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Diet is perhaps one of the most confusing areas of health because there are so many people claiming …

There are a few simple rules to follow when choosing the foods that are permitted to enter your mouth. Remember, every year all of the molecules in your body have been replaced with entirely new molecules. Those molecules will be comprised of the molecules that you put in your mouth through your food. So, it would make good sense to fill your body with healthy, living enzymes and nutrients.

This section will introduce you to natural eating, it is not a full course on healthy eating but it should give you plenty of information to get you started.

Rule number one, follow the golden rule: “Eat foods in the package that nature provides!” You don’t see orange juice growing on a tree, you see oranges growing on a tree. Follow this rule and you will be half way to a healthy diet. You see, when you drink a glass of orange juice you are getting the sugar equivalent of 4-6 oranges. This sugar has been liberated from the fiber of the pulp and is thus much more readily absorbed into the blood. Whenever sugar enters into the blood at such a fast rate it reeks havoc regardless of whether that product comes from fruit or not. It is much healthier to eat the whole orange. You will get the fiber and the extra bioflavonoids! This rule goes well beyond OJ, if you apply it to the majority of your diet, you will literally change your health in one swoop. It is THAT powerful. You don’t need to learn complex rules, count calories, or read packages, just eat REAL food from nature as often as possible.

Rule number two, nutrient density decides the quality of food. Nutrient density has to do with how much nutrition there is in a food in comparison to how many calories are present. High levels of nutrition and low calorie count make for an ideal food. Any food with low or average nutrient levels along with high calorie levels is considered unhealthy. If you eat lots of vegetables and fruits while following the Golden Rule, then you can almost never go wrong. Pick the fruits and vegetables that are the most colorful as these will have the most healthful qualities! Although you can not always guarantee the presence of vitamins and minerals, you can always guarantee the presence of healthy phytochemicals such as carotenoids by merely looking at the product. These phytochemicals are what give fruits and vegetables their vivid color.

What About Meat?

There is a lot of controversy regarding how meat impacts your health. On one side of the story you hear the high protein arguments and on the other the vegetarian arguments.
If we look at our Paleolithic ancestors, it is estimated that 45-85% of their calories came from animal sources such as fish, insects, birds, amphibians, mammals, etc. Scientists estimate the daily protein intake of Paleolithic man to be 300-400 grams of protein per day, along with 200 grams of fat.  (Sisson, Mark. Primal Blueprint)

The debate surrounding vegetarian versus omnivores living is ridiculous because it is possible to be very healthy or very unhealthy eating either way. Personally, I choose a omnivore lifestyle that includes large quantities of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. I choose lean meats and consume these lean sources of protein with most of my main meals. If you choose to be vegetarian, you must be sure to supplement with sublingual B12 and consume plenty of sources of vegetarian protein. Regardless of whether you choose a vegetarian or omnivore lifestyle, there is one rule that you must follow to enjoy optimal health…

Third, cut out refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, white rice, candy and sugar as much as possible. There is nothing good coming out of these foods but taste. We do not need to drop them out of our diet completely, however, we do need to significantly limit their intake. With a little self-discipline we can learn to love healthier foods like we love these nutrient poor, carbohydrate based products. If you can achieve these goals, you will be well on your way to optimal health!

If you would like a great book suggestion to get you started on the path of healthy eating I would highly suggest Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson. This book really helps people understand a healthy diet and provides TONS of great health tips that you can put to use right away.

Finally, drink your water! Few people realize just how important water intake is to your body’s health. I have seen peoples energy skyrocket, blood pressures drop, allergies improve,  and memories return to youthful levels, simply by drinking more water! Here are some tips for working more water into your lifestyle:

1. Keep a 32 oz bottle of water on your desk, sip at it all day long. If you freeze it over night you can sip at it as it melts throughout the day. If you do freeze it please be sure to fill the bottle only two-thirds the way to allow the water to expand.
2. Get a NSF certified filter for home use and USE IT! A good filter is New Wave 10-Stage Filter .

In the past, my stock answer to this sticky question has been, “it depends”. There are many factors that would determine which is right for an individual… genetics, metabolism, blood type, ethnic background, health, personal preferences, etc. If I saw five patients in one day that all asked me that very same question, the conclusion drawn would have been that there is a different answer for each one of them.

