Certain nutrients and bioactives help protect telomere length, according to a recent review.

With the recent surge of interest in telomere shortening as an underlying cause of aging, it’s no wonder scientists are enthusiastically researching how diet and lifestyle can influence telomere length. Now, Ligi Paul, Ph.D., of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, has reviewed the latest literature associating telomere length with nutrients, bioactive compounds, and lifestyle factors.

Telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes from fusing with each other, Dr. Paul reminds us, and their length is an indicator of biological aging. Although shortening is a normal part of aging, oxidative stress and inflammation can speed up the process of telomere shortening.

“Of interest to nutritionists, telomere length has been shown to be associated with nutritional status in human and animal studies. Healthy lifestyles and diets are positively correlated with telomere length,” Dr. Paul wrote. And according to his review, the most recent studies have found that the following nutrients may influence telomere length:

Vitamins and Minerals

• Folate – This B vitamin is important for DNA and RNA structure and function.
• Vitamin B₁₂ – In conjunction with folate, this B vitamin is important for the methylation, or detoxification, of homocysteine. Higher levels of homocysteine are associated with increased oxidative stress.
• Niacin (nicotinamide) – Can influence telomere length through its multiple regulatory and coenzymatic activities.
• Vitamin A and beta-carotene – These antioxidants reduce concentrations of harmful signaling molecules and increase beneficial ones to help reduce oxidative stress.
• Vitamin D – Higher levels of vitamin D lower levels of c-reactive protein (CRP), a protein with harmful effects and associated with shortened telomere length. Vitamin D appears to inhibit some of CRP’s harmful effects.
• Vitamins C and E – These antioxidant vitamins are widely acknowledged for limiting oxidative stress and its damage on DNA and telomeres.
• Magnesium – The mineral required for the activity of a number of enzymes involved in DNA replication and repair. Low amounts of this mineral are also associated with higher concentrations of CRP.
• Zinc – This mineral is necessary for a variety of enzymes including DNA polymerases, which are important for DNA and telomere maintenance.
• Iron – In contrast to the other nutrients, iron supplementation is associated with shorter telomeres. This is likely because of iron’s pro-oxidant ability to stimulate free radical generation. While iron supplements may increase oxidative stress, iron from diet or multivitamins (containing less iron) is not negatively associated with telomere length.

Other Bioactives

• Curcumin and turmeric – Turmeric, and its primary component curcumin, are common dietary spices that stimulate synthesis of antioxidants, thereby protecting against oxidative stress. Mice fed diets containing curcumin had a trend for longer telomeres compared with controls.
• Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) – Higher plasma levels of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may protect against oxidative stress by enhancing activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase.
• Polyphenols – Polyphenols from grape seed and green tea provide additional protection for DNA and telomeres from oxidative stress. Those who drink tea regularly have longer telomeres while mice fed grape seed polyphenols had longer telomeres compared to controls.

Each of the mechanisms by which these nutrients and bioactives work may help explain why taking multivitamins is associated with longer telomere length. Those who take multivitamins, Dr. Paul notes, are also more likely to follow a healthy lifestyle. For example, they are more likely to combine a diet high in fruits and vegetables with exercise, to not smoke, and to maintain a healthy weight—factors all associated with longer telomeres.

“Since diet and lifestyle can influence inflammation, oxidative stress and psychological stress, all of which cause telomere attrition [shortening], they could also influence telomere length,” Dr. Paul wrote.

The Isagenix system for managing a healthy weight, along with the Ageless Essential Daily Pack, provides a solid foundation for maintaining telomere health.  This combination of products contain high concentrations of all the telomere supporting nutrients and bioactives described by Dr. Paul and will help customers defy aging and preserve health and vitality. With Ageless Essentials Daily Pack you can forget about the different supplement bottles and oversized pill boxes—you have all the necessary nutrients listed above in convenient, individually wrapped A.M. and P.M. daily packets.

Add Product B to the mix for enhanced telomere protection and greater stimulation of antioxidant enzyme defenses. The ingredients in Ageless Essentials Daily Pack in combination with Product B are based on science, offering the ultimate telomere protection from harmful free radicals and the effects of accelerated aging that contribute to poor health.

