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Introduction

You may find it hard to believe, but around the age of 20 we all begin sliding down the slippery slope of aging. The average lifespan in the U.S. is now about 78 years. That means we spend about 60 years of our lives growing older. We all accept aging as a reality, but what exactly drives the aging process and do we have any control of it? Many of us know folks who are still physically and mentally dynamic in their 80s and 90s and the oldest living person on earth is thought to be 124! Is there anything we can do to improve our chances of being one of those lucky people who live both well and long?

Theories on Aging

Many theories have been proposed to explain how and why we grow old. The most prominent of which can be classified into two basic theoretical camps. While they are very different conceptually, there is certainly some overlap among these ideas.

Some experts subscribe to “Biological Clock” theories, which state that your lifespan is largely predetermined by your genes. These theories suggest that genetic programming determines the maximum lifespan for every species. In other words, if your parents and grandparents lived to be 90, you’re likely to reach that decade too, provided you don’t have an accident, contract an illness or age prematurely due to bad habits. That said, we all know people who may smoke, drink heavily or eat poorly and never seem to “pay” for it.

Other experts believe in what are often called “Wear-and-Tear” theories. Wear-and-tear occurs when damage to the body’s cells and systems from a variety of assaults — radiation, chemical toxins, processed foods, as well as mental, emotional and physical stress — accumulates, making you more susceptible to disease and ultimately shortening your lifespan.

Is It Possible to Slow the Aging Process?

If you want to increase your chances for living a long and healthy life, what steps should you be taking right now? There are many studies that suggest that you can actually slow down the biological “clock”. However, the most obvious recommendations for extending lifespan have to do with reducing wear-and-tear. Even if your parents or grandparents died at a relatively young age, or if you have not always treated your body as well as you perhaps could have, it is not too late to slow down the aging process!

If you look at historical increases in human lifespan, one could argue that this theory has already been proven. In 1900, the average American lived to be only 49 years old. With advances in medicine and nutrition, we have nearly doubled this lifespan in only 100 years. Many experts believe that humans have the ability to live up to 120 years, so you can see that we still have some improvements to make.

10 Reasons Why You Age

1.    Free Radical Stress

We all need oxygen to live, but oxygen has a destructive side. It can create free radicals — unstable molecules that damage other molecules by stealing electrons. Free radicals are found just about everywhere in our bodies, and the havoc they can cause over time is insidious. They can damage cell membranes which affects the cell’s ability to take in nutrients and let out toxins. They can damage DNA, the cell’s genetic material, setting the stage for cancer. And they can damage the tiny, energy-producing mitochondria inside every cell, changing these little fuel cells into free radical generators themselves. It’s no wonder that free radical damage has been implicated in most diseases associated with aging, including cancer, heart disease and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

What You Can Do:

•    Reduce your exposure to things that generate free radicals. Don’t smoke and avoid prolonged exposure to car exhaust and toxic chemicals. Cut back on red meat and avoid any kind of smoked or charbroiled meats whenever possible. Consume sugar and alcohol in moderation, and stay away from fried foods.. Also, be skeptical of plastics — and especially cautious when cooking with them.

•    Supplement with a good mix of antioxidant nutrients, both water-soluble (such as vitamin C) and fat-soluble (such as full-spectrum vitamin E and mixed carotenoids.)  Consider these powerful antioxidant supplements: selenium, green tea extract, alpha lipoic acid, krill oil, resveratrol and Coenzyme Q10.

•    Make sure your diet includes lots of deeply hued fruits and vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, oranges and reds, berries and citrus. These foods contain lots of antioxidants to fight those free radicals. Eat a minimum of five servings a day. Three veggies and two fruits are good. Also consider taking a plant-based carotenoid supplement.

•    Eat berries daily. Goji berries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and açai berries — all are antioxidant superstars. They contain a wide diversity of free radical fighting phytochemicals, and research has shown that they are powerful disease fighters. For added insurance, or if eating at least one serving of fresh berries daily is difficult, consider taking supplements containing standardized berry extracts.

2.    Glycation Reactions

It is well known that diabetics age prematurely, but even people without diabetes can suffer from a chemical reaction called glycation, where protein molecules bind with glucose (sugar) to literally gunk up your body. Glycation occurs when blood sugar is elevated and there is excess glucose in the blood stream. It can damage your blood vessels, kidneys, eyes and nerves, and can also cause kidney failure, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy, as well as damage to DNA.

What You Can Do:

•    Cut back on sugar and carbohydrates in your diet, especially refined sugar and carbs, which can spike blood sugar. Regulate your blood sugar by increasing your intake of soluble fiber, which slows down carbohydrate absorption. Eat three servings a day of oats, barley, beans, carrots or pears, and take a psyllium husk supplement daily. Aim for about 10 grams a day of total of soluble fiber from foods and supplements. That’s about three times what most people get.

