Book Review: The Longevity Factor by Joseph Maroon, M.D.

Reviewed By Susan Schenck

In the 1930s, Clive McCay, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University in New York, was a pioneer in proving the link between calorie restriction and longevity. Since then, hundreds of studies have proven the link—studies on not only mice, rats, and dogs, but also primates.

But what if you could take a pill and not have to restrict your calories? A nutrient known as resveratrol appears to have some promise. The Longevity Factor is an explanation for how this works as well as a guide for which supplements work best.

During times of stress, such as drought or too much sun, plants can increase production of specialized molecules called xeno factors. When animals consume these plants, the xeno factors interact with the animals’ genes and impart amazing health benefits, allowing the animals to live in some cases up to 50% longer! When xeno factors are made into an extract such as resveratrol, the compounds seem to trick the body into mounting a response similar to calorie restriction even without cutting back of food. The effects appear to cover all theories of aging (which are presented in this book). “By activating specific mechanisms within our cells, they help to control inflammation, regulate cell survival, repair cells, and prevent cell death. As antioxidants, they work to enhance the all-important performance of the immune and endocrine systems” (p. 30).  Like the calorie restricted diet, resveratrol activates the SIRT1 gene, known as the longevity gene.

What if you don’t want to take the pill? The example is given of a French woman who lived to be 122. She claimed her secret was walking and two glasses a day of red wine. (Before you go on a drinking spree, note that with any more than 2 glasses, the toxicity of the alcohol outweighs the benefits of resveratrol.) We are given a list of which red wines are the most beneficial.  Also, certain foods contain resveratrol. These include red wine, apples, dark chocolate, green tea, pistachios, peanuts and grape juice. But to get the full benefit of taking the extract, one would have to consume hundreds of bottles of wine!

The book cites studies done on animals. The benefits of resveratrol include higher energy, burning of body fat, increased aerobic capacity, sensitivity to insulin, better strength and coordination, with no negative side effects. In addition, there is an entire section with chapters on the following benefits: better memory (even helps with Alzheimer’s), healing from diabetes, anticancer effect, cardio protection, stroke prevention, brain protection, and healing inflammatory conditions.

The latter part of the book includes which are the best brands, dosage, safety, a four step weight loss program, and even recipes.

In April of 2008, cutting edge resveratrol researcher David Sinclair told Barbara Walters’s nationwide TV audience that the science of aging “has split the atom,” and living to be 120 or 150 is not unrealistic. Are you on board? I know I am! (But until they get everything perfected, I am nonetheless watching those calories…)

Joseph Maroon, M.D., F.A.C.S. studied medicine at Indiana University, Georgetown, and Oxford University. He is a world-renowned neurosurgeon and former president of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. In addition, he has been the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers for the past 25 years and is currently a professor and Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. As a lifelong athlete, Dr. Maroon has competed in more than 50 triathlons--three of them Hawaiian Ironman Championship competitions.

The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life (Simon & Schuster/ Dec 2008) by Joseph Maroon, M.D.

Book Review: The Daylight Diet By Paul Nison

Susan Schenck is author of The Live Food Factor

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

H1N1 Tip: Only 50% Of Teens Wash Their Hands, Use A Hand Sanitizer

The average American family spends $2,000 on personal health care expenses each year. Contributing that amount to an FSA can translate to a federal tax savings of more than $500 (assuming the average tax bracket of 27%). But there’s a catch…you need to use all of the funds in one calendar year—or the money vanishes.

The good news is that many surprising categories of products are typically covered by flex spending accounts. Here’s a handy guide to some seasonal, everyday items often covered by flex spending to make sure you don’t waste a single dollar this year:

1. Hand Sanitizer: Flu season is here, and this year, families and schools are being especially vigilant about H1N1 infection. According to a recent study, only 50% of middle and high school students say they washed their hands regularly. Send kids to school with FSA-approved portable hand sanitizer as an added precaution from getting sick. 

2. Cold Remedies: If you do fall ill, FSA’s got you covered. Over the counter cold remedies such as cough drops and syrups, throat lozenges, and cold medicines are often reimbursable. And if you suffer from high blood pressure, make sure to stock up on a cold medication that won't raise your blood pressure at the beginning of the season — that way you won’t have to rush out for relief when you’re feeling under the weather.

