CHICAGO, July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M; www.worldhealth.net), the world's largest scientific/medical society dedicated to advancing research and clinical pursuits that enhance the quality, and extend the quantity, of the human lifespan, unveils an innovative, technology-based fix to healthcare with the potential to:
* Increase the lifespan, or improve the healthspan, of all Americans by 29+ years;
* Slash healthcare costs, saving $3.7 Trillion; and
* Replace the disease-based approach to medicine with a wellness-oriented model
A comprehensive program to reform and advance healthcare in the United States, The A4M Twelve-Point Actionable Healthcare Plan: A Blueprint for A Low Cost, High Yield Wellness Model of Healthcare by 2012 has garnered support from 35 professional medical organizations and educational institutions and was developed with invaluable input from the 24,000 physician, health practitioner, and scientist members of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M; www.worldhealth.net) who represent 110 nations worldwide.
Today, Capitol Hill debates a $1.65 trillion, 10-year plan to overhaul the nation's failing healthcare system. The majority of the plan focuses on how to pay for health insurance, rather than formulating a comprehensive plan of action of reform itself. The Twelve-Point Plan submits that the underlying philosophy of healthcare in this nation must be reformed in revolutionary new ways. As reported by the Congressional Budget Office, up to one-third of this nation's healthcare spending -- more than $700 billion -- does not improve Americans' health outcomes.
Anti-aging medicine is biotechnology joined with advanced clinical preventive medicine. Adoption of the anti-aging medical model delivers the best of advanced preventive medicine to all Americans, not just our older population. The Twelve-Point Plan offers new answers by urging the adoption of a technology-based, wellness-oriented healthcare model for America.
The A4M Twelve-Point Actionable Healthcare Plan provides practicable "here and now" solutions to reform and advance healthcare in the US, while addressing the challenges of global aging. Indeed, the implementation of The A4M Twelve-Point Actionable Healthcare Plan: A Blueprint for A Low Cost, High Yield Wellness Model of Healthcare by 2012 may save our society a projected $3.64 Trillion in healthcare costs, and extend the healthy lifespan of each of our nation's residents by up to 29 productive, vital years.
Complete references, supporting data, and projections may be viewed at: http://www.waaam.org/twelve_points_summary.php.
CONTACT: Catherine Cebula
PHONE: (877) 572-0608
WEBSITE: www.worldhealth.net
SOURCE The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Fish Oil: A Miracle "Cure" for Menopause?
Lots of women won’t take hormone replacement because of the risk of blood clots and cancer. So it’s great to have a natural alternative that relieves many symptoms associated with menopause — fish oil.
A recent study showed that fish oil cut the number of hot flashes in half in women ages 40 - 55. The women took a fish oil supplement rich in the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, for about eight weeks. (Lucas M, Asselin G, et al. Menopause, 2009 Mar-April;16(2):357-66.)
The same researchers also found that that fish oil improved symptoms of moderate to severe psychological distress. That’s not surprising, since fish oil has been found to help relieve depression, feelings of aggression, bipolar disorder and some memory problems. Just relieving hot flashes often helps women sleep better at night, which in turn, can help improve mood. (Lucas M, Asselin G, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Feb;89(2):641-51.)
If you’re a woman age 50 or older, you should also know that fish can improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke and blood clots, lower your chances of developing breast or endometrial cancer, help keep bones stronger, relieve dry eyes, even help you maintain a healthy weight. If fish oil were a patented drug marketed by a giant pharmaceutical company, I’m sure it would be called a miracle “cure” for menopause!
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Even if you eat plenty of fish, it’s hard to get enough omega-3s to have optimal health benefits. Fish oil is one of the easiest and best all around anti-aging nutrients you can take. Make sure you get a fresh, pure, molecularly distilled brand of fish oil rich in EPA and DHA.
A recent study showed that fish oil cut the number of hot flashes in half in women ages 40 - 55. The women took a fish oil supplement rich in the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, for about eight weeks. (Lucas M, Asselin G, et al. Menopause, 2009 Mar-April;16(2):357-66.)
The same researchers also found that that fish oil improved symptoms of moderate to severe psychological distress. That’s not surprising, since fish oil has been found to help relieve depression, feelings of aggression, bipolar disorder and some memory problems. Just relieving hot flashes often helps women sleep better at night, which in turn, can help improve mood. (Lucas M, Asselin G, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Feb;89(2):641-51.)
If you’re a woman age 50 or older, you should also know that fish can improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk for heart disease, stroke and blood clots, lower your chances of developing breast or endometrial cancer, help keep bones stronger, relieve dry eyes, even help you maintain a healthy weight. If fish oil were a patented drug marketed by a giant pharmaceutical company, I’m sure it would be called a miracle “cure” for menopause!
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Even if you eat plenty of fish, it’s hard to get enough omega-3s to have optimal health benefits. Fish oil is one of the easiest and best all around anti-aging nutrients you can take. Make sure you get a fresh, pure, molecularly distilled brand of fish oil rich in EPA and DHA.
Yo Betta Eat ‘Dem Sweet Potatoes, Boy!
It seems the color purple in a new breed of sweet potato is a likely culprit in reducing cancer risk. Researchers at Kansas State University are studying the purple sweet potato for its remarkable anti-cancer components.
Purple sweet potatoes have high contents of anthocyanin (the pigment responsible for the purple colors in foods like blueberries, red grapes and red cabbage) which have been established for its reduced cancer risk.
The study determined that the purple sweet potato had significantly higher anthocyanin contents compared to the other potatoes. Dr. George Wang, associate professor of human nutrition at K- State and lead study researcher suggests that the purple sweet potato “should be generally recognized as safe and won’t need to be evaluated by FDA for an approval.”
This new breed of powerful sweet potato was developed by K-State’s Ted Carey, professor of horticulture, at John C. Pair Horticultural Center in Haysville. “If we claim it for a health benefit such as cancer prevention in the future, we still need scientific data to convince FDA for a health claim approval” said Wang.