•    Get enough thiamine, (vitamin B1), which blocks some of the pathways by which high blood sugar promotes tissue damage. In one study, thiamine reduced sugar-related damage by 80%. Try to get 25 mg per day. Good food sources include sunflower seeds, beans and tuna. A comprehensive multivitamin or a standalone supplement will ensure that you are getting protective amounts.

•    Take a cinnamon supplement. On study suggests that cinnamon can lower fasting blood glucose by 18% to 30%. It works by increasing insulin sensitivity, helping to move sugar from your blood into cells. Try to take 500 mg daily, the amount used in most research studies.

•    Get enough chromium. It can decrease fasting blood sugar, insulin levels, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) while also increasing insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. Try to get 200-1,000 mcg. a day in divided doses. Good food sources include romaine lettuce, onions and tomatoes. A comprehensive multivitamin or a standalone supplement is a good idea.

•    Supplement with magnesium. It’s involved in sugar metabolism, and many people don’t get enough from food alone. Getting an extra 100 mg a day of magnesium can reduce your risk for Type 2 diabetes by 15%. You’ll want to make sure you are getting 350-400 mg a day total from food and supplements.

3.    Methylation Deficit

Some of the important chemical reactions that take place in our bodies are called methylation reactions. Methylation reactions help to neutralize toxins, including homocysteine, which can harm blood vessels and nerves. They also help to produce important biochemicals used for muscle energy, fat burning, and cell membrane fluidity. Unfortunately, the ability to methylate is gradually lost as we age. This contributes to shortened lifespan of cells, autoimmune problem such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, depression, sleep problems, cancer, heart disease and disorders of the nerves and brain.

What You Can Do:

•    Take supplemental magnesium and B vitamins, especially B6, B12 and folic acid. All of these nutrients are needed for methylation to occur. A shortage of any one of them will diminish the body’s ability to methylate. We recommend 500 mcg of B12, 400-800 mcg of folic acid, 25-50 mg of B6 and 350-400 mg of magnesium from a combination of food and supplements. A comprehensive multivitamin should contain the proper doses of all of these nutrients.

4.    Mitochondrial Energy Depletion

The cell’s energy powerhouse (mitochondria) are virtual assembly lines of chemical reactions that provide the energy that maintains critical cell functions. Mitochondrial energy depletion can result in congestive heart failure, muscle weakness, fatigue and neurological disease, and is one of the main reasons for why you have less energy as you get older.

What You Can Do:

•    Take CoQ10. This antioxidant nutrient is a co-factor in many metabolic pathways, including the production of ATP, a cell’s energy currency. Your body produces less CoQ10 as you age, and if you take a statin drug such as Zocor® or Lipitor®, this depletion can accelerate. Take a supplement of 100 to 200 mg daily and make sure to get the all natural trans-form variety.

•    Get enough magnesium, at least 350-400 mg a day. A lack of this mineral leads to disordered energy metabolism and increased oxidative damage to mitochondria. Food sources include dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and soybeans. A comprehensive multivitamin or a standalone supplement may be a good idea.

•    Take extra vitamin D — 1,000-2,000 IU a day. It helps improve magnesium absorption in your intestines.

•    Consider taking an acetyl-l-carnitine supplement. This amino acid is needed to burn fat for energy. Research shows that taking acetyl-l-carnitine for 30 days improves physical and mental fatigue, increases muscle mass, and decreases fat mass in older people. It also improves walking distances in people with peripheral vascular disease. Take 500-1,000 mg daily.

•    Add vitamin E. High doses (400 IU a day or more) significantly improve survival of mitochondria in brain and liver cells, and protect against age-related changes in mitochondria. This dosage can only be achieved with supplementation. Make sure to take all-natural vitamin E as opposed to the less effective synthetic variety.

5.    Immune Impairment

Some experts believe that many symptoms of aging are due to the declining ability of the immune system to tell the difference between invaders and normal parts of your body. Not only does the immune system become less capable of resisting infection and cancer, but declining cell function may cause your immune system to attack your body’s own tissues. This is why the chances of suffering from autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis increase with age. This impairment of the immune system also generates excess levels of biochemicals that cause inflammation, which in turn cause a variety of other health problems.

What You Can Do:

•     Take a comprehensive daily multivitamin. Most vitamins and minerals play a significant role in immunity, so you need a good balance of all of them. Research shows that people who take a comprehensive multivitamin take fewer sick days at work.

•    Take supplemental fish oil or krill oil, to reduce inflammation and enhance proper immune cell function. Make sure your supplement has a high level of EPA and DHA, the active components in fish oil.

•    Drink green tea or use a green tea extract. It’s a potent anti-inflammatory, plus it can interact with antibiotics to triple their effectiveness. Most experts recommend 3 cups a day, or its equivalent in an extract, providing 240-320 mg of EGCG, the active component.

