Download The Atkins Diet Plan

DIET PLAN
The Atkins diet is the focus of these comments from the American Heart Association:
"The Atkins diet holds the controversial belief that low fat is not the only way to go for a healthier lifestyle and weight
control. Dr. Atkins blamed carbohydrates (grains, pastas, fruits, potatoes) for weight gain. He believed that if you
reduced your carbohydrate intake then you would lose weight. Too many carbohydrates in your diet encourage your
body to retain fat."
When the body absorbs simple carbohydrates quickly, it causes an insulin response that speeds the conversion of
calories to fat. The plan focuses on the consumption of nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods and vita-nutrient
supplementation. It also restricts processed and refined carbohydrates (which make up to approximately more then 50
per cent of people’s diets). It encourages you to eliminate sugar from your diet as this contributes to a slower
metabolism.
The Atkins diet is designed to be a program on which you can maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime and it is highly
suitable (but not restricted) to those who prefer eating animal protein. The diet offers people who have failed on a lowfat diet a healthy, effective and safe alternative. Instead of carbs and sugar, eaters are allowed plenty of fat and
protein.
Four Phases of Atkins Diet Plan
There are four phases to the Atkins diet, they are: 1) Induction, 2) Ongoing Weight Loss, 3) Pre-Maintenance and 4)
Lifetime Maintenance.
During Phase 1 (Induction), you restrict carbohydrate consumption to 20 grams each day, obtaining carbohydrate
primarily from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.
In Phase 2 (Ongoing Weight Loss), you increase carbohydrate in the form of nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods by
20 grams daily in the first week and then 30 grams daily in the next week until you gradually lose weight. Then you
subtract 5 grams of carbohydrate from your daily intake so that you continue sustained weight loss.
In Phase 3, known as ‘Pre-Maintenance’, you make the transition from weight loss to weight maintenance by
increasing the daily carbohydrate intake in 10 gram increments each week.
In the last phase of the Atkins Diet Plan (Lifetime Maintenance), you select from a wide variety of foods while
controlling carbohydrate intake to ensure weight maintenance.
There are mixed views on the Atkins diet amongst health experts and dieticians. Many experts are critical of low carb
diets but have not totally discounted the Atkins diet as an effective method of losing weight. Although they do assert
that it is too early to adopt the low carb diet, health experts do concede that it is worth exploring. One main criticism of
the Atkins diet is that it does entail frequent meat consumption.
However, followers argue that the program can be tailored for different preferences and metabolisms. After the first
phase (known as the ‘Induction phase’) the Atkins diet plan can be modified. Despite the immense popularity of the
diet, the Atkins diet plan continues to have many skeptics. Another criticism of the diet purports that a person is
unlikely to keep the weight off over the long term. However, this claim could just as easily be applied to many low-fat or
low-calorie weight loss plans, on which dieters are likely to feel hungry.
New Mediterranean Diet
Have you heard about the Mediterranean diet? Here’s the facts from American Heart.org, the official website of the
American Heart Association.
What is the "Mediterranean" Diet?
There's no one "Mediterranean" diet. At least 16 countries border the Mediterranean Sea. Diets vary between these
countries and also between regions within a country. Many differences in culture, ethnic background, religion,
economy and agricultural production result in different diets. But the common Mediterranean dietary pattern has these
characteristics:
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



high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds.
olive oil is an important monounsaturated fat source
dairy products, fish and poultry are consumed in low to moderate amounts, and little red meat is eaten
eggs are consumed zero to four times a week
wine is consumed in low to moderate amounts
Does a Mediterranean-style diet follow American Heart Association dietary guidelines?
Mediterranean-style diets are often close to our dietary guidelines, but they don’t follow them exactly. In general, the
diets of Mediterranean peoples contain a relatively high percentage of calories from fat. This is thought to contribute to
the increasing obesity in these countries, which is becoming a concern.
People who follow the average Mediterranean diet eat less saturated fat than those who eat the average American
diet. In fact, saturated fat consumption is well within our dietary guidelines.
More than half the fat calories in a Mediterranean diet come from monounsaturated fats (mainly from olive oil).
Monounsaturated fat doesn't raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does.
The incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States. Death rates are lower,
too. But this may not be entirely due to the diet. Lifestyle factors (such as more physical activity and extended social
support systems) may also play a part.
Before advising people to follow a Mediterranean diet, we need more studies to find out whether the diet itself or other
lifestyle factors account for the lower deaths from heart disease.
Blood Type Diet
A blood type diet is a nutrition plan based around your blood type. This kind of diet became popular
with the release of Peter D’Adamo’s book Eat Right 4 Your Type. The book continues to be a bestseller.
D’Adamo claims that the diet will not only bring about weight loss — but can assist with allergy and
infection resistance, and will achieve overall good health.
What is a Blood Type Diet?
Most of the population has blood type O. Here the prescribed diet is low-carbohydrate, high in
proteins (such as meat and fish), and low in dairy products. The author suggests specific foods to
avoid; such as avocados, brazil nuts, and oranges. Type O should also engage in lots of exercise.
Blood Type A should avoid red meat, eat plenty of fish and vegetables, with a low dairy intake. Light
exercise only.
Blood Type B should avoid chicken and bacon, eat plenty of meat and dairy, some fish, and plenty of
fruit and vegetables.
Blood Type AB combines the A and B diets.
Is This Diet For Real?
The author claims that much of the recommendations are based on scientific evidence – but perhaps it
is too early to make this claim. Metabolism and/or sugar/insulin sensitivity are probably key factors in
deciding diet – not blood type. Two people can have very different metabolisms and have the same
blood type. One could be sensitive to carbohydrates or sugar, whilst the other needs a high
carbohydrate diet.
Weight loss and other health improvements may occur on this diet – not so much because of blood
type combinations, but because of a healthier diet! The author encourages people to cut down on
processed and refined foods. Good advice for anyone regardless of blood type.
The book also includes low calorie diets that will probably bring about weight loss in anyone (once
again, regardless of blood type).
Sample Meal Plans for the Blood Type Diet
Type B Menu
Type O Menu
Breakfast
Fluidizer cocktail
Rice bran cereal with banana and skim milk
Grape juice
Breakfast
2 slices toasted Ezekiel bread with butter
6 ounces vegetable juice
Banana
Herbal tea
Lunch
Sandwich – thin slice of cheese, thin slice of turkey
breast, two slices of bread, mustard or mayonnaise
Green salad
Herbal tea
Snack
Fruit juice sweetened yogurt
Herbal tea
Dinner
Broiled Fish with steamed vegetables
Fresh fruit
Herbal tea or coffee
Lunch
Organic Roast Beef, 6 ounces
Spinach Salad
Apple or pineapple slices
Water
Snack
1 slice of cake
Herbal tea
Dinner
Lamb and asparagus stew, steamed broccoli, sweet
potato.
Mixed fresh fruit
Herbal tea (beer or wine allowed)
Type A Menu
Type AB Menu
Breakfast
Water with lemon
Oatmeal with soy milk and maple syrup
Grapefruit juice
Coffee or herbal tea
Breakfast
Water with lemon, 8 ounces diluted grapefruit
juice, 2 slices Ezekiel bread, Yogurt-Herb Cheese,
Coffee
Lunch
Greek salad
Apple
1 slice sprouted wheat bread
Herbal tea
Snack
Lunch
4 ounces sliced turkey breast, 2 slices rye bread
Caesar salad
2 plums
Herbal tea
Snack
Tofu Cheesecake
Iced herbal tea
2 rice cakes with peanut butter
2 plums
Green tea or water
Dinner
Tofu Pesto Lasagna, Broccoli,
Frozen yogurt
Coffee or herbal tea (red wine if desired)
Dinner
Tofu Omelet
Stir-fried vegetables
Mixed-fruit salad
Decaffeinated coffee (red wine if desired)
More recipes ideas can be found here.
Banned Foods
Any diet containing a long list of banned foods can be difficult to follow. Eat Right 4 Your Type and the
various blood type diets included encourage a predominantly meat and fish diet, while grains, potatoes,
cereals, breads, pasta are not encouraged. Interestingly, certain vegetables and fruits are also banned.
Blood Type Diet
According to Dr. Peter DÁdamo, author of Eat Right For Your Type, a chemical reaction occurs between
your blood and the foods you eat. This reaction is part of your genetic inheritance. This reaction is caused by
a factor called Lectins. Lectins, abundant and diverse proteins found in foods, have agglutinating properties
that affect your blood. So when you eat a food containing protein lectins that are incompatible with your
blood type antigen, the lectins target an organ or bodily system and begin to agglutinate blood cells in
that area.
Fortunately, most lectins found in the diet are not quite so life threatening, although they can cause a variety
of other problems, especially if they are specific to a particular blood type. For the most part your immune
systems protect you from lectins. Ninety-five percent of the lectins you absorb from your typical diets are
sloughed off by the body. But at least five percent of the lectins you eat are filtered into the bloodstream
and different reactions in different organs.
Your blood type diet is the restoration of your natural genetic rhythm. Your blood type diet works because
you are able to follow a clear, logical, scientifically researched plan based on your cellular profile. Each food
groups are divided into three categories: Highly beneficial ( food that acts like Medicine), Foods allowed
(food that are no harm to the blood type) and Foods not allowed (food that acts like a Poison)
Simpler List
Type O
Diet Profile
Allowed
Limited
High Protein:
Meat eaters
Meat
fish
vegetables
grains
beans
legumes
Food to avoid for
Weight Loss
purpose
wheat
corn
kidney beans
Food that help with
Weight Loss
kelp
seafood
salt
fruit
Type A
Type B
Type AB
vegetables
tofu
seafood
Vegetarian
grains
beans
legumes
fruit
meat (no chicken)
dairy
grains
Balanced omnivore beans
legumes
vegetables
fruit
meat
seafood
dairy
tofu
Mixed diet in
beans
moderation
legumes
grains
vegetables
fruits
navy beans
lentils
cabbage
Brussels sprouts
cauliflower
mustard greens
liver
red meat
kale
spinach
broccoli
meat
dairy
kidney beans
lima beans
wheat
vegetable oil
soy foods
vegetables
pineapple
corn
lentil
peanuts
sesame
seeds
buckwheat
wheat
greens
eggs
venison
liver
licorice
tea
red meat
kidney beans
lima beans
seeds
corn
buckwheat
tofu
seafood
dairy
greens
kelp
pineapple
Blood Type Diet - Type O
Type Os thrive on intense physical exercise and animal protein. Unlike the other blood types, Type Os muscle
tissue should be slightly on the acid side. Type Os can efficiently digest and metabolize meat because they
tend to have high stomach-acid content. The success of the Type O Diet depends on the use of lean,
chemical-free meats, poultry, and fish. Type Os don't find dairy products and grains quite as user friendly as
do most of the other blood types.
The initial weight loss on the Type O Diet is by restricting consumption of grains, breads, legumes, and
beans. The leading factor in weight gain for Type Os is the gluten found in wheat germ and whole wheat
products, which interferes with insulin efficiency and slow down metabolic rate. Another factor that
contribute to weight gain is certain beans and legumes (lentils and kidney beans) contain lectins that deposit
in the muscle tissues making them less "charged" for physical activity. The third factor in Type O weight
gain is that Type Os have a tendency to have low levels of thyroid hormone or unstable thyroid functions,
which also cause metabolic problems. Therefore it is good to avoid food that inhibits thyroid hormone
(cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, mustard green) but increase hormone production (kelp,
seafood, iodized salt).
Several classes of vegetables can cause big problems for Type Os, such as the Brassica family (cabbage,
cauliflower, etc.) can inhibit the thyroid function. Eat more vegetables that are high in Vitamin K, which
helps the clotting factor which is weak in Type Os. The nightshade vegetables can cause lectin deposit in the
tissue surrounding the joints.
Because of the high acidity stomach, Type Os should eat fruits of alkaline nature such as berries and
plums..
Type Os should severely restrict the use of dairy products. Their system is not designed for the proper
metabolism. If you are a Type O of African ancestry, you should eliminate dairy foods and eggs
altogether.
Characteristics of Type O - Best on High Protein Diet
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Thrive on intense physical exercise and animal proteins
Do not do well with dairy and grain products
Hardy digestive tract
The leading factor in weight gain for Type Os is the gluten found in wheat germ and whole wheat products.
Type O have a tendency to have low levels of thyroid hormone and unstable thyroid functions, which cause
metabolic problems and weight gain.
6. Type O have high stomach-acid content, can digest meat easily.
Protein
Comments
Most Beneficial
The more stressful your job or
demanding your exercise
program, the higher the grade
of protein you should eat
Beef, Lam, Mutton,
Veal, Venison
Food allowed
Food not allowed
Type Os can efficiently digest
and metabolize meats
Any meat
except for those
Bacon, Ham, Goose, Pork
listed not
allowed
Cold-water fish are excellent
for Type Os. Many seafoods
are also excellent sources of
iodine, which regulates the
thyroid function.
Any fish or
seafood except
for those listed
not allowed
Barracuda, Pickled herring,
Catfish, Smoked salmon,
Caviar, Octopus, Conch
Butter, Farmer,
Feta,
Mozzarella,
Goat cheese,
Soy Milk
All other dairy products and
yogurts
Canola oil,
Sesame Oil
Corn oil, Peanut oil,
Cottonseed oil, Safflower
oil
Cod, herring, Mackerel
Dairy
Type Os need to severely
restrict the use of dairy
products and eggs
Fat
Type Os respond well to oils
Nuts
These foods should in no way
take the place of high-protein
Pumpkin seeds,
meats, and they are high in fat
Walnuts
especially if you are
overweight.
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
Brazil, Cashew, Peanut,
Pistachios, Poppy Seeds
Beans
Type Os don't utilize beans
particularly well. They tend to
make muscle tissue slightly
less acidic and inhibit the
metabolism of other nutrients.
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
Beans - copper, kidney,
navy, tamarine. Lentils domestic, green, red.
Grains
Type Os do not tolerate whole Essene Bread, Ezekiel
wheat products at all.
Bread
Amaranth,
Barley,
Buckwheat,
Corn, Gluten, Graham,
Wheat (Bulgur, Durum,
Sprouted, white and whole,
Olive Oil, Flaxseed oil
Aduke beans, Azuki
beans, Pinto beans,
Black-eyed peas
Rice, Kamut,
Kasha, Millet,
Rye, Spelt
Brassica family: Cabbage,
Brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, mustard greens
These vegetables inhibit the
thyroid function for Type Os
These vegetables help blood
clot, Type Os lack several
clotting fractors and need
vitamin K to assist in the
process
Vegetables
Germ and Bran) farina,
Oat, Seven-grains, or any
products such as flour,
bread and noodles made
with these grain products
Kale, collard greens,
romaine lettuce,
broccoli, spinach
These vegetables irritate the
digestive tract and the high
mold count can aggravate
Type O hypersensitivity
problems.
Alfalfa sprouts, shiitake
mushrooms, fermented
olives
These vegetables can cause
arthritic conditions in Type Os
Nightshades: eggplant,
potatoes
This vegetable affect the
production of insulin, often
lead to obesity and diabetes
for the Type Os.
Corn
This fruit agglutinate all blood
types but Type Os.
Tomatoes
Artichoke, Chicory,
Dandelion, Garlic,
Horseradish, Kale,
Leek, Okra, Onions,
Parsley, Parsnips, Red
Peppers, Sweet
potatoes, Pumpkin,
seaweed, turnips
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
avocado
Dark red, blue and purple
fruits tend to cause an alkaline
reaction the digestive tract,
and therefore balance the
Plums, prunes, figs
high acidity of the Type Os
digestive tract to reduce
ulcers and irritations of the
stomach lining.
Fruits
These fruits contain high mold
counts which can aggravate
Type Os hypersensitivity
problems (allergies)
Melons, cantaloupe,
honeydew
These fruits are high in acid
content which may irritate the
acidic stomach of Type Os
Oranges, tangerines and
Grapefruit, most
strawberries, blackberries,
berries
Rhubarb
Fruits are not only an
important source of fiber,
minerals and vitamins, but
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
they can be an excellent
alternative to bread and pasta
for Type Os
Type Os are extremely
sensitive to this fruit.
Spices
coconut and coconutcontaining products
Rich source of Iodine to
regulate the thyroid gland
Kelp-based seasonings,
iodized salt
Soothing to the digestive
tracts of Type Os
Parsley, curry, cayenne
pepper
White and black pepper,
vinegar, capers, cinnamon,
Cornstarch, Corn syrup,
Nutmeg, Vanilla
Irritants to the Type O
stomach
Condiments
Seltzer water, Club
soda and tea
Beverages
chocolate,
honey, cocao
Ketchup, pickles,
mayonnaise, relish
beer, wine
Coffee, Distilled liquor,
Black Tea
Food Choice Table
Good Choice
Reasons
Vegetables - green leafy
Vitamins, Minerals,
Antioxidants, fiber
Onions, Green Onions,
Chives, Garlic
Cabbage, Broccoli,
Cauliflower
Tomatoes (both raw and
cooked)
Bad Choice
Reasons
Most Tuber
vegetables (potatoes, High glycemic index
tapioca)
Antibacterial, antiviral,
anticarcinogenic
Prevents estrogen
dominance (which causes
cancer)
High Vitamin C and
lycopene for CA
prevention
Tubor vegetables in
Beta Carotene - good
moderation - (carrots, beets,
antioxidant
Carbohydrates sweet potatoes)
Whole Fruits -
Vitamins, Minerals,
Antioxidants, fiber
Fruits (banana,
Watermelon)
High glycemic index
Lemon, Lime
Keeps the body alkaline
Fruit Juices
High sugar content, low
fiber
Soybean Products in
moderation
Pineapples
Blueberry, grapes
Whole Grains
Oats, Barley
Pasta made with duram
wheat
Cancer prevention
Bromelain
Protects the Heart
B-Vitamins, Insoluble fiber
Soluble fiber, Lower
White Rice
Cholesterol
Low to medium glycemic
White Flour
index
High glycemic index
High glycemic index
Basmati Rice
Good Choice
Legumes
Nuts
Deep water fish
Protein
Organic Eggs
Best Biological Value
Protein for Human
Red Meats
Nuts
Monounsaturated fatty
acid (lower chol), fibers
Dairy
Good Choice
Avocado
Olive Oil
Polyunsaturated Oil (when
not heated)
Fat
Low glycemic index
Reasons
Bad Choice
Soluble fiber
Peanuts
High in Monounsaturated
fats
High in Omega 3 Fatty
Coastal Fish
Acid
Reasons
Monounsaturated fatty
acid (lower chol)
Monounsaturated fatty
acid (lower chol)
High in Omega 6 fatty
acid
Shellfish
Bad Choice
Margarine
Deep Fried Food
Chips
Saturated Fats-Palm
Polyunsaturated Oil
when Heated
Soft Drinks
Desserts
Sugar
Reasons
Aflatoxin (carcinogen)
Toxic Metals
Acid forming,
Carcinogenic, Increase
Hormone
Allegen, Hormone
Increase
Carcinogenic
Reasons
Hydrogenated Oil carcinogenic
Hydrogenated Oil carcinogenic
Hydrogenated Oil carcinogenic
Increase Chol
Hydrogenated Oil carcinogenic
Acidic, high sugar
High in sugar, high in
hydrogenated fats
Empty calories,
Increase TG, Inc Chol,
Dental Caries
Anti-aging Food Pyramid
This is the world's most advance Food Pyramid specifically designed for anti-aging. In addition to optimum
nutrition for cellular fortification, it curtails sugar imbalance, control oxidative stress, aids in detoxification,
and prolong lifespan. It is the best anti-aging diet available, and it has been proven clinically to work. My
thanks to Dorine Tan, RD, MPH, ABAAHP , clinical dietitian for her collaboration in this work.
Here is a summary :
1. Start with 10-12 glasses of room temperature pure filtered water a day. Begin in the morning with 2
glasses of water to purify and hydrate your body from the overnight dehydration. Bring a water bottle around
with you during the day, and drink water whenever you feel thirsty.
2. Your carbohydrates intake should comprise primarily of whole grain cereal, barley, and oats. These
are low glycemic index food that converts into sugar once inside your body at a slow and steady pace.
Reduce high glycemic carbohydrates intake such as rice, wheat, bread, pasta, and rice which converts into
sugar quickly once taken in and cause a rise in blood sugar level. Sustained intake of high glycemic food
leads to obesity and adult onset diabetes and is a leading cause of aging. You don't have to avoid all grains,
as it is a good source of energy. The key is to take good grains and avoid bad grains.
3. 8-10 portions of vegetables should be taken. Choose above ground green leafy vegetables. Generally
speaking, the more colorful the vegetable, the more anti-oxidant is inside and the better it is for you. Avoid
vegetables that grow underground such as potato, yam, and carrots because they behave like high glycemic
index type carbohydrates and leads to sugar imbalance.
4. Low glycemic index type fruits should be taken, such as apple or blueberry. Always take whole fruits
and avoid fruit juices which are high in sugar and low in fiber.
5. Legumes , organic eggs, and nuts are excellent source of protein. One to two eggs a day can be taken
in without significant rise in blood cholesterol if you are healthy.
6. At least 8 oz of cold water deep sea fish such as salmon or tuna should be taken per week. This will
provide the body with the necessary omega 3 fatty acid as well as protein. Stay away from fresh water or
costal water fish which can be contaminated. Free range chicken is a good source of protein also and can be
taken twice a week.
7. Red meat such as beef should be restricted to once or twice a week , together with dessert such as ice
cream and cakes. Try to take in beef that comes from cattle that are grass fed instead of grain fed in their
diet.
8. Olive or Canola Oil should be used in preparation of food. It contains mono-unsaturated fat . Stay
away from polyunsaturated fat that comes after processing, such as corn oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil.
The commercialization processes changes the structure of the fat and makes it harmful for the body. Avoid
trans-fat that is found in margarine, cookies, and pastries as much as possible. It is the worse type of fat,
much worse than the saturated fat you find in red meat.
"
Sugar and Aging
Introduction
Common table sugar represents about 20 to 25 percent of the daily caloric intake of the average
American. This translates into the equivalent of half a pound a day and over 5 tons in a lifetime. In the
early 1800's, the average sugar consumption was 12 pounds per person annually. This increased to 124
pounds in 1980 and to 152 pounds in 1997. It is estimated that 75 percent of all sugar we consume comes
from processed food.
Studies have linked a high sugar intake with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and
premature aging. Is this pure coincidence, or is the association real?
Sugar in the Body and Diet
Sugar is a generic term used to identify simple forms of carbohydrates, which includes fructose,
glucose, galactose, maltose and sucrose (white table sugar). The type of sugar and its rate of breakdown
can affect the body greatly. For example, table sugar (sucrose) is considered nutritive as it contains calories,
although it does not contain vitamins, minerals or fiber. Another sugar type known as glucose has the ability
to break down quickly in the stomach and later be pumped across the intestinal wall directly into the
bloodstream. This process rapidly raises blood-glucose levels, which causes the blood sugar level to spike.
On the other hand, fructose, which is sugar derived from fruits, gets into the body and is slowly absorbed in
the gut. It is then converted to glucose in the liver. This makes fructose a "time-release food" as it delivers
calories at a gradual rate. A complete understanding of sugars and how they affect our body is critical to
the study of how sugar influences aging.
Sugar vs. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are merely different forms of sugars linked together in polymers. Most people will
consider sweets and pasta as carbohydrates. Most are not aware that fruits and vegetables are also
considered carbohydrates as well. In reality, sugar, sweets, pasta, vegetables and fruits are all
carbohydrates.
This confusion is compounded when one considers that a carbohydrate diet consisting mainly of green
leafy vegetables is good for anti-aging. On the other hand, a carbohydrate diet consisting primarily of
white rice, potato, pasta, cakes, ice cream, and bread is a negative fountain of youth.
While both “good?and “bad?carbohydrates are classified in the same general group, the effects on the
body are totally different. To put matters into proper prospective, any discussion on carbohydrates must
clearly address the specific kinds of carbohydrates in question.
Starch vs. Carbohydrate
Starches are the most basic form of carbohydrates. It is found in all fruits, vegetables, grains and
legumes. Starch is broken down in our digestive tract into small molecules of glucose, which are then
absorbed and transported into cells for energy production.
Many fruits and some vegetables contain significant amounts of glucose and fructose, as well as a
disaccharide called sucrose (ordinary sugar), which contains both glucose and fructose.
Our bodies have been accustomed to metabolizing about 300 grams of glucose (mostly from starchy
foods) every day for thousands of years.
We have always consumed some fructose, often in the form of fruits and honey. Until about 200 years
ago, the average daily intake of fructose was only eight grams a day. As ordinary sugar (sucrose) from sugar
beets and sugar cane began to be readily available, the daily intake of fructose raised 10 fold to 75 grams a
day. The problem is further compounded since the 1970s, when high fructose corn syrup was introduced as a
substitute sweetener. About 9% of the average dietary calorie intake now comes from fructose.
When sucrose is ingested, it reacts with water to generate glucose and fructose in equal amounts. Each
100 grams of sucrose produces 53 grams of glucose and 53 grams of fructose. Sucrose is called a
disaccharide for this reason. The ingestion of 100 pounds of sugar (sucrose) per year translates into 125
grams per day and 66 grams of fructose. With about 8 grams added on from fruits and honey, the total
average intake per day now becomes 74 grams. Our body is used to metabolizing only eight grams of
fructose a day. The nearly 10-fold overload has caused many health problems, which we will discuss
below.
Carbohydrate Breakdown and Storage
Carbohydrates break down into glucose, which is the primary fuel the body needs to keep it
operationally functional. Certain organs require more fuel than others to run. The brain utilizes almost two
thirds of the circulating carbohydrates in the bloodstream to keep it functioning.
Any excess carbohydrates not needed are stored as glycogen (a storage form of glucose). Glycogen is stored
in the liver and the muscles. When the brain needs fuel, the glycogen in the liver is broken down and
transported to the brain for energy.
How much carbohydrate can you store? The total storage capacity of the body for carbohydrates is
limited. An average person stores about 300 to 400 grams of carbohydrates in the muscles, which cannot be
utilized by the brain for energy. Only 60 to 90 grams are stored in the liver for glucose conversion,
equivalent to about two cups of cooked pasta or three typical candy bars. This is all the body has in reserve
to keep the brain working properly.
Once the glycogen levels are filled in both the liver and the muscles, excess carbohydrates are converted into
fat and stored in the adipose tissue. Hence, excess carbohydrates become fat. In modern day society, it is
sugar that makes a person fat much more that the amount of fat a person consumes.
How Much Carbohydrate and Food Energy Is Needed?
The key function of carbohydrates is to provide energy for the body. Julius Robert Mayer, a German
physician, initially discovered the concept of food energy in 1842. The energy values of a food can be
determined by burning a set amount of food and measuring the amount of heat produced. The common
energy value is expressed in kilocalorie and is based on the burning of 100 grams (or 3.5 ounces) of the food.
It is determined that approximately 900 kcal is generated per 100 gram of fat and 400 kcal per 100 gram of
carbohydrate and protein intake.
There are only four macronutrients we consume on a daily basis - water, fat, protein, and
carbohydrates. Out of these, only carbohydrates are nonessential to the human diet. One can survive
for long periods of time without carbohydrates provided that protein and fat needs are met, for these two are
ultimately broken down to form building blocks of carbohydrates as food energy for the body.
An intake of 300 grams of carbohydrates yielding 1,200 kcal would provide 50 percent of an average daily
requirement of energy in an average American diet. A 2,500-calorie diet with 20 percent of energy provided
by protein (about four ounces or 120 grams) will generate about 500 calories of energy. The amount of
protein needed to sustain normal bodily function can be readily supplied in four ounces of meat. The
average American consumes more protein than is needed.
Classification of Carbohydrates
There are three common ways to classify carbohydrates:
A. Simple versus Complex Carbohydrates
B. Paleocarbs versus Neocarbs
C. High versus Low Glycemic Carbohydrates
A. Simple versus Complex Carbohydrates
All carbohydrates are broken down into sugar inside the body. It is the rate and the amount of this
dissolution that determines the level of sugar in the blood. Complex carbohydrates such as green leafy
vegetables, brown rice, potato, whole grain products, legumes, and fruits break down slowly, thus
causing a gradual rise and fall in blood sugar. Generally speaking, most complex carbohydrates are
considered good for health.
On the other hand, simple carbohydrates such as cakes, white rice, and ice cream break down quickly
once inside the body. This causes rapid spikes in blood sugar levels and subsequent valleys when the
sugar is absorbed. Most simple carbohydrates are detrimental to our health.
This simple and easily comprehensive classification of carbohydrates is however incomplete. While most
simple carbohydrates are harmful, some complex carbohydrates, such as potato starch, is also not
good for health because of their relatively fast rate of breakdown.
B. Paleocarbs vs. Neocarbs
Another way of looking at carbohydrates is to return to the principles of the "evolutionary diet." The author
and champion of the "Paleolithic diet", Robert Crayhon, M.S., divided carbohydrates into two basic groups,
paleocarbs and neocarbs.
