Fhsdance.wiki.farmington.k12.mi.us

The Top 101 Superfoods That Fight Aging
The Best Youth-Enhancing Foods, Spices, Herbs, and Other Tricks to Look
and Feel 10 Years Younger, Protect Your Skin, Muscles, Organs and Joints
to SLOW Aging
By Catherine Ebeling RN BSNand Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist,
DISCLAIMER: The information provided by this book and this company is not a substitute for a face-to-face
consultation with your physician, and should not be construed as individual medical advice. If a condition
persists, please contact your physician.
This book is provided for personal and informational purposes only. This book is not to be construed as any
attempt to either prescribe or practice medicine. Neither is the book to be understood as putting forth any
cure for any type of acute or chronic health problem. You should always consult with a competent, fully
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Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1:
AGE's  that  Age  Us
Minimize  the  Effects  of  AGE's
Foods that Combat AGE-ing
Supplements  that  Battle  AGE's

Chapter 2:
Blood Sugar, Insulin and Aging—The Damaging Effects of Sugar
The Trouble With Grains
Control Blood Sugar and Control Aging
Low Glycemic Foods
Herbs, Spices and Miscellaneous Foods that Lower Blood Sugar
Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar

Chapter 3:
Inflammation—The Silent and Sneaky Partner of Aging
Fats and Inflammation
Anti-Aging, Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Spices And Nutrients List
Foods High in Anti-Inflammatory Fats
Anti-Inflammatory Herbs, Spices, Teas

Chapter 4:
Oxidation and Free Radical Damage
Antioxidant Nutrients
Highest Antioxidant Foods List

Chapter 5:
Fats Can Speed Up or Slow Down the Aging Process
Omega  3  Fats  vs.  Omega  6  Fats,  It's  All  About  the  Ratio  
Other Anti-Aging Fats
The Best Anti-Aging Fats List

Chapter 6:
Two other vitally important nutrients that fight aging:
Vitamin D and Probiotics (very powerful)
Eat Your Way to Smoother, Younger Skin

Introduction
What causes aging?
Some of the known causes of aging are a complex interaction of environmental, dietary
and internal changes.
Many people think the answer to fighting aging is to spend hundreds, or thousands of
dollars on expensive anti-aging creams and potions, injections of toxic substances and
fillers,  or  going  under  the  surgeon's  knife.  While  this  may  seem  to  be  the  best  ‘fix'  it  
actually is not.
You can  actually  stop  and  prevent  much  of  your  body's  aging  by  making  changes  in  your  
diet. And, the best thing is, changing your diet not only changes the way the world sees
you, but it makes a very definite change in how you FEEL inside!
Suddenly you have tons of energy again, you are leaner, stronger, faster, more alert, and your moods are better. Your sex drive returns. Your sleep is better. Your joints hurt less or not at all. You look great. Your skin is softer and smoother. Your outlook on life will totally change when you realize you do not have to give in to aging and the chronic disease that comes with it. You really  don't  need  expensive,  fancy  skin  creams  or  plastic  surgery; you can start

making the changes today that will have a long term effect on how you look and feel tomorrow. While you may not always have control over your environment, you do have a large amount of control over your diet, which in turn battles those things that accelerate and cause aging: Inflammation, Advanced Glycation  End  products  (AGE's)  and  oxidation  that go hand in hand to accelerate aging and bring on chronic disease. These things occur within your cells and organs, (including your brain) and lead to the outward signs of aging like wrinkles and excess body fat, but also the less obvious (but more destructive) damage internally--to your bones, muscles, organs, brain and nerves. How much damage, or how little damage occurs, in a large sense, depends on your diet. What you eat on a day-to-day basis can either hasten or slow down aging, and in turn, the chronic diseases that often accompany aging as well. Have  you  ever  noticed  how  some  people  don't  look  anywhere  close  to  their  actual  age,  while  others  look  much  older?  Why  is  this?  It's  not  JUST  genetics.   So much of aging is your DIET. The food you eat can be either destructive or constructive and make your body either older or younger. The answer to aging gracefully and remaining healthy, lean, strong, and disease free is in eating the right foods. Eating a wide variety of REAL, natural foods rich in antioxidants, low in sugar and starches, and plenty of the right types of fats will make a HUGE

difference in how you look and feel. It will make the difference between looking old before your time or looking way younger than your age. Many  of  the  signs  of  aging  are  actually  the  beginnings  of  chronic  disease  that  we  don't  have to accept as inevitable. The wrinkles, weight gain, memory loss, loss of physical strength, loss of sex drive, inability to sleep, fatigue and bone loss are not things we have to accept as part of the normal progression of aging. And diseases like heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes don't  have  to  be part of aging either. Many older adults are active, fit, strong, lean, athletic, productive people in great health. You can be this way too! The sooner you start with some positive dietary changes, the sooner and the better you can fight and reverse the signs of aging and disease. Please note that most of the powerful anti-aging  benefits  we'll  talk  about  in  this  manual  can be obtained from natural foods, spices, herbs, etc. We may also mention a few supplements that we use ourselves and we believe to have powerful natural herbal ingredients that can be used in more concentrated forms than could be found in foods alone. These are optional of course, but can be a powerful addition to your anti-aging regimen.

Chapter One
AGE's  That  Age  Us

What  are  AGE's?  
AGE's  are Advanced  Glycation  End  products.  AGE's  can be either in the food you eat or
formed  within  your  body.  AGE's  occur  when  sugar  molecules  attach  to  protein  or  fat  
molecules without an enzyme.
So  what's  the  big  deal  about  this,  you  ask?  
Well,  AGE's  are  a  serious  promoter  of  aging  in  the  body,  as  well as the beginnings of
many  chronic  diseases.  In  fact  AGE's  are  one  of  the  biggest  factors  in  diabetes,  heart  
disease and others as well.
These  AGE's  form  a  sticky  plaque-like substance in the brain, nerve tissue, and the rest of the body. It is reported  that  when  AGE's  are  consumed,  about  10-30% are absorbed into  the  body.  The  body's  ability  to  eliminate  these  once  they  are  absorbed  is  very  limited,  meaning  that  once  these  gunky,  gooey,  nasty  things  get  in  human  cells,  it's  damage that cannot be fully undone. While  all  human  tissue  is  subject  to  damage  by  AGE's,  the  lining  of  blood  vessels  is  especially sensitive, as well as certain nerve cells that can quickly accumulate damage— especially in blood capillaries of the kidneys and eyes, brain and nerve cells, collagen, and your DNA. This is pretty serious and destructive stuff. AGE's  are  responsible  for  wrinkly,  sagging  skin,  damage  to  the  pancreas  that  causes  diabetes, and damage to blood vessels, which leads to the plaque buildup that causes heart disease. Besides the irritation and inflammation they create in blood vessels, they damage collagen in blood vessel walls, which leads to high blood pressure. Glycation also weakens the blood vessel walls, can cause aneurisms and deadly hemorrhagic strokes. AGE's  also  help  form  the  sticky  amyloid  proteins  and  neurofibril  tangles  that  take  over  the  brains  of  those  with  Alzheimer's  disease,  causing  severe  memory  loss  and  dementia.   They can easily damage the nerves, causing peripheral neuropathy and deafness, as well as attacking the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, which in turn can lead to blindness, as well as creating dangerous by-products that can become cancer. The wide variety of diseases is the result of glycation interfering with the cellular function of the body and highly oxidizing byproducts. As  you  can  see,  AGE's  are  highly  destructive.  Where  do  they  come  from?   Advanced Glycation End products are from two primary sources: From  our  diet  (Exogenous  AGE's) Internally produced in the body (Endogenous  AGE's) Any food that is browned or roasted such as brown bread, browned or grilled meat, bacon,  crispy  brown  cookies,  chips,  crackers,  etc.  contains  AGE's.  They  form  whenever  food browns with heat as in roasting, frying or grilling. Cooking food at high temperatures without water or liquids (as in frying) causes the sugars in the food to bind with  the  proteins  or  fats  to  form  AGE's.   Any  food  that  is  high  in  fat,  protein  or  sugar  is  likely  to  cause  AGE's  when  cooked without water. Using water when cooking as in steaming, poaching or boiling helps to prevent  the  sugars  from  attaching  to  the  proteins  and  fats  and  helps  to  prevent  AGE's.   Cooking  at  a  lower  temperature  also  helps  to  minimize  AGE's.    And of course, eating a portion of your foods raw  also  minimizes  AGE's  that  you  consume.

You  know  that  crispy  skin  on  the  roasted  Thanksgiving  turkey?  That's  full  of  AGE's.  So  are French fries, bacon, chips, and just about anything that is baked or fried to a golden brown. Even that juicy steak (the outer browned layer, not the interior), the brown outsides of that muffin or bagel, and that delicious caramel on your dessert are full of AGE's.     Processed,  packaged  foods  often  have  added  AGE's  to  enhance  their  flavor  and  make  the food look more appealing. Caramel coloring is a good example of this. The list of foods  with  added  AGE's  also  includes  donuts,  cakes,  crackers,  chips,  dark  colored  soda,  and even dark beer. While  it's  important  to  try  to  reduce  your  intake  of  exogenous  AGEs  from  browned  foods as much as you can, keep in mind that you can also help counteract their effects in your body by eating a high-antioxidant diet. Endogenous  (or  internally  formed)  AGE's  occur  in  the  body  from  the  sugar  and  carbohydrates in the food you eat. Excessive sugar in the body (in the form of blood glucose) binds to proteins and causes glycation. People with chronically elevated blood sugar  have  the  most  damage  from  AGE's,  such  as  those  with  type  2  diabetes  or  metabolic syndrome. As nutrition expert Johnny Bowden  says,  "It's  like  putting  sugar  in  your  gas  tank,  it  totally  gums  up  the  works."   Certain types of sugars such as fructose are much more likely (as much as 10x more likely) to glycate in your body. If you look at the huge amount of foods that contain high
fructose corn syrup, or the large numbers of people eating sugary, processed foods and
drinks, is it any wonder why there are such high rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease,
and other inflammatory diseases?
So if you want to age slower, a big priority should be minimizing or eliminating high
fructose  corn  syrup  in  your  diet.    That  means  it's  very  important  to  eliminate  soda  and  
other sweetened drinks. Note that the small amount of fructose found in natural whole
fruits is generally healthy and well tolerated by your body. However, fruit juices should
still  be  avoided  as  it  concentrates  the  sugar  in  a  higher  amount  than  you'd  get  with  
whole fruit.
AGE's  can  be  measured  by  the  same  test  given  to  diabetics  to  monitor  long-term blood
sugar control. This relatively new blood test is known as the Hemoglobin A1c test.
For optimal aging, your A1C levels (whether diabetic or not) should be less than 5%,
which would mean keeping your blood sugar level at about 90 mg/dl on average. While
that seems fairly low by some conventional medical standards, this percentage is easily
attainable if you eat the right foods to keep blood sugar stable.
Minimize  the  effects  of  AGE's  
• Keep blood sugar low with a low carb/low sugar diet. Especially avoid the sugar that comes from fructose, as in high fructose corn syrup and fruit juices. • Avoid or minimize grains —especially wheat and corn, as they tend to significantly raise blood sugar. And grains are often baked or fried to become crispy and brown, which makes them  even  higher  in  AGE's.  Sorry, that includes that wood fire roasted pizza too, as well as donuts, muffins, pastries, and bagels. • Cook meats at lower temperatures more often – Higher temperatures produce far  more  AGE's  than  slower  cooking  over  low  heat.  Cook meat in broth if possible such as crock pot cooking as this dramatically minimizes AGE formation. Also rare and medium-rare meats have  fewer  AGE's  than  well done meats. Fried meats  like  bacon  would  have  the  highest  concentrations  of  AGE's  of  any  meats and should be limited to an occasional treat as opposed to a daily habit. Another example -- When cooking sausage, you can cook slowly over low heat and a tiny bit of water and covered with a lid to minimize AGE formation compared to pan frying over high heat. • Eat vegetables and fruits raw, boiled, stewed, slow-cooked, or steamed – boiling and steaming introduce water to the cooking process, which stops glycation. • Avoid all processed foods. Not only are they higher in sugar content, they often have caramel  coloring  and  other  additives  high  in  AGE's  to  improve  color  and  appearance. • Avoid  browned,  roasted,  grilled,  carmelized,  or  fried  foods.  If  it's  golden  brown   or  brown,  it  most  likely  contains  AGE's.   • Avoid dark colored sodas, dark beer, and anything with caramel coloring in it. Combat  AGE's  With  These  Foods  

