**Closure of my websites askdrray.com and nethealthbook.com**

These websites will be taken down on **April 30, 2025** and no further updates will be provided.
I hope you enjoyed the content of these websites. You can continue to read Dr. Schilling’s blogs which I publish daily on Quora

My home page there is: ** https://www.quora.com/profile/Ray-Schilling**

Click on this: Under my image there is a heading “Profile”. Right underneath this you find a search box entitled “search content”. Type in any term you are interested in. You will get several answers I have written (I have written more than 15,000 answers).

On Quora you can also write comments that I will answer.

Thank you for your trust in the past. Ray Schilling, MD
**Closure of my websites askdrray.com and nethealthbook.com**

These websites will be taken down on **April 30, 2025** and no further updates will be provided.
I hope you enjoyed the content of these websites. You can continue to read Dr. Schilling’s blogs which I publish daily on Quora

My home page there is: ** https://www.quora.com/profile/Ray-Schilling**

Click on this: Under my image there is a heading “Profile”. Right underneath this you find a search box entitled “search content”. Type in any term you are interested in. You will get several answers I have written (I have written more than 15,000 answers).

On Quora you can also write comments that I will answer.

Thank you for your trust in the past. Ray Schilling, MD
Feb
01
2025

Treatment of Hormone Deficiencies with Bioidentical Hormones

By | Cancer, Circadian rhythm, Diabetes, diet, heart attack, melatonin, Menopause

Dr. Thierry Hertoghe discussed treatment of hormone deficiencies with bioidentical hormones at the Anti-Aging Conference in Las Vegas, which I attended. He was one of the keynote speakers Dec. 13, 2024. He is a well-known endocrinologist from Brussels/Belgium and has given many lectures at these yearly Anti-Aging Conferences before. The actual title of his presentation was: “General Overview of the Importance of Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapies.”

General remarks

  • When the body ages, hormone glands are aging as well, and they often don’t produce enough hormones as in younger years.
  • In this case the physician can prescribe replacement hormones, but it is important that they are bioidentical hormones (not synthetic).
  • The Women’s Health Initiative showed in the past what happens when synthetic hormones are used to treat postmenopausal symptoms: many patients came down with strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer, uterine cancer and blood clots.
  • Well before that study European endocrinologists have pointed out that there are no complications when the physician prescribes bioidentical hormones.
  • Never treat a hormone deficiency in isolation. Often there are multiple hormone deficiencies present at the same time and the physician needs to address each one on its own.

Thyroid disease

Dr. Hertoghe pointed out that the most common thyroid disease in older age is hypothyroidism. Blood tests show high TSH with this, free T3 and free T4 are low. He warned that high meat consumption (beef, poultry and fish) as your evening dinner leads to prolonged low T3 overnight and in the morning. Dr. Hertoghe’s recommendation was to consume most animal protein at breakfast, a lesser amount at lunch and none at supper. Treatment of hypothyroidism is with a mix of T3 and T4. Each one alone does not stabilize the patient as well as the mixture. The physician orders blood tests every 2 months and adjusts hormone levels based on the results.

Testosterone for men

Young men have ample production of testosterone in their testicles. When men reach the age of 60 or older testosterone blood levels often decline. Testicles of a male produce mainly testosterone, also some dihydrotestosterone and a smaller amount of estradiol. All of these hormones balance each other. Older men can develop erectile dysfunction. It would be a mistake to just treat them with Viagra for this. Their metabolism is missing testosterone, which protects the heart and the brain. They need hormone replacement with testosterone. This is either administered topically or by intramuscular injection every two weeks (or twice per week with a lower amount). If hormone replacement does not solve the erectile dysfunction, the physician can still add Viagra later. The physician orders testosterone blood levels every 3 months and adjusts the testosterone dose up or down.

Estrogen and progesterone for women

Estrogen develops normal breasts; progesterone prevents excessive breast development. Women with huge breasts have progesterone deficiency, they are estrogen dominant. Both hormones are necessary for good coronary artery blood flow. A lack of both hormones causes heart attacks. In menopause hormone replacement with bioidentical hormones is necessary. Dr. Hertoghe discussed this in detail. Depending on what blood levels show a postmenopausal woman may also require a small amount of testosterone replacement. Women who had surgery that removed their ovaries in the past are often testosterone deficient. I discussed this topic previously here.

Adrenal cortex hormones

Two essential hormones are produced in the adrenal glands, namely cortisol and DHEA (=Dehydroepiandrosterone). Cortisol provides energy, is anti-inflammatory, but leads to the breakdown of muscle tissue. DHEA is the natural counterpart to cortisol as it gives you energy and builds up your muscles. It also stimulates axillar hair growth.