•    Get enough vitamin D. New research shows D is a strong immune booster, and lots of older people just don’t get enough, especially during the short days of winter. Supplement with 1,000 IU a day.

•    Consider taking beta glucan. These chains of sugar, derived from yeast or mushrooms, act as potent immune stimulators. While beta glucan is found in grains, yeasts and mushrooms such as maitake and reishi, you will need to take a supplement to get their therapeutic benefits. Take at least 100 mg of yeast-derived beta glucans daily. Look for a supplement that contains the most effective 1,3/1,6 type of beta glucan.

•    Make sure your multivitamin contains about 15 mg of zinc. This mineral plays an important role in immune function and wound healing. Zinc influences several important immune cells, including neutrophils, natural killer cells, and T-lymphocytes, also known as T Cells, which play a significant role in your immune system. Even a mild deficiency impairs immunity.

•    Get probiotics every day, either as a supplement or in foods with active cultures, like yogurt. These “friendly” bacteria help preserve and restore your intestines’ immune barrier. Products often list their CFUs, or Colony Forming Units, a measure of potency. Five billion per dose is a good amount. Also, unless you purchase a shelf-stable variety, be sure to refrigerate these supplements for maximum effectiveness.

•    Don’t forget to exercise. Exercise makes immune cells better able to kill bacteria and viruses. Research showed that active women in their 70s had immune systems that were as healthy as women in their 30s.

6.    Poor Microcirculation

Blood is ultimately delivered to cells via capillaries, which start to clog up as we age. The result is age-related health problems such as cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma, mini-strokes and wrinkles.

What You Can Do:

•    Take gingko biloba. Ginkgo likely improves circulation by decreasing blood viscosity and relaxing vascular smooth muscle, but it also improves muscle tone in veins, restoring balance to the circulatory system. A standardized supplement of 120-240 mg per day of ginkgo leaf extract has proven to be effective.

•    Take vitamin C (1,000 mg daily) and vitamin E (400-800 IU daily) Both help to prevent clogs in tiny blood vessels by reducing tendency for blood to clot and preventing build-up of fatty plaque.

•    Exercise. Studies show a significant improvement in microcirculation after even mild exercise, especially in muscles.

•    Don’t smoke or be around smoke. The nicotine in cigarette smoke constricts blood vessels.

7.    Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is an abnormal, ongoing immune response that eventually leads to tissue damage. It causes not only traditional inflammatory conditions such as arthritis but is now also known to be a component of many other health problems such as damage to brain cells, arterial walls, heart valves and other structures in the body. Your chances of having chronic inflammation increase as you get older.

What You Can Do:

•    Take a fish oil or krill oil supplement. The omega-3 fats in these oils are absolutely essential to counter inflammation. They work by inhibiting the body’s production of pro-inflammatory biochemicals.

•    Green tea is a must. Catechins such as EGCG in green tea inhibit a number of inflammation-causing pathways, and help protect joint cartilage and connective tissue. Drink 3 cups a day, or get its equivalent in an extract. Look for a decaffeinated, standardized extract providing 240-320 mg of EGCG.

•    Take a quercetin supplement. A good dose is 1,000-1,500 mg daily. Try to combine quercetin with 600-800 mg daily of bromelain. Both reduce inflammation by quieting down immune cells and reducing allergic response.

•    Take low-dose aspirin. It can help stop the cascade of inflammation at its initial steps, and so, has many inflammation-reducing benefits.

•    Maintain or attain your normal weight. Scientists now consider fat — especially the visceral kind in the abdomen — an endocrine organ that can trigger high levels of inflammation. The good news: Many indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation drop within a week of going on a reduced-calorie diet.

8.    Fatty Acid Imbalance

Aging causes alterations in the enzymes required to convert dietary fats into the specific essential fatty acids the body requires to sustain life. Low levels of these fatty acids accelerate the aging process. The effects of a fatty acid imbalance may show up as irregular heartbeat, joint degeneration, low energy, blood that clots too easily and dry skin or eyes.

What You Can Do:

•    Make sure your diet includes lots of omega-3s. You’ll need to eat plenty of high omega-3 foods daily to get protective amounts. Fish such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, trout and anchovies are the best sources. Or, you can take a quality fish oil supplement. If you don’t like fish, try flax seed oil — which is the best vegetarian source of omega-3s.

•    Reduce your intake of polyunsaturated fats. These include cottonseed and corn oil. Avoid all trans fats (listed on food labels as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats).

9.    Telemere Shortening

Telomeres are “caps” at the end of DNA strands, kind of like the tips on shoelaces, which protect chromosomes from destruction. They are thought to control a cell’s lifespan. Telomeres shorten progressively over time. This shortening of telomeres is believed to lead to cellular damage due to the inability of the cell to duplicate itself correctly. This leads to cellular dysfunction, aging and eventually, death.

