What can we do to ensure we stay as youthful, inside and out, as we want to?
Science today moves at the speed of light….will we one day live forever—or at least, longer than the longest living centarians?
Today, scientists think that given several scientific breakthroughs in the past two years, that immortality may be possible by the year 2050 Amazing, right?[i]
Are new breakthroughs and strategies that can help us preserve our minds and our bodies well into our 80s, 90s, or beyond?
The answer is yes. Science is making breakthroughs right now – and fueled by our new understanding of cellular biology and our discovery of the mitochondria, stem cells science, and telomeres and their importance to aging and maintaining resilience, we are making new headway toward extending the human lifespan much further than we ever thought possible.
It’s called Regenerative Medicine and it’s a fast-moving and fascinating field with epiphanies happening left and right among this brain trust.
One thing I know after two years of research for this chapter alone, if there is one area of science that is well funded, it is anti-aging.
Fascinated by unlocking the secrets to life, death, and why we must age, the scientists in this field are super-genius-wizards who really do believe they will one day be able to stop aging and death altogether.
For now, let’s talk about how to stay youthful inside and out as we grow older.
Did you know that certain jellyfish are immortal? That the Greenland shark lives to be 400 years old?[ii]
That the Bowhead whale lives to be 200?[iii]
Scientists have studied and studied the cells of these animals, trying to see how they stay so resilient to the ravages of time. What they have learned has broadened our knowledge of how variations in cells that protect them from oxidative damage can exert disease fighting capabilities and protective mechanisms (like immediate self-repair of DNA) that may help humans live longer as well.
Until science catches up with these highly evolved mammals, what we do know is this. Lifestyle, more than any long-life gene you might possess, will be THE strongest determinant of how long you live. Not only avoiding harmful life choices, like smoking or drinking in excess, but also in how much positive action you take to keep your organism alive.
We have learned that there are actions which lengthen lifespan.
Humans can engage in behaviors to spur on these kinds of protective, reparative actions in our cells–activities that actually change our cells, improve their function, lengthen telomeres (the caps on DNA strands that affect how and how fast we age), prevent genetic and cellular damage, reverse cellular damage, and prevent aging.
Back in 2013, for example, we found that we can enhance the activity of telomerease, the enzyme that repairs and lengthens telomeres in the body. How do we do that? Positive changes in diet, exercise, stress management, and social support![iv]
If fact, there are all kinds of things we can do to prolong life even in the face of genes that might be working against us.
In this book, I’m going to tell you about the most proven strategies to lengthen your lifespan.
Why Do We Age?
You might not know this but aging is not an unavoidable aspect of our existence.
In other words, our cells have all the compounds they need within their small, isolated universes to protect themselves from the gradual wear, tear, and damage that normally accompanies aging.
As one scientist explains,
All cells contain a DNA blueprint which could keep a body functioning correctly forever. Some marine creatures do not age at all.
However, over our lifetime billions of cell divisions must occur to keep our bodies functioning correctly and the more times cells divide the more errors creep into the process. As cell problems grow, the body can no longer repair damage. In the case of cancer, cells no longer have the ability to get rid of mutations, and tumors grow. In Alzheimer’s the brain stops clearing out sticky plaques, and dementia develops.[v]
So, is this the reason why we age? Cellular divisions and the defects that arise because of them?
Some scientists think so.
But the truth is, we do not yet know a definite answer to the question of why we age.
You can examine all the cutting-edge science on aging and read meta-analyses that review all past and extant research on aging and you’ll be dizzy with all the theories on this currently in the wind.
In fact, one scientist has calculated the sum total of all the theories of why we age and came up with 300 theories!
One current theory that is gaining a lot of support right now is the Demographic Theory of Aging/Senescence.[vi]
This theory argues that it all comes down to basic population control. That, ultimately, it is not in the best interest of organisms to live forever, and therefore, we’re programmed at a cellular level to deteriorate after reproduction is no longer possible. This theory is being supported by respected aging scientists like Joshua Mitteldorf and Steven Austad.