3. Sunscreen: Dermatologists recommend wearing sunscreen year-round to protect against ever-present UVA and UVB rays. Good thing sunscreens with SPFs over 30 are typically covered by FSA. Moisturizers with SPF aren’t eligible, so purchase a sunscreen that’s lightweight enough for year-round, everyday use, like Coppertone® Oil Free lotion SPF 50. Buy now and you’ll still have enough to toss in your suitcase for a winter vacation.

4. Gym Bag Essentials: With after-school sports in high gear, bruises, scrapes, and athlete’s foot are regular occurrences. Use flex dollars on items like bandages and antibiotic ointment, as well as for antifungal athlete’s foot treatments. To maximize FSA dollars, it’s a good idea to buy a variety of shapes and sizes so no “boo boo” goes uncovered.

WHO: H1N1 Kills 1 Of 10 Hospitalized, 18-20% Of Those 50 Years And Up

Quit Smoking—Naturally, Painlessly, and Successfully

CE Gant M.D.--

Nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, is one of the most powerful poisons on earth. If by some accident a child should ingest even a small amount of the substance through a nicotine patch, he or she would almost immediately go into convulsions that would in all likelihood be fatal. It's so toxic that as few as two or three drops of pure nicotine applied directly to the skin of an average person will kill him or her within minutes. In lower doses, nicotine can cause high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat, tremors, convulsions, and central nervous system overstimulation. There is no known antidote for nicotine poisoning.

How is it that so many people habitually use such a powerful and potentially deadly toxic substance on a daily basis? Moreover, how is it that smokers who are addicted to nicotine are given prescriptions to the very substance they’re hooked on in order to stop smoking? The answer to both questions lies in the way our brains work. And by the way, so does the answer to the question, “How can I quit smoking without resorting to using nicotine (and other stop-smoking drugs) and without risking further negative health consequences?”

Our brain cells, or neurons, communicate with each other by means of small molecules, called neurotransmitters, that they manufacture directly from nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. When neurons exchange these molecules with each other, they enable us to stay focused and alert, to be able to deal with stressful situations, and to block out pain, among many other things.

When sufficient amounts of nutrients are available to our brains so they can produce and exchange these chemical neurotransmitters in adequate amounts, we tend to stay on top of things, to remain relaxed and happy, and to get pleasure out of everyday life experiences. However, when our brains don’t have enough of the nutrients they need to produce neurotransmitters in sufficient quantities, we can become irritable, unable to focus, angry, even depressed. If neurotransmitter shortages continue for longer periods of time, we begin looking for ways to deal with them.

Among the most common solutions many of us find to this problem is to take up smoking. That’s because, simply put, nicotine, the addictive substance in cigarettes, changes the way our brains work. It artificially interrupts the normal process of manufacturing and exchanging several different types of neurotransmitter, temporarily making us feel “normal” again. The problem is that once the nicotine is used up, our brains are once again unable to produce the neurotransmitters we require to feel good, and we need another cigarette. If you’re a smoker, as you continued to smoke, your brain got used to using nicotine as a substitute for its normal production of neurotransmitters, and you began to rely more and more on the nicotine and less and less on your brain’s natural ability to keep you focused, alert, and happy. Presto! A habit was born.

The real problem in trying to quit, though, is not the cigarettes themselves but the fact that most physicians don’t have a good understanding of how our brains work. They’re unaware that there is a very straightforward way to rebalance our brain chemistry so that we no longer need nicotine. It’s so simple, in fact, that even folks who have been smoking cigarettes for years find that within 24 to 72 hours of using a revolutionary new strategy called the Power Recovery Program, their cravings are diminished, and even disappear. Best of all, you don’t have to stay hooked on nicotine, or take any other addictive substance, to stop smoking. What you do need to do is to take measured doses of several key nutritional supplements, which are likely in short supply in your body. Doing this makes key nutrients available to your brain and enables you very quickly to resume producing the neurotransmitters you need to overcome the craving for cigarettes and to begin to feel normal again without them.