Herbivore? Carnivore? Omnivore?

Nope… if we really want the healthiest way of eating… for you, and for the rest or us, how about LOCAVORE!!

Factoid: The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore as its word of the year for 2007.

A “locavore” is someone that eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius of where they live. The distance considered “local” may vary depending upon your sensibilities, but a generally accepted rule of thumb may be within 100 miles.

This would be taking the question to a whole different level – one that transcends whether you are eating meat or not. And one that eschews the organic vs. non-organic argument. Or, better said, decide to eat locally first – then you can argue about all the rest of it. Vegetarian or carnivore, organic or not – if you are getting your food locally, chances are it will be healthier for you than if it traveled in a truck, boat or plane to make it to your plate. And, just as importantly, it will be healthier for me if you did that too!

The average American meal has traveled at least 1,500 miles to make it to your plate (that is further than the average American family goes for vacation). So what is the true cost of a meal when you consider the fuel costs of transportation and refrigeration, packaging, labor, etc? The cost to the environment and the inflated cost of gasoline (because of supposed scarcity) makes that 99 cent hamburger one heck of a lot more expensive.

Get this – according to Barbara Kingsolver (author of many novels including Poisonwood Bible) and husband Steven Hopp in their book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – if every American citizen would eat just one local and organically grown meal a week, the savings in fuel would amount to 1.1 million barrels of oil every week! How many of us have considered trading in our SUVs for little Hondas? Want to make a real difference, and help yourself in the process… become a locavore… the impact can be tremendous, even if you only partially dedicate yourself to the idea.

Locally grown food makes up less than 1% of the $900-billion food industry. The reasons for this are numerous, including grocery chains & wholesalers and fast-food producers finding it easier and more profitable to buy from huge factory farms. Government subsidies also contribute to the appearance of economies with the large-scale food delivery system.

Imagine what would happen if there were no more local farms in our area. All it would take is one natural disaster between here and the Mid-West, or one ill-timed political decision, or one trucker’s strike to render us helpless.

Here are additional benefits (other than saving gas) that come from encouraging and supporting local farmers…

Eating foods harvested locally also means eating them almost immediately after harvest, which translates into better taste and increased nutritional value, because foods ripen on the vine, not through an artificial process while in a truck.
Keeping local farmers in business helps to control urban sprawl – a family farm going out of business is what leads to the land becoming available to developers.
Eating locally encourages multiple cropping; growing multiple species and a wide variety of crops at the same time and place… this is healthier for the land and also makes the farms less susceptible to the likelihood of an entire crop loss caused by one factor (meaning if all you grow is soy beans and a soy bean virus attacks your crops – you’re done).
Multiple cropping also allows for more efficient use of labor and materials because different plants come in at different times, as opposed to 80% of the work happening in a short period of time.
Local economies are strengthened by protecting local jobs and local suppliers.
You should realize that foods in packages marked as “local” may mean that they were grown locally, shipped abroad for packaging and processing, and then shipped right back to your neighborhood for sale. This would hardly result in the intended outcome or conserving resources, etc. And, it would also mean that too much of the cost of the food would be going to all of the middle-men in that process, not the local farmer. So, when you buy locally, you should be buying from the actual farmer (at a farmer’s market, perhaps) or from a food co-op or local grocer who can certify the source and processing of the goods.

When you go to a farmer’s market to make your purchases, take the time to actually talk to the farmer. First of all, it’s the neighborly thing to do (and he or she IS your neighbor). Also, you can find out about the farming methods used – organic or not – and you can get the opportunity to let your preferences be known. You are the consumer, the customer, after all, and farmers want to grow the things that you are interested in buying.

And don’t forget about restaurants that advertise local foods used in their establishments. Eating at these places has a tremendous trickle down effect in supporting local farmers and encouraging more of them to continue to do their thing.

There are a lot of resources around to help you find local farmers and farmers markets. You can go to www.localharvest.org and click on the map where you live. Bring up www.futureharvestcasa.org for more regional resources and information. Click on www.100milediet.org to read even more about this concept and to get on the road to becoming a locavore yourself.

I really encourage you to think this through very carefully. Think about how simple it would be to make a small change in your habits that could reap huge rewards down the road. One meal a week, that is less than 5% of your total eating activity, can make a huge difference in your health and mine. If you aren’t interested in helping yourself, you could at least do it for me!