There are other theories that are the most widely accepted and now “classic” theories of aging (even though some are quite recently developed)
Right now, the mitochondrial/free radical theory of aging is the most widely accepted.
But why is finding out why we age as important as trying to prolong aging as long as we can?
Isn’t it more important to concentrate all our efforts on simply prolonging life as long as possible?
To try to push back aging as much as we can with healthy efforts like hard exercise, eating right avoiding cancer-causing chemicals, processed foods, hormone disrupting chemicals, staying out of the sun, eating whole, organic foods—practicing as many of these behaviors as much as is humanly possible (while still enjoying our lives)?
Well, yes, avoiding disease-causing pathogens and engaging in healthy behaviors is, of course, long-life promoting.
But what science is trying to do is to figure out why we age so we can “hack it” – to slow or stop aging once we figure out why and how we age, exactly.
And all we can say right now is Godspeed, right?
Meanwhile, let’s look at how we can prolong life as much as possible until they find a cure for aging.
Nutrition
One fascinating thing we’ve found abut longer-lived peoples is that they tend to all coalesce – gather, reside—all that – around these five areas called the Blue Zones.
Why?
So is it diet? A cleaner Atmospheres? Less stressful? A combination of all these?
I find these societies fascinating. What secret of life have they unearthed that makes so many people live such long lives here? Is a sense of contentment? Rewarding work or atmosphere? Diet?
The reason I ask is because in these blue zone communities, the normal age of death is 100 to 115 – not 80-86. We much shorter lived societies have much to learn from communities like these where money is often short, but a sense of community where a sense of shared duty, loyalty, friendship, and love seems to run very high.
After studying the Blue zones, which are
I do see certain patterns emerge in terms of what they eat.
For one thing.
Nuts and olive oil reign supreme in most blue zones—save Japan. Otherwise, they’re all snacking on nuts and sprinkling HIGH quality—mind you–olive oil liberally on everything.,.
What else?
Most BZers eat a predominantly vegetable-based diet—period. Very little protein—hardly any cattle-based meats. IF any protein –fish, fish, fish! Rarely even do they eat lighter meat sources like chicken.
The diet is Mediterranean in nature and most of these societies are right in the heart of the Mediterranean region (except Okinawa and Loma Linda, of course).
After examining keto, Atkins, all of it. I strongly belief in the med diet for energy and longevity.
In a recent study conducted by Harvard researchers, who analyzed the diets, DNA, and telomere length of 4,600 women, scientists discovered that women who adhere most to a Mediterranean diet have the longest telomeres.[ix] Telomeres, as we have discussed throughout the book, are a biomarker of aging, with longer telomeres correlating with longer life spans and lower rates of developing chronic diseases, including inflammatory diseases, metabolic syndrome, cancer (especially breast cancer), diabetes, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and obesity.[x],[xi],[xii],[xiii].14
Studies of people who live in the Mediterranean regions have yielded the same results, especially those who live in or near Greece, where olive oil and phytochemical-loaded wild edible greens are eaten in abundance. The island of Ikaria, Greece is considered a “Blue zone” (see introduction)– an area of the world where people live unusually lengthy and healthy lives, free of diseases, cancer, and cognitive decline.
But what is it about the Mediterranean diet that makes it so longevity-promoting?
Well, for one thing, the major staples of their cuisine are all longevity-promoting. We’ll look at the specific foods in the Mediterranean diet and the compounds in them that promote longevity in a moment. First, let me tell you what the Mediterranean diet is.
The Mediterranean is a long, vast area of the world, encompassing a long region that runs from Africa up through France and Italy. The Mediterranean Sea is a gargantuan sea and is surrounded by many European countries with highly different cultures, from France, to Spain, to Italy, not to mention countries in Africa on the other side, like Algiers, Libya, and Egypt.