Cortisol

The physician can determine the level of cortisol either through blood tests, in 24-hour urine tests or in saliva tests.

Two cortisol conditions are important:

  • Adrenal gland insufficiency or Addison’s disease: the adrenal glands cannot produce enough cortisol. This presents with confusion, vomiting and progressive hyperpigmentation of the skin.
  • Cushing’s syndrome: these patients usually have fat accumulation in the abdomen and they bruise easily. Some patients have a benign tumor in the adrenal gland that produces too much cortisol. Resection of the tumor cures the condition.

Dr. Hertoghe demonstrated images of various patients with cortisol problems and discussed management of them.

In patients who require cortisol replacement the physician prescribes the bioidentical hydrocortisone. This molecule is identical to what the body produces in the adrenal glands. Synthetic corticosteroids are not properly metabolized and cannot participate in the diurnal hormone rhythm. Unfortunately many conventional physicians still order the more powerful synthetic corticosteroid hormones that have many side effects.

DHEA

This hormone is important for both men and women. It supports health and physical appearance. Blood tests easily detect the storage form of DHEA, namely DHEAS. When deficient in it, women need 15 – 20 mg of DHEA per day in the morning. Men require 25 – 30 mg upon awakening. Unfortunately, a lot of the vitamin merchants are pushing the 50 mg DHEA tablets, which is overdosed. DHEA melts fat in and builds up muscle mass. It also increases blood supply to the heart thus preventing heart attacks.

Melatonin

This hormone improves sleep and opposes premature aging. Older people, particularly after the age of 65 produce much less melatonin than in the past. A blood test determines whether or not you are deficient in melatonin. Melatonin deficient patients should swallow 3 mg capsules of melatonin at night. If necessary, another dose of 3 mg may be swallowed in the middle of the night. Higher doses than 6 mg of daily melatonin suppress cortisol production in the adrenal glands as these two hormones are natural opponents. Dr. Hertoghe mentioned a study of women who regularly consumed alcohol. This was compared to a control group of women non-drinkers. The urinary metabolites of melatonin were 6.4-fold lower in the drinking group. Another important action of melatonin is a significant improvement of blood supply to the heart under the influence of melatonin. Together with other hormones this helps to prevent heart attacks.

Growth hormone and IGF-1

Both of these hormones can be detected in 24-hour urine collection. Most of the human growth hormone is metabolized in the liver into IGF-1(insulin-like growth factor-1). The blood level of IGF-1 reflects accurately whether a person is growth hormone (GH) deficient or not. A low IGF-1 blood level means that this person requires growth hormone injections. Growth hormone deficiency leads to facial swelling, lack of energy, fat accumulation and hair loss. With GH replacement the face becomes firmer and younger looking, body composition improves with well-developed muscles. Hair growth normalizes and the person has abundant energy. GH also protects the heart muscle and coronary arteries.

Treatment of Hormone Deficiencies with Bioidentical Hormones

Treatment of Hormone Deficiencies with Bioidentical Hormones

Conclusion

Dr. Thierry Hertoghe was one of the key note speakers on Dec. 13, 2024 at the Anti-Aging Conference in Las Vegas, which I attended. He is an endocrinologist from Brussels/Belgium. He shared some of the common hormone disbalances that he encountered in his practice. It is important to replace missing hormones only with bioidentical hormones, not with synthetic hormones. This helps to rebalance all of the hormones. In addition, the diurnal hormone rhythm is functional again when the doctor prescribes bioidentical hormones. Synthetic hormones do not properly participate in the diurnal hormone rhythm. Patients who replaced their missing hormones have a normal or better than normal life expectancy. They are also less prone to chronic diseases.

Incoming search terms:

Dec
28
2024

Anti-Inflammatory Diets Improve Inflammation

By | diet, fiber, fish oil, food, Health, Inflammation, meat, Mortality, Nutrition, olive oil, omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated oil, Processed food, processed meat, red meat

A CNN review article noted that anti-inflammatory diets improve inflammation. This is important for medical conditions that also have inflammation attached to it. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes or chronic kidney disease all carry inflammation with them. But according to a 2019 study more than 50% of all deaths stem from chronic inflammatory conditions.

Here is a more complete list of what type of clinical conditions are associated with chronic inflammation:

  • cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke
  • obesity
  • cancer
  • chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
  • asthma and allergies
  • diabetes
  • chronic kidney disease
  • chronic pain — for example, from some sources of back pain, headache disorders, arthritis and other joint conditions
  • non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
  • autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease
  • depression
  • neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease

Some people may have two or more of these chronic diseases at the same time. This increases the risk of death. This is even more of a reason to follow an anti-inflammatory diet.