Paleocarbs are carbohydrates that have existed since the beginning of time. They include fruits, seeds,
and vegetables that primarily grow above the ground. Generally speaking, these are "good"
carbohydrates as they provide the body with needed antioxidants, fiber, nutrients, and calories in a
slow-release fashion.
Neocarbs are carbohydrates introduced within the last 10,000 years when modern agriculture first
started. These include grains, legumes and flour products. Some neocarbs like legumes are grown
above the ground and are nutritious. Others are grown under the ground. These include potato, yam
and carrots, which are high in sugar and therefore not optimum for heath.
Other neocarbs, like rice and flour, while grown above the ground, are refined and converted into
sugar quickly once inside our body. Neocarbs are generally considered negative for aging.
As early humans were hunters, it is estimated that as much as 65 percent of calories from the diet were
derived from animal products such as lean meat and fat. Agriculture was only started about 8,000 to10, 000
years ago. The modern day diet, which consists of a constant supply of highly refined simple carbohydrates
(neocarbs), has resulted in postprandial hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and subsequent diseases including
obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
A sensible diet should include lean meats, fish, seafood and complex paleocarbs such as green leafy
vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. This is commonly termed as the evolutionary diet. Such a diet is
consistent with the Mediterranean diet, which contains 60 percent carbohydrates, out of which
paleocarbs should be the majority.
C. High vs. Low Glycemic Index Foods
Another way to classify carbohydrates is the use of the glycemic index. This index is a measure of how a
given food affects the blood-glucose levels. Each food is assigned a numbered rating. The index measures
the entry rate of a carbohydrate into the bloodstream. The lower the rating, the slower the digestion and
absorption process and the better it is for the body. This means a healthier and more gradual release of
sugars into the bloodstream. Conversely, a high rating implies that blood-glucose levels are increased
quickly, which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin to normalize blood-sugar levels. This rapid
fluctuation of blood-sugar levels is unhealthy because of the amount of stress placed on the body.
The glycemic index of an individual carbohydrate serves only as a general guide. Nevertheless, this
classification gives us a general understanding of which types of food breaks down faster and is therefore
harmful to health. Similarly, the index also provides an indication of which kinds of foods breakdown slowly
and are thus essential for anti-aging.
By using the glycemic index alone, one could misinterpret that a cup of low fat ice cream is healthier than a
baked potato. This is because the glycemic index of low fat ice cream (glycemic index of 50) is actually
lower than that of a baked potato (glycemic index of 85). This is obviously an incorrect conclusion. Close
scrutiny of the index is needed because the glycemic index rating of a sugary food is lower than that of
a starchy food. The primary factors that determine the glycemic index are the structure of simple sugars in
the food, soluble fiber content, fat content and the level of food processing.
Generally speaking however, selecting carbohydrates with a low to moderate glycemic index is an
important part of an anti-aging program. The lower the index, the slower the rate of absorption.
Here is a table of the glycemic index of some common foods:
Glucose
Wheat bread, gluten free
Rice, Calrose
Potato, baked
Cheerios
Potato mashed
Soft drink, Fanta
Pizza, cheese
Sweet corn
Banana
Sweet potato
Ice cream, low fat
Carrots
96
90
87
85
74
70
68
60
55
54
54
50
49
Grapefruit juice
48
Grapes
46
All-bran
42
Spaghetti, white
41
Apple
38
Mars M&Ms (peanut)
32
Peanuts
15
Yogurt, low fat, artificially sweet 14
What is "Normal" Blood Sugar Level?
The 1997 American Diabetes Association considers the blood glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher to be
diabetic; 111?125 mg/dL as impaired glucose tolerance and levels less than 110 mg/dL to be normal. The
paleolithic diet, which consisted of lean meats, vegetables (complex carbohydrates) and small amounts
of whole grains, nuts, seeds and fruits, is estimated to have generated blood glucose levels between 60
and 90 mg/dL.
Following the mainstream range of "normal" blood sugar, one can easily be mislead into thinking that a
blood sugar of 110 is acceptable while in reality, it is far from optimum.
One of the greatest challenges in anti-aging medicine is to reset laboratory reference levels to an anti-aging
range. The current laboratory standard is established based on a pathological disease state and not on
optimum health. What is "normal" under routine laboratory standards is therefore high for anti-aging
purposes. For many laboratory test the threshold reference standard for "normal" needs to be lowered for
those interested in anti-aging.
While it is fair to comment that most people with a fasting blood sugar level of under 120 mg/dl are
generally non-diabetic, those interested in optimizing their health should consider maintaining a
fasting sugar level of no higher than 90 mg/dl.
Effects of High Blood Sugar
The effects of high blood sugar include:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Increased risk of diabetes
Increased risk of cancer
Increased free radical formation
Increased in advanced glycation end products (AGEs)
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
A. Increase in Diabetes
A rise in sugar consumption over the last century has concurrently resulted in a rise in the incidence of Type
2 adult onset diabetes mellitus (AODM) or non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM). By the year 2025, the
number of people with diabetes mellitus is estimated to grow to 260 million, according to the World Health
Organization (WHO).
This type of diabetes that afflicts adults has risen 33 percent in the past decade alone. Three out of every
50 adults are now affected with the serious, but still curable, diet-linked condition, according to studies by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Diabetes is a disease resulting from insulin imbalance. The pancreas releases insulin as carbohydrates are
ingested. Carbohydrates cause a rise in blood sugar. Insulin's job is to move the sugar from the blood stream
into the cell for metabolism. Insulin also helps converts almost half of your dietary carbohydrates to fat for
storage.
The higher the level of sugar intake, the harder the pancreas has to work to produce the insulin required to
normalize the blood sugar. An overproduction of insulin leads to a decrease in the number of insulin
receptors in the cell (with an accompanying decrease in the removal of insulin and glucose from the blood).
This is known as insulin resistance. The blood sugar level remains high as a result and this is the hallmark of
diabetes.
In a prospective study of 65,000 US women, researchers concluded that diets with a high glycemic index
(such as wheat, rice, and potato) increase insulin demand and thus cause hyperinsulinemia among
patients with AODM and normal subjects. Hyperinsulinemia can increase the risk as well as exacerbate
AODM.
Chronic hyperinsulinemia is a result of a high sugar intake. It is not only associated with AODM but
also to a host of other medical conditions jointly known as Syndrome X, characterized by
hypertriglyceridemia, obesity, hyperglycemia, and hypertension.
As many as 80 percent of individuals with AODM also suffer from obesity. Obesity often precedes
AODM and is now recognized as a major risk factor for AODM. It is also estimated that there is at least one
undiagnosed case of AODM for every diagnosed case. While some forms of diabetes are hereditary, there is
very little doubt that a direct relationship exists among the glycemic index, AODM, and obesity.
Insulin is also called the "hunger hormone". As the blood sugar level increases following a carbohydrate
meal, the corresponding insulin level rises with the eventual lowering of the blood sugar level. When the
blood sugar level drops, hunger is felt. This often occurs a few hours after the meal. Cravings for sweets
frequently form part of this cycle, which can lead to snacking, often for more carbohydrates. If the cravings
are not fulfilled, sensations such as hunger, dizziness, moodiness, and a state of “collapse?can result.
Furthermore, high insulin levels prohibit the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that informs
the body to slow down eating. Without serotonin, there is a tendency to overeat, which then leads to a spiral
of excessive sugar intake. A viscous cycle of hyper-insulinemia resulting in insulin resistance is set up. This
in turn creates a "carbohydrate addict" whose craving for a higher sugar intake continues to increase.
The key to controlling diabetes is to reduce the blood sugar level without depriving the body of fuel.
Refined sugars such as food items with a high glycemic index are extremely harmful to diabetes
patients. In addition to restraining such carbohydrates, almost every successful diabetes management
program incorporates weight management as a cornerstone of therapy.
A reduction in the total simple refined carbohydrate intake coupled with an increased total energy
output through exercise is a powerful combination to combat diabetes. By moderating such refined
carbohydrate intake, one can increase fat burning as an optimal and efficient source of almost unlimited energy.
The key is to restrict the intake of refined flour and bread.
AODM patients, those with a family history of diabetes and the elderly who are deficient in antioxidant
defense systems, could also derive benefits by using an appropriate intake of antioxidant supplements such
as Vitamins C and E. Other nutritional supplements such as L-glutamine and taurine, which inhibit excessive
fatty acid oxidation, can also be considered. Chromium supplementation has long been found to be
useful for weight loss and blood sugar control. Lesser-known supplements such as ubiquinone and
gymnema sylvestre have also been reported to be useful in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.
In summary, a successful program to keep blood sugar normalized therefore requires four pillars:
a. Calorie restriction (carbohydrate restriction) - consume more paleocarb and less neocarbs; consume
more foods with a low glycemic index and avoid high glycemic index foods.
b. Nutritional supplements - Vitamins C, E; amino acid glutamine; chromium polynicotinate
c. Weight reduction as needed to achieve a body weight at or slightly below the ideal body weight.
d. An active exercise program to burn up to 2,000 kcal per week.
The message is clear - sugar promotes diabetes.
B. Increase in Cancer
In 1931, the great Nobel laureate in medicine Otto Warburg, Ph.D. first discovered that cancer cells have a
fundamentally and totally different energy metabolism compared to healthy cells. In his Nobel thesis, Dr.
Warburg postulated that malignant tumors frequently exhibit an increase in anaerobic glycolysis - a process
whereby glucose is used as a fuel by cancer cells with lactic acid as byproduct.
This is drastically different from normal tissues that use oxygen as the primary source of fuel. The large
amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation process of glucose from cancer cells is transported to the
liver. The lactic acid generates a lower and more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical
fatigue from lactic acid buildup. The patient therefore becomes tired easily.
Furthermore, this anaerobic (fermentation) pathway for energy metabolism in cancerous cells is highly
inefficient. The chemical process of energy production by this pathway yields only two moles of
adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy per mole of glucose as compared to 38 moles of ATP in the
complete aerobic oxidation of glucose in normal cells. By extracting only about five percent (two vs. 38
moles of ATP) of the available energy in the food supply and the body's caloric stores, the cancer is, in
effect, "wasting" energy. Hence the patient becomes tired and undernourished. This vicious cycle increases
body wasting. This is one reason why 40 percent of cancer patients die from malnutrition or cachexia.
Researchers support the concept of how "sugar feeds cancer". For example, a study using a mouse model of
human breast cancer showed that tumors are quite sensitive to blood-glucose levels. Sixty-eight mice were
injected with an aggressive strain of breast cancer. They were then fed diets to induce either high blood-sugar
(hyperglycemia), normal, or low blood-sugar (hypoglycemia). There was a dose-dependent response. The lower
the blood glucose level, the greater the survival rate. It was shown that after 70 days, eight of the 24
hyperglycemic mice survived compared to 16 of 24 normal glycemic and 19 of 20 hypoglycemic mice. This
suggests that the restriction of sugar intake is the key to slowing the effects of breast tumors.
Internationally acclaimed Russian scientist Dr. Vladimir Dilman wrote in The Annals of the New York
Academy of Science that breast cancer patients put out 22% more insulin than healthy controls; that
colon cancer patients had 29% more triglyceride in their blood. Furthermore, epidemiological studies
showed that patients with colon, renal, and endometrial cancers had over twice the chance of giving birth to
high-birth-rate babies, one of the hallmarks of disturbed sugar metabolism.
An epidemiological study in 21 modern countries including Europe, North America, and Japan that keep
track of morbidity and mortality revealed that sugar intake is a strong risk factor that contributes to higher
breast cancer rates.
It is easy to overlook the important connection between sugar and its role in tumorgenesis in the clinical
setting. The fact that tumor cells thrive on sugar has practical considerations. Consider the million-dollar
positive emission tomography device, or PET scan, which is regarded as one of the ultimate cancer-detection
tools. PET scans use radioactively labeled glucose to detect sugar-hungry tumor cells.
A comprehensive cancer therapy program should therefore take into consideration a low sugar diet as
part of the treatment protocol. A strict controlled supply of glucose, regarded as the cancer’s preferred
fuel, would slow down the effects of cancer. Some specialized cancer treatment centers in effect use this very
concept by inducing a low blood sugar level for a short period of time to "starve" cancer cells without
depriving the brain of the much needed sugar. Coupled with relevant therapies including chemotherapy,
radiation, and surgery, tumor cells may be contained.
The goal of a cancer prevention diet from a sugar perspective is to control blood glucose within a narrow
range to help starve the cancer cells and bolster immune functions. Generally this means almost a 90%
reduction in sugar intake.
The message is clear - sugar feeds cancer.
C. Increase in Free Radicals and Reduced Antioxidants
Many studies have shown that a direct correlation exists between sugar and free radical formation.
A study from the University at Buffalo, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
in August 2000, showed that excess sugar in the bloodstream stimulates the production of free radicals. In
this study, researchers gave 14 healthy men and women who had fasted for 12 hours a drink containing 75
grams of glucose. The sugar content is equivalent to that in two cans of soda. Researchers then took blood
samples from all participants before the glucose challenge and again at various intervals thereafter.
There was no change in the free radical production in samples taken from controls. Subjects who drank the
sugar water were found to have a significant increase in free radical production at one hour and more
than doubled at two hours. At the same time, levels of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), a powerful
antioxidant, fell about four percent by two hours and remained depressed at the third hour.
Diseases that result from free radicals include many age related illness such as atherosclerosis,
dementia, cancer, arthritis, autoimmune disease, etc. Excess sugar generates free radicals indirectly.
Excess sugar is converted into triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver. The excessive cholesterol and free
fatty acid (FFA), when released in order to generate energy for the body, causes the production of free
radical metabolites that inhibit glucose utilization by the muscle.
The message is clear - sugar increases free radicals and accelerates age related diseases.
D. Increase AGEs
The theory of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) concerning the relationship between sugar and the
aging process dates back many years. It is commonly known that people with diabetes die prematurely.
AGEs are substances formed when blood sugar (glucose) attaches itself to proteins in the body's tissues. This
results in cross-linked hard yellow-brown AGE compounds. Negative effects of AGEs include thickened
arteries, stiff joints, feeble muscles, and failing organs. This is especially evident in elderly people. Diabetics
suffer a very high incidence of nerve, artery, and kidney damage because their high blood sugar levels
greatly accelerate the chemical reactions that form AGEs.
The message is clear - sugar accelerates aging.
E. Increase in Heart Disease
Between 1910 and 1970, coronary heart disease escalated from a yet-to-be recognized problem to one of the
most deadly diseases of the past century. Due to better consumer education, the intake of animal fat and
butter dropped significantly while the intake of cholesterol remained unchanged in the past fifty years. The
intake of refined carbohydrates (mainly sugar, fructose from corn syrup and white flour) however, increased
significantly. The irony is that the increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease closely parallels the
increasing consumption of sugar and not with the consumption of animal fat (saturated fat) or of total
fat.
Studies in the past 30-40 years have shown that substituting saturated fat (animal fat) with polyunsaturated
fats (such as vegetable oils) lowered serum total cholesterol levels. Clinical trials subsequently suggested that
this dietary change might reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease. As a result, diets high in
polyunsaturated fats were widely recommended for the prevention of coronary heart disease. Instead
of fat, carbohydrate was promoted as the ideal substitute. The perception grew that carbohydrates
were harmless. We now know that this is indeed a fallacy. The high incidence of refined carbohydrates has
raised serious health concerns.
Epidemiological studies repeatedly confirm that in populations where sugar intake is high, there is a
correspondingly higher risk of developing heart disease. The Masai tribe of East Africa and the Eskimos
of North American have a diet consisting mainly of milk and meat that is high in fat. Yet they have a very
low incidence of heart disease. In the past, coronary disease was considered rare amongst the black
population in South Africa. However, during the past few decades, their consumption of sugar has increased
greatly and so has the incidence of coronary artery disease. In Iceland, heart disease (and diabetes) was
almost unheard of until the 1930s, although the Icelanders diet is tremendously high in fat.
Surgeon Captain T.L. Cleave, who wrote the classic study The Saccharine Disease, provides ample evidence
that the coronary artery disease epidemic today could be traced to increases in refined carbohydrate intake. It
takes about 20 years of continuous insult of sugar to produce pathological disease such as heart attacks
and diabetes. Known as the Cleave's Rule of 20 years, the arrival of modern day atherosclerosis, diabetes,
and other degenerative disease reflects the concurrent rise in refined carbohydrate intake 20 years earlier, as in
the case of many modern civilizations. In Yugoslavia and Poland, the development of high heart disease rates
since the mid 1950s was associated with a concurrent quadruple increase of sugar intake and occurred despite a
fall in animal fat intake.
The inescapable conclusion is that coronary artery disease was a rare illness in the 19th century. It was a
disease started in 1912, and arrived right on schedule in accordance to Cleave's Rule of 20 years (when
the cola revolution was started in the 1890s and the introduction of four mills to produce refined
flour).
The fact is that a high sugar intake is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Simple sugars are the
primary source of high triglycerides, a type of blood fat, and very low-density lipoproteins (LDL),
which are an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Sugar lowers good HDL cholesterol and
raises bad LDL cholesterol and blood pressure levels. It is estimated that a high sugar intake may
account for as many as 150,000 premature deaths from heart disease in the US each year.
Studies have been conducted to support this. In one research trial, 18 male subjects received normal food
followed by a rigorously specified diet in which protein and carbohydrate requirements were met by amino
acids, essential fat, and glucose. The average concentration of cholesterol in the initial period, on normal
food, was 227 mg/dl. After two weeks on the restricted glucose diet, it had dropped to 173. Two weeks later,
the level was at 160. When the diet was altered by replacing 25 percent of the glucose with sucrose (while all
other dietary constituents kept constant), the average cholesterol level rose from 160 to 178 within one week
and to 208 within two weeks. The researchers carried the study one step further. The sucrose was replaced
with glucose again. With this change, the cholesterol concentration dropped back to 175 within one week
and the decline continued. It finally leveled off at 150 mg/dl, which was 77 mg/dl less than the initial value.
This research finding links the consumption of sucrose (table sugar) directly to increased cholesterol.
The exact mechanism is still under research.
In addition to glucose, fructose also raises blood triglyceride level. In a clinical trial conducted at the
University of Minnesota, researchers followed 24 healthy adults who received one of 2 diets assigned
randomly for a period of 6 weeks and then switched back to the other diet for 6 weeks. One diet provided
17% of energy as fructose and the other diet was sweetened with glucose and was absent of fructose. Both
diets contain common foods and contained nearly identical amounts of the macronutrients. The researchers
found that in men, the fructose diet raised plasma triglyceride levels by 32%, although there was no effect
seen with the women being studied.
Elevated triglyceride blood level of in itself is a strong and independent risk factor for heart attack
among middle-aged and elderly men. In fact, studies have shown that blood triglyceride level was a
stronger risk factor than total cholesterol alone. It is not known why women appear to be immune to this
other than postulations that the high level of estrogen acts as a protective factor. The exact mechanism is still
under investigation.
How about cholesterol and fat as risk factors for cardiovascular disease? For decades, we were told that
cholesterol was the culprit in atherosclerosis, and for good reasons, since arthrosclerotic plaque is found to
be rich in cholesterol. The logic that dietary cholesterol in diet leads to serum cholesterol appeared to make
perfect sense.
Over the past 40 years, our knowledge of the origin of atherosclerosis has increased exponentially. Many
studies have failed to show that a change in the amount of cholesterol in the diet had any significant
effect on the incidence of heart disease. In fact, the correlation between diet cholesterol and serum
cholesterol level is indeed weak. Furthermore, cholesterol is an important macronutrient necessary for hormonal
synthesis and cell membrane stabilization. A low cholesterol level (below 150 mg/dl) has been linked with an
increased cancer risk. Cholesterol in its natural form when made by the liver is an antioxidant and thus
of great benefit to the body. It is only when oxidized cholesterol is eaten that the cholesterol becomes
bad.
Based on false logic, it was believed that diets concentrating on lowering total serum cholesterol level would
reduce coronary heart disease risks. This belief is valid if the cholesterol being lowered is LDL cholesterol
only. Unfortunately, most popular low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets lower both HDL cholesterol as well
as LDL cholesterol. No cardiovascular risk reduction is achieved as the LDL:HDL ratio remained
constant. It must be remembered that cardiovascular risk is inversely related to HDL cholesterol level
and directly proportional to LDL cholesterol level." In other words, the higher the HDL cholesterol,
the lower the risk, and the higher the LDL cholesterol level, the higher the risk.
To make matters worse, such "low-fat, high carbohydrate" diets are often high in the wrong type of
carbohydrates. Instead of taking in complex paleocarb type carbohydrates such as green leafy vegetables and
whole grains, the less informed consumer often ends up eating foods such as pasta, soda, processed
foods, and fast foods. These types of food are rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates, which actually
lower the important "good" HDL cholesterol.
This is further complicated by the fact that consumers are often unclear as to what constitutes fat. There are
different kinds of fat as there are different kinds of cholesterols. Monounsaturated fat such as olive oil
is good. Natural unhydrogenated polyunsaturated fat, such as nuts and seeds, is good as well. Coldwater fish, such as salmon, for example, contain an abundance of this kind of fat with its active
component omega-3 fatty acid, which is cardio protective. These two kinds of fats have been shown to
reduce cardiovascular disease risk by 19 percent and 38 percent respectively in clinical studies.
Saturated fat is somewhat more complicated. It is derived from animal and diary products that are
commercially raised. Unfortunately, commercially raised animals, such as poultry, are laced with
hormones, antibiotics, and are grain fed. They have a higher level of saturated fat in their meat. Saturated
fat from this source has been linked to a 17 percent increase in cardiovascular disease risk in some studies.
Saturated fats from free-range animals are the preferred way. The amounts of saturated fat in organic
eggs, for example, are much lower than that in commercial eggs.
The worse kind of fat is trans fat. This fat is produced when polyunsaturated vegetable fats are artificially
hydrogenated, a process that increases the firmness of the oil and its resistance to oxidative damage. Trans
fat is commonly used in cakes, donuts, fast foods, and fried foods. Trans fat has been linked to the highest
risk of cardiovascular disease. Studies have shown that replacing 2 percent of energy eaten in the form
of trans unsaturated fat with unhydrogenated, unsaturated fat, such as nuts, olive oil, and flaxseed oil,
drops heart disease risk by 53 percent.
With each passing day, as the consumer becomes more educated, the mislead thinking that “fat and
cholesterol-in-diet" equals to " fat and cholesterol-in-blood? and therefore "fat and cholesterol-indiet" equals to "cardiovascular disease" hypothesis is rapidly losing support. While the "death by
dietary fat and cholesterol" hypothesis could be losing faith among advocates, the "death by dietary
sugar" hypothesis is gaining ground as the world wakes up to the harmful effects of sugar.
The message is clear. Cholesterol is not bad for you, and certain types of fat are good for health.
Sugar, on the other hand, should be avoided as much as possible.
What You Should Do
Sugar and simple refined carbohydrates are harmful to health and detrimental to anyone interested in
anti-aging. In fact , the chances of you getting sick on a high sugar diet is far greater than if you
smoke. An aggressive reduction in sugar intake is advisable if your family has a history of diabetes or
cancer, or if you want to lead an anti-aging lifestyle. If you have to eat dessert, consume it during the day and
not just before bedtime. Sugar, taken before bedtime, also reduces growth hormone release and increases
cortisol, the "bad" hormone. Trying to restrict intake of foods such as sugar in coffee and bread is a
good first step. After your body has been detoxified by restricted sugar intake, you will feel lighter,
more energetic, and better. Treat sugar as a drug - stay as far away as possible.
A decreased sugar and refined carbohydrate intake should be part of an overall anti-aging Mediterranean diet
that focuses on three main pillars: a reduction of calories by 30 percent, an increase in green leafy vegetables
intake to 60 percent, and a reduction of sugar intake by 90 percent.
Specifically, the consumption of lean meats (such as wild game or non-grain fed, free-range
domesticated animals), fish (such as cold water fish such like salmon which contains omega 3 fatty
acids), vegetables, whole fruits, raw nuts and seeds, legumes, and whole grain cereal are
recommended. Notably absent from this diet are dairy products, refined cereal, refined grains
(neocarbs), trans fat (margarine and fried foods) and concentrated sweets.
An adherence to these dietary guidelines will not only address obesity but may also prove helpful in dietarylinked diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular illnesses and is one of the best kept secrets of
anti-aging.
Beef, Chicken, and Fish
Introduction
Technology has resulted in the change of the nutrition of meat. In the past, cattle herds grazed in open fields
of natural grass and chickens were allowed to run free. Nowadays, these fields have all disappeared and
replaced with industrial buildings. Animals are now under the care of professional farmers who breed
and feed them for commercial purposes only.
In order to maximize efficiency, most modern farms confine their animals in small areas so that the farmers
can deliver their food and remove their waste with minimal effort. Such confinement systems are thought to
minimize the cost of cattle and chicken and make the business more efficient and profitable. Instead of
allowing animals to roam freely in green pastures, they are confined so that the pastures can be used to plant
and harvest crops.
Maximum efficiency is such a priority that even livestock feed has been designed to reduce costs and to
make animals grow fatter faster.
It is important to note that humans will in turn consume both nutrients and toxins consumed by animals. We
will examine three commonly consumed types of meat and their implications on anti-aging.
Beef
Cattle Diet
Grass is the traditional diet for cattle. In recent decades, the use of grain to feed cattle is preferred due
to its lower cost and faster harvest time. The most popular are wheat, maize, rice, barley, soybean, and
cane sugar.
While grains are cheap and provide an easy source of energy, the rapid rise in blood sugar from grains intake
causes the pancreas in humans or animals alike to overwork in an attempt to lower blood sugar by increasing
insulin production. This leads to an increase in blood insulin level and ultimately to insulin resistance and
diabetes. In animals, a diet rich in grains promotes rapid growth and weight gain. Excess calories are
transformed into fat and stored as adipose tissue. Grain fed cattle therefore have a higher level of
saturated fat than grass fed cattle. The craving for fat laden beef is carried to the extreme with Kobe beef,
a special type of "gourmet" beef that comes from cattle fed with beer (which comes from grains). Cereal
grains also contain low and undetectable amounts of vitamin C, B12, and other vitamins and minerals. They
act as anti-nutrients by competing and displacing nutrients that are associated with a decreased risk of heart
disease and many forms of common cancers.
The grain fed diet leads to increase in the amount of fat in the meat, as excess sugar from grain is
converted into fat. In the case of beef, the fat and cholesterol is around and inside the meat. The fat is
in the meat and on the skin in the case of poultry. Both the saturated fat and oxidized cholesterol,
through free radical pathology, have been identified as causes of atherosclerosis, heart attack, high
blood pressure, cancer, and other life-threatening degenerative diseases.
Essential Fatty Acid Ratio
Beef from grain fed cattle is also high in saturated fat, which is not subject to lipid peroxidation and free
radical pathology. Such beef, unfortunately, also contains a high level of PUFA and cholesterol, both of
which undergo auto-oxidation. This results in free radical generation and contribute to a wide variety of free
radical related diseases including atherosclerosis, cancer, and arthritis, just to name a few.
Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) is a prominent component of grains such as corn. Omega 3 (N3) and omega 6
(N6) essential fatty acids (EFAs) are two important subgroups of PUFA. Both are essential for normal
growth and may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease, arthritis
and cancer. N3 in particular is critical for cell membrane stabilization. A proper balance of N6 to N3 EFA
ratio is an important determinant of optimum health.
In the past 100 years, there has been a rapid and unprecedented change in the diets of both men and animals.
Modern agriculture increased production by emphasizing grain feeds for domestic livestock. Grains are rich
in N6 EFAs compare to N3 EFAs. The result is an overall increase of N6 EFA and decrease of N3 EFA
in the diet. N6 and N3 EFAs should be clearly distinguished because they are metabolically and functionally
distinct. Although both are important, they have opposing physiological functions. Researches have now
shown that the proper balance of N6 to N3 EFA ratio is more important than the ratio of PUFA to
saturated fat for determining optimum health. Taking in grain fed beef leads to an imbalance of the
N6 to N3 ratio in favor of N6 EFAs.
The products of modern agriculture frequently have much lower N3 EFA levels. Our modern day diet
is heavily dependent on grains, grain fed beef, refined carbohydrates, and processed vegetable oils.
This combination has an estimated N6 to N3 EFA ratio of 20 or 40 to 1. For optimum anti-aging health, a
diet rich in green leafy vegetables, and small amount of lean meat and fish, with a N6 to N3 EFA ratio of 4 to
1, is recommended.
It is obvious that we are what we eat. It is also important to note that our animals too, are what they eat.
Unfortunately, like us, their grain fed diet is not the best.
Antibiotics
The diet of cattle includes antibiotics. The major purpose of feeding antibiotics to cows, sheep and other
livestock is to promote growth. Animals that receive antibiotics in their feed often gain 4 to 5 percent
more body weight than animals that do not receive the drug. More than 5,000 tons of antibiotics are
added to livestock feed every year. This adds up to about half of the amount manufactured in the United
States. More than 70 percent of beef cattle and beef calves get daily drug doses during their lifespan.
A report from the National Research Council has acknowledged that there is a link between the use of
antibiotics in food animals, the development of bacterial resistance to these drugs, and human disease.