But these coastal Mediterranean regions contain fertile lands where produce grows easily and fresh seafood is readily available. Cattle (though meat proteins are rarely eaten—neither is conventional dairy) graze on vitamin and mineral-rich grasses and many people grown their own gardens and eat an array of fresh vegetables at dinner, including phytonutrient-rich wild grasses like dandelion.
But when people talk about the health value of a traditional Mediterranean diet, they are typically not thinking about the African regions of the Mediterranean—but the Blue Zones of Sardinia, Italy and Ikaria, Greece, islands where the average life expectancy is well beyond 100 years of age.
Sardinia, Italy
The traditional Mediterranean diet then, is chiefly whole foods diet, a primarily plant based one, with lots of fish and seafood, fruits, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and occasional meat and poultry consumption. Red wine and organic coffee are consumed regularly, and more whole grain sourdough bread is eaten than pasta.
What makes the Mediterranean diet so longevity promoting, besides its strong emphasis on eating fresh fruits, nuts, and veggies, is that the Mediterranean diet eschews virtually all refined flours and grains, includes little sugar and completely avoids saturated fats, trans fats, fast foods, deep fried foods, refined sugar, refined flours, convenience foods, and other unhealthy staples of the Western diet–especially here in America.
If you want to eat a healthy Mediterranean diet yourself, you need to fill your grocery cart with (organic) produce, and nuts, seeds, organic, first cold-pressed olive oil, lots of dark leafy greens, legumes, fruits, grapes and red wine (to get those polyphenols in the form of quercetin—or supplement).
If you want to throw in some longevity-promoting life behaviors that these long-lived Sardinians and Ikarian’s swear by try less worrying and work and try more walking and enjoyable forms of exercise, like gardening. Strive for relaxation with an afternoon nap after lunch, and enjoy more hobbies, happiness, walking, walking, walking, and socialization with friends and family.15
All of these lifestyle habits are frequent mentions from centarians who live in these regions as the secrets to a long life. For more on this, read a great article in the New York Times’ Magazine titled “The Island Where People Forgot to Die” (2012).
Besides lengthening lifespan, researchers have found that the diet has endless benefits for human health including preventing numerous conditions such as heart disease,16 diabetes,17cognitive decline,18 reduced risk of obesity and heightened chance of remaining slender throughout life,19 reduced risk of developing metabolic syndrome,20 as well as reduced risk of Alzheimer’s,21 Parkinson’s,22 diseases caused by inflammation, and cancer.23
Scientists are busy studying this diet, trying to “tease out” exactly what is so longevity- promoting that these Grecians and Italians eat.
In an article titled “The Mediterranean Diet: What is So Special About the Diet of Greece?” Simopoulos notes,
Extensive studies on the traditional diet of Greece (the diet before 1960) indicate that the dietary pattern of Greeks consists of a high intake of fruits, vegetables (particularly wild plants), nuts and cereals mostly in the form of sourdough bread rather than pasta; more olive oil and olives; less milk but more cheese; more fish; less meat; and moderate amounts of wine, more so than other Mediterranean countries.
Analyses of the dietary pattern of the diet of Crete shows a number of protective substances, such as selenium, glutathione, a balanced ratio of (n-6):(n-3) essential fatty acids (EFA), high amounts of fiber, antioxidants (especially resveratrol from wine and polyphenols from olive oil), vitamins E and C, some of which have been shown to be associated with lower risk of cancer, including cancer of the breast.24
Let’s look at some of the longevity promoting compounds in foods eaten in Blue Zones like Ikaria, Greece!
Wild edible greens.
In Ikaria, Greece, one of the primary staples they eat daily is wild greens like purslane, spinach, dandelion, and local grasses like hindbeh and mulukhiyah. These greens are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals such as flavonoids that have potent antioxidant capabilities and support mitochondrial health, cardiovascular health, and cognitive health and are very effective at purging inflammatory toxins from the bloodstream.