What You Can Do:

•    Exercise! Recent research has found that an active lifestyle may actually lead to changes in your DNA that slow aging. Researchers in London studied the length of telomeres in identical twins and found that those who were more active during their leisure time had longer telomeres that those were less active.

•    Get at least 400 mg a day of magnesium. Research has shown that human cells age faster in a magnesium-deficient environment due to accelerated rates of damage to telomeres. Good food sources of magnesium include dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds and soybeans. However, taking a good multivitamin or a stand-alone magnesium supplement may be your best insurance against deficiency.

10.     Expression of Aging-Related Genes

While genes play a role in controlling your lifespan, you can still influence their impact. Like light switches, the genes that play a role in aging can be turned on and off. Breakthrough new research is showing that we can influence which genes are “expressed” or activated, and which are turned off, with a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes.

What You Can Do:

•    Stay a bit on the lean, muscular side. Eat about 300 to 500 fewer calories daily than you need to maintain your ideal weight. This means making every calorie count — no junk food! There is a considerable amount of scientific evidence suggesting that reducing your calorie intake, while meeting your nutritional needs, turns off aging genes.

•    Take a resveratrol supplement. A study showed that resveratrol, a compound in grapes and red wine, affects age-related gene expression. It switches the body’s biochemical pathways toward tissue maintenance, which has been found to extend life by cutting down on the degenerative diseases of aging. To avoid the downsides of daily alcohol consumption, a resveratrol supplement is the way to go. Take one that contains at least 100 mg of standardized resveratrol per serving.

What Is the Ideal Anti-Aging Supplement Regimen?

This Special Report details dozens of supplements that can be taken to slow down the aging process. Of course it would be difficult to take ALL of them, which is why we’ve detailed below what we consider the top 7 anti-aging supplements that you should be taking. If you have any questions, our Certified Nutrition Experts are here to help.

1. A comprehensive multivitamin: If the recommended daily serving for your current multivitamin is just one pill, chances are it is not adequate.

2. A high quality fish oil: Look for a formula containing at least 400 mg of EPA and at least 250 mg of DHA.

3. A high antioxidant green tea extract: Look for a decaffeinated extract standardized to at least 50% EGCG.

4. CoEnzyme Q10: Take 100-200 mg per day — especially if you are taking a statin drug.

5. A probiotic containing at least 3 billion live organisms per capsule: Look for a shelf-stable formula for guaranteed potency.

6. High antioxidant superfruit extracts: Standardized extracts of acai berry, goji berry, blueberry and pomegranate are among your best bets for potent free radical-scavenging activity.

7. Resveratrol: Research has shown this antioxidant to be most effective at dosages of 200-400 mg per day.

You Can Slow Down the Aging Process!

We strongly believe that it is never too late to slow down the aging process. Yes, we’d certainly agree that getting old is an inevitable part of life. We don’t know if it will ever be possible to actually “stop aging,” but we do know that advances in anti-aging science are being made in laboratories around the world each day, as researchers uncover clues that help us understand one of life’s greatest mysteries. It is easier than you might think to make drastic improvements to your health and quality of life with optimal anti-aging nutrition, exercise and a positive outlook. We encourage you to take advantage of the latest research, which has shown that there are actions you can take right now to positively impact the way your body ages, so you can live the healthiest, longest life possible.

QUICK TIPS TO LIVE LONGER

1. Exercise at least one half hour every day. Do whatever you can, even if it’s just a slow walk or chair aerobics.

2. Don’t smoke, and reduce your exposure to secondhand smoke, car exhaust, pollution and toxins.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. Stay on the lean, muscular side by avoiding foods that are high in fat, refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks.

4. Drink alcohol in moderation. This means no more than 1-2 drinks a day for men, 1 for women. If you do drink, red wine is a smart choice.

5. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Aim for 5 or more servings a day. Consider a veggie carotenoid supplement and a standardized fruit extract supplement as extra insurance.

6. Take a comprehensive multivitamin. Several nutrients found in a multivitamin, such as magnesium and vitamins D, E, and A, are linked to reduced mortality. Many Americans don’t get even the minimum recommended amounts of these nutrients.

7. Take a green tea extract supplement. Make sure it is high in EGCG to reduce the inflammation associated with accelerated aging.

8. Eat more fish, less red meat. Instead, eat fatty fish daily or take a fish oil supplement high in EPA and DHA, again, to reduce age-related inflammation.

9. Get regular check-ups. Ask your doctor for a simple blood test that may show critical nutrient decifiencies. Perhaps most importantly, get a colonoscopy beginning at age 50. This test can cut your chances of dying from colon cancer by 90%.

10. Cultivate purpose, gratitude and contentment. In other words, find good reasons to live.

Tags: antioxidants, free radical theory, healthy aging, holistic nutrition, natural health