This is despite the fact that contracting the disease is rather low. Those at the greatest risk include infants, the
elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Overfeeding of antibiotics in cattle raising poses serious effects on human health. Antibiotic resistant
bacteria inevitably develop in the cattle, which can easily be transmitted to humans through consumption of
meat or through human contact with living animals. This leads to a reduction in the efficiency of antibiotics
in fighting infections and reduced levels of favorable intestinal bacteria, which could increase susceptibility
to intestinal infections (such as acute gastroenteritis with fever, pain, and diarrhea). A depressed immune
system also results which could lower resistance to infections and increase allergic reactions.
Antibiotic resistance could pose serious medical implications. For example, some strains of Salmonella
bacteria, which can be transmitted to humans through food or contact with animals, are now resistant to
commonly used antibiotics.
Environmental Hormones
Besides antibiotics, an array of natural and synthetic hormones found in meat is given to cattle and
other livestock to promote growth and cause their meat to be tastier for human consumption. These
hormones enter the human body via external sources and are therefore called environmental
hormones. The Food and Drug Administration approve these hormones.
For instance, diethylstilbestrol (DES), a sex steroid hormone which was prohibited from human use, could
cause a 15 to 19 percent increase in weight (mostly fat) and a 7 to 10 percent improvement in feed efficiency
(that is, weight gained per pound of feed) in beef cattle.
However, when meat laced with DES is consumed, our endocrine balance is upset, even in minute amounts.
These compounds are very potent and are measured in parts per trillion. In fact, the endocrine system
produces its own hormones to control the various bodily functions such as the metabolic rate, growth and
reproductive systems. When the system balance is disturbed, it promotes disease.
It is now known that any amount of hormones beyond the normal level present in a healthy person is
capable of inviting cancer and other serious health problems. Like in women, increasing levels of the
hormone estrogen are related to cancers of the breasts, ovaries and cervix. Other implications include high
blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. DES was consumed by 85 percent of all livestock in the United
States until 1979 when the Food and Drug Administration finally banned it.
Treating animals with varies types of hormones remains a widely accepted practice within the U.S. meat
industry. Hormone pellets are regularly inbred in virtually all cattle. The cost was offset by the increase in
pounds of beef produced. While DEA is now illegal, alternative compounds may cause similar problems
including disparity of the endocrine system and increased risk of cancer. Unfortunately, detection of such
insult may not be apparent for decades. When finally discovered, the damage may have been too great to
reverse. Are you prepared to expose your body to such potential risks? Is there such a thing as healthy
beef? Grass-fed cattle are a healthy source of beef.
Grass-fed Beef
Grass-fed beef is naturally leaner than grain-fed beef due to the lack of hormones and carbohydrates.
The key is in the fatty acid composition of the meat as earlier discussed. Their balance is important for
homeostasis and normal development. Grass-fed cattle have the recommended ratio of N6 to N3, which
is closer to ratio
Grass-fed beef contains natural minerals and vitamins and is also a good source of CLA (conjugated Linoleic
acid), a fat that reduces the risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes and a number of immune disorders. Thus grassfed beef is considered a healthy source of protein and good source of N3 EFA.
Unfortunately, grass-fed beef is not readily available. Beef that is labeled "organic" does not contain
the same goodness as grass-fed beef although such cattle are not exposed to antibiotics, growth
hormones, and pesticide-tainted grains. It may therefore appear to be a good source of beef. The best way
is to find grass fed beef is through a farmer whom you know and share a grass fed cattle with some of your
friends. One quarter of a cow is about 150 pounds and generally takes about two freezer shelves.
Mad Cow Disease
Mad cow disease, also known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), is a chronic, degenerative
disease affecting the central nervous system of cattle. It is a rare neurological disorder. There is no test to
detect the disease in a live animal. The incubation period that ranges from 2 to 8 years. The affected cattle
may display changes in temperament, such as nervousness or aggression, incoordination, or decreased milk
production. Once clinical symptoms appear, the course of the disease usually takes from 2 weeks to 6
months. There is no treatment, and affected cattle eventually die. Microscopic examination of brain tissue is
the primary laboratory method used to confirm a diagnosis of BSE.
The first reports of BSE appeared in England in 1986. It is linked to the practice of supplementing cattle food
with bone meal prepared from slaughtered sheep. This linkage is contemplated because the symptoms are
strikingly similar to that of the disease in sheep known as scrapie. When the brains of these cattle were
examined, there was clear evidence of spongiform encephalopathy.
BSE is a kind of disease that falls into a broader class of disease known as spongiform encephalopathy.
In cattle, an encephalopathic condition means that the brain is pathologically damaged, and spongiform
means that if one examines the diseased brain tissue, the diseased tissue is spongy - porous - no longer intact.
BSE belongs to the family of diseases known as the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE's).
There are also several human diseases that fall into this category of spongiform encephalopathies, and
include: kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome of humans.
It is first postulated that some unidentified infectious agent passes this disease from one species to another.
The most likely causative agent is a new kind of suspected infectious agent called a prion - the term prion is
an acronym coined several years ago by the scientist, Stanley Prusiner. The acronym stands for:
proteinaceous infectious particle. Prusiner's research into the best-documented spongiform encephalopathy,
sheep scrapie, showed that the only identifiable thing, which could transmit this disease from animal to
animal, was a new infectious agent never before identified. The disease appeared to be transmitted by pure
protein, alone. Stanley Prusner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for this work in 1997.
The BSE agent is much smaller than most viral particles. It is also highly resistant to heat, ultraviolet
light, ionizing radiation, and common disinfectants that normally kills viruses or bacteria. It causes no
detectable immune or inflammatory response in the host, and cannot be observed microscopically. There is
no evidence that BSE spreads horizontally, i.e., by contact between unrelated adult cattle of from
cattle to other species. Some evidence suggests that maternal transmission may occur at an extremely low
level.
While certain variants of viruses have been known for a long, long time - every such agent contains a
genome that controls reproduction. No form of life on earth has ever been identified which can propagate its
own form and is devoid of either DNA or RNA. Only viruses have RNA as a possible genome - all other
known life forms have only DNA as their central genetic information. No mechanism known to date can
explain how a protein alone can serve as a template for making many copies of the same protein, or for a
protein alone to cause infection.
It is clear is that prions are clearly infectious. When brain tissue from infected animals is treated to isolate
the protein (prion) thought to cause scrapie, and the altered form of the protein alone (prion - PrP-sc) is
injected into healthy animals, spongiform encephalopathy results. This transmission can be observed by
injecting prion preparations from diseased sheep into mice - and the subsequent transmission of the disease
from mouse to mouse by purification of prions from a diseased mouse and subsequent injection of healthy
mice with these prion preparations.
In addition to these experimental results, another human spongiform encephalopathy disease known as kuru
has long been recognized and was first diagnosed among certain human tribes that are cannibals.
The link from BSE to human disease is a form of human spongiform encephalopathy and is known as
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Like BSE, CJD is a rare, sporadic, degenerative disease in humans. It
usually occurs during the middle decades of life. The course usually ranging from 3 to 6 months in duration,
and is manifested by dementia accompanied by motor signs and blindness. CJD enters the human when
another person's flesh is eaten. There have been cases of acquisition of this disease through organ
transplantation (donor later found to have CJD), and receipt of human blood products (donor later found to
have CJD). These patients have, just as the donor, the altered form of PrP within their brain tissue. CJD
appears to run in families. It is not known, however, whether there is direct transmission of the disease (via
an infectious agent) within the family, or whether there is transmission of genetic susceptibility to the
disease.
The best thing to do to avoid CJD is to avoid meat consumption.
Chicken
In the past few decades, there has been a substantial increase in chicken consumption. To a large extent, this
is due to chicken being regarded as a healthy alternative to beef. This is because chicken is perceived to be
more nutritious, low in fat, and white meat is healthier than red meat.
Although it is true that some chicken cuts are more nutritious than beef, commercially raised grain fed
chicken is not as healthy as one may think. In fact, chicken contains just as much fat and cholesterol as beef.
More importantly, chickens are often not allowed to run due to space-constrained coops. They are further
tainted with pesticides, antibiotics, hormones,
The truth is, chickens we consume today (non-organic chicken farm raised) are very different from
chickens some 50 years ago (organic fed, free range chicken) before the commercialization process
began.
The Chicken Run
The neatly prepared breasts, thighs, and drumsticks on supermarket shelves are often derived from very
stressed and diseased animals raised in chicken farms.
These chickens are crammed into close coops and have insufficient fresh air and exercise. Due to the
shortage of space and disease-spreading living conditions, these commercial chickens are regularly fed
antibiotics and other drugs to render them disease-free. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration has
authorized 2,000 chemicals, together with drugs for use in chicken feed. These drugs are usually added with
"food" such as corn and soybeans and could even be cardboard, sawdust, used newspapers and even recycled
animal feces.
No medication and drugs could protect the chickens from the harmful effects of poor diets and pathetic living
conditions. Many commercial chickens can suffer from several health problems such as cancerous tumors,
kidney damage, physical deformities, and stunted growth, which remain undetected in their lifetime before
being passed to us.
Over 14,000 tons of poultry affected by cancerous tumors are killed yearly. Farmers usually process the
diseased poultry into animal feed which are
Plate of Poison
To prevent the chickens from falling ill, toxins such as pesticides and fungicides are used extensively in
the feed. These are eventually concentrated in the meat and are passed to us when we consume the affected
chicken parts. These pesticides and herbicides are toxic to all human cells and bodily systems. They could
cause damage to the central nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine and immune system. Over time, toxins
accumulate in our body as fatty tissues. They weaken our immune system. With a weakened immune
system, the aging process is increased.
Although these chickens have met the U.S. Department of Agriculture criteria for human consumption,
scientists have linked contaminated poultry to high incidences of diseases including an estimated four billion
salmonella cases and Helicobacter pylori infections that occur annually. This is according to a report by the
consumer watchdog group, Americans for Safe Food. Salmonella poisoning causes illnesses such as fever,
diarrhea and vomiting. H. Pylori causes gastritis. Statistics have shown a connection between food-borne
illness to about 9,000 deaths every year in a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta.
Is Chicken Better Than Beef?
A T-bone steak derives 42 percent of its calories from fat. A chicken thigh or leg is considered as red
meat and 56 percent of its calories are from fat, with the skin included. Removing the chicken skin
reduces the fat content to 47 percent of calories. Chicken red meat is therefore a high-fat food with or
without the skin.
In fact, an average chicken provides more concentrated fat than the finest cuts of beef. Chicken fat is
also very concentrated and could damage our arteries, much like beef. Chicken also has just as much
cholesterol as beef and pork.
Only chicken breasts with the skins removed are low in fat. This is the best way to eat
Free Range Chicken
A reduction in chicken consumption is one of the easiest ways to prolong your lifespan. If you must
consume chicken, buy the birds that have been grown on a farm that allowed them to run and exercise and are
fed organic food. These are called free-range organic chickens. These birds are fed organic feed free of
pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. Meat from such chickens are firmer and they are leaner as compared to
commercialized non-organic grain fed chicken.
Free-range organic- fed chickens and their eggs are completely different from commercially raised
chickens and eggs. They are high in N3 EFA. In fact, the fatty acid ratio of N6 to N3 EFA is 2 or 3 to 1 in
the free-range organic fed chicken and eggs as farm raised chicken.
Fish
Fish is generally regarded as a highly desirable source of protein and fatty acids. However, most fish
nowadays has lost its nutritional values due to environment pollution.
Supervising the growth of fish is nearly impossible due to its free movements across the waters. Fish consume
much toxic wastes, which are polluted materials discharged into their habitats. These toxic wastes are usually
industrial waste, sewerage, pesticides, and insecticides. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs),
dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dioxin, methyl mercury, and lead also occasionally appear in inland
waterways, rivers, and polluted bays. These pollutants, especially PCBs and methyl mercury, could possibly end
up in our bodies due to the consumption of affected fish.
Fish also concentrate their toxins in their fatty tissues throughout their lifetimes, just like cattle, chicken, or
humans. Large fish are especially exposed to toxins as they consume smaller fishes. Their toxin concentrations
are probably 10,000 times more than their smaller counterparts. Fish can also carry disease-causing
microorganisms. In fact, they are the cause of many food-borne illnesses.
Researchers have suggested that contamination is so widespread that almost half of the world’s fish
population is infected with toxins. The only practical solution is to choose fish that is least likely to be exposed
to toxins and eat them as fresh as possible.
Swimming in Toxins
Fish in coastal waters, particularly those near large cities, have alarmingly high levels of toxin
concentrations as they are exposed to tons of chemicals. Chemicals are then transferred to our bodies when
we consume the contaminated fish.
Even fish raised in commercial fishponds are not immune to toxins. Pesticides and herbicides from nearby
fields often pollute their ponds. The most protected fish are generally the cold-water species fish like cod,
haddock, perch, and salmon as they thrive in the open seas, which are furthest away from the polluted coastal
waters.
Methyl Mercury: Toxic History?
In Japan, there was a tragic incident of human poisoning by toxic-laden fish when an unusual epidemic infected
the entire population around Minimata Bay in the 1950s. Over 1,500 people died. They were poisoned by high
doses of methyl mercury. It was found later that the toxin comes from fish who in turn got the toxin as such toxic
chemicals from local industries was dumped into the bay.
Chronic methyl mercury poisoning affects not only the brain and central nervous system but also the
reproductive system and many other organs. Its earliest symptoms are neurological in nature, including
numbness and tingling in the extremities, difficulty in walking and talking, poor concentration,
weakness, and fatigue. These symptoms could progress to spasms, tremors, coma and finally death.
Methyl mercury can trigger toxic effects in doses as low as 150 micrograms each day if consumed over a few
months. This can come from over consumption of fish that are toxic over time. A consumption of most
commercially available fish twice a week (approximately 8 ounces total) is quite safe.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), methyl mercury limit in fish ranges from 0.5 to 1.0 per
million (or 0.5 to 1.0 microgram per gram of fish) in some countries like Finland, Sweden, and Japan. However,
there is no ideal and practical way of calculating the amount of methyl mercury we consume from fish.
Estimating the amount of methyl mercury is therefore a noble but fruitless exercise.
With global warming and acid rain, larger lake fish like bass, pike, and lake trout may have levels higher than the
official set range limit of methyl mercury levels. As acid rain dissolves the deposits of mercury found in rocks and
soil, it erodes and washes these chemicals into lakes and seas. Bacterial action then transforms mercury into
methyl mercury.
As chronic methyl mercury poisoning creates internal health problems, it greatly speeds up the aging process. Its
signs and symptoms have become apparent only after serious cellular breakdown has occurred.
Supplemental Protection
Some supplements are recommended to guard your body against the damaging effects of methyl mercury if you
find it difficult to give up fish for good, or you have been consuming fish for more than a few times a week.
Vitamin C and the amino acid cysteine are particularly important. They can help the detoxification of methyl
mercury and eliminate it from your system. Vitamin E and selenium are scavengers of cell-damaging free
radicals and protect your brain and central nervous system. These supplements, while lowering the damage
from methyl mercury exposure, do not offer total protection from chronic methyl mercury poisoning.
Poisoned by Preservatives
Even though a fish may escape the toxin in pristine deep ocean waters, it may still experience chemical assault
after being captured. In order to slow down the process of decomposition and preserve the freshness from the
ocean to land, fishes are normally sprayed with preservatives such as polyphosphates and sulfites (to control
mold and yeast), sodium benzoate (to kill bacteria), and polytrisorbate (to keep fish from becoming slimy).
Although these preservatives are FDA approved, there is no law that requires the amount to be disclosed on food
labels. These preservatives could very well be imported chemicals. The long-term effect on consumption of many
of such chemicals in high doses is not known.
Fish and Cardiovascular Disease
. Fish are among the best source of omega-3 fatty acids (N3 EFA) among meats. In fact, many people have
given up red meat in preference to cold-water fish like herring, mackerel, salmon, and tuna so as to increase their
N3 EFA intake as these fatty acids can help prevent heart disease. Extensive research has shown that these
fatty acids prevent blood clots and reduce triglycerides. N3 EFAs also helps to relieve arthritis by controlling the
production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor. Both of these inflammation-promoting chemicals are
produced by the white blood cells. N3 EFAs helps to boost the immune system and encourage the production of
pain and inflammation-fighting prostaglandins. In summary, N3 EFA is good for you, and fish is a good place
to get it. There are, however, better place to get N3 EFAs from without the toxins.
In fact, N3 EFA is far more abundant in flaxseed and olive oil than from meat or fish intake. It has been
noted that flaxseed and olive oil provides more N3 EFAs than the best cold-water fish. Other lower level N3 EFAs
sources are pumpkin seed, soybean and walnut oils. If you want a supply of N3 EFA and you don’t like fish or
monounsaturated fat such as olive oil, try taking fish oil supplements of about 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams each
day, although a high intake of more than 1000 mg a day may carry a risk of harmless fishy burp and smell.
Fish such as trout and herring are good sources of N3 EFAs. They also have 40 percent saturated fat,
like that of beef and chicken. Cold-water fish like salmon actually contain 60 percent fat, much higher
than beef. To reduce fat, one has to be selective in choosing the right kind of meat. Skinless chicken
breast, for example, only has only 16 percent fat. Some fish like sole, haddock, and perch has only 10
percent fat. Protein levels of fish are similar to beef and chicken, which stands around 50 percent.
Fish and Alzheimer's
Disease
A recent study in Lipids, a U.S. scientific journal, reported that eating fish appears to protect people against
Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. According to a new University of Guelph study of 70 elderly
Toronto people, (one-quarter of whom have Alzheimer's disease), it is found the healthy people had higher
levels of a fatty acid from fish in their blood than the group with dementia.
Shellfish: No Thanks
If finfish creates health hazards, shellfish such as clams, lobsters, oysters, scallops, and shrimp are much worse.
In fact, this kind of seafood has been criticized for their high cholesterol levels. They are in fact also
storage tanks of toxins.
Shellfish are actually scavengers, which are found in coastal waters. Their normal diets consist of industrial
deposits, sewerage, and fish excrement. They have been traced to be the source for many outbreaks of
gastroenteritis, hepatitis epidemics, and typhoid fever.
Eating Fish Safely
Here are some tips to healthy fish eating:
a. Restrict your fish consumption to only two modest portions (about eight ounces) each week. This
will provide the body with ample N3 EFAs.
b. Cook your fish well before eating.
c. Consume only fresh fish. Avoid frozen, canned, and packaged products as well as frozen fish dinners
and fish sticks.
d. Insist on cold-water species of fish such as fresh salmon, tuna, cod, haddock, herring, perch, and
snapper (Look for tuna labeled "dolphin-safe.") as these fish spend their lifetimes in the open seas
distant from contaminated coastal waters.
e. Avoid fish species that stay in coastal waters as well as those that consume near the top of the food
chain (and so ingest toxins from small fish). Such fish include bluefish, carp, catfish, striped bass
and trout.
Beef, Chicken, or Fish?
It should be apparent by now that if you want to be very safe, it’s best to be a vegetarian. Taking eggs are
acceptable if the egg is from organic chicken.
If you want to continue taking meat from commercial sources, the following should be noted:
a. Fish and chicken breast without skin contains about 35 percent less calories than beef or chicken
thigh with skin. Therefore, eat fish or chicken breast without skin.
b. Chicken thigh with skin has more fat than beef (50 percent vs. 45 percent). Fatty fish such as
salmon has the most fat (61 percent) while perch has only 7 percent fat. Therefore choose your
fish wisely.
c. All three types of meat provide almost the same amount of protein (about 50 percent).
d. Beef and chicken has almost the same amount of cholesterol. Fish, on the other hand, has about 20
percent less cholesterol.
Summary
It is clear that not only are we what we eat, but so are our cattle, chickens, and fish. The key to successful
anti-aging diet perspective is to have a balanced and moderate amount of each of the important nutrients groups
of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
The Mediterranean diet with a high intake of green leafy vegetables, olive oil (as a source of monounsaturated
fat), and moderate amount of fish (as a source of protein and N3 EFA) is the best all around anti-aging diet that
most can get used to.
There is very little doubt that following a total vegetarian diet is best for the body. Not everyone wants to be a
vegetarian. A proper selective intake of the right source of beef, fish, and poultry is acceptable from a nutritional
viewpoint for those who are not. Meat, in the right amount, can be an important part of a healthy diet.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of meat nowadays is derived from unhealthy animals. One of the main reasons is
that they are almost never fed their natural diets and they do not get to exercise much. Commercially fed
animals are not much different from the modern day human equivalent - the couch potato - obese and
full of toxin. Would you want your body to be exposed to such "food" which should more aptly be called
"toxins"?
If you have to eat meat and want optimum health, consume free-range grass fed beef and free-range
organic fed chicken and its eggs. Both provide lean meat rich in omega 3 essential fatty and low in
saturated fat, comparatively speaking. Cold-water deep-sea fish such as salmon or tuna is the best type
of fish to consume due to its high omega 3 essential fatty acid and low toxicity, though its fat level is
quite high. Two servings (four ounces each) of such fish per week are ample from an anti-aging
perspective. The rest of the diet in terms of meat substitute nutrients should consist of seeds, nuts and
legumes.
Oils - Different Types For Different Uses
There are 4 different types of oils or fat.
Monounstaurated fat - oilive or canola oil
Polyunstaurated fat - sunflower or soybean oil
Saturated fat - butter, coconut, or palm oil
Trans-fat - hydrogenated fat used in cookies and commercial French fries.
Olive Oil - The Best of the Bunch
Olive oil is a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acid. It belongs to a class of fat called monounsaturated fat
which is the best kind for your heart.
Many studies have validated the use of olive oil, especially virgin ones. In one study, researchers confirmed that
adults who consumed 25 ml or 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil a day for one week showed less oxidation
of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in their
blood.
Antioxidants help to prevent oxidative damage. The latter is caused by free radicals, by products of our bodies,
which can damage body tissues. Oxidation of LDL Cholesterol causes arteries to harden and can lead to heart
diseases.
In the Mediterranean countries, where the nation's diet is rich in olive oils, fruits, vegetables, and grains and low
in saturated fat from meat, these countries have reported lower rates of heart diseases. In Italy and Spain, where
their diet contains more than one third of their daily calories from fats high in monounsaturated fatty acids, they
also have a lower rate of heart diseases. Monounsaturated fats is said to lower total cholesterol and LDL
cholesterol of the body. But while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, virgin olive oil
contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly phenols and vitamin E, because it is less processed.
Please note that olive oil should not be used to deep fry food as the heat will change the structure of the oil. Olive
oil is best used uncooked.
In another study, 16 healthy adults were asked to avoid phenol-containing foods such as coffee, tea, wine and
vegetables for four days. On the fifth day of the study, the adults were asked to take 50 ml of virgin olive oil alone
or with bread. During the study, they were to abstain from food with phenols for 24 hours. Subsequently, they ate
their regular meals, supplemented by 25 ml of olive oil per day for one week. They were also told to avoid food
high in fat content such as butter, margarine, cooking oil, nuts, baked foods and eggs.
Blood samples, which were taken from these adults before and during the study showed that after taking the
olive oil supplements, the level of antioxidant compounds, including vitamin E and phenols was higher after one
week. Levels of oleic acid, the predominant type of fat in olive oil, as well as monounsaturated fatty acids was
also higher. These changes were associated with a slower LDL oxidation rate.
In this study, it was showed that including 25ml of virgin olive oil in our daily diet reduced the risk of high
cholesterol. This was because virgin olive oil not only lowered cholesterol level; it also increased the resistance
of LDL to oxidation because of its richness in oleic acid and antioxidants.
Different Oil For Different Purpose
For deep frying, use saturated oil is best. Coconut and palm oil fall into this category.
Corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, and peanut oil are high in poly-unstaurated fat with a higher omega-6
than omega-3. These should be used uncooked as a salad dressing. But the better oil for salad dressing is olive
oil, because of the high omega-6 contents in other type of vegetable oils. The overabundance of omega-6 fats in
the diet can cause an imbalance of the omega-6 and omega-3 ratio, and leads to many health concerns.
Canola oil has gone through a long road of genetically modifying, purifying and processing to get to the
consumable state it is today. It is perfectly safe for consumption today and it does offer many health benefits. For
the general public, canola oil is more affordable than olive oil for the health benefits it offer. Due to its high
smoking point, it is great to use for high heat cooking.
For stir frying, rice bran oil, grape seed oil, or canola oil.
For medium heat, use light olive oil, almond oil, walnut oil or sesame oil.
For salad dressing, use extra virgin olive oil.
For stir frying, use olive or canola oil.
Avoid trans-fat at all circumstances such as margarine and hydrogentated fat present in cookies and frech
fries. These are carcinogenic.
Eggs - Good for your body
Introduction
The egg's image as a wholesome food has been tarnished in recent years, ever since a link was established
between high blood cholesterol level and high incidence of cardiovascular disease . Egg is a rich source of
dietary cholesterol and it is labeled as a "bad food" . Many have resorted to eating just the egg white to
avoid the implications of heart disease, while others have rejected the intake of eggs altogether as a
prescription to well being.
Contrary to popular belief that the egg is something to avoid, numerous research and long term
studies have shown that eggs are a great dietary source of many fundamental (e.g. protein, choline,
cholesterol) and non-fundamental (e.g. lutein, zeaxanthin) components that are essential for optimal
health. In fact, many in the fore-front of anti-aging research believe that moderate egg consumption
of one per day should be an integral part of a complete anti-aging diet.
Nutrient (unit)
Whole Egg Egg White Egg Yolk
Calories (kcal)
Protein (g)
Total lipid (g)
75
6.25
5.01
17
3.52
0
59
2.78
5.12
Total carbohydrate (g)
0.6
0.3
0 .3
Fatty acids (g)
4.33
0
4.33
Saturated fat (g)
1.55
0
1.55
Monounsaturated fat (g) 1.91
0
1.91
Polyunsaturated fat (g)
Cholesterol (mg)
Thiamin (mg)
Riboflavin (mg)
Niacin (mg)
Vitamin B6 (mg)
Folate (mcg)
Vitamin B12 (mcg)
Vitamin A (IU)
0.68
213
0.031
0.254
0.036
0.070
23.5
0.50
317.5
0
0
0.002
0.151
0.031
0.001
1.0
0.07
0
0.68
213
0.028
0.103
0.005
0.0069
22.5
0.43
317
Vitamin E (mg)
Vitamin D (IU)
Choline (mg)
Biotin (mcg)
Calcium, Ca (mg)
Iron, Fe (mg)
Magnesium, Mg (mg)
Copper, Cu (mg)
Iodine, I (mg)
Zinc, Zn (mg)
0.70
24.5
215.1
9.98
25
0.72
5
0.007
0.024
0.55
0
0
0.42
2.34
2
0.01
4
0.002
0.001
0
0.70
24.5
214.6
7.58
23
0.59
1
0.004
0.022
0.52
Sodium, Na (mg)
Manganese, Mn (mg)
63
0.012
55
0.001
7
0.012
It is clear that eggs are an excellent source of calories (75 calories), cholesterol (213 mg), protein (6.25
gm), and a variety of important nutrients for the body.
Calories
One egg provides about 75 calories. Based on an average American diet of 2,000 calories per day, one egg
will provide 3% of the daily energy's need. The calories provided by the egg are packed with a variety of
important macro and micronutrients. This is in contrast to the empty calories commonly found in snacks such
as cookies or pastries that are made primarily from refined sugar. In other words, these calories from eggs are
good calories dense in nutrients.
Protein
On average, sedentary people require 0.8 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. This works out to about 56
grams of protein a day for a 70 kg (150 pound) person. Those who are physically active or those with greater
protein need, such as children, dieters, and the elderly, require more at 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per 1 kg of
body weight.
One egg provides about 6.25 grams of protein, or about 10% of daily protein needs. Half of the protein in
an egg comes from the egg white, while the other half from the egg yolk. In fact, egg protein is of such high
quality that it is used as the standard by which other proteins are compared. Eggs have a biological value
(efficacy with which protein is used for growth) of 93.7%. Comparable values are 84.5% for milk, 76% for fish,
and 74.3% for beef.
The egg is, therefore, an excellent source of protein and one of the best proteins money can buy.
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are substances found in vegetables. They gather in high amounts in the retina and the macular
region of the eye. Carotenoids are excellent antioxidants and protect the eyes from free radical damage
originating from ultraviolet rays of the sun. Carotenoids called lutein and zeaxanthin (yellow or RED
carotenoid, respectively) are found in abundance in the egg. Studies have shown that a higher dietary intake
of these two carotenoids lowers the risk for cataracts by up to 20 percent and age-related macular degeneration
by up to 40 percent. Adult macular degeneration is the number one cause of blindness in individuals over 65
years old.
Choline and Betaine
Choline is a fundamental dietary component for all cells to function properly. It is a key component for the
structural integrity and signaling functions of the cell membrane. It is also a major source of methyl-groups
in the diet. In addition, choline directly influences nerve signaling, cell signaling and lipid transport/metabolism. A
scientific review article published in the Oct. 5. 2000 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition
reports that the nutrient choline, when taken during pregnancy, may be key in the development of an infant's
memory function and may improve memory capability later in life. Eggs are great dietary sources of choline,
providing about 200 mg per serving.
Betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, is produced by choline and the amino acid glycine in the body. Although
both folic acid and betaine ease the remethylation of homocysteine into methionine, they are different in that
folate-dependent remethylation occurs in all cells, while betaine-dependent remethylation reaction occurs only in
the liver.
Betaine lowers homocysteine levels in the body. Homocysteine is a well known independent risk factor of
cardiovascular disease. A high homocysteine level is a sure prescription for coronary artery disease. Despite
this, it should be remembered that folic acid is still the most effective agent in lowering plasma homocysteine
concentrations.
Cholesterol
Eggs have been widely known for their high fat and high cholesterol content, providing about 200 mg of
cholesterol per egg. Cholesterol from the egg comes exclusively from the egg yolk.
Ever since the discovery that links high blood cholesterol to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease,
the logical conclusion is that any food high in cholesterol should be avoided since consumption of such dietary
cholesterol may lead to an increase in blood cholesterol. The hypothesis that "high dietary cholesterol leads
to high blood cholesterol" has become such a standard dietary claim that anyone who wishes to avoid or
lower the chances of getting heart diseases has to restrict their intake of eggs. Few people have carefully
examined the evidences to this hypothesis.
The majority of studies conducted over the past two decades on eggs and cholesterol have shown that
dietary cholesterol only has a weak link, at best, to blood cholesterol levels because there is only a
relatively small change in blood cholesterol levels in response to changes in dietary cholesterol intake.
For example, Harvard researchers report in the April 21, 1999 Journal of the American Medical Association that
they could find no relationship of moderate egg intake (I per day) with heart disease. Two large prospective
studies of 38,000 men and 80,000 women looked at heart attacks and strokes in 8 to 14 years of follow-up after
asking about dietary habits. There was no statistically significant difference in risk among people who ate
eggs less than once a week compared with those who ate more than one egg a day. The only increase in
heart disease risk was seen in diabetics, both men and women. Eighty percent of diabetics are obese. It is
thought that the increased risk is linked more to obesity, although the exact mechanism is not known.
Researchers have further established that the average response to a 100 mg/day change in dietary
cholesterol intake leads to a 2.5 mg/dl change in blood cholesterol levels. While some individuals are more
sensitive to the effects of dietary cholesterol (15-20% of the population), the dose adjusted response factor in this
group is still relatively small (3.2 vs. 1.6 for sensitive vs. resistant study subjects). For example, it can be
estimated that reducing dietary cholesterol intake from 400 mg/day to 300 mg/day results in a plasma
cholesterol reduction of 3.2 mg/dl in cholesterol sensitive individuals and as little as 1.6 mg/dl in
cholesterol insensitive individuals.
In a study by Schnoh et al in 1994, the diet of 24 adults was changed by addition of two eggs per day (400 mg of
cholesterol) for six weeks. The researchers found that their total cholesterol levels increased by 4%, while HDL
cholesterol levels increased 10%. The dose adjusted response to the change in dietary cholesterol was 2.4 mg/dl
per 100 mg/day. This study showed that moderate egg intake should not be rigorously restricted in healthy
individuals.
In another study by Ginsberg et al in 1994, twenty-four young men were fed 30% fat diets with an addition of zero
(128 mg cholesterol/day), one (283 mg/day), two (468 mg/day) or four (858 mg/day) eggs per day to the base
diet. Each diet lasted eight weeks. The average blood cholesterol levels in the twenty-four subjects were 155,
161, 162, and 166 mg/dl for the zero, one, two and four eggs per day feeding periods. Plasma total cholesterol
increased 1.5 mg/dl per 100 mg/day added dietary cholesterol.
Even more important in this particular study was the finding that there was no evidence that changes in dietary
cholesterol intakes altered the postprandial plasma lipoprotein profile (lipoproteins thought to be involved in the
development of atherosclerosis) and thus did not alter the atherogenic potential of the plasma lipoproteins. The
data indicate that in the majority of healthy young men, an addition of two eggs per day to a low-fat diet
has little effect on plasma cholesterol levels.
Ginsberg followed up with another study in 1995 with a controlled dietary cholesterol feeding study. This time in
young women. The effects of feeding zero, one, or three eggs per day on plasma lipids and lipoproteins were
measured. Results showed that the dose adjusted plasma cholesterol response was 2.8 mg/dl per 100 mg/day
dietary cholesterol (a value higher than that obtained in males in the 1994 study). In women, however, the
increase in total plasma cholesterol with dietary cholesterol occurred in both the atherogenic LDL cholesterol (2.1
mg/dl per 100 mg/day) and the anti-atherogenic HDL cholesterol (0.6 mg/dl per 100 mg/day). As found in the
previous study in healthy young men, young women have the ability to compensate for an increased intake of
cholesterol by adjusting the way cholesterol is handled by the body. The data shows that an addition of two eggs
per day to the diet of healthy young women has little effect on plasma cholesterol levels in the majority of
study subjects.
In addition to the lack of significant correlation between dietary and blood cholesterol, many studies have shown
that dietary cholesterol increases both LDL and HDL cholesterol concurrently, with essentially no change in the
important LDL: HDL cholesterol ratio. For example, studies have shown that a change of diet by increasing
ingestion of 100 mg cholesterol raises LDL cholesterol by 1.9 mg/dL and HDL cholesterol by 0.4 mg/dL. The
LDL: HDL ratio change went from 2.60 to 2.61. Risk for cardiovascular disease remained the same.
The average American diet derives over 40% of its calories from fat, and the type of fat consumed is
usually saturated fat from animal sources such as beef and trans-fat commonly found in fast foods such
as French fries. For people on such a "bad fat" diet, consumption of eggs should be reduced and
monitored. For healthy individuals who derive only 30 percent of their calories from fat, a moderate intake of one
egg a day should not be restricted. The use of dietary intervention as a way to reduce blood cholesterol level
should therefore be undertaken with great care to take into consideration the high variability among individuals.
Cholesterol is a much-needed macronutrient in the body. Too low a level is not good, and too high is also not
good. Recent studies have linked a low blood cholesterol level of under 150 mg/dl to increased rate of cancer.
Optimum cholesterol level in our body should be around 200 mg/dl, with a properly balanced total cholesterol/
HDL cholesterol ratio of lower than 4 to 1.
Dietary cholesterol is, however, associated with a higher risk of gallstones whose primary component is
cholesterol, hence the term; cholesterol gallstones. Excess cholesterol that is taken in through the diet
will be absorbed into the blood stream. Some of the cholesterol is carried to the gall bladder, one place
where it is eliminated.
Dietary cholesterol's link with the occurrence of coronary heart disease or fatality is clearly weak at best.
Clearly, the egg is not the demon it has been made out to be at moderate consumption of one per day for
the healthy individual.
Fiber
Like all other animal products, eggs contain no fiber. Dietary fiber helps the body eliminate cholesterol and
enhance bowel movement. Ironically, those products that are high in fiber like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and
whole grains contain no cholesterol and are low in fat (especially saturated fat).
Environmental Contaminants
Egg laying hens are usually raised in factory farm conditions, with administration of various drugs, hormones,
and medicines in their feed. Many of these drugs are known to be carried over into the food chain via the egg.
Eggs are high in the food chain, therefore the environmental contaminates, which the hen is exposed to, are
carried over into the eggs.
Allergies
Egg protein is a leading cause of food allergies, along with cow's milk. The majority of the protein is found in
the egg whites. Eliminating eggs from the diet is a good screening test in cases of suspected allergies. It is
important that any such trial period be at least 21 days long to allow ample time for the allergen to be washed out
of the body. Reappearance of the allergy when egg consumption is resumed will serve as confirmatory test of
such allergy.
Sulfur
Eggs contain much sulfur, which is a strain on the liver and kidneys. This sulfur tends to make the blood acidic.
The body performs best in a slightly alkaline environment. Naturally, the body tries to regain its alkalinity by
dispensing alkaline (base) minerals such as calcium and magnesium to buffer the acidity. These two minerals
are normally stored in bones, and their mobilization can contribute to mineral losing diseases such as
osteoporosis.
Vitamin C
Almost all nutrients required for human well-being is inside the egg, with the exception of vitamin C.
Chickens, like most mammals ranging from dogs to polar bears, have an endogenous ability to make their own
vitamin C. Human beings, on the other hand, cannot, and need external supplementation from fruits and
vegetables.
Raw Eggs
Raw eggs are far healthier than cooked ones, especially if the cooked egg is fried in a processed oil high in fat.
The common concern on raw eggs are bacteria infection such as Salmonella, ever since it has been found inside
a small number of eggs. Scientists estimate that, on average across the U.S., only 1 of every 20,000 eggs
might contain the bacteria. Therefore, the likelihood that an egg might contain Salmonella is extremely small 0.005% (five one-thousandths of one percent). Statistically, the incidence of salmonella in non-organic eggs is
one in 20,000. The chance of infection works out to once every 30 years based on the consumption of a dozen
eggs a week.
To protect the public at large, the Center for Disease Control in the United States recommends that eggs not be
sunny side up. It is feared that all the bacteria will not be killed during frying. It was once believed that salmonella
could only be carried over in cracked egg shells. However, recent research has shown that salmonella can be
present when the shell has not been breached or cracked. It is interesting that Salmonella bacteria can live on
the cardboard (that contain the eggs) for months. If there's any sign that an egg cracked in the carton, throw the
carton out.
Bacteria can sometimes accumulate on the shell. You should discard any eggs with shells - or, for hardcooked eggs, egg white surfaces - that don't look or feel clean, normally colored, and dry. A slimy feel can
indicate bacterial growth and, regardless of color, powdery spots that come off on your hand may indicate mold.
Salmonella can be destroyed by light cooking. Egg white will coagulate (set) between 144 and 149° F, the yolk
between 149 and 158, and whole egg between 144 and 158° F. Egg products made of plain whole eggs are
pasteurized (heated to destroy bacteria), but not cooked, by bringing them to 140° F and keeping them at that
temperature for 3 1/2 minutes. Almost any bacteria is killed when an egg is bought to an internal temperature of
160° F.
The odds are very small that you will get sick from eating raw eggs. If you want to be safer, use pasteurized eggs
in any raw-egg food (like Caesar salad dressing, eggnog, homemade ice cream, as well as cake batters and
cookie dough that the kids eat). These shell-less eggs are available in many supermarkets in pint and quart
cartons. Some companies are also starting to pasteurize eggs in the shell, so check the label on the carton.
Egg Storage
Eggs can stay fresh for about three weeks if they are stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator (usually the
bottom shelf) in their original carton. Raw egg whites can be stored in a refrigerator safely for up to 4 days and
unbroken raw yolks, covered with water, for up to 2 days in a tightly sealed container. Hard boiled yolks can be
stored in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 or 5 days as well in a refrigerator.
The faster the egg is consumed, the less chance for spoilage due to bacterial growth. When properly handled
and stored, eggs rarely spoil. Instead, the white becomes thinner, the yolk becomes flatter and the yolk
membrane weakens as the egg ages. While these changes may affect appearance, they are not indicative of any
spoilage and generally do not affect the egg's nutritional quality or its functions in recipes. If eggs are kept long
enough, the natural tendency is for them to simply dry up - especially if they're stored in a moisture-robbing, frostfree refrigerator.
Egg Tips


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Buy eggs that are clean, sound shelled, fresh, grade AA or A eggs from reputable source in refrigerated
cases.
Always refrigerate eggs at home.
Note that egg shell color and yolk color has nothing to do with egg quality, flavor, nutritive value, or
cooking characteristics.
Poach eggs instead of frying to cut back on fat
.
Conclusion
The egg is a highly nutritious and functional food. It contains one of the highest quality proteins you can
buy. It is also low in sodium, and contains a large variety of vitamins and minerals. Egg protein has just
the right mixture of essential amino acids needed by humans to build a strong body.
Next to mother's milk, it is the second most nutritious food for human consumption. Repeated studies have
failed to correlate the general dietary claim that a moderate consumption (one a day) has a direct and
significant positive correlation with the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke in either healthy men or
women.
Reduction of blood cholesterol is best accomplished through a combination of reduced dietary sugar
intake and exercise rather than a restriction of dietary cholesterol alone. Those that embark on a
cholesterol restriction program often end up taking in higher amounts of carbohydrates like pasta and white rice,
which are more deleterious to their health than cholesterol itself.
In addition to its nutritive value, eggs are inexpensive, delicious, and easy to prepare. They should be an
integral part of any anti-aging diet.
BROWN RICE versus WHITE RICE
Milling is the process that creates the difference between brown and white rice. The variety of rice may be
identical, but milling removes the husk from the grain and turns the brown rice to white. This is why milling
is often called "whitening".
By removing the outer layer, which is also known as the bran layer, milling alters the nutritional value of the
rice. It is in this bran layer where most of the nutrients are stored. The white rice that most of us eat
comprises of mostly carbohydrates, with the nutrients stripped off in the milling process.
Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar inside the body. While carbohydrates are a good source of
energy (yielding 4 calories per gram), excessive carbohydrate intake leads to sugar imbalance and adult onset
diabetes mellitus. Carbohydrate consuming is also addictive. White rice is a large part of the world's diet ,
and reduction is not a easy process. One way is to consume brown rice instead.
The following chart shows the nutritional differences between brown and white rice. As can be observed,
fiber is dramatically lower in white rice, as are the oils, most of the B vitamins, and important minerals.
Calories
Protein
Carbohydrate
Fat
Dietary Fiber
Thiamin (B1)
Riboflavin (B2)
Niacin (B3)
Vitamin B6
Folacin
Vitamin E
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Selenium
Zinc
Brown Rice (one cup)
232
4.88 g
49.7 g
1.17 g
3.32 g
0.176 g
0.039 mg
2.730 mg
0.294 mg
10 mcg
1.4 mg
72.2 mg
142 mg
137 mg
26 mg
1.05 mg
White Rice (one cup)
223
4.10 g
49.6 g
0.205 g
0.74 g
0.223 g
0.021 mg
2.050 mg
0.103 mg
4.1 mcg
0.462 mg
22.6 mg
57.4 mg
57.4 mg
19 mg
0.841 mg
Bran contains several items of major importance - the two major are: fiber and essential oils. Fiber is
not only filling, but is recommended in the prevention of major diseases in this country such as certain
gastrointestinal diseases and heart disease. The National Cancer Institute recommends 25 grams of fiber
a day, a cup of brown rice will give nearly 3.5 g, while an equal amount of white rice not even 1 g. The
oils that are present in the bran also help to lower the risks of heart disease by decreasing the levels of serum
cholesterol in our bodies. These are good oils that the body needs and not bad oils (hydrogenated vegetable
oils) such as those found in French fries.
Carbohydrate-rich diets can be helpful in weight control provided that the carbohydrate is complex
and not simple. Simple carbohydrate such as sugar will lead to obesity, cancer, and a myriad of other
diseases.
We are much better off, then, to eat a well balanced diet low in fat and rich in complex carbohydrates. Brown
rice completes the diet in a way that white rice cannot even begin to approach
Fruits and Vegetables Reduces Cancer Risks
Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C are associated with a reduced death risk from all causes including heart
disease and stroke. Even small increases in levels of vitamin C in the blood reduced the risk of heart disease and
death in healthy adults.
The risk of death was reduced by 50 per cent for individuals who had the highest levels of vitamin C in their blood
compared to those with the lowest levels. It is important to note that the antioxidant vitamin C alone is not
responsible for the lower risk of disease and death as observed in the study. Rather, an intake of vitamin C is a
marker for an overall healthy lifestyle that includes a nutrient-rich diet, exercise and no smoking.
In other findings, high blood levels of vitamin C were linked to a decreased risk for cancer among men and not
women. Experts added that small dietary changes could have a profound effect on health.
Just one extra serving of fruit or vegetable was linked with a 20 per cent lower risk of death from all causes
regardless of age, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, diabetes and use of dietary supplements.
The Lancet (March 3, 2001;357:657-663) explained that the results are based on a single measurement of
vitamin C in the blood of nearly 20,000 individuals aged 45 to 79 in England and medical data over a four-year
period.
Information provided is courtesy of and compiled by the Academy of Anti-aging Research staff, editors, and other
reports.
Anti-Aging Perspective:
A very significant study. About 80 percent of the supermarket budget goes to buy processed food. This study
should be a wake up call for many to switch to organic vegetables and the need for vitamin supplementation.
The blood levels of vitamin C appear to be a strong and specific indicator of high fruit and vegetable intake, and it
may be all the other components of high fruit and vegetable intake that are protective for mortality, not just
vitamin C. Taking vitamin C supplement alone without proper organic fruits and vegetables is not the solution.
Taking fruit juices for the vitamin C can cause more harm than good due to the high level of sugar within the
juice.
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that fights free radicals. Free radicals are compounds responsible for many
degenerative disease and aging.
How much vegetables should you take? Minimum 10 servings a day is recommended for anti-aging. Eating the
right kind of vegetables is important. Stay away from those that are grown below the ground (carrots, potato,
yam) and staying with green leafy vegetables is the best. Generally, a weekly consumption of 10- 20 pounds of
vegetables is recommended. Drinking vegetable juice is a good way to make sure you are getting the right
amount of antioxidants if you are not a strong fan of eating vegetables.
Beans
Eating more beans can help lower your risk of a heart attack, according to many research studies. It has been
repeatedly shown that soybean protein and dietary fiber supplements can reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Consumption of legumes high in bean protein and fiber, such as red beans, black-eyed peas, pinto
beans, might lower the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Peanuts, while a bean, are high
in fat so a moderate intake is recommended.
In an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine ( Dec, 2001), a longitudinal study, covered over a 19
year period, showed that those who ate some form of legumes 4 or more times a week had a 22 percent
lower risk of heart disease than those who reported eating these foods less than once a week.
Given the fact that heart disease affects about 1.1 million Americans every year, and 25 percent of men and 38
percent of women who suffer a heart attack die within one year; it is obvious that beans should be part of an
optimum anti-aging diet.
Fiber - Friend or Foe?
Introduction
Dietary fiber, formerly unrecognized for its health benefits, has received much attention in the past decade. It
is widely accepted as playing a significant role in reducing total blood cholesterol, thereby decreasing the
risk of coronary heart disease. It has also been credited in helping to alleviate numerous bowel disorders,
including colon cancer. Are these two hypotheses true?
Basics of Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber can be divided into two basic groups, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water,
and insoluble fiber, as the term describes, does not. Both soluble and insoluble fiber provide bulk in the
large intestine and encourage bowel regularity. However, there are important differences between the
two.
Soluble Fiber:
The job of soluble fiber is to absorb water in the intestinal tract and slow down the amount of time
needed to empty the intestine. Eating these fibers makes you feel full and may help in weight loss. These
are also the fibers which are credited with helping to lower bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Examples of foods that contain
soluble fibers include:
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
Dried beans and peas.
Lentils.
Oats.
Barley.
Psyllium laxatives
Sesame seed
Fruit, especially bananas, apple pulp, citrus, grapes, apricots, cherries
Vegetables, especially potatoes, cabbage, carrots
Remember that fruits and oats are primary sources of soluble fibers. Psyllium is the most convenient
and readily available form of soluble fiber supplementation.
Insoluble Fiber:
Insoluble fibers draw water into the intestinal tract, but rather than slowing down digestion, they
actually speed it up and increase the amount and frequency of bowel movements. Examples of foods
that contain insoluble fibers:
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Wheat bran
Apple and pear skins
Peas and carrots
Bran cereals
Whole-grain breads
Vegetables.
Pears
Toasted whole-grain breads
Browned potatoes
Remember that vegetables and wheat bran are the primary sources of insoluble fiber.
Fiber - Which Kind Do You Need?
In order to achieve the maximum amount of benefit from fiber, you should try to get both types into your diet.
Plant foods all contain both types of fiber - although some are particularly rich in one or the other. Think of
vegetables and wheat bran as the primary sources of providing insoluble fibers. Think of fruits, oats,
and psyllium laxatives as sources of soluble fibers. Following the anti-aging Mediterranean diet will give you
both.
Psyllium As the Source of Soluble Fiber
Psyllium (Metamucil), a natural, water-soluble, gel-reducing fiber, which is extracted from the husks of blond
psyllium seeds (plantago ovata), is a member of a class of soluble fibers referred to as mucilages.
Psyllium's total dietary content - 86 percent - is made up of 71 percent soluble fiber and 15 percent
insoluble fiber. This compares to 15 percent total fiber and only five percent soluble fiber for oat bran. The
soluble fiber in one tablespoon of psyllium is equal to 14 tablespoons of oat bran, another soluble fiber.
For this reason, in contrast to oats, psyllium is added in relatively small quantities to other cereal grains to make
food products.
Psyllium and Cholesterol
Through the years, researchers have found that patients with mild to moderately elevated cholesterol
levels can achieve a sustained reduction of about 10% in cholesterol level by consuming psyllium twice
a week.N
Numerous landmark studies have been conducted to validate this. One is cited in the December 1, 1996 issue
of the publication <I>OBGYN News</I>. This study was led by Dr. James Anderson, professor of medicine
at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington. For six months, Dr. Anderson followed 248
patients who were all instructed to follow the AHA diet. Some patients were given Psyllium while others
were given a placebo. The average cholesterol level for the study population was 229 mg/dl, with an LDL of
154 mg/dl. After six months, members of the Psyllium plus diet group lowered their total cholesterol by
8.6% and their LDL by 11.1%, versus those in the diet group who showed only a 4% reduction in both these
levels. The researchers further note that the Psyllium worked best for those people with the highest
cholesterol levels, with reductions of up to 25%.
Another well-designed, controlled study followed more than 100 adults with high blood cholesterol (levels
greater than 220 mg/dl). The study followed men and women who ate a high-fat diet (40 percent or more of
total calories) as compared to those who ate a low-fat diet (no more than 30 percent of total calories).
Researchers then compared the effects of adding 1 1/2 packets of Psyllium (Metamucil) twice a day on blood
cholesterol levels with the effects of not taking the soluble fiber supplement.
After eight weeks, supplementation with Psyllium showed a small but significant decrease in total
cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, regardless of the type of diet. Total cholesterol levels dropped a
weighted average of 4.7 percent; LDL cholesterol levels showed a 6.6 percent decrease.
Soluble fibers appear to reduce blood cholesterol in two ways. First, they prevent the reabsorption of vital
bile acids from the small intestine. To replace the lost bile acids, cholesterol is drawn from the body, thereby
reducing its cholesterol supply. Second, the fermentation of soluble fibers in the intestine produces shortchain fatty acids which block the synthesis of cholesterol.
Studies suggest that soluble fibers also may help control the rise in blood sugar following a meal and reduce
insulin requirements in some patients with diabetes mellitus. By increasing the viscosity of gastrointestinal
contents, soluble fibers retard gastric emptying, slowing the absorption of glucose in the process.
Psyllium and Digestive System Function
People also use Psyllium to treat chronic, not acute, constipation as well as acute diarrhea, diverticulosis
(asymptomatic infection of large intestine), diverticulitis (infection/inflammation of lower large intestine),
and irritable bowel syndrome. Psyllium is a laxative that promotes bowel movements by absorbing water
and electrolytes, producing a bulk fluid that is easy to pass. It is contained in fiber supplements, such as
Metamucil, Effer-syllium, Perdiem Fiber, Konsyl and Hydrocil, and in Kellogg's Bran Buds ready-to-eat
cereal.
For constipation, Psyllium is often taken as 1-2 teaspoons or 1-2 packets, 1-3 times daily. It needs to be
mixed with water or juice, and should be accompanied by a lot of fluids throughout the day. Side effects are
most commonly bloating, flatulence, and cramps. People with intestinal ulceration, bowel adhesions, or
stenosis should use caution when taking Psyllium. For these people, Psyllium could cause more harm than
good to their digestive system.
Soluble Fiber - Friend or Foe?
To many, soluble fiber is a close friend that keeps them away from constipation by increasing ease of bowl
movement. This is especially true among many that have a high tendency of getting constipated easily.
Those over 50 years old are particularly affected by slowing motility of the gastrointestinal tract and
resultant constipation. Taking soluble fiber two to three times a day is a simple way to solve this
problem.
Many people with normal digestive functions still take Psyllium on the hypothesis that a faster and softer
bowl movement improves transit time. This theoretically translates into less time the feces and its
contaminants stay in the body. Ultimately, this is postulated to enhance bowl health and prevents the
formation of polyps, some of which can lead to colon cancer.
However, three landmark studies, including one carried out on more than 88,000 nurses and published
in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that a high fiber diet seemed to offer no protection
specifically against colon cancer.
Another study published in the British Medical Association journal Lancet (October, 2000) raises questions
over previous studies showing the benefits of fiber in preventing colorectal cancers as well. This particular
study was lead by the European Cancer Prevention Organization Study Group and found dietary fiber (by
Psyllium supplement) can actually increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
The efficacy of dietary supplementation of calcium and fiber on the recurrence of cancer was studied by
researchers from nine European countries and Israel. They assigned 665 people to groups that randomly
receive calcium, soluble fiber (3.5 to 5 grams of Psyllium) or a placebo. They were then examined with a
colonoscopy after three years.
Of the 665 that participated, 552 received the follow-up exam. At least one cancer developed in 16 percent of
the calcium group, 29 percent in the fiber group and 20 percent in the placebo group. They say while the
benefit of the calcium was not statistically significant, the increase in the soluble fiber group was.
The findings of this study is consistent with two earlier American studies that suggest a low-fat, high-fiber
diet may not be an effective strategy to prevent colorectal cancer recurrence in those who have a
history of polyps. Dr. Bonithon-Kopp, author of the study, pointed out, "However, our findings should not
prevent recommendations for high consumption of vegetables, fruits and cereals, because this approach has
potentially beneficial effects on other chronic diseases, especially coronary heart disease."
It is important to put such studies into perspective. So far, three major studies were published that looked at
the relationship of dietary fiber and cancer. Only the early stages of the adenoma-cancer sequences were
studied. It was found that soluble fiber did not have a benefit in preventing recurrence of small polyps. This
should not come as a surprise. Soluble fiber's main action is in lowering of cholesterol and reduction of
cardiovascular disease. Its colon cancer prevention properties have been under investigation and
merely hypothesized for years without concrete evidence. The latest three studies provide good
evidence that indeed the role of soluble fiber in preventing colon cancer is probably not well founded.
For prevention of colon cancer, insoluble fiber is the diet of choice. Insoluble fiber is not what was
supplemented in these studies. Subjects in the last study were given Psyllium, which consists of 71% soluble
and 15% insoluble fiber.
Furthermore, this last study did not address the issue of the progression of adenoma into full fledge cancer.
Soluble fiber may still prevent the progression of these polyps into tumors. That type of study has yet to be
done, especially as it relates to the malignant transformation of adenoma.
It is well known that fiber's health enhancing activities is maximized in the presence of high volume of
water, which acts to soften the bulk of the stool. It is also unclear in this study whether the participants
have increased their water intake in conjunction with the soluble fiber intake.
Should You Take Fiber Supplements?
The average American diet is low in fiber (5-15 grams). For optimal anti-aging purposes, 25-30 grams of
fiber is needed. This can be achieved by taking in half a cup of bran, one cup of legume, 2 cups of vegetables, 3
fruits, whole grain bread and cereal on a daily basis. If you are not, consider fiber supplementation together
with digestive enzymes and higher intake of water to enhance gastrointestinal health. All fiber
supplements are best taken one hour before a meal so as not to interfere with absorption of nutrients.
If you are currently on soluble fiber for cholesterol control, there is no reason to stop,for the simple reason
that soluble fiber lowers cholesterol. If your primary objective is to prevent colon cancer, then it is wise in view of
the last 3 major studies to take additional vegetables and whole grain products such as wheat bran, which will
provide you with insoluble fiber, instead of taking fiber supplements such as Psyllium as a way to prevent
cancer.
Regardless of whether you are taking soluble or insoluble fiber, do remember to make sure your water
intake is at least 8-10 glasses a day, especially if you are on any fiber supplement program.
If you have high cholesterol and want to totally stay away from Psyllium as a way to reduce cholesterol
level, some natural alternatives to consider include garlic, niacin (in therapeutic dosages), and statin
drugs (prescription required).
The take home lesion is simple: take insoluble fibers, which come from whole foods such as vegetables,
wheat, and grain products, for cancer prevention. For cholesterol control, take soluble fibers, which are
abundant in fruits, oat bran, legumes, apple pectin, and guar gum. Take Psyllium as a supplement for
cholesterol control and not for cancer prevention. For those who are using Psyllium to enhance bowel
motility, you may want to reduce Psyllium intake and increase your digestive enzymes intake while maintaining a
high water intake of 8-10 glasses a day.
If you can get all the fibers from your diet alone, that is best. The Mediterranean diet (with a heavy focus on
dense vegetables) provides both soluble and insoluble fibers from whole foods, not to mention antioxidants and
other nutrients that have benefits of which are still undiscovered.
ANTI-AGING SUPPLEMENTS - INTRODUCTION
Supplementing your diet with vitamins, minerals and herbs will significantly increase your life span.
