Anti-aging and prevention
This month will be the start of series of VitaLifeMD blogs focusing on health span and anti-aging.
The word “anti-aging” is a little bit presumptuous as we all know that it is impossible to turn off the chronological clock. The questions are: what can we do to slow down the biological changes that occur in our body overtime, and how can we optimize our health and improve our vitality as we get older? In my previous blog, I introduced the new Dunedin Pace of Aging test. I recommend reading that blog post to learn more about this new test and how it tracks how your body is responding to aging interventions and lifestyle changes.
I’d now like to discuss ways to slow down the aging process, starting with lifestyle of course.
We will continue offering the initial complete TruAge Test™ for new patients, but will focus on the Dunedin test for the people who want to retest.
Let’s now talk about nutrition and what food should we include in our diet to protect our health as we age.
Research has consistently shown that anti-aging foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins support brain, heart, muscle, and skin health. In contrast, sugary soft drinks, sweets, fast foods, and other ultra-processed, non-nutritional foods can negatively affect our health over time.
Turmeric and anti-aging
According to a study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, turmeric and curcumin have shown potential to prevent DNA damage and help DNA repair. That's good news for preventing disease and slowing down the aging process. Curcumin can be found in VitaLifeMD’s Vitasenolytic supplement—there's 500mg in a single dose!
Blueberries
Blueberries have anti-aging action, especially on the skin and brain. I eat blueberries in at least two meals every day! “Research suggests that the polyphenolic compounds found in blueberries exert their beneficial effects either through their ability to lower oxidative stress and inflammation or directly by altering the signaling involved in neuronal communication. These interventions, in turn, may protect against age-related deficits in cognitive and motor function.” Source
Along with other antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, eating blueberries can increase your total antioxidant intake to help reduce premature aging . Blueberries are high in antioxidants that may help protect your skin from damage and promote skin healing.
Coq10
There is accumulating evidence that some diseases of aging may benefit from supplemental ubiquinol or CoQ10 treatment. Studies to date have supported the safety and the potential of CoQ10 in reducing oxidative stress biomarkers. Source
Coenzyme Q10 is essential for mitochondrial electron transport and support of proton pump and ATP production.
Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant protecting membranes and lipoproteins and acts in concert with the selenoenzyme thioredoxin reductase.
Ageing and use of statins may result in coenzyme Q10 deficiency and supplementation may alleviate cardiovascular disease and inflammation. I recommend anyone on a statin take CoQ10.
Bioavailability of coenzyme Q10 differs according to pharmaceutical formulation.
Clinical trials with bioavailable coenzyme Q10 of longer duration to assess benefits for diseases associated with ageing are needed.
At VitaLifeMD we offer a chewable and capsule form of CoQ10.
Sufficient Protein
An important factor that should be emphasized is the need to have sufficient protein intake daily to sustain a good muscle mass and good organ function, including our brain and neurotransmitters as we get older. A regular issue we see among patients, especially since the fad of intermittent fasting has been spread to the population, is the phenomenon of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia in medical terms means “loss of muscle mass.” This happens if we do not provide a daily intake of protein at least equal to 0.8 to 1 gram per kilo each day. For example, a person who weighs 165 pounds, or 75 kilograms, should consume at least 60 grams of protein per day. When you know that a 3 oz serving of fish, chicken or meat brings only 20 to 22 grams of protein, you can easily understand why intermittent fasting with only two meals a day will make it hard to reach the protein goal at the end of the day.
Sarcopenia has become extremely frequent among women approaching menopause. Women see their metabolism decreasing at this period of their life and start eating less, skipping meals thinking that this will help them keep their weight down. Unfortunately, this is the exact error one should not make!
Eating less than 3 meals a day will reduce your total protein intake, causing a decrease in muscle mass. As a result, your basal metabolic rate, which depends highly on the muscle mass, also decreases. We are entering a vicious circle with patients who now need to eat like a bird, or their weight goes up immediately. These are minimal daily intake recommendations for the population; the amount of protein needed by each individual depends on many factors including age, physical activity, and general overall health.
And to end the chapter of the importance of a protein-rich food in our diet as we age, let’s not forget the numerous effects proteins have on our body. Not only are proteins the building blocks of our muscles and organs, but they also help support our collagen and keep our skin texture young and firm. They are essential elements for hair growth; one of the first sign of low protein intake is hair thinning and hair loss. Hormones and neurotransmitters are made from proteins. At a moment of our life such as menopause, when we are at risk of hormonal and emotional imbalance, it is certainly not a good idea to deprive our body from good sources of protein that are essential to stay young and healthy.
Some will argue that it is hard to reach the goal of 60 grams per day of protein. One easy way to get there is to add a serving of protein shake a breakfast. You can even mix with a serving of collagen powder for better support. The VitaLifeDM team will guide you to choose the best brands and products for you.
My current favorite collagen is the Designs for Health Whole Body Collagen Powder. Give our office a call to learn more about the supplements and protein powders we would recommend for you.