Bombshell: Explosive Medical Secrets That Will Redefine Aging (51 page)

That sentence says it all. TA-65 appears to be a miracle supplement. But if it is not affordable, there are foods that are great “alkalinizers,” and also telomere friendly!

Here are the best of the best.

ALMONDS

A true superfood, an amazing source of protein and fiber as well as minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and zinc. They are also high in vitamin E and contain monounsaturated fats, which help to keep arteries supple. Raw, unsalted is best. Sorry salted fans.

APPLES

This old standby contains the phytonutrient quercetin, which prevents oxidation (damage) of LDL cholesterol and thereby lowers the risk of damage to arteries, and in turn the risk of heart disease. Apples also contain pectin, a soluble fiber that seems to be effective in lowering levels of blood cholesterol.

AVOCADOS

These provide more heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, and potassium than any other fruit. They are the number one source of beta-sitosterol, a substance that can prevent macular degeneration and reduce total cholesterol, and lutein, an antioxidant that prevents cataracts and lowers the risk of prostate cancer.

BEANS

Rich in calcium, iron, folic acid, B vitamins, zinc, potassium, and magnesium, beans are a Bombshell of a food. They contain large amounts of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels, insoluble helps regulate bowel movements.

BEETS

Low in calories and loaded with nutrients, especially high levels of carotenoids and flavonoids. What’s not to love?

BLUEBERRIES

The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists blueberries as an excellent fruit source of antioxidants. Studies indicate their role in fighting memory loss, high cholesterol, diabetes, and strokes. Blueberries improve blood flow, keeping your brain and heart healthier. They also contain pterostilbene, shown to be effective in reducing LDL (bad guys) cholesterol. A half-cup serving has as much antioxidant power as five servings of other fruits and vegetables.

BROCCOLI

This cruciferous vegetable is a powerhouse of antioxidants such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C), di-indolymethane (DIM), and sulforaphane that detoxifies cancer-causing chemicals. Cruciferous vegetables also contain compounds called glucosinolates that have antidiabetic and antimicrobial properties.

CABBAGE

Rich in isothiocyanates and other cancer-preventing nutrients, high in fiber, and with the ability to stimulate the immune system and kill bacteria and viruses, cabbage is not just an ingredient for coleslaw! It inhibits the growth of cancerous cells, protects against tumors, helps control hormone levels, improves blood flow, and stimulates your sex drive. It also inhibits the growth of polyps in the colon, and consuming large amounts boosts estrogen metabolism, reducing cancer risk. Studies show eating cabbage just once a week reduces the risk of colon cancer by 60 percent.

GARLIC

Many clinical trials show garlic as a cancer fighter—preventing colon, breast, skin, prostate, stomach, and esophagus cancers. It keeps your
immune system vigilant by maintaining healthy function and numbers of natural killer cells, which are your first line of defense.

GRAPEFRUIT

Eating one grapefruit a day for thirty days can significantly reduce cholesterol by as much as 15 percent and triglycerides by 17 percent; and if you eat the fruit and the skin, you get more fiber and more antioxidants. Grapefruit also helps fight heart disease. But it should not be eaten if you’re still on a statin.

KALE

This green veggie regulates estrogen and is cancer protective for bowel, breast, bladder, prostate, and lung cancers. It also protects against heart disease and regulates blood pressure. It’s also a good source of calcium, which protects against osteoporosis, arthritis, and bone loss.

MEAT

This protein source supplies needed iron, B
₁₂
, carnosine, taurine, glutamate, choline, and zinc. Eat only organic and grass fed.

OLIVE OIL

Provides important monounsaturated fats that can help prevent heart attacks and allow for pliable cell membranes.

ORANGES

These tasty citrus fruits have hesperidin, an important flavonoid that can lower rates of heart attack. They are also a rich source of pectin, which lowers cholesterol, as well as potassium and folic acid, which lower homocysteine.

SEA VEGETABLES

The consumption of these vegetables may account for the low rates of cancer in Japan. They contain a high level of iodine. Nori is exceptionally high in protein and vitamins A and K, iodine, and potassium. Dark sea vegetables like arame, wakame, hijiki, and kelp contain alginate, which works in the GI tract to reduce the reabsorption of heavy metals.

SWEET POTATO

I like baked baby yams the best. They are like candy and loaded with protein, fiber, and beta-carotene for your arteries, as well as potassium, which controls your blood pressure.