These agents to diet cannot replace proper nutrition, but aid and abet a healthy life extension. Not all
nutrients are anti-aging supplements per se. Anti-aging supplements address and prevent any possible
deterioration in the cells that may accelerate the aging process.
The fact that supplements could aid in preventing certain disease has not always been known. Between 1500
B.C and 1900 A.D, it was observed that certain foods prevented some diseases. Egyptians used liver to ward off
night blindness. From 1890 to 1900 the relationship between the lack of certain foods and disease became
established. For instance, polished rice (lacking in thiamine) caused beriberi. The years 1900-1948 were known
as the golden age of vitamin discovery. Many techniques for perfecting the production of vitamins, such as
isolation and synthesis, were pioneered. In 1933, the first commercial synthesis of Vitamin C occurred.
Up until recently many fallacies existed about vitamins and minerals. Following here below are three such
basic misconceptions in this field. First, vitamins are a catalyst and therefore are needed in very small doses
since they can be recycled almost indefinitely. Second, vitamins are needed only to prevent deficiency
diseases such as Vitamin C for scurvy and nicotinic acid for pellagra. Third, large doses are not needed and
are dangerous.
In fact, optimum doses of vitamins should be used in both prevention and optimum health . These doses vary
from very small to very large (e.g. 10 mg nicotinic acid needed to prevent pellagra, but 1000 mg to prevent
recurring chronic pelagra). Furthermore, there is no optimum dose for the whole population. It depends upon
age, sex, type of illness, type of stressors. Another discovery found that vitamins have activity which appear to be
unrelated to their properties as vitamins.
RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCE
Before advancing any further, a word on the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) will be forthcoming. The
RDA is the measured amount or dosage of nutrient per vitamin and minerals recommend. The U.S. federal
government sets these levels . The RDA indicates the amount of vitamins and minerals needed to prevent
common deficiency diseases (such as rickets or scurvy) for the average person. The average person assumes
that you are an adult under 60 years old who is in good health, has normal digestion, isn't overweight, leads a
relatively stress-free life, has no medical problems, does not need any medication, and eats a good diet everyday
of 2,000 calories per day (most older people eat less than 1500 calories per day).
Needless to say, most of us don't fit into the definition of the average person defined by RDA. In fact, most
adult women don't meet the RDA for zinc, Vitamin B, calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin E; likewise, most adult
men don't meet the RDA for zinc and magnesium. Fewer than 29% of people eat 5 fresh fruits and vegetables a
day. Furthermore, 20% of the people don't eat ANY fruits or vegetables at all.
IS RDA SUFFICIENT FOR ANTI-AGING
The question then naturally becomes Is RDA sufficient for anti-aging? We feel that in general, RDA is inadequate
if your goal is for prevention of heart disease, cancer, cataracts, arthritis and other age related diseases. For
optimal anti-aging intake, many health practitioners are recommending many times higher than the RDA on
certain nutrients. At this point allow us a note on measuring vitamin levels. Ordinary blood tests are not
adequate to tell us the true level or functional level of each vitamin. You can be "normal" based on blood
level and lack the amount needed for optimum metabolic function, especially for anti-aging purposes.
SOME ALARMING NEWS
It's no secret that for the majority of the U.S. population, the diet is poorly lacking in essential nutrients. Half of all
Americans past sixty years are deficient in Vitamin A, C, and E, even by minimum standard RDA. As we
age our body run out of steam; therefore, we need more nutrients. Growing old itself can even be viewed as a
vitamin deficiency disease of monumental magnitude. Worse, these deficiencies have virtually been ignored for
the past century. To add to this perplexity, it has been learned that food cannot give us all the vitamins and
minerals we need to slow down aging. Additionally, nearly all Americans are deficient even in the minimal RDA
requirements, and are therefore exposed to premature death. Moreover, vitamins and minerals in anti-aging are
remarkably safe and free of side effects if taken properly. Vitamins and minerals work together synergistically
to slow down aging. There is no one anti-aging miracle vitamin or mineral.
WHY DO YOU NEED SUPPLEMENTS?
The answer posed to the question in the heading above is plain: You simply cannot get enough of some of
vitamins and minerals in regular or anti-aging dosages, even if you eat a healthy anti-aging diet (50% fruits
and vegetables, 25% protein, and 25% fat). The following information on several important vitamins and minerals
shows why dieting alone cannot give you enough vitamins and minerals to promote anti-aging. For Instance, take
Vitamin E -one would need a daily intake of 5,000 calories per day (mostly fat) in order to get 400 IU ; or
take chromium - a daily intake of 5,000 calories per day to get the minimum requirement of 50 mcg per
day.Zinc - a daily intake of 2,400 calorie per day is needed jus To get the recommended 200 mcg of chromium,
you would have to consume more than 12,000 calories per day! t to reach its RDA; magnesium - intake of 2,000
calorie per day is needed to get enough magnesium; coenzyme Q-10 - intake of 1 pound of sardines or 2.5
pounds of pancreas to get 30mg of CoQ-10 (healthy people need 30mg and chronic patients need 50-150 mg).
From this short catalog it is evident that taking supplements is a more reasonable and convenient way to
provide you with the necessary optimum level of these nutrients.
Supplements - To Take or Not?
According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (2002;287:3127-9), all grown-ups
should take a daily multivitamin. Two leading doctors, from the Harvard University published this new report.
This suggestion was put forth after much research was conducted. The research had proven that if we were to
take a multivitamin each day, our chances of getting chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and
osteoporosis would be greatly reduced.
Here are some conclusive evidences: 1. Supplementing with folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy reduces the risk of birth defects known as
neural tube defects.
2. When Vitamin D is taken with calcium, it reduces the risk of fractures in elderly women with thin bones
(osteoporosis).
3. Supplementing with folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 may help to prevent heart disease by lowering
homocysteine levels. (This evidence is strong but not yet conclusive).
4. Vitamin supplements may reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer.
This proposal of supplementing vitamins daily is still relatively new in the conventional medical arena. However,
attitudes are beginning to change and more doctors are beginning to recognize its benefits. In the past, most
doctors said that vitamin supplements were not necessary because they believed that the normal American diet
provided all the essential nutrients to maintain good health and prevent diseases. Today, as the Harvard
researchers point out, this opinion is no longer defensible with the rising number of chronic diseases.
The fact that researchers have now proven that vitamin supplementation can prevent several common chronic
diseases goes to show that the average American diet indeed does not provide the optimal amounts of nutrients.
If we were to consume too much nutrient-depleted foods such as refined sugar and white flour, we will suffer
from vitamin deficiencies. The latter can also arise from other factors such as inadequate intakes of vitamin-rich
fruits and vegetables and nutrient losses due to processing, prolonged heating and long term storage of foods.
While vitamin supplementation can help to correct certain deficiencies in our bodies, it is not an adequate
substitute for a good diet. In other words, we must still maintain a good and healthy diet while taking in extra
vitamins. Whole, unprocessed foods contain a wide array of beneficial substances besides vitamins, such as
carotenoids, flavonoids, natural antioxidants and other unidentified compounds. The researchers therefore
suggest that the best approach is to eat properly and to take a multivitamin.
The researchers also highlight that as most multivitamins contain iron, it may not be suitable for many men, nonmenstruating women and a small proportion of the population with an inherited intolerance to iron
(hemochromatosis). As such, these people should consult their family doctors on whether it is appropriate to
include iron in their supplement.
Over the last 50 years, the concept of antioxidants have arisen from hoax to science. It is now generally
believed that antioxidants have the ability to serve as a rust protector for the body, putting a stop to a
process called oxidation. Important molecules in the body, such as those that form the walls of arteries,
become oxidized when they lose an electron. Once oxidized, they become unstable and easily break apart,
leading to arthrosclerosis.
Free radical.
Free radicals are highly reactive molecules, or single atoms with unpaired electrons, looking for a mate to
stabilize themselves. They steal an electron from the first molecule they encounter, perhaps a cell wall or a
strand of DNA. Antioxidants are molecules that have extra electrons to donate to free radicals, thereby
neutralizing them.
As free-radical damage mounts, cells can no longer perform Optimumly. Tissues degradation begins, and
disease sets in gradually. An excess of free radicals has been implicated in the development of cardiovascular
disease, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and cancer, among others. Aging itself has been defined as
a gradual accumulation of free radical damage. By age 50, it is estimated that a large part of our cellular
protein has oxidative damage.
Yet not all free radicals are bad.
Benefits of Free Radical
Free radicals are necessary for life. The body cannot turn air and food into chemical energy without a chain
reaction at the mitochondria involving energy production and free radicals as its by-product. Free radicals are
also a crucial part of the immune system, attacking foreign invaders. They help fight against bacteria.
The production of free radicals and destruction of free radicals in a non-harmful manner is also the result of
normal metabolic processes in the body. Endogenous and exogenous antioxidants mop some of them up. The
body hopes to avoid excessive free-radical production, but it a certain amount is absolutely necessary
for life.
Positive studies on Antioxidants
The job of antioxidants is to neutralize free radicals. Studies have indicate fairly consistently that having
too few antioxidants is a bad for the body. As early as 1983, a study published in the British medical journal
The Lancet, found that people with low blood levels of selenium were twice as likely to develop cancer compared
with people with normal levels.
In the late 1980s, a landmark study, the Harvard-based Physicians Health Study - which has recorded the
lifestyles of some 50,000 male health professionals for the past 15 years - found that men whose diet is rich in
vitamin were half as likely to develop heart disease compare to those with very low levels of dietary vitamin E.
It is important to note that although these epidemiological studies suggest an association between antioxidants
and good health, this does not mean that the antioxidants directly caused the improved health. Furthermore, it
should not be concluded that taking antioxidants improves health in and of itself without a concurrent
healthy lifestyle.
Since the mid-1990s, numerous studies have suggested that nutritional supplementation commonly referred to
as RDA ( recommended daily allowance ) should be increased. Skin cancer patients given daily selenium
supplements were twice as likely to survive their cancer as those patients not given selenium, the Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA) reported in 1996. This was a well designed , multi-center, double-blind,
randomized, placebo-controlled study with more than 1,300 patients . The researchers were so impressed that
the study was stopped after six years so that all patients could benefit from the selenium supplement.
Other studies showed similar positive results. Vitamin E has been shown to postpone the onset of Alzheimer's
symptoms in a small study published in the NEJM in 1997. It has also been shown to slow the onset of coronary
artery disease in a study at the University of Southern California School of Medicine that was published in JAMA
in 1995. Vitamin E also cut the risk of cataracts by half in a 1998 study published in the journal Ophthalmology.
Vitamin C has its share of supporters as well. It has been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the retina and deter
adult macular degeneration, among other benefits. Extra chromium has been shown to stabilize sugar
imbalance, and extra reduced the risk of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer.
Negative Studies on Anti-oxidants
Over the years, various neutral and even negative reports about the benefits of antioxidant supplements
also surfaced. One study found that Finnish male smokers were 18 percent more likely to develop lung cancer
after taking a beta-carotene supplement. This was reported in NEJM in 1994.
Three years later, The Lancet published a study of about 2,000 men receiving vitamin E alone, beta-carotene
alone, both, or a placebo after suffering their first heart attack. The group taking both vitamin E and betacarotene was about twice as likely to die from a second heart attack or heart disease as the placebo group, and
the vitamin E-only group was about 1.5 times as likely to die.
Other studies showed similar negative results. Reputable studies in the mid 1990s show no evidence that
vitamins C and E or beta carotene prevented colorectal cancer or arthrosclerosis. There was also no evidence
that beta carotene alone prevented cancer or heart disease in more than 22,000 physicians over 12 years in one
study.
The one consistent finding is that smokers should not take high dose of beta carotene, with a 28 percent
higher incidence of lung cancer as a result.
Who is right? They are all right.
Criticisms naturally flowed back and forth, with the pro-supplement physicians finding methodological errors in
studies casting doubt on pills, and the anti-supplement wing finding similar problems in the work that seemed to
contradict their findings.
Most likely, all these studies might be absolutely right, pointing to the complexity of the matter - that we
don't fully understand the intricate relationship between certain types of antioxidants and certain types
of free radicals at different moments over the course of one's lifetime.
Each antioxidants is different. They work in different places, at different times, and in different dosage.
Blanket statements or broad conclusions drawn from any study on either camp will not stand up to
scrutiny.
It is important to take a step back and look at the whole process of oxidative stress in relation to the body as a
whole for one to make sense out to the conflicting reports that may surface from time to time. The traditional
cause-and-effect approach of medical and scientific studies works only marginally when baseline
parameters of each antioxidant has yet to be formulated and verified.
Just as extra free radical can be a detriment, extra amounts of antioxidants might be turning into prooxidants , fueling free-radical production and its damage. In other words , too much of something may
not be good. The problem is that no one really knows how much is too much. Animals , for example,
produce vitamin C in an equivalent human dose of about 5 grams a day. This amount is increased by four times
during stress. Humans do not make vitamin C. A reasonable dose of 1 gram to 3 grams a day is extremely safe
and non toxic. Most anti-aging researchers do not consider this amount excessive. Yet in the lay community
where the RDA is only 80 mg a day, the perception of taking even 1 gram of vitamin C per day may
appear excessive.
Several studies have shown that people who did not get the RDA ( 80 mg) of vitamin C had an increase in freeradical damage to their DNA. Paradoxically, those who took mega doses (over 5-10 grams a day ) of C also had
an increase in DNA damage, although it is used as an anti-cancer therapeutic agent in selected cases.
Compounding this is the fact that free radicals have been shown to kill certain cancer cells and thus can be good
for the body in . The picture is complex indeed.
Recall some 30 years ago, our knowledge of cholesterol is quite simplistic. HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
has just be discovered. Their exact relationship is still unknown. Physicians were trained to lower cholesterol,
and reduction of dietary cholesterol intake seems a logical and sensible approach. Today, we are aware of
"good" HDL cholesterol and the "bad" LDL cholesterol. More importantly, we know that it is the ratio of the good
versus the bad cholesterol that is the key to optimum health and not the absolute total cholesterol level. We also
know now that blood cholesterol level is more directly related to sugar intake than dietary cholesterol intake. The
similar story can be said about the good omega-3 fatty acid versus the not so desirable omega 6 fatty acid
balance which only 20 years ago was not known to the best nutritionist. To make things worse, the more we
know about these relationships, the more we realize how much we still don't know. The body is indeed the most
miraculous machine on the planet.
Although the theory of free radical and oxidative stress was first advanced in 1956, we are still in our
infancy stage in its understanding and implication for anti-aging. Each study is trying to measure a specific
parameter, but the very nature of the measurement is difficult to interpret due to our limited knowledge of how
each vitamin works to begin with. Researches are often left with more empirical observations than
conclusions.
The danger lies when one tries to associate observations into conclusions. In the absence of better data,
this is the best we can do, some researchers would argue. This is a normal process of any research, especially
in a subject as complicated as this in its infancy stages. The smart consumer and physician should take a
global view of the entire body of research and its various observations and deduce a overall logical
conclusion rather than relying on any single research study to make any decision, as any such study by
definition at this stage of our limited knowledge is imperfect.
Conclusion
It should be clear that free radicals are as good as they are bad, and antioxidants in very high doses
(higher than optimum dose) may do the body harm.
The question of whether to take supplements comes down to an intellectual one. Doctors are split on
whether to recommend antioxidant supplements to their patients. The camps are broken down into those who
believe there are not enough data to make blanket recommendations; those who feel that Americans (particularly
children) have such a poor diet that they need a supplement to ensure adequate levels for basic function; and
those who say that anyone can benefit from increased antioxidants regardless of how healthy the diet is. A
smaller camp sees in the reports about negative effects of antioxidant pills reason enough not to take any. No
amount of scientific data in the next few decades can convince the skeptical mind that requires absolute
proof before taking action.
Our knowledge is in nutritional medicine is growing exponentially. It is conceivable that supplements might do
nothing at all because they can't get to where they are needed, or that antioxidants might not be the magic
beneficial chemical in the food we eat after all.
Whether to wait for more information, knowing that they will be conflicting from time to time, or to
proceed on a prudent and cautious basis, depends on the amount of time available in one's lifespan.
Prevention of oxidative stress takes time, especially if one lives in a polluted environment. Aging is a process that
starts around age 25 . If you are past age 35 ( where you have entered the transition phase of aging ) , and
especially if you are past age 45 ( where you have entered the clinical phase of aging), taking optimum
amount ( not mega dose amount ) of nutritional supplements should be considered seriously.
The Best Strategy is :
1. Start with a healthy Modified Mediterranean Anti-aging Diet. Fruit and vegetables are rich in
antioxidants, but these plants contain hundreds of other chemicals. Any single chemical or combination
of chemicals might pack the therapeutic punch. Nutrients from food enable the body to make its own
antioxidants. A chemical produced by the body called glutathione is ultimately responsible for
neutralizing free radicals, and the glutathione concentration in cells dwarfs that of the free-radical
scavengers such as vitamin C and E.
2. Fortify with an optimum amount (not mega dose amount) of anti-oxidants in accordance with the
optimum daily allowance through a balanced nutritional cocktail as an insurance policy to maintain a
proper balance with free radical productions if you are over age 35.
This two-step approach makes most scientific sense at this time.
Supplement Facts Table
Nutrien In the Reaso Functio
t
form of
n
n
Equiv
Optimu
alent
Side
Research
m
Toxicity
in
Effects
Dosage
Food
5000
From Safe
Headach
I.U.
Cod
dosage es, dry
liver oil up to
skin, and
is most 20,000 liver
comm I.U.
damage
on
in
dosage
over
25,000
I.U.
Vitamin Vitamin A Natura Strong
A
l
Antioxida
animal nt;
source Essential
for
healthy
skin,
mucous
membra
ne, and
eyes
Natural More Same as Hundreds 10,000 beta
effecti above; of studies 20,000
cartoene ve
also a
including I.U.
than strong
one at
synthe antiHarvard
tic
oxidant shows that
1 cup Non
of
toxic up
carrot to
juice 100,000
contain I.U. a
s
day
Over
100,000
I.U. a
day
causes a
yellowish
source
s
those
taking
11,000 I.U
per day (
¼ cup of
carrot juice
or 5 carrot
sticks)
have a
22% lower
risk of
heart
disease
than those
getting
less than
3000 I.U.
per day.
Vitamin Ascorbic No
Key anti- A study of 1200 C
acid- corn reason oxidant 11000
3,000mg
free
to
that
Americans ( up to
waste supports show that 10,000
money collagen intake of mg have
on
formation 300 mg a been
unprov , blood day add 6 safely
en
vessels, years to a taken for
minera immune man’s life long
l
defenses and 2
period of
ascob and
years to a time. For
ates or adrenal woman’s dosage
ascorb function. life.
above
ic
Reduce Cardiovas 3000 mg
palmat down
cular
a day,
e
time with disease
mineral
unless common decreases ascorbic
intake cold;
by 40%.
s are
over
Dr. Linus recomm
3000
Pauling
ended )
mg a
takes
day
18,000 mg
for years
and
attribute
40,000
I.U.
tone on
the skin
which
disappea
rs when
stopped
1
Non
orange toxic as
has
water
about soluble.
80 mg.
So you
need
15
orange
s a day
to get
1200
mg of
vitamin
C
Some
experien
ce slight
diarrhea
after
several
thousand
milligram
s, while
others
are not
bother by
then
times this
amount.
12 yrs of
life
extension
to this
vitamin
Vitamin cholecalci Reduc Needed If you are 100 I.U.
D-3
ferol
ed
for
exposed to
dosag optimum sunlight
e to
calcium regularly,
preven absorptio chances
t
n and
are you
toxicity maintain don’t need
of
vitamin D
healthy supplemen
bones
t
Vitamin Natural
E
form
Water
dispersibl
e dalphatoco
pherol
succinate
Natura
l form
is
more
active,
althou
gh
more
expan
sive
than
syneth
ic
forms
Anti*In those 400 I.U.
oxidant of 60
( up to
that
years old, 800 I.U
protects taking
can be
red blood 400-800 taken for
cell,
I.U. per
normal
arteries, day for 30 optimum
eyes,
days
health )
liver,
results in
skin,
improvem
breast, ent of
testes. immune
Lowers function by
LDL
10-50%.
cholester *National
ol
Cancer
Institute
study
show
mouth and
throat
cancer risk
decreased
by 50%
Cod
liver oil
is an
excelle
nt
source
Toxic if
over
1000
I.U. for
long
period
of time
Continuo
us
overdose
of 1000
I.U. can
lead to
headach
es,
kidney
stones,
and
deafness
, and
death
To get Toxic if Intake of
400
over
over
I.U. a 3000 I.U 3000 I.U.
day
can
require
cause
s2
headach
quart
es,
of corn
diarrhea,
oil , or
increase
5 lbs of
d blood
wheat
pressure
germ ,
or 28
cups of
peanut
s(
total
5000
kcal,
mostly
in fat)
B1
Thiamin
and lung
cancer risk
decreased
by 50% in
non
smokers
after 6
months .
*Risk of
not taking
= risk of
smoking
*University
of Texas
study
found that
taking
taking 800
I.U. of
vitamin E
for 3
months
slashes
LDL
cholesterol
oxidation
and heart
disease by
40%
Energy Works with 100 mg
metaboli other B
sm,
vitamins
nervous syngeristic
system ally
brewer' Non
s
toxic
yeast,
Brazil
nuts,
barley
cereals
,
cooked
green
peas,
cooked
soybea
ns,
None
B2
riboflavin
B3
Niacin
and
Niacinami
de
cooked
aspara
gus
Energy Works with 50 mg cooked Non
metaboli other B
liver, toxic
sm, Skin, vitamins
Brewer
hair, nail syngeristic
's
ally; used
yeast,
in
whole
connection
milk,
with
cooked
canker
collard
sores,
greens
cataracts
, raw
spinac
h,
cooked
broccol
i and
aspara
gus
Release Reduce
10-20
fried
Non
energy cholesterol mg
liver, toxic;
from
and
niacin
brewer' some
food;
triglyceride and 100- s
flushing
support
250 mg yeast, with
mental
of
cooked niacin;
function,
niacinam chicke nianami
cholester
ide
n,
de more
ol
ground gentle
metaboli
beef,
sm, sex
cooked
hormone
haddo
formation
ck,
roaste
d
peanut
s,
peanut
butter,
cooked
green
peas,
None
Rare
liver
problems
have
been
reported
in intake
of over
several
thousand
mg
baked
white
potato
es,
cooked
aspara
gus,
cooked
corn
on
cob,
blackeyed
peas,
cooked
collard
greens
B6
Pyridoxin
e
Amino
Helps in 100 mg
acid
depression
metaboli , motion
sm;
sickness
nervous and heart
system, disease
steroid
hormone
formation
, fluid
balance
B9
Folic Acid
RNA and Harvard of
DNA
16000
synthesis women
;
and 9500
homocys men show
teine
those who
metaboli ate 700
sm
mcg of
folic acid a
day had
2/3 of risk
of getting
pre-
Non
Toxic
Rare. At
long term
very high
levels (
2000 mg
a day),
seneroy
nerve
damage
have
been
reported
800 mcg Gener NonVery high
ally
toxic; no dose of
take
side
folic acid
enoug effects can
h from with
mask the
food
5000symptom
as ra 10000 s of B12
reliable mcg
deficienc
source intake y and
preniciou
s anemia
B12
Colbalami
n
cancerous
ployps in
colon
compare
to those
taking only
166 mcg
per day.
(The
average
American
over 50
years old
only takes
in 130 mcg
of folic
acid per
day)
Smokers
need 3
times
more folic
acid to
have the
same
effect as
non
smoker
Blood
24% of
100 formation people
1,000
; brain
over 69
mcg
and
years old
nervous are
system; deficient;
works
40% of
with folic those over
acid to 80 years
keep
old are
blood
deficient
homocys due to
teine
decrease
level low in
secretion
Found Non
in all toxic
founds
of
animal
origin.
B5
Lysine
Pantothe
nic Acid
of intrinsic
factor
necessary
for
absorption
; Lack of
B12
causes
pseudo
senility,
with
Alzheimer
like
symptoms
One can
have
Normal
blood test
level and
still lack
B12 to
carry out
the
functions
Adrenal Used to to 100-500
function; reduce
mcg
healthy cholesterol
skin,
and
energy triglyceride
productio ; Work
n
together
with B1,
B1, and
B3 to help
make ATP
Essential Dr. Linus 500amino
Pauling
1000 mg
acid
believes as
needed that lysine added
for
helps
protectio
growth maintain n
and
healthy
tissue
blood
Greate Non
r
toxic;
amoun very
t found large
in
amounts
primitiv ( several
e diets grams a
than in day) can
moder cause
n diet diarrhea
Most Non
people Toxic
consu
me
enoug
h
lysine
Over
2000 mg
to 3000
mg have
been
linked to
increase
d risk of
repair
vessels.
*A
precursor
of
methionine
and LCarnitine
and
therefore
beneficial
to the
heart
Choline Choline; PC
Transpor Used in a 200-300
also
smells t fat
wide
mcg per
Phosphati like
through variety of day
dly
fish; liver and neurologic
choline / therefo blood;
al and
lecithin
re use compone psychiatric
(10-20% cholin nt of
disorders
PC)
e
neuro
transmitt
er
Inositol
Cell
100-200
membra
mg per
ne
day
structure;
nervous
system
PABA
A
compoun
d that is
loosely
considere
d to be a
member
of the
Vitamin B
complex.
Enhance
the
effects of
hormone
s by
delaying
their
breakdo
wn in the
liver;
helpful in
promoting
pregnancy
and in
connective
tissue
disorders
such as
scleroder
ma and
dermatolm
50 mg
per day
for
mainten
ance
(500 mg
to 12
grams
for
specific
diseases
gallstone
s and
cholester
ol
Found
in soy
bean,
liver,
oatme
al,
cabba
ge,
egg
yolk
Nuts ,
beans,
wheat,
orange
; in the
form of
phyate
Nontoxic
Diarrhea
or
nausea
when
over
several
grams a
day
No
toxicity
has
been
reported
Large
amount
reduces
the
absorptio
n of
calcium,
iron and
Zinc.
Found
in
grains
and
animal
good
8 grams
a day
may
lower
blood
sugar,
rash,
fever,
and in
rare
occasio
Bioflavo
noids
(water
soluble
plant
pigment
s) e.g.
flavano
nes in
citrus,
isoflavo
nes in
soy,
anthocy
anins in
wine,
flavans
in
apples
and tea
Calcium
Citrus
bioflavon
oids such
as
isoflavon
es,
anthocya
nins,
flavons,
Calcium
Carbonat
e (40%
elemental
calcium) .
yositis;
skin
disease
such as
vitaligo
and
Peyronie’s
Disease;
Help
People
protect who eat
vitamin C high levels
and
of
improve bioflavonoi
the
ds have
absorptio been
n of
found to
Vitamin have an
C. Also overall
inhibit
lower risk
bone
of getting
tumor
a wide
promoter variety of
s and
cancer.
human
cancer
cells;
Calciu Bone
French
m
and teth study of
citrate formation 3270
is
. Muscle women
better contracti oave age
absorb on
80 who
ed, but Reduce took daily
it only risk of
1200 mg
contai kidney of
ns
stones elemental
21% by
calcium
eleme reducing plus 800
ntal
absorptio I.U. of
calciu n of
vitamin D3
m;
exalate show 43%
)
n, liver
damage
100-200 In
No
mg for healthy consiste
mainten diet
nt
ance; 1
toxicity
gm for
other
treatmen
than a
t
bioflavo
noid
called
cianidan
ol which
is NOT
found in
supplem
ent
300 mg A
Up to
for men; glass 2500
500 mg of skim mg a
for
milk
day for
women; contain long
maintain s 300 term
calcium mg; a cause
to
cup of no
magnesi yogurt problem
um ratio contain unless
of 1: 1 up to one has
(For best 400
ulcer as
absorpti mg
too high
on, split Tofu calcium
the
(not
unabsor
Do not
take
Tums as
a form of
Calcium
as they
neutraliz
e the
stomach
acid
needed
for
calcium
absorptio
n; Too
calciu
m
lactate
13%;
calciu
m
glucon
ate
9%;
Don’t
take
calciu
m
made
of
bonemeal
or
dolomi
te
which
contai
n lead
For small less
dosage
number fracture of to 500
of people the hip ( mg at a
who
mortality time )
absorb rate of
too much 20%) and
calcium 32% less
there
fracture of
may be the wrist,
an
arm, and
increase pelvis
in the
*most
risk of
Americans
forming only get
stones in half the
high
calcium
dosage they need
There is for antino truth aging *less
to the
than 50%
myth that of children
dairy
in U.S. get
source the
Calcium recommen
“doesn’t ded daily
absorb” allowance
calcium
deficiency
affects
both man
and
women
need to
start at
early age
to
maximize
bone mass
early on in
life.
*buildup
happens
most
soy
bean
drink)
an
vegeta
bles
often
provid
e
enoug
h
calciu
m,
and
absorp
tion is
better
than
milk.
bed can much
cause calcium
“milk
can
alkali” cause
syndrom constipati
e
on
Vitamin
D is
necessar
y for
Calcium
absorptio
n.