Anti-inflammatory diet

The CNN article suggests that an anti-inflammatory diet has the potential to reduce inflammatory cytokines. This is important and can also improve symptoms of chronic inflammatory diseases. A large study was conducted in 2021, which showed that people on an anti-inflammatory diet had a lower probability to get complications.  Anti-inflammatory diets protected them from heart attacks, strokes, coronary heart disease and more.

Here are the ingredients of an anti-inflammatory diet

Why are anti-inflammatory diets so healthy? It is because they are rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, and unsaturated fats can have anti-inflammatory effects. Fruit options can include:

  • apples
  • fruits with stones or pips, such as peaches, plums, apricots, and cherries
  • grapes
  • citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit
  • pomegranates

Vegetables are high in fiber and other important vitamins and nutrients. Include a variety of colors of vegetables in your daily diet. Options can include:

  • green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, radicchio, and arugula
  • cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts
  • tomatoes
  • root vegetables, such as turnips, beets, radishes, and onions
  • potatoes
  • sweet potatoes

Whole and cracked grains are another source of fiber.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds contain polyphenols, which can have an anti-inflammatory effect. Nuts and seeds can include almonds, peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.

Healthy oils

Vegetable oil like olive oil are important for cooking and for salad dressings.

Fish

Fish that is high in fatty acids and omega-3s can be important in an anti-inflammatory diet. These fish varieties can include salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel.

Herbs and spices

Some herbs and spices may have anti-inflammatory effects, as they can be high in phenols and antioxidants. These include clove, sage, oregano, cinnamon, rosemary, turmeric, black pepper, and ginger, among other options.

What to avoid

Highly processed foods like hamburgers, french fries, cakes and others must be removed from your food list. They are associated with heart attacks, strokes and cancer. In addition, the following food component must be avoided, if you value your life.

  • Refined carbohydrates: This can include products made with white flour, such as white bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, and pastries.
  • Trans fats: These can include foods labeled as having partially hydrogenated oils in them. Examples include baked goods such as cakes, pies, and frozen pizzas, as well as fried foods such as donuts or fries.
  • Some saturated fats: red meat, chicken with the skin on, milk, cheese, and cream contain high levels of certain saturated fats that promote inflammation.
  • Sugar: Sugary foods or foods with a high glycemic index can be inflammatory. Examples can include sugary drinks and sodas, sugary cereals, and candy.
  • Red meat and processed meat: This can include beef, lamb, goat, and pork meat, as well as processed hot dogs and sausages, among others. These meats have an association with colorectal cancer.
  • Certain spreads and cooking fats: Some fats such as margarine, shortening, and lard can be inflammatory.
Anti-Inflammatory Diets Improve Inflammation

Anti-Inflammatory Diets Improve Inflammation

Conclusion

You hear bad things about chronic inflammation and premature deaths. What you may not have heard a lot yet is that anti-inflammatory diets actually can safe lives. Above I have listed the most common inflammatory diseases. I also described the ingredients of an anti-inflammatory diet. With this diet researchers found that cardiovascular disease was reduced by 38%, strokes were reduced by 28%. It is not that difficult to adopt a healthy anti-inflammatory diet. Keep trans fats and highly processed foods away. Eat more vegetables, fish and avoid red meats. Add some nuts and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Good health will thank you for this diet change.

Nov
24
2024

Ultraprocessed Food Leads to Premature Aging

By | Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, diet, food, meat, Mortality, Nutrition, Obesity, Processed food, processed meat

An article in the medical journal “Medical News Today” found that ultraprocessed food leads to premature aging.

What are ultraprocessed foods?

The NOVA Food Classification System explains what ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are and what other ones are not. Examples of ultraprocessed foods are: fatty, sweet, savory or salty packaged snacks, pre-prepared poultry and fish ‘nuggets’ and ‘sticks.’ Others are cola, soda and other carbonated soft drinks, pastries, cakes and cake mix. Generally speaking, the food processors add too much salt, sugar and saturated fat. They often also add food preservatives, coloring, and flavor enhancers.

What do ultraprocessed foods cause?

Sugary beverages lead to blood sugar peaks and insulin surges. This in turn can cause type 2 diabetes later on. Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist said that “overly salty snacks like chips, crackers, and instant noodles, and other UPFs with trans fats and hydrogenated oils all should ideally be avoided”. Read labels before you buy any food product.  Hydrogenated oils and trans fats are increasing LDL cholesterol leading to premature hardening of the arteries. This can cause strokes and heart attacks.