The benefits of the purple pigment do not end there. Further research suggests that the purple sweet potato has significant aging-reducing properties. According to K-State’s Soyoung Lim, doctoral student in human nutrition who is also working on the study “compounds [in the purple sweet potato] have been found to have anti-aging and antioxidant components. The specially bred purple sweet potato had a much higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity than the other regularly occurring purple sweet potatoes.
Lim presented the research at the Experimental Biology Meeting in New Orleans in April. She is doing a follow-up study this summer that will involve treating animal cancer cells with the pigments. Further research will determine how many and how often one should eat the purple sweet potato for its antic-cancer properties to be effective. Currently, this breed of sweet potato is available at Asian grocery stores, however, Wang advises that the unique variety developed by K-State contains “much higher contents of anthocyanins.”
If purple is not your color, or impatience serves you well, conventional sweet potatoes contain unique root storage proteins that have been observed to have significant antioxidant capacities. Studies suggest that these proteins had about one-third the antioxidant activity of glutathione-one of the body’s most impressive internally produced antioxidants.
Additional research at K-State also suggest that if you are frequently exposed to second hand smoke, sweet potatoes may save your life. While studying the relationship between vitamin A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency. Baybutt’s earlier research had shown that laboratory animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema. He suggests that a diet rich in vitamin A can reduce the effects of emphysema.
Baybutt believes vitamin A’s protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. “There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers,” he said. “Why? Probably because of their diet…The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema” he said.
Sweet potatoes by their nature are an excellent source of Vitamins C and A (also known as the anti-aging vitamin). According to Jennifer Haas a dietician with the Nova Medical Group in Virginia, “Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals.” Free radicals damage cells and can cause heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer.
FYI: Sweet potatoes last for about two weeks when stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area. Storing sweet potatoes in the refrigerator will alter their flavor. When cooked (as they should always be eaten), they last up to one week in the refrigerator. Steam them for eight minutes, with the skin on (wash, of course). I buy mine at Whole Foods and find them to be considerably sweeter with more orange pigment.
Purple sweet potatoes have high contents of anthocyanin (the pigment responsible for the purple colors in foods like blueberries, red grapes and red cabbage) which have been established for its reduced cancer risk.
The study determined that the purple sweet potato had significantly higher anthocyanin contents compared to the other potatoes. Dr. George Wang, associate professor of human nutrition at K- State and lead study researcher suggests that the purple sweet potato “should be generally recognized as safe and won’t need to be evaluated by FDA for an approval.”
This new breed of powerful sweet potato was developed by K-State’s Ted Carey, professor of horticulture, at John C. Pair Horticultural Center in Haysville. “If we claim it for a health benefit such as cancer prevention in the future, we still need scientific data to convince FDA for a health claim approval” said Wang.
The benefits of the purple pigment do not end there. Further research suggests that the purple sweet potato has significant aging-reducing properties. According to K-State’s Soyoung Lim, doctoral student in human nutrition who is also working on the study “compounds [in the purple sweet potato] have been found to have anti-aging and antioxidant components. The specially bred purple sweet potato had a much higher total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity than the other regularly occurring purple sweet potatoes.
Lim presented the research at the Experimental Biology Meeting in New Orleans in April. She is doing a follow-up study this summer that will involve treating animal cancer cells with the pigments. Further research will determine how many and how often one should eat the purple sweet potato for its antic-cancer properties to be effective. Currently, this breed of sweet potato is available at Asian grocery stores, however, Wang advises that the unique variety developed by K-State contains “much higher contents of anthocyanins.”
If purple is not your color, or impatience serves you well, conventional sweet potatoes contain unique root storage proteins that have been observed to have significant antioxidant capacities. Studies suggest that these proteins had about one-third the antioxidant activity of glutathione-one of the body’s most impressive internally produced antioxidants.
Additional research at K-State also suggest that if you are frequently exposed to second hand smoke, sweet potatoes may save your life. While studying the relationship between vitamin A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin A deficiency. Baybutt’s earlier research had shown that laboratory animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema. He suggests that a diet rich in vitamin A can reduce the effects of emphysema.
Baybutt believes vitamin A’s protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema. “There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers,” he said. “Why? Probably because of their diet…The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema” he said.
Sweet potatoes by their nature are an excellent source of Vitamins C and A (also known as the anti-aging vitamin). According to Jennifer Haas a dietician with the Nova Medical Group in Virginia, “Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals.” Free radicals damage cells and can cause heart disease, diabetes and colon cancer.
FYI: Sweet potatoes last for about two weeks when stored in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area. Storing sweet potatoes in the refrigerator will alter their flavor. When cooked (as they should always be eaten), they last up to one week in the refrigerator. Steam them for eight minutes, with the skin on (wash, of course). I buy mine at Whole Foods and find them to be considerably sweeter with more orange pigment.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Secrets of Anti-Aging From a 105-Year-Old Woman
Written by Ann Butenas
The world is full of anti-aging products, secrets, tips, and illusions, but if you truly want to feel remarkably years younger in an instant, then stand next to a gal well into her 105th year of life and see how you feel!
The simple fact that she is of such a mature age does not make you feel younger in and of itself. The fact that she is still full of life makes you feel younger, almost as if you have years ahead of you, no matter what your age.
I had to remind myself of this fact while at a meeting this morning. A younger man in the group, around age 27, pointed out that I am, well, older than he is. Yes, at 45, I am older, but that does not make me OLD. He was implying that I would probably be retiring within a few years. What???? I don’t know what his generation is thinking, but in my world, we never retire. People in my family are still employed at the time of their demise. My grandfather was into his nineties when he passed away, yet he was, up until a few months prior to his death, heading out to the office every day, just as he had for nearly 70 years. My uncle, age 74, works full-time as a medical doctor. I truly believe that his energy and work ethic have kept him young. You would never be able to tell at first glance that he is 74. I guarantee you that the young man who noted I would probably be retiring in a few years will be retired well before I will even think about it!