TEA

Drink it black, green, and now white. All contain numerous and powerful unique polyphenols that may inhibit breast, digestive, and lung cancers. The polyphenols in green tea are wonderful antioxidants and function via unique mechanisms to protect against common ailments. A study showed people who drank two or more cups daily also had higher bone density than those who didn’t.

TOMATOES

Lycopene, found in tomatoes, reduces the risk of prostate, lung, and stomach cancers. Also, they contain potassium and vitamin C, all of which are essential for the immune system. Tomatoes are also good for the skin.

WILD SALMON

This is the perfect food. But it has to be wild as it is loaded with omega-3 oils. Wild salmon has been shown to protect against many cancers and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. The more omega-3 oils you have in your system, the longer the length of your telomeres. Also, wild salmon is generally found to be low in heavy metals like mercury, which can be a big problem in other fish like swordfish and large tuna.

The more daily servings you eat on average of these foods, the less likely you are to develop a chronic disease. Research shows that people who consume at least seven to ten servings a day get the most benefit. To do that, animal protein can no longer be the predominant portion on the plate. It’s hard to eat a large portion of protein at each meal and expect to get enough vegetables and fruit.

Ready to do even more? Then turn the page and find out in the next chapter, “Advanced Age Reversal,” how to knock down the other age promoters we discussed earlier.

Based on new findings
about the
mechanisms of aging
, the universal dream of a longer life is now a scientific reality. But what if you want to go deeper than making just a few changes and you want to dive into a more advanced age-reversing program? I asked Bill Faloon of Life Extension to provide a plan to counterattack the eighteen most common things that age us. Consult with an antiaging physician to see which of these might be issues for you, so that you can tailor your plan of attack to your individual needs.

The phenomenon known as “aging” is the result 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 could result in dramatic extensions of the human life span.

This chapter reveals what do about the eighteen controllable causes of age-related disease; follow these simple steps to correct them.

A
GING
F
ACTOR
1:
C
HRONIC
I
NFLAMMATION

S
OLUTION:
C
OMPREHENSIVE
A
NTI-
I
NFLAMMATORY
R
EGIMEN

An array of
clinically proven
nutrients and hormones has been shown to effectively
target
the mechanisms behind inflammation. The agents
listed below operate in multiple ways to neutralize pro-inflammatory processes.

The most commonly used
blood test
for inflammation is known as
high-sensitivity C-reactive protein
, or hs-CRP. Any doctor should be able to provide this test for you, or you can order it directly by logging on to
www.suzannesomers.com
. CRP levels in men should ideally be below 0.55 mg/L while women should be below 1.50 mg/L.

In addition to the nutrients and hormones described in this section, those with persistently high levels of C-reactive protein should seek to reduce their fasting blood glucose levels to below 85 mg/dL of blood.

Carrying excess fat pounds, especially in the belly, is a common cause of systemic inflammation. There are nutrients that impede the absorption of carbohydrates and thus facilitate weight loss along with reductions in fasting blood sugar. (You will read in Aging Factor 16 about natural ways to reduce belly fat and lower blood glucose.)

Those with stubbornly high blood sugar levels may need to take a standardized
green coffee bean extract
(350 mg three times daily) that has been shown to naturally block the overproduction and release of glucose into the bloodstream.

High LDL (bad cholesterol) can also spark systemic inflammatory fires. Your LDL levels should ideally be kept below 80–100 mg/dL. The presence of inflammatory factors in the blood is why blood testing is so important when designing an individualized program to neutralize your Aging Factors. To inquire about low-cost comprehensive
blood testing in your area, log on to
www.suzannesomers.com
and click through to Life Extension.

A
GING
F
ACTOR
2:
G
LYCATION

S
OLUTION:
F
ACILITATE
G
LUCOSE
M
ETABOLISM AND
I
NHIBIT
G
LYCATION

Numerous studies have shown that the nutrients listed below
suppress
dangerous glycation reactions in the body.

A
GING
F
ACTOR
3:
M
ETHYLATION

The DNA within every cell of your body requires constant enzymatic reactions called
methylation
for maintenance and repair. Aging
cripples
youthful methylation metabolism. The resulting DNA damage can manifest as cancer, liver damage, and brain cell degeneration.

Solution:
M
ETHYL
D
ONORS

Low-cost nutrients can safely
restore
methylation activity to youthful levels.

Taken together, the following nutrients are referred to as “methyl donors.” They induce so-called remethylation reactions—boosting levels of methylation activity and restoring healthy cellular function and repair.