All low-glycemic foods that  don't  raise   blood sugar much Kale, collard greens, or spinach Red or black grapes Red, yellow or green peppers Green tea, black tea, white tea, and Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts Cinnamon, Cloves and Turmeric Supplements  that  Battle  AGE's
• L-carnosine - An amino acid found in some proteins. L-carnosine helps prevent
glycation  by  generating  an  enzyme  that  is  able  to  counterattack  AGE's  that  have  already been formed. This supplement is said to decrease the risk of attracting neurodegenerative disorder and inflammatory diseases by removing the unsaturated aldehydes (sugars). Since meat contains this amino acid, eating meat  is  less  likely  to  produce  as  many  dangerous  AGE's  in  the  body as compared to eating breads and other browned carbohydrate sources. • – this is a very unique natural blend of herbal ingredients that have been proven to exhibit strong ability to control blood sugar from meals. And of course, lower average blood sugar means less formation of AGEs in the body. This unique blend is not available in stores and can only be found online at this page: • Benfotiamine - A fat-soluble synthetic form of vitamin B-1. This substance has
been  studied  to  stop  AGE's  from  being  formed.  It  blocks  the  biochemical  processes that can cause vascular, nerve, kidney and retinal damage that are connected  AGE's  and  high  blood  sugar  levels.  Benfotiamine  is  a  synthetic supplement and not naturally derived from foods or herbs. Since this is a synthetic  compound  and  not  natural,  I'd  personally  steer  clear  of  using  this  as  the long term side effects would be unknown at this point in time. • Pyridoxamine - Vitamin B6 is involved in hundreds of beneficial enzymatic
reactions in the body. This unique form of vitamin B6, called Pyridoxamine, is thought to interfere specifically with toxic glycation reactions in the body. • Antioxidants – Foods and supplements high in antioxidants will help to combat
the  damage  that  AGE's  do  in  the  body.   Antioxidants that I prefer to get from food as opposed to a supplement are vitamin C and vitamin E, beta-carotene, zinc, selenium, quercetin, and flavonoids. However, two supplements that are particularly powerful antioxidants among other benefits include alpha lipoic acid (which is contained in thsupplement we just mentioned a few paragraphs ago), as well as…  these  2  supplements can be a great addition to your anti-aging arsenal for reasons beyond just antioxidant power. • Spices – spices such as cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and cayenne all contain
powerful antioxidants while also containing compounds that help control blood sugar response from meals. I choose to use all 4 of these spices (and many other spices too) liberally in any cooking and seasoning of foods. Since we may not always use these 4 spices in particular on a daily basis in foods, I also like to use capsules of these spices as a supplement on a daily basis as well. •  This is a rare seaweed extract (from Ecklonia Cava) and one that is
very intriguing. It has been found in ORAC testing to have 3.5x the antioxidant
power of even blueberries!
The research on this super-potent natural antioxidant from the sea is extremely
interesting and you can


Chapter Two
Blood Sugar, Insulin and Aging—The Damaging Effects of Sugar
Besides  the  formation  of  the  highly  destructive  AGE's,  sugar,  in  all  forms  (fructose,  
sucrose, glucose, galactose, lactose and others) has other ways of inflicting serious
damage to your body and speeding up the aging process.
Fructose  is  the  worst  of  all  sugars,  but  all  forms  of  sugar  that  affect  your  body's  blood  sugar levels, as well as the resulting insulin can be harmful. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola: "Fructose  in  particular  is  extremely  pro-inflammatory,  promoting  AGE's  and  speeding up the aging process. It also promotes the kind of dangerous growth of fat cells around your vital organs that are the hallmark of diabetes and heart disease. In one study, 16 volunteers on a high-fructose diet produced new fat cells  around  their  heart,  liver  and  other  digestive  organs  in  just  10  weeks." So the internally and externally, limiting sugar in all forms, will go a long way towards slowing down the aging process. Sugar, especially fructose and sucrose, increase insulin levels, while decreasing your body's  ability  to  effectively  counteract  that  rise  in  blood  sugar.  This  is  a  major  cause  of  degenerative diseases. Sugar in excess also weakens or paralyzes the immune system, making you more susceptible to infectious disease, or complications of minor diseases. For example, that minor cold can become the flu, pneumonia or bronchitis—and in some cases deadly if you are elderly and in frail health. The average American eating a stereotypical Standard American Diet consumes 2.5 pounds of sugar a WEEK. And when you think about adding in the other processed foods such as white or wheat bread, pasta, pastries, and all the refined carbohydrates, which turn into sugar in the body,  it's  no  wonder  there  is  such  a  huge  increase  in  diabetes.   Could  it  be  that  sugar  is  THAT  bad?  In  a  word…YES! Let's  define  what  we  are  talking  about  when  we  say  ‘sugar'.  We  usually  think  of  sugar  as  the white stuff that sits in cute little bowls on our tables, or in those little packets at

restaurants. The truth is there are many different types of sugars and our bodies do not react to all of them in the same way. "High  fructose  corn  syrup"  is  the  form  of  sugar  that  you  see  on  virtually  every  label  of processed or packaged foods, or in most soft drinks. There are many other forms of sugar  but  for  now,  let's  concentrate  on  the  two  most  often  consumed  sugars,  sucrose  and fructose. Regular white table sugar (and brown sugar) is called 'sucrose'. Sucrose is composed of one molecule of glucose bonded to a molecule of fructose. So, that makes sucrose about 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Fructose is 2x sweeter than glucose. Since table sugar is half fructose, it is lots sweeter than starches in potatoes, bread or other carbs that also turn into glucose in the body. The more fructose in any type of sugar, the sweeter it is. High fructose corn syrup is approximately 55% fructose and 45% glucose (but can vary higher in fructose content based on type). So that makes it sweeter than regular table sugar. The harmful effects of sugar have to do with the way your body metabolizes the fructose portion of the sugar. For instance, if we eat 100 calories of starchy foods like pasta or potatoes (which is converted to glucose in the body) or 100 calories of sugar (remember basically 50/50% of glucose and fructose), they are metabolized differently and have a different effect in your body.  Fructose is metabolized by our livers.
• Glucose from sugar and starches is metabolized in our cells.
Why does this matter? Consuming cane sugar or HFCS causes your liver to work very hard to process the fructose. If that sugar comes in a liquid form like soda or fruit juice, the fructose hits your system instantly and causes your liver to go into overdrive in an attempt to process it. And the fructose in High Fructose Corn Syrup hits your liver even faster than regular cane sugar because the fructose is not bound to the glucose in it. So your liver gets a massive shot of fructose faster! When fructose is ingested quickly in larger quantities, the liver converts it to fat. 
The fat becomes a substance called triglycerides, a key contributor to heart disease. Some of these triglycerides float around in your bloodstream and get stored as fat on your body. However,  excess  fat  is  also  stored  in  the  liver.  Ever  hear  of  ‘fatty  liver  disease'?  When  the liver starts storing excess amounts of fat, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome follow, and not far behind then, is type 2 diabetes. The result—accelerated aging, chronic disease and sometimes, eventually death—all from excess sugar. Some other ways fructose accelerates aging and disease: • Fructose elevates uric acid, which not only leads to high blood pressure, but also 
chronic, low-level inflammation which can affect virtually every system in your body to speed up aging and multiple chronic diseases. Ever heard of gout? This is a painful form of arthritis in which the uric acid forms crystals on joints, mainly in the feet and hands. • Fructose tricks your body into gaining weight by turning off your body's appetite- control system. Consuming foods containing fructose actually makes you hungrier,  by  confusing  your  hormones.  You  don't  feel  full  when  you  should,  so  you keep eating. • Fructose quickly and easily leads to weight gain and abdominal obesity (yes, this is where the dreaded "belly fat" comes from), decreased HDL (good cholesterol), increased LDL (bad cholesterol), elevated triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, and high blood pressure, which leads to metabolic syndrome. And of course, it can continue straight to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In 1980, only about 1 in 7 Americans were obese, and about 6 million people had diabetes—it was not nearly as much of a common disease as today. Today, 1 in 3 Americans are obese, and 19 million Americans have diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Fact Sheet (2011). Another  seven  million  people  are  estimated  to  have  undiagnosed  diabetes.  That's  26  million people! Add  to  that  another  79  million  people  with  ‘pre-diabetes'.   That's  staggering!!  That  combined  number  is  approximately  100  million  people  with  diabetes or pre-diabetes  in  the  United  States.  That's  one  third  of  the  population!       Diabetes leads directly to premature aging (including wrinkly, saggy skin) and more serious complications including: • Heart disease and strokes • High blood pressure • Kidney disease • Nervous system disease (neuropathy) • Amputations of extremities We know that one of the most accurate predictors of heart disease and diabetes is a condition  called  ‘metabolic  syndrome'. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) at least 75 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, and probably many more have it but have not yet been diagnosed. What is metabolic syndrome? It means your body has become resistant to insulin, among other issues. Normally when you eat carbs or sugar, blood sugar goes up, insulin is then released to counter the rise in blood sugar, and blood sugar goes back to a normal level. If your diet is high in sugars and starchy foods, your body is continually pumping out insulin to lower your blood sugar. Eventually your cells stop responding to insulin, and your pancreas cannot create enough insulin in response to the demand, and it becomes exhausted. Blood sugar levels begin rise out of control, and stay constantly high, until you end up with type 2 diabetes. Add one more deadly disease that is tied directly to sugar and insulin—Cancer. According to World Health Organization's  International  Agency for Research on Cancer: Your chances of getting cancer are much higher if you are obese, diabetic or insulin What's  the  connection?  Sugar. And, your chances of dying from a form of malignant cancer are way higher if your diet is high in sugar. Cancer researchers now know that the problem with insulin resistance and cancer is that as we secrete more insulin, we also secrete a related hormone known as  ‘insulin-like  growth  factor',  and  the  insulin  encourages  bigger  tumor  growth. Craig Thompson, president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, says many human cancers depend on insulin for fuel to grow and multiply. Some cancers develop mutations that actually feed off the insulin, and other cancers just take advantage of the elevated blood sugar and insulin levels from those with metabolic syndrome, obesity or type 2 diabetes. Many of the pre-cancerous cells would never acquire the mutations that transform them  into  malignant  tumors  if  they  weren't  being  driven by insulin to take up more and more blood sugar and metabolize it. The Trouble with Grains
When you take a look at the food supply of most modern societies, the common denominator is an overload of carbohydrates and processed grains—often combined with sugar or fructose (in the form of high fructose corn syrup). Wheat and corn are two of the worst carbohydrates for blood sugar and aging. Our Paleolithic ancestors didn't eat grains--at least nowhere close to the form we eat today. Nutritional archaeologists believe that the ancestral human diet before the agricultural revolution may have contained very small quantities of grains that could be gathered and added to soups or stews most likely. However, our Paleolithic ancestors had no way of consuming the massive quantities of grains that modern humans eat in everything from cereal, breads, muffins, pasta, and more foods that are considered "staples"  of  the  modern  diet. And the consumption of grain in most countries has been steadily increasing for the last 30-50  years,  to  the  point  where  grain  is  the  primary  food  in  many  people's  diets.  As  grain consumption has gone up, so have the numbers of obese and overweight people. Of course, there are confounding factors involved in this increase as well, including a more sedentary lifestyle, and increases in sugar and HFCS consumption as well. Today, flours are more refined than ever, missing fiber and essential nutrients. The modernized version of wheat, triticum aestivum, is very different from the wheat used by our ancestors. Modern wheat has been genetically altered through hundreds of hybridizations and manipulated to become a far different plant than it previously was. The gluten proteins in modern wheat are much different than the gluten in the wheat of the past. This is possibly one of the reasons for the sudden increase in the incidence of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Today's wheat is quite different than even just 50 years ago, as today's wheat has different levels of anti-nutrients and gluten with overall biochemical differences. Essentially, big agra has hybridized wheat heavily over the last 5 decades to improve things such as crop yield and baking characteristics, but never once thought about the impacts on human health of changing the biochemical structure of wheat. Although the biochemical differences may seem small, it can have a major impact on how the human digestive system processes the food. Dr. William Davis in his book, Wheat Belly, points this out with this passage. "Wheat gluten proteins, in particular, undergo considerable structural change with hybridization. In one hybridization experiment, 14 new gluten proteins were identified in the offspring that were not present in either parent wheat plant." This means that modern wheat contains new "foreign" gluten proteins that the human digestive system has not adapted to properly digesting.

Scientists have begun in recent years to discover links between wheat and a whole range of inflammatory diseases, from rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, gastro-esophageal reflux disease--to migraines and arthritis and more. Wheat can also cause low level, long-term inflammation possibly due to the gluten content, other anti-nutrients, or possibly even the extreme blood sugar response common from wheat foods. Many people would never connect these symptoms with eating grains; but weight gain, emotional, physical, and mental symptoms are fairly frequent with gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity dramatically increases inflammation not only in the digestive system, but in the whole body system as well. Gluten sensitivity and celiac disease also block the absorption of important nutrients, creating deficiencies that lead to frequent illnesses, chronic disease, a weakened immune system, mental problems, and dementia. Wheat also contains a type of carbohydrate called Amylopectin A that raises blood sugar shockingly high. Eating just two slices of whole wheat bread (the kind  we're  told  by  the  media  is  "healthy") raises blood sugar higher than eating two Tablespoons of pure sugar. High  blood  sugar  leads  to  insulin  release,  fat  storage,  weight  gain,  production  of  AGE's,  and inflammation.  It's  a  vicious  cycle. All of this can lead to accelerated aging and chronic disease. Corn may be just as big of a problem as wheat. Bumper crops of corn and government subsidies keep corn prices low, which in turn keeps many of the unhealthy items we buy at the store low-priced. Corn, in some form, is in an overwhelming majority of packaged foods that we buy from conventional grocery stores. Contrary to popular belief, corn is a grain, not a vegetable, and is not appropriate as a dietary staple for several reasons. It has a very high sugar content and it blocks nutrients from being utilized in the body (from anti-nutrient content). This evidence shows up in the archeological records of our ancestors and other ancient civilizations. When the Mayans and Native Americans changed their diets to a corn-based one, rates of anemia, arthritis, rickets, infectious disease, and osteoporosis skyrocketed, and the average lifespan of these natives shortened drastically. Our bodies were not made to exist on grain-based foods as the bulk of our caloric intake. Corn breaks down into sugar very rapidly in the body, which raises insulin levels, causes you  to  be  hungrier  and  causes  your  body  to  store  calories  as  fat.  Don't  be  mistaken--just because corn does not taste  obviously  sweet,  doesn't  mean  it  isn't  full  of  carbs that break down very fast into sugars. Once eaten, your body quickly turns corn and corn products into sugar. Even the starches in corn products are broken down very quickly in the body, spiking blood sugar levels, and causing cravings for more carbohydrate-based foods. Corn contains high levels of phytate, a chemical that binds to iron and inhibits its absorption by the body. So, consequently, a diet high in phytate can make people more likely to have iron-deficiency anemia and fatigue. Phytate also inhibits other vitamins and minerals from being utilized, creating nutrient deficiencies that lead to illness, physical degeneration and aging. Corn is also a poor source of important minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc, and vitamins such as niacin (B3). Deficiencies of niacin results in a condition known as Pellagra, which is very common in civilizations that eat a corn-based diet. It can cause a variety of health issues, such as dermatitis, diarrhea, and depression. So, a diet high in processed grains—especially corn and wheat—actually hastens the aging process and causes increased inflammation and susceptibility to disease. Keep in mind that even grains such as brown rice and oatmeal can have significant blood sugar  impacts  in  your  body,  particularly  if  you're  not  an  extremely  active  athlete.     Although rice and oatmeal have fewer issues with digestive system inflammation and anti-nutrients than wheat and corn do, it does not mean these are ideal foods to base your daily meal plans around. Once or twice a week is probably fine, but I personally would not consume these daily. Control Blood Sugar to Slow Aging
Eating a more Paleolithic type diet that is mostly grain-free (or fairly low in grains) is a
very  good  way  to  control  blood  sugar  and  the  resulting  AGE's  as  well.  This  type  of  diet  
emphasizes eating real foods, such as naturally raised (grass fed) meat and wild fish,
along with ample amounts of healthy fats, while avoiding or minimizing grains,
processed foods and sugars.
Foods higher in fiber are generally low glycemic, as well as foods that are primarily fat or
protein. When eating a food that has a high sugar or starch content, such as fruit, pair it
with a protein and/or a healthy fat to slow down the absorption in the digestive system.
This helps to keep blood sugar lower and controlled as well. For example, if you have an
apple as a snack, pairing that apple with nuts such as almonds (or almond butter),
walnuts, or pecans helps to balance and slow the blood sugar response due to the
healthy fats, protein, and fiber in the nuts.
Meats and other proteins such as cheese, eggs, fish and chicken are all low glycemic.
Avoid processed meats, though, including lunchmeat and sausages, as these often have
surprisingly high amounts of sugar in them.
Healthy fats also have very little, if any, effect on blood sugar, and help you to keep low
and stable levels, which is ideal for keeping your rate of aging slower. Extra virgin olive
oil, butter, avocados, cheeses, nuts, coconuts and coconut oil are all foods that help
keep low and stable blood sugar levels.
Focusing on low glycemic foods and protein and healthy fat based foods instead of
processed, packaged foods with added refined starches and sugar goes a long way
towards avoiding blood sugar ups and downs.

