including diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.3 Achieving your ideal weight can be hard, but there are many tools available that can help you reduce your calories, maintain your lean body mass, and lose body fat. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, try working towards losing 10 pounds over the next two months—that is doable.


Make time for sleep
Lack of sleep can have devastating effects on our health, impacting our mood,4 our memories,5 and even cold and flu resistance.6 To improve sleep, consider having a consistent sleep schedule. Use your bed only for sleep, try a "white noise generator" such as a fan, avoid caffeine after noon, and limit alcohol intake in the last 2-3 hours before bedtime.


Stay connected
The role of good social relationships is important to our overall health. As we age, having good social ties is linked to less depression, better cognitive skills,7 and even a longer life.8

Consume the right nutrients:
Eat fruits and vegetables 
Since most Americans don't eat the recommended seven servings of fruits and vegetables per day, the opportunity for improving health (and longevity) by improving diet is great—just by adding some berries to breakfast and an extra vegetable to your dinner plate.9

Take a multivitamin 
B12, B6, C, E, niacin, folic acid, iron, or zinc all seem to mimic damage to DNA from radiation.10 Everyone should consider a good multivitamin to help supplement their base nutritional needs.


Load up on polyphenols
Polyphenols are found in many fruits, vegetables, green tea, black tea, red wine, coffee, chocolate, olives, and extra virgin olive oil. They are plant-based nutrients that have antioxidant benefits and help protect against cellular aging.11

  • Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG): A flavanol found in tea, it has been shown to act as an antioxidant and possibly protect against aging.
  • Muscadine grapes: The grapes possess one of the highest antioxidant levels among fruits.12 They contain a high concentration of polyphenols, but unlike other grapes they also contain a high amount of ellagitannin and ellagic acid.13 Extracts of muscadine grape have been studied for their ability to help support a normal inflammation response after consumption of after a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal and act as antioxidants.14,15
  • Resveratrol: Studies suggest that resveratrol (a type of polyphenol) may also slow cellular aging.16 

    How fast you age may truly be in your hands. There is a lot you can do starting today to help slow cellular aging.

1 Moore SC, Patel AV, Matthews CE, et al. Leisure time physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity and mortality: a large pooled cohort analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001335. PMID: 23139642.

2 Price LH, Kao HT, Burgers DE, Carpenter LL, Tyrka AR. Telomeres and early-life stress: an overview. Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Jan 1;73(1):15-23. PMID: 22831981;

3 Field AE, Coakley EH, Must A, et al. Impact of overweight on the risk of developing common chronic diseases during a 10-year period. Arch Intern Med. 2001 Jul 9;161(13):1581-6. PMID:11434789.

4 Cole MG, Dendukuri N. Risk factors for depression among elderly community subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry. 2003 Jun;160(6):1147-56.. PMID: 12777274.

5 Schmidt C, Peigneux P, Cajochen C. Age-related changes in sleep and circadian rhythms: impact on cognitive performance and underlying neuroanatomical networks. Front Neurol. 2012;3:118. PMID: 22855682.


7 Seeman TE, Lusignolo TM, Albert M, Berkman L. Social relationships, social support, and patterns of cognitive aging in healthy, high-functioning older adults: MacArthur studies of successful aging. Health Psychol. 2001 Jul;20(4):243-55. PMID: 11515736.

8 Kern ML, Porta SS, Friedman HS. Lifelong Pathways to Longevity: Personality, Relationships, Flourishing, and Health. J Pers. 2013 Aug 8. PMID: 23927423.

9 Ames BN, Shigenaga MK, Hagen TM. Oxidants, antioxidants, and the degenerative diseases of aging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Sep 1;90(17):7915-22. PMID: 8367443.

10 Ames BN. Micronutrients prevent cancer and delay aging. Toxicol Lett. 1998 Dec 28;102-103:5-18. PMID: 10022226.

11 Fraga CG, Galleano M, Verstraeten SV, Oteiza PI. Basic biochemical mechanisms behind the health benefits of polyphenols. Mol Aspects Med. 2010 Dec;31(6):435-45. PMID: 20854840.

12 Greenspan P, Bauer JD, Pollock SH, et al. Antiinflammatory properties of the muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia). J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Nov 2;53(22):8481-4. PMID: 16248541.

13 Sandhu AK, Gu L. Antioxidant capacity, phenolic content, and profiling of phenolic compounds in the seeds, skin, and pulp of Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine Grapes) As determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n). J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Apr 28;58(8):4681-92. PMID: 20334341.