Hot dogs, sausages, and deli meats contain nitrates and nitrites as preservatives. This can form carcinogenic compounds like nitrosamines during cooking or metabolism. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified processed meats to contain Group 1 carcinogens.  These processed meats also contain high amounts of sodium and saturated fats. This causes high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Telomere length reduced by ultraprocessed foods

Another study regarding consumption of ultraprocessed foods came out in 2020. There were 886 participants aged 57–91. Researchers measured telomere length in saliva samples. Subjects with the highest UPF consumption had almost twice the odds of having short telomeres in comparison to those with the lowest UPF consumption. Patients with shorter telomeres were much more prone to chronic diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease. The overall death rate was much higher in patients with shorter telomeres. This confirms what another study also found.

Ultraprocessed foods are causing obesity and weight gain

Another study found that ultraprocessed foods caused weight gain and obesity. The authors of this study pointed out that US residents eat up to 70% of the total calorie input as UPFs. They reviewed the literature and found that UPF consumption raises the risk of obesity. Also, chronic conditions like cancer, strokes, heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and depression are directly linked to UPF consumption. Because of the development of these chronic health conditions the life expectancy is about 10% shorter than for those who don’t consume UPFs.

Ultraprocessed Food Leads to Premature Aging

Ultraprocessed Food Leads to Premature Aging

Conclusion

Over the past several decades food companies produced more and more ultraprocessed foods (UPFs). You see them on grocery store shelves. They contain high amounts of sugar, saturated fat and salt. This can cause cardiovascular disease. Added food preservatives, coloring, and flavor enhancers are also of concern as they may lead to UPF food addiction. Obesity, cancer, heart attacks and strokes are often the final result of UPF overconsumption. Another publication that I reviewed showed that consumption of UPF leads to shorter telomeres in all body cells. We know from other publications that short telomeres cause chronic diseases and premature deaths because of organ failures. The bottom line is that you want to reduce your UPF food intake and increase your whole food intake. This will strengthen your immune system, prevent heart attacks, strokes and cancer. Your telomeres will stay long and your life expectancy increases by about 6 years.

Oct
12
2024

Cardiovascular Risk Markers Predict Heart Attacks and Strokes

By | blood test, Cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, diet, fasting mimicking diet, Fitness, heart attack, Heart Disease, Mortality, Stroke, Weight loss

An article in The New England Journal of Medicine stated that cardiovascular risk markers predict heart attacks and strokes. A summary of this study was also published by NBC News.

30-year follow-up of the Women’s Health Study

This is based on a 30-year follow-up study of the Women’s Health Study. In the beginning of the study all women had blood tests taken. In the beginning none of the women had cardiovascular disease.  The blood tests were LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP). When either of these markers was high at the beginning of the clinical trial, it turns out that 30 years later the person either was dead from cardiovascular disease or had a heart attack or stroke.

More details of the study

In the beginning of the study 27,939 initially healthy U.S. women had 3 of the mentioned blood tests taken. If only one of them was elevated, there was a risk in the next 30 years to get a myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes. The initial age of the patients was 54.7 years. During the next 30 years of follow-up 3662 cardiovascular events took place. Hazard ratios for the primary end point in a comparison of the top with the bottom quintile were calculated. The following hazard ratios were derived:

  • 70-fold for high-sensitivity CRP
  • 36 for LDL cholesterol
  • 33 for lipoprotein(a)

Each biomarker showed an independent contribution to the overall risk. The risk of developing cardiovascular disease was highest when all three biomarkers were elevated.

Traditional risk calculation

Cardiologists calculated risk for cardiovascular events by the traditional 10-year estimates of risk. The authors suggest that physicians should do screening blood tests with these three biomarkers. If any of the biomarkers is elevated, measures to reduce cardiovascular risk should be initiated. This will be very effective to prevent cardiovascular events for the next 30 years.

Be proactive, prevent heart disease

As we get older, many people develop elevations of high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein (a). But don’t wait for this to happen. Here are 9 steps you  can follow to prevent it.

  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Quit smoking
  • Choose good nutrition
  • Be physically active
  • Treat hypertension adequately
  • Manage diabetes, if you have it
  • Stress management
  • Limit alcohol intake
  • Get enough sleep

Comments to the steps you can take to prevent cardiovascular disease

The ideal body mass index is between 21.0 and 22.0. I found that the fasting mimicking diet helps me to stay in that BMI range. Good nutrition eliminates red meat and emphasizes vegetables and salads. Fish, lean chicken and turkey meat are healthy. Avoid all processed meats like sausages. Watch your calorie intake to keep your body mass index stable. In addition, avoid excessive salt and sugar intake. Avoid highly processed carbohydrates and processed food. Eliminate fried fast food, chips and baked goods from your diet as they contain trans fats. Trans fats cause hardening of the arteries.