One of the most plentiful flavonoids in wild edible greens is quercetin, which has been found to not only have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties but also life-extending ones as well.
Recently, scientists discovered that quercetin kills senescent cells (defective cells that have stopped dividing as they should and, therefore, accelerate aging). In fact, you’re going to be hearing a lot about super-super foods like dandelion greens and watercress—foods that literally slay cancer cells.25,26
Olive Oil
One thing that traditional Mediterraneans eat a lot of is olive oil. They dip sourdough breads in it. They pour it over their wild greens—they eat it on everything. And maybe this is one of the smarter things they do that some Americans might balk at saying, “all that fattening oil, really??”
Olive oil, see, is not only rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, it’s also rich in antioxidants that destroy free radicals, preventing aging and damage to cells—especially damage to mtDNA. Recently, scientists discovered that consumption of 25 ml of olive oil (1.7 tbsp.) a day reduces oxidation of DNA, which can lead to the development of cancer and aging.27,28
In a recent study, rats were split into two groups: one group was fed olive oil while the other was fed sunflower oil. Over 40% of the rats fed sunflower oil died of cancerous tumors while there were few deaths in the rats fed olive oil. They also found a reduced risk of cancer with olive oil consumption.
A number of similar studies have found that animals live longer healthier lives and have a reduced risk of cancer when fed a diet of olive oil.29
Seafood (DHA and EPA)
Fish and seafood is apparently longevity promoting—whatever our hesitations about eating it.
Societies where fresh fish is eaten in abundance tend to live much longer than societies where red meat is the preferred protein.30
Just look at Okinawa, Japan, where raw fish is eaten daily. People live longer there than any other city in the world!31
Scientists have now found that regardless of taking fish oil capsules, people who eat fish regularly, at least twice a week, reduce risk of mortality but 27% and reduce risk of heart disease by 35%. In fact, those study participants with the highest levels of three fatty acids in their blood, EPA, DHA, and DPA were less likely to have a stroke and lived two years longer than the other 64 year old participants 16 years after the study began.32
Fish is rich in fatty acids like EPA and DHA, which are profoundly healthy for the mind and body, helping us fight inflammation and protect the heart and brain from premature aging. In studies, mice fed a diet rich in DHA lived longer and had better cognitive function than those fed a diet high in saturated fats.33
But fish is also rich in carotenoids, a flavonoid (here’s those important phytochemicals again—are you seeing a pattern here?), that helps prevent damage to DNA, which causes aging at a cellular level. Other studies have found that eating fish and/or getting fish oil into the diet helps promote autophagy, activating cell turnover and increasing lifespan.34
Nuts
Nuts are a powerhouse of nutrition rich in monounsaturated fats, protein, vitamin E, minerals, phytochemicals, and a rich array of antioxidants. They have also been found to be very longevity-promoting.
A recent study of 120,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Physician’s Health Study that staggered the participants into six categories—ranging from a group who never ate nuts all the way up to those who ate nuts more than 7 times a week. The more nuts consumed, the lower the risk of death. This is yet another reason the Mediterranean diet may be so longevity promoting.35
Berries
Berries like raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries are rich in polyphenols, an antioxidant that prolongs lifespan. In studies, when blueberry extracts were fed to fruit flies, they lived 10% longer than those not eating berries.36
In another study, researchers collected surveys from 807 men and women, ages 65 and older, and followed the subjects for 12 years. Those subjects who consumed the most dietary polyphenols and whose urine test highest for these were art a 30% lower risk of death. Furthermore, they were also less likely to develop chronic disease.37, 38
Overall, the Mediterranean diet is a great diet to embrace for a long list of healthy reasons.
Although ultimately, I prefer the ketogenic lifestyle, I think for some persons, carbs are necessary and healthy. Vegetable carbs, preferably, or whole, healthy grains and vegetables like quinoa, brown rice, or buckwheat, the least glycemic and least acidic grains.