14 Gourineni V, Shay NF, Chung S, Sandhu AK, Gu L. Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia) and wine phytochemicals prevented obesity-associated metabolic complications in C57BL/6J mice. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Aug 8;60(31):7674-81. PMID: 22788667.

15 Pastrana-Bonilla E, Akoh CC, Sellappan S, Krewer G. Phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of muscadine grapes. J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Aug 27;51(18):5497-503. PMID: 12926904.

16 Khurana S, Venkataraman K, Hollingsworth A, Piche M, Tai TC. Polyphenols: benefits to the cardiovascular system in health and in aging. Nutrients. 2013 Sep 26;5(10):3779-3827.
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How Fast are you Aging? Take the quiz!

How Fast are you Aging?


Have you ever noticed that some people seem to age faster than others? Scientists are learning that we may actually be able to slow the aging process by changing some of our unhealthy habits. To find out what might be contributing to faster aging, take our quick quiz: QuizScientists who study aging have found there are many things that can speed your aging:
 
High Stress
Stress and anxiety are normal parts of life and usually aren't a problem until they become everyday events. Stress raises many hormones, including cortisol, which can impact the way we look and how fast we age.1 In a recent study, women with a high level of anxiety had biological markers of women who were six years older.2

Smoking
When you look at the faces of people who are long-term smokers, you can see that smoking destroys their skin. Smoking is associated with many chronic diseases, including heart disease and stroke, as well as lung and other cancers.3

Too Much Sun Exposure
While the sun is good for us in small amounts as a great source for vitamin D production in our bodies, ultraviolet radiation is also well known to age skin prematurely.4

Poor Sleep
Short-term sleep deprivation (such as having a bad night's sleep) has a variety of adverse effects, including raising blood pressure, impairing blood sugar control, and increasing inflammation, which all can accelerate aging. But when people don't sleep well over a long period of time (less than 7 hours of sleep) they are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and an increase in all-cause mortality.5

Eating Poorly
Many foods may even accelerate aging, including trans fats and processed and hydrogenated oils.6 Refined sugars produce a chemical reaction called advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in our bodies and these have been tied to serious health conditions.7

Overweight
Obesity has been called a state of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress8 and is associated with a variety of diseases, including diabetes, colon cancer, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.9,10

Not Exercising
Sedentary lifestyles have long been associated with being less healthy. People who don't exercise are more likely to be overweight, have higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers.11
1 Wikgren M, Maripuu M, Karlsson T, et al. Short telomeres in depression and the general population are associated with a hypocortisolemic state. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Feb 15;71(4):294-300. PMID: 22055018.

2 Okereke OI, Prescott J, Wong JY et al. High phobic anxiety is related to lower leukocyte telomere length in women. PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e40516. PubMed PMID: 22808180.


4 Polefka TG, Meyer TA, Agin PP, Bianchini RJ. Effects of solar radiation on the skin. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2012 Jun;11(2):134-43. PMID: 22672278.

5 Alvarez GG, Ayas NT. The impact of daily sleep duration on health: a review of the literature. Prog Cardiovasc Nurs. 2004 Spring;19(2):56-9. PMID: 15133379.

6 Stender S, Dyerberg J. Influence of trans fatty acids on health. Ann Nutr Metab. 2004;48(2):61-6. Epub 2003 Dec 16. PMID: 14679314.

7 Luevano-Contreras C, Chapman-Novakofski K. Dietary advanced glycation end products and aging. Nutrients. 2010 Dec;2(12):1247-65. doi: 10.3390/nu2121247. Epub 2010 Dec 13. PMID: 22254007.

8 Vincent HK, Innes KE, Vincent KR. Oxidative stress and potential interventions to reduce oxidative stress in overweight and obesity. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2007 Nov;9(6):813-39. PMID: 17924865.

9 Hubert HB, Bloch DA, Oehlert JW, Fries JF. Lifestyle habits and compression of morbidity. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2002 Jun;57(6):M347-51. PMID: 12023263.

10 Field AE, Coakley EH, Must A, et al. Impact of overweight on the risk of developing common chronic diseases during a 10-year period. Arch Intern Med. 2001 Jul 9;161(13):1581-6. PMID:11434789.

11 Kruk J. Physical activity in the prevention of the most frequent chronic diseases: an analysis of the recent evidence. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2007 Jul-Sep;8(3):325-38. PMID: 18159963.
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Sunday, June 15, 2014

TWO Free Shaklee Products + FREE Shaklee Live 2014 Registration!

Ask me for all the details please! You may also click the pic for more information. Free Stress Relief (everyone needs that!) with minimum order - ends June 30, 2014. Let's all share #TheShakleeEffect and get healthier now!

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