So, let’s get back to standing next to an elderly lady. (No, you are not standing next to me. Picture my granny here. Focus!) This past Sunday, I had the honor of meeting her at the airport on her return trip from the east coast. She had a three-hour layover before her “puddle jumper” plane escorted her back to her small town in the Midwest. This gave Grandma and my husband and I the opportunity to spend some quality time with each other. All I can say, is, Grandma surely can make all of us look bad when it comes to living life to the fullest!
According to sources on About.com, “for seniors, the term ‘aging well’ includes having a healthy body, an active mind, a healthy lifestyle, and a positive attitude. For Grandma, that means check, check, check, and double-check! She fits all of those criteria, and more! In 2004, a team of researchers from the University of Texas conducted a study that revealed, unsurprisingly, that “people with an upbeat view of life were less likely than pessimists to show signs of frailty.” Their findings suggested that people who held fast to a positive outlook on life were much less likely to become frail. Grandma has that one nailed down.
After we picked her up at the airport and retrieved her belongings from the baggage claim, we headed over to the adjacent terminal to find a place to grab a bite to eat and just chat before her connecting flight departed. The airport gave Grandma the use of a wheelchair as a courtesy. (For legal reasons, I am wondering if they give these to anyone who looks over 50!) Grandma could have walked on her own, but I think she enjoyed putting me to work, telling me to pull over at the nearest eating establishment! At the rate she was requiring me to hustle, I was afraid I might get pulled over for speeding!
We found a place to grab a bite to eat. During our lunch, Grandma began to pontificate about life.
“You know,” she began. “I keep thinking about Heaven. I mean, how do they possibly have room for all of those people up there?”
I never thought about it that way and asked her, “What do you mean? There is plenty of room. I am sure of that.”
“No,” she continued. “I just don’t see how there could be much more room up there now. I suppose I have to wait around to die until they kick a few out.”
She took a slurp of her soup and then said, “And I certainly do not intend to head in the opposite direction when I die!” Leave it to Grandma to have such a delicate reference to Hell.
Since we were on the topic, I asked her who she would probably see first in Heaven, provided they cleared out the clutter first.
“Oh, I suppose I would see Lloyd and L.A.,” she expressed, in reference to her late husband who passed away 30 years ago and to my late father, her oldest son, who died at a young age.
“Do you think they will let Uncle Blaine up there when he dies?” I joked.
Not missing a beat and recognizing the orneriness of her 74-year-old, very energetic son, Grandma replied, “They may not want him!” Then she laughed that all-out guffaw for which she is known by family and friends. If you are sitting or standing near her when she laughs, you could get sprayed! Bring some wipes.
After lunch, her sweet tooth kicked in. She was on the prowl for some chocolate or a big cinnamon roll with all of the calories smeared over it. At her age, calories are the least of her worries! (Wouldn’t that be great?) She is not large, yet eating is her favorite sport. “If I can’t eat it, I don’t want it,” she will respond when asked what she wants for her birthday. “I’ll eat anything.”
I have heard that a sense of humor keeps the years off of a person, too. No wonder Grandma is still rocking it! At one point during our airport stay, we got a bit bored. I had an idea and asked Grandma if she would be willing to participate. I did not have to ask her twice.
We decided that I would sit in the wheelchair and she would push ME! She got up out of the chair and I plopped my hindquarters in it. She stood behind it and began pushing me down the terminal. Between fits of laughter, I had to yell, “Grandma! Slow down! You’re scaring me!” My husband had the foresight to break out the camera at this point. Since I was thus caught on film “abusing” a geriatric, I then made my husband get in the chair, and, yes, Grandma pushed HIM! The looks we got from people ran from general intrigue to “what’s the number for the geriatric abuse hotline?” It was, in true fashion, a Borat-like moment! And Grandma loved it! If you don’t believe me, check out the photos with this article. No, I did not pay her to smile. She is smiling because she knows that she is named in MY will and that, with her active and upbeat lifestyle, she quite possibly could outlive me. Don’t let the chocolate reference fool you! She has it going on…and on…..and on….
Once we put the wheelchair aside, she asked me, “So, how about a cruise next summer?”
That is yet another way to avert the aging process. Make plans to live for…and live a life that others would die for! Just make sure you keep a comfortable place up in Heaven for Grandma one of these years!
The world is full of anti-aging products, secrets, tips, and illusions, but if you truly want to feel remarkably years younger in an instant, then stand next to a gal well into her 105th year of life and see how you feel!
The simple fact that she is of such a mature age does not make you feel younger in and of itself. The fact that she is still full of life makes you feel younger, almost as if you have years ahead of you, no matter what your age.
I had to remind myself of this fact while at a meeting this morning. A younger man in the group, around age 27, pointed out that I am, well, older than he is. Yes, at 45, I am older, but that does not make me OLD. He was implying that I would probably be retiring within a few years. What???? I don’t know what his generation is thinking, but in my world, we never retire. People in my family are still employed at the time of their demise. My grandfather was into his nineties when he passed away, yet he was, up until a few months prior to his death, heading out to the office every day, just as he had for nearly 70 years. My uncle, age 74, works full-time as a medical doctor. I truly believe that his energy and work ethic have kept him young. You would never be able to tell at first glance that he is 74. I guarantee you that the young man who noted I would probably be retiring in a few years will be retired well before I will even think about it!
So, let’s get back to standing next to an elderly lady. (No, you are not standing next to me. Picture my granny here. Focus!) This past Sunday, I had the honor of meeting her at the airport on her return trip from the east coast. She had a three-hour layover before her “puddle jumper” plane escorted her back to her small town in the Midwest. This gave Grandma and my husband and I the opportunity to spend some quality time with each other. All I can say, is, Grandma surely can make all of us look bad when it comes to living life to the fullest!