I’ve had so many clients who say they felt absolutely sick doing Atkin’s. sick doing keto and paleo to the point that they have no grains coming in. If your body cries out for those—then yes, give it to it. Your body always tells you what it needs.
Anti-Aging Methods
The human body is equipped with fascinating pathways for inflammation and autoregulation self-healing. Newer advances and understanding in the field of cellular and stem cell science as well as biomaterial science have put forth a new and expanding branch of clinical medicine; Regenerative Medicine.
From what I’ve learned from the best scientists in the world is that you don’t need a face lift or a hair transplant. If you want youthful luscious skin and hair, read on.
I’ll tell you all I learned from their books and the talks I’ve had with them.
The Wonder of Hormesis
The following strategies fall under a larger umbrella of scientific strategies that promote cellular renewal, resilience, and anti-aging called “hormesis.”38
Hormesis, as Todd Becker notes, “is a biological phenomenon whereby a beneficial effect (improved health, stress tolerance, growth or longevity) results from exposure to low doses of an agent that is otherwise toxic or lethal when given at higher doses.”39
Two good examples are exercise—our body bounces back from the physically stressful experience of running, for example, and builds endurance, stamina, and strength. A suntan Is another example. In the face of the sun’s hash rays, the skin develops a tan to protect itself against UV rays and, in the process, becomes more resilient to the sun for months.
It’s a form of healthy stress that strengthens us and makes us more resilient to other stressors. As one researcher notes,
“Single or multiple exposure to low doses of otherwise harmful agents, such as irradiation, food limitation, heat stress, hypergravity, reactive oxygen species and other free radicals have a variety of anti-aging and longevity-extending hormetic effects.”38
So, while chronic stress of any kind, physical, mental, emotional—all of it, can weaken the mind and body and cause decay and un-health, exposure to hormetic stressors helps you become, as Tauleb would call it, can make us “anti-fragile”—stronger in the face of all forms of stress we might endure on a given day, from an argument with our sig. other, to running a marathon.
Some of the key benefits and categories of hormesis that have been observed in the scientific literature include:
Here are some hormetic strategies you can try yourself, all proven to instigate cellular renewal and benefits such as extended lifespan, increased resilience, weight loss, fat burning, and enhanced energy.
Cold Showers
Cold exposure and taking cold showers has proven to help us grow new mitochondria, which are batteries full of chemical energy that fuel our bodies for every breath we take, every beat of our heart and every time we run, move, walk, climb….Each major organ possesses thousands of mitochondria within every cell, so birthing new mitochondria lets our bodies run on more fuel sources, empowering us with new energy and life. Cold showers have proven to give us greater resilience to other stressor, a better tolerance for pain, a stronger metabolism, a faster metabolism, and more brown fat on the body instead of white, dangerous fat.41
Hot Saunas
Just as getting cold acts as a mild stressor that sets off cascades of cellular healing and repair, hot saunas act in much the same way. In fact, we’re learning in studies that not just one sauna a week is healthy but 3 or more saunas are ideal.
In the study, over 2000 middle-aged men were observed over 20 years. In that time men taking only 1 sauna per week were 3 times more likely to die from heart disease or other causes compared to those taking 4-7 saunas per week.42
The study also found that the longer the better –20 minute sauna sessions were twice as effective as 10 minutes ones.
Researchers believe the benefit lies in the fact that the high temperatures can drive heart rates to levels often achieved by moderate-intensity physical exercise.
