Baby Boomers And Anti-Aging
The term "Anti-aging"
has recently become one of the most popular "buzz-words" in
all of medicine today. There is even a certification and specialization
in age-management medicine for physicians interested in assisting
their patients in preventing premature disability and death,
while focusing on optimal health and vigor. Enter the Baby
Boomer generation Â… individuals born between 1946-1964, 76
million strong, determined to embrace life and beyond. All
Baby Boomers have one thing in common; they want to look good
and stay healthy. Signs and symptoms of aging such as wrinkles,
sunspots, memory changes and fractured hips are not part of
their long-range health plans.
Healthy aging is possible for all of us. Read further for
straightforward information on what you can do today to delay
the indicators of aging, look good and stay healthy.
"Diets Rich In Antioxidants Prevent Disease And Premature
Aging." CNN.com
How do antioxidants slow down the aging process? The answer
is simple; antioxidants fight free radicals. Okay, the
explanation of how antioxidants slow down the aging process
is a little more complex. Let's start with an explanation
of free radicals. Free radicals are oxygen fragments that
can be formed by exposure to radiation (even sun rays), toxic
chemicals (found in cigarette smoke, polluted air, and industrial/household
chemicals), as well as various metabolic processes like the
breaking down of stored fat molecules for energy. These oxygen
fragments contribute to oxidation, a process where molecules
are split resulting in products that have unpaired electrons.
Overall, causing damage to cells within the body, hampering
the immune system and leading to infections, as well as many
degenerative diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer's disease,
cancer and the aging process itself.
What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are a group of vitamins,
minerals and enzymes that help protect the body by neutralizing
free radicals and are found in dark green, leafy vegetables
such as spinach and kale, as well as the supplementation of
Vitamins C & E, and carotenoids (including beta-carotenes).
When we are young our bodies produce antioxidants, however,
as we get into our late 30's we produce fewer antioxidants
and incidentally, more free radicals. According to Dr. Jeffrey
Blumberg of Tufts University, it is best to "take a combination
of antioxidants" through both diet and supplementation. Antioxidants
work synergistically with one another and for this reason
the Prescription for Nutritional Healing says that
it is best to take smaller doses of several different antioxidants
than a large amount of only one. A researcher at Georgetown
University, Jane Freedman, Ph.D., agrees, suggesting the best
way to protect health may be by taking a blend of antioxidants,
"we're seeing that there's a lot of synergy among these compounds."
There is no way to escape the effects of free radical damage
in today's society, especially as we age. Our own bodies create
them. We were meant to counteract the possible damage caused
by free radicals and oxidation through a diet rich in pure
organic antioxidant fruits and vegetables. This just doesn't
happen in today's society, and even if it did the majority
of our soil is depleted of the rich nutrients it once had.
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