According to sources on About.com, “for seniors, the term ‘aging well’ includes having a healthy body, an active mind, a healthy lifestyle, and a positive attitude. For Grandma, that means check, check, check, and double-check! She fits all of those criteria, and more! In 2004, a team of researchers from the University of Texas conducted a study that revealed, unsurprisingly, that “people with an upbeat view of life were less likely than pessimists to show signs of frailty.” Their findings suggested that people who held fast to a positive outlook on life were much less likely to become frail. Grandma has that one nailed down.
After we picked her up at the airport and retrieved her belongings from the baggage claim, we headed over to the adjacent terminal to find a place to grab a bite to eat and just chat before her connecting flight departed. The airport gave Grandma the use of a wheelchair as a courtesy. (For legal reasons, I am wondering if they give these to anyone who looks over 50!) Grandma could have walked on her own, but I think she enjoyed putting me to work, telling me to pull over at the nearest eating establishment! At the rate she was requiring me to hustle, I was afraid I might get pulled over for speeding!
We found a place to grab a bite to eat. During our lunch, Grandma began to pontificate about life.
“You know,” she began. “I keep thinking about Heaven. I mean, how do they possibly have room for all of those people up there?”
I never thought about it that way and asked her, “What do you mean? There is plenty of room. I am sure of that.”
“No,” she continued. “I just don’t see how there could be much more room up there now. I suppose I have to wait around to die until they kick a few out.”
She took a slurp of her soup and then said, “And I certainly do not intend to head in the opposite direction when I die!” Leave it to Grandma to have such a delicate reference to Hell.
Since we were on the topic, I asked her who she would probably see first in Heaven, provided they cleared out the clutter first.
“Oh, I suppose I would see Lloyd and L.A.,” she expressed, in reference to her late husband who passed away 30 years ago and to my late father, her oldest son, who died at a young age.
“Do you think they will let Uncle Blaine up there when he dies?” I joked.
Not missing a beat and recognizing the orneriness of her 74-year-old, very energetic son, Grandma replied, “They may not want him!” Then she laughed that all-out guffaw for which she is known by family and friends. If you are sitting or standing near her when she laughs, you could get sprayed! Bring some wipes.
After lunch, her sweet tooth kicked in. She was on the prowl for some chocolate or a big cinnamon roll with all of the calories smeared over it. At her age, calories are the least of her worries! (Wouldn’t that be great?) She is not large, yet eating is her favorite sport. “If I can’t eat it, I don’t want it,” she will respond when asked what she wants for her birthday. “I’ll eat anything.”
I have heard that a sense of humor keeps the years off of a person, too. No wonder Grandma is still rocking it! At one point during our airport stay, we got a bit bored. I had an idea and asked Grandma if she would be willing to participate. I did not have to ask her twice.
We decided that I would sit in the wheelchair and she would push ME! She got up out of the chair and I plopped my hindquarters in it. She stood behind it and began pushing me down the terminal. Between fits of laughter, I had to yell, “Grandma! Slow down! You’re scaring me!” My husband had the foresight to break out the camera at this point. Since I was thus caught on film “abusing” a geriatric, I then made my husband get in the chair, and, yes, Grandma pushed HIM! The looks we got from people ran from general intrigue to “what’s the number for the geriatric abuse hotline?” It was, in true fashion, a Borat-like moment! And Grandma loved it! If you don’t believe me, check out the photos with this article. No, I did not pay her to smile. She is smiling because she knows that she is named in MY will and that, with her active and upbeat lifestyle, she quite possibly could outlive me. Don’t let the chocolate reference fool you! She has it going on…and on…..and on….
Once we put the wheelchair aside, she asked me, “So, how about a cruise next summer?”
That is yet another way to avert the aging process. Make plans to live for…and live a life that others would die for! Just make sure you keep a comfortable place up in Heaven for Grandma one of these years!
Friday, July 17, 2009
The End of Aging? Inside the New Hunt for a Cure to Growing Old
Old age has always been like the weather: Everybody talks about aging, but nobody does anything about it. Oh, they’ve tried. For millennia, charlatans have been offering remedies for aging that didn’t work any better than baldness cures and virility restorers.
Now, however, with baldness cures and virility restorers that do work found as close as the nearest drugstore, researchers have started looking into ways to slow, stop or perhaps even reverse the changes that accompany aging. If these scientists succeed, their breakthroughs may lead to major changes in human society.
We’ve long regarded aging as something almost mystical or supernatural, and it’s easy to see why. Unlike, say, smallpox, aging doesn’t come on suddenly or spread from person to person. You also don’t recover from it, as you do from most infectious diseases. It happens gradually, and it’s pretty much unrelenting. Eyesight dims, joints get stiff and achy, teeth go bad and, in general, things just keep getting worse until death arrives.
But research demonstrates that aging isn’t a supernatural process; it’s a physical one that gradually occurs as systems wear out beyond the body’s ability to repair them. Cells fill up with metabolic debris called lipofuscin that they can’t digest, accompanied by decreasing functionality. They also undergo glycation, gumming up and caramelizing with sugars that have bonded to proteins. Mitochondrial DNA can suffer mutations, and the body slowly loses stem cells, which weakens healing and repair.
Aging is breakdown, but broken things can be fixed. After all, cars and airplanes tend to wear out as they get older, but with sufficient maintenance they can last far beyond their design life.
Biogerontologists like Aubrey de Grey, author of Ending Aging, believe that living longer is a fairly straightforward engineering problem: Find out what breaks and fix it. De Grey promotes an approach he calls Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence, or SENS. It identifies seven specific breakdowns and attempts to attack each of them in turn. He and others are researching longevity with support from nonprofits and an X Prize approach aimed at extending the life span of mice. (Researchers call it the Mprize, a reference to their quest to engineer the “Methuselah mouse.”) I certainly wish them well — after all, I’m not getting any younger — but de Grey says that it will probably be 20 or 30 years before we see effective antiaging drugs on the market.