Exercise
Exercise increases resilience and lengthens lifespan in a long list of ways. For one thing, exercise decreases risk of heart attack and heart failure by some 50%.43
As far as aging goes, exercise impacts the SIRT1 gene positively, a gene that regulates cellular processes such as cellular aging, longevity, anti-cell death, and brain protection.44
Exercise also spikes a protein you’re going to be hearing a lot called klotho, which is associated with longevity.45
Calorie Restriction/Fasting
Calorie restriction (CR) acts as a mild hormetic stressor as well that sets off cascades of healing that go to work on overindulged bodies and improve their insulin markers, pancreatic cell function, and helps them whittle fat out of their fat stores because it spikes GH hormone, which literally helps melt the fat off the body while preserving muscle mass. CR also enhances insulin sensitivity, helps reduce cancer rates, and helps normalize blood pressure. 46
In one animal study on monkeys, cancer rates dropped 50% after a period of calorie restriction.47
Even in animals that already have cancer, hormesis improves their survival rates by making tumors sensitive to certain proteins that work to activate cancer cell death.52
The Most Anti-Aging Nutrients in the World
Phytonutrients
Some plants, especially bitter berries and bitter greens like kale or beet greens (imagine their work trying to keep bugs off sugary beets!) have had an especially hard time warding off predators, drought, or famine. Those defensive mechanisms they build up over time like bitter taste or bitter blue dye (blueberries) are profoundly healthy for humans and we get to piggy back off their evolved resilience.
Red wine from tender grapes in their thicker skins is another example. Either way, these foods, fruits, vegetables, contain phytonutrients that are also beneficial to the body in many other ways, such as:
There are countless phytochemicals and phytonutrients in food. In fact, there are over 600 carotenoids alone. So far, the most important ones currently being revered for their anti-aging properties are:
Anthocyanins: These are powerful phytonutrients called flavonoids. These are also antioxidants that protect DNA against damage, protect our bodies from cancer, and promote death of cancer cells. They are also powerful sunscreens, preventing photodamage. Combined with vitamin C, they are necessary for collagen and elastin synthesis. There is also evidence that anthocyanins may protect us from obesity, even when eating a high fat diet.54 Anthocyanins are found in blueberries, black currants, grapes, acai berries, and goji berries.
Allyl Sulfides: suppress growth of tumor cells and help excretion of cancer causing chemicals. They also aid in blood circulation, lower inflammation, and reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis and diabetes. They also protect our brains as we age. In several fascinating studies, allyl sulfides/garlic/S-allyl cysteine was able to prevent neurodegeneration and protect the brain from cognitive decline.55 Allyl sulfides are found in garlic, onions, and shallots.
Catechins: antioxidants that help prevent oxidative stress that leads to premature aging. They also prevent inflammation and protect the body from tumors, stroke, heart failure, cancer, and diabetes. Found in green tea.56
Chlorophyll: one way you can find the best anti-aging compounds in the world is to pay attention to which ones aid in open wound healing or that heal severe burns without scarring—an almost impossible feat. If a compound, nutrient—anything can do this, keep reading. I’ll bet you find out this compound super-boosts collagen and elastin production, which any compound would have to heal severe wounds. That’s what wound healing is! In studies, chlorophyll not only speeds wound healing when taken orally, it also increases collagen type I production, helps skin to become more elastic and supple, and reverses skin wrinkling!!57
It’s also a blood-boosting and potent detoxification agent that helps to cleanse the body and protect the system from free radical damage. You can get chlorophyll in wheat grass juice, chlorella, spirulina, and leafy greens.
Ellagic acid: In studies, ellagic acid reverses skin wrinkling, even from UV damage! It also proved to prevent damage from the sun by preventing collagen degradation!58
Ellagic acid protects our gut from carcinogenic substances, preventing colon and esophageal cancer. It may also help the liver to break down harmful compounds to remove them as waste. You can find this in grapes, raspberries, strawberries, and pomegranates.
