Ageing – Biomarkers

In our last entry on the website we began talking about the 10 accepted biomarkers of ageing. We began to question whether we could delay the process of ageing and thereby life longer and more productive and enjoyable lives. Here are the 10 biomarkers again.

• Biomarker 1: Your Muscle Mass
• Biomarker 2: Your Strength
• Biomarker 3: Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
• Biomarker 4: Your Body Fat Percentage
• Biomarker 5: Your Aerobic Capacity
• Biomarker 6 Your Body’s Blood-Sugar Tolerance
• Biomarker 7: Your Cholesterol/HDL Ratio
• Biomarker 8: Your Blood Pressure
• Biomarker 9: Your Bone Density
• Biomarker 10:Your Body’s Ability to Regulate Its Internal Temperature

If we make some assumptions and conclude that we’ll live relatively free from illness until the age of 65 years and from that point we begin to experience a growing level of disability due to ageing and illness. We may experience 20 years or more of life after the age of 65 years and we’ll  spend 20 years of our lives in the disability zone.

What happens today for most people is that they begin to rely more and more heavily on pharmaceutical drugs to manage the symptoms of physical dysfunction or illness as they get older.What would happen if instead of reliance on pharmaceuticals we focussed on these 10 biomarkers of ageing and sought to improve them. The evidence from around the world is becoming clearer every day. The earlier we begin to address these biomarkers with natural food, exercise and water (and supplementation where required) there is every probability that we can extend the point at which we enter the disability zone by many years.

A recent study published in the Public Library of Medical Science (January 2008) found that basic healthy habits can add up to 14 years to your life – delaying the entrance into the disability zone by many years. Their focus was on cessation of smoking, eating 5 servings of fruit and vegetables, moderate exercise and moderate alcohol consumption. It was nothing extreme.

Spock Had it Right – Live Long and Prosper

We love this article because it shows the power that simple habits, one of which is exercise, have on your long-term health. If you need some of that “practical support” mentioned in the last paragraph, we are happy to help. Our Health Offer was designed to provide this type of support.

Healthy Habits May Give 14 Years

To get an extra 14 years of life, don’t smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in moderation.

That is according to a study published Monday in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal.

After tracking more than 20,000 people aged 45 to 79 years in the United Kingdom from about 1993 to 2006, Kay-Tee Khaw of the University of Cambridge and colleagues found that people who adopted these four healthy habits lived an average of 14 years longer than those who didn’t.

“We’ve known for a long time that these behaviours are good things to do, but we’ve never seen these additive benefits before,” said Susan Jebb, head of Nutrition and Health at Britain ’s Medical Research Council. Jebb was not involved in the study.

“Just doing one of these behaviours helps, but every step you make to improve your health seems to have an added benefit,” she said. The benefits were also seen regardless of whether or not people were fat and what social class they came from.

Study participants scored a point each for not smoking, regular physical activity, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and moderate alcohol intake. People who scored four were four times less likely to die than those who scored zero.

Researchers tracked deaths from all causes, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory diseases.

Participants filled in a health questionnaire and nurses conducted a medical exam at a clinic. The study was largely paid for by the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research United Kingdom.

Khaw said that the study should convince people that improving their health does not always require extreme changes to their lifestyles. “We didn’t ask these people to do anything exceptional,” Khaw said. We measured normal behaviors that were entirely feasible within people’s normal, everyday lives.”

Public health experts said they hoped the study would inspire governments to introduce policies helping people to adopt these changes.

“This research is an important piece of work which emphasizes how modifying just a few risk factors can add years to your life,” said Dr. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization.

Experts are unsure if these new findings will actually improve the public’s health.

“What stops people from changing their behavior is not a lack of knowledge,” Jebb said. ”Most people know that things like a good diet matter and that smoking is not good for you,” she said. “We need to work on providing people with much more practical support to help them change.”

Water – I’ve Had enough

We all know we should be drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day.  How are you doing?  If you aren’t there yet, set a concrete goal for yourself to add a few more glasses.  We have found it helpful to make it really clear (example: 3 glasses by noon, 3 by 6 pm).  Also, drink a glass first thing in the morning your body will thank you for it.  Here are some essential water facts:

About 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water.  With all this water out there, why are most people not drinking as much as they should?  Water is vitally important in order for humans to function properly, since every system of the body depends upon this sustaining substance.  In fact, about 50-65% of your body is made up of water.

A person can only survive for about 3 days if they don’t drink any fluids.  Drinking soda, coffee, or juice will keep you alive, but you need pure water if you want to be as healthy as you can be.

Reduces the Risk of a Heart Attack
A study at Loma Linda University discovered that people who drink 5+ glasses of water daily were less likely to die from heart disease than people who drank less than 2 glasses a day.

Helps with Weight Loss
Water helps your metabolism to work properly.  One of the main jobs of the liver is to convert the fat your body stores into energy.  If the kidneys aren’t getting enough water, then the liver has to do their work along with it’s own and the result is that it can’t metabolize fat as efficiently.  Water also gives you the energy and hydration needed for exercise.  If your muscles have the proper amount of water, they will contract more easily which means your workout will be more effective and beneficial.  It’s also true that many people think they’re hungry when their body is actually thirsty for water!

It’s Good For Your Body and Brain
Your body is constantly using up water.  Even minor dehydration can result in headaches, fatigue, lack of concentration, and irritability.  Drinking water can wash these symptoms away!