There’s a special Quick-Start for Smokers stage in the Power Recovery Program that enables you to understand exactly which nutrients are in short supply and have led to your needing to use cigarettes to make you feel better. Quick-Start for Smokers explains exactly which nutritional supplements you need to immediately provide your brain with the nutrients it requires to jump-start the production of the neurotransmitters that can reduce or eliminate your cigarette cravings and get you off on the right foot toward recovery. Best of all, with the Quick-Start nutrients you have the choice of quitting smoking right away or tapering off the use of cigarettes gradually.

The Quick-Start for Smokers nutritional supplement formula consists of the amino acids L-Glutamine and L-Tyrosine, 5HTP, lecithin, vitamin C, and a combination of other vitamins and minerals that are available by purchasing any one of a number of national brand name multi-vitamin, multi-mineral capsules. The Quick-Start for Smokers formula can be found in the newly released book, End Your Addiction Now (Square One Publishers/ 2009). If you choose to purchase the supplements individually, they’re available at supermarkets or health food stores. They’re also available in a specially formulated product, called Tobac PAK  that can be purchased online at  www.tobacpak.com.

Bottom line: If you are a smoker who has struggled with quitting and feel that you're hopeless, take heart. The Power Recovery Program approach has had unprecedented success with helping people overcome addictions of all types, including cigarettes. You can do it too!

CE Gant, MD, is a nationally renowned pioneer in the fields of nutrition-based medicine and substance abuse. At Tully Hill Hospital, where he served as medical director, he achieved a remarkable 83 percent success rate in ending patients' addictions. Dr. Gant has a private practice in Washington, DC, and is author of  End Your Addiction Now (Square One Publishers, 2010). You’ll find the author online at www.CEGant.com.

Study: Truth Campaign Prevented Almost Half-a-Million Teens From Smoking

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.

Branded Diet Plans Cost $60 Billion Yet 400,000 Die From Obesity Yearly

Frederic Vagnini, M.D.--

Too many type-2 diabetics trying to lose weight are often frustrated by their slow progress, if any at all.  Despite the numerous "branded" diet plans they've followed carefully, most gain back all of the lost weight between 1-5 years.  Worse, these plans cost over $60 billion a year and more than 400,000 people--not ony diabetcs--die from obesity each year. 

There are many reasons pounds don't easily drop off type-2 diabetics. One is that they are likely pursing symptom based plans, (running, calorie restriction etc.) attacking only the overt or visible signs of weight gain like adipose fat or bulging bellies. You can, however, be facing a common and silent roadblock that many type-2 diabetics encounter when trying to lose weight -- a critical aspect of the metabolic balance you require.

Few physicians or weight loss programs recognize that stress may actually be holding you back, adding pounds and you may not have a clue why. It happened to me. As a type-2 diabetic for more than a decade (during much of the time with undiagnosed heart disease) I was overwhelmed by the both the medically required changes I had to make in my life and the potential metabolic complications I'd suffer if I didn't comply with all the new "rules."

To make matters worse, for most of my life I had been a stress junkie. Many people, like me, thrive on stress, setting absurd goals and deadlines then driving themselves to achieve them.

Weight-wise I'd always been "normal" until I was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes. Unfortunately a decade later, I added a number of stressors to my life that included family, personal and professional disruptions and disasters. While my diabetes stayed in relatively good control, I suddenly discovered that my jeans didn't fit, my suits were too tight and I couldn't button my collar. The scale didn't lie -- 20 new pounds had joined the pressures and strain in my life.

Still, stress didn't come up as a possible reason. Other diabetics and web sites suggested that my medication -- insulin might be one -- caused the weight gain. But others in my regimen did not. Byetta helps with weight control and the rest have little or no effect. My physicians all had the same prescription; eat low sodium, low glycemic carb meals and begin an exercise program.

The first part was easy. Calorie restriction became my mantra -- but within 6 months the will power wasn't there. A year in Weight Watchers helped -- but then I moved and was back on the "Yo-Yo program." My problem was clearly me and my stress. I found many specious excuses to avoid exercise. Eating properly and regularly was "too hard for a single person."

One important thing I finally learned was that to beat stress you had to understand it and why it affected my diabetes, causing weight gain. There are other negative health consequences attributed to stress that include heart disease, and cancer from smoking, obesity from compulsive eating, liver disease from alcoholism, immunodeficiency, chronic headaches, ulcers, colitis, phobias, panic disorders, and suicide. Stress is everywhere, and costs the U.S. health care system billions of dollars per year.