Scientists have already identified more modest life extenders. It’s pretty thoroughly established that red wine’s resveratrol activates the SIRT-1 gene, which seems to clean out intracellular gunk. (The gene is also triggered by calorie restriction.) Studies show that rats dosed with resveratrol — or given low-calorie diets — seem to live longer and remain far more vital than ordinary rats. Sirtris Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting human testing of a drug called SRT501 as a treatment for diabetes, but it may also hold promise for retarding the aging process and alleviating a number of inflammatory diseases that go with getting older.
At Stanford, researchers have reversed the aging of skin in mice, making it look and act like young skin, which contains cells that reproduce rapidly. This treatment isn’t ready for humans, but it suggests an approach. And given the popularity of cosmetics that merely address the appearance of aging, it seems likely a product that actually produces new skin would sell like hotcakes.
Meanwhile, commercial resveratrol supplements are available, and people are taking them, including some scientists in the field. As part of the research for this column, I started taking one.
On the flip side, people often see extended longevity as dubious, envisioning extra years in the nursing home. As Jay Leno says, “People tell you to eat right and exercise, but that only gives you more years in your 80s. Who needs that? What I really want are more years in my 20s.” New treatments for aging would give us just that — or at least healthier years in our 60s and 70s. The goal isn’t just more years in your life, but more life in your years.
If antiaging drugs eventually work, who could be against them? Well, Dr. Leon Kass, for one. Kass, former chairman of the President’s Council on Bioethics, writes: “Is it really true that longer life for individuals is an unqualified good? If the human life span were increased even by only 20 years, would the pleasures of life increase proportionately?”
The obvious answer: It depends on the individual. But on a societal level, the extension of people's productive working lives could pay huge dividends. If people stay youthful longer, we’ll see less pressure on the stressed-out social security systems of most industrialized countries. If 65-year-olds were as vigorous as 35-year-olds, or even 45-year-olds, there would be no reason to fund their retirement. Pushing the retirement age back a decade or two could save trillions. And, of course, if you can actually reverse aging, the whole notion of retirement becomes obsolete.
The reality is that Americans now live longer, healthier lives by several decades than the majority did a century ago. Most of us think it’s a good thing. Would extending this phenomenon by several more decades be good, too? Seems like it to me.
Now, however, with baldness cures and virility restorers that do work found as close as the nearest drugstore, researchers have started looking into ways to slow, stop or perhaps even reverse the changes that accompany aging. If these scientists succeed, their breakthroughs may lead to major changes in human society.
We’ve long regarded aging as something almost mystical or supernatural, and it’s easy to see why. Unlike, say, smallpox, aging doesn’t come on suddenly or spread from person to person. You also don’t recover from it, as you do from most infectious diseases. It happens gradually, and it’s pretty much unrelenting. Eyesight dims, joints get stiff and achy, teeth go bad and, in general, things just keep getting worse until death arrives.
But research demonstrates that aging isn’t a supernatural process; it’s a physical one that gradually occurs as systems wear out beyond the body’s ability to repair them. Cells fill up with metabolic debris called lipofuscin that they can’t digest, accompanied by decreasing functionality. They also undergo glycation, gumming up and caramelizing with sugars that have bonded to proteins. Mitochondrial DNA can suffer mutations, and the body slowly loses stem cells, which weakens healing and repair.
Aging is breakdown, but broken things can be fixed. After all, cars and airplanes tend to wear out as they get older, but with sufficient maintenance they can last far beyond their design life.
Biogerontologists like Aubrey de Grey, author of Ending Aging, believe that living longer is a fairly straightforward engineering problem: Find out what breaks and fix it. De Grey promotes an approach he calls Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence, or SENS. It identifies seven specific breakdowns and attempts to attack each of them in turn. He and others are researching longevity with support from nonprofits and an X Prize approach aimed at extending the life span of mice. (Researchers call it the Mprize, a reference to their quest to engineer the “Methuselah mouse.”) I certainly wish them well — after all, I’m not getting any younger — but de Grey says that it will probably be 20 or 30 years before we see effective antiaging drugs on the market.
Scientists have already identified more modest life extenders. It’s pretty thoroughly established that red wine’s resveratrol activates the SIRT-1 gene, which seems to clean out intracellular gunk. (The gene is also triggered by calorie restriction.) Studies show that rats dosed with resveratrol — or given low-calorie diets — seem to live longer and remain far more vital than ordinary rats. Sirtris Pharmaceuticals is currently conducting human testing of a drug called SRT501 as a treatment for diabetes, but it may also hold promise for retarding the aging process and alleviating a number of inflammatory diseases that go with getting older.
At Stanford, researchers have reversed the aging of skin in mice, making it look and act like young skin, which contains cells that reproduce rapidly. This treatment isn’t ready for humans, but it suggests an approach. And given the popularity of cosmetics that merely address the appearance of aging, it seems likely a product that actually produces new skin would sell like hotcakes.
Meanwhile, commercial resveratrol supplements are available, and people are taking them, including some scientists in the field. As part of the research for this column, I started taking one.
On the flip side, people often see extended longevity as dubious, envisioning extra years in the nursing home. As Jay Leno says, “People tell you to eat right and exercise, but that only gives you more years in your 80s. Who needs that? What I really want are more years in my 20s.” New treatments for aging would give us just that — or at least healthier years in our 60s and 70s. The goal isn’t just more years in your life, but more life in your years.
If antiaging drugs eventually work, who could be against them? Well, Dr. Leon Kass, for one. Kass, former chairman of the President’s Council on Bioethics, writes: “Is it really true that longer life for individuals is an unqualified good? If the human life span were increased even by only 20 years, would the pleasures of life increase proportionately?”