Aim to get 30 to 60 minutes of daily activity. Do two or more strength training sessions a week. This raises the protective HDL cholesterol and prevents cardiovascular disease. Excessive alcohol intake leads to cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. Limit your alcohol intake, if you find it hard to eliminate it altogether.

Cardiovascular Risk Markers Predict Heart Attacks and Strokes

Cardiovascular Risk Markers Predict Heart Attacks and Strokes

Conclusion

A unique 30-year follow-up study of the Women’s Health Study identified three risk factors that a doctor can be determin from a blood sample. They predict whether a person will develop cardiovascular disease 30 years down the road. The three risk factors are high-sensitivity CRP, LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein (a). The best approach to prevention of heart disease is to adopt the approach of the Mayo Clinic described above. It comes down to the basics of good nutrition, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting excessive alcohol intake and stress management.

Aug
17
2024

Exercise for healthy Aging and a young Brain

By | andropause, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, Diabetes, diet, e-cigarettes, exercise, Fitness, Health, heart attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, lifestyle, Menopause, sleep, Smoking, stress, Stroke, sugar, Weight loss

This article is about exercise for healthy aging and a young brain. A review article in Medical News Today states that several research papers showed that exercise greatly improves brain health, cognition and mood. It also reduces the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.

The benefits of regular exercise 

Here is a list of the beneficial effects of regular exercise:

  • Increased muscle strength
  • Improved heart health
  • Lower blood sugar
  • Improved mood
  • Alleviates stress
  • Improvement of cognitive function

Researchers from Stanford Medicine have examined in a rat model how exactly exercise influences various tissues. Unfortunately, such experiments in humans are not possible and results of rat experiments do not readily translate into the human context. In 8 weeks of regular exercise rats experienced stimulation of the immune system, a reduction of the stress response, an increase of energy production and stimulation of the metabolism. From indirect measurements we know that in humans the same findings likely also hold true. The mitochondria, the area in cells where energy production occurs, are stimulated in muscles, the heart, liver, kidneys, and white adipose tissue.

Effect of exercise on the immune system

Researchers showed in a mouse model that exercise stimulated the T cell response and rejuvenated aging microglia in the brain. The result is a strengthening of the immune system and rejuvenation of the supportive microglia. In the aging human regular exercise rejuvenates microglia in the hippocampus. This can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Exercise strengthens brain cell connections

How does exercise affect the functioning of the brain?

Ryan Glatt is a senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica. He said: “Exercise enhances synaptic plasticity and blood flow while reducing inflammation and increasing the expression of neurotrophic factors like Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). These effects can synergistically improve memory, learning, and overall brain health.”

The best forms of exercise for brain health

Glatt said: “Activities combining physical and cognitive challenges, like dance or tai chi, can be especially effective for certain aspects of brain health.”

Brisk walking is a simple method of exercise. However, we also need isometric exercises, which helps muscle strength and endurance. A good way of combining the two forms of exercise is to regularly go to a gym. Use a treadmill for 30 minutes and then use 30 minutes of a workout with 10 weight machines. Mix this with tai chi or ballroom dancing several days per week. This keeps you mentally and physically fit.

Slow your biological age through the use of the “Essential 8”

Research identified 8 factors that determine how long you live. These 8 factors are what can lower your biological age by 6 years. Here are the 8 factors:

  • Diet

    A diet high in fruit, vegetables and lean meats helps you to lower your cholesterol level. In addition, avoid trans fats, fried foods and sugary foods. This helps you to lose weight and prevents Together with regular exercise eating a healthy diet prevents heart attacks and strokes.

  • Activity

    The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Alternatively, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity achieve the same thing. Examples of moderate aerobic activity are a brisk walk, jogging, biking, social dancing and water aerobics. Vigorous aerobic activity involves spinning, running, swimming laps or jumping rope. Exercise reduces blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. It also helps people to reduce weight.

  • Quit smoking

    Smoking cigarettes, vaping or using e-cigarettes causes your  body to develop higher blood pressure and damages your blood vessels because of circulating toxins. You also develop shortness of breath from narrowed airways. On the other hand, when people quit smoking, their risk of coronary heart disease drops to half after 1 year.   

  • Getting enough sleep

    People who don’t get enough sleep at night tend to have higher blood pressures, higher cholesterol and higher blood sugar values. This leads to weight increase and obesity. Sleeping at night for 7 to 9 hours improves cardiovascular health.

  • Body mass index (BMI) 

    An elevation of your body weight occurs when you eat the wrong foods and combine this with a sedentary lifestyle. Increased weight causes heart and joint problems as well as diabetes. Eating the right foods and exercising regularly gets your BMI into the normal range. This reduces your biological age.

