Nutrition and Wellness: Growing Younger by the Meal

By Marie M. Baker, A.A.S.
Fit over 40 Role Model

Some of our most promising medical research today is in anti-aging medicine. Anti-aging medicine focuses on early detection, prevention, treatment, or reversal of age related dysfunction and disease.

The goal of anti-aging medicine is to prolong the total years of an individual's life and ensure that those years are enjoyed in a productive and vital fashion free from degenerative disease. However, with the biggest health problem in America today being obesity, people need to turn their attention to changing their diets before there can be a completely successful case in the realm of anti-aging medicine. Nutrition is simply that important; it is one of the greatest weapons against disease.

Let's take a closer look; the risk of several prominent degenerative diseases including all forms of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes is influenced by the nutrient value of the food we eat and by the level of our food intake.

Keeping fats below 30% of your total calories consumed for the day and cholesterol intake below 200 mg can markedly cut your risk of heart disease. We do not need the extra cholesterol our body produces when we eat a diet high in saturated fats or trans-fats also known as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

A diet high in fiber will help to soak up excess fat, improve digestion, and reduce risk of colon cancer and diabetes. Insoluble fiber gives volume to the food we eat promoting the sensation of feeling full, regulates our bowel movements and removes toxins through the colon in less time.

Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids to lower LDL cholesterol reducing the risk of heart disease and also prolongs digestion so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly to regulate blood sugar for the prevention of diabetes. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes are all good sources of insoluble and soluble fiber. Eating 5-9 servings a day of fruits and vegetables decreases your risk of heart disease and cancer. Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber, nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Antioxidants help prevent hardening of the arteries and play an important role in the integrity of the artery and heart tissue helping to prevent high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and stroke.

Scientists currently suspect that cancer cells develop as a result of damage to our DNA. Most incidences of DNA damage are suspected to be caused by free radical activity; molecules in which the electrical charges are not balanced. If we're eating properly we're providing the necessary nutrients for our body to repair DNA damage. Antioxidants found in fresh fruits and vegetables function as free radical scavengers, binding and inactivating them before they embark on their destructive path.

Moderate calorie restriction induces a wide range of physiological changes and promotes w.eight loss. Of particular importance are adaptive changes within the endocrine system that maintain blood levels of glucose or sugar; again, important in the prevention of diabetes. Also seen was an increase in human growth hormone secretion; H.G.H. is a hormone naturally abundant in the body when we're young, responsible for reduced body fat, increased muscle mass, higher energy levels, smoother skin, elevated mood etc. There is truly no way to overstate the importance of a proper diet. It is not only the source for our life's energy, but also the basis for the concept of longevity. So if your goal is to slow down or reverse the aging process you need to choose lean cuts of protein and reduce saturated fats, eat plenty of fiber, have 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday and practice portion control.

A good diet provides the food, water, and oxygen that our cells need to reproduce, transmit information and repair damage; assures a continuous supply of usable fuel and helps purge toxins and waste products, all important components in decreasing our risk of degenerative disease.