The obvious answer: It depends on the individual. But on a societal level, the extension of people's productive working lives could pay huge dividends. If people stay youthful longer, we’ll see less pressure on the stressed-out social security systems of most industrialized countries. If 65-year-olds were as vigorous as 35-year-olds, or even 45-year-olds, there would be no reason to fund their retirement. Pushing the retirement age back a decade or two could save trillions. And, of course, if you can actually reverse aging, the whole notion of retirement becomes obsolete.
The reality is that Americans now live longer, healthier lives by several decades than the majority did a century ago. Most of us think it’s a good thing. Would extending this phenomenon by several more decades be good, too? Seems like it to me.
Compound Found in Berries Fights Wrinkles
A compound found in berries prevents sun damage.
By Gale Maleskey, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian
If you’re like me, you don’t want to look any older than you have to. Wrinkles are a part of aging, but I don’t want any more than absolutely necessary! I also don’t want to spend money on expensive cosmetic procedures that smooth out wrinkles for a few months with painful injections!
So I’m really happy to find out that something I really enjoy — berries — can help to stop wrinkles and sun damage to skin.
We already knew that berries have lots of healthy properties. A compound, ellagic acid, found in berries, green tea, and some other fruits, vegetables and nuts, is a potent antioxidant. So it helps to protect us from cancer, aging and environmental toxins.
New research also shows that ellagic acid has very specific effects on the skin. Researchers from South Korea found that a topical application of ellagic acid markedly prevents collagen destruction and inflammatory response, both major causes of wrinkles, in skin cells exposed to harmful sunlight. The ellagic acid worked to prevent UV damage by blocking production of enzymes that break down collagen in damaged skin cells and by reducing the genetic expression of a molecule involved in inflammation. The result: less redness, thickening and wrinkling of the skin.
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: This study used a topical form of ellagic acid, but there is good reason to believe that berries also work their skin magic from the inside out. That’s why I’m eating more berries than ever! You can get even more protection from berries by adding concentrated, standardized extracts of berries to your supplements regimen.
By Gale Maleskey, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian
If you’re like me, you don’t want to look any older than you have to. Wrinkles are a part of aging, but I don’t want any more than absolutely necessary! I also don’t want to spend money on expensive cosmetic procedures that smooth out wrinkles for a few months with painful injections!
So I’m really happy to find out that something I really enjoy — berries — can help to stop wrinkles and sun damage to skin.
We already knew that berries have lots of healthy properties. A compound, ellagic acid, found in berries, green tea, and some other fruits, vegetables and nuts, is a potent antioxidant. So it helps to protect us from cancer, aging and environmental toxins.
New research also shows that ellagic acid has very specific effects on the skin. Researchers from South Korea found that a topical application of ellagic acid markedly prevents collagen destruction and inflammatory response, both major causes of wrinkles, in skin cells exposed to harmful sunlight. The ellagic acid worked to prevent UV damage by blocking production of enzymes that break down collagen in damaged skin cells and by reducing the genetic expression of a molecule involved in inflammation. The result: less redness, thickening and wrinkling of the skin.
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: This study used a topical form of ellagic acid, but there is good reason to believe that berries also work their skin magic from the inside out. That’s why I’m eating more berries than ever! You can get even more protection from berries by adding concentrated, standardized extracts of berries to your supplements regimen.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Anti-aging study shows drug gives mice longevity boost even late in life
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A drug known to suppress the immune system, and possibly inhibit cancer and other destructive aging processes, is the new frontrunner in federally supported anti-aging studies.
In the study, mice fed the drug rapamycin, even starting in late middle age, had their lifespan extended by 9 to 14 percent. The results appear online and will be published in the journal Nature July 16.
University of Michigan scientist Richard A. Miller, M.D., Ph.D., says the findings are the most robust yet in the ongoing animal experiments at his lab and two others. The study, now in its sixth year, tests agents that have potential to slow aging. The other study sites are the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, and the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.
“While other results have been promising, the rapamycin effect is bigger, and worked even when started in late middle age,” says Miller, a professor of pathology at the U-M Medical School and associate director of the U-M Geriatrics Center.
In the study, both male and female mice who were 600 days old were fed the experimental diet. Mice fed a normal diet with rapamycin lived longer than those fed a normal diet without the drug. Rapamycin led to a 14 percent increase in lifespan in female mice, and a 9 percent increase in lifespan for male mice.
The mice were well past middle age when the study started. Rarely does a mouse of this type live longer than 1,200 days.
In a separate study, rapamycin fed to mice beginning at 270 days of age increased survival in both male and females.
The idea for using rapamycin was suggested by Zelton Dave Sharp, of the University of Texas. A review committee decided to test this agent because rapamycin blocks a protein called “target of rapamycin,” or TOR. Mutant worms with low TOR are longer-lived than regular worms. The TOR also plays a big role in how cells respond to nutrients, hormones and stress.
The anti-aging results present a potential new strength of rapamycin. Rapamycin is a powerful drug that’s used in medicine to turn down immune responses, for example in patients who have had a kidney transplant. The drug diminishes the patient’s ability to reject the transplanted kidney. It’s also emerging as an anti-cancer drug.
“We do not know if the good effects of rapamycin in our mice are due to its anti-immune effects, its anti-cancer effects, or some other effect,” Miller says. “We’re hoping that we may someday prove that the drug has an anti-aging effect with the ability to slow many aspects of aging.”
The large, carefully controlled study at the three sites, called the NIA interventions Testing Program, is intended to provide some of the first reliable data on potential drugs to slow aging and its accompanying ills, he says.