  • Cholesterol

    An increase of cholesterol can cause heart attacks and strokes. But when you watch your fat and cholesterol intake you can reduce your cholesterol level. Make healthier choices with foods like reducing saturated fats, reducing refined carbohydrate intake, eating more vegetables and leaner meats. This reduces inflammation in the arteries and plaque deposits with much lower risks of heart attacks and strokes.

  • Blood sugar

    Increased blood sugars lead to diabetes. In this case there is accelerated hardening of the arteries in the heart, brain, eyes, and kidneys. This leads to premature heart attacks and strokes. People need to avoid eating refined sugars, carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice) and sugary drinks. This normalizes blood sugars and your biological age reduces. Regular exercise is also important to burn off any excess sugar in the system.

  • High blood pressure

    An elevated blood pressure strains the arteries and the heart. If you don’t pay attention to this you are at a high risk of getting heart failure, a heart attack or a stroke. Sticking to a heart healthy diet, avoiding salty foods, and exercising regularly allows you to lower your blood pressure and avoid the above mentioned complications. If these measures alone do not reduce your blood pressure to normal, ask your doctor to prescribe blood pressure lowering medications for you.

  • Bioidentical hormone replacement

    What was not contained in the 8 factors was bioidentical hormone replacement. As you can see from the illustration, testosterone in males reduces more slowly in males (with a delay of 10 years) in comparison to estrogen reduction in menopausal women. Several authors describe that men and women in andropause and menopause live longer when bioidentical hormones are administered compared to those that do not use hormone replacement therapy.

Exercise for healthy Aging and a young Brain

Exercise for healthy Aging and a young Brain

Conclusion

Regular exercise even in older age keeps your brain free from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. But in addition to this other research showed that 7 more factors are important to reduce your biological age. They are a healthy diet, quitting smoking, getting enough sleep and reducing your body mass index. In addition, you need to keep your cholesterol and blood sugar levels normal. Control high blood pressure with a healthy diet, refrain from salty foods and if necessary, treat it with medication.

Life’s essential 8 factors

It is important to simultaneously control all these “Life’s essential 8” factors for optimal control. People who do this were found to consistently have a lower biological age than others who do not. They also tend to not get Alzheimer’s disease whereas controls do. Lifestyle factors matter for healthy aging and a young brain. Studies showed that the biological age of those who take care of their lifestyles is on average 6 years younger than that of controls. You can reduce your biological age even further with bioidentical hormone replacement in andropause and menopause.

Jul
20
2024

A Plant-based Diet Helped Prostate Cancer Patients Significantly

By | breast cancer, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, diet, exercise, Mortality, Processed food

A new study in JAMA Network Open showed that a plant-based diet helped prostate cancer patients significantly. Briefly, in this study physicians followed 2062 men with localized prostate cancer for a median follow-up of 6.5 years. The researchers paid close attention to the diet of these patients. Physicians compared patients with a high plant-based diet index to patients with a high meat/dairy diet index. Researchers measured prostate cancer progression and found a 47% reduction in prostate cancer progression with the plant-based diet group. This was in comparison to the meat/dairy group. They concluded that consumption of a primarily plant-based diet associated with a better health outcome for prostate cancer patients.

Colon cancer studies on plant-based diet and exercise

The medical literature shows that the survival of colon cancer improves when patients consume plant-based diets and at the same time exercise regularly. One study showed that a combination of plant-based diet and regular exercise allowed colon cancer patients to survive longer. This was in comparison to a control group on meat/dairy products who did not exercise.

Breast cancer patients

Researchers followed 6,235 breast cancer patients for 9.4 years. A group of women with hormone-negative breast cancer on soy products reduced their risk of dying from breast cancer by 21%. A low-fat diet following breast cancer diagnosis reduced the risk of breast cancer recurrence by 23%. At the same time a low-fat diet also reduced mortality from breast cancer by 17%. Another medical study compared the diet of women who developed breast cancer with diets of women who did not have breast cancer. The offending foods were American, cheddar, and cream cheeses. Women who ate most of these in their diet had a 53% higher risk of developing breast cancer.

36 foods that help you to fight cancer

The MD Anderson Cancer Center website lists 36 foods that help you to fight cancer. On top are foods like berries, broccoli, tomatoes, walnuts, grapes and other vegetables, fruits and nuts. Vegetables come in a variety of different colors. Be sure you aim for a rainbow color mix to get the most phytochemicals from your vegetables. Include frozen vegetables, whole grains and avoid processed foods. The website also reminds people that processed meats, red meat and too much alcohol causes various cancers. Women should limit alcoholic drinks to one drink per day. Men should limit their alcohol intake to two drinks per day. Less than that is desirable.