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Have you ever stopped to wonder who taught a monkey what to eat? I realize that you are here to learn about the benefits of potassium, bare with me a moment, I promise I will give you the answer. for now,, back to the monkey question, it will all make sense in a second…

I am willing to bet that you’ve never given it much thought because, admittedly, the question is quite ridiculous. Monkeys just seem to know what to eat. Through this mysterious force we call “instinct”, most animals exit the womb and just know exactly what to put in their mouths.

Although humans are more than animals, we do have instincts, like our monkey ancestors.

In recent years scientists have been trying to understand what man consumed when we didn’t have government agencies to tell us what to eat. During this time, approximately 50,000 to 100,000 years ago, Paleolithic man was comprised of hunters and gatherers who consumed a diet motivated by instinct. Then approximately 10,000 years ago began the Neolithic Revolution.

The Grand Mistake

During this new age of human development; we adopted more of an agriculture and animal husbandry practice. I imagine this is about the time when those nasty little creatures called “food scientists” came into existence. A “food scientist” is someone who thinks they can make food better, tastier, and more nutritious than nature.

Although the study of the Paleolithic lifestyle is quite complex, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what kinds of foods our ancestors consumed. It’s no surprise to see that most experts in the area of Paleolithic eating suspect that these people consumed primarily fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some wild game. If you’re reading this list and feel that this is common sense, that “knowing” that you are experiencing is the remnant of your Paleolithic instinct.

Our abandonment of the Paleolithic way has resulted in a number of harmful and even life-threatening nutrient deficiencies…

Potassium Deficiency and the Benefits of Potassium

One nutrient that many scientists believe was much more abundant in our diet during Paleolithic times was potassium.

The Stone Age humans likely consume approximately 15 grams of potassium on a daily basis. Compare that to the recommended daily allowance of 4.7 grams per day. A ridiculously low level, I may add, that most of us never achieve.

In addition to a deficiency of potassium, the average American consumes a large excess of sodium. The sodium to potassium ratio is important for proper function of the body; when this ratio gets imbalanced the body suffers. Our Stone Age ancestors only consumed less than a gram of sodium (0.6 g) and it is estimated that the average American now consumes approximately 3.5 g of sodium and an embarrassing 2.8 g of potassium.

Why Should We Be Concerned With Our Sodium/Potassium Balance?

The balance of sodium and potassium is crucial for the function many cellular systems; some signs of potassium deficiency include:

1. Fatigue
2. Heart arrhythmias
3. Heart failure
4. Muscle weakness
5. Constipation
6. Delayed emptying of the stomach

Isn’t Potassium Dangerous?

Contrary to popular belief, potassium is a safe nutrient when taken properly. In healthy adults without heart or kidney problems, daily potassium intake should not exceed 8 grams.

If you suffer with kidney and/or heart disease, or you are on certain medications for blood pressure, potassium toxicity can occur at lower dose. For this latter group, ask your doctor before taking potassium supplements.

When supplementing with potassium, you must take into account how much potassium you are taking in through diet. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, legumes are all good sources of potassium. It is possible to get sufficient potassium levels from your diet, however, it requires discipline and a hefty appetite for fruits and vegetables.

For the rest of us, supplementation may be required in order to achieve healthy potassium levels.

Who’s At Risk of Potassium Deficiency?

Before we get into the benefits of potassium, let’s talk about the risks of potassium deficiency.

It is important to realize that certain lifestyle habits, medications, and conditions can lead to an increased risk of potassium deficiency, these include:

1. The use of diuretics
2. Diarrhea or vomiting
3. Chronic dieting
4. Chronic kidney failure
5. Magnesium deficiency
6. Strenuous exercise

Keep these variables in mind when considering supplementation. See our Daily Potassium Requirements for Optimal Health for more information on supplementing with potassium.

What Are the Benefits of Potassium?

