Back in the early 1980s, Elizabeth Blackburn made a discovery that changed cell biology. It also changed how we protect our health. Because of her work, we now have a better understanding of the nutrients we need to take daily to protect our DNA and extend our lives. Her discovery was so groundbreaking that she won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 2009.

So what was this discovery? She discovered telomeres. Many of you have heard of telomeres before. If not, here’s a quick “recap.” As you may know, your DNA is foundational to your cells. Every cell contains strands of DNA that tell the cell how to function. Without this DNA, your cells won’t survive. But DNA is fragile. So each strand is “capped” by a string of protein structures called telomeres that keep the strand from unraveling. Every time the cell divides, telomeres get a bit shorter. Once they get too short, they initiate cell death.

In general, longer telomeres mean healthier cells (though there are exceptions, which we’ll discuss below). Some telomere shortening is a natural part of aging, which helps explain some of the health declines we tend to experience as we grow older. However, excessive telomere shortening is linked to a variety of health issues, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis. One study found that people who had shorter than average telomeres were three times more likely to suffer a heart attack than people whose telomeres stayed at the average level.

There are a number of lifestyle choices we can make that will either rapidly accelerate the shortening process or help extend the lives (and length) of our telomeres. While I don’t think many of these healthy or unhealthy habits will surprise you, it does help to understand one of the reasons that they are so beneficial or detrimental to our health.

Let’s start with one of the obvious ones: smoking. One study found that women lose telomeric DNA at an average rate of 25.7 to 27.7 base pairs per year. However, smoking a pack a day caused them to lose an extra five base pairs a year. Do that for 40 years, and you’ve shaved 7.4 years off of the life of your telomeres. And since telomere life and actual mortality are linked, you’ve likely shortened your actual life by three-quarters of a decade as well.

Interestingly, while smoking gets a well-deserved bad rap, it’s actually not the worst thing you can do for your telomeres. Research has found that obesity is actually even more damaging, leading to the equivalent of an 8.8 year reduction in lifespan. In a study of mice, researchers found that obese mice have higher blood plasma levels of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, which are known to damage telomeres.

In particular, they found the origin of the reactive oxygen species to be in the fat tissue, indicating that adipose tissue itself is responsible for producing these dangerous oxidizing agents. So if you’re constantly carrying around excess fat tissue, you’re constantly exposing your DNA to danger. The adipose tissue of the obese mice also had much lower levels of antioxidant enzymes compared to that of the control mice. All of this excess oxidative stress and lack of protective antioxidants is bad news for telomeres.

Continuing the list of factors that shorten your telomeres are environmental pollutants and stress. A study of telomere length that compared office workers with police officers who regularly spent time controlling traffic (and breathing in related fumes) found that the police officers in every age group had shorter telomeres than their cubicle-dwelling counterparts. Other studies of people whose professions require them to be around potentially toxic fumes had similar findings.

However, you can work in a pristine environment in terms of air quality and still be damaging your telomeres. That’s because stress also ages your telomeres. Stress triggers the release of glucocorticoid hormones which in turn lower antioxidant levels, leaving you more vulnerable to that oxidative stress that can damage DNA. Studies of women who experience daily stress confirmed that they had increased oxidation levels and shorter telomeres than women in a control group. In fact, the differences between the two groups was up to the equivalent of a 10-year difference in lifespan, and the women who were more stressed had a greater risk of developing age-related health issues at younger ages. We’ve seen that stress can contribute to weight gain, and I just told you that obesity can also shorten your telomeres, so it’s easy to understand how a vicious cycle gets started that can ultimately shorten your life.

So how do we reverse these negative trends and take positive steps that will actually increase the length of our telomeres? Some of the answers are obvious: Reduce stress in your life as often as you can. If your job creates an enormous burden of stress on you or regularly exposes you to environmental pollution, you should consider whether it’s time to make a change. If you’re a smoker, today is the day to quit. And if you’re carrying excess pounds, you’ll be doing your health a big favor if you begin to drop them. The good news is that a healthy diet and exercise routine are a win-win for your telomeres. Not only will they help you shed weight and stress that increase the natural rate of telomere shortening, they will actually slow your shortening rate down. But there’s more good news.

