Skip to main content

Aging Healthfully



Over the past century, life expectancy has grown tremendously to nearly 80 years of age. This increase has led to a surge in interest on the best methods of maintaining our youth, and age as gracefully & healthfully as possible. This is probably due to the fact that we now die less from infectious disease, and more from chronic, degenerative diseases.
People don’t want to live longer with a poor quality of life; we want to live longer while maintaining a high level of functional capacity and high quality of life. This is where eating a balanced diet rich in real, whole, minimally processed foods, exercising regularly, minimizing stress and supplementing appropriately comes into play.
There is an absolute boatload of information out there on how to maximize your nutrition, exercise to improve your health and steps you can take to minimize stress.
But what about proper supplementation?
Unfortunately there is also a lot of hyperbole and misinformation on supplementation. What foods, extracts or compounds have actually been shown improve your quality of life as you age?
Well a few of these foods are green tea, pomegranates and a compound in red wine called resveratrol. They each have their own uniquely powerful benefits that contribute to your health and help you to maintain your energy and vitality as you age.
Green tea contains some powerful compounds called catechins, with the most studied and most beneficial catechin being epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG. EGCG makes up about 10-50% of the total catechin content of green tea, and it is 25-100 times more powerful than vitamins C and E!
EGCG has many powerful properties, it may:
• block the mutation of cells
• reduce cell damage
• block the liver enzymes that convert certain compounds into cancer-causing agents
• reduce the damage to blood vessels in smokers
• boost white blood cell counts
• decrease blood pressure
• decrease blood sugar
• help maintain a healthy body-weight
• decrease risk for 7 cancers and counting
Pomegranate is one amazing fruit with tons of health benefits of its own. There was a recent study that looked at 10 different antioxidant-rich beverages, and ranked them according to four different methods of antioxidant capacity and potency: oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), as well as their ability to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol.
After all this data had been taken into account the beverage with the greatest antioxidant capability was pomegranate juice!
Pomegranates may:
• decrease your blood pressure
• slow the progression of prostate, lung and breast cancer
• reduce plaque in the arteries
• increase blood flow to the heart and genitals (a natural Viagra?)
• prevent the deterioration of cartilage
• prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
• contain anti-microbial properties
Resveratrol is another highly studied compound that may help you age more gracefully. In the same study that found pomegranate juice to have the highest total antioxidant capability, red wine and concord grape juice came in 2nd and 3rd respectively. These are the two greatest sources of resveratrol on the planet!
In a recent study done on mice it was found that those given resveratrol for one year had significantly less symptoms of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cataracts and decline in motor coordination compared to mice that did not get it. The resveratrol-treated mice also had liver and muscle tissues resembling much younger animals.
Clearly that is one way to age more gracefully!
Other data has found that resveratrol can activate Sirt1, which is a protein that helps to regulate lifespan in several animals. Stimulation of Sirt1 actually seems to slow down the aging process!
To truly maintain your energy and vitality requires a combination of high-quality nutrition, regular exercise, stress management and appropriate supplementation. Consuming a diet that maintains a healthy weight and contains plenty of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant compounds is essential. As is regular exercise and ensuring plenty of high-quality sleep.
Consistency is also the key to benefitting from these anti-oxidant compounds which is why you see these natural ingredients in supplement form. Using specific supplementation to maximize your ability to neutralize free radicals, decrease inflammation and slow down the aging process seems to be the most effective method for promoting healthy aging. It allows you to be be consistent with consuming these quality anti-aging nutrients so that your body can clearn itself of the damaging free radicals.
Start benefiting today by getting consistent with your very own anti-aging supplement Prograde Longevity. Prograde Longevity contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds like discussed above to help you fight off the free radicals causing damage to your body.
Until next time - Live Life Well,
John Aaron Villarreal
johnaaron-massage.com

The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose,
cure, treat or prevent disease. Please consult your physician
prior to starting any exercise or diet program.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What To Do When You’re Chronically Stressed

Of all the modern-day ailments that seem to affect us, none is more pervasive than stress. Everywhere you turn, there are factors lurking to redirect you from your peaceful pursuit of happiness and lock you in the clutches of “stress.” What exactly is stress—and what more insidious effects does it cause? The dictionary defines stress as “great pressure or force; strain.” In today’s world, we think of stress as the result of too much pressure laid upon us by life, causing mental worry or anguish. This, in turn, manifests itself in tight neck and shoulders, headaches, nervous stomach, etc. But these physical and mental conditions are really only the beginning. Studies show that stressful situations can develop into more threatening health conditions. For instance: A sudden or unexpected stressor can activate your adrenal glands, which sends adrenaline and other hormones into your bloodstream. This brings about an increase in your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood f

Simple Steps to Spring Forward Toward Fitness

Daylight savings time is a sure reminder that spring is just around the corner and there WILL eventually be an end to the winter weather. And while much of the country still dealing with bitter cold, here in Houston, we’re definitely ready for the warmer days. In fact, this is the time of year when you’ll find many of us increasing our outdoor activities and all too often push ourselves a little too hard. Unfortunately, what can result is often a few days of painful recovery time. So, I've got a short list of suggestions to consider as you pursue your favorite warm-weather pastimes this season: First, increase your activity level gradually — Pay attention to your body’s signals so you can avoid serious injury and don’t have to pay the painful price of overindulgence. Start slowly and do a little more each day and you’ll be up to speed in no time. Warm up — Plunging into activity before you get your body warmed and ready is inviting potential trouble. Avoid possible sprains,

The Benefits of Regular Massage Sessions

Once people discover the many joys and benefits of massage, a common question arises—“How often should I schedule my massage sessions?” Of course, there is no set answer, but studies indicate that massage at regular intervals is most beneficial to your overall health. In a Newsweek article entitled “The Magic of Touch,” the advantages of frequent massage are considered. The following excerpts help to answer the question, “How often?” “A weekly massage may seem an indulgence, but new research suggests it can have major health benefits... “Since instituting a program of massage, job-specific exercises and ergonomics in 1990, the Virginia-based company [Wampler Foods] has cut repetitive-stress injuries by 75 percent... “From assembly lines to corporate headquarters, Americans are discovering the magic of massage. At Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists... Doctors have started prescrib