Low Glycemic Foods to Keep Blood Sugar Stable

Walnuts
Peanut and Nut Butters Yellow Split Peas Brown Rice (in low amounts) Quinoa (in low amounts) Cheeses, esp. Raw Cheese Buckwheat (in low amounts)

Herbs, Spices and Miscellaneous Foods that Lower Blood Sugar Response


Many herbs and spices have been found to be as powerful as some medications in
lowering and stabilizing blood sugar. But if you are on medication, always check with
your physician to be sure adding spices will not interfere with your current prescription.
Cinnamon – Studies have shown that cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity and blood
sugar stability with as little as a ½ teaspoon per day. When cinnamon was taken for 40
days, moderate doses of it (1 to 6 grams per day) actually reduced blood sugar levels by
18-29%, according to a study published in 2003 in the medical journal Diabetes Care.
Best type of cinnamon to use—Saigon cinnamon.
Add a half teaspoon or so of cinnamon to your daily cup of coffee as a tasty way to enjoy
the blood sugar controlling benefits!
Cloves – This spice contains powerful antioxidants, including anthocyanins and phenolic
compounds. Cloves have antiseptic and germicidal properties, and they offer anti-
inflammatory, analgesic and digestive health benefits. Clove oil can even be used to for
pain relief from toothaches, headaches, and as a remedy for cough and even
indigestion.
Cilantro and Coriander – The leaves of the cilantro plant are used in many foods, as well
as its seeds (coriander). In Europe, coriander is often referred to as an "anti-diabetic"
plant. Coriander is known to stimulate the secretion of insulin and lower blood sugar. It
also has very beneficial effects on the cholesterol, lowering the LDL and raising the good
cholesterol, HDL.

Cumin – Like cinnamon, cumin keeps blood sugar levels stable. Cumin has been proven
to work as well as some commonly used diabetic drugs at regulating insulin and
glycogen. Cumin is also effective at stimulating pancreatic enzymes, which help in
digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Fenugreek – Fenugreek seeds help with lowering blood sugar levels, particularly after
meals. The active components of fenugreek are trigonelline, and 4-hydroxyisoleucine.
These ingredients seem to stimulate insulin directly. This reaction is dependent upon
high glucose levels, so it may not act in the same manner in lower blood sugar levels.
The active components of fenugreek that help to control your blood sugar are contained
in thsupplement we mentioned earlier, along with 4 other
powerful blood sugar controlling herbal ingredients. 


Ginseng – American ginseng contains a substance called, ginsengosides. Researchers
have  found  that  ginseng  slows  carbohydrate  absorption,  increases  cells'  ability  to  use  
glucose, and stimulates insulin secretion in the pancreas. Studies done at the University
of Toronto showed that ginseng capsules can lower blood glucose 15-20%.
Sage - This herb contains phytosterols that, according to German study on this herb
reduced blood sugar levels in diabetics who drank infusions of this herb. It is often used
to flavor meat and soup dishes, but can also be drunk as tea.
Turmeric - Turmeric has properties of being able to block enzymes that change
carbohydrates into glucose, thereby lowering blood sugar. One of the active ingredients
in turmeric is curcumin, which induces the flow of bile, and in turn breaks down fats. I
like to add turmeric to my eggs a couple times a week whenever I make scrambled eggs.
And eating a curry dish a few times a month is not only tasty, but very healthy! I also
take a couple capsules  a  day  of  pure  turmeric  to  get  a  little  extra  since  it's  not  a  spice  
that we cook with daily.

Lemon Juice - Studies show that as little as 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice in a glass of
water lowered blood sugar levels by as much as 20%. The effects appear to be related to
the acids, as it is know that other acids can also have a blood sugar lowering effect.
Acidity in food slows the natural rate of stomach emptying, resulting in a longer time for
carbohydrates to be absorbed. I like to squeeze a couple lemon slices in my
unsweetened iced tea throughout the day or in water with a meal.
Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar Response from meals
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) – This super powerful antioxidant helps to control blood sugar
levels and increase insulin sensitivity. Studies showed alpha lipoic acid rejuvenates and
replaces damaged and aging, which are the powerhouses and generators of energy
within our cells. ALA is especially known to raise glutathione  levels,  (one  of  the  body's  
most protective antioxidant and detoxification compounds) to those of a younger
person. It also acts as a strong anti-inflammatory agent, which helps prevent many
degenerative diseases. ALA also improves body composition and lean muscle mass,
glucose tolerance, and energy. ALA is thought to be a very promising treatment for
obesity and diabetes type 2.


Note: You can reap the blood sugar and antioxidant anti-aging benefits of ALA along
with 4 other powerful blood sugar controlling herbal ingredients in thithat  I've  been  using  recently and mentioned earlier.
Magnesium – It is thought that 80% or more of the populations of civilized countries
have a magnesium deficiency, and this can worsen the effects of high blood sugar and
insulin resistance. Some studies show supplementing with magnesium helps with
carbohydrate metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity, and lowers blood sugar levels,
while it helps the body perform at least 300 different necessary enzymatic functions in
the body. Magnesium also reduces the fasting blood sugar number in diabetics.
Chromium - This trace mineral is thought to enhance the action of insulin as well as
being involved in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. Some research shows that
it helps normalize blood sugar if there is a chromium deficiency.
Vanadium - This mineral is found in low concentrations in foods like mushrooms,
shellfish and some spices like black pepper, parsley, and dill weed. As reported by the
University of Maryland Medical Center, studies suggest that vanadium may reduce
blood-sugar levels and improve sensitivity to insulin in people with type 2 diabetes.
Zinc - The mineral zinc helps the production and storage of insulin. People who eat a
vegan or vegetarian diet (especially those who eat a lot of soy) tend to have zinc
deficiencies. Foods that have zinc include fresh oysters, ginger root, lamb, pecans, split
peas, egg yolk, beef liver, lima beans, almonds, walnuts, sardines, chicken and
buckwheat.
Chapter 3
Inflammation—The Silent and Sneaky Partner of Aging

Inflammation  is  actually  a  product  of  our  immune  system,  and  is  our  body's  protective  
response to injury, dangerous bacteria, viruses, or toxins. Normally it is part of a healthy
immune response to prevent dangerous invaders from taking over our bodies.
We often become our own worst enemies when our overly active immune systems and the inflammatory response end up damaging our own bodies. And, unfortunately, once started, inflammation becomes difficult to turn off. Often inflammation is sneaky and silent, but can be deadly, too. Inflammation may be totally invisible to our own eyes, and often only specific blood tests can uncover high inflammation levels. Why? Because many of the foods, additives and chemicals in our daily environment are substances  that  turn  on  our  body's  defenses.   It used to be thought that aging came with chronic inflammation, which then progressed to chronic disease. Over time, chronic inflammation can lead to breakdown of collagen, destruction of the joints, blood vessels, digestive system, brain and nerve tissue and other organ systems, and premature aging, disease and ultimately, death. The idea of chronic inflammation and its connection to aging and disease has been around for many years, but it has only begun to be studied intensely in recent years. Gerontologists have known for years that inflammation seems to increase with age, but no one really was sure which came first—aging or inflammation. Inflammation also has a very strong connection to disease, especially chronic disease, so it was always thought that with aging came inflammation and, disease. What we now know, though, is that aging does not have be accompanied by inflammation, meaning that many of us can live to a ripe old age without chronic disease. Reducing inflammation in the first place, before it ages you faster and causes disease, can be largely controlled with the right diet. According to Russell Tracy, professor of pathology and biochemistry at University of Vermont College of Medicine, and a pioneer in research that demonstrated the role of inflammation in heart disease: "Inflammatory  factors  predict  virtually  all  bad  outcomes  in  humans.  It  predicts  heart attacks, heart failure, diabetes, becoming fragile in old age, cognitive function  decline,  and  even  cancer." Primitive man needed a strong immune system to fight off dangerous and deadly diseases and infections. Today we  live  in  a  more  "sterilized"  world where our immune systems are exposed to much less bacteria and other microorganisms on a daily basis than was natural in our ancestors. In some cases, this is good (in terms of dangerous infections), but in a general sense for overall immune system strength, this is bad. While the ability to thrive and survive as humans had a lot to do with the strength of our immune systems, it seems in our new overly sterile world, our immune systems and inflammation have turned on ourselves. Elderly patients with Alzheimer's  disease  (a  chronic,  progressive,  degenerative  disease  of the brain), show areas of the human brain clogged up with neurofibrillary tangles and plaques. These same patients show many inflammatory cells and cytokines (a product of the immune system response).  Clearly  Alzheimer's  disease  has  a  strong  association  to  inflammation. In diabetes, inflammation and insulin resistance work their destruction together. High blood  sugar  raises  the  body's  inflammatory  markers.  The  drugs  that  seem  to  restore  insulin  sensitivity  are  also  effective  at  reducing  the  body's  inflammatory  markers  like  IL-6 and CRP. Even osteoporosis and depression may have inflammatory roots, along with age-associated weakness. Scientists have even found that inflammatory activity breaks down skeletal muscle, leading to the loss of lean muscle mass. And on top of that, extra body fat tends to make these diseases strike earlier, because fat cells increase inflammation, and bring on accelerated aging. Inflammation can be a very subtle process—one that you may not even be aware of. Often low-level inflammation in our bodies is nothing like the raging infection, high fever  or  allergic  reaction  that  you  can't  help  but  notice.  Most  chronic  inflammation  goes  on at a much lower level. As inflammation in various parts of the body simmers in the background, over the years, damage begins to accumulate--in the heart, the brain, your nerves, your digestive system, your bones and joints and more. So the question is: Is inflammation a part of the aging process or does inflammation accelerate aging? The answer is—you can control HOW you age and HOW FAST you age by controlling—and limiting—the inflammation in your body. What you eat, and how much you eat has a definite effect on the level of inflammation in your body. Many of the processed foods, additives, chemicals, and pesticides in our food supply are known to increase inflammation. In addition, food sensitivities, eating the wrong types of fats, allergies, and gluten issues also increase inflammatory reactions. And of course, limiting and controlling your blood sugar strongly affects inflammation and aging as well. The typical high-carb/high grain, low fat diet that many people eat, is extremely inflammatory. Refined sugar and other high glycemic foods make blood sugar and
insulin levels rise, and put the immune system on high alert. High insulin levels also
activate enzymes that raise levels of inflammatory arachidonic acid in your blood.
Much of the inflammation in our bodies begins in our digestive systems with sensitivities
to common foods eaten every day like pasteurized dairy, corn and wheat. These foods
contain proteins that easily spark the inflammatory cascade. You can be allergic or
sensitive to any of these foods and not even know it—but they can be at work creating
inflammation in your body.