Reference: Paul L. Diet, nutrition and telomere length. J Nutr Biochem 2011. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2010.12.001

Finding ways to cope with stress is key to healthy aging, research suggests.

A little bit of stress is important to keep you awake, active, and motivated. However, when we experience chronic periods of intense stress, our bodies begin to feel the burden. This April is Stress Awareness Month and a perfect time to acknowledge what you’re feeling and why.

The Health Resource Network, a non-profit organization, decided to set aside these four weeks to improve awareness about the dangers of stress and begin the promotion of healthy habits, on a national level. Adding to the recognition of how stress affects our health, new research has come out showing that chronic psychological stress may actually take years off your life, acting on a cellular level. Have we mentioned the importance of telomeres?

Many conditions of poor health, including the inevitable fate of aging, have been linked with the shortening of telomeres. Telomeres are the protective caps on our chromosomes that enable successful cell division and replication. These structures have come to the forefront of the battle for long-term health.

Findings from University of California, San Francisco, (UCSF) investigators presented April 4 added to an emerging body of evidence that psychological stress may accelerate shortening of telomeres, and how regular exercise may help to prevent it. In addition, a new study published in the March issue of PLoS ONE, showed that chronic depression is linked with accelerated reduction of telomere length. Researchers from the University of California San Francisco, including Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, matched 18 individuals with a history of major depressive disorders with 17 control participants. The researchers measured leukocyte (white blood cell) telomere length, as well as assessed oxidative stress and inflammatory markers.

Leukocytes are important cells for immune function and pathogen resistance. The authors looked specifically at leukocytes to view how our protective pathways are specifically impacted by psychological stress.

The participants that suffered from chronic depression had significantly shorter telomeres. Additionally, telomere length was inversely related to oxidative and inflammatory stress. Or rather, more stress and more cell destruction, equals shorter telomeres. The authors gathered that a cascade of stress hormones, “chronic inflammation and oxidation may be mechanisms by which chronic depression can result in shortened telomeres.”

These results add evidence to the widely observed phenomenon that chronically depressed persons have a greater incidence for chronic conditions and mortality.

The results of this study are not meant to cause you additional anxiety. Experiencing concern that your body is undergoing too much stress is precisely what we want to avoid! So be aware, there is a light at the end of this tunnel! Simple, conscious daily activities will help mitigate chronic stressors and keep your body healthy.

Whether you are trying to protect your leukocytes, delay the onset of aging or simply looking to clear your mind, here are a few daily rituals to put yourself at ease provided by none other than our own Facebook fans and Twitter followers:

* Tina Bowers has this advice, “Take a sack lunch and eat it at the park while watching the ducks.” Seriously, what is more relaxing than that! Better yet, try “wandering in the bush,” and don’t forget a suit for “swimming,” suggests Cherie Burke. Kevin Boulton also advises taking in nature, “First thing in the morning drinking 1 oz of Ionix® Supreme, helps me relax [we agree, the product's adaptogens can help the body cope with stress]. The other thing is I like to take a drive with my wife and take in the countryside.”
* Lorri Hollingsworth adds “meditation and deep breathing… aaaahh!” While this recommendation may be overstated—we feel its place is particularly important this month. Meditation not only has been linked to stress reduction and reducing the rate of telomeres, but it has also been associated with positive self-image, improved memory and concentration. Recent research has shown that meditation actually changes your brain’s gray matter!
* “Good sleep,” suggests Juan Avila. Going without good sleep can definitely add a hearty amount of stress.
* Several folks mentioned physical activity including Kathleen Morin, Rodney Bugg, Gregory Valiquette, and Karen Powers who like walking or jogging, Joanne Mikula who enjoys Iyengar yoga, Barbara Badgley who hits the gym, Yossi Montrose who exercises using a Performa Ball, and Jamal Eriksson who practices a few karate strikes on his makiwara. Andrea Garrote from Twitter adds “riding horses!” Healthy weight, a healthy heart and a healthy attitude are all reasons to take up exercise; however, increased activity also has been shown to mitigate the impact of stress on telomere length! Lengthen that walk and perhaps, lengthen your protective DNA.
* Guruprasad Naik says, “talking to frenz… and music.” It’s true. Socializing is a powerful stress reliever, as Marion Moss knows; her advice, “swim or chat with wonderful people.” If friends aren’t around, consider how Kristi O’Neill from Twitter relieves stress: “walking my dog, reading a romance novel, or watching a movie.”