Stress exists in everyone's lives but especially diabetics whose systems may not balanced so the reaction can be more extreme. This is what happened to me. Despite my efforts, my stress levels knocked me back two steps for every one I took forward.

The biology of stress is a response that dates back to our days as cave dwellers. When we encounter a potential physical or emotional threat, the body sends a question to the brain via the sympathetic nerves: Do we stand and confront this or turn and head for safety?

The feeling of fright sends a signal over the sympathetic nerve system to the adrenal glands, two organs above our kidneys. The brain's signal to the adrenal glands, calls for a jolt of adrenalin for energy, endorphins, and cortisol. Once adrenalin is circulating in your body, respiration accelerates, pupils dilate, and you perspire.

If you have diabetes or heart disease, the level of these chemicals in your bloodstream can add strain to an already compromised body.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), "Stress can alter blood glucose levels in several ways. First, people under stress may not take good care of themselves. They may drink more alcohol or exercise less. They may forget, or not have time, to check their glucose levels or to plan good meals. Second, stress hormones may also alter blood glucose levels directly.

"Scientists have studied the effects of stress on glucose levels in animals and people. While most people's glucose levels go up with mental stress, others' glucose levels can go down. In people with type 2 diabetes, mental stress often raises blood glucose levels. Physical stress, such as illness or injury, exacerbates higher blood glucose levels in people with type-2 diabetes."

There are several reasons stress is linked to diabetic control, and then to weight loss.

• Stress is often diverting and overwhelming -- you lose focus on other important goals in your life.
• Stress can directly cause disease like high blood pressure and heart disease, which in turn affect your diabetes.
• Food behavior is one of the most common responses to stress, frequently leading to extremely bad eating habits leading to high-calorie "comfort food" diets, full of sweets and carbohydrates, that can compromise other biological functions if you are not getting enough needed vitamins and other nutrients.
• Stress leads many diabetics to fad diets in an effort to feel better about themselves. These usually fail, they gain back anything they've lost and their stress (and weight) reaches even higher levels.
• Stress can increase smoking and drinking, both of which are diabetes roadblocks that also can affect weight loss among diabetics who substitute cigarettes for healthy exercise and high-carb booze for good food.

QUICK STRESS TEST As a diabetic, you need to confront your stress. Jot down your top five stressors as the first step to awareness of just how much stress you have in your life. 1.___________________________________ 2.___________________________________ 3.___________________________________ 4.___________________________________ 5.___________________________________ If you experience more than two or three of these situations regularly, you must learn to reduce and manage your stress, perhaps with professional help.

©2009 Frederic Vagnini, M.D., FACS, and Lawrence D. Chilnick, authors of The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes: The 5-Step Program That Removes Metabolic Roadblocks, Sheds Pounds Safely, and Reverses Prediabetes and Diabetes

Frederic J. Vagnini, M.D., FACS, coauthor of The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes: The 5-Step Program That Removes Metabolic Roadblocks, Sheds Pounds Safely, and Reverses Prediabetes and Diabetes, (Fair Winds Press/ 2009) is a board-certified cardiovascular surgeon whose understanding of the ravages of cardiovascular diseases is grounded in twenty years as a cardiac surgeon. He hosts a popular call-in radio show and has published several books, including The Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program  .

Lawrence D. Chilnick, coauthor of The Weight Loss Plan for Beating Diabetes: The 5-Step Program That Removes Metabolic Roadblocks, Sheds Pounds Safely, and Reverses Prediabetes and Diabetes, (Fair Winds Press/ 2009) is the author and creator of the  bestseller The Pill Book, which has sold 17 million copies and is still in print after more than two decades. He is a publishing executive, editor, teacher, journalist, broadcaster, and author of several popular health reference books, electronic products, audiotapes, and videos.

Study: 38% Women With PCOS Benefited From Electro-Acupuncture

Jill Blakeway, M.Sc, L.Ac.--

Several recent studies have explored the use of acupuncture to treat polycystic ovary syndrome with encouraging results. We see quite a number of women who are suffering from PCOS at the YinOva Center and have found that a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be really helpful.