Fats and Inflammation

Once thought of as healthy, polyunsaturated oils like safflower, cottonseed, sunflower,
corn, peanut and soy, are primarily made up of omega-6 fatty acids. Our diets have an
overabundance of omega 6 fats, which creates an unhealthy imbalance. Without
enough omega 3 fatty acids to hold omega 6 fats in the proper ratio, the body turns the
omega 6 fats into excess arachidonic acid, which is highly inflammatory.
The proper balance of omega 6 fats to omega 3 fats is about 2:1 or 1:1. Unfortunately,
most diets (heavy in grains, vegetable oils and grain-fed meat) are out of balance with
regard to omega 6 and omega 3 fats. A standard diet often has a ratio of about 20:1,
omega  6's  to  omega  3's.  A  diet  this  heavy  in  omega  6  fats  increases inflammation in the
body.
Unnatural fats and hydrogenated fats, like trans fats, create free radicals that damage
healthy cells and trigger inflammation. Trans fats are made by subjecting oils that are
highly polyunsaturated to extreme high heat and pressure --to a point where there is a
change in its chemical structure making the oil more oxidized and more inflammatory.
Then extra hydrogen atoms are added to make it more stable for food preservation.
Also, industrial solvents such as hexane are used to extract the last amounts of oil from
the soybean or cottonseed, which adds to the inflammatory characteristics of the oil.
While artificial trans fats look chemically similar to their natural fat counterparts, they
are far from natural. Eating these types of fats becomes an inflammatory disaster.
These unhealthy trans fats compete with omega 3 fats in our cell membrane (which is
made up of fatty acids). When the cell membrane is made up primarily of omega 6 fats
and trans fats, the membrane actually becomes less resilient and brittle, which limits
the exchange of nutrients. This poorly structured cell cannot fight dangerous invaders effectively, and eventually weakens and dies, often allowing dangerous pathogens to reproduce, unchecked in the body. Both trans fats and excess omega 6 fats encourage the storage of body fat, especially in the abdomen. Excess belly fat, which can be measured as a waist size of 35 inches or more for a woman and 40 inches or more for a man, means higher levels of inflammation, since abdominal fat produces inflammatory chemicals in the body. A diet heavy in omega 6 fatty acids actually increases wrinkling and aging of the skin as well leading to more cancerous changes from exposure to the sun. In test subjects, dietary omega 6 fatty acids increased levels of PGE(2), an inflammatory messenger chemical that promoted the growth of pre-cancerous and cancerous skin cell changes. Fortunately there are several anti-inflammatory fats, which are highly effective in helping our bodies stay younger and fight the effects of aging and inflammation. Omega-3 fats can include alpha linolenic acids (from flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and dark green leafy vegetables).  ALA's  are  a  short  chain  fatty  acid  that  should  be converted into the important long chain omega-3 fats, EPA and DHA. For many people on plant based (meatless) diets, the conversion rate is very low, which is why if one chooses to be vegan or vegetarian, at least supplementing with fish oil can be very important. The anti-inflammatory properties of EPA have been studied at length and proven to fight inflammation and a variety of health issues from depression, to heart disease and cancer. EPA or Eicosapentaenoic acid is a long chain omega 3 fatty acid found in oily, cold water fish and grass fed meats. It is important to note that grain fed meat and farm-raised fish contain primarily omega-6 fats, and wild-caught fish and grass fed meat contain much higher amounts of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats.
DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is another omega 3 fat found in fatty fish and grass fed
meats. It is the primary omega 3 fatty acid in the brain and eyes, so an adequate supply
of this essential fat is necessary for brain, nerve and eye function. Low levels of DHA are
often  tied  to  Alzheimer's,  dementia  and  other  mental  illnesses.  
I personally try to choose grass-fed  meats  and  wild  fish  as  much  as  possible…  at  least  5  
days  a  week.    It's  a  bit  harder  when traveling, so if your only choice is typical grain-fed
meats,  I'd  suggest  supplementing  with  some  extra  fish  oil  to  help  out  your  balance  of  
omega-3 to omega-6 and get enough DHA and EPA.
I've  found  based  on  quantity  
of DHA and EPA and also lack of rancidity.
MUFA's
Monounsaturated oils like extra-virgin olive oil, oil from most nuts, avocados, and coconuts are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that fight inflammation. The anti-inflammatory strength of olive oil rests on its polyphenols. Its anti-inflammatory compounds contain nine different types of polyphenols and more than twenty other anti-inflammatory nutrients. Monounsaturated polyphenols, like those in
olive oil, are powerful inhibitors of inflammation.
These oils decrease the production of messaging molecules that signal to increase
inflammation. They also contain enzymes that block the action of pro-inflammatory
substances in the body. Olive oil especially is known to significantly lower levels of C-
reactive protein (CRP), which is a standard medical laboratory test for inflammation—
especially in the blood vessels and is a good predictor of heart attacks.
The  most  effective  monounsaturated  oils  are  ‘virgin'  oils  meaning  they  are  cold  pressed  
and not heat processed. Heat destroys some of the valuable polyphenols and other
nutrients in the oils.
Using monounsaturated fats to control inflammation does not require a large amount.
As little as 1 or 2 Tablespoons a day are associated with significant anti-inflammatory
benefits. When  it  comes  to  extra  virgin  olive  oil,  remember  that  it's  not  a  great  idea  to  
cook with that under high heat. Low to medium heat is okay, but high heat degrades
some of the health benefits of olive oil.
Anti-Aging, Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Spices, and Nutrients

Certain spices, herbs and teas contain some very powerful compounds that fight
inflammation. Some of the most powerful anti-inflammatory phytochemicals are in
these herbs and spices:
 Turmeric  Basil  Thyme  Cloves  Oregano  Sage  Rosemary  Ginger  Cinnamon  Chili Pepper and cayenne Some of the spiciest anti-inflammatory additions to a meal are hot peppers--including jalapeños, habeneros, and cayenne peppers. Chili peppers of all types include capsaicin (the hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin it contains), which is a potent inhibitor of a substance in the body associated with inflammation. Capsaicin also helps to raise metabolism and burn fat as well. Green, white, oolong, and rooibos tea contain potent catechins, bioflavonoids and polyphenols that reduce inflammation and limit free radical production. Drinking 2 cups of these kinds of tea a day can reduce inflammation significantly, as well as adding powerful antioxidants that fight aging and disease. Collagen is a structural part of skin, membranes and connective tissue in the body. It is a fibrous protein found in skin, bone, cartilage, lung tissue, blood vessels, tendons, and other tissues. Collagen forms a structure under the skin that supports the lower layers of skin. As we age, this connective tissue begins to degrade and the cellular proteins begin to clump together. This process causes wrinkling and sagging skin. Collagen has been shown to reduce damage to joints, as well as reducing joint pain, tenderness and swelling. A Harvard Medical School study done on the effects of collagen and its ability to reduce inflammation and pain (Dr C Searling, Fresco CA), proved that collagen had very positive benefits in reducing oxidative damage to joints, and reducing pain, tenderness and swelling. Collagen consists of 15% glucosamine and 15% chondroitin sulphate - two substances that are well known for their beneficial anti-inflammatory properties, particularly in joints. Bone broth and chicken feet contain large amounts of valuable collagen, and including the collagen from these rich sources in the diet can protect your joints as well as your skin. Simmering bones or organic chicken feet to make a delicious broth will help supply you with high quality collagen in your diet. I also use a tasty drink a few times a week called(in orange and fruit punch flavor,  sweetened  with  stevia)  that  contains  hydrolyzed  collagen  protein…  it  has  over  20  grams  of  protein  and  only  2  grams  of  sugar,  plus  3  grams  of  fiber,  so  it's  a  great  drink  to  have mid-day or late at night when you need to control your appetite and prevent cravings too! As  crazy  as  this  might  sound,  I've  also  used  thedrink mix on occasion as the low-sugar sweetener to make home-made margaritas and they come out delicious! Who would have ever thought of a high-protein, high-fiber margarita! Vitamin C is one of the nutrients responsible rebuilding and maintaining collagen. And, research suggests that people who  don't  get  enough vitamin C may have a greater risk of developing arthritis. Just one more good reason to include vitamin C-rich foods — such as guava, bell peppers (yellow, red, orange, and green), oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, strawberries, pineapple, broccoli, tomatoes, kiwi, and cauliflower — as a part of your daily diet. Foods High in Anti-Inflammatory Fats (use a variety for max benefit)
Salmon
Sardines
Anchovies
Halibut
Mackerel
Tuna
Grass fed Meats
Free range, organic eggs
Walnuts
Almonds
Cashews
Pecans
Brazil Nuts (limit to only 3-4 a day to prevent getting too much selenium)
Pistachios
Avocados
Coconut
Macadamia Nuts
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Flaxseeds
Chia Seeds
Hemp Seeds
Coconut oil
Anti-Inflammatory Herbs, Spices, Teas (use a variety for max benefit)
Green, oolong, white, and black tea
Red rooibos tea (highest antioxidants of all teas)
Herbal teas
Cloves
Turmeric, Curry
Ginger
Garlic
Rosemary
Cayenne
Cilantro
Parsley

Cinnamon 

Rosemary 

Basil
Cardamom
Chives
Cilantro
Misc. Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Chocolate (70-75% or more cacao to reduce sugar and maximize antioxidants)
Red or black Grapes
Kelp
Shiitake mushrooms (and all other mushrooms)
Papaya
Pineapple
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Blueberries
Jalapeño Pepper
Habenero Pepper
Banana Pepper
Chili Peppers
Broth from Chicken Feet
Bone Broth (often forgotten superfood)
Chapter 4
Oxidation and Free Radical Damage
You can think of oxidation like  rust,  except  the  ‘rusting'  is  in  our  bodies.  Free  radicals  are  
chemically unstable molecules that attack our cells and damage DNA. Accumulated free
radical damage to our cells brings about accelerated aging, chronic disease, and
eventually, cell death.
Free radical damage has been linked to a variety of illnesses including cancer, arthritis,
atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes. Free radicals are also known to be
one of the possible causes of cancer, causing mutations in cells and the death of healthy
cells.
Unfortunately, avoiding free radical damage is virtually impossible, as breathing, eating,
exercising and just being exposed to the environment can cause some free radical
damage. You can, however limit your exposure to free radicals by avoiding things like
cigarette smoke, pesticides, pollution, trans fats, and other toxic substances. You can
also counteract and protect yourself from the effects of free radicals by consuming all of
the high-antioxidant  herbs,  spices,  and  foods  we've been talking about in this manual.
Unstable free radicals in the body will do whatever it takes to capture the electron they
need to stabilize themselves. Free radicals will attack nearby molecules to steal an
electron, and when the molecule under attack loses an electron, it then becomes a free
radical and repeats the process. This creates a chain reaction effect and the living cells in
the body then becomes damaged.
The  chain  reaction  that  is  caused  by  free  radicals  can  cause  a  ‘cross-linking'  in  DNA,
which is the structure that is responsible for cell reproduction. When the DNA is
damaged, it can cause wrinkles, sagging skin, diseases, and even cancer. Free radicals
can cause oxidation of LDL cholesterol, helping to build up plaque in the arteries, leading
to heart attacks and strokes.
When we are younger, our cells are protected from free radicals with a substance called
superoxide dismutase, or SOD, that slows down the chain reactions of the free radicals,
but as we get older this protection does not work as well. So how do we tame the
inevitable free radicals and protect ourselves as we age?

Fortunately there are many antioxidants available in the food we eat, and some of these
foods contain large amounts of different types of antioxidants that protect cells in a
variety of ways. Antioxidants can travel around the body looking for free radicals and
neutralize them before they can do much damage to our cells.
Scientists are still discovering new and different types of antioxidants and other
phytochemicals in foods, but some of the better-known ones include beta carotene,
vitamin C, astaxanthin, and more.

Antioxidant Nutrients

Carotenoids – These are the pigments that give many fruits and vegetables their bright
colors. The red in the tomato you ate is red because of the carotenoid, lycopene. Carrots
contain an antioxidant called beta carotene.
There are over 700 different carotenoids, but they are divided into two distinct groups:
Carotenes and Xanthophylls. Carotenoids have a powerful ability to interact and
neutralize oxidation in the body.
There are many different varieties of antioxidants. Enzymes can be antioxidants,
vitamins can be antioxidants, and phytonutrients such as carotenoids are antioxidants
as well.
Carotenoids not only fight free radical damage in the body, but also help to keep your
skin looking smooth, young and wrinkle-free.
Recent studies have shown that many common foods have some antioxidant abilities,
but most antioxidants are found primarily in brightly colored fruits, vegetables and some
types of fish. For example, salmon is pink because it contains the antioxidant
astaxanthin, which comes from the blue-green algae they eat.
Antioxidants are work best when eaten with assortment of other antioxidants.
Antioxidants work together and can actually be synergistic: Two or three antioxidants
can have a combined effect greater than the sum of the individual antioxidants.
This is one of the reason why eating a diet of many different brightly colored fruits and
vegetables is important. You cannot get the variety of antioxidants that you would get
from eating brightly colored fresh organic produce from a bottle of vitamins.
Astaxanthin – Astaxanthin can be thought of as one of the primary anti-aging
antioxidants. Its positive health benefits affect all areas of the body to fight aging.
One of the most significant anti-aging benefits is at the cellular level. Astaxanthin has
been proven to protect the cells from oxidative stress, and protect DNA, while
increasing cellular energy.
Astaxanthin's  powerful  antioxidant  activity  can  target  specific  health  conditions  and  
fight accelerated aging of internal organs and tissues. Astaxanthin is highly protective of
the brain and nerve cells, which are very sensitive to the ravages of oxidative stress.
Astaxanthin has also been proven effective at preventing cataracts, ulcers, and the
additional stress of oxidative damage from diabetes. It is known to prevent many
different types of cancers and well as boosting immune function significantly.
The best sources of natural astaxanthin are shellfish, wild salmon, trout, andI
personally take krill oil daily to make sure I get ample amounts of anti-aging astaxanthin
since  I  don't  necessarily  eat  shellfish  or  salmon  every  single  day.
Anthocyanins - Another type of powerful antioxidants that help reduce inflammation by
inhibiting production of certain inflammatory chemicals. These compounds contribute
to the health of connective tissue in our skin and muscles, and are even more powerful
than vitamin C for fighting the free radicals that irritate body tissues and cause
inflammation. Anthocyanins in foods can be identified usually by their dark red, purple
or blue colors. Some of the best foods for anthocyanins include cherries, blackberries,
blueberries, eggplant, elderberries, raspberries, red and black grapes, strawberries, and
plums.