References

O’Brien. 2011. “Exercise May Prevent Impact of Stress on Telomeres, A Measure of Cell Health.” University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). April 4, 2011.

Wolkowitz OM, Mellon SH, Epel ES et al. Leukocyte telomere length in major depression: correlations with chronicity, inflammation and oxidative stress – preliminary findings. PLoS One 2011;6:e17837.

The eyes have long been touted as the way to look into the depths of a person; to know their inner feelings by looking deeply into their eyes.  The eyes are now acknowledged as windows of the body through the science of Iridology.

Iridology; which is the study of the irides (the plural of iris) had its formal beginnings in the late 1800’s when a medical doctor from Hungary, Ignatz VonPeczely published a research paper on the fundamental findings of iris signs and how they related to specific pathology in the body.  His work resulted in a rudimentary grid which is the basis of the current iridology map that is used world wide by practicing iridologists.

Iridology is a non-invasive, painless, accurate analytical tool which serves to determine the current status of health of a person at the tissue level.  Iridology does not reveal specific pathology (medically named diseases) since several diseases can create similar changes in body tissues.  Anatomically and physiologically, the explanation for how it works is very straightforward.  The iris is an extension of the brain being endowed with many thousands of nerve endings, microscopic blood vessels, as well as muscle and connective tissue.  Every organ is connected to the iris via the nervous system; the nerve fibres receiving their impulses by way of the optic nerve, optic thalami, and the spinal cord.   The iris records information about the state and functioning  of every organ in the body as well as levels of inflammation and toxicity.  This enables the underlying cause for symptoms we may experience to be detected and removed.  The greatest feature and main advantage of iridology over other forms of health screening is that changes appear in the iris before the physical symptoms become apparent, and therefore preventive action may be taken to improve health and avoid those diseases which might otherwise develop.  Suggestions for preventative action would include diet changes, supplementation of specific nutrients (in which the individual may be deficient), tissue cleansing and detoxification,  body work; such as yoga or tai chi, and energy work such as reiki or therapeutic touch.

Jamie Oliver: Chef, activist

Jamie Oliver is transforming the way we feed ourselves, and our children.

Jamie Oliver has been drawn to the kitchen since he was a child working in his father’s pub-restaurant. He showed not only a precocious culinary talent but also a passion for creating (and talking about) fresh, honest, delicious food. In the past decade, the shaggy-haired “Naked Chef” of late-’90s BBC2 has built a worldwide media conglomerate of TV shows, books, cookware and magazines, all based on a formula of simple, unpretentious food that invites everyone to get busy in the kitchen. And as much as his cooking is generous, so is his business model — his Fifteen Foundation, for instance, trains young chefs from challenged backgrounds to run four of his restaurants.

Now, Oliver is using his fame and charm to bring attention to the changes that Brits and Americans need to make in their lifestyles and diet. Campaigns such as Jamie’s School Dinner, Ministry of Food and Food Revolution USA combine Oliver’s culinary tools, cookbooks and television, with serious activism and community organizing — to create change on both the individual and governmental level.

Join Jamie’s Food Revolution: Sign the petition >>

THE TRUTH ABOUT CLEANSING

It happens every spring. You fling open the windows, shed your winter coats, and suddenly you get the urge to clean your house and the garden. But do you ever think about cleaning all the accumulated chemicals and garbage from within your body?

Cleansing or detoxifying is an important part of ayurvedic health and it is practiced by hundreds of millions of people throughout the world. It is called ritucharya.

Chemicals and toxins, lack of a healthy diet and lack of mild exercise are contributing factors associated with Illness, Disease and Obesity! Biologically, nature supports the internal cleansing of the body.

