Beauty Health for Life

One of the hallmarks of aging is a rapid decline in cellular energy. Energy is produced by a complex of small powerhouses inside each cell known as mitochondria. Mitochondria are particularly vulnerable to the ravages of free radicals and oxidation from normal metabolic activity in our body and begin to deteriorate with advancing age.

Researchers have demonstrated that powerful antioxidant nutrients known to enhance energy production by supporting mitochondrial regeneration can slow aging, prevent disease and extend healthy lifespan.

Mitochondrial degradation is directly related to loss of energy as we age. 95% of the mitochondria are damaged in a 90 year old person compared with virtually no damage seen in pre-teens. Researchers are beginning to tie the development and progression of diseases such as Alzheimer`s disease, type II diabetes, heart failure and cancer to mitochondrial decline and failure. 

Mitochondria contain their own DNA aside from the cell nucleus and remain relatively unprotected and extremely vulnerable to free radical damage. Over time the DNA sustains mutations that disable the energy producing capacity of the mitochondria. Many biologists now believe that the number of functioning mitochondria determine human longevity. The more functional mitochondria you have in your cells, the lower your risk of disease.

PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline quinine) is a natural enzyme cofactor that is emerging as an essential compound capable of mitochondrial regeneration. The results of a study published in the Alternative Medicine Review demonstrate that PQQ is a powerful antioxidant with a 5,000 time greater capacity to quell free radical damage compared to vitamin C. This prevents damage to the delicate mitochondria and prevents functional decline that has been shown to initiate disease and energy decline.

Research recently published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry demonstrates how PQQ not only protects the integrity of existing mitochondria from oxidative damage, but also stimulates the growth of new mitochondria. Up until now only calorie restriction and vigorous exercise have been shown to exhibit these characteristics. This type of news should make headlines as it is an indicator that the aging process can be slowed. You won`t hear this information though because it relates to a natural substance that can`t be patented by Big Pharma.

CoQ10 has long been known to increase energy levels as it is an essential cofactor in the production of cellular energy known as ATP. PQQ and CoQ10 work together as a team to combat the effects of cognitive decline commonly seen in the elderly. PQQ stimulates the production and release of nerve growth factor in the brain that protects memory and learning. When both cofactors are present in the blood, tests of cognition are dramatically improved in aging subjects.

PQQ is naturally found in a variety of foods including leafy green vegetables, fruits, green tea and wine. Many people will need to supplement with the nutrient due to poor dietary habits. Ground breaking research provides evidence that this little known enzyme cofactor may hold the key to prevention of brain aging while improving cardiovascular health and longevity.

Would you drink a beverage that has repeatedly been shown to fight cancer initiation and proliferation, prevent damaging genetic mutations and negate the effects of free radicals that cause the outward signs of aging? Green tea and members of the tea family including black and white teas have passed the test of time dating back countless generations and have demonstrated essential health advantages in extensive research studies over the past decade. You can take advantage of the numerous anti-aging benefits from drinking 2 to 4 cups of fresh brewed tea each day.

Most health experts agree that free radicals are the root cause of aging. Free radicals are created through the normal processes of breathing, eating and physical activity. The negatively charged particles rip through the cell nucleus where they can knock out critical components to the DNA sequence. Mutations follow and the risk of many types of cancer is dramatically heightened. Anything that can neutralize these particles before they have a chance to damage our genetic material will slow the aging process and protect us from disease.

Green tea has been shown to provide needed protection against free radicals. The results of a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that subjects that consumed just 2 cups of green tea daily for a month were able to lower their level of DNA damage by 20%. The natural polyphenol in green tea known as ECGC has been shown to be particularly effective in lowering risk in a host of cancer cell lines including prostate, colon, esophagus, bladder and pancreas.

The results of a study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research demonstrated that men with prostate cancer were able to lower predictive markers of cancer progression by as much as 30%. Participants supplemented with 1.3 grams of green tea extract each day which is the equivalent of 12 cups of fresh brewed tea. ECGC has been shown to protect cells from DNA damage and can also inhibit new blood vessel formation that cancer cells need to proliferate.

One of the serious effects of obesity is a dramatic rise in systemic inflammation that leads to the onset of many potentially fatal diseases. The body activates our white T-cells in an attempt to calm the flames of inflammation. Researchers reporting in the British Journal of Nutrition have discovered that T-cells are fewer and less efficient in overweight and obese individuals. When obese subjects were supplemented with ECGC, their T-cell numbers multiplied and were activated to fight inflammation. This boosted immune response against pathogens and assisted natural weight loss efforts.

Many people take aging in stride with the misinformed belief that it is normal and inevitable. Forward thinking alternative health advocates understand that aging is a disease that can be prevented and treated with a healthy diet and targeted natural supplementation. Green tea provides a host of essential polyphenol nutrients that have been used for generations to protect us from disease and the ravages of aging.

Falling from favor due to their highly astringent taste, chokeberries are slowly gaining popularity due to their powerful capacity to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions. The result of research presented in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry demonstrates that chokeberry extract leads all other natural foods on the ORAC antioxidant rating scale and can significantly lower chronic disease risk.

The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale provides an important tool to gauge the ability of functional foods to protect against common diseases that threaten our longevity and quality of life. Aronia extracts have been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol oxidative stress, making the lipid structure less likely to become a component in the formation of arterial plaque.

Researchers publishing in the journal Atherosclerosis found that the high anthocyanin flavonoid content of the berry extract significantly lowered the most dangerous small dense LDL particles known to increase the risk of a heart attack. Additionally the study found that systolic and diastolic blood pressure was reduced by a mean average of 11 and 7.2 mmHg, respectively. The study authors concluded “In view of the fact that chokeberry flavonoids reduce the severity of inflammation, they can be used clinically for secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease.”

Functional foods that are extremely high in antioxidants play an important role in the prevention of many types of cancer. A study published in the journal Genes and Nutrition found that colon cancer cells exposed to chokeberry juice were 40% less likely to proliferate and become mature cancer cells. The designers of this research study found that the free radical scavenging capacity of Aronia prevented damage to the DNA structure and modified enzymatic activity known to promote polyps and initiate cancer.

Another novel characteristic of chokeberry is to moderate blood glucose levels by lowering oxidative stress and preventing damage to the endothelial lining of the arteries. Reporting the results of a study in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, scientists noted that a small concentration of chokeberry fruit extract muted the activity of sugars in the blood that lead to development of chronic diseases and complications associated with metabolic syndrome.

Although not a household name in America, chokeberry has been embraced in parts of Europe over the past century and has been slowly regaining acceptance in colder growing climates of North America. Chokeberry extract claims the highest antioxidant ORAC score that makes it a strong ally in the fight against metabolic disease, cancer, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer`s dementia. Avoid products that include the berry in a sugary base such as jams and candies in favor of the pure extract that can be added to beverages and smoothes to naturally improve your health.