Potassium is essential for regulating fluid balance, acidity within the body, blood pressure, and muscle function. There are numerous outward benefits of supplementing with potassium, including:

1. Lowering blood pressure – An analysis of 33 published studies have demonstrated potassium supplementation to be of benefit in people who suffer with hypertension. The effective dose used in the research was 2,400 mg daily. (JAMA 1997;277:1624–32
2. Protection from Cardiac Arrhythmias – Studies show that people with low potassium levels are at a heightened risk of arrhythmia. Supplementation with 1,000 mg of potassium was shown to decrease the risk of arrhythmias in people who were prescribed a potassium-depleting blood pressure medication called hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). (Int J Cardiol 1989;25:93–8)
3. Prolonged life and Improved Quality of life – One study demonstrated that men who consumed high levels of potassium had a longer life. More importantly, those with higher potassium intake enjoyed an improved quality of life. See the article: Potassium for a Longer and Healthier Life – Benefits of Potassium for Seniors
4. Improved energy – Electrolytes, such as potassium, can allow the body to manufacture needed energy. Potassium deficiency can cause physical and mental exhaustion.
5. End to muscle cramps and charlie horses – Potassium deficiency can promote muscle cramps, as can calcium or magnesium deficiency.

Some health experts claim that nutrient deficiencies are a thing of the past and supplementation is unnecessary in today’s day and age…they are dangerously mistaken!

In fact nutrient deficiencies are quite common, and such deficiencies are the direct cause of many health problems that result in hospitalization and even death.

One such nutritional deficiency is potassium and in today’s article, we will talk about the benefits of potassium supplementation as well as the daily potassium requirements for optimal health. Published research shows that potassium deficiency can be a direct or indirect cause of many health problems, including:

• Cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heart beat)
• High blood pressure
• Fatigue and muscle weakness
• Constipation

Benefits of Potassium

Potassium can be an important part of any supplement program. Studies have shown that potassium supplementation can result in significant decreases in blood pressure, improvements in constipation, decreases in cardiac arrhythmias, and improvement in fatigue and muscle weakness.

Daily Potassium Requirements

The majority of your potassium should come from your diet; supplementation should be used as a means of optimizing your dietary potassium intake. I recommend reading the article on the Benefits of Potassium for a discussion of dietary potassium from the perspective of our evolutionary history. Although the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of potassium is 4.7 grams (4700 mg), our Paleolithic ancestors consumed between 10-15 grams per day from fruits and vegetables!

For most healthy people, taking up to 1,000-2,000 mg of potassium daily in supplement form should be very safe (depending on diet). If you are on medications, such as loop diuretics or ACE Inhibitors, or suffer with heart or kidney disease, check with a health care provider prior to supplementing with potassium.

The Potassium Supplement That I Recommend

K+2 Potassium is a high potency potassium formula that provides 300 mg of potassium per capsule. In addition to providing 300 mg of potassium per capsule, this formula provides two impressive forms of potassium…

Potassium glycinate is a chelated form of potassium that mimics food sourced potassium in absorption and utilization.

Potassium bicarbonate provides a source of bicarbonate, which helps to alkalinize the body. This advanced combination makes this one of the most potent and powerful potassium supplements on the market. This form would be especially good for people who have bone loss and/or those who eat a high meat diet.

As an alternative, Potassium Amino Acid Complex by Your Prescription for Health is an inexpensive and high-quality form of chelated potassium. Each tablet provides 99 mg of potassium in a form that mimics potassium found in food. Potassium chelate by Your Prescription for Health is considered the most cost-effective form of potassium. The only negative to this potassium supplement is it is limited to 99 mg per tablet.

Summary:

As I mentioned in the article, Benefits of Potassium, we are designed to consume far more than the ridiculously low amounts suggested by the RDA. So if you are a healthy person, with normal kidney function and currently not taking any medications for blood pressure or heart problems, eat as much potassium as you can from fruit and vegetable sources. If you have difficulty getting large quantities of fruits and vegetables, try 4-6 capsules of K+2 Potassium by Designs for Health.