Lutein: along with zeaxanthin, lutein is a powerful antioxidant and carotenoid that protects the eyes from aging and degeneration and has shown much promise in reversing or slowing macular degeneration. Lutein is found in abundance the most in egg yolk and corn. Other foods rich in lutein include green bell peppers (only because lutein is lost as the pepper ripens), broccoli, spinach, kale, kiwi, orange juice, grapes, zucchini, and squash. Like our fat soluble vitamins, like vitamin A, lutein is absorbed best when it is taken with a high-fat meal. That’s because like vitamin A lutein is a carotenoid based nutrient. 59
Zeaxanthin: another crucial carotenoid. Together, lutein and zeaxanthin, along with vitamin A. are crucial for eye health and preventing macular degeneration. Zeaxanthin is found in abundance the most in conjunction with lutein in corn and egg yolks. After that, orange bell peppers have the most zeaxanthin. After that, zeaxanthin is also found in nature with the same vegetables and fruits as lutein which are broccoli, spinach, kale, kiwi, orange juice, grapes, zucchini, and squash. Like lutein—take with fat! 60
Lycopene: the most potent antioxidant of all the carotenoids, protects the skin against UV damage and from damaging bacteria as well. Lycopene also strengthens skin—and this is important-by inhibiting enzymes called collagenases that break down collagen in the skin. In studies, those persons with the highest levels of lycopene had the least incidence of chronic disease.61 Lycopene is found in tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava, papaya, and rosehips.
Quercetin: is the hot supplement of anti-aging and longevity enthusiasts and scientists everywhere. In studies, quercetin extended the life of the c.elegans worm by 15%. It also has another unique ability. It destroys senescent cells in the body—cells that work to age the body. Scientists have found that by removing these senescent cells, they can slow aging drastically. We are still researching quercetin’s anti-aging properties.62 Meanwhile, what we are certain it can do is to prevent and fight inflammation, inhibit allergy-causing histamines, and, it’s also a wonder-“drug” for those with prostate cancer destroying some 90% of prostate cancer cells in just 48 hours in studies. I recommend all men take a quercetin supplement to prevent prostate cancer and, possibly, even eradicate it from the body in its fledgling stages.63
This phytonutrient is used to treat cancer, prostatitis, heart disease, cataracts, and respiratory diseases like bronchitis and asthma. Food sources of quercetin: citrus fruits, apples, tea, capers, onions, broccoli, leafy green vegetables, cherries, cranberries, and turmeric.
Resveratrol: Josh Axe calls resveratrol the “anti-aging powerhouse”64 and rightly so. Resveratrol is the only compound we’ve discovered so far that activates SIRT1, a “serum that blocks diseases by speeding up the cell’s energy production centers known as mitrochondria.”65 It’s also a powerful antioxidant for the skin that is 17 times more powerful an antioxidant than idebenone, a powerful antioxidant that was once considered to be more powerful in preventing cell damage than Vitamin E, C, Alphph Lipoic Acid, and CoQ10.66,67
So we’re talking a pretty great natural skin care ingredient here for helping to protect you from both UV damage and pollution and all the free radicals it assails our skin with. Resveratrol has been found to kill cancer cells and is also antiviral and very protective of the brain. It’s also anti-inflammatory and longevity promoting. Resveratrol is found in the skins of red grapes, red wine, raspberries, mulberries, peanuts, blueberries, bilberries, and cranberries.
Sulforaphane. I call sulfurophane the “miracle beauty, anti-aging, longevity, and weight loss nutrient.”
Sulfurophane is not only a wonder supplement for preventing cancer, for keeping you thin, and for activating a gene called Nrf2 which activates your longevity genes!!! As Dr. John Day notes, there have now been more than 5,500 scientific studies published on Nrf2” and “What we do know is that Nrf2 prevents the cells in your body from growing old by protecting them from inflammation, free radicals, and the many other things that wear your cells out over time.”68
It’s also great for slowing aging and giving you beautiful skin. Sulfur is called the beauty mineral, after all.