As I mentioned at the beginning, Dr. Blackburn’s discovery showed us that there are several nutrients we can take that will help keep our telomeres in great shape. First, we need to focus on nutrients that increase telomerase activity. Telomerase is a special enzyme that restores telomeres. The most active environments for telomerase is in reproductive cells and stem cells. That’s because they are responsible for replacing cells and need to divide frequently. However, even their telomerase activity wanes with age. Stem cells get old as well.

The amazing thing about telomerase is that it can actually lengthen your telomeres. So we need to look at nutrients that can help activate telomerase – or stop anything that deactivates telomerase. For instance, higher levels of homocysteine seem to deactivate telomerase. And you can lower homocysteine with vitamins B12, B6, and folic acid. If these don’t lower your homocysteine, consider other methylating supplements like SAMe, MSM, and betaine. Other supplements that can enhance telomerase activity include green tea and vitamin D.

Since oxidative stress is a key source of telomere shortening, you want to make sure you have plenty of antioxidants available to mop up free radicals before they can attack your telomeres. Vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene have all been linked to longer telomeres (and a lower risk of breast cancer, as an added bonus). Research that followed participants over the course of five years also found that omega-3 fatty acids (also an antioxidant) are linked to longer telomeres. To make sure you’re getting plenty of omega-3s, take a good fish oil product like Complete Daily Oils (800-791-3395).

You already know plenty about these supplements. But what you may not know is that these aren’t the best nutrients for increasing telomerase. There are other less popular nutrients that are actually more effective telomerase enhancers. These include astragalus root extract, broccoli seed extract, and N-acetyl-l-cysteine.

Astragalus membranaceus is a plant native to China. The Chinese have used astragalus roots medicinally for ages. They typically let the roots age for four to seven years before they use them. Then they make the roots into teas, extracts, or tonics. The dried extract is a powerful herb that stimulates the immune system and contains powerful antioxidants and flavonoids. But it also increases telomerase activity, which contributes to longevity.

One study from 2013 was published in the journal Cells. It suggested that not all astragalus root extracts “can stimulate telomerase activity to the same degree.” But they did find that they all did increase telomerase activity. So it’s important to find a form that is more effective than others. We’ve found through extensive research that a specific form with a minimum of 2% 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyisoflavone-7 is most effective.

Another study looked at astragalus root extract, broccoli see extract, N-acetyl-l-cysteine, and several other nutrients. It found that the combination of nutrients did activate telomerase. What’s more, it found that the compounds “demonstrated synergistic effects to produce more potent blends. Given the relationship between telomere shortening, aging, and the decline of tissue function, it is reasonable to hypothesize that such telomerase-activating blends may have health-promoting benefits, particularly in relation to aging-associated conditions.”

So it’s not just taking one nutrient at a time that works best for activating telomerase. Taking these nutrients, along with Rhodiola (from Traditional Chinese Medicine), terminalia chebula (an extract from a fruit used for thousands of years for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits), and blueberry extract all work together to increase telomerase activity and grow your telomeres.

You can find all of these nutrients in one product from Advanced Bionutritionals. It’s called, appropriately enough, Advanced Telomere Support. Taking it for three-to- six months will have a dramatic impact on your telomeres. But how will you know if these powerful nutrients are working? First of all, you’ll feel healthier. Your body will tell you that this product is working. You’ll have more energy. Your body will function better. You won’t get sick as often. And your overall feeling of well-being will improve. Plus, you’ll look younger.

Advanced Telomere Support helps all of your cells, including your skin cells. Your eyes will look brighter as well.

But you have to be patient. These changes don’t happen overnight. It takes time. And you have to do your part as well. Eating right and exercising will make the supplement work even better. The supplement won’t completely overcome the effects of smoking if you don’t stop. And it won’t reverse obesity. You have to take additional steps to overcome those damaging effects. But the supplement can do amazing things at the cellular level that you will notice.

You can order Advanced Telomere Support by calling 800-791-3395. Make sure you give them special offer code WH6318 when you call.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3972662/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170328092428.htm
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/715449 (fish oil lengthens telomeres)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3370421/
http://www.upmc.com/media/NewsReleases/2017/Pages/yuan-singapore-aacr.aspx.

The One Diet That Stops Bone and Muscle Loss After Menopause

I’m not a big proponent of “dieting” per se. But I do advocate for healthy lifestyle choices. And I think adopting the Mediterranean diet is a great choice. I’ve written about this diet quite a bit in the past because I like it so much. It’s not designed to help you lose weight but rather to help you choose healthy, whole foods. In fact, this “diet” could cause you to make some significant gains. Here’s why that’s actually a good thing.

As women age, their weight tends to creep up, even as they’re starting to lose bone and muscle mass. I’m sure you know that this bone loss can be dangerous, leading to osteoporosis and fragility. The same goes for muscle mass. Losing muscle can make it harder for you to maintain your balance, and if you fall, your weak bones are more likely to break. If this happens, your mortality risk will increase and your quality of life will likely decrease dramatically.

I’ve written quite a bit about how to protect your bones as you age. And you probably know that you can keep your muscles strong with regular exercise. But I’m pleased to report that new research recently presented at the Endocrine Society’s 100th annual meeting indicates that following the Mediterranean diet can help your bones and muscles stay strong as well.

Brazilian researchers have evaluated data from 103 healthy postmenopausal women. They measured their bone mineral density, total body fat, and skeletal muscle mass and asked them to fill out a food questionnaire to determine what they’d eaten over the past month. The researchers found that the more closely the women were following the Mediterranean diet, the better their bone mineral density and the greater their muscle mass. These results didn’t change even when the researchers factored in whether the women had ever smoked or used hormone therapy and how physically active they were.

The Mediterranean diet, which consists of lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, seeds, and fish; limited amounts of saturated fat, dairy, and red meat; and moderate consumption of red wine, has been linked to a number of positive health outcomes. It lowers your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and thanks to this study, we can likely add osteoporosis and deteriorating muscle mass to the list as well.

But that’s not all this diet can do. It can help you avoid becoming frail as you age. As you may know, frail seniors don't have much energy. They often lose weight and a lot of muscle tone. They're susceptible to a number of diseases and are more likely to suffer falls and fractures. They're at risk of dementia, disability, and living out their final days in a nursing home before dying a premature death. That's certainly not the paradise most of us imagine for our retirement!

Numerous studies have been conducted on the effects of the Mediterranean diet, and researchers at University College London gathered and analyzed several of them for this study. They included four studies conducted in France, Spain, Italy, and China that involved 5,789 participants. Across the studies, the findings consistently showed that a Mediterranean diet reduced frailty risk by an amazing 50%. In fact, the participants who followed the diet the best over a four-year period cut their risk of frailty in half. Overall, the diet also seemed to improve muscle strength, activity levels, healthy weight maintenance, and energy levels in the participants.

Those are great results and add to the growing evidence that eating a plant-based diet like this is great for your health. The Mediterranean diet does include meat, but it's not the star of the show. Instead, load your plate up with vegetables and use meat as a side or flavoring. Choose nuts and seeds and fresh fruit as snacks over empty-calorie carbs.

What’s more, you can make this diet work even better for your bones by taking Ultimate Bone Support. This formula is a proven winner for protecting and rebuilding your bones. Taking it along with the Mediterranean diet will really help your bones stay strong your entire life. You can order Ultimate Bone Support by calling 800-791-3395.

https://www.endocrine.org/news-room/2018/mediterranean-diet-is-linked-to-higher-muscle-mass-bone-density-after-menopause.

Nutrition Detective

How to Protect Your Skin Against Damaging Environmental Toxins

We talk quite a bit about protecting the skin. But sometimes we need to take a step back and remind ourselves of just what we're protecting ourselves from. There are many pollutants and stressors in our lives that can negatively impact our skin. Don't let this information make you afraid to ever step foot outside again. But do take the risks seriously and take the necessary steps to protect yourself from the potential dangers.

A review study published last year in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology provides a sobering reminder of what we're up against. Air pollution is on the rise, and environmental damage means we're exposed to increasing levels of ultraviolet radiation. The combined effects of toxins like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, oxides, particulate matter, ozone, and cigarette smoke are bad news for the skin. This oxidative stress doesn't just make you look older; it can even lead to fatal diseases.

The researchers found that different pollutants caused risks of different issues to spike, but overall the cocktail of toxins you can bathe your face in just by going outside can lead to premature aging, psoriasis, acne, atopic dermatitis, eczema, excess pigmentation, and even cancer.

The researchers concluded that the solution to all of this is to decrease air pollution. That's not a bad idea. We should all consider how we can decrease our contributions to environmental toxins. Plus, if you walk instead of drive occasionally, you'll get some extra exercise, which is good for your appearance too! And if you're adding cigarette smoke to the air, please seek help to quit. I don't need to tell you that smoking cigarettes is incredibly damaging to your skin and to your health.

However, while I agree that decreasing air pollution is a good thing, these efforts may be too little too late to save your skin. So you need to make sure you're protected. Start by washing your face every night with a gentle cleanser. Wash those pollutants away as soon as possible. Prolonged exposure will increase the damage they can do. The last thing you want to do is go to bed with toxins on your face. Some cleansers make the claim to be natural, yet they are not effectively cleaning your skin. Système 41 offers a remarkable cleanser that is 100% non-toxic and effective. Next, give your skin antioxidants from ingredients like vitamin C or peptides that will combat the oxidative stress these toxins cause.

As we've discussed before, oxidative stress is at the root of all skin aging, and antioxidants should be your weapon of choice against it. The exceptional thing to note about the Système 41 Vitamin C Serum (800-791-3446) is that it's unique in that it contains water soluble and oil- soluble vitamin C. These two types of C are very effective in not only providing antioxidants to your skin but also, over time (in as little as one week), begins to encourage the facial skin to increase collagen and elastin. That means slowly and naturally getting rid of fine lines and wrinkles. Finally, when you do go outdoors, make sure you're wearing sunscreen. This is a vital defense against ultraviolet radiation.

You can find all the tools you need to fight back against pollution exposure in the Système 41 line of products – no need to become an isolated (albeit youthful-looking) hermit!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28195077.

LETTERS

Q: Is it healthier to eat ghee rather than butter? – Ruth S., Cleveland OH

Dear Ruth,

Butter, whether it be cooked down and the water removed (ghee) or simply butter, is good for you. It’s best if it’s grass fed. Butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows contains vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as the fatty acids CLA and butyric acid.

There are not too many foods which can provide this complex of fat-soluble vitamins. If you have a sensitive nervous system, these nutrients (and butter) are even more valuable to you. That doesn’t mean you should go wild with butter. But feel free to use it in moderation.

Q. I had a deviated septum and suffered chronic bronchitis, post nasal drip, and ear and sinus infections. Last year, I had ESS, which helped some. I still have had clearing of the throat, nagging cough, sinus drainage and bronchitis a couple times since the surgery. I’ve been told I have deep dental roots. Could this be causing these problems? What else could I do to alleviate these problems? – Roberta P., Indiana, PA

Dear Roberta,

Oftentimes with a deviated septum, even after ESS, the sinuses remain vulnerable. You may want to consider a Traditional Chinese formula such as PE MIN KAN. This can be found on Amazon. Use it as directed. This should clear your sinuses so that there’s less post nasal drip, fewer sinus infections, etc.

In addition, please have a look at your diet. Sometimes there are a couple of offending foods that create a reaction in our bodies producing more phlegm. If this happens, please delete these foods from your diet. As for the long dental roots, unless you’ve had dental surgery and one of the roots has sustained an infection, these should not be an issue.

Q. My daughter-in-law is suffering from gastroesophageal reflux. She has tried eliminating certain foods, but it isn't working and her only alternative is to go on prescriptions. Is there anything she can do to help her other than taking prescription pills? – Anne T., Taylor, MI

Dear Anne,

Has she been diagnosed with any other gastrointestinal issue other than the gastroesophageal reflux? If not, there are a couple of things worth trying. One is Integrative Digestive Formula (800-791-3395). This formula was created by Dr. Isaac Eliaz, initially for his patients with very compromised digestion. The formula is considerably better than over-the-counter or prescription antacids, in that it slowly corrects the problems of acid reflux, etc.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), such as Prevacid, etc., do acutely help the problem. And the cascade of issues they create after long-term use includes cardiovascular issues and additional digestive issues down the road. If your daughter-in-law wants to use the OTC medications for the first three days and then move to the Integrative Digestive Formula – usually at two capsules twice daily – she should find some good relief and ultimately a real resolution to her problems.