Beta carotene – A precursor to vitamin A that is found in egg yolk, spinach, carrots,
squash, broccoli, yams, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, pumpkin, and many types of
peppers. Beta-carotene also makes its way into skin cells in your body and protects your
skin from UV damage from the inside out!
Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. Although beta carotene is an
effective antioxidant, vitamin A is not, and can be toxic to the body when taken as a
supplement in too high of doses. Beta-carotene from natural foods on the other hand,
could never be ingested in too high of quantities as your body simply shuts down the
conversion to vitamin A when the body has what it needs.
Lycopene – This antioxidant is found in red fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, red
bell pepper and watermelon.  Lycopene's  potency  actually increases with cooking, so
tomato sauce and tomato paste have higher amounts of lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
Lycopene can also boost levels of procollagen in the skin, which suggests that it helps
reverse or slow the aging process.
Polyphenols – Green, white, and oolong tea contain antioxidants called polyphenols
that boost the ability of skin to protect itself from the sun. Drinking 2-4 cups of green
tea a day will have major antioxidant and skin-protecting benefits. Dark chocolate
(greater than 70-75% cacao content) contains a rich supply of polyphenols as well.
Selenium – This trace mineral is required for proper function of the body's antioxidant
enzyme  systems,  as  well  protecting  the  thyroid's  function. Selenium also helps support
high levels of glutathione. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, and just a few of these will
supply you with the necessary amount needed in a day. Note that brazil nuts are the
highest  known  food  source  of  selenium  and  I've  seen  some  sources suggest you could
overdose on selenium by eating too many brazil nuts too often. Eating 2-4 Brazil nuts a
day is great, but beware of eating an entire bag as you could get too large of a dose of
selenium.
Vitamin C – This powerful antioxidant is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus fruits,
green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries.
Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) – This powerful antioxidant protects cells and preserves cell
energy. 

Studies showed alpha lipoic acid rejuvenates and replaces damaged and aging
mitochondria, the powerhouse and generator of energy of our cells. It also helps to
restore levels of glutathione levels, one of the most powerful and protective antioxidant
and detoxification compound, to those of a younger person. ALA also improves body
composition and lean muscle mass, glucose tolerance, energy, and helps boost levels of
Glutathione.
And as we talked about earlier in this book, ALA is also a powerful blood-sugar
controlling substance, which works great in conjunction with cinnamon and several
other herbs/spices to significantly control blood sugar response from meals, and
thereby support fat loss efforts as well as reducing production of AGEs inside your body.
In the past, I personally sourced cinnamon capsules, ALA capsules, and fenugreek caps
separately, but I recently started using a powerful synergistic blend of blood sugar
controlling herbal ingredients including cinnamon, ALA, fenugreek, and two other
ingredients already combined into

Glutathione – The most powerful antioxidant in the body. Glutathione is critical to help
the immune system fight infections and prevent cancer. As you age, your body loses the
ability to get rid of toxins effectively, leaving you more susceptible to unrestrained cell
disintegration from oxidative stress, free radicals, infections and cancer. This happens
when the liver gets overloaded and damaged, making it unable to do its job. Toxins
actually stick to glutathione, which then carries them out via the digestive system and
bowel movements.
Glutathione also helps us reach our peak physical function. Research studies show that
raising glutathione levels decreases muscle damage, reduces recovery time, increases
strength, and endurance and lean muscle development. The top British medical journal,
the Lancet, found that healthy young people had the highest glutathione levels, while
healthy elderly people had lower levels, and the sick and hospitalized elderly having the
lowest of all.
Glutathione can be found in vegetables containing sulfur such as garlic, onions, and
cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, arugula,
watercress, cabbage, etc, or can be taken as a supplement.
Highest Antioxidant Foods to Protect Your Body from Oxidation
Cranberries
Blueberries-especially wild blueberries Red Kidney Beans Kale (and all other leafy greens) Butter (only grass fed) Beets and Beet Greens Green Leafy Lettuce Extra Virgin Olive Oil Shiitake Mushrooms Red, Yellow and Green Peppers Portabella and Crimini Mushrooms Bananas (occasional due to high sugar) Chapter 5
Fats Can Speed Up or Slow Down the Aging Process
The DNA in our cells is coded with a life span. At the ends of each chromosome lies
something  called  a  ‘telomere'.  Telomeres  protect  chromosomes  and  prevent  them  from  
fusing into rings or binding with other DNA. Think of telomeres as being kind of like the
little hard plastic ends on the ends of shoelaces. They keep the laces from coming
undone. Telomeres do a similar thing with your chromosomes.
When a cell divides, as they do thousands of times every day, strands of DNA get
snipped to in the process. The places that are snipped are the telomeres. These
telomeres get shorter and shorter with each cell division. Eventually the telomere gets
too short, and the DNA becomes damaged, putting  a  halt  to  the  cell's  ability  to  
reproduce. This is when the cell dies, and where aging occurs.
Telomere length is an important marker of true biological age that accurately predicts
illness and lifespan in many areas of health. The rate at which this happens varies
greatly among individual people and cells. This is why some people may look and act
older and may be more susceptible to age related disease than others.
How does this affect aging in our bodies?
Scientists can actually determine a cell's age and can estimate how many more times it
may replicate by studying the length of the telomeres in a person. Telomeres may be
one of the keys to aging.

Omega  3  Fats  vs.  Omega  6  Fats,  It's  All  About  the  Ratio  
Recent scientific research shows omega 3 fats can actually slow down the rate at which
telomeres on chromosomes shorten. The latest study conducted by scientists at Ohio
State University (2012); on  omega  3's  and  their  effect  on  telomeres  appeared  in  the  
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
The study showed that those that had the highest levels of omega 3 fatty acids also had
the slowest rates of telomere shortening over 5 years. And the patients with the lowest
levels  of  omega  3's  had  fastest  rate  of  telomere  shortening.   What's  more,  taking  omega  3  supplements  actually  lengthened the telomeres in the participants'  DNA.   In other words, those with the highest levels of omega 3 fats aged much more slowly. Supplementing with omega 3 fatty acids also was also found to reduce the oxidative stress from free radicals—which is another reason for accelerated aging. And omega 3 fatty acids also lowered inflammation in this same study group. As you already know, inflammation and oxidation are key to the beginnings of many chronic health conditions and is thought to be one of the reasons for advanced aging. Obviously anything that reduces inflammation has anti-aging benefits as well. Omega 3 fatty acids have a very long list of health benefits including: preventing heart disease, protecting the immune system, helping weight loss, keeping skin smooth and preventing wrinkles, improving mental health, preventing cancer, and fighting overall inflammation. By contrast, another study showed that the TYPE of fat eaten can shorten telomeres and accelerate aging. One of the worst types of fat appears to be omega-6 fats, not saturated fat, as the medical community would have us believe. The study also showed that the amount of food eaten also had a significant effect on telomeres. Those who ate the most food had shorter telomeres. Omega-6 fatty acids have taken over processed foods. Omega-6 fatty acids come primarily from grains and processed vegetable oils. Meat, chicken and farmed fish are raised on grain, making these foods high in omega 6 fatty acids as well. Omega-6 fats are one type of polyunsaturated fats, which are the most reactive type of fats to heat and light. This leaves them more prone to oxidation and free radical production. Omega-6 fats then become highly inflammatory in our bodies because of this. Omega 6 fats are in potato chips, corn chips, french fries, bottled salad dressings, corn oil, soy oil, and other vegetable oils. Most anything you purchase pre-made from the grocery store has this type of fat in it. Our primal ancestors ate a diet much higher in omega 3 fats from wild caught fish, grass fed meat and dairy, and wild game. The omega 6 to omega 3 ratio many years ago was
around 2 to 1. Today a typical modern diet in America or other westernized countries
has about 20 times more omega 6 fats than omega 3 fats.
This unnatural balance of essential fatty acids causes excess inflammation and negative
health effects. According to this study, eating excessive amounts of omega 6 fats
appears to be one of the fastest ways to accelerate aging.
Eating more foods containing omega 3 fats will help fight aging internally and externally.
Studies also show proof that the types of fat you eat can actually determine whether
you have more wrinkly, saggy skin or softer smoother skin—even as you get older.
While some wrinkles seem to be an inevitable sign of aging, and accumulated sun
damage, diet may be a key as to whether your skin will stay softer and smoother or look
wrinkled and dry as you age.
A diet higher in omega 6 fats causes worse sunburns, and contributes to more skin
damage from the sun (wrinkling) and is more likely to lead to skin cancer as well.
Omega 3 fatty acids prevent and reduce the damaging effects of the sun, and help the
body prevent and fight off skin cancer from sun exposure. People who eat a diet higher
in saturated fats and omega-3 fats have smoother, healthier skin, and younger, healthier
bodies overall.
Other Anti-Aging Fats
Contrary to current medical opinion and what you hear in the news, saturated fats can
be very good for you (from natural sources), and not only necessary for important
healthy physical function and hormone production, but for the brain and nerves as well.
In spite of what you may have heard about saturated fat, it can certainly be a healthy
part of your diet if from the right sources. Although often shunned as an unhealthy fat,
saturated fats are important for hormone production, cell membranes, your immune
system, and more. The best types of saturated fats include virgin coconut oil (the best
source of healthy MCT fats), fat from grass fed animals, butter (grass fed is best) and in
terms of cooking oils, even lard is a healthier choice than polyunsaturated oils like soy or
corn oil.
Our brain and nervous system is made of saturated fats and getting this fat in our diets
is important for proper brain function as we age. Saturated fats also make up the surface of our lungs, making for easier breathing. Saturated fats actually help to strengthen the immune system, protecting us as we age from infectious diseases and cancer. Saturated fats are also important to cell membranes, giving them their necessary strength and integrity, while maintaining the flexibility they need. In other words, saturated fats are vital to every cell in our body, making them vital to protecting every body system as we age. Some of the other ways eating a diet rich in saturated fats combats aging:  Saturated fats are necessary for proper utilization of other essential fatty acids. The body retains omega 3 fatty acids better when the diet is rich in saturated fats. • Saturated fats protect the bones by helping to calcium be utilized in the bones where it is needed for bone strength, making saturated fats important guardians against osteoporosis. • Saturated fats protect the liver from toxins such as medications, alcohol and environmental toxins. • Saturated fats lower a substance in the blood called Lp(a), or Lipoprotein(a), that indicates a potential for heart disease. • Short- and medium-chain saturated fats have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the body. Saturated fats also help us look younger on the outside as well, by helping the skin to stay soft and smooth. People who eat diets rich in omega 3 and saturated fats have much smoother, less wrinkled skin than those who eat predominately omega 6 fats. One of the best, anti-aging saturated fats is a saturated fat that comes from coconut oil. Coconut oil is composed predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Fat molecules come in different sizes, and that size makes difference in how the fat is utilized. Fats are made up of Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA), Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA), or Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA). The majority of fats and oils in our diets, whether they are saturated, monounsaturated, unsaturated, or come from animals or plants, are composed of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA). Some 98 to 100% of all the fatty acids you consume are LCFA. Coconut oil contains the most concentrated natural source of MCFA available in our diet. Because our bodies process  MCFA's  differently,  the  effects  of  coconut oil are uniquely different from those of other oils. Coconut oil is actually used to help treat health issues including weight loss, skin conditions, allergies, inflammation, Alzheimer's,  dementia,  and  strengthening  the immune system. Scientific studies have shown that coconut oil also has anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral properties and is effective against candida, measles, giardia, listeria, (common food-poisoning pathogens), staph, and heliobacter pylori (bacteria responsible for stomach ulcers) and is even being used and researched to help support the health and immune systems of HIV/AIDS patients. Virgin coconut oil actually has a beneficial effect in lowering total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins (LDL-the bad cholesterol) and so is good for the blood vessels and the heart.
Compared to carbohydrates, medium-chain triglycerides are a better and more efficient
source of quick energy. Most oils, are broken down into fatty acids that circulate
through your body after you eat them, and hungry fat cells in our bodies readily store
these  as  fat.  MCFA's  also  have  muscle-sparing effects. As a result, they can help build
lean muscle, which also helps control your metabolism to stay lean.
Researchers are now looking into the exciting possibility of using coconut oil as a
treatment  not  only  for  Alzheimer's  disease  but  also  for  Parkinson's  disease,
Huntington's  disease,  multiple  sclerosis  and  amyotrophic  lateral  sclerosis  (ALS  or  Lou  
Gehrig's  disease),  drug  resistant  epilepsy,  and  diabetes.
Obviously this saturated fat has great anti-aging properties, as you can see.

