Anti-Aging - Foundational
But before we dive into the Foundational elements, what are those physiological issues that lead to disease or dying of old age? Over our lifetimes, our bodies incur damage and accumulate toxins from our food and the environment.
A unified theory of aging is developing that points to a number of factors including the following:
- Detoxification
- Immune response
- Inflammation
- Free radicals
- Shortening of telomeres
- Cellular junk (AGE’s, HMW aggregates, amyloid placque, etc)
- Disease & cell mutations
- Epigenetic abnormalities
- Mitochondrial health & energy
- DNA methylation/ repair
- Apoptosis
- Cell loss
It becomes evident there are a lot of things to defend from in maintaining complete balance of our bodies. The biggest impact we can make is in these Foundational steps …
Lowering your toxic burden – this is a fairly broad topic, but it includes refraining from harmful substances (for example: drugs, alcohol, cigarettes). I would even extend this to limiting caffeine … it ages you. I limit my caffeine to 50 mg/day, which I get from my green tea. Avoid your known allergens. Pollen and other environmental allergens can be difficult, but I’ll share strategies for dealing with it in the Supplemental phase. Avoid chemicals in your food by eating organic (more on this below), the environment, and in consumer products.
Base of healthy foods – organic or natural according to the Beyond Organic principles. Limit sugars and unhealthy fats. Try incorporating superfoods and epigenetically beneficial foods.
Diet – more appropriately termed eating regimen, adopt a diet that achieves results and provides you with a good meal plan. The top diets I recommend are the Genotype Diet/ Blood Type Diet, Paleo Diet, and Mediterranean Diet. I personally favor the Genotype Diet. There is of course the Calorie Restriction Diet which is known to extend life by about 7 years. However, it’s simply not a realistic diet.
Preparing & storing food – unplug the microwave and never eat well done. A medium cook is enough to kill bacteria when cooking meat. Experiment with juicing and raw foods. Use healthier cookware and food storage containers.
Hydration – drinking enough water is so important. Dehydration damages your cells. Filtered water is believed to be the most preferable. There’s a lot of talk about structured water, and there are some products out there that claim to be able to accomplish this. As of now, fruits and vegetables remain the best source of structured water.
Sleep – a good night’s sleep is key to restoring the body. Most people need 7-8 hours per night and sleep best in a cool, pitch dark room. Sleep interruptions over the long term can cause health issues.
Fresh air – outside air usually contains less carcinogens than inside air. Ventilate your home and car whenever you can. A good quality air purifier is also beneficial.
Exercise – beyond maintaining a good body weight, exercise is crucial to staying young and healthy. These days I’m partial to sports as opposed to the gym. But whether you’re into resistance training, running, yoga, or other forms of exercise, the important thing is to work out often.
Limit EMF exposure – keep your distance from electrical and wireless devices. It can be difficult in these modern times, but my previous blogs on EMF radiation and cell phone radiation will arm you with the basic knowledge you need.
Address major medical concerns - it really is startling how many people are afraid to see their doctor. Prolonging medical attention will result in even worse medical issues down the road.
Emotional Health – having a positive, low stress outlook is just as important as anything else. Many centenarians claim this is 1 of their secrets to a long, happy life. A stark contrast to this is the accelerated aging of U.S. presidents. The effect that stress can have on the body is significant. The best way to improve your emotional health is through meditation and mindfulness practice. There are many studies which back their effectiveness in numerous mental conditions such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Whether it’s meditation, aromatherapy, going to the beach or listening to soft music, do things often that lift your mood. Nurturing strong personal relationships with friends and loved ones are also key.