Miller says prior studies of putative anti-aging medications have typically not been repeated at second sites, partly due to time and expense, and their results have proven to be hard to confirm in subsequent studies. “So showing that the drug worked at three sites provides much stronger evidence for effectiveness than a study at any one site would produce
“The observation that the drug worked in all three sites makes the basic finding much less likely to be due to some statistical fluke or some unsuspected experimental factor,” Miller says.
Randy Strong of the University of Texas Health Science Center, David E. Harrison of the Jackson Laboratory and Miller are chief collaborators in the National Institute on Aging Project and are authors of the report, along with Sharp, James F. Nelson, Clinton M. Astle, Kevin Flurkey, Nancy L. Nadon, J. Erby Wilkinson, associate professor of comparative pathology in the Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine and associate professor of pathology at the U-M Medical School, Krystyna Frenkel, Christy S. Carter, Marco Pahor, Martin A. Javors, and Elizabeth Fernandez.
Funding: National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health
Reference: Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature 08221; scheduled for print publication July 16, 2009
# # #
Written by Shantell M. Kirkendoll
In the study, mice fed the drug rapamycin, even starting in late middle age, had their lifespan extended by 9 to 14 percent. The results appear online and will be published in the journal Nature July 16.
University of Michigan scientist Richard A. Miller, M.D., Ph.D., says the findings are the most robust yet in the ongoing animal experiments at his lab and two others. The study, now in its sixth year, tests agents that have potential to slow aging. The other study sites are the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, and the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.
“While other results have been promising, the rapamycin effect is bigger, and worked even when started in late middle age,” says Miller, a professor of pathology at the U-M Medical School and associate director of the U-M Geriatrics Center.
In the study, both male and female mice who were 600 days old were fed the experimental diet. Mice fed a normal diet with rapamycin lived longer than those fed a normal diet without the drug. Rapamycin led to a 14 percent increase in lifespan in female mice, and a 9 percent increase in lifespan for male mice.
The mice were well past middle age when the study started. Rarely does a mouse of this type live longer than 1,200 days.
In a separate study, rapamycin fed to mice beginning at 270 days of age increased survival in both male and females.
The idea for using rapamycin was suggested by Zelton Dave Sharp, of the University of Texas. A review committee decided to test this agent because rapamycin blocks a protein called “target of rapamycin,” or TOR. Mutant worms with low TOR are longer-lived than regular worms. The TOR also plays a big role in how cells respond to nutrients, hormones and stress.
The anti-aging results present a potential new strength of rapamycin. Rapamycin is a powerful drug that’s used in medicine to turn down immune responses, for example in patients who have had a kidney transplant. The drug diminishes the patient’s ability to reject the transplanted kidney. It’s also emerging as an anti-cancer drug.
“We do not know if the good effects of rapamycin in our mice are due to its anti-immune effects, its anti-cancer effects, or some other effect,” Miller says. “We’re hoping that we may someday prove that the drug has an anti-aging effect with the ability to slow many aspects of aging.”
The large, carefully controlled study at the three sites, called the NIA interventions Testing Program, is intended to provide some of the first reliable data on potential drugs to slow aging and its accompanying ills, he says.
Miller says prior studies of putative anti-aging medications have typically not been repeated at second sites, partly due to time and expense, and their results have proven to be hard to confirm in subsequent studies. “So showing that the drug worked at three sites provides much stronger evidence for effectiveness than a study at any one site would produce
“The observation that the drug worked in all three sites makes the basic finding much less likely to be due to some statistical fluke or some unsuspected experimental factor,” Miller says.
Randy Strong of the University of Texas Health Science Center, David E. Harrison of the Jackson Laboratory and Miller are chief collaborators in the National Institute on Aging Project and are authors of the report, along with Sharp, James F. Nelson, Clinton M. Astle, Kevin Flurkey, Nancy L. Nadon, J. Erby Wilkinson, associate professor of comparative pathology in the Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine and associate professor of pathology at the U-M Medical School, Krystyna Frenkel, Christy S. Carter, Marco Pahor, Martin A. Javors, and Elizabeth Fernandez.
Funding: National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health
Reference: Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature 08221; scheduled for print publication July 16, 2009
# # #
Written by Shantell M. Kirkendoll
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Ten Antiaging Superfoods To Eat More Of
Needing to revitalize the regular, good-for-you diet of chicken and broccoli? Try out some of the following superfoods that score big nutritional value! For delicious recipe ideas, click on links.
Guava This tropical delight is especially high in fiber. The apple guava variety contains nearly four times more vitamin C than a single orange.
Avocado One fruit contains approximately 10 grams of fiber. According to a study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, avocados contain enough lutein to stop cancer growth in a lab experiment. Lutein is also a powerful antioxidant contributing to good eye health.
Chia Seeds This delicately crunchy seed was cherished by the Aztecs and is known for its energy producing effects. Only one ounce contains approximately 11 grams of fiber and 5 grams of omega 3 essential fatty acids.
Gooseberries This tart berry is relatively low in sugar compared to most fruit, and high in cancer-fighting vitamin C and vitamin A. The purple variety contains almost 50 percent more antioxidants than blueberries.
Ostrich Meat While it comes from a bird, it tastes more like red meat and much leaner in saturated fat than steak or chicken. It is an excellent source of zinc, selenium, and iron.
Walnuts When eaten raw, only one ounce contains an adequate amount of the U.S. recommended daily amount of omega 3 oils. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, eating walnuts regularly lead to a 35 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
Greek Yogurt This low fat, creamy treat is significantly higher in protein, calcium and probiotics than regular yogurt. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that dieters eating three servings a day of yogurt a day lost 22 percent more weight and 61 percent more body fat than dieters who did not eat yogurt.
Artic Char Closely related to salmon, this fish is milder in taste and boasts high levels of Omega 3 oils and protein.
Prickly Pear Cactus This savory plant is a rich source of fiber, vitamins A and C and potassium. A 2007 study in the Diabetes Care reported that prickly pear cactus can help reduce blood sugar levels.
Cremini Mushrooms This slightly darker shade of mushrooms is known for its rich flavor. A 2006 German study found that cremini mushrooms have several antimicrobial properties that could protect your body, from disease and infection.
Hollee Enright
Go to Hollee's Home Page
Phoenix Healthy Living Examiner
Guava This tropical delight is especially high in fiber. The apple guava variety contains nearly four times more vitamin C than a single orange.
Avocado One fruit contains approximately 10 grams of fiber. According to a study in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, avocados contain enough lutein to stop cancer growth in a lab experiment. Lutein is also a powerful antioxidant contributing to good eye health.
Chia Seeds This delicately crunchy seed was cherished by the Aztecs and is known for its energy producing effects. Only one ounce contains approximately 11 grams of fiber and 5 grams of omega 3 essential fatty acids.
Gooseberries This tart berry is relatively low in sugar compared to most fruit, and high in cancer-fighting vitamin C and vitamin A. The purple variety contains almost 50 percent more antioxidants than blueberries.
Ostrich Meat While it comes from a bird, it tastes more like red meat and much leaner in saturated fat than steak or chicken. It is an excellent source of zinc, selenium, and iron.
Walnuts When eaten raw, only one ounce contains an adequate amount of the U.S. recommended daily amount of omega 3 oils. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, eating walnuts regularly lead to a 35 percent reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
Greek Yogurt This low fat, creamy treat is significantly higher in protein, calcium and probiotics than regular yogurt. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found that dieters eating three servings a day of yogurt a day lost 22 percent more weight and 61 percent more body fat than dieters who did not eat yogurt.
Artic Char Closely related to salmon, this fish is milder in taste and boasts high levels of Omega 3 oils and protein.
Prickly Pear Cactus This savory plant is a rich source of fiber, vitamins A and C and potassium. A 2007 study in the Diabetes Care reported that prickly pear cactus can help reduce blood sugar levels.
Cremini Mushrooms This slightly darker shade of mushrooms is known for its rich flavor. A 2006 German study found that cremini mushrooms have several antimicrobial properties that could protect your body, from disease and infection.
Hollee Enright
Go to Hollee's Home Page
Phoenix Healthy Living Examiner
Functional foods' that pack a healthy antioxidant punch
(ARA) - Antioxidants work in our bodies to prevent or slow the damage done by free radicals. Like rust on a car, oxidation can damage our cells and may contribute to age-related health problems. Antioxidants are known to provide anti-aging properties and, according to the American Dietetic Association, may even increase immune function and possibly decrease the risk of infection and cancer.
While 70 percent of us are aware of antioxidants and their health benefits, most may not know how to easily incorporate high antioxidant foods into our busy, fast-paced lives. Simple solutions for a balanced and healthy lifestyle include eating a diet rich in "functional foods" or foods with a purpose -- foods that offer far-reaching benefits beyond just satiating our appetites -- such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The good news is there's no need to sacrifice health for convenience. For example, Sunsweet Antioxidant Blend is a delicious dried fruit blend of cherries, plums, wild blueberries and cranberries, which are four of the highest scoring, free radical fighting fruits according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Fruit snacks are a healthy choice because they are high in antioxidants and offer multiple functional benefits. For example, prunes, also known as dried plums, are considered a "super fruit" because they are not only high in antioxidants; they also promote a strong immune system, improve heart health and are good for healthy bones.
"Functional foods are an important part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and physical activity," says Steve Harris, vice president of marketing at Sunsweet Growers. "Functional dried fruits, like those found in Antioxidant Blend, offer a quick, convenient and healthy snack, as well as a nutrient-packed ingredient that can accent a tossed salad, enhance baked goods, or sweeten up any favorite recipe."
Try these tasty suggestions to get the most out of functional dried fruits:
* For a treat that's smart to eat, combine with raw almonds for a powerful and satiating snack.
* To enhance a meal, add to a mixed greens or spinach salad for added flavor and nutrition.
* For a boost to your breakfast, start by mixing the blend with hot oatmeal and benefit from the whole grains and fruit.
* Add a flavorful punch to any baking recipe by mixing the blend in breads or bran muffins.
* Add pizzazz to appetizers and snacks by pairing with low-fat cheeses.
While 70 percent of us are aware of antioxidants and their health benefits, most may not know how to easily incorporate high antioxidant foods into our busy, fast-paced lives. Simple solutions for a balanced and healthy lifestyle include eating a diet rich in "functional foods" or foods with a purpose -- foods that offer far-reaching benefits beyond just satiating our appetites -- such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The good news is there's no need to sacrifice health for convenience. For example, Sunsweet Antioxidant Blend is a delicious dried fruit blend of cherries, plums, wild blueberries and cranberries, which are four of the highest scoring, free radical fighting fruits according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Fruit snacks are a healthy choice because they are high in antioxidants and offer multiple functional benefits. For example, prunes, also known as dried plums, are considered a "super fruit" because they are not only high in antioxidants; they also promote a strong immune system, improve heart health and are good for healthy bones.
"Functional foods are an important part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and physical activity," says Steve Harris, vice president of marketing at Sunsweet Growers. "Functional dried fruits, like those found in Antioxidant Blend, offer a quick, convenient and healthy snack, as well as a nutrient-packed ingredient that can accent a tossed salad, enhance baked goods, or sweeten up any favorite recipe."
Try these tasty suggestions to get the most out of functional dried fruits:
* For a treat that's smart to eat, combine with raw almonds for a powerful and satiating snack.
* To enhance a meal, add to a mixed greens or spinach salad for added flavor and nutrition.
* For a boost to your breakfast, start by mixing the blend with hot oatmeal and benefit from the whole grains and fruit.
* Add a flavorful punch to any baking recipe by mixing the blend in breads or bran muffins.
* Add pizzazz to appetizers and snacks by pairing with low-fat cheeses.
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