CURRENT CONCEPTS ABOUT PROLONGING LIFE

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CURRENT CONCEPTS ABOUT PROLONGING LIFE

JoAnn Guest

Dec 29, 2006 11:08 PST

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http://www.newswithviews.com/Howenstine/james15.htm

 

 

By Dr. James Howenstine, MD.

August 10, 2004

NewsWithViews.com

 

Regulating insulin secretion has long been known to be important in

preventing disease and slowing the aging process. This can be

accomplished by eating foods that do not cause the body to secrete

insulin. Avoiding refined carbohydrates and carbohydrates that are

readily converted to glucose (sugar, corn syrup, white flour in the

form

of bread, pasta, crackers, rice, potatoes etc.) is beneficial

because it

decreases insulin production.

 

Drastic reduction in food intake (about 30 % below normal) clearly

improves longevity in animals (worms, spiders, rodents, dogs, cows,

and

monkeys) and would probably work in humans. The problem with this

approach is that few persons want to spend the remainder of their

days

feeling cold, fatigued and hungry.

 

Biochemist Cynthia Kenyon of the University of California in San

Francisco has been finding out much about aging. Her research has

shown

that hormones control aging in worms. The primary hormones involved

in

this process are insulin and IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor-1).

Eliminating the gene responsible for transmitting these hormones'

signals across the cell wall has increased the lifespan of worms

six-fold. The worms with impaired pathways for insulin and IGF-1

were

healthier and stayed younger for a longer period of time than

untreated

worms. Worms are valuable in studying genetic conditions because

they

have short life spans (20 days), are easy to perform genetic surgery

on,

and they have the same endocrine and hormone systems present in

humans.

 

Using the information obtained by Kenyon, Martin Holzenberger in

France

genetically altered mice so they exhibited poor responses to IGF-1.

These altered mice lived 26%[1] longer than normal mice. Mice

genetically altered to respond poorly to insulin lived 18%[2] longer

than normal mice in another similar study.

 

Insulin is released from the pancreas in response to rising blood

sugar

levels. This insulin moves glucose out of the bloodstream by opening

small channels in cell walls. Once inside the cell the glucose is

burned

for energy. Another function of insulin is to promote the storage of

fat

in the body's fat cells. This stored fat should be an emergency

reserve

for persons to use when starvation occurs. However, persons who

overeat

foods that rapidly become converted to sugar (high glycemic

carbohydrates) are causing more insulin to get secreted and more fat

to

become stored. This process is accentuated in persons with an

indolent

life style.

 

 

 

What this research points out is that eating in a manner that does

not

provoke insulin secretion becomes an effective anti-aging tool. Low

carbohydrate diets are popular now (Atkins, South Beach etc.) but

the

key dietary measure needed is consuming carbohydrates that are low

glycemic foods. Lots of vegetables are fine as long as they are not

starchy (potatoes, rice). Avoiding sugar, corn syrup, and white

flour

foods such as bread, pasta, crackers, pastry, rolls, cakes, pies and

candy is vital. Go to www.mendosa.com and click the food link on the

left to get a comprehensive list of high glycemic foods. Adding a

teaspoon or more of cinnamon to your food daily reduces insulin

secretion. Chromium, vanadium and alpha lipoic acid all diminish the

secretion of insulin. Regular exercise decreases insulin secretion

by

burning up glucose.

 

Cynthia Kenyon observed that when sugar was added to the diet of her

gene-altered worms their life span shortened. This caused her to

decrease high glycemic foods in her own diet. She started to avoid

sweets, potatoes, bread, pasta, and rice. Lots of low glycemic

vegetables were eaten along with meats, cheeses, fish, nuts, salads,

and

eggs. Within two years her triglyceride dropped to 30 mg/dL (normal

below 150 mg/dL.) and her good cholesterol HDL increased to 86

mg/dl.,

which is quite high (desirable).

 

Insulin like growth factor-1 IGF-1 is closely involved with insulin

in

controlling the speed of aging. IGF-1 stimulates growth and cell

division. Typically the production of IGF-1 declines as we age.

Holzenberger's team learned that their low IGF-1 mice were more

protected against chemicals and substances that provoked free

radical

generation. There was less damage to their DNA, proteins, and cell

membranes than was seen in mice with higher IGF-1 levels.

 

For many years human growth hormone has been praised as an age-

reversing

substance because it creates muscle and diminishes fat along with

other

desirable changes. However, IGF-1 levels rise after growth hormone

usage

and some authorities have been concerned that these elevated IGF-1

levels might encourage tumors to begin or have more rapid growth.