Prostate Cancer Patients Were Significantly Helped with a Plant-based Diet

Prostate Cancer Patients Were Significantly Helped with a Plant-based Diet

Conclusion

Recently a medical publication stated that prostate cancer patients were significantly helped with a plant-based diet. However, further research of medical publications showed that colon cancer and other cancers were also reduced on this diet. In addition, breast cancer survival increased on soy products, low-fat diets and plant-based diets. Any processed food leads to cancer, heart attacks and strokes with increased mortality rates. The MD Anderson Cancer Center website lists 36 foods that showed cancer protection from phytochemicals. Don’t wait until you come down with cancer, adopt a sensible diet for cancer prevention now!

Jun
22
2024

Metabolism Can Vary in People

By | Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, cholesterol, Diabetes, diet, exercise, fasting mimicking diet, Fitness, green tea, Hormones, lifestyle, mitochondria, Obesity, Smoking, Weight loss

Weight loss is easier for some than others, because metabolism can vary in people. In the following I will outline this in more detail. A biochemist recently published an article in “the conversation”, which is the basis for my review.

Everybody has their own metabolism

It is important to realize that everything that our body comes in contact with influences our physical characteristics like our blood pressure and our energy. Together all the biological characteristics have the name phenotype. The most important factor that influences our phenotype is our metabolism. It matters what you do like eating, whether you are taking medication, smoking, or exercising. This all influences your metabolism. On a molecular level it starts when your digestive system breaks nutrients down into each component: carbohydrates, fats and protein. When your digestive juices break down these food components, electrons are released from chemical bonds. These are transferred to the mitochondria, the energy packages in all of our cells. It is important to note that we do not all have the same metabolism as our neighbour. There are different types of metabolism.

Metabolism of an elite athlete

Elite athletes are not born that way. They have to practice hard physically for many hours a day and do that over several years. Their bodies adapt to the regular training by creating extra mitochondria in every cell of their body. Their body also learns how to burn fat, carbs and amino acids into chemical energy effectively. The elite athlete has superior energy production.

Metabolism of a Covid-19 patient

At the other end of the spectrum is the metabolism of a Covid-19 patient. Researchers found by examining patients who got sick from Covid-19 that their fat metabolism was impaired. This inability to burn fat persists in long Covid patients. The fatigue from long Covid is due to a dysfunction of the mitochondria. The mitochondria are not producing enough energy.

The in-between metabolism of blood donors

Travis Nemkov is an assistant research professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. His team investigated blood from 13,000 blood donors. They found that the metabolism of blood donors placed between the metabolism of elite athletes and that of Covid-19 patients. They also found a lot of variation of a metabolite by the name of kynurenine, which is due to a breakdown of the amino acid tryptophan. The researchers found that blood from donors with higher kynurenine levels was unable to restore blood levels of blood recipients. In addition, they found that kynurenine levels were higher in older donors and also in patients with obesity (higher BMI’s). Kynurenine was also a strong predictor for Covid-19 severity.

Weight loss problems when the metabolism is slow

We all know people who have a problem shedding their weight compared to others who loose weight with only a few days of food restriction. “People might have fast, slow, or average metabolism, regardless of their body size and composition,” says Dr. Chih-Hao Lee, professor of genetics and complex diseases at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. This Harvard University website explains this in detail. How do we speed up a naturally slow metabolism?  We can exercise a bit more, and watch the quality of our food intake. This means cutting out added sugar, too much fat, too many carbohydrates and processed foods. The Harvard website says: “Studies have found green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin gallate, which may increase the calories and fat you burn. “By making these small changes mentioned you can rev up your metabolism.

Hormones and body weight

Our metabolism and body weight depend on a number of hormones: leptin, insulin, estrogens, androgens and growth hormone play a crucial role in weight control. Additional hormones, such as the thyroid hormones are involved in maintaining our weight in a healthy range. Researchers have noticed that patients with hypothyroidism gain weight and burn less calories in their mitochondria. On the other hand, patients with hyperthyroidism stimulate their metabolism, lose weight and burn more calories. The exact mechanism of how thyroid hormones interact with the other hormones is unknown.

Metabolism Can Vary in People

Metabolism Can Vary in People

Conclusion

I came across a review about metabolism and weight control, written by a biochemist. He pointed out that different people have different metabolisms. Examples he gave were the metabolism of elite athletes and the metabolism of Covid-19 patients, who are at the low end. His team investigated the metabolism of 13,000 people who were blood donors. He called them people with an in-between metabolism.