Keeps Your Skin Healthy
Water is important for preventing dry skin and acne.  It flushes impurities out of your skin.  As a result, your complexion is clear and your skin is healthy.

Keeps your Muscles and Joints in Good Shape
Your joints and muscles are mainly lubricated and cushioned by water. You can prevent fatigue and muscle cramps by drinking plenty of water before, during, and after hard work or exercise.

Cuts down on Disease and Infection
Drinking water can help you to avoid kidney stones and reduce your risk of getting urinary tract infections.

Helps Maintain Proper Digestion
If you don’t drink enough water, the pancreas doesn’t work efficiently, acids in the stomach are not properly neutralized, and intestine functions are hindered.  This can lead to constipation, false appendicitis pain, colitis pain, and hiatus hernia.   Drinking a glass of water, at least a half an hour before mealtime will greatly help the digestion process.  Also, proper water intake can prevent heartburn.

Do You Have Gas

Ideally, you are drinking your 6 – 8 glasses of water a day. If not, what are you drinking? Is it soda pop or other carbonated beverages? If so, check out some of the latest research on soda and try to limit yourself to no more than 1 soda a day and replace the rest with water.

Soft Drinks Linked to Health Risks

A huge U.S. study of middle-aged adults has found that drinking more than one soft drink a day even a sugar-free diet brand may be associated with an elevated risk for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of factors that significantly boosts the chance of having a heart attack or stroke and developing diabetes.

“We found that one or more sodas per day increases your risk of new-onset metabolic syndrome by about 45 per cent, and it did not seem to matter if it was regular or diet,” Dr. Ramachandran Vasan, senior investigator for the Framingham Heart Study.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with five specific health indicators: excess abdominal fat; high blood sugar; high triglycerides; low levels of the good cholesterol HDL; and elevated blood pressure.  The researchers found that compared to those who drank less than one can per day, subjects who downed one or more soft drinks daily had a:

• 31 per cent greater risk of becoming obese (with a body mass index of 30 or more).
• 30 per cent increased risk of adding on belly fat.
• 25 per cent higher risk of developing high blood triglycerides or high blood sugar. 3
• 2 per cent higher risk of having low HDL levels

Source: Circulation, Journal of the American Heart Association, Monday July 23^rd. The Canadian Press.

Bubbles May Mean Bad Teeth

Yellow stains aside, brewed coffee or tea may not be the worst thing you could swish past your pearly whites. Other drinks tested in a recent study produced much more wear and tear on tooth enamel, especially bubbly soft drinks. But here’s the surprise: It didn’t matter if the sodas were diet or not.

Erosion explosion – when your tooth enamel starts to erode, you’ve got major problems on your hands. And certain foods like sweets and sodas may hasten this process. All carbonated drinks in a recent study had some

impact on tooth enamel (with the one possible exception being root beer – its impact on tooth enamel was slight). Citrus-flavored sodas hit teeth hardest, but colas caused problems, too. And it didn’t matter if the drinks were diet or full-sugar.

It’s the acids – contrary to what you might think, it’s not only the sugars in bubbly beverages that erode tooth enamel. It’s also the acids. The total acid content and acid type — look for names like phosphoric, citric, malic, and tartaric — in a beverage affect how strong the attack is on your choppers. Rinsing after sipping a soda may hasten the acids out of your mouth.

Source: www.real-age.com

Thirsty – It’s too late

Thirst is not always a reliable gauge for dehydrating conditions. In fact, thirst does not develop until after the body fluids are depleted well below levels required for optimal functioning. Simply stated, if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. How many ounces of water a day are you drinking? Based upon your weight, how many ounces a day should you be drinking?

Water and Health

Recent studies have shown that more than 90 percent of us are dehydrated. In fact, we are not even drinking the minimum required amount to keep our bodies operating at optimal capacity. When our bodies become dehydrated our organs suffer, leading to the possibility of many degenerative diseases.

Water Helps to: Enhance mental clarity ; Increase energy levels ; Maintain a healthy weight ; Regulate body temperature ; Moisten tissues in the mouth, eyes and nose ; Protect body organs and tissues ; Enable proper digestion and prevent constipation ; Lubricate joints and tendons ; Flush out waste products ; Dissolve and aid in the absorption of vital minerals, vitamins and nutrients ; Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells

Source: Mayo Clinic, 2004

10 Things To Protect Your Health

There are so many ideas and products touted to improve your health that the whole picture is confused. So I started thinking what are the top 10 free things you can do to protect or improve your health?

1. breathe clean air -
2. drink clean water
3. eat food closest to the way nature made it – avoid processing at all costs
4. walk a mile every day
5. grow your own food
6. get 8 hours of sleep a night
7. take at least one day a week off from work
8. avoid pharmaceutical drugs unless absolutely essential
9. spend time with someone you love – even your pet
10. try and do something beneficial for someone else every day

OK – all those things are either free or very low cost and all contribute to your health – everything else is a bonus or an add-on.

Water and nothing but Water

Only Water Will Do

Water is the true elixir of life on planet Earth. But it is far more popular for water sports than for its natural purpose—hydrating your body to maintain life.

I have often heard complaints in response to my counselling to drink more water. The most common are “I don’t like the taste of water” and “I can’t drink that much water.” As much as I like to be gentle in my counselling, I have to emphasize that water is essential, not only to life but also to the success of any nutritional program. So…get over it!

The fact is only water is water. That’s been proven by peer-reviewed scientific studies.

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