Here’s where it gets really interesting—sulfurophane has proven in studies to REVERSE the effects of the sad, sad Standard American Diet. In a study where they put mice on the SAD, the mice quickly developed diabetes, insulin resistance, and, of course, obesity. But when they gave the mice sulforaphane, the supplement so killed their voracious appetite for this unhealthy food and lost weight. One researcher notes that the mice suddenly “weren’t always so hungry and lost weight. Insulin metabolism normalized. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels dropped and atherosclerosis was reversed.”69
Sulfurophane actually activates enzymes that detoxify carcinogens. It also inhibits cancer cell growth and kills cancer cells—meaning, you may never have to get cancer if you eat lots the following food sources. Sulforaphane is found in highest concentrations in broccoli sprouts (they look a bit like bean sprouts. You can also find them in supplement form! Then broccoli,
Other Anti-aging Nutrients
Zinc
Zinc helps us to maintain organ and tissue function and stimulates new collagen production. Zinc also slows aging and is especially youth promoting to skin by helping it to produce new cells. It’s also a great detoxifier, helping the body to eliminate heavy metals in the body, which are notoriously hard to excrete without harming the kidneys.70 Great places to get more zinc—pumpkin seeds, rich in zinc and wonderful for preventing and fighting prostate cancer.
Glutathione
Is THE body’s most powerful antioxidant and, for this reason, is called a “super antioxidant.”
Glutathione protects the brain and body from free radicals and has a powerful overall anti-aging effect upon the brain or body.
It also helps to cleanse and detoxify the liver and to prevent nearly 70 diseases. 71
Vitamin C and Anthocyanins for plump, youthful skin.
Vitamin C and another phytonutrient called a anthocyanins are both crucial to collagen production. In fact, the body can manufacture 0 collagen and elastin without these important compounds. Vitamin C is also important in protecting us from cancer, removing side effects from smoking, protecting our cells from free radicals. It’s a powerful antioxidant most of us don’t get nearly enough of in our diets.72
How to get more vitamin C: lots of green, leafy vegetables, bitter greens like collards and kale, citrus fruits; also, kiwi, red and green bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, baked potatoes, and tomatoes.
Alpha Lipoic Acid.
ALA is a powerful antioxidant with a powerful anti-aging effect as well, especially on the skin. It’s also great for ridding the body of inflammation. It actually brings inactive antioxidants back to life that have been deactivated by free radicals. It also protects the liver, lowers blood sugar, removes toxins from the body, and helps prevent atherosclerosis.73, 74
How to get more ALA: flaxseed oil, is the healthiest oil to get ALA from, which is why I drizzle it all over my vegetables and salad.
Anti-aging Protocol: Goals to Achieve a Younger You
Sleep is essential for healing, repair, for fat burning, muscle building and for a well-functioning machine overall. Sleep is crucial. Prioritize it as much as your biggest responsibilities.
Besides fighting aging, benefits include enhanced cardiovascular health, prevention of Osteoporosis, delayed or prevented onset of Alzheimer’s, more youthful skin, and more resilience to aging and disease.
Calorie restriction prolongs life, prevents diabetes and all that follows (the deadly cascade of metabolic syndrome, heart disease, obesity, and death). It also spikes growth hormone which helps you build muscle and burn fat.
Green leafy veggies are full of vitamins and minerals that are hard to get anywhere else for such a low calorie payoff. Vitamins and minerals give you the toolkit you need to manufacture hormones, collagen, keratin, muscle, and keeps your neurotransmitters firing on all cylinders.
Stress kills. It elevates blood pressure, risk of heart attack, and cortisol, a pro-aging hormone. Try meditation, journaling, baths and aroma therapy. My favorite is a professional massage on the really tense days.
Most of us are dehydrated and not aware. Bottled water is the next best.
High-carb/sugar foods are high glycemic index foods that are full of toxins and are GMO. Bread today is grown out of such strong grains, built to endure pesticide resistant insects, that the foods pierce the gut, setting off an inflammatory response and inflammation-based diseases. Sugar is especially aging for the skin and is the number one cause of a long list of diseases from Alzheimer’s to diabetes and cancer.