Supplem
ent of
100-400
I.U of
vitamin D
a day is
recomme
nded for
those on
calcium
supplem
ent
during
adolescen
ce. It is
critical for
girls to
load up
before
puberty
(10) and
latest by
age 25.
getting
calcium
later in life
can help
prevent
bone loss
well after
menopaus
e and into
old age *
University
of
Minnesota
found that
intake of
2000 mg
of calcium
a day
normalize
cell
proliferatio
n of colon
of men
and
women at
high risk of
colon
cancer
Iodine
kelp
Natura
l
source
high in
Metaboli
sm of all
cells and
synthesis
150 mcg Iodized High
salt
dose
and
(several
sea
milligra
iodine of thyroid
hormone
Magnes Chelated Better A strong Absorption 500 mgium
absorp antidecreases 1000 mg
tion; oxidant; with age;
Mg
Critical Even with
oxide for
low RDA
is not Energy (300 mg)
absorb productio for
ed
n (ATP); Magnesiu
heart,
m, only
muscle, 25% of
and
Americans
nervous meet that
system standard.
function; You need
required 2000
in
calories a
secretion day to get
and
enough
function Magnesiu
of
m Protect
insulin; the heart
Natures by
calcium preventing
channel coronary
blocker; artery
Keeps
spasm and
bone
cardiac
strong by arthrymias
working ; Taking
with
300 mg of
Calcium; Mg daily
vegeta
ble
supply
is
genera
lly
adequ
ate
Whole
grain,
nuts
(almon
ds,
hazeln
uts,
peanut
s), and
seeds;
The
higher
the fat
and
sugar
intake,
the
more
Mg
neede
d
ms per
day) can
interfere
with
normal
thyroid
function
and may
lead to
goiter in
some
cases
Over
Don’t
700 mg take Mg
of daily if you
element have
al
Kidney
Magnesi problems
um can or severe
cause heart
diarrhea failure
Zinc
Amino
Better Supports
acid
absorp immune
complexe tion
function;
s
wound
repair
preserve
vision;
antioxida
nt
decreases
blood
pressure
by 8-10%
after 9
weeks Nut
(contain
high Mg
level)
lovers who
eat nuts at
least 5
times a
week have
half the
risk of
heart
attack
compare
to those
eating less
than once
a week.
Duration of 30mg
cold
symptoms
are
shortened
in 100
men and
women
taking zinc
lozeners in
a double
blind
study;
Preliminar
y research
suggested
that
people
with
Alzheimer’
Oyster
s,
meat,
eggs,
seafoo
d, tofu
are
good
source
s;
supple
ment
need
as
insura
nce
High
dose (
over
300 mg
per day)
can
impair
immune
function
Zinc can
inhibit
copper ,
Iron,
Calcium,
and
Magnesi
um
absorptio
n in high
doses,
so it is
prudent
to take
minerals
as part of
a multimineral
supplem
ent.
s disease
should
avoid zinc
supplemen
t, though
this point
has been
controversi
al. More
recently,
preliminary
evidence
in four
patients
actually
showed
improved
mental
function
with Zinc
supplemen
tation
Seleniu Amino
Better Activates Selenium 200
Brazil Toxic if
m
acide
absorp an
level
mcg;
nut
over
complexe tion
antioxida dropped most
that
2500
s
nt
7% after common comes mcg a
enzyme age 60
multivita in a
day;
called
and drop min do shell with hair
glutathio 24% after not
contain loss,
ne
age 75
contain 100
liver
peroxida Double
200 mcg mcg ( damage
se which blind study of
due to , joint
may
of 1300
selenium the
inflamm
protect people
.
soil). ation
the body found that
Shelle after
from
those
d brazil 5000
cancer; given 200
nut
mcg a
Strong mcg of
only
day
antioxida yeastcontain
nt; curbs based
12-25
AIDS by selenium
mg as
encourag per day for
it is
ing the seven
grown
AIDS
years had
virus to a 50%
make a drop in
protein to cancer
repress death rate
its own compare
replicatio to placebo
n;
group.
People
with
decreased
levels of
selenium
is
associated
with higher
incidence
of heart
disease ,
cancer,
and
arthritis
University
of Arizona
study of
1700
elderly
Americans
show that
those with
low level
of
selenium
are more
apt to
have
polyps in
the GI
tract ( 33%
compare
to 9% in
those with
high level
in
anothe
r part
of
brazil;
also in
sunflo
wer
seeds,
meat,
seafoo
d like
tuna,
swordfi
sh,
garlic
of
selenium)
3000 older
person on
selenium
in a Dutch
study
show
reduction
of lung
cancer risk
by 50% A
large scale
Finnish
study
showed
that those
with lowest
level of
selenium
in their
blood were
3 times
more apt
to die of
heart
disease
*subjects
taking 100
mg of
selenium a
day are
less
anxious,
depressed
, and tired
Copper Amino
Better it is part
acid
absorp of the
complexe tion
SOD
s
antioxida
nt;
needed
to make
Not
needed
as it is
plentiful
in
regular
diet As
Plentif Toxicity People
ul in
is
with
meat, unclear. Wilson’s
oysters Up to 3 Disease
, nuts, mg a
should
legum day is not take
es,
consider Cu
ATP and
collagen
Mangan Amino
Better Needed
ese
acid
absorp for
complexe tion
healthy
s
skin,
bone and
cartilage
formation
and well
as
glucose
tolerance
. Also
helps
activate
SOD , an
important
antioxida
nt
enzyme
insuranc
e, up to
3 mg
day is
accepta
ble;
especiall
y in
people
taking
extra
zinc
supplem
ent
(which
inhibit
Cu
absorpti
on)
20 mg
take as
added
insuranc
e
cereals ed safe
,
potato
es,
vegeta
ble.
Nuts ,
wheat
germ,
wheat
bran,
leafy
green
vegeta
bles,
pineap
ple
and
seeds
are
good
source
s
supplem
ent at all.
People
drinking
tap water
(copper
pipes) do
not need
more Cu.
Cu
improves
absorptio
n of Iron
No
People
toxicity with liver
or side cirrhosis
effect in may not
doses of be able
5-20
to
mg;
properly
Excessi excrete
ve
mangane
intake se so
can lead these
to rare people
side
should
effects not take
of
Mangane
dementi se
a and
supplem
psychiat ent;
ric
Calcium,
sympto Iron , and
ms
possible
Zinc
reduces
the
Chromi Chromiu Better Help
Chromium 200 mcg
um
m
absorp body
picolinate for antipiconinat tion; maintain has been aging
e (organic Cheap normal shown to (90% of
form)
er
blood
increase all
inorga sugar
fat loss
America
nic
level by and lean ns are
forms increasin muscle
deficient
such g insulin tissue
in the
as
efficiency gain; *
minimu
chromi ; Helps Israel
m
um
increasin research recomm
chlorid g HDL
show
ended
e are and
those with dose of
not as lowering adult onset 50 mcg
effecti overall diabetes a day)
ve as cholester taking 200 only 24
it has ol level; mcg daily mcg of
to be Promote had their chromiu
conver rise in
insulin
m in
ted
DHEA
resistance 1000
first to level
improve by kcal of
the
62% in
food
organi
women
c form
and 50%
to be
in men
effecti
ve
absorptio
n of
mangane
se.
Best Most
Absorptio
source researc n
is
hes
increase
brewer have
d by
’s
demonst vitamin C
yeast; rated no
also in toxicity
grains up to
and
100
cereals times
when the 200
not
mcg
refined dosage.
.;
Howeve
broccol r, 1
i;
isolated
lobster case of
tail ,
kidney
liver, failure
and
after
mushr 600 mcg
oom
per day
have for 6
high
weeks,
levels and a
Eating case of
33% of anemia ,
food in liver
sugar dysfunct
cause ion
3 times appear
more after
loss in 1200chromi 2400
um
mcg for
compa 4
re to months;
those since
taking only one
in 10%
of food
in
sugar
Molybd Amino
Better Needed Preliminar 50 mcg
enum acid
absorp for
y evidence
chelated tion
proper suggest
complex
function that
of certain molybdenu
enzyme m, through
and
its
metaboli involveme
sm of
nt in
iron;
detoxifying
suliftes,
may
reduce the
risk of
sulfitreactive
asthma
attacks
Legum
es,
dark
green
lefty
vegeta
bles,
and
grains.
case
each of
toxicity
and
toxicity
is not
the
same, it
remains
unclear
if these
problem
s are
caused
by
calcium
picolinat
e or not
Very
safe up
to 1500
mcg per
day, but
it can
interfere
with
Copper
absorpti
on;
Excessi
ve
intake
can lead
to gout
like
sympto
ms as it
is
needed
to
convert
purine
to uric
acid
99 mg One
High
more as banad potassiu
an
a
m ( 500
insuranc contain mg) can
e than 500
produce
as
mg
stomach
replace Potass irration
ment
ium is
comm
only
found
in fruits
easily
Potassi Chelated Better Needed
um
form
absorp to
tion
regulate
water
balance,
blood
pressure,
and
neruomu
scular
function;
beneficia
l in
chronic
fatigue
syndrom
e
Boron Amino
Better Assist
Research 2mg
acid
absorp calcium suggest
complexe tion
and bone that boron
s
metaboli might be
sm and linked with
prevent decrease
osteopor calcium in
osis
urine and
may thus
help with
osteoporo
sis
Silicon Amino
Better Plays a
2.4 mg
acid
absorp role in
complexe tion
making
s
and
maintaini
ng strong
connecti
ve tissue
and used
in
osteopor
osis
Raisin
s,
prunes
, and
nuts
Supplem
entary
levels do
not lead
to
accumul
ation I
the body
and thus
lack of
toxicity
Regula
r diet
provid
e 5-10
mg per
day
High
dietary
intake is
not
associate
d with
any toxic
effect.
Inhalatio
n of large
amount
of silicon
Vanadiu Amino
Better Improve Improve
25 mcg
m
acid
absorp glucose glucose
complexe tion
control in control in
s
people people
with non with non
insulin
insulin
depende dependent
nt
diabetes
diabetes mellitus
mellitus according
to a study
of 8
diabetics
supplemen
ted with
100 mg of
this
mineral
daily for 4
weeks.
Iron
Not
Strong
Excess
present Oxida
iron have
nt
been
linked to
diabetes,
cancer ,
increased
risk of
infection,
lupus
erythemat
osus, and
exacerbati
on of
Optimu
m
intake
dose is
unkno
wn.
Estima
ted is
10-20
mcg a
day
( in an
industrial
setting)
can
cause
respirator
y disease
called
silicosis.
Very
limited
info
about
toxicity.
High
blood
levels
have
been
linked to
manic
depressi
ve
mental
disorders
.
rheumatoi
d arthritis.
Absorption
increased
by vitamin
C and
decrease
by calcium
supplemen
t, high
fiber food,
and
caffeine
Superox Liver
Natura Antioxida Usually
100 mg
ide
concentra l
nt
coupled
Dismuta te
source enzyme with zinc,
se
and is
copper or
thought manganes
to
e in cells
present to prevent
the first oxygen
line of
free
defense radical
against change
free
radical
damage
in red
blood
cell
Optimum Daily Allowance (ODA)
The optimum daily allowance (ODA) represents a new reference level beyond the RDA, which many
researchers in anti-aging believe to have disease preventive effects. These dosages are those frequently used in
research studies and commonly practiced among those nutritionally minded professionals.
ODA is often many times higher than the RDA and for a good reason. To prevent diseases caused by
deficiency of nutrients such as scurvy or rickets, follow the RDA. For optimum health and to prevent diseases
such as aging or cancer, consider the ODA. It is that simple.
Here are just some examples of the differences:
Vitamin C: RDA is 85 mg, ODA is 250 - 3,000 mg
Vitamin E: RDA is 15 IU, ODA is 50 - 800 IU
Magnesium: RDA is 350 mg, ODA is 400 - 600 mg
Vitamin B12: RDA is 3 mcg, ODA is 10 - 100 mcg
A complete list in shown in the accompanying table. The optimum daily allowance (ODA) and safe range assumes
an completely healthy non-pregnant ( also not trying to get pregnant), non lactating adult who is not on
prescription drugs and who intends to use nutritional supplementation to optimize heath rather than to avoid
deficiency state diseases such as scurvy or rickets. Figures reflect a compilation of common intake levels among
researchers and practitioners focused on nutritional medicine as a way to better heath and longevity. These figures are
not reflective of recommendations set by any governmental agency, as none exist, with the exception of vitamin C and
E, which the National Academy of Science has set as 2,000 mg and 1,500 IU, respectively, for the first time in year
2000 as the recommended upper limit.
There is generally no benefit to exceeding the Optimal Daily Allowance, except to treat or prevent specific
disease conditions under expert medical guidance (e.g. mega-dose niacin for elevated serum cholesterol).
Safe Range
The Optimal Daily Allowance is well within the upper limit of many nutrients that can potentially cause side
effects. While the ODA of vitamin A is 10,000 IU, safe range is up to 20,000 IU. Beta-carotene has been safely taken
at dosage up to 100,000 IU a day, although the ODA is only 25,000 - 50,000 IU. Some may experience slight diarrhea
or gastric discomfort after taking several grams of vitamin C, while others are not bothered by ten times that amount.
While the ODA for vitamin E is up to 800 IU, one must be mindful that intake of over 3,000 IU can cause headache,
diarrhea, and increased blood pressure. Over consumption of magnesium in dosage of over 1,000 mg can lead to
diarrhea that resolves when the intake is decreased. Rare liver problems have been reported in people taking niacin of
several thousand milligrams, while the ODA is only 25-100 mg. Calcium at up to 2,500 mg a day for long term use has
minimal side effects, unless one has an ulcer as excessive calcium unabsorbed can cause "milk alkali" syndrome.
Since each person is different, always consult a knowledgeable professional in nutritional medicine prior to
embarking on any supplementation program designed for anti-aging and health optimization.
Precautions
While nutritional supplementation is generally very safe, those with specific health conditions should consult their
nutritionally minded physician first. If you are on a blood thinner, do not take excessive amounts of vitamin E,
which has blood-thinning properties. If you have kidney disease or heart failure, magnesium can exacerbate
this problem. Zinc in high doses (over 300 mg a day) can inhibit copper, iron, calcium, and magnesium
absorption. People with Wilson's disease should not take copper supplements.
If you are in general good health, taking nutritional supplements should not pose any heath hazards.
Click Here to see Dosage
Guide
Conclusion
Aging is a disease accelerated by vitamin deficiency and malnutrition of monumental magnitude
ignored for the past century. This silent epidemic affects 80% of all adults. Nutritional
supplementation in optimum intake levels is needed to ensure adequate levels for cells to carry out
repair and rejuvenation processes.
There is very little doubt that supplements in optimum dosage enhances life span and prevents diseases.
The average American women lives to 76 years old, and men to 73 years old. The average person performs
less than 1 hour of physical exercise a week and consumes an average of 2,000 calories a day. These calories
are consistent with that you find in fast-food restaurants - high in fat, refined sugar, and low in fiber and
dense carbohydrates.
If you want to live an average life, follow what the average do. If you want to live longer and heartily well into the eighties
and nineties, the reality is that you have to do things that the "average" person does not do. It is quite simple.
Study after study over the past 40 years confirms that nutritional supplementation is a cheap insurance for
longevity and cancer prevention if taken at the optimum dosage. Nutritional supplementation is a food. It
is not giving your body something that your body does not have. It is to supplement your body's
existing level and to ensure that the proper nutrient at the proper level is available for the body at all
times.
It is an accepted fact that people have different nutritional needs based on genetics, weight, gender, age,
health status, physical activity, and ability to absorb nutrients. If you don't know what you need, the safest
strategy is to err on the side of slight excess if you are in general good heath. Having a little extra of
any nutrient won't harm you. But a brief deficiency can, and a chronic will.
Taking optimal amounts of nutritional supplements is a cornerstone and key component of any comprehensive anti-aging
program. You simply cannot get enough of these nutrients from your diet for optimum health, and having inadequate
amounts can kill you.
Men's Daily Optimal Daily Allowance
VERY IMPORTANT
Vitamin A (Anti-Oxidant) - 15000 I.U. ( 300% RDA) with no more than 5000 I.U. in Vitamin A palimtate
and the rest in natural mixed beta carotene. You will not get overdosed or have toxic effects . More than 100
studies have shown that people with high levels of beta carotene in their diet have half as likely the chance of
developing cancer and heart attack
Vitamin C - (Anti-Oxidant) - 1000 mg ( 2000% RDA) in the form of Ascobic Acid ( no need to spend more
money on other forms unless you have a sensitive stomach or taking more than 2000-3000 mg per day). A
study of Americans show that intake of 300 mg of vitamin C per day adds 6 years to a man's life and 2 years
to a woman's life. Cardiovasular disease decreased by 40%. Take this in split dosages as it is secreted within
a few hours. No toxicitiy has been reported on long term intake of up to 20,000 mg a day. It is important to
incorporate Ascobyl Palmitate ( the fat soluable form of vitamin C) , L-proline, and L-lysine. The
three work synergistically to rebuilt damaged blood vessels and prevent arthrosclerosis.
Vitamin E - (Anti-Oxidant) - 300-400 I.U. (1333% RDA) in the form of water dispersible d-alpha
tocopherol ( the natural form) . This amount has been shown in repeated researches to be the optimum dose
for anti-aging and cancer prevention. The risk of not taking Vitamin E is statistically equivalent to the risk of
smoking . A large scale Harvard study of 87,000 nurses showed that those taking more than 250 I.U. a day
for 2 years have 41% lower incidence of major heart disease . To take the equivalent of 400 I.U. in food
would require 2 quarts of corn oil or 28 cups of peanuts a day. Vitamin E has a hormonal balance effect that
is important to female. Males do not need as much.
Selenium - (Anti-Oxidant)- 200 mcg ( 285 % RDA) in amino acid complex forms to enhance absorption.
Selenium is a strong anti-oxidant and the level in our body falls with age. People with decreased levels of
selenim is associated with higher incidence of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Magnesium - (Anti-Oxidant) - 300-600 mg ( 125% RDA) in chelated form for better absorption. Less than
25% of Americans meet even the low RDA standard. A 2000 kcal diet is needed if no supplement is taken.
Critical for proper heart function, normalize arrhythmia, and helps to reduce blood pressure. Requirement is
higher if you take intake of sugar and fat is high in diet. The calcium to magnesium ratio should be between
1:1 to 1:2.
Vitamin B9 - (folic acid) - 800 mcg ( 200% RDA) - a non-toxic nutrient that protects our chromosome from
DNA damage and cancer. A Harvard study of 16000 women and 9500 men showed that those getting the
post folic acid has the lowest incidence of getting pre-cancerous polyps in the colon. Folic Acid also helps
with depression . No noticable side effects at up to 10000 mcg.
Vitamin B12 - 100 - 1,000 mcg (1666% RDA) - over 24% of people over 60 years old and over 40% of
people over 80 years old are deficient due to decreased absorption with age. Deficiency also causes
Alzheimer's Disease like symptoms. A must take for those over 50 years old as cheap and added insurance.
Non toxic at 1000 mcg daily for many years or up to 100,000 mcg in a single dose.
Chromium - 200 mcg (166% RDA) in chelated form for better absorption - Very little is contained in food
and as a result , 90% of all Americans are deficient in the RDA of this trace element which is critical to
normalize blood sugar. A Isreal research shows that daily intake of 200 mcg of chromium improves insulin
resistance in Type II Diabetes by up to 50 % in weeks.
Zinc - 30 mg ( 200% RDA) in chelated form for better absorption - 33% of healthy Americans over age 50
has zinc deficiency and don't know it. The percentage increase to 90% for those older . You need a daily
calorie intake of 2400 kcal to get just the RDA . Zinc is critical for proper thymus gland and immune system
function. Research has shown that daily intake of 30 mg of zinc reactive the immune system with dramatic
improvements after 6 months in those with zinc deficiency.
Calcium - 300-500 mg (30-50% RDA) in the form of calcium carbonate . In addition to keeping our bones
healthy, calcium also fights cancer. Calcium carbonate contains 40% calcium , compare to others such as
calcium gluconate which contain 9% elemental calcium. Don't take more than 500 mg at a time for best
absorption. . Calcium should be balanced with Magnesium at 1:1 or 1:2 ratio.
Citrus Bioflavonoids - 100 mg - potent anti-oxidants derived from plants that have metal binding (chelating)
properties. Commonly found in grape seed.
Omega 3 Fatty Acid - Not needed if you take 8 oz of fish a week. Otherwise 2,000-3,000 mg of fish oil (
each 1000 mg to contain 360 mg EPA and 240 mg DHA) may be considered. Most people taking fish oil
has a tendency to develop a fishy " burp". Over 60 research studies ( most using 3,000 of fish oil a day)
have shown that a variety of ailments from arthritis to heart disease can benefit from fish oil ( not cod live oil
which contains high dose of Vit A and D which is toxic ) . 400 I.U. of Vitamin E should be taken
simultaneously to potentiate the effect of fish oil.
Garlic - 500 mg in concentrated form - equivalent to 1250 mg garlic bulk or half a clove of fresh garlic.
Garlic has been used by healers for over 5000 years . Numerous studies have shown that garlic decrease
triglyceride level by decreasing fat absorption. It also supports healthy blood pressure. Two of garlic's major
compounds - allicin and ajoene - have been found to possess powerful actions that help the body boost its
immune power. A natural herb that is non toxic.
Saw Palmetto -160-320 mg -Saw palmetto is a small palm tree native to the West Indies and the Atlantic
coast of North America. The active component helps maintain healthy levels of dihydrotestosterone ( DHT)
in the prostate, and promote proper excretion of DHT from the prostate. Research have shown that 80% of
all male will be afflicted with prostate enlargement , a common condition that is also a leading cause of
prostate cancer, by the time a man is 80 years old. 1/3 of all male above 35 years old already have a
predisposition to precanceous prostate lesions, and 50% of all male at age 50 have enlarged prostate. A
healthy prostate will also ensure proper urinary and reproductive health. This herb is a non toxic and risk free
prevention of this medical condition.
Digestive Enzyme containing amyalse, lactase, and cellulase is important to promote gastro-intestinal health.
Avoid Iron unless you are anemic.
IMPORTANT
Vitamin B1 - (thiamine) 100 mg (6666% RDA) - critical for mental function and nerve cell growth. Non
toxi and waer water soluable .
Vitamin B2 - (riboflavin) 50 mg (2940% RDA) - required for cell growth and release of energy, formation
of red blood cell, and synthesis of antibodies.
Vitamin B3 - (niacin) 190 mg ( 950% RDA) in the form of niacin and niacinamide - stabilise cell
membranes , ensure proper circulation and maintain healthy skin. Aids in the function of the nervous system
and helps to reduce cholesterol
Vitamin B5 - (panthothenic acid) 400 mg ( 4000% RDA) - a non toxic nutrient needed to breakdown fat to
covert into energy. An Anti-stress vitamin.
Vitamin B7 - (biotin) 300 mcg (100% RDA) - essential for protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Helps
ultiization of other B complex vitamins.
Iodine - 150 mcg ( 100% RDA) - important to maintain proper thyroid function
Maganese - 20 mg (1000% RDA) - trace mineral essential for protein and fat metabolism
Molybdenum - 50 mcg (66% RDA) - essential trace mineral for nitrogen metabolism
Potassium - 99 mg - critical for normal cardiac rhythm
Boron - 2 mg - enhance healthy bone and brain function and alertness
Silicon - 2.4 mg - needed in formation of collagen and connective tissues
Vanadium - 25 mcg - essential in formation of bone and teeth
L-Lysine - 600 mg - an essential amino acid for proper growth in children and protein synthesis in adult
Choline - 200 mg - responsible for proper neurotransmitter function , lecithin formation , liver function, and
gall bladder regulation.
Inositol - 100 mg - vital for hair growth and prevent hardening of arteries
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) - basic constituent of many B complexes and anti-oxidants. Helps protect
against sunburn and skin cancer
Women's Daily Optimal Daily Allowance
VERY IMPORTANT
Vitamin A (Anti-Oxidant) - 15000 I.U. ( 300% RDA) with no more than 5000 I.U. in Vitamin A palimtate and the rest in natural
mixed beta carotene. You will not get overdosed or have toxic effects . More than 100 studies have shown that people with high
levels of beta carotene in their diet have half as likely the chance of developing cancer and heart attack
Vitamin C (Anti-Oxidant) - 1000 mg ( 2000% RDA) in the form of Ascobic Acid ( no need to spend more money on other forms
unless you have a sensitive stomach or taking more than 2000-3000 mg per day). A study of Americans show that intake of 300
mg of vitamin C per day adds 6 years to a man's life and 2 years to a woman's life. Cardiovascular disease decreased by 40%. Take
this in split dosages as it is secreted within a few hours. No toxicity has been reported on long term intake of up to 20,000 mg a
day. It is important to incorporate Ascobyl Palmitate ( the fat soluable form of vitamin C) , L-proline, and L-lysine. The
three work synergistically to rebuilt damaged blood vessels and prevent arthrosclerosis.
Vitamin E (Anti-Oxidant) - 400 I.U. (1333% RDA) in the form of water dispersible d-alpha tocopherol (the natural form). This
amount has been shown in repeated researches to be the optimum dose for anti-aging and cancer prevention. The risk of not taking
Vitamin E is statistically equivalent to the risk of smoking . A large scale Harvard study of 87,000 nurses showed that those taking
more than 250 I.U. a day for 2 years have 41% lower incidence of major heart disease . To take the equivalent of 400 I.U. in food
would require 2 quarts of corn oil or 28 cups of peanuts a day. Many in the fore front of anti-aging research are now
recommending up to 800 I.U. a day , especially for women in peri- or post-menopausal period.
Selenium (Anti-Oxidant)- 200 mcg ( 285 % RDA) in amino acid complex forms to enhance absorption. Selenium is a strong antioxidant and the level in our body falls with age. People with decreased levels of selenium is associated with higher incidence of
heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Magnesium (Anti-Oxidant) - 500-1000 mg ( 125-250% RDA . Less than 25% of Americans meet even the low RDA standard. A
2000 kcal diet is needed if no supplement is taken. Critical for proper heart function, normalize arrhythmias, and helps to reduce
blood pressure. Requirement is higher if you take intake of sugar and fat is high in diet. The calcium to magnesium ratio should be
between 1:1 to 1:2.
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) - 800 mcg ( 200% RDA) - a non-toxic nutrient that protects our chromosome from DNA damage and
cancer. A Harvard study of 16000 women and 9500 men showed that those getting the post folic acid has the lowest incidence of
getting pre-cancerous polyps in the colon. Folic Acid also helps with depression . No noticeable side effects at up to 10000 mcg.
Vitamin B12 - 100 mcg - 1,000 mcg (1666% - 16,666% RDA) - over 24% of people over 60 years old and over 40% of people
over 80 years old are deficient due to decreased absorption with age. Deficiency also causes Alzheimer's Disease like symptoms. A
must take for those over 50 years old as cheap and added insurance. Non toxic at 1,000 mcg daily for many years or up to 100,000
mcg in a single dose.
Chromium - 200 mcg (166% RDA) in chelated form for better absorption - Very little is contained in food and as a result , 90% of
all Americans are deficient in the RDA of this trace element which is critical to normalize blood sugar. A Israel research shows
that daily intake of 200 mcg of chromium improves insulin resistance in Type II Diabetes by up to 50 % in weeks.
Zinc - 30 mg ( 200% RDA) in chelated form for better absorption - 33% of healthy Americans over age 50 has zinc deficiency and
don't know it. The percentage increase to 90% for those older . You need a daily calorie intake of 2400 kcal to get just the RDA .
Zinc is critical for proper thymus gland and immune system function. Research has shown that daily intake of 30 mg of zinc
reactive the immune system with dramatic improvements after 6 months in those with zinc deficiency.
Calcium - 500 mg (50% RDA) in the form of calcium carbonate - Calcium is important. In addition to keeping our bones healthy,
calcium also fights cancer. Calcium carbonate contains 40% calcium , compare to others such as calcium gluconate which contain
9% elemental calcium. Don't take more than 500 mg at a time for best absorption. Calcium Citrate is better absorbed, but only
contains 11% calcium. Calcium should be balanced with Magnesium at 1:1 or 1:2 ratio.
Citrus Bioflavonoids 100 mg - potent anti-oxidants derived from plants that have metal binding (chelating) properties. Commonly
found in grape seed.
Omega 3 Fatty Acid - Eating 8 ounces of fish a week is all you need to do. If not, then take 1000mg from fish oil to contain 360
mg EPA and 240 mg DHA. Most people taking fish oil has a tendency to develop a fishy " burp". Over 60 research studies have
shown that a variety of ailments from arthritis to heart disease can benefit from fish oil ( not cod live oil which contains high dose
of Vitamin A and D which is toxic ) . 400 I.U. of Vitamin E should be taken simultaneously to potentiate the effect of fish oil.
Garlic - 500 mg in concentrated form - equivalent to 1250 mg garlic bulk or half a clove of fresh garlic. Garlic has been used by
healers for over 5000 years . Numerous studies have shown that garlic decrease triglyceride level by decreasing fat absorption. It
also supports healthy blood pressure. Two of garlic's major compounds - allicin and ajoene - have been found to possess powerful
actions that help the body boost its immune power. A natural herb that is non toxic.