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Argument: If I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, then I don’t need to add vitamins and minerals.
Answer: The argument that the nutritional needs of the body can be thoroughly met through diet is probably a valid one, as long as certain assumptions hold true. The main assumption is that the diet is made up almost entirely of fresh fruit and vegetables from local and trusted growers who understand crop rotation and proper soil fertilization. A fruit’s nutrition is highest at the height of its ripeness when the fruit is just about to fall from the tree, bush or vine. This makes great evolutionary sense as the purpose of the fruit is to propagate the species of the plant. The survival of the seed is most probable when the fruit contains the nutrition necessary to allow the seedling to develop. In addition, the sweetness and nutrition content of the fruit increase the likelihood that the fruit will be eaten by animals that scour the grasses for food. This helps both the animal and the plant as the animal gets food and the plant’s seed gets spread to different areas as it passes through the stool of the animal onto fertile ground elsewhere. The problem is that most conventional fruit is picked unripe and then ripened on the way to the store through artificial processes using ethylene. This makes for a fruit or vegetable that contains suboptimal levels of nutrients. A study performed at Oregon State University found that green blackberries contain only 74 mg/100 grams of anthocyanins (a plant compound/antioxidant known to protect the body from heart disease and cancer) compared to 317 mg/100 grams for vine ripened blackberries. (J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Sep 22;52(19):5907-13.) Research in Spain demonstrated that cherries picked prematurely contained one-half the level of vitamin C as cherries picked ripe (J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Apr 6;53(7):2741-5.)

In addition, due to the over farming of lands there is not enough nutrition in the soil to make for highly nutritive foods. For example, each time a watermelon is picked from the land some of the nutrition goes with it, after all, a fundamental law of physics is you cannot make something from nothing. Over time the soil gets depleted and the nutrition in the fruits and vegetables suffer. To make matters worse, the growers use a process of selective breeding to increase pith and water (the pith is the fibrous material such as the netting around the pulp of the orange and the white fluff just under the skin). This makes for big, attractive and heavy fruit with less vitamin and mineral content. These plant breeders lovingly refer to this process as the “dilution effect”. An example of this effect is with a very popular breed of broccoli called “Marathon” which is big and green and according to the USDA contains half the calcium and magnesium of other more nutritious hybrids of broccoli. All of this results in more weight and less nutrition.

In a 2004 study, scientists discovered that the nutrition content for 6 nutrients have declined significantly in fruits and vegetables since 1950. These nutrients include calcium, riboflavin, vitamin C, iron, potassium and protein. (J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Dec;23(6):669-82) This study from the University of Texas evaluated the nutrient content over time of 43 garden crops. This study takes into account the effect of many different factors including ethylene ripening, the dilution effect, the use of commercial fertilizer, over farming, etc.
So is it possible to find nutrient dense fruits and vegetables? I believe so. Studies have shown that organic fruits and vegetables have more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants when compared to conventional produce. (J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Sep 11;50(19):5458-62; J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Feb 26;51(5):1237-41) Even if you regularly use organic produce, you will need to eat larger quantities of these fruits and vegetables to meet the vitamin, mineral and antioxidant needs of the body. I believe that people who meet these produce requirements are the exception rather than the rule.

One final argument on this subject doesn’t have to do with the nutrient content of the food as much as it has to do with nutrient needs of the body. Today’s body has to deal with an onslaught of toxic attack that we did not evolve on. Cleaning product, pollutions, stress and out gassing of carpets and paint all cause a withdrawal from the antioxidant and nutrient reserves of the body. We cannot assume that the nutrient needs of yesteryear apply to today! In other words, you need more nutrition today just to meet the minimum needs! Research has found that the great majority of the population does not meet the pitiful RDA requirements for one or more nutrients.

Argument: Doesn’t supplementation just cause expensive urine?
Answer: Whenever I debate the need for supplementation it seems that the first argument is always the same, “All that you are doing with nutritional supplements is making expensive urine.” This argument comes from the point that any excess of water soluble nutrients that you take in will be excreted through the urine. So if you take 1,000 mg of vitamin C and your body only uses 500 mg then you will kick out 500 mg of the vitamin C as “waste”. My answer to this is, better a surplus than a deficiency! When you supplement, you do run the risk of losing some extra nutrients in the urine. This argument can be made for those who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as you will likely see more vitamins and minerals in their urine as well. Does this mean that you should not eat fruits and vegetables? In addition, if you want to talk about expensive urine let’s talk about the urine of people who take medications. You will find a significant amount of these medications in the urine and stool of these patients. So you choose- expensive urine full of vitamins or expensive urine full of medications.

Argument: We eat more food than most other countries, aren’t my nutrition needs being met?
Answer: I agree with the first statement regarding the quantity of food that we eat, however, I disagree with the second part of the statement which refers to the quality of food. Our society has built a food culture that creates a population of overfed and undernourished people. This means that calories are plentiful but nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals are deficient. This is the main reason why supplementation is so important. Starvation as it pertains to energy is not a common problem here in the United States, however, cellular starvation is a major problem. This means that the cells have all of the fuel that they require to function; however, the cells may not have the micronutrients necessary to be able to convert the fuel to energy and appropriately distribute that energy to various functions such as the immune and repair systems. This is like a car with a full tank of gas and no spark plugs. Remember, practically every study that has evaluated various vitamin and mineral levels in the blood have correlated higher levels of food nutrients with significantly better health. This means getting nutrients from whole food sources when possible and supporting with supplementation as an insurance policy.

Argument: There are no studies to support the need for supplementation.
Answer: This statement is just plain ridiculous! There is a tremendous amount of research on nutrition and its benefit to health. I have never understood how people make this comment when I am drowning in studies published in peer reviewed journals demonstrating the benefit and safety of nutritional supplementation. Search PubMed or Medline (the same search engine used by your doctor) on omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, coenzyme Q 10, vitamin E, vitamin C, etc. You will be blown away by the results that you get. As far as safety goes, according to the 2005 annual report in the journal Clinical Toxicity, which evaluates the reports from 61 poison control centers in the U.S., out of 53 billion doses of supplemental vitamin supplements there was not even one death reported. Tragically, Tylenol was not so lucky being responsible for numerous adverse events and deaths.
I have dedicated my life to the study of longevity and, more importantly, to the study of vitality. My definite purpose is to design a system of living that allows people like you and me to live long, energetic lives full of LIFE ENERGY! To accomplish this goal, a system is needed that will prevent disease and promote energy production, circulation, repair and rejuvenation throughout our entire lives. It is my belief that this goal can be met with a healthy diet full of fresh, raw, organic, healthy foods. It is also my belief that with each day that science “revolutionizes” our lives and food industries this becomes harder and harder. Although it is possible to live long and healthy lives without supplementation, it is less likely today than ever before and the majority of us need supplements to meet our body’s needs.

There are trillions of biochemical reactions going on in your body every second of your life. Some reactions are tearing and some are repairing, in order for you to remain healthy the net total of reactions must equate to more repairing than tearing. Do you follow me thus far?

I once saw a funny tee shirt that reads “Eat well, exercise daily…die anyway.” Admittedly, this statement is a true statement, in the end something always gets us. The part that is left out of this witty testament, however, is what happens in between birth and death.

There is a story of a widow who was bringing her great-grandchild to visit her husband’s grave. When they arrive at the site she says to her great grandchild, “what do you think is the most important piece of information on the grave stone?” The child says, ” well his birth year, because if he were never born then we would not be here today.” She smiles and says, “no, try again.” He thinks for a second and says, “the date of his death then, because that is the day that we all remember him?” She replies, “no, but they are all good answers,” she continues, “the most important information on his grave stone is the little dash in between his birth year and the year of his death because it is how we live that matters!” There is great wisdom in that statement and that wisdom applies to our health. We cannot control our birthday, nor can we control the fact that one day we will leave this life, but we do have control over how long we stay and how we feel while we are here!

So let’s talk a bit about aging…

There are many theories about what causes us to age, some believe it is free radicals, some believe it is predetermined in our genetics, some believe it is the toxins and others believe it is stress. The truth of the matter is aging is likely a normal process that is controlled by all of the above mentioned factors and then many others that we have not yet described.

Researchers have not discovered a way to stop aging but they have discovered ways of slowing the process and in many situations reversing some of the ravages of premature aging. As with any situation, the first thing to do whenever we find ourselves in a ditch is to stop digging! Today’s article, is dedicated to one of the most important ways that we dig our hole deeper and thus speed the process by which we age. In addition, when we control this process we can actually see reversal of many of the signs of aging! So let’s get started with our discussion on a process called GLYCATION!