 

Harvard Professor David Sinclair has performed research that

identified

organic molecules that were capable of extending life span. A

substance

found in red wine increased the activity of a longevity protein that

affects the insulin/IGF-1 system. This substance (resveratrol) is a

polyphenol that mitigates age-related problems like

arteriosclerosis,

nerve degeneration, and cancer formation. Resveratrol from wine

drinking

has long been considered to be the reason the French people have so

little arteriosclerosis compared to the U.S.

 

Professor Sinclair has demonstrated that resveratrol stimulates an

enzyme in yeast that increases their lifespan by 70 %. This enzyme

belongs to the same family of proteins that regulates lifespan in

worms,

and cell survival in humans. This enzyme is known to be responsible

for

the increased longevity in humans who severely curtail their caloric

intake. Six drug companies are frantically trying to develop drugs

to

control the insulin IGR-1 pathway.

 

What Should Interested Patients Do?

 

Begin to eliminate sugars, refined carbohydrates (white bread,

pasta,

pastry etc.) and the high glycemic carbohydrates from your diet. At

this

time implementing such a dietary change at age fifty should be able

to

add 10 healthy years to your lifespan. This diet is an ideal way to

prevent Type 2 diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and cancer. A desirable

feature of this dietary change is that there are no side effects.

Persons with inflammatory illnesses (rheumatoid arthritis,

Alzheimer's

Disease, arteriosclerosis, etc.) need to be alert as increasing the

intake of inflammatory meat and dairy products might intensify their

symptoms. Obviously a symptom flare up needs to cause these diet

changes

to be reversed.

 

Including resveratrol in this life-prolonging program makes good

sense.

Resveratrol is able to prevent heart disease by having strong

antioxidant capabilities, increasing the output of beneficial nitric

acid to relax arteries and by preventing clotting so that blocked

arteries[3] have a good chance to reopen. In addition resveratrol[4]

may

be effective in preventing the amyloid deposits found in Alzheimer's

Disease.

 

Resveratrol inhibits the growth and development of cancer cells[5]

as

well as killing existing cancer cells. Estrogen activity can be

controlled by resveratrol. It helps control hot flashes, mood

fluctuations, bone loss and other menopausal symptoms. Blocking the

onset and progression of estrogenic cancers such as breast and

prostate

also seems to occur with resveratrol. Spread of cancer cells to bone

also appears to be blocked by resveratrol, particularly noted in

cancers

of pancreas, kidney and breast.

 

Resveratrol has an ability to protect against skin and stomach

cancer,[6] liver disease, and pain.

 

The best known sources of resveratrol are red wine and grape juice.

Resveratrol is also found in Japanese knotwood, pine trees,

eucalyptus,

and peanuts. Plants produce resveratrol for protection against

stress,

bad weather, poor nutritional availability, and to be protected

against

fungal and other plant diseases. More resveratrol is produced in

conditions of harsh climates and unfriendly environments. The

resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes. In the production of

white

wine the skin is removed early so white wine contains little

resveratrol.

 

Research suggests that about 20 mg. of resveratrol daily provides

maximal health benefits. Red wine contains 0.2 mg per ounce so a

glass

or two daily is helpful but to achieve an intake of 20 mg.,

supplementation is necessary. Cynthia Kenyon now includes a daily

glass

of red wine in her diet.

 

One or two capsules daily of Resvert with meals contains 25 mg. of

resveratrol plus 100 mg. of proantrocyanidins. This can be purchased

from Young Again Nutrients www.youngagain.com or by phoning

877-205-0040.

 

Some of this information about resveratrol began to become known 5

or 6

years ago. Our product Recovery used for arthritis, collagen

diseases

and musculoskeletal pains contains resveratrol and green tea as its

two

primary ingredients. When taking a therapeutic dosage of Recovery, 5

mg.

of resveratrol is received daily. Nutrients received from foods or

combined with other nutrients in a product like Recovery have an

enhanced effectiveness when compared to a nutrient taken in

isolation.

 

Resveratrol has no side effects but persons taking anti coagulants

or

patients with platelet deficiencies or bleeding tendencies should be

monitored by a physician as resveratrol does decrease the clotting

tendency of blood.

 

This evidence about ways to prolong life is sufficiently strong that

modifying one's diet and considering resveratrol appears prudent.

Certainly this approach is much more palatable than living a calorie

restricted life.

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets