Health Talk Today

Anti-Aging

How We Age

Your Almighty Immune System Aging is a complex but natural process that affects every cell, organ, and body function you have. It’s impacted by a number of factors, including genetics, nutritional habits, and other lifestyle aspects. But how exactly do we age? Well, scientists have been developing theories of aging for centuries, and more recently have invested billions of dollars into research in hopes of developing interventions to help alter or slow the aging process. To date, research suggests there are several key mechanisms involved:

DNA Damage
Every day the DNA of our cells is under assault. The causes—oxidative damage as a result of normal metabolism, mistakes in cell replication, and exposure to environmental factors such as radiation and other toxins. These assaults can cause “genetic typos” or more mistakes in DNA replication. Eventually, these mutations accumulate, causing cells to malfunction and die.

Declines in Cell Energy Production
Mitochondria are “intra-cellular power plants” that convert carbohydrates, fats, and protein from the foods we eat into cellular energy. However, as we age the number of mitochondria in our cells and their ability to produce energy decreases. In addition, the production of cell energy itself creates free radicals (highly reactive and unstable molecules) which damage mitochondrial membranes and cellular DNA. Over time, this damage accumulates and mitochondria stop functioning.

Formation of AGEs
As we age, the formation of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) occurs. They form when sugar molecules attach to proteins leading to structural changes called protein cross-links. AGE proteins build up slowly but accumulate as we age, and damage body tissues. Numerous studies also suggest that AGE proteins are associated with a number of age-related diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s and heart disease.

Decreased Cellular Defenses
How we age is related to the activity of genetic regulators—proteins that control the expression of genes. Nrf2 has been identified by scientists as a key master genetic regulator, and is now believed to control and coordinate the cells’ diverse natural defenses—antioxidant protection, anti-inflammatory activities, detoxification enzymes, as well as our cells’ ability to repair DNA and produce energy. Not surprisingly, research focusing on the role Nrf2 plays as our “guardian of longevity” has greatly increased in recent years.

Remember: Although the years of your life can’t be changed, scientists are researching ways to help slow the rate you age, and how well you can age with a healthy lifestyle.


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Free Shipping Day 2010

Free Shipping Day December 17, 2010

Today is the 3rd annual Free Shipping Day. Hundreds of merchants are offering free shipping today with delivery by Christmas Eve. Visit my free shipping offers at . . .

No matter which product line you start with, ALL products are eligible for free shipping.  Just fill up your shopping cart with at least $70 member price and you’ll be offered a free membership as you check out.  And you’ll also get free shipping on this first order.

Happy shopping!

Marilyn Kvasnok

Top 10 Healthy Skin Tips

Girl Washing Face

Babies are born with the softest and smoothest skin.  But as we age, our skin can take a real beating.  An unhealthy diet, air pollution, soaps and cleansers, smoking, sunburns, tanning booths and cheap cosmetics with harmful chemicals.  It all contributes to the aging effect and shows the most on your face.

If you want healthy skin, you need to take care of it.  And the best time to start is today!  It’s possible to slow down and even improve the health of your skin.  Make these 10 tips part of your daily routine and they’ll become good habits.

  1. Avoid excessive sun exposure. A little sun is good.  It helps your body make vitamin D.  But too much sun, especially in the heat of the day, can burn your skin.  So, wear sunscreen on all exposed skin.  And wear a hat to shield your face.
  2. Take a multivitamin to guarantee you get sufficient vitamin D.
  3. Use moisturizer to keep you skin hydrated and protect it from the elements.
  4. Use all natural cleansers with no harmful chemicals.  Gently wash your face in an upwards direction.  Never pull the skin downward.
  5. Don’t smoke. Smoking causes wrinkles and premature aging.
  6. Sleep on your back. It helps counteract the gravity that’s been pulling your face downward all day.  And it keeps your face from being pulled by the weight of your face on the pillow, if you were to sleep on your side.
  7. Facial exercises can help keep a youthful look.  It can avoid and even improve wrinkles, crow’s feet, laugh lines and a sagging neck.  Even smiling and laughing helps to exercise facial muscles.  There are many facial exercise experts.  Carol Maggio is at the top of my list.
  8. Eat a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish and healthy fats like olive oil.  Chocolate is NOT one of the 5 food groups on the food pyramid!
  9. Don’t touch your face. Your hands have bacteria that can cause infection and make your skin break out.
  10. Use all natural cosmetics. Anything you put ON your skin gets absorbed INTO your skin.  From there it goes to your bloodstream.  Make sure it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals.

Marilyn Kvasnok

The Fountain of Youth

How would you like to feel 25 years younger and live 25 years longer?

Doesn’t everyone dream of feeling younger and living longer? Don’t we all just want to live healthy and happy? I do.

I’ve been a caregiver for about 40 years. My first challenge was caring for my mentally handicapped daughter. She was happy in her own very limited world. In some ways, she acted like a teenager. She wanted to drive a big, blue van. She wanted a boyfriend. And she wanted to get married. Today would have been her 39th birthday. She passed away 7 years ago from undetected cancer.

I’ve also taken care of my aunt for over 20 years. She had rheumetoid arthritis that affected her whole body. And COPD that made it difficult to breathe. She never complained, but as the years went on, she could do less and less. She passed away a year ago.

And now, I’ve taken care of my mother for the last 7 years. After a series of strokes, she had brain surgery to correct the problem. The surgery left her very much like a stroke surviver. She has a very positive attitude and exercises every day to keep the mobility she has – And continues to improve.

So after all this time, I’ve learned there may be some things beyond our control. On the other hand, we can take steps to help prevent or at least delay the onset of disease. I’ve made a personal decision to take my vitamins every day. I have a protein drink and take some extra supplements. I exercise and walk more, even with my arthritis.

I tried drinking a little red wine several times a week, for the resveratrol. But, I really don’t like wine. Now, I found an anti-aging tonic. One teaspoon has the resveratrol equivalent of 100 glasses of red wine. I’ll be adding this age defying tonic to my daily routine soon. It just may be the single most important thing I do for myself. It may not be the Fountain of Youth, but it’ll be close. I’ll report on my progress here.

Marilyn Kvasnok

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