Glycation occurs when the body’s proteins react with sugar forming a substance in the body called Advanced Glycation End Products, AGEs for short. While glycation is a normal process of everyday metabolism, the rate of glycation and thus aging is significantly increased by the Standard American Diet (SAD) and lifestyle. We will talk more about this later. For now let’s continue with our discussion about what glycation is and why it is so devastating to health…

To help you visualize the process of glycation, imagine a fresh hamburger patty. When the patty is uncooked the patty is soft, pink and malleable, however, if we cook it, the patty turns brown and becomes harder and less shapeable. That browning effect comes from the proteins reacting with the sugars in the meat in a process similar to what happens in the body. That’s right, the meat gets “glycated” by the cooking process. In the body, glycation causes tissues to become harder, thicker and less pliable. This process results in:

1. Cataracts – The lens becomes cloudy and thicker until vision is impeded. This process is similar to the process of cooking an egg white. It starts out clear, but becomes white and cloudy after the proteins in the egg become glycated by the cooking process.
2. Hardening of the arteries
3. Wrinkles and loss of skin suppleness
4. Kidney damage and failure
5. Loss of muscle flexibility
6. Nerve damage

You can see how widespread and potent the aging effects of glycation can be to the tissues of the body. Because proteins make up a large percentage of the body’s structures, there is no tissue or organ that is safe from the process of glycation.

Glycation occurs more aggressively in diabetics and that is what makes this disease such a devastating condition. In fact, Lancet, a well respected, peer-reviewed journal, estimates that diabetes ages the average heart by 40 years. The majority of this problem is directly related to the glycation process. So what do we do about it?

Preventing and How to Reverse Glycation

Advanced Glycation End Products occur from many different reactions in the body. To achieve the most dramatic decrease in the glycation stress of the body we will want to implement a multifactor approach. With that said, we start with the most powerful way to decrease the formation of these powerful aging agents.

In chemistry, one way to decrease the number of chemical reactions that occur in a test tube is to simply add less of one of the chemicals. In the situation of glycation, the more sugar that is available, the more likely glycation is to occur. Simply decreasing the amount of sugar in the blood will decrease the amount of glycation that can occur, no other change in lifestyle will have such a dramatic effect on glycation.

For those of you who are saying, “but I don’t eat a lot of sweets!” you are not safe either if your diet is filled with carbohydrates like bread, pasta and cereals. In the body, these carbohydrates are digested and absorbed as sugar. So the first step is always, limit the amount of sugar AND carbohydrates in the diet (especially refined carbohydrates).

The second step to controlling glycation is to enhance the body’s ability to process and utilize sugar so that it doesn’t hang around and wreak havoc in the blood. This means EXERCISE! The more you exercise, the more sugar your body is able to burn away and the less sugar that is available to lead to glycation.

Now that we have talked about the bread and butter of controlling glycation we can talk about things that we can do to reverse glycation that has occurred before it causes permanent changes. Scientists have found that a number of nutritional components in the diet play a very important role in controlling glycation and even reversing it! These compounds include:

1. Carnosine, a combination of two amino acids beta-alanine and histidine. Research has found carnosine to be a potent inhibitor of glycation. In test tube studies, carnosine has been able to reverse aging damage to cells resulting in more youthful and efficient function. In one human study, 15 healthy subjects were given histidine and carnosine. The researchers found that these compounds protected the LDL (bad cholesterol) from glycation and oxidation. In order to achieve a significant blood level, it is recommended that 1,000-1500 mg of carnosine be used in a supplement program.
2. Benfotiamine is a fat soluble form of thiamine. Aside from benfotiamine’s anti-glycation effect it also appears to protect enzymes, heal damaged nerves and decrease inflammation which is triggered by elevated blood sugar. 150 mg once or twice daily.
3. Beta-alanine is an amino acid which is the precursor to carnosine. While carnosine appears to work on the fast forming glycation compounds, beta-alanine acts on slower forming glycating products. Recent studies suggest that beta-alanine significantly increases carnosine production in the muscles. Recommended dose is 1,000 mg twice daily.

Glycation is, no doubt, one of the most powerful promoters of the aging process and although we may not be able to stop it entirely; using diet, exercise and cutting-edge supplements we can significantly inhibit it and even reverse some of the damage caused by already existing Advanced Glycation End Products.

If you have metabolic syndrome or diabetes then you will want to take an aggressive stance on fighting these harmful compounds. Although the science of these supplements is in the early stages of discovery, I feel that there is sufficient scientific evidence to warrant their use. I feel that we can expect to see a decrease in complications associated with diabetes and possible a slowing of the aging process in otherwise healthy people. I look forward to confirming this hypothesis as more research comes to light.

The items described in this article have been combined into one formula called Mitochondrial Optimizer by Life Extensions.