The most important change you can make in your diet is to replace all the refined
vegetable oils (soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, etc.), margarine,
shortening, or hydrogenated oils you may be currently using in your food preparation
with healthy saturated fats including virgin coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and extra virgin
olive oil.
The Best Anti-Aging Fats
Omega 3 Fats
Sardines
Salmon
Trout
Mackerel
Cod
Herring
Grass fed meats: beef, lamb, goat, bison, etc
Pasture raised chicken and eggs
Grass fed dairy
Walnuts
Hemp seeds
Chia seeds
Flax seeds

Monounsaturated Fats
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Almonds
Cashews
Pistachios
Pecans
Macadamias
Avocados
Olives (black and green)
Saturated Fats
Lard (from pasture raised animals)
Virgin coconut oil
Grass fed beef fat
Butter and cheese from grass fed cows
Chapter 6
Two remaining vitally important nutrients that fight aging:
Vitamin D

Vitamin D is of primary importance to optimal health, and can affect everything from
your immune system (one of the biggest reasons people tend to get sick in the winter
more than summer), to hormone balance, weight gain or loss, muscle strength, bone
density, cancer risk, and mental health. Other studies show that vitamin D helps with
rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, and heart disease.
And most importantly, vitamin D has been scientifically proven to slow the aging
process!
And while some of us may be younger and some of us are older, the one fact you cannot
argue with is that we are all growing older—whether its fast or slow--so anything that
helps us age better is something we can all use.
In a recent British study of over 2100 female twins, scientist looked at telomeres, which
are the part of DNA that shortens with aging. (Twins have very similar DNA, so
differences were easily noted within the experiment.) One group of the twins was taking
vitamin and mineral supplements and the other was not. At the end of the test period,
the telomeres of each group were measured.
Telomeres are the lengths of genetic material that cap the free ends of DNA in a cell,
and are one of the most reliable measures of aging. As a person ages, the telomeres
shorten and the DNA becomes more unstable until eventually the cell dies. While
telomeres are all the same length at birth, lifestyle factors such as diet, nutrition,
exercise, and other environmental factors will speed up or slow down the length of time
it takes for these to deteriorate.
The study found that those with the highest vitamin D levels had significantly longer
telomeres, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, meaning that those
with higher levels of vitamin D aged more slowly. And the best part--
Researchers found that those in the study with the highest vitamin D levels had DNA
that  was  the  equivalent  of  five  years'  younger!  
This is one of the reasons that vitamin D has such a strong protective effect on many
age-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Vitamin D is primarily made in the skin after exposure to mid-day sunlight (not early
morning or late day sunlight). It actually takes the UVB rays to convert the sunlight on
your skin to vitamin D. Getting sunshine on your skin for at least 20-40 minutes in the
middle of the day, when UVB rays are present, is the best way to get natural vitamin D,
based on your skin pigmentation (darker-skinned people need more, and lighter-skinned
people need less).
Important note: Vitamin D production in your skin only happens from UVB exposure
and not UVA exposure. According to vitamin D researcher Dr. Joseph Mercola, while
UVA rays from the sun make it to the surface of the earth regardless of the angle in the
sky, the sun needs to be at least 50 degrees above the horizon for UVB rays to penetrate
the ozone layer of the earth and make it to the surface.
Therefore, based on the latitude that you live, the time of day, as well as time of year,
there are only certain times that the sun is actually greater than 50 degrees above the
horizon. So keep in mind that you are only capable of producing vitamin D from the sun
at any times of day or times of year that the sun is at least 50 degrees or higher above
the horizon.
*By the way, the easy way to estimate what 50 degrees looks like is to think that 90
degrees would be the sun straight directly above your head, and 45 degrees would be
halfway down to the horizon. So 50 degrees would be if the sun is just slightly above
half way from the horizon to directly over your head.
As an example, in New York City (or any area at a similar latitude), in the strongest sun
month of June, you might have a sun angle of 50 degrees or more above the horizon all
the way from 930am through 430pm (just an estimate) . However, once you get to
September 1st and the sun is much lower in the sky, I'd estimate that you probably only
have a sun angle above 50 degrees for only 2 hours mid-day. And once you get to
October, the sun no longer goes above 50 degrees at all, even at mid-day.

To simplify, from around October to March, if you happen to live in the northern
hemisphere, north of approx 30-35 degrees latitude (roughly north of a line from Los
Angeles, California, over to Atlanta, Georgia), the sun is too low in the sky to stimulate
vitamin D production,  even  if  you're  outside  on  a  sunny  day  at  mid-day. And if you live
even further north, like in Canada or northern Europe, you will need to supplement your
vitamin D close to nine months or more out of the year.
The problem is that many of us have become so sun-phobic and afraid of skin cancer
that we are now seriously lacking in this essential pro-hormone. But—increasing Vitamin
D levels from regular small doses of sunshine can actually decrease one's  cancer  risk!  
According to Dr. William Grant, a noted vitamin D researcher, skin cancer rates in
people living at higher latitudes, such as Iceland, are approximately 4 times higher than
the skin cancer rates of those living at the stronger sun areas in lower latitudes in the
tropics.    It  may  seem  at  first  glance  as  one  of  those  "paradoxes",  but  in  reality,  it's  
simply the anti-cancer protective effect of getting more vitamin D from regular sun
exposure.
Our human ancestors functioned well with continual exposure to sunlight, which was
estimated to produce levels of 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D a day in our ancestral
skin!
Humans were never really designed to get vitamin D solely from food—we were made
to get it from being outside in the sunshine. While many of the foods we buy may say,
"vitamin  D  fortified",  in  truth,  very  few  foods  such  as  fatty  fish  (cod liver oil), eggs, and
organic liver, naturally contain vitamin D. In fact, the paltry amounts of vitamin D in
most vitamin D fortified foods means most people would need to eat 8-10 servings just
to meet the current RDA (Recommended Daily Amount), and as we know, the RDA is the
bare minimum, not the optimal amount.
The best form of vitamin D is from sun exposure. You cannot overdose on this kind of
natural vitamin D; the body converts only what it needs for optimal health. However in
winter months when the sun is not strong enough to create vitamin D, or if you are
indoors during the day or live in a far northern latitude, you will need a supplement.
When choosing a vitamin D supplement, it is important to take the natural form of
vitamin D, which is vitamin D3. The optimal healthy range of vitamin D in the blood is
around 50-70ng/mg, which can be achieved by taking a supplement of at least 1000IU to
5000IU per day, according to Dr. Heaney at the Creighton University Medical Center.
According to Dr. Joseph  Mercola's  recommendation,  however,  some people may need
more than 5,000  IU's  of  vitamin  D3  per  day  to  reach  the  optimal  levels  of  50-70 ng/ml,
which should be modified for the seasons if you are in the sun more during the spring
and summer. Too much  supplemental  vitamin  D  can  lead  to  toxicity,  so  it's  a  good  idea  
to consult with your physician to get vitamin D levels measured to get a more accurate
idea of how to much to take.
Personally,  I'm  very  active  outdoors  in  the  summer  with  hiking,  biking, and other
activities, so I choose to only take supplemental vitamin D3 during the spring, fall, and
winter.
Always take vitamin D with meals. When vitamin D is taken with the largest meal of the
day, studies show the highest increase in blood levels of vitamin D. Since vitamin D is a
fat-soluble vitamin, taking it with a meal that contains some healthy fats help it absorb
in the body better.
I highly recommend an OIL-BASED vitamin D3 supplement as it's better absorbed by
your body. Unfortunately, many D3 supplements use refined soybean oil as their oil of
choice. and uses olive oil as the base instead of
soybean oil.
Exciting new product I just recently found:
Here is a new product I started using recently called(with  Seanol  P)  and  it's  a  
very  powerful  mix  of  natural  vitamin  D3,  a  unique  fish  oil  you  can't find elsewhere called
calamarine oil, and also a potent antioxidant from algae extract that has 3.5x more
antioxidants than blueberries!
So  that  makes  this  a  "triple-whammy"  against  aging!


Probiotics, Gut-Friendly Organisms
What are probiotics? Probiotics are tiny organisms that exist in a healthy human
gastrointestinal tract.
Probiotics got noticed for the first time when a Nobel Prize-winning Russian
microbiologist traveled to Bulgaria and observed people who were drinking fermented
milk and living longer, healthier lives. For thousands of years many cultures ate
fermented foods before refrigerators came about, as a safe way of storing and eating
foods. Fermented foods are rich in beneficial bacteria that our bodies need for healthy
functioning.
These probiotics are the good bacteria that populate our digestive systems. This lining of
the intestinal tract in our bodies is key to optimal health. Healthy bacteria colonies help
to break down foods we eat, manufacture and metabolize vitamins, and other vital
nutrients, and filter out waste. But our intestinal organisms are even more complex than
just that.
While the general health of the whole body, including our mental health depends on the
ability of our digestive system to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates in our
foods  into  useable  nutrients.  It's  these  friendly  bacteria,  or  probiotics  that  live  in  our  
guts that have a real impact on our overall health.
Unfortunately, today's  modern  diets  are  processed,  pasteurized  and  basically  ‘dead'  
foods.  What  happens  when  people  eat  a  diet  heavy  in  processed,  ‘dead'  foods,  is  that  
harmful bacteria then take over in the digestive systems, causing many problems—not
only with the digestive system, but the body as a whole. Many diseases start in an
unhealthy environment in our guts. And this becomes even worse from taking
antibiotics. While antibiotics can kill dangerous pathogens, they also kill off the healthy
and beneficial bacteria in our bodies as well.
Probiotic actually means "for life," and probiotics like lactobacillus, plantarum and bifidis
help immune cells fight disease, prevent diarrhea and constipation, protect the mucous
lining of the intestine, assist digestion and provide the proper nutrients for healthy
blood cells. Probiotics are also responsible for the manufacture of B vitamins and
vitamin K right in the intestines where are immediately absorbed.
The tiny organisms that live in our digestive system can have a huge impact on our
health. And what we eat determines what kinds of organisms we have. Unhealthy,
processed, starchy or sugary foods can cause bad bacteria to grow out of control, making our immune systems weak, and affecting our ability to metabolize and synthesize vitamins and nutrients. The  intestines  also  function  as  one  of  the  body's  most  important  immune  defenses.  In  fact, 70-80%  or  so  of  the  body's  immune  cells  are  present  in  the  intestines.  Of  course  our immune systems protect us from dangerous viruses, bacteria, and parasites, but they also control responses to foods and food allergies as well. The intestinal tract is the largest interface between the body and the external environment, and actually contains more surface area than our skin. Signals from nerve cells, endocrine cells, and immune cells in the intestines affect tissues and organs throughout the entire body. There are nearly a billion neurons in the intestinal nervous system. It's  really  no  wonder  then  that  people  say  they  have  a  "gut  feeling".   Amongst this complicated and highly specialized system, live organisms that have a powerful effect on our health. These beneficial bacteria fight off dangerous organisms and potentially harmful invaders. Probiotics regulate our immune responses, and suppress excessive inflammation as well. But too many antibiotics which kill off all bacteria, good or bad; toxins in the environment, and a bad diet high in sugar and starch will throw off this delicate balance. And yes, simply growing older can throw off this balance of beneficial bacteria too. Negative changes in our intestinal flora can be associated with inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. It is now thought that many allergic reactions, asthma, and even obesity are tied to bacterial imbalances in the gut. The good news though, is that adding the right types of probiotics and good bacteria will maintain or restore a healthy balance in your intestinal tract and improve overall health in the entire body, and fight aging. For example, higher levels of beneficial bacteria are actually an aid to weight loss, as overweight people tend to have low levels of the right kinds of bacteria. This chronic exposure to unhealthy bacteria in the intestines causes system-wide inflammation and can lead to metabolic syndrome, which, as you may already know, is the beginning of diabetes and heart disease. The right probiotics can help to lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol and improve insulin sensitivity. And most importantly, probiotics may play a major role in preventing cancers, both inside and outside the intestinal tract—especially cancers of the colon, liver and bladder. Two types of bacteria, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, have been found to be highly beneficial to health. Studies have shown that they can actually prevent potentially harmful bacteria from attaching to the lining of our digestive systems, help achieve the right acid-base balance for the intestines, support the gut lining and other intestinal microflora and provide strength and support for the immune system. In  two  separate  human  studies  it's  been  shown  that  probiotics  directly  improve  the  body's  immune  response.  One  study  showed  that  ingesting  probiotics  for  only  a  short  time caused significant increases in the cytotoxic ability of natural killer cells. And, another study of subjects in their fifties who consumed a dairy drink with a strain of Lactobacillus found the same benefit. Study after study has shown that probiotics help keep people healthier, especially the aging population. As you age, the immune system weakens and the healthy balance of bacteria and organisms in the digestive system begins to break down. Although we typically think of probiotics benefiting just the intestines, they actually benefit the whole digestive system, including the mouth, throat, stomach, and vaginal tract. Some of the other ways probiotics can benefit your body:  Probiotics can prevent wrinkles and give you a glowing complexion by
eliminating the toxins and fighting free radicals that can damage skin and cause early signs of wrinkling and sagging. And probiotics help you digest your food better, so you get more nutrients in your body.  Probiotics can help you burn fat better by reducing cravings for carbohydrates,
sugar and alcohol and help you have more energy to be more active.  Probiotics clean your liver which is reflected in your skin and eyes. When you
keep toxins from building up in the liver, you have younger looking skin with less liver spots, moles and skin tags, and you have bright, clear eyes.  Probiotics help your hair and fingernails grow faster and stronger by keeping
the blood vessels surrounding your hair follicles nourished. Healthy blood nourishes hair, skin and nails. Probiotics also help to break down proteins in the diet that benefit hair and nails. Although probiotics have been known about for a long time, we are just beginning to understand just how important their role is in fighting aging, maintaining good health, strengthening the immune system, and fighting disease. There are hundreds of probiotic products available in foods, drinks and supplement forms. The following tips can help you choose a high quality probiotic product:  Make sure the probiotics are live cultures. Many yogurts and other food products  brag  about  containing  probiotics,  but  unless  they  are  ‘live',  they  won't  do  any  good.    Look  at  how  many  CFU's  are  present  in  each  serving,  and  go  for  the  highest    Look for the type of bacteria present. Some of the better known ones are acidopholus, lactobacillis, and bifido bacteria. These strains are also highly beneficial: Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Streptococcus thermophilus, bifidobacteria, and Saccharomyces boulardii.  If you are taking supplements, make sure the product is enteric coated, meaning that it will survive the acid environment in the stomach to get to the small or large intestine where it is needed.  And most probiotics will die in a warm or hot environment, so be sure to buy from a trusted source that keeps their products cool enough to be viable. Most probiotics do not have any adverse side effects but read labels carefully and take as  directed.  Some  probiotics  may  have  a  very  ‘cleansing'  effect  on  the  digestive  system—especially if you are not used to them. Healthy Probiotic Foods
Yogurt-Avoid the sweetened, heavily processed yogurts, and instead go for
unsweetened,  plain,  organic  types  of  yogurt.  And  be  sure  the  label  says,  "Live  cultures".  
Kefir-A cultured milk product and is helpful to those with lactose intolerance. Kefir
contains different types of beneficial bacteria than yogurt does, as well as beneficial
yeasts. Kefir contains more bacterial strains that remain viable in the digestive system,
increasing the likelihood of intestinal colonization.
Kombucha Tea-This tea is made from a culture of symbiotic beneficial bacteria and
yeasts that has been popular in China for the last 2,000 years. Kombucha contains many
important amino acids, B vitamins, and powerful substances that enhance the immune
system.  It's  also  known  to  be  effective  against  many  cancers.  
Kimchi (also spelled Kim Chee sometimes) -This traditional spicy Korean condiment is
made of cabbage and other vegetables and seasoned with salt, garlic, ginger and chili
peppers. Fermented vegetables make them easier to digest as well as increasing the
vitamin levels. I like to have some Kimchi with my morning eggs for an extra probiotic
boost.
Sauerkraut-This cabbage dish has been salted and lacto-fermented over a period of
weeks. The healthy bacteria in sauerkraut produce beneficial enzymes as well as having
antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances. Make  sure  it's  fresh  and  not  canned  
sauerkraut  which  is  likely  to  be  "dead"  from  the  heating  during  canning.
Miso-Miso is made from cultured paste of soybeans. Salt and water are the only other
ingredients of natural miso. The enzymes break down and help to pre-digest the
proteins, starches, and fats into amino acids, simple sugars and fatty acids. Miso is often
used as a soup base but is great in sauces, marinades and dressings as well. Be aware
that high temperatures in boiling will kill the beneficial microorganisms in true miso.
Note that many miso soups found in the states actually use tofu and not miso. Only
miso is the fermented version.
Tempeh-Another healthy form of fermented soybeans (generally soybeans are not a
healthy food-unless they are fermented). This soy food is easier to digest and provides
many valuable vitamins and nutrients, as well as protein, calcium and iron. The mold
that is produced from the fermentation produces a natural antibiotic that strengthens
the immune system.

Umeboshi-Salty, sour lacto-fermented pickled plums that originated in Japan. Umeboshi
are highly alkaline and help to stimulate the digestive system, and promote elimination
of toxins. They also possess natural antibiotic properties and are very beneficial for
intestinal health.

Pickles-There are almost limitless varieties of lactofermented vegetables you can make
using salt, temperature and a controlled environment. Most pickles purchased from the
store, are made using vinegars and heat processing, which eliminates the beneficial
bacteria and enzymes that result from natural fermentation--check the label if you want
to find pickles that are actually fermented, which is rare to find.
Fermented drinks-Besides kombucha and kefir, there are beginning to be many
fermented fruit and vegetable drinks showing up on the shelves of many healthy
grocery stores and health food stores. One  of  my  favorites  is  called,  "Inner  Eco"  and  can  
be purchased at Whole Foods and other healthy food stores. This product contains one
of the highest concentrations of beneficial bacteria with over 100 billion probiotics per
Tablespoon!
Some  people  don't  enjoy the taste of fermented drinks like kombucha tea, so what I
often suggest for them is to mix kombucha tea with regular iced tea to balance the
taste. Personally, I love the taste of most brands of kombucha tea, and some of the
newer flavors brewed with ginger (or other flavors) in them too are really delicious in
my opinion.
In  addition  to  the  naturally  fermented  foods  we've  talked  about  here,  considering  that  
we consume a lot less bacteria in our food compared to our natural ancestral diet, I
think one  of  the  smartest  supplements  you  can  take  is  a  probiotic…  below  is  one  of  the  
that  I  personally  use,  and  it's  brand  new  on  the  
market…  it  also uses a technology called micro-encapsulation which prevents most of
the probiotics from dying in your stomach and making it to where they need to be:

Bonus Section (by Catherine)


Eat Your Way to Smoother, Younger Skin

When  I  was  a  teenager,  my  summer's  goal  was  to  get  as  tan  as  possible,  so  needless  to  say, my friends and I spent a good portion of our summertime sunbathing as much as we could. And to make it even worse, we used baby oil to bake our skin. Sunscreen was for sissies, we thought. I still remember the lectures (that went unheeded) from my dad about too much sun exposure. He said I would get wrinkly, leathery-looking skin when I was older, that I could  get  skin  cancer  if  I  didn't  stay  out  of  the  sun,  and  that  I  needed  to  be  slathering  myself with (chemical-laden) sunscreens. Well, eventually the super summer bronze glow became a thing of the past, as all that free time was replaced with college, full-time jobs, and then a busy family life. As a fair-skinned blonde, I worried about my skin turning wrinkly and leathery like my dad said. I watched and waited, and it never happened. Never a fan of fancy, expensive creams, lotions, potions and cosmetic medical procedures, I just used soap and water and hoped for the best. What I did not realize at the time was that it was my diet that was helping my skin tremendously. I actually reversed the sun damage with healthy fats and a low-sugar diet. Today at 53, my skin is smooth, soft and relatively wrinkle-free—far from the leathery, wrinkly face my father predicted. I am often thought to be 10-12 years younger. And now, when I am out in the sun too long, I do get some color, but I rarely ever get burned anymore out in the sun, just lightly tanned most of the time. How does this work without sunscreen? Diet to the rescue again. It's  absolutely  amazing  how  this  works!   A recent study shows omega 3 fatty acids actually protect the skin from the inflammatory response (sunburn) after too much sun exposure. So the redness you see after a sunburn, which is actually inflammation in your skin, is much less when you have a diet high in omega 3 fats. And, even better, the study's  findings  also  show  that  omega  3  fatty  acids  play  an  important role in preventing and reducing the damaging effects of sun—including skin cancer! Omega 3 fatty acids increase the time it takes to become sunburned, very similar to what sunscreens do. Edible sunscreen. And there is strong evidence that dietary omega 3 fatty acids actually inhibit cancerous changes that occur after ultraviolet radiation, including decreasing tumor growth and reducing cancer cells' ability to multiply. Omega 3 fatty acids are powerful sunscreen for sure. According to another study published in the American Health Foundation Journal: "Epidemiological,  experimental,  and  mechanistic  data  implicate  omega  6  
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as stimulators and long-chain omega 3
PUFAs as inhibitors of development and progression of a range of human
cancers,  including  melanoma".
By contrast, the same levels of omega 6 fatty acids (from vegetable oils, grains and meat from grain-fed animals) actually increase cancerous changes that occur after exposure to ultraviolet radiation. So  the  "Standard  American  Diet"  that  most  Americans  consume  which is much too heavy in omega 6 fatty acids and lacking in omega  3's, not only contributes to a worse sunburn, but it also contributes to the aging effect of sun on the skin. A diet high in trans fats and omega 6 fats ages skin faster, and brings about older-looking skin and wrinkles. The BEST way to avoid damaging your skin and minimizing the effects of sun damage starts on the inside, not the outside. One of the best ways to prevent sun damage, absorb healthy vitamin D, and protect your skin, is with diet. Your body can actually create its own natural sunscreen with the right dietary components. The best omega 3 fatty acids containing EPA and DHA, are found in animal products such as grass-fed meat; cold-water, wild caught fish such as sardines, anchovies, salmon, black cod, mackerel, and organic pastured free range chickens/eggs. It is key to remember, though that maintaining an optimal balance of omega 6's  to  omega 3's  (3:1,  or  lower)  is  critical.  Most  modern  diets  are  way  too  heavy  with  omega  6  fats compared to omega 3 fats, with most people at a 20:1 ratio or worse. Eliminate or minimize the processed vegetable oils (like soy, corn, canola, cottonseed, sunflower and safflower oil) in favor of grass fed butter, lard or tallow, monounsaturated fats like virgin olive oil and healthy saturated fat such as coconut oil for cooking or baking. Load up on your antioxidants to protect your skin. Carotenoids are antioxidants that protect plants and animals from excess sunshine. When we ingest carotenoids, they are deposited into our skin to help prevent UV damage and oxidative stress that can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer. Beta-carotene – one type of carotenoid found mostly in red and orange produce — is
linked to reduce reactions to sunburns, and flavonoid rich orange and pink citrus fruits
have  also  been  shown  to  improve  the  skin's  ability  to  protect against UV rays.
Beta-carotene has one other noticeable benefit for your skin. Beta-carotene gives your
skin a warmer, golden color. People who eat diets high in beta-carotene actually have a
healthier glow than those whose diets are low in this nutrient.
Best sources of carotenoids are free-range organic eggs, dark-green leafy vegetables
(kale, collards, baby greens and organic spinach), and yellow-orange fruits and
vegetables (mangoes, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash).
A research study by Köpcke & Krutmann concluded that beta-carotene is highly effective
in protecting against sunburn and that the amount of time it was ingested is important:
The longer the duration of supplementation, the stronger the effect. A minimum of 10
weeks was needed to see results, and the protective effect increased with each
additional month of supplementation.
The most potent carotenoid is the red pigment found in salmon, trout, shrimp, and
lobsters. It is known as astaxanthin. Once in your body, astaxanthin is 1,000 times more
effective at protecting skin from UV damage and oxidation than other carotenoids.
What is the best source of skin protecting astaxanthin? Most people would never
guess  it,  but  it    Some  of  the  studies  I've  reviewed  have  concluded  that  approx  
2 mg/day was a dose that was sufficient enough to have significant effects on protecting
the skin from damage.
This is our trusted source for the best quality Krill Oil:

Mike's  note:    I  take  3  caps  per  day  instead  of  the  2  on  the  label  to  get  approx  2.25  
mg/day of  astaxanthin,  as  I've  read  published  studies  that  showed  at  least  2  mg/day  of  
astaxanthin was the dose found to be effective. Note that regular fish oil does not
contain astaxanthin, so if you want to supplement with this skin protecting nutrient, krill
oil is the best bet for natural astaxanthin. Some supplements are labeled as pure
astaxanthin, but this is generally an artificial form, and I would highly recommend krill
oil instead of artificial astaxanthin.

Side note: Some people like to argue about whether krill oil or fish oil is better.
Personally,  I  take  BOTH!    The  reason  is  that  I  don't  see  them  as  competing  products…I  
see them as partially having very different functions. I take fish oil for the quantity of
DHA and EPA omega-3's.    I  take  Krill oil for the higher absorption ability of DHA and EPA,
but more importantly, the natural astaxanthin content.
If  you  want  one  of  the  best  fish  oils  that  I've  found  on  that  market  (non-rancid, which is
a problem with some brands), that is also one of the best prices in terms of quantity of
DHA and EPA
Include lycopene in your diet. Lycopene is another skin-protecting antioxidant. It's  
pretty easy to get lycopene in the summer, since it is found in red fruits such as
tomatoes,  red  bell  pepper  and  watermelon.  Lycopene's  potency  is  actually  increased  
with cooking, so tomato sauce and tomato paste have more concentrated amounts of
lycopene than fresh tomatoes. In studies with lycopene, it was shown that people who
consumed 55 grams (just 5 tablespoons) a day of lycopene in tomato paste had 33%
more protection against sunburn compared to a control group after 12 weeks.
Fun fact: Lycopene also boosts the level of procollagen in the skin, which suggests
potential reversal of the skin aging process and reduction of wrinkles.

Also try to get a lot of your antioxidants from green tea, black tea, white tea or oolong
tea. Drinking 3-4 cups of tea a day has major antioxidant and skin-protecting benefits.
Green tea contains antioxidants called polyphenols that boost the ability of skin to
protect itself from the sun. The polyphenols in green, white, and oolong tea actually
reduce damage caused by ultraviolet rays and protect it from sun damage, both when
applied externally as a topical cream or a lotion, and when consumed as a drink.
Snack on vitamin and flavanol-rich fruit and vegetables instead starchy carbohydrates and sugary snacks. Summer months bring us delicious, antioxidant-heavy berries and other fruit such as mangoes, kiwis, peaches and plums. These fruits are also rich in vitamin C, known for its role in building collagen, and preventing wrinkles and photo damage through its anti-inflammatory action. Toss some berries into your yogurt, make a smoothie out of berries, kale, and coconut oil; add some fruit to your salad; and eat as many different brightly colored vegetables and fruit as possible.
Get  your  greens  too!  If  it's  green  and  leafy,  it's good for your skin too! Fresh herbs,
especially parsley, basil, cilantro, sage and rosemary are packed with antioxidants that
prevent  wrinkles  from  forming.  Don't  forget  other  dark  green  superfoods  such  as  
spinach, kale, arugula, swiss chard and baby greens. The polyphenols and carotenoids
these contain are better than the most expensive skin creams.
Cruciferous vegetables smooth out the skin with their long list of powerful antioxidants.
They also contain contain sulforaphane, which is linked to increasing  the  skin's  ability to
protect itself from cancer.
And  don't  forget  the  dark  chocolate  and  cocoa.  Those  rich  flavonoids  that  are  in  dark  
chocolate  actually  improve  the  skin's  ability  to  protect  itself  from  the  sun  and  reduce  
sunburn too. And flavonoids help to keep the skin hydrated, increase oxygen to the skin
and boost blood circulation. Just be sure to eat chocolate that contains a minimum of
70%  cacao  for  the  best  benefit…  if  you  can  handle  the  less  sweet  and  slightly  bitter  
flavor of stronger chocolate,  go  for  80%  or  higher,  and  you'll  save  sugar  calories  while  
also reaping even more antioxidant health benefits. Try to choose organic dark
chocolate too if you can to help reduce your overall chemical/pesticide load.
You can also get a lot of the antioxidant benefits of dark chocolate with a lot less
calories by using organic cocoa powder in your smoothies or in home-made hot cocoa.
A heaping teaspoon of organic cocoa powder in your regular smoothies can help to
lower blood pressure and gives you boatloads of protective antioxidants. You even get
several grams of fiber per spoonful of cocoa without much calories at all.
Hot tip:    Don't  drink  sugar  and  trans  fat  laden  commercial  hot  cocoa  mixes.    Almost  all  
commercial hot cocoa mixes are loaded with both of these ingredients. Remember that
both sugar and trans fats age you faster! Instead, make your own home-made youth-
enhancing hot cocoa by mixing organic cocoa powder and a natural sweetener like
stevia into hot milk for a much healthier mug of hot cocoa! It helps to froth the mix or
blend the mix before adding to a pot to heat up. And make sure to constantly stir as it
warms  up  so  the  bottom  doesn't  burn  the  milk.    I  love  this  healthy  hot  cocoa  on  cold  
winter days!
Age-Erasing Anti-Wrinkle Foods