According to “National Geographic,” studies have shown that man pours 700,000 tons of pollutants into the air we breath every day, ranging from car exhausts and industrial waste to everyday household cleaners, cosmetics and hair dyes.

Without a nutritionally rich, cleansing diet that helps nourish, revitalize and restore the body to optimum health it will eventually fall victim of influenza, colds and cough, allergies, loss off or accelerated appetite, headaches, dizziness, dry patches on your skin, allopecia (hair falling out, especially in women) tremors in the limbs, excessive body odor, constant itching, blurry vision, dry patches on your skin and unexplained muscle and joint pains, a coated tongue and persistent sore throats. The skin can be less radiant, heavier, much more oily or even excessively dry. You may also find that you break out more often and are much more prone to sunburn. The body becomes subjected to free radical damage, de-oxygenation, yeast, parasites and excess fibrin and cortisol (stress hormone). The body will sicken, lose its strength and vitality and will age prematurely. Chemicals and toxic material can suppress the immune system contributing to a dramatic loss of energy and focus.

Research has shown a major killer in America today is definitely obesity. Being overweight contributes to over 60 degenerative illnesses, including heart and cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer

Chemicals and toxic debris accumulates over time in the body. The older one gets the weaker and less focused they become. Loss of mental clarity, loss of memory, loss of mental capacity, loss of reflexes, loss of strength, loss of regularity and loss of libido are very common concerns for most people nowadays, especially the elderly. A chemical overload in the body contributes to a dysfunctional liver and dysfunctional kidneys as well as a weakened lymphatic system.

Excessive chemicals in the body lead to biochemical stress. Your adrenal glands produce over 500 hormones. Research has shown that stress causes the adrenals to release excess cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers over-indulgence in simple carbohydrates: chocolate, candy, sodas, and ice cream, even when you are not hungry. Excess cortisol contributes to hormone imbalances as well as a depletion in the production of DHEA and thyroxin. Excess sugar contributes to magnesium deficiency and the proliferation of yeast and subsequent toxins, including ammonia

Is it not surprising that 60% of the world’s population cleanse and rest their systems on a regular basis as part of their cultures? This alone ensures a longer, healthier, more productive life. Why don’t Americans cleanse? We do a wonderful job of cleansing from the outside in but why not the inside out?  With 120,000 miles of piping in the human body it only makes sense to cleanse it often. Internal cleansing helps to keep the fibrin, plaque, cholesterol, parasites, yeast and necrotic debris in check.

Chemicals and toxins accumulate in fat tissue. The more chemicals and toxins, the more fat the body will manufacture. Have you ever tried to lose weight only to be disappointed? Well, perhaps now you know the reason why! Most diets, lotions, potions, powders and pills use unhealthy and potentially dangerous ingredients, such as mahuang, ephedra, kola nut and caffeine that promise fast weight loss.

Yes, but the fat loss is temporary because the problem associated with the chemical build up is not addressed. You may lose the fat but the potentially toxic chemicals remain causing fatigue. The fat always comes back with a vengeance and more of it than you had before. Most of the weight lost, however, is primarily water and lean muscle. Minimal fat is permanently lost because these typical diet products do not address the cleansing of the system.

Without effectively cleansing the system from the inside out lean muscle mass is lost and excess water is produced and more fat returns therefore people actually become fatter versions of their prior selves.

Chemicals and toxins are enrobed within fat tissue, and only specifically blended, cleansing nutrients can help to release the chemicals from the fat. Excess fat, fat that you have been carrying around for years will literally melt away at an alarming yet safe & effective pace through cleansing. This is the healthy alternative to nutritionally deficient, and potentially harmful diets.

How many women go to the doctor because they feel bloated and water logged? There are literally millions! They go to the doctor and the first thing they get is a diuretic to get rid of the excess water. They have no idea why the excess water was there in the first place. Once they take the diuretic fatigue is commonplace. Why? Until the last 10 years the phenomenon of excessive water retention was relatively unknown. Research has documented that excess water is retained by the body to help control inflammation, excess cortisol and acidic foods but most importantly to dilute the overload of potentially dangerous, environmental chemicals that invade the body. When one’s objective is to get rid of the excess water and not the chemicals the chemicals create biochemical havoc in the system.

