HOW to LIVE LONGER
with GREAT HEALTH
by Ted Nelson
More than 70% of Americans regularly ingest some sort of dietary
supplement. The question is, are the 70% of Americans taking supplements
going to live longer than those who don't? An analysis of the scientific
literature indicates they probably won't.
The reason is that few Americans are taking enough of the proper nutrients
to duplicate the clinical studies showing that the diseases of aging may
be preventable. For years I have studied published scientific findings
relating to the prevention of degenerative disease and aging. The results
of this painstaking investigation provided convincing evidence that the
killer diseases of aging could be largely prevented by the proper intake
of nutrients, hormones, certain drugs, and lifestyle changes.
The phenomenon known as aging is a result of a number of pathological
changes that are somewhat controllable using existing technologies. By
prolonging our healthy life span, we put ourselves in a position to take
advantage of future medical breakthroughs that may result in dramatic
extensions of the human life span. Here are some of the underlying
controllable causes of the diseases of aging we know of today:
- Chronic inflammation.
Aging people suffer an epidemic of outward inflammatory diseases such as
arthritis, but chronic inflammation also damages brain cells, arterial
walls, heart valves, and other structures in the body. Heart attack,
stroke, heart valve failure, and Alzheimer's senility have been linked to
the chronic inflammatory cascade so often seen in aging humans.
- Glycation.
It is well known that diabetics age prematurely, but even non-diabetics
suffer from a devastating chemical reaction called glycation, where
protein molecules bind to glucose molecules in the body to form
nonfunctioning structures. Glycation is most evident in senile dementia,
stiffening of the arterial system, and degenerative diseases of the eye.
- Methylation Deficit.
Cellular DNA requires constant enzymatic actions (methylation) for
maintenance and repair. Aging cripples youthful methylation metabolism
causing DNA damage that can manifest as cancer, liver damage, and brain
cell degeneration.
- Mitochondrial Energy Depletion.
The cell's energy powerhouse (the mitochondria) requires a complex series
of chemicals to be present in order to maintain critical functions such as
transporting nutrients through the cell membrane and purging the cell of
toxic debris. Mitochondrial energy depletion can result in congestive
heart failure, muscle weakness, fatigue, and neurological disease.
- Hormone Imbalance.
The trillions of cells in the human body are delicately synchronized to
function by chemical signals called hormones. Aging creates a severe
hormone imbalance that is often a contributing cause to many diseases
associated with aging including depression, osteoporosis, coronary artery
disease, and loss of libido.
- Excess Calcification.
Calcium ions are transported into and out of cells through calcium
channels in the cell membrane. Aging disrupts calcium transport, and the
result is excess calcium infiltration into cells of the brain, heart
valves, and middle arterial wall (causing arteriosclerosis).
- Fatty Acid Imbalance.
The body requires essential fatty acids to maintain cell energy output.
Aging causes alterations in enzymes required to convert dietary fats into
the specific essential fatty acids the body requires to sustain life. The
effects of a fatty acid imbalance may manifest as an irregular heart beat,
joint degeneration, low energy, hyper-coagulation, dry skin, or a host of
other common ailments associated with normal aging.
- DNA Mutation.
Numerous synthetic and natural compounds mutate cellular DNA and cause
cancer cells to form. Aging cells lose their DNA gene repair mechanisms
and the result is that DNA genetic damage can cause cells to proliferate
out of control, i.e., turn into cancer cells.
- Immune Dysfunction.
For a variety of reasons, the aging immune system loses its ability to
attack bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells.
- Non-Digestive Enzyme Imbalance.
Internal cellular functions depend on multiple enzymatic reactions
occurring with precise timing. Aging causes enzyme imbalances primarily in
the brain and liver, which results in severe neurological diseases such as
Parkinson's or the persistent memory loss aging people so often complain
about. Impaired liver function results in toxic damage to every cell in
the body.
- Digestive Enzyme Deficit.
The aging pancreas often fails to secrete enough digestive enzymes, while
the aging liver does not secrete enough bile acids. The result is chronic
indigestion people complain about as they age.
- Excitotoxicity.
The aging brain loses control of its release of neurotransmitters,
resulting in devastating brain cell damage and destruction.
- Circulatory Deficit.
Microcapillary perfusion of blood to the brain, eye, and skin is impaired
as a part of normal aging. The result is that disorders of the eye (such
as cataract, macular degeneration, and glaucoma) are the number one
aging-related degenerative disease. Major and mini-strokes are common
problem associated with circulatory deficit to the brain. The skin of aged
people shows the effects of lack of nutrient-rich blood to the upper
layers.
- Oxidative stress.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that have been implicated in most
diseases associated with aging. Antioxidants have become popular
supplements to protect against free radical-induced cell damage, but few
people take the proper combination of antioxidants that will kill every
known free-radical.
Adults of any age and all children can benefit by taking vitamin
supplements. Focus should be on antioxidants, hormones, enzymatic repair
systems, and other biological chemicals needed to sustain life. What is
important in childhood turns out to be mandatory as humans enter
middle-age and become vulnerable to the plethora of degenerative diseases
that await them if they do not adequately protect themselves.
I have designed a scientific program to counteract the known biochemical
processes proposed by gerontologists as the primary causes of aging. This
Total Health Program provides recommendations to neutralize many of these
known causes of premature aging, based on defeating the 14 known
mechanisms of aging. The key is taking these nutrients and hormones in the
proper doses. That means matching your nutritional needs to your body and
lifestyle. The DNA Test is a great place to start.
Conclusion
In today's Western world, a large percentage of the population fails to
ingest optimal potencies of many essential nutrients. A shocking majority
(93-96%) of people who do not supplement properly are deficient in
necessary anti-aging nutrients.
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