Salmon, Trout, Shrimp, Lobster Blue Green Algae Cold Water Wild Caught Fish Grass Fed Beef, Lamb, Goat Free Range Organic, Pasture Raised Butter (from Grass Fed Cows) Extra Virgin Olive Oil Green, White, Red Rooibos and Oolong Brussels sprouts Cabbage Two  "secret  weapon" supplements that FIGHT aging:
1. This one is a delicious drink that I use daily first thing every morning, and it contains
76 very powerful superfood ingredients that help protect your organs, skin, joints, etc
from aging:


2. This second one that I also use daily is a powerful 3-way combination of a unique
type of fish oil that  you  can't  find  elsewhere  (calamarine  oil),  a  very  potent  algae  extract  
from the sea that has over 3x the antioxidant power of berries, and also that ever
important vitamin D too:

ANTI-AGING SUPERFOOD MEAL PLAN IDEAS
BREAKFAST (Choose One)
Quick Choices

 Organic apple and 4 slices grass fed raw cheese or a couple of handfuls of walnuts, cashews, or almonds.  Pumpkin smoothie – ½ can organic pumpkin, ½ to 1 cup (full fat) coconut milk, 1 banana or 1 apple, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, dash of nutmeg, stevia for sweetener (if desired). Add a few ice cubes and blend. For extra cool and creamy smoothie, freeze banana before adding.  Fruit smoothie --1 banana, 1 cup fresh or frozen berries, ½ cup chopped frozen organic kale or spinach, 1-2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil, coconut juice or green tea, 1 scoop cold processed organic vanilla whey protein powder. Add ice if desired and blend. Optional: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder or 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  1 Plain Greek yogurt. Add: almonds and wild blueberries; chopped apple, cinnamon, and walnuts; or any fresh fruit and nut combination.
Eggs and Protein

 1 or 2 Eggs (fried, scrambled, poached, boiled) and a small amount of grass fed butter. Try adding a little curry powder or turmeric to these for extra antioxidants. A half of an avocado on the side adds even more antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats that nourish your skin.  2 Egg quiche cups. Mix 4 eggs, natural sausage, chopped cooked onion, and drained spinach and cheese (optional) with some hot pepper flakes. Bake in 350 oven in muffin cups for 20 minutes. These can be made in advance and should last in refrigerator for 3-5 days. Great for a snack too!  2 eggs scrambled with 1 Tablespoon butter, veggies (asparagus, onion, red or green peppers, mushroom, tomato, avocado).  Salmon hash—2 Tablespoons butter, sauté red onion, chopped red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and smoked wild sockeye salmon (you can find this canned) and 2 small chopped, cooked new (red skinned) potatoes. Poach or fry an egg and serve on top. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, or cilantro and red pepper flakes.  Breakfast veggie stir fry: Sauté gently in pan—2 Tablespoons butter, sliced mushrooms (shiitake is best), chopped tomatoes, natural bacon, chopped garlic and chopped fresh parsley.
SNACK--MID MORNING (Choose One)

 Apple, berries or other fresh fruit and handful of nuts, nut butter or cheese  Handful of raw almonds or healthy trail mix  2-3 slices grass fed, raw cheese, or natural beef jerky  Couple slices of natural (no nitrites/nitrates) deli turkey with ½ half sliced  1 Hard boiled egg, cut up carrots, yellow and red bell peppers
LUNCH (choose one)

 Lettuce wraps—Roll two or three slices of natural (no nitrates/no nitrites) deli turkey or beef with slices of avocado, red onion, tomato, shredded carrots or any
other bright veggie in a large leaf of Boston, Bibb, or leaf lettuce.

 Sockeye salmon salad (1 small can salmon or any cooked wild salmon, olive oil, chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped parsley, lemon juice) wrapped in lettuce. Garnish with avocado or cilantro. Also good served on top of (organic) romaine lettuce, baby greens or organic spinach.  Salad of baby greens, tomato, cucumber, avocado, tomato, red peppers, mushrooms, green or red onion, etc. with 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced turkey, chicken, or salmon (any meat leftovers from dinner work great here). Dressing of 1 Tablespoon olive oil and balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, sage, thyme). Toss in some almonds or walnuts for added antioxidants.  Egg salad—Two or three hardboiled eggs, 1 Tbsp mayo or virgin olive oil, mustard (regular mustard contains turmeric), salt, pepper. Serve on a bed of fresh Swiss chard or organic baby spinach. Add in a few sprigs of fresh parsley.  Sandwich with ONE slice gluten free whole grain or Ezekiel bread or toast, 3 slices natural turkey, lettuce, tomato, red onion, avocado. Smash up avocado on bread, add turkey, tomato, red onion, and top with lettuce and a few fresh basil leaves.  Guacamole deviled eggs—Make fresh guacamole. Boil eggs, cool and slice lengthwise. Add yolks of boiled eggs to guacamole and stuff in cooked egg whites. Chill. Enjoy with chopped fresh veggies or on top of organic baby greens.  Leftovers from any dinner (below)
Snack--Mid Afternoon (choose one)

 1 hardboiled egg and baby carrots, red or green bell peppers  Hummus with cut up veggies (peppers, carrots, celery, radishes)  2 pieces natural (no preservatives like nitrites/nitrates) sliced turkey with apple  Apple, berries or other fresh fruit and handful of nuts, nut butter or cheese  Handful of raw almonds, walnuts, cashews, mixed nuts and a small apple/pear  2-3 slices grass fed, raw cheese, or natural beef jerky  Couple slices of natural (no nitrites/nitrates) deli turkey with half of a sliced avocado. This is good if you wrap the turkey slices around the avocado slices.
Dinner (Choose One)

 Store-roasted chicken (great for leftovers, lunches and snacks!), tossed salad or steamed Brussels sprouts, broccoli and carrots. Serve veggies topped with some butter (grass-fed preferably), and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Lettuce Wraps made with cooked chicken, avocado, sprouts, lettuce, tomato and fresh cilantro, parsley or basil. Chop chicken in small pieces, lay on a large piece of red or green leaf lettuce, add avocado, sprouts and tomato, drizzle with small amount of olive oil, balsamic, and salt and pepper.  Grass fed beef burger, cooked medium rare (this is safe to do with grass fed beef), sautéed organic kale (lightly cooked with butter, chopped fresh garlic, season with lemon juice, salt and pepper).  Grilled grass fed or steak with chimichurri (finely chopped fresh garlic, red onion, parsley or cilantro, lemon or lime juice), roasted brusssels sprouts and baked spaghetti squash with butter, sea salt and pepper.  Salad Nicoise—On a bed of dark green organic lettuce, add 1-2 hard-boiled chopped eggs, 2 small boiled red potatoes, lightly cooked green beans, and tuna (either fresh or canned). Add capers, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice and 2 Tablespoons virgin olive oil.  Chili chicken in slow cooker/crockpot—Chicken thighs in crockpot, 1 small can mild green chili peppers, 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 small can or jar of organic tomatoes, sea salt, pepper. Cook on low. Garnish with chopped cilantro, fresh salsa or tomatoes, and avocado. Serve with sprouted grain tortillas, or brown rice tortillas (optional) and chopped lettuce.  Wild salmon (cut in small pieces) sautéed in pan with asparagus, sliced red bell pepper, onion, garlic and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Garnish with fresh basil, chopped fresh tomatoes, lime juice and hot pepper flakes. Serve with baked or sautéed sweet potatoes.  Garlic-dill fish—Any wild-caught fresh or frozen fish (cod, salmon, sardines) butter, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, white wine or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sautéed kale and shitake mushrooms or other greens with chopped garlic, butter, and lemon.
DESSERT OR LATE EVENING SNACK

 2-3 pieces dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more is best)  Coconut drops—1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, stevia to taste, 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, vanilla extract and sea salt. Mix and drop on wax paper, chill in fridge. Add dark chocolate if desired.  Raw almonds or walnuts, chopped apple or pear, drizzled with a Tbsp of maple syrup and a teaspoon of cinnamon.  Cup of green, white or red rooibos tea, sweetened with stevia.

Important Note—
Because herbs and spices have such potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood
sugar lowering powers, add them to most every dish you prepare. Keep fresh or dried
basil, oregano, sage, thyme, cilantro, and parsley on hand and add in to your salads,
cooked  dishes  and  even  eggs.  And  don't  forget  to  include  the  power  spices in any dishes
you can think they would go well: Turmeric, cayenne, cloves, cinnamon, fresh garlic,
and ginger.

Catherine Ebeling Bio
Catherine (Cat) Ebeling is an RN, BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) with a background in physical therapy and over twelve years in the
fitness business.

After learning that she had several food allergies at
the age of 20, as well as celiac disease–an
autoimmune disease of the GI tract in which the
body attacks the digestive system--she set out to
look for solutions. Undiagnosed celiac disease can
lead to malnutrition, osteoporosis, anemia and
many other serious diseases, including cancer.
Cat has had more than thirty years of intense study
in diet, nutrition, disease and natural alternatives to
drugs for health issues. As a part of the medical
community herself, it became very clear that there
was a lot of ignorance among doctors and her peers
in regard to nutrition and health, so she often
became a resource for both doctors, other nurses,
and patients for their dietary concerns. Through the study of diet and health, as well as her work as a fitness professional, she has learned tried and true ways to lose weight, get healthier, look great, feel young and have tons of energy. Cat has been able to educate thousands of readers worldwide with her many articles on diet and health in her websit Her best-selling ebook, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation to Turn Your Body into a Fat burning Machine", co-authored with health and fitness expert Mike Geary, is popular all over the world. In it, she and Mike explain how many so-called health foods are actually bad for your health and cause weight gain, low energy, chronic fatigue, aches and pains, allergies and more. And how some surprisingly healthy foods are avoided, even though they are some of the best fat burning foods around. Cat, age 51, Indiana State Criterium Champion, August 2010. This "simple, smart, nutritional" approach has created real results for many people. In addition, through her intensive study of diet, health and nutrition, she has helped many people overcome serious health issues, reduce their medication, lose weight and regain their youth and energy. Catherine graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Louis University, a prestigious medical and scientific university. She also has an Associate's Degree in Physical Therapy, and a BS in Marketing. In addition, she is a certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Consultant. Cat is a 53 year old mother of three grown children who competes as a cyclist against others in their twenties and thirties. She looks ten to 15 years younger than her age and is still going strong. Throughout her active adulthood, she has pursued many activities including running, weight lifting, aerobics, spinning, water skiing, snow skiing, and, competitive mountain, cyclocross, and road biking. Cat attributes her success in athletics as well as her youthful, healthy outlook to a healthy, anti-aging diet and exercise. Mike Geary Bio
Mike has been a Certified Nutrition Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer for almost 12 years now. Mike has been studying nutrition and exercise for almost 20 years, ever since being a young teenager. Mike is currently 36 and moved from New Jersey (growing up in the Philadelphia area) to the beautiful mountains of the Colorado Rockies 5 years ago. Mike now enjoys skiing most days during the winter in Colorado and Utah and spends a lot of time mountain biking, hiking, golfing, and enjoying other outdoor activities and sports. Mike is an avid adventurist and in the last several years, has done:  3 skydiving jumps (2 of them from 17,000 feet in Colorado)  5 whitewater rafting trips including some of the most extreme Class 5 rapids in North America in the well-known Gore Canyon, and Class 5 rapids in Thailand.  Piloting an Italian fighter plane over the desert of Nevada (wow, what a blast!)  Taking  part  in  a  "Zero-Gravity  Flight"  where  you  actually  experience weightlessness and float around the airplane cabin (the same training given to astronauts)  Heli-skiing in Chile and British Columbia.  Scuba diving the Silfra Ravine in Iceland in 34-degree F water and 300-feet visibility underwater.  Snowmobiling and hiking on a glacier that overlies a volcano in Iceland  Riding Porsche powered dune buggies through the entire length of the Baja Peninsula of Mexico with 25 high level business owners and CEOs, including Jesse James of West Coast Choppers fame  Ziplining over canyons and forests in the Rocky Mountains, Costa Rica, and  Cruising most of the Caribbean  Traveling through Thailand, Nicaragua, Spain, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, Iceland, Chile, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos, Trinidad & Tobago, and all over the US/Canada. In the last 5 years, Mike has become the best-selling author of the famous Truth about Six Pack Abs program with over 559,000 readers currently in 163 countries, and a subscriber base of over 655,000 subscribers worldwide to  Mike
If  you  don't  already  receive  Mike's  weekly  Lean-Body Secrets e-newsletter, make sure to
so  you  don't  miss  out  on  all  of  Mike's  unique  fat-burning recipes,
crazy workout combinations, and tons more tips to help you live lean and healthy for life!
Mike's  Truth About Six Pack Abs program has also been translated currently into
Spanish, German, Italian, and French:
German version:Spanish version
French version:Italian version:
Mike is passionate about skiing and is also the author of the program for hard core skiers to get their legs in the shape of their lives for the skiing season. Check it out: Even  if  you're  not  a  skier,  these  programs are some very unique leg training programs and will help anyone to get rock solid legs of steel! If  you're  a  time-crunched person and find it hard to fit in workouts into your schedule, check  out  Mike's  super  high  intensity  Tabata  style  (4-minute workouts) workout DVDs at: References

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