PCOS is a complex endocrine and metabolic syndrome that affects 5% – 10% of women of reproductive age and is characterized by small ovarian cysts, irregular menstrual cycles, abnormal hair growth, acne, and metabolic problems leading to weight gain. The cysts associated with PCOS cause a hormone imbalance that means that sufferers have increased male sex hormones. This can disturb ovulation and lead to infertility. Women who suffer from PCOS also have a higher risk of developing hypertension and diabetes and are at an increased risk of heart disease.  

A study at Goteborg University in Sweden showed that electro-acupuncture may help some women with PCOS to ovulate. Electro-acupuncture was was developed in China as an alternative to manipulating acupuncture needles by hand. It involves the application of a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles as a means of stimulating the acupuncture points, .

During the study, one group of women with polycystic ovary syndrome received acupuncture regularly for four months. A second group of women were provided with heart rate monitors and instructed to exercise at least three times a week. A control group was informed about the importance of exercise and a healthy diet, but was given no other specific instructions.

The study showed that activity in the sympathetic nervous system was lower in the women who received acupuncture and in those who took regular exercise than it was in the control group.

The acupuncture treatment brought further benefits. “Those who received acupuncture found that their menstruation became more normal. We could also see that their levels of testosterone became significantly lower, and this is an important observation, since elevated testosterone levels are closely connected with the increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system of women,” says Elisabet Stener‑Victorin the lead researcher. 38% of women who received the electro-acupuncture experienced regular ovulation. However, the electro-acupuncture was not effective in the more severe cases (obese, highest waist-to-hip ratio, and highest testosterone and insulin individuals).

What causes PCOS remains a mystery, but we do know that PCOS sufferers have a higher sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity than other women so it may be that the acupuncture is calming the SNS and thus leading to a reduction in symptoms.

In Chinese medicine PCOS is usually attributed to Kidney Yang Deficiency (poor metabolism) and Damp Accumulation (fluid filled cysts) and has been treated for hundreds of years using a combination of herbs and acupuncture. Some herbs such as zao jiao ci (Spina Gleditsiae Sinensis) have the ability to dissolve the waxy coat around the ovarian cysts and at the YinOva Center we use them as part of a larger formula to reduce cysts. Other herbs such as bu gu zhi (psoralea) and xian mao (circuligo) help metabolic slowdown and insulin resistance and at the YinOva Center we usually combine them with herbs that calm an overactive system such as huang jing (polygonatum) and herbs that balance hormones such as dang gui (tangkuei).

In our book Making Babies we give the following advice to PCOS sufferers:

• Lose weight if you need to. Studies have shown that losing just 10% of your body weight can result in normal ovulation in women with PCOS
• Cut down on animal fats and increase essential fatty acids
• Eat a wide range of fruits, vegetables and low fat protein such as chicken, fish and beans.
• Balance your blood sugar by limiting your carbohydrate intake. Don’t cut out carbs altogether, though, as that can lower serotonin levels and leave you feeling depressed. Instead eat healthy carbs such as whole grains.
• Take N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) to help reduce circulating testosterone, cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, low density lipoproteins and insulin.
• Get plenty of anti-oxident nutrients from foods and supplements. They fight inflammation which can exacerbate PCOS.
• Get regular exercise to increase your metabolism. Aim for a half hour of brisk walking a day.
• Practice stress management. Stress stimulates the production of more hormones, including testosterone, which makes PCOS worse. Try yoga meditation or a warm bath.
• See an acupuncturist for help restoring ovulation.
• See an herbalist about creating a formula that reduces cysts and balances hormones.
• Allow at least three months of treatment before trying to conceive. Follicles exposed to excess androgens will be of poor quality and lead to higher risk of miscarriage.

 

Jill Blakeway is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Board Certified Herbalist. A former Professor of Traditional Asian Medicine she is the coauthor of Making Babies: A Proven Three Month Program for Maximum Fertility and The Fertility Plan. She is the Clinic Director at the YinOva Center in New York City, which is a complementary medical center for women and children. www.yinovacenter.com

Book Review: Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility

Chinese Medicine Brings Back The Libido

1 In 5 Women Suffer Pelvic Pain In Pregnancy: Ear Acupuncture Safe Therapy

Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved