Even if a doctor assures you that your blood sugar is “normal,” alarming evidence documents that you are at significant risk of premature death unless you achieve optimal 24-hour-a-day glucose control. Life Extension® long ago warned of the silent dangers when fasting blood sugar exceeds 85 mg/dL. New scientific studies validate this position. Even more insidious are data showing that blood sugar “spikes”that occur after each meal dramatically increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, retinal damage, and cancer. Unless steps are taken to suppress after-meal sugar surges, every large meal you eat can trigger a dangerous metabolic cascade that results in cell damage and accelerated aging. Fortunately, proven methods exist to support optimal […]
The modest ginger root, curcumin, is demonstrating in the lab exactly why traditional healers have used it for thousands of years. Curcumin, an ancient spice in the ginger family, also known as turmeric root, is gaining plenty of attention for its positive impact on a number of ailments. It is shining as an antioxidant, for example, as well as for its beneficial effects in prohibiting tumors, for its anti-inflammatory properties, and even for its ability to retard some of the progress of the virus that causes AIDS. This sounds like a lot of claims for a seemingly unpretentious kitchen spice. But, […]
I frequently see patients complaining that they can get “spacey”, i.e., unable to concentrate, words a little jumbled, headachy, or a little dizzy and irritable if they haven’t eaten for several hours. These are the basic symptoms caused by blood sugar falling a little low, or hypoglycemia, and it occurs from having gone too long without eating. Low blood sugar is a condition that can be remedied quickly with some orange juice, or raisins, right away, and then making sure you follow that with a more balanced nutritious meal. I’d like to share more detail about this condition with you, […]
Here’s a fact that will make your day: Many professional in the fields of medicine and nutrition consider avocados a superfood! This is great news, as avocados are one of my very favorite foods. What could be better? A buttery, rich-tasting, creamy fruit that not only tastes sublime and spreads like a dream but is cholesterol-free, sodium-free, is loaded with healthy vitamins and a good dose of fiber. Avocados have the well-earned reputation for being high in fat calories. However, those calories are nutrient dense and the fat is monounsaturated, so it is readily used by the body as energy […]
When it’s hot out, a cup of iced tea is very refreshing, and the benefits far outweigh so many other drinks on the market. The theaflavins in both green and black teas help improve blood flow, keeping your skin fresh and your brain young. Because tea is so beneficial, I’ve developed many recipes with it for my cookbook. One of my simplest tea recipes is Pomegranate Iced Tea. I simply blend pomegranate juice with brewed black tea that has been chilled. Catechins found in black tea inhibit the growth of cancer cells, stimulate metabolism, act as an anti-inflammatory, and can help […]
The gluten-free diet has been widely adopted by people that don’t have celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Why? Well, in many cases there is a good reason to try it out, but there are also many misperceptions that lead people down the wrong path. Can eating gluten-free really make you lose weight? Are all of the processed gluten-free foods healthy, and, are they healthier because they don’t have gluten? Why are gluten-free items located in the “health food” section of my grocery store? There’s certainly a lot to discuss, so let’s look at these questions and more. I can still […]
“You are what you eat” is an old saying I frequently repeat to my patients when they ask me what can they do to make their aging skin look better and younger. It’s not only an old adage it’s really true! What kind of food, and other substances, you put in your body influences your health and nothing reflects overall wellness more than your skin. Here’s what I tell my patients about how to keep skin glowing and healthy at any age. Your Skin Mirrors The Rest of You It’s no coincidence that teenage skin often breaks out in acne […]
Ashwagandha, an exotic Indian herb, has remarkable stress-relieving properties comparable to those of powerful drugs used to treat depression and anxiety. In addition to its excellent protective effects on the nervous system, ashwagandha may be a promising alternative treatment for a variety of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Ashwagandha has powerful antioxidant properties that seek and destroy the free radicals that have been implicated in aging and numerous disease states. Even more remarkable, emerging evidence suggests that ashwagandha has anti-cancer benefits as well. Powerful Protective Effects on the Nervous System Stress, environmental toxins, and poor nutrition all have […]
Each day, every cell in the human body must withstand an estimated 10,000 individual assaults from externally introducedreactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals. The progressive, system-wide destruction wrought by this continuous biochemical onslaught has been thoroughly documented in the scientific literature. In the older cells of aging animals, to take one example, researchers have found that one out of every three proteins is rendered dysfunctional by unchecked free radical damage. In the search for optimal defense against free radicals, scientists have focused intensely on berry extracts. A growing body of scientific evidence shows that berry polyphenols’ antioxidant capacity powerfully targets numerous degenerative diseases, from cancer and atherosclerosis […]
Malignant mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs that is largely attributable to asbestos exposure, could face a worthy opponent in the form of curcumin, a compound that occurs in the spice turmeric, according to research reported in October 2014 issue of Clinical Cancer Research. Ashfin Dowlati and colleagues at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland measured mesothelioma tumor expression of PIAS3 (protein inhibitor of activated STAT3), which is correlated with overall survival. They additionally evaluated the effects of PIAS3 activity on the intracellular protein and transcription factor STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3), which can trigger cancer […]