Approximately 75% of Americans are overweight – 2,000,000 more Americans become obese every year. There are 18 million obese children in America. Obesity is linked to over 60 degenerative illnesses, including Heart Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes and Cancer. 35,000 children are receiving drugs for hypertension and 40,000 have heart disease. There were 1 million heart attacks in America in 2000; 250,000 victims never reached the hospital. There were 700,000 strokes in2001 and 165,000 never made it to the hospital. It is no longer a matter of if but when, it is a matter of time. Never before has it been so important, and so critical, for you to lose the excess fat and then keep it off.

Americans are becoming more aware of the importance of cleansing by eating sensibly, exercising moderately, drinking good, clean water, consuming quality supplements, and managing their weight.

Stress has created a population of sugarholics. The average consumption of sugar per capita in the United States is 3.5 pounds a week for adults and slightly more for children.

Remember, your diet is anything you eat, drink, breathe and anything you absorb through the skin. You do indeed eat, drink, breathe and absorb lots of chemicals and that’s a fact!

There are numerous diet products, and most Americans have tried them all in an attempt to defeat the battle of the bulge. Yes indeed! We are in a war, and the battle waged is against FAT and the illnesses that follow. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia obesity killed 365,000 people in America in 2000! According to the National Institutes of Health, heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans with 1,000,000 deaths each year; cancer is #2 with 700,000. It is estimated that within the next five years, 1 out of every 2 Americans will eventually succumb to heart disease, and 1 out of 3 to cancer. Today one out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. More than 85% of these cases are not genetically linked; they are arguably a result of the polluted environment we live in and the food choices we make.

A diet, contrary to popular belief, is anything you put into your mouth: food, beverages, etc., the air you breathe, and what transdermally penetrates your skin. In fact drugs are a part of the Standard American Diet (SAD). In 2001 there were 2.9 billion prescriptions written in America, that’s 1200 pills for every man woman and child. It is estimated by Pharmacology Research that that number will increase to 4 billion by the end of 2005. What most people do not know is that drugs, once taken for a year or more they can remain in the system even after cessation, especially when the person is not active.

What comprises the foods you consume every day? To name a few, they are pesticides, fertilizers, irradiated material, chemicals, hormones and food colorings. Commercial soils are over-farmed, undernourished, and are deficient in vital minerals (See senate document 264, U.S. Government) and microbes. These minerals and nutrients are not fully replenished due to the costs involved. Your body is indeed a chemical depository! It is a known fact that pet foods contain a higher ratio of important vitamins and minerals.

Do you want to be HEALTHY, CLEAN, AND LEAN?

Then modify your lifestyle to incorporate cleansing on a regular basis, sensible eating and mild exercise and if you can access a sauna, then you will be on your way to a lifetime of improved health & wellness.

While most cleansing herbal products help to cleanse the colon and the digestive tract with high fiber, it is important to choose a cleansing technology that does much more, such as cleansing the liver and blood, the sweat glands and the organs of elimination, preventing buildup of chemicals in the lymph fluids, fat and muscle tissues, and paving the way for more energy, health and vitality. It is also important to control yeast, parasites and parasite waste as well as excess ammonia and ethanol.

You would not think of going thirty years without replacing the filter or changing the oil in your car, would you? What would happen if you did not brush your teeth for thirty years or so? You wouldn’t have any! What about the filters in your heating or air condition systems, what if you did not change them for thirty years? How about your vacuum bags, what if they were not changed for 30 years? The answers are obvious aren’t they?  Well with 120,000 of piping inside you does it not make sense to keep them clean?

I wish I could say that we have perhaps discovered the panacea for a long and healthy life. I wish I could say we have discovered the cause of all disease. But unfortunately I cannot but I can say that good health and vitality can be ensured if we keep our bodies clean from the inside out.

Imagine good health, energy beyond your wildest dreams and losing those excess pounds naturally, safely and fast, so fast you will not believe the tape measure.