Evening Primrose Oil - 500 mg-1000 mg (standardized to 9% GLA) - an essential fatty acid. Strong anti-inflammatory properties
and useful for arthritis, PMS, and skin conditions. Most researches uses 3000-6000 mg a day. EPO is especially good to balance
the hormonal system.
Digestive Enzyme containing Lipase, cellulase, and amylase.
Avoid Iron unless you are anemic.
IMPORTANT
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)- 100 mg (6666% RDA) - critical for mental function and nerve cell growth. Non toxic and water soluble .
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 50 mg (2940% RDA) - required for cell growth and release of energy, formation of red blood cell, and
synthesis of antibodies.
Vitamin B3 (niacin) - 190 mg ( 950% RDA) in the form of niacin and niacinamide - stabilizes cell membranes , ensure proper
circulation and maintain healthy skin. Aids in the function of the nervous system and helps to reduce cholesterol
Vitamin B5 (panthothenic acid) - 400 mg ( 4000% RDA) - a non toxic nutrient needed to breakdown fat to covert into energy. An
Anti-stress vitamin.
Vitamin B7 (biotin) - 300 mcg (100% RDA) - essential for protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Helps utilization of other B
complex vitamins.
Iodine 150 mcg ( 100% RDA) - important to maintain proper thyroid function
Maganese 20 mg (1000% RDA) - trace mineral essential for protein and fat metabolism
Molybdenum 50 mcg (66% RDA) - essential trace mineral for nitrogen metabolism
Potassium 99 mg - critical for normal cardiac rhythm
Boron 2 mg - enhance healthy bone and brain function and alertness
Silicon 2.4 mg - needed in formation of collagen and connective tissues
Vanadium 25 mcg - essential in formation of bone and teeth
L-Lysine 600 mg - an essential amino acid for proper growth in children and protein synthesis in adult
Choline 200 mg - responsible for proper neurotransmitter function , lecithin formation , liver function, and gall bladder regulation.
Inositol 100 mg - vital for hair growth and prevent hardening of arteries
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) - basic constituent of many B complexes and anti-oxidants. Helps protect against sunburn and
skin cancer
Why take a "nutritional cocktail" of over 40 nutrients?
Because it works.
Here are the reasons:
First, different nutrients work at different parts of the cell. Vitamin C, for example, is water
soluble and protects us from free radical attacks outside the cell. Vitamin E, on the other hand, is
fat soluble. It is able to penetrate the cell wall easily and combat oxidative damage intracellularly.
Second, different nutrients complement each other in their duty. Numerous studies have shown that
taking multiple nutrients in the optimal dosage is better than taking single vitamins. There is no one single
major bullet in nutritional supplement. It is wise to obtain as broad a coverage as possible.
Third, different nutrients have different target organs. Saw palmetto focuses on the prostate gland, while
milk thistle focuses on the liver. Gingko has blood thinning properties, and Vitamin E improves circulation
to the brain.
Fourth, by combining the synergistic effect of multiple nutrients, the dosage of any single nutrient is
decreased. It has been shown , for example, that the oxidative effect of combination of vitamin C, A, and E
is much higher than when any single one of these vitamins are used.
What does the nutritional cocktail do for your body?
80 % of us are going to die of cancer, stroke, or heart diseases. Any effective anti-aging supplement program
must address the three issues. In addition, the nutritional cocktail must fortify our immunity and modulate
our hormones to deter the aging process.
Let us look at each issue specifically:
Cardiovascular Protection - Our daily supplements must help to maintain the elasticity of the vascular
system and help prevent cardiovascular complications. The following are key nutrients: Ascorbyl Palmitate,
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, L-Proline, and L-Lysine.
Cancer PreventionOur daily supplements must contain antioxidants to help reverse the damages of
environmental free radicals that can cause cancer. The following nutrients in optimal doses are required:
Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium, Grape seed Extract, Citrus Bioflavinoids.
Immunity Enhancers - Our daily supplement must help us to defend ourselves against germs , bacteria,
environmental pollutants, and external insults. Key nutrients in this area include: Vitamin C, L-Glutamine,
Garlic, and Selenium.
Energy Boosters - Our daily supplements must to provide natural sources of sustained energy throughout
the day. The following are key ingredients: Vitamin B12, L-Glutamine, Inositol, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine),
and Vanadium.
Skin Rejuvenation - Our daily supplements must help to maintain the collagen of the skin and make the
skin look and feel tighter and smoother. Important nutrients responsible for this include: Ascorbyl Palmitate,
Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, digestive enzymes, and L-Glutamine.
Hormonal Enhancers - Our daily supplements must help maintain and balance the hormonal system. The
following are key nutrients: L-Glutamine, L-Proline , and L-Lysine, Evening Primrose Oil, and Vitamin E.
Digestive Health - Our daily supplements must help to enhance the digestion and absorption of nutrients
from food. The following are key nutrients: Amylase, Lipase, Cellulase, Bromelain, Lactase, and Digestive
enzymes.
Weight Management and Sugar Control - Our daily supplement must help balance our sugar level and
prevent spikes that can lead to Diabetes. The most important nutrient in this category by far is : Chromium,
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Digestive Enzymes.
Water
Introduction
There is no question that a proper amount of water consumption will detoxify your body and add years to your
life. Studies have shown that those drinking at least five glasses of water per day were associated with
an approximately 50% decreased rate of heart attacks and stroke, compared with those who drank
only two glasses of water per day.
Knowing what is in the water is also an important part of an anti-aging program.
Kinds of Water
A. Distilled Water
Distilled Water is water that has been vaporized and recondensed. If fractional distillation is used, all minerals
and chemicals are removed. Removal of all dissolved solids in the water also removes any taste. Distilled water
is the ultimate soft water.
B. Pure Liquid Water
This term is often used commercially to denote water in its purest form (distilled water). There is really no such
thing as "pure liquid water."
C. Tap Water (Public or Drinking water)
Tap Water is water from a municipal or county water system that has been treated and disinfected.
D. Fluoridated Water
Fluoridated Water is water that has been treated in water plants so as to contain at least 0.8 mg but no more
than 4 mg of fluoride per liter.
E. Mineral Water
While mineral waters typically contain at least 500 ppm (parts per million) of minerals, the term "mineral water"
has no legal significance. The minerals present give water a distinctive flavor and many are high in sodium. It
should be noted the Environmental Protection Agency only allows up to 500 ppm of minerals for drinking Water.
Some mineral waters contain up to 2,000 ppms.
F. Natural Water
Natural Water is water obtained from a spring or well that is certified to be safe and sanitary.
G. Hard Water
Hard Water is water with a high calcium and magnesium concentration. Most water found in nature is hard water.
H. Soft Water
Soft Water is water with a low calcium and magnesium concentration. Typically, this is water that has been
processed through a softener unit, using sodium or potassium chloride as a base in an ionic exchange filter. If
the water was already soft to begin with and is quasi 100% softened, the water may still have relatively low
sodium content. It is also important to remember that water with a high sodium concentration may also be quite
hard.
Most water softeners are sodium based (sodium chloride). Some are potassium based. Soft water is good for
washing cloths and for bathing purposes. Long-term consumption can lead to excessive sodium or
potassium, depending on the kind of softener.
I. Spring Water
Spring Water is water originating from a spring or well and must have a direct connection to a spring). It may be
carbonated or not ("flat" or "still"). Brand names such as "Spring Pure" do not necessarily mean that the water
comes from a spring.
J. Boiled Water
Boiling water kills the bacteria in raw water (if it is boiled for at least 20 minutes). But, the remains of these germs
are carried into our body when the water is consumed. These dead germs furnish media for rapid and lusty
propagation of germs already in the body. Boiling water does not remove any inorganic minerals or
chemicals such as chlorine or fluoride. On the contrary, this process concentrates certain toxic metals.
K. Rain Water
The heat of the sun naturally distills rainwater. But it becomes contaminated as it falls through air filled with
bacteria, dust, smoke, chemicals, and minerals. By the time it reaches the earth as rainwater, it is so saturated
with decaying matter, dirt, and chemicals that its color becomes a yellowish-white. Snow is even dirtier. Neither
should be consumed.
L. Swimming Pool Water
Properly maintained pools with adequate water circulation, filtration, and disinfection do not
usually represent a hazard to bathers even when consumed in small quantities. If the main
water supply becomes contaminated, the risk to pool users is minimal because parasites do
not multiply in water.
M. Acidic Water
This is water that has a pH of 5.8 - 6.9. This is often formed either by distilled water coming in contact with air,
or by special ionizing machines to make water acidic. Acidic water is good for external use and industrial
purposes, but not for long-term human consumption. Acidic water is full of hydrogen ions. It is good for
plant growth, crops, and livestock in that it will help keep a much lower mortality rate and cleaner environment,
keeping in mind the acidic water retards bacteria and bacterial growth. It also kills bacteria on contact; helps heal
cuts, blisters, scraps, or rashes; and provides excellent relief from mosquito bites. Once taken internally, it
attracts minerals from our body. Drinking acidic water short term (less than 4 weeks) is good for body
cleansing and detoxification. Long-term intake invariably leads to mineral deficiencies.
N. Alkaline Water
This is water that has a pH of more than 7.4 (often close to 7.6 to 7.8). Alkaline water can be the result of
reverse osmosis or by special ionizing machines to make the water alkaline. Slightly alkaline water is best for
consumption. Hydroxyl Ions (oxygen molecule with an extra electron) inside alkaline water donates its extra
electrons to free radicals and is therefore a liquid antioxidant. Alkaline water also balances the body pH that
is often acidic, especially among the sick. Our diet is often extremely acidic. Soft drinks, fast foods, and
processed foods deposit acid waste in our bodies that build up over time and create an ideal environment for
diseases and cancer cells to thrive. The accumulation of acidic byproducts in the body is believed to be a rapid
accelerator of aging according to many researchers. Maintaining an alkaline pH (7.6 - 8.0) helps us to
maintain an environment in our bodies that is NOT conducive to disease. After consumption, the
antioxidant properties generally last approximately 18 - 24 hours, and the alkaline properties will last
approximately 1 - 2 weeks.
Water Contaminants
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some
contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets standards for approximately 90 contaminants in drinking water.
Contaminants are divided into six categories:
A. Microbes
Microbes include coliform bacteria, E. Coli, cryptosporidium, and Giardia lambia. Most people think of turbid
water as contaminated water. Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection
and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing
organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea,
cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.
B. Radionuclides
Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit radiation known as alpha radiation, photons, and beta radiation.
Drinking such water in excess of EPA’s standard over many years may have an increased risk of developing
cancer.
C. Inorganic Contaminants
Arsenic in excess of EPA's standard over many years could result in skin damage or problems with the
circulatory system, and may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.
Fluoride in excess of EPA standards of 4 mg/l can lead to dental fluorosis. In its moderate or severe
forms, fluorisis may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in
developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should not drink water that has more
than 2 mg/L of fluoride.
Lead typically leaches into water from plumbing in older buildings. Lead pipes and plumbing fittings have been
banned since August 1998. Children and pregnant women are most susceptible to lead health risks. Other
inorganic contaminants include asbestos, cadmium, copper, and mercury.
D. Disinfectants
Some people who use drinking water containing chlorine well in excess of the EPA's standard could experience
irritating effects to their eyes and nose. Some infants and young children who drink water containing chlorine
dioxide in excess of the EPA's standard could experience nervous system effects. Similar effects may occur in
fetuses of pregnant women who drink water containing chlorine dioxide in excess of the EPA's standard.
E. Disinfection Byproducts
People who drink water containing trihalomethanes (THM) in excess of the EPA's standard over many years may
experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of
developing cancer.
F. Commercial Additions to Water
There is a list of hazardous sweeteners, dyes, artificial flavors, and chemicals used for "fiz," etc., that compose
colas and other artificial carbonated beverages popular among both adults and children. These chemicals are
much more dangerous than the inorganic minerals in tap water. Toxic dyes include several aniline dyes, usually
listed on the ingredient label as "artificial coloring," such as Amaranth (red), Bordeaux (brown), RED I (yellow)
and Ponceau (scarlet). Combining sugar, molasses or glucose with ammonia, and heating to more than 350
degrees will yield caramel, a common ingredient in soft drinks. Excessive use of caramel is harmful to the body.
Sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients used in the manufacturing of soft drinks. Sugar causes
irritation and weakening of the mucous membranes of the body and robs teeth, bones, and blood of a
great percentage of their minerals.
What Kind of Water Should You Use?
Different kinds of water are appropriate for different purposes. When dehydrated, any drinkable water is better
than no water at all. When you want optimum health, choosing the right kind of water is important.
For optimal anti-aging health, we’ve listed the kinds of water you should be drinking, from the best to the worst:




The Best: Pure Filtered Water
Second Best: Bottled Water
Use Sparingly: Distilled Water
Avoid: Tap Water
Pure Filtered Water - The Best
Filtering your own tap water is the most economical and long-term solution to your water needs. Knowing which
type of filer or apparatus to use is more challenging.
There are 3 common types of water filters:
1. Absorbent Filters
Absorbent filters, made of charcoal, are designed to pick up and hold contaminates as water passes over
them.
Carbon filtering devices use carbon cartridges that have a porous surface. This allows the cartridge to absorb a
variety of substances, including THMs, odors and disagreeable tastes. A filter's effectiveness depends on the
amount of carbon in the unit and how long the water stays in the unit. The longer the water is in contact with the
filter medium, the more time the carbon has to remove impurities. Those packed with a large volume of charcoal
generally remove more organic material at the beginning of the cartridge life. Performance tends to decrease
less rapidly over time than it does for those containers with a small amount of charcoal.
Granular Activated Carbon
In this type of filter, water flows through a bed of charcoal granules, which traps the particulate matter, adsorbs
some chlorine, and removes tastes and odors. It is possible for the water to channel around the carbon granules,
thus avoiding filtration. If the granules are not impregnated with silver nitrate (which is considered to be a poison),
the granular beds may become breeding grounds for bacterial growth. This type of filter is primarily used for
aesthetic treatment, since it can reduce chlorine and particulate matter as well as improve the taste and odor of
the water. Granular Activated Carbon filters are not effective in reducing contaminants of health concern (cysts,
VOCs, THM, endocrine disrupters, mercury, lead, or asbestos) because the water can channel around the
carbon granules.
Carbon Block Filter
In this type of filter, carbon comes in a solid block. More carbon is used compare to the granular form, and the
filtration effectiveness is better since water cannot pass in between the carbon granules. As the water passes
through the block, chorine, pesticides, toxic chemicals and vital organic chemicals are removed. Carbon block
filter is preferred compare to granular carbon. dirt, sediment, rust, algae, cryptosporidia, asbestos and particulate
matter.
Specific advantages of carbon block filters are:
Chemical bonding: Activated carbon bonds to thousands of chemicals. In fact, carbon will bond to most
chemicals known to man! When water is forced through the solid carbon block, it is forced to slow down
and increase the contact time with the carbon, allowing the carbon bonding to take place to reduce
certain chemical pollutants like toxics, pesticides, THM's, chlorine, bad tastes, odors, etc. Healthproviding trace minerals like dissolved calcium and magnesium do not bond to carbon and are allowed
to pass through, thereby retaining the health quality and good taste of the water. Heavy metals like lead
are adsorbed (or collected) by the carbon.
Prevention of bacterial growth: Bacteria are strained out and remain on the outside of the carbon block.
Therefore, because of the density and lack of oxygen and space inside the block, bacteria cannot breed
in the medium and come out in the finished water.
Silver-Charcoal Filters (Bacteriostatic)
These are the same as activated charcoal filters. However, they use silver to inhibit the growth of bacteria while
water sits in the filter. Silver ingested in certain doses can be poisonous to the human body. Therefore, it must be
registered with the EPA as containing a poisonous substance.
2. Ion-Exchange Filters
These filters can be made of a variety of materials. They all have tiny holes designed to catch and eliminate
contaminants as water passes through them. De-ionization or de-mineralization is accomplished with such filters,
which are designed to remove heavy metals, including lead. To remove parasites, such as potentially deadly
cryptosporidia, a microfilter must have a guaranteed pore size of one micron or smaller, according to the National
Sanitation Foundation (NSF)
Fiber Filters
Fiber filters are comprised of spun celluose or rayon and are designed to take out turbidity (suspended
sediment). The tightly wrapped fibers form a cylinder around a tubular opening. Line pressure forces water
through the wrappings to the inner opening that leads to the faucet. The fibers trap silt. Filtered water passes to
the opening that leads to the faucet.
Ceramic Filters
Ceramic filters use a process whereby water is forced through the pores of the ceramic filtration media, providing
mechanical filtration only. This type of filter can reduce asbestos, cysts (if the pores are one micron or smaller),
and particulate matter. Ceramic filters cannot reduce VOCs, endocrine disrupters, THM, mercury, or lead.
3. Reverse Osmosis Filtration System
Unlike other types of devices that reduce impurities in the water, reverse osmosis removes water from the
impurities. It does that by forcing water through a specially constructed, semi-permeable, nonporous synthetic
membrane (usually cellulose acetate) that separates soluble and suspended particles from the water. The
process removes a wide variety of substances from the water. More than 75 percent of minerals such as sodium,
calcium and chloride may be removed from the water. Reverse osmosis also may be effective in removing
fluoride, nitrate and some forms of arsenic. The membranes may last a year. Effective membrane life depends
on quality of water entering the unit.
Reverse osmosis units are expensive because of the number of accessories needed to operate them. They
require in-line installation and a pre-filter to remove dirt and sediment. If a backflush system is employed to
prevent a buildup of contaminants on the membrane, the purchase price increases. The product water passes
through to a holding tank. The process is slow and wastes 3 - 9 gallons for every one-gallon of drinking water
produced. It is, however, one of the most efficient filtering systems available.
Before making the decision to purchase a water-filtering device, the water should be analyzed for
impurities. The local health department or a private water-testing laboratory can perform these tests. Charges
are based on the number and kinds of tests performed. If taste, odor, and THMs are the major contaminants, a
device with a carbon filter could remove much of the objectionable odor and/or taste. Some carbon filter units
remove more than 50 percent of the THMs. If sediment is present in high levels, a fiber filter may be needed. If a
large number of impurities (excluding bacteria) or undesirable contaminants are present, a reverse osmosis unit
may be the best type of filtering unit to purchase, although the cost of these units and the space needed for
installation may preclude purchasing.
Bottled Water - Second Best
More than half of all Americans drink bottled water; about a third of the public consumes it regularly. Bottled
water cost from 240 to over 10,000 times more per gallon for bottled water than they typically do for tap water
Government and industry estimates indicate that about 25 to 30 percent of the bottled water sold in the
United States comes from a city or town's tap water - sometimes further treated, sometimes not. Most
bottled water appears to be safe, and the majority proved to be high quality and relatively free of contaminants.
The quality of some brands are spotty, however, and such products may pose a health risk, primarily for people
with weakened immune systems.
To find out if your bottled water comes from your community, carefully check the bottle label and even the cap - if
it says "from a municipal source" or "from a community water system", this means it's derived from tap water.
In a major study comparing 1,000 bottles of different water brands by an independent agency NRDC, about 22
percent of the brands tested contained, in at least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels above strict state
health limits. If consumed over a long period of time, some of these contaminants could cause cancer or other
health problems.
Many, but not all, brands of bottled water may provide a reasonable alternative to boiling tap water. Currently,
bottled water companies are not required to test the water for cryptosporidium, though bottled water
sources often are just as prone to Crypto contamination as any other drinking water source. The origin of the
source water, the types of microorganisms in that water, and the treatment of that water before it is bottled vary
considerably among bottled water companies and even among brands of water produced by the same company.
Therefore, individuals should not presume that all bottled waters are absolutely free of Cryptosporidium.
Distilled Water - Use Sparingly
Distilled water is void of dissolved minerals and, because of this, has the special property of being able
to actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them. Distilled water, being essentially
mineral-free, is very aggressive in that it tends to dissolve substances with which it is in contact due to its acidic
properties. When exposed to air, distilled water absorbs the atmospheric carbon dioxide and becomes
acidic, with a pH of 5.8. Many metals are dissolved by distilled water. The more distilled water a person
drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes.
Drinking distilled water during body detoxification for a short period of time (less than 4 weeks) helps the
body rid itself of unwanted minerals. It draws the poisons out of the body. Once this is accomplished,
distilled water consumption should be discontinued.
Soda pop beverages are the most toxic commercial beverages consumed and they are made from
distilled water. Studies have consistently shown that heavy consumers of soft drinks (with or without sugar) spill
huge amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals into the urine. Long-term consumption has been
linked to high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The modern day diet consists of meat, sugar, flour, processed food, and alcohol. Such food turns acidic in the
body. Stress, whether mental or physical, also can lead to acid deposits in the body. Cancer cells grow the best
in an acidic environment. Drinking distilled water will add to this acidic environment, promoting premature aging
due to the accumulation of acid waste products in the body.
In an acidic environment, there is an associated loss of sodium, potassium, chloride, and trace minerals. Cells in
the body strive to buffer this acidity to achieve neutrality, including removal of minerals from the skeletal system
and the manufacture of bicarbonate in the blood. Long term distilled water consumption will inevitably lead to
multiple mineral deficiencies.
Unfiltered Tap Water - 6 Reasons to Avoid It
Tap water is obtained either from surface water - water that run off from ponds, rivers, and lakes, and is collected
in reservoirs- or from ground water, such as wells.
Tap water contains calcium and magnesium. It can be considered "hard" or "soft", depending on its
geographic origins. Hard water prevents soap from lathering and results in filmy sediment being deposited on
hair, clothing, pipes, dishes etc. It can be annoying. Some studies have shown that the incidence of death from
heart disease may be lower in areas where the drinking water is hard, although results have not been conclusive.
Soft water can be naturally soft or it may be hard water that has been treated to remove the calcium and
magnesium. Soft water has a tendency to dissolve the lining of pipes. Copper, zinc, and arsenic are toxic metals
that can leak into softened water from copper pipes. Drinking unfiltered tap water could be hazardous to your
health. Here are some specific reasons:
1. Safety
Most tap water is safe. Occasional contamination is unavoidable. It has been reported that 10% of the serious
gastrointestinal illness case in children requiring hospital visits are attributable to the drinking water, according to
researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. Adults with weakened immune systems are also at risk,
including those with AIDS, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment, or the elderly.
Contaminants in water above the level set by the EPA are often the cause.
2. Chlorination
Seventy percent of Americans drink chlorinated water. Chlorine is added to most municipal water supplies. It
destroys waterborne bacteria; including those that result in typhoid fever, cholera, and dysentery.
Studies have shown that lifetime consumption of chlorinated tap water can more than double the risk of
bladder and rectal cancer in certain individuals. It appears that the chlorine reacts with naturally found
organic compounds to form "chlorination byproducts,” many of which are carcinogenic. Studies have also found
that rectal cancer for both sexes escalated with duration of chlorinated water.
In addition to cancer, research has linked chlorine-based chemicals to infertility and other reproductive
problems. The chemical structure of some chlorine-based chemicals are similar to that to estrogen. These may
act as a competitor to block the action of natural estrogen, or in some case, actually amplifying its effect.
3. Low Dose Industrial Toxins and Pharmaceutical Products
Industrial toxins and pharmaceutical products in extreme low dosage escape the water treatment plant and may
be found in tap water, although at a much lower level than that which causes pharmacological results. Many
waters contained arsenic, nitrates, or other inorganic contaminants at levels below current maximum safety
standards. Studies have shown that it is not infrequent to find waters containing synthetic organic chemicals such as the industrial chemicals toluene or xylene, or chemicals used in manufacturing plastics such as phthalate
or styrene. Pharmaceutical products can have long half-lives. They accumulate, reaching detectable and
biologically active amounts. Several commonly used medicinal drugs, such as erythromycin, naproxen,
and sulpha-methoxazole, can persist in the environment for more than a year. Clofibric acid, the main
metabolite of clofibrate, has an estimated persistence in the environment of 21 years and is still detectable in
lakes and rivers even after its withdrawal from the market.
4. Fluoridation
Over 50% of the US population drinks fluoridated water, ostensibly to improve dental health. The Center for
Disease Control is advocating this based on data that is half a century old. Whether it is good for our health has
been a hotly debated issue for years. Conclusive evidence to prove that fluoride actually works is lacking. On the
other hand, a considerable amount of data exists to show that fluoride is a negative fountain of youth.
What we do know is that is that population areas of high fluoride intake is associated with increased
incidence of Down syndrome, cancer, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, mottled teeth, and death from all
course. One study found that fluoride elevates cancer mortality by 17% in large cities. Over 60,000
cancer deaths in USA may be related to fluoridation each year according to some epidemiological
studies.
In many European countries where fluoride is banned, the rate of dental cavity actually decreases. For
example, researchers studied more than 15,000 children in the formerly fluoridated German towns of Spremberg
and Zittau and showed a 38 percent and 20 percent reduction in cavities respectively after fluoridation is stopped
and the fluoride concentration in the water dropped from 1 ppm to below 0.2 ppm.
What we do know is that fluoride causes cell death (apoptosis) in the human leukemia cells by activating
certain enzymes that have been identified as a key mediator of apoptosis of cells in humans and other
mammals, leading to DNA damage and cellular change. This is dose-dependent and time dependent. Studies
have shown a significant increase in chromosome aberrations at the chromatid level, sister chromatid
exchanges, and unscheduled DNA synthesis induced by sodium fluoride. In addition, fluoride has been shown to
inactivate over 60 enzymes, disrupt the immune system, and inactivate vitamin C. In short, it is an anti-nutrient.
Much of the reasoning behind fluoridating water was to prevent tooth decay. As far as dental care, it should be
remembered that prevention of tooth decay rest primarily on sound nutrition. Tooth brushing and fluoride
does not stop rampant tooth decay if the diet is unhealthy. Fluoride only hardens the outer surface of the
enamel and may prevent calcium from being deposited when a tooth is re-mineralized. The key to good dental
hygiene is to eat a proper diet and drink plenty of pure, non-fluoridated filtered water.
Most people do not know that plain "fluoride" does not exist in our water. The naturally occurring form of
fluoride, calcium fluoride, is not toxic - but this form is not used to fluoridate water. The chemicals used to
fluoridate over 90% of the in the US are one of the silicofluorides (either fluosilicic acid or sodium silicofluoride,
not sodium fluoride). Sodium hydrofluorosilicic acid is one of the most reactive chemical species know to man. Its
toxicity is well known. This is added to our water to produce "healthy teeth.” Very little long-term research has
been done on fluorosilicates, that which is what is poured into the drinking water.
Equally sad, nobody really knows for sure what concentration of fluoride is considered toxic. Fluorides
are the 13th most widely distributed element on earth, so it can turn up almost anywhere. Individuals have
different levels of tolerance for toxins such as fluoride. Until more is known, it is only prudent to expect that some
level of cell damage is present with fluoridated water.
5. Aluminum
Aluminum in drinking water has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. In a study where close to 2,700
individuals were followed for an 8-year period to identify new cases of probable Alzheimer’s, researchers found
that that a concentration of aluminum in drinking water above 0.1 mg/l may be a risk factor of dementia and
Alzheimer's disease. It is interesting to note that some water treatment facilities actually add aluminum sulfate to
remove particulate and organic matter.
The relationship between aluminum and fluoride is very interesting. The body does not readily absorb
aluminum by itself. However, in the presence of fluoride ions, the fluoride ions combine with the
aluminum to form aluminum fluoride, which is absorbed by the body. In the body, the aluminum
eventually combines with oxygen to form the end product aluminum oxide or alumina. Alumina is found
in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Studies have shown that rats fed alumina in diet results in short term memory loss, unsteady gait, and loss of
structures of the neo-cortex and hippocampus, all symptoms consistent of Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Parasites
Giardia (G. lambia) and Cryptosporidium (C. parvum) are waterborne protozoan cysts that may be present in
some water supplies. When ingested, the cyst-shell is shed and the organisms infect the intestines, causing
illnesses. Because Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts are resistant to traditional disinfection agents such
as chlorine and ultraviolet light, the organisms are often not removed by municipal water treatment.
Ingestion of water infected with Cryptosporidium cysts causes Cryptosporidiosis, a disease characterized by
symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, headaches, and low-grade fevers. Symptoms
may last from one to two weeks before the body's immune system stops the infection. Young children, older
adults, and those with weakened immune systems face greater risk of serious illness and possible death
resulting from infection. Cryptosporidiosis was brought to national attention in 1993 when the city of Milwaukee’s
water supply became contaminated with Cryptosporidium cysts, resulting in 400,000 cases of the disease and
100 related deaths.
Ingestion of water infected with Giardia cysts results in Giardiasis (commonly know as "beaver fever"), one of the
most common causes of diarrhea in North America. Infection is more common among children and may last for
up to three weeks. Giardiasis may be effectively treated with antibiotics. There currently is no truly effective
antibiotic treatment for cryptosporidiosis, but the disease will generally subside on its own. However, persons
having compromised immune systems may have chronic cryptosporidiosis that may persist for months.
Carbon block filters will remove Crytosporidium and Giardia cysts. Boiling water will also achieve the same. Look
for filters that are capable of removing particles less than 1 micron in diameter. Reverse osmosis filtration
devices will also remove Cryptosporidium oocysts from drinking water.
If you have to take tap water, consider placing tap water in a glass or ceramic pitcher in the refrigerator,
with the top loose to allow the chlorine to dissipate overnight before drinking. This also will allow volatile
disinfection by-products to evaporate (though less volatile disinfection by-products may stay in the water).
Overnight refrigeration of tap water in a loosely capped container also reduces the objectionable
chlorine taste and odor.
Magnetized Water
Some decades ago, Russian scientists faced a major industrial problem. When water flows through pipelines
of a boiler or an engine machinery, some deposits from the water cling to the walls of the pipes. Over
time, the lumen becomes narrower and the delivery of water to the machinery is reduced. The efficiency, fuel
consumption and mechanical strength of the machine is therefore reduced.
While researching on this problem, scientists noticed that such undesirable deposits did not occur in those
pipes with water that was magnetized. This started the magnetization of water for industrial use in countries
where water source is less than desirable
Scientists became highly interested in studying magnetism. Water is a transparent fluid that has no color, odor,
shape or taste of its own. It takes the shape of its container and the color, odor and taste of other things mixed
with it. It is a near-universal solvent. It has the property of being able to assimilate the properties of other things.
Researchers found when a permanent magnet is kept in contact with water for a considerable time; the
water gets magnetically charged and acquires magnetic properties. Such magnetized water has its effect
even on the human body when taken internally and regularly for a considerable period.
Use of magnets in Healing
Ancient people have used magnetized water also without understanding its mechanism of action. Streams
flowing over natural magnets in the shape of stones and boulders became magnetized and their water, when
consumed by the people of that age, provided miraculous cures and energy.
In India, the use of magnets in healing (called Indian Magneto-therapy) is an ancient therapy. Literature had
described the use of magnets to stop bleeding thousands of years ago.
In recent decades, there has been resurgence in the use of magnetic in healing of a variety of ailments, primarily
in pain control of chronic degenerative diseases such as arthritis.
How Magnet Works
Magnet has two poles, North and South. It is based on Nature's law. Every cell in the human body can be
viewed as a small magnetic unit. This property is present in all organs. Each cell produce its own magnetic
field. Any disturbance in this magnetic field indicates a disorder. This equilibrium can be restored-with the help of
magnets according to many researchers.
Technically, magnetism works because it increases the speed of sedimentation of suspended particles in water
(and other liquids) and enhances conductivity and the process of ionization or dissociation of atoms and
molecules into electrically charged particles. (New Scientist, June 1992.)
Physics shows that chemicals change weight under the influence of magnetic fields. So does water. More
hydroxyl (OH-) ions are created to form calcium bicarbonate and other alkaline molecules. It is these molecules
that help to reduce acidity.
Normal water has a pH level of about 7, whereas magnetized water can reach 9.2 pH after exposure to a
7000 gauss strength magnet for a long period of time, reportedly enough to kill cancer cells.
Human Applications
Experience has shown that magnetized water contributes and helps in the treatment of many diseases. It is
especially beneficial in treating digestive, nervous and urinary disorders. Generally speaking, water
magnetized by the North Pole stops the growth of bacteria and works as antibiotics. Water magnetized by
the South Pole takes care of pain, swelling and weakness. Water magnetized by both North and South
Pole enhance overall general health.
The degree of magnetization depends on three things:
1. The quantity of liquid put on the magnet.
2. The power of the magnet used for the purpose.
3. The duration of the contact of the liquid container with the magnet.
These three factors will naturally determine the degree of magnetization. Although we can measure the power of
a magnet, we have no method of measuring the degree of magnetization of water. In the absence of any definite
measure, only experience can guide us.
A simple way to magnetize water is to keep two liter jugs of water on the two poles of encased disc
magnets of about 3000 gausses, normally for twelve to twenty-four hours.
A simpler and more modern way is to have pass water through magnetic discs of up to 15,000 gausses
momentarily to achieve similar effect.
Health Benefits
The reported health benefits of magnetized water are many, including:
Acidity and Other Digestive Disorders: Magnetized water reduces excess acidity and bile in the digestive
system. It helps to regulate the movement of the bowels expelling all accumulations of poisonous matter.
Kidney Stones: The Use of magnetic water in urinary and kidney disorders has been documented. Magnetic
water has been prescribed to persons suffering from renal calculus in scientific studies. An adult suffering from
renal stone is advised one-liter magnetic water per day, while in case of child it is 500ml per day. Results have
been very encouraging.
Low Blood Pressure and Nervous System: Magnetized water is also very beneficial for nervous upsets and
treatment blood pressure, specially low blood pressure. It gives a soothing and slightly sedative effect to nerves,
helps in clearing clogged arteries, normalizes the circulatory system.
Asthma/Bronchitis: Magnetized water is effective in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, colds, coughs and
certain types of fevers.
Healing of Wounds: Magnetized water has been used as an external aid for washing swollen and sore eyes,
wounds, eczema spots, etc. for quicker healing. In all types of eye infections, north pole magnetized water has
healing and anti-biotic type properties.
The use of magnetized water in treatment of chronic disease is still in the infancy stage of investigation.
Magnetism is widely used in medical diagnostics, including Magnetic Resonance Scanning devices for detection
of a variety of internal organ dysfunction , including cancer.
There is very little doubt that our cells react like a tiny magnet without the body's universe. Disturbance of this
balance may bought on dysfunction to the body that current test and investigative tools are simply not sensitive
enough to measure.
It will be decades before the science of magnetized water is fully understood. Those in mainstream
medicine may discount magnetized water "quackery". Those in the forefront of magnetic research paints a
different story. If one understands and accepts that each of our cells possesses a small magnetic field, as many
research studies are now supporting, the logical conclusion that magnetic water has the ability to affect our
cells must be taken seriously.
At the end, the truth probably lies somewhere in between - magnetized water is not a magic panacea or cureall. It is also not a total quackery and most likely will turn out to be a health-enhancing medium.
The Ideal Water
The ideal water is one that has been filtered through a reverse osmosis system, or in the absence of that, a
carbon block system to eliminate toxic chemicals as the first step. In addition, there are heavy metals that
needs to be eliminated. One of the best media to accomplish this is patented filtration media called KDF. KDF
can absorb heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic that is commonly found in our pipes, especially those
that are old. Look for a system with this patened material. For the water to be better absorbed into the body, a
process called micronization is important. This can be done through magnetization of the water before
drinking (at least 12,000 gauss of magnetic device is needed) . Magnetized water has many health enhancing
effect as well. Lastly, our body is designed to be in a slightly alkaline environment. With the modern day high
protein acidic diet, it is important that our water is slightly alkalinized to neutralize this acidic environment.
This can be done by allowing water to be exposed to bio-ceramic beeds that release vital minerals in small
quantity into the water to make it slightly alkaline before drinking. Lastly and most commonly overlooked, make
sure you change your filter system regularly. Your water is only as good as your filter. The more expansive
filtration systems often have a flow-meter that measures exactly the volume of water filtered and warn you
when the filter's life is almost finished (commonly around 500 gallons per carbon block filter). This type is
much more accurate than those that depend on water pressure differential to imply the degree of usage,
especially if you live in a high rise where water pressure is not stable.
How Much Water Do You Need?
To maintain daily balance, our body requires an intake of over two quarts (8 glasses of 8 ounces each) of water
for basic normal function. Depending on the kind of diet, about half to one quart each day is provided in the food
we eat. The balance has to be taken in externally. A good rule of thumb is to drink 8 glasses of pure water
(non-caffeinated drinks) a day in addition to your food.
To achieve optimum hydration for anti-aging purposes, it is important to bath the body internally with ample
water. About one quart (32 ounces or 4 glasses of 8 ounces each) of pure filtered water per day for every 50
pounds of body weight is the recommended minimum. This translates into 3 quarts (12 glasses of 8 ounces
each) a day, or 50 percent more than that recommended for routine bodily function for the average 150 pound
American. If you lead an active lifestyle or if you are exposed to a hot environment, the amount of water needed
is substantially more. Likewise, your water intake should increase by one 8-ounce glass for each 25 pounds
above your ideal body weight.
If you are taking in liquids that act as a diuretic (such as coffee, tea, and certain sodas), you will need more water
to compensate for the water loss due to these "dehydrating" drinks. A good rule of thumb is to drink one extra
glass of water for the equivalent amount of these drinks you consume.
Summary
Drinking at least 12 glasses of pure filtered water daily is the best insurance against premature aging.
The ideal drinking water for the human body should be slightly alkaline and should contain some
minerals like calcium and magnesium. Water filtered through a good reverse osmosis system tends to be
neutral to slightly alkaline and is recommended for regular use provided that minerals are supplemented
with vegetables or nutritional supplementation.
Make sure that the filter you choose is of good quality and removes contaminants such as cryptosporidium. If you
do not have water processed through a good water filter, drinking bottled water is the next best option.
Blood Type Diet - Type A
Type As flourish on vegetarian diets Type As are predisposed to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. It
is particularly important for sensitive Type As to get their foods in as natural a state as possible: fresh,
pure, and organic. When you get on the Type A Diet, you will naturally be thinner. If you are accustomed
to eating meat, you'll lose weight rather rapidly in the beginning as you eliminate the toxic foods from your diet.
And when you follow the Type diet, you can supercharge your immune system and potentially short-circuit the
development of life-threatening diseases.
When Type As eat meat, they experience sluggishness. Type As have low stomach-acid content, therefore
they have a hard time digesting meat. Since Type As eat very little animal protein, nuts and seeds supply an
important protein component. Type As also thrive on the vegetable proteins found in beans and legumes,
except those mentioned for the "Avoid" list. These beans can cause a decrease in insulin production, which may
cause obesity and diabetes. Tofu should be a staple in the Type A Diet.
Dairy foods are also poorly digested by Type As, and can cause metabolic slowdown. Type As can tolerate small
amounts of fermented dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, nonfat sour cream, and cultured dairy products.
Vegetables are vital to the Type A Diet, providing minerals, enzymes and antioxidants. Type A are very
sensitive to the lectins in potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers. They aggravate the
delicate stomach of Type A. Type A should eat more fruits that are alkaline, avoid mangoes, papaya and oranges
for they are not good for your digestive tract.
Characteristics of Type A - Best on Vegetarian Diet
Comments
Meats and
Poultry
Type As should
eliminate all meats from
their diet.
Carp, Cod, Grouper,
Mackerel, Monkfish,
Pickerel, Red snapper,
Rainbow trout, Salmon,
Sardine, Sea trout,
Silver perch, Snail,
Whitefish, Yellow Perch
Seafood
Dairy
Most Beneficial
Most dairy products are
not digestible for Type
As
Food allowed
Food not allowed
Chicken,
Cornish hens,
Turkey
Beef, Pork, Lamb, Veal,
Venison, Duck, Goose
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
Anchovy, Barracuda, Beluga,
Bluefish, Bluegill bass, Catfish,
Caviar, Clam, Conch, Crab,
Crayfish, Eel, Flounder, Frog,
Gray sole, Haddock, Hake,
Halibut, Herring, Lobster, Lox,
Mussels, Octopus, Oysters,
Scallop, Shad, Shrimp, Sold,
Squid, Striped bass, Tilefish,
Turtle
Yogurt,
Mozzarella,
Feta, Goat
cheese, Goat
milk, Kefir,
Ricotta, String
cheese
All other cheeses and milk
Fats
Flaxseed oil, Olive oil
Canola Oil, Cod Oil of corn, cottonseed, peanut,
liver oil
safflower and sesame
Nuts
Peanuts, Pumpkin
Seeds
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
Beans
These beans can cause
a decrease in insulin
production for Type As.
Brazil nuts, cashews, Pistachios
Beans - copper, garbanzo,
kidney, lima, navy, red, tamarind
Beans (Aduke, Azuki,
Type As thrive on the
Black, Green, Pinto,
vegetable proteins found
Red soy), Lentils and
in beans and legumes
Black-eyed peas
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
Grains
Type As generally do
well on cereals and
grains. Select the more
concentrated whole
grains instead of instant
and processed cereals.
Amaranth, Buckwheat
Cream of wheat, Familia, Farina,
Granola, Grape nuts, Wheat
germ, Seven grain, Shredded
wheat, Wheat bran, Durum
wheat
Bread &
Noodles
Type As have a
wonderful selection and
choices in grains and
pastas
Bread (Essene, Ezekiel,
Soya flour, Sprouted
All kinds except
wheat), Rice cakes,
those listed not
Flour (Oat, Rice, Rye),
allowed
Soba Noodles, Pasta
(Artichoke)
English muffins, Bread (Highprotein whole wheat, Multigrain), Matzos, pumpernickel,
Wheat bran muffins, Flour
(white, whole wheat), Pasta
(Semolina, spinach)
Vegetables
Type As are very
Peppers, olives, Potatoes,
sensitive to these
vegetables. They have a
strong deleterious effect
on the Type A digestive
tract.
Fruits
Sweet potatoes, Yams, All kinds
of cabbage, Tomatoes, Lima
beans, Eggplant, Mushroom
These vegetables
enhance the immune
system of Type As
Garlic, Onions, Broccoli,
carrots, collard greens,
kale, pumpkin, spinach
Vegetables are vital to
the Type A diet,
providing minerals,
enzymes and
Antioxidants. Eat
vegetables in as natural
a state as possible (raw
or steamed) to preserve
their full benefits
Artichoke, Chicory,
Greens (Dandelion,
Swiss Chard),
All kinds except
Horseradish, Leek,
those listed not
Romaine, Okra,
allowed
Parsley, Alfalfa Sprouts,
Tempeh, Tofu, Turnip
Most fruits are allowed
for Type As, although try
to emphasize more
alkaline fruits can help
to balance the grains
that are acid forming in
Type As muscle tissues
Berries (blackberries,
blueberries,
boysenberries,
cranberries), plums,
Prunes, Figs
All kinds except
those listed not
allowed
High mold counts of
these fruits make it hard
for Type As to digest
Melons, cantaloupe, honeydew
Type As don't do well on
these fruits
Mangoes, papaya, Bananas,
Coconuts
These fruits are
stomach irritant for Type
As, and they also
interfere with the
absorption of minerals.
Orange, Rhubarb, Tangerines
The digestive enzyme in
Pineapples, Cherries,
this fruit is an excellent
Apricots
digestive aid for Type As
These fruits exhibit
alkaline tendencies after
digestion which has a
Grapefruit, Lemon
positive effects on the
Type A stomach
Spices
The right combination of
spices can be powerful
immune-system
boosters for Type As
Tamari, miso,
soysauce, garlic, ginger
Good source of iron, a
mineral that is lacking in
the Type A Diet
Blackstrap molasses
Avoid these because the
acids tend to cause
stomach lining irritation
Vinegar, Pepper (black,
cayenne, white), Capers, Plain
Gelatin, Wintergreen
These products should
be avoided because
Condiments
Type As have low levels
of stomach acid
Beverages
Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Pickles,
Relish, Worcestershire sauce
These beverages help
to improve the immune
systems for Type As
Hawthorn, Aloe, Alfalfa,
Burdock, Echinacea,
Green tea, Red wine (1
glass / day)
These beverages help
Type As to increase
their stomach-acid
secretions
Ginger, Slippery elm,
Coffee (1 cup / day)
These don't suit the
digestive system of
Type As, nor do they
support the immune
system
Beer, Distilled liquor, Seltzer
water, Soda, Black Tea
Blood Type Diet - Type B
The sturdy and alert Type Bs are usually able to resist many of the most severe diseases common to
modern life, such as heart disease and cancer. In fact, a Type B who carefully follows the recommended diet
can often bypass severe disease and live a long and healthy life. Type Bs are more prone to immune-system
disorders such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
The Type B Diet is balance and wholesome, including a wide variety of foods.
For Type Bs, the biggest factors in weight gain are corn, buckwheat, lentils, peanuts and sesame seeds.
These foods have different lectin that affect the efficiency of the metabolic process, resulting in fatigue, fluid
retention, and hypoglycemia. The gluten lectin in wheat germ and whole wheat products also adds to the
problems cause by other metabolism-slowing foods.
It is important to leave off chicken for Type Bs. Chicken contains a Blood Type B agglutinating lectin in its
muscle tissue, which attack the bloodstream and potentially lead to strokes and immune disorders. Type Bs
thrive on deep-ocean fish, but should avoid all shellfish. The shellfish contain lectins that are disruptive to
the Type B system.
Type B is the only blood type that can fully enjoy a variety of dairy foods. Most nuts and seeds (especially
peanuts, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds) are not advised for Type Bs., they contain lectins that interfere
with Type B insulin production.
Wheat is not tolerated well by most Type Bs. They contain a lectin that reuce insulin efficiency and failure to
stimulate fat "burning". Rye contains a lectin that settles in the vascular system, causing blood disorders and
potentially strokes. Corn and buckwheat are major factors in Type B weight gain, they contribute to a
sluggish metabolism, insulin irregularity, fluid retention, and fatigue.
Eliminate tomatoes completely from Type B diet. It has lectins that irritate the stomach lining. Fruits and
vegetables are generally well tolerated and should be taken generously.
Characteristics of Type B - Best on Balanced Omnivores Diet
Comments
Most Beneficial
Food
allowed
These meats contains a Type B
blood agglutinating lectin.
Meat and
Poultry
These meats help to boost the
immune system
Chicken, Cornish hens, Duck,
Goose, Patridge, Quail, Pork
lamb, mutton,
Venison, Rabbit
Beef,
Pheasant,
Turkey, Veal
Give up chicken, but use these
meats instead
Deep-ocean fish and white fish
are great for Type Bs
Food not allowed
Cod, Salmon,
Flounder, Halibut,
Sole, Trout
All kinds
except those
listed not
allowed
All Shellfish (crab, shrimp,
lobster, mussels, oysters,
crayfish, clam, etc), Anchovy,
Barracuda, Beluga, Eel, Frog,
Lox, Octopus, Sea bass, Snail,
Striped bass, Turtle, yellowtail
Seafood
These seafood are poorly
digested by Type Bs. They are
disruptive to the Type B system.
Dairy
Type B is the only blood type
that can fully enjoy a variety of
dairy foods. That's because the
primary sugar in the Type B
antigen is D-galactosamine, the
very same sugar present in milk.
Cottage cheese,
Farmer, Feta, Goat
cheese and milk,
Kefir, Mozzarella,
Ricotta, Milk, Yogurt
Fats
The oils not allowed contain
lectins that are damaging to the
Type B digestive tract.
Olive
Nuts
Most nuts and seeds are not
advisable for Type Bs. They
contain lectins that interfere with
Type B insulin production
Beans
These beans interfere with the
production of insulin for Type
Bs.
Lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed
peas, Beans (pintos, aduke,
Azuki, Black)
Wheat reduce insulin efficiency
and failure to stimulate fat
"burning" in Type Bs
Wheat (bran, germ bulgur,
durum, whole and white),
Shredded wheat, Cream of
wheat or any products such as
flour, bread and noodles made
with these grain products
Rye contain a lectin that settles
in the vascular system causing
blood disorders and potentially
strokes.
Rye and any products such as
flour, bread and noodles made
with these grain products
These contribute to a sluggish
metabolism, insulin irregulariry,
fluid retention and fatigue.
Buckwheat, Corn (cornflakes,
cornmeal) and any products
such as flour, bread and
noodles made with these grain
Grains
All kinds
American cheese, Blue
except those
cheese, Ice cream, string
listed not
cheese
allowed
Canola, Corn, Cottonseed,
Peanut, Safflower, Sesame,
Sunflower
All kinds
except those
listed not
allowed
Cashews, Filberts, Pine,
Pistachio, Peanuts, Pumpkin
seeds, Sesame seeds,
Sunflower seeds
products
Bread
Vegetables
Millet, Oatmeal
(Bran, flour), Puffed
Rice, Rice (bran,
flour), Spelt
All kinds
Amaranth, Barley, Kasha,
except those
Seven-grain, Wild rice,
listed not
Couscous
allowed
Bread (Brown rice,
Essence, Ezekiel,
WASA), Fin Crisp,
Millet, Rice cakes
All kinds
except those
listed not
allowed
Bagels, Muffins (Corn and
Bran), Bread (Multi-grain Rye,
Whole wheat), Soba Nooldes,
Wild Rice, Couscous
This vegetable contain a lectins
that irritage the stomach lining of
Type Bs.
Tomatoes
This vegetable has insulin- and
metabolism-upsetting lectins for
Type Bs
Corn
The mold in this can trigger
allergic reactions
Olive
These vegetables contain
magnesium, an important
Green leafy
antiviral agent to help Type Bs
vegetables
fight off viruses and autoimmune
diseases
All kinds
except those
listed not
allowed
Artichoke, Avocado, Corn,
Olives, Pumpkin, Radishes,
Sprouts, Tempeh, Tofu,
Tomato
Pineappple has enzymes that
help Type Bs to digest their food Pineapples
more easily.
Fruits
Avoid these fruits for they
interfere with your digestive
system
Coconuts, Persimmons,
Pomegranates, Prickly pear,
Rhubarb, Starfruit
Bananas,
Cranberries,
Grapes, Papaya,
Plums
All kinds
except those
listed not
allowed
Sweet herbs tend to be stomach
irritants to the Type Bs
Spices
Type B do best with warming
herbs
Barley malt sweeteners, corn
syrup, Cornstarch, Cinnamon
All kinds
Ginger, horseradish,
except those
curry, cayenne
listed not
pepper
allowed
Allspice, Almond extract,
Gelatin, Pepper (black and
white)
Avoid these spices also
Condiments
Beverages
Ketchup
Generally Type Bs don't reap
overwhelming benefits from
most herbal teas.
Ginger, Peppermint,
Raspberry leaf,
Rose hips, Sage,
Green Teas
This is highly recommended for
Ginseng
Aloe, Coltsfoot, Corn silk,
Fenugreek, Gentian,
Goldenseal, Hops, Linden,
Mullein, Red clover, Rhubarb,
Senna, Shepherd's purse,
Skullcap
Type Bs because it seems to
have a positive effect on the
nervous system.
This has antiviral properties.
Distilled liquor, Seltzer water,
Soda
Licorice
Blood Type Diet - Type AB
Multiple antigens make Type ABs sometimes A-like with weak stomach acid, and sometimes B-like with
genetically programmed for the consumption of meats. Type AB do best when their muscle tissues are slightly
alkaline. Type ABs can't metabolize meat efficiently because of low stomach acid, so it is important to watch
the portion size and frequency. Chicken has lectin that irritates the blood and digestive tracts of Type
ABs also. Tofu is a good protein supplements for Type ABs. Nuts, seeds, beans and legumes present a mixed
picture for Type ABs. Eat nuts and seeds in small amounts and with caution.
Type ABs can tolerate dairy foods fairly well. But watch out for excessive mucus production.
Generally Type ABs do well on grains, even wheat, but keep in mind that the inner kernel of the wheat grain is
highly acid forming in the muscle for Type ABs. Type AB benefits from a diet rich in rice rather than pasta.
Type ABs has a weaker immune system, so you will benefit from the vegetables, which are high in
phytocheicals and the more alkaline fruits, which can help to balance the grains that are acid forming in the
muscle tissues. Tomatoes do not impose any ill effects on Type ABs.
Type AB should begin each day by drinking a glass of warm water with the freshly squeezed juice of half a
lemon to cleanse the system of mucus accumulated while sleeping
Characteristics of Type AB - Best on Mixed Diet in moderation
Meat and
Poultry
Food
allowed
Comments
Most Beneficial
Food not allowed
Type AB do not produce
enough stomach acid to
effectively digest too much
animal protein. So the key is
portion size and frequency.
All kinds
except
Lamb, mutton, rabbit, turkey those
listed not
allowed
Beef, Chicken, Cornish
Hens, Duck, Goose, Pork,
Patridge, Veal, Venison,
Quail
Tuna, Cod, Grouper, Hake,
All Shellfish (crab, shrimp,
Cured meats can cause
stomach cancer Type ABs with
low levels of stomach acid
Seafood
If you have family history of
All kinds
breast cancer, introduce snails
(Helix pomatia) into your diet
Mackerel, Mahimahi,
Monkfish, Ocean Perch,
Pike, Porgy, Trout, Red
Snapper, Sailfish, Pickerel,
Sardine, Shad, Snail,
Sturgeon
Dairy
Cultured and soured products
are easily digested for Type
ABs
Yogurt, Kefir, Non-fat sour
cream, egg, Mozzarella,
Goat cheese and milk,
Ricotta
Fats
Use sparingly
Olive
Powerful immune booster for
Type A and Type AB
Peanut, Walnuts
Nuts
Type Abs tend to suffer from
gallbladder problems, so nut
butters are preferable to whole
nuts. Also eat small amounts
with caution.
These beans are important
cancer-fighting food for Type
AB. They are known to contain
cancer-fighting antioxidants.
Beans
Grains
except
those
listed not
allowed
lobster, mussels, oysters,
crayfish, clam, etc),
Anchovy, Barracuda,
Beluga, Bluegill Bass,
Flounder, Haddock, Halibut,
Herring, Eel, Frog, Lox,
Octopus, Sea bass, Striped
bass, Turtle, Yellowtail
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
American Cheese, Blue
cheese, Brie, Buttermilk,
Camembert, Ice cream,
Parmesan, Provolone,
Sherbet, Whole Milk
Oil (Corn, Cottonseed,
Safflower, Sesame,
Sunflower)
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
Filberts, Poppy seeds,
Pumpkin seeds, Sesame
seeds, Sunflower seeds
Lentils
These beans slow insulin
production in Type AB.
Kidney beans, Lima Beans
Beans (navy, pinto, red,
soy)
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
Beans (Aduke, Azuki, Black,
Fava, Garbanzo) Blackeyed Peas
The inner kernel of the wheat
grain is highly acid forming for
Type AB. Wheat is not adviced
if Type AB is trying to lose
weight. The inner kernel of
wheat grain is alkaline in Type
Os and Bs, it becomes acidic in
Type As and AB.
Millet, Oat bran, Oatmeal,
Rice Bran, Puffed rice, Rye,
Speltand sprouted wheat
and any products such as
flour, bread and noodles
made with these grain
products
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
Buckwheat, Corn (any
products such as flour,
bread and noodles made
with these ), Kamut, Kasha,
soba noodles, Artichoke
pasta
Type AB benefits from a diet
rich in rice rather than pasta
All kinds of Rice and any
products such as flour,
bread and noodles made
with these
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
Artichoke, Avocado, All
thype of Corns, Lima Beans,
Black Olives, All kind of Bell
Peppers, Radishes, Mung
Bean Sprouts, Radish
Sprouts
Fresh vegetables are an
important source of
phytochemicals which have a
Vegetables tonic effect in cancer and heart
disease prevention, these
diseases afflict Type AB more
often as a result of weaker
Broccoli, Beets, Cauliflower,
Celery, Green Leafy Vegs,
Cucumber, Eggplant,
Garlic, Maitake Mushroom,
Parsley, Parsnips, Sweet
potatoes, Alfalfa Sprouts,
Tempeh, Tofu, All types of
Fruits
immune system.
Yams
Emphasize the more alkaline
fruits to balance the grains that
are acid forming in Type AB
muscle tissues
All kinds of Grapes and
Plums, Berries (cranberries,
Gooseberries,
Loganberries), Cherries
Tropical fruits doesn't agree
with Type AB. But pineapple is
an excellent digestive aid for
Type AB.
Pineapples
Oranges are stomach irritant for
Type AB, they also interfere
with th absorption of important
minerals. But Grapefurit exhibit
Grapefruits, Lemons
alkaline tendencies after
digestion. And lemons aid
digestion and clearing mucus
from the system.
Vitamin C-rich fruits help
preven stomach cancer
because of the antioxidant
properties of vitamin cup
Sea salt and kelp should be
used in place of salt. Kelp has
immensely positive heart and
immune system benefits
Oranges
Kiwi
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
Kelp, Miso, Curry
All kinds
except
those
listed not
allowed
Spices
Allspice, Almond extract,
Anise, Barley Malt, Capers,
Cornstarch, corn syrup,
Gelatin, Tapioca
Vinegar, Pepper (white,
black, cayenne, red flakes)
The ingredients are acidic
Beverages
Mangoes, Guava,
Coconuts, Bananas
This is a potent tonic and
natural antibiotic for Type AB.
Garlic, Horseradish, Parsley
Type AB employed these
herbal teas to rev up the
immune system.
Alfalfa, burdock,
Chamomile, Echinacea,
Green tea
These herbal teas and
beverages build protections
against cardiovascular disease
and cancer.
Hawthorn, Licorice, Red
wine (1 glass/day)
These herbal teas aid in
absorption of iron and preven
anemia
Dandelion, Burdock root,
Strawberry leaf
Coffee increase stomach acid
and has the same enzymes
found in soy.
Coffee or Decaf Coffee (1
cup / day) and alternate day
use green tea
Distilled Liquor, Sodas,
Black Tea