How to speed up naturally slow metabolism

How do we speed up a naturally slow metabolism?  We can exercise a bit more, and watch the quality of our food intake. This means cutting out added sugar, too much fat, too many carbohydrates and processed foods. Your physician can also tell you whether your thyroid hormones and your human growth hormone are adequate. Other hormones that regulate your metabolism are leptin, insulin, estrogens and androgens. When you look at the factors that are responsible for your metabolism, the genetic factors come first. Your hormone status, eating pattern and exercise status come second. But by making small changes to the factors mentioned you can rev up your metabolism significantly.

Jun
10
2024

About Aging and a Prolonged Life

By | alcohol, andropause, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, diet, exercise, fasting mimicking diet, Fitness, heart attack, High Blood Pressure, Hormones, Menopause, Mortality, Obesity, Prevention, sleep

The topic “about aging and a prolonged life” is always popular with people. CNN recently discussed this topic with the Nobel prize winner and molecular biologist, Professor Venki Ramakrishnan. He shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Thomas A. Steitz and Ada Yonath for research on the structure and function of ribosomes. Ribosomes are sub particles in the cell responsible for making proteins. In the following I will summarize this interview.

What is aging?

150 years ago, people lived only about to 40 years. Today we can live up to 84 years in most countries. It is because medicine has learnt a lot about the reasons why diseases occur and how they can be cured. Physicians have a number of antibiotics available for those who suffer infections. Heart bypass surgeries and stents can prolong a person’s life when there is hardening of the coronary arteries.

Aging processes

The following aging processes occur all our lives:

  • DNA breaks happen in our cells, but repair mechanisms are in place that deal with this. With older age repair mechanisms are more sluggish.
  • Faulty proteins form inside cells, however, we have mechanisms to take care of that.
  • Chemical damage to molecules in our cells accumulates. The cells can only partially eliminate these.
  • Hormone disbalances occur during menopause and andropause. But anti-aging physicians can correct this by doing hormone tests and ordering bioidentical hormone supplements.
  • There are limits of what anti-aging medicine can do: osteoarthritis affects our joints; our muscles are aging and with it our heart muscle. Degenerative neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and dementia occur frequently as we get older with no effective therapies.
  • The immune system weakens with age. To a certain extend vitamin D3 and other supplements can strengthen it, but only to a certain extent.

Systems working together in our body

Dr. Ramakrishnan said that our bodies work like cities. In it are various systems that need to work together to keep us alive. If a major system fails, we die. Some of the essential organ systems are the heart, the brain, kidneys, our gut, the lungs, the bone marrow and all our hormone glands. If one of these organs breaks down, we are in trouble. If an organ donor is not available, we perish. But even when everything is working together well, we are limited reaching a maximal lifespan of about 120 years. This has to do with limits of our cell metabolism and the aging processes mentioned above. Science has not found a way to prolong our maximal lifespan and likely will not find one soon. But there are various lifestyles that can prolong life as I mentioned here before.

Genetic effect on our lifespan

CNN asked Dr. Ramakrishnan what genetic effects there are that would transmit longevity from a parent who lived until 95 or older to a child’s lifespan. He answered the following: “There is a correlation between the ages of parents and their children, but it’s not perfect. A study of 2,700 Danish twins showed that heritability — how much of our longevity is due to our genes — only accounted for about 25% of lifespan. Still, researchers have found that mutation in just a single gene can double the lifespan of a certain type of worm. Clearly there’s a genetic component, but the effects and implications are complex.”

Relationship between cancer and aging

The same genes are involved for the growth of the body at a young age, and the older person who comes down with cancer. In old age the same genes can cause cancer and dementia. Dr. Ramakrishnan said: “Our risk of cancer increases with age because we accumulate defects in our DNA and genome, which sometimes cause gene malfunctions that lead to cancer. But many of our cellular repair systems that seem to be designed to avoid cancer early in life also cause aging later.”

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) and senescent cells

The body has two mechanisms in place that counter the danger of developing cancer cells. Dr. Ramakrishnan explained: “For example, cells can sense breaks in our DNA that might allow chromosomes to join in an abnormal way, which could lead to cancer. To prevent that joining, a cell will either kill itself or enter a state called senescence, where it can no longer divide. From the perspective of an organism like us, which has trillions of cells, this makes sense. Even if millions of cells are destroyed this way, these actions protect the whole organism. But the buildup of senescent cells is one of the ways we age.”

Lifestyle changes that help you live longer

Dr. Ramakrishnan said that our grandmothers knew what a healthy lifestyle was. The following is a list of what science now confirms adds years to your life:

  • Don’t be gluttonous. Eating a variety of healthy foods in moderation can prevent the health risks of obesity.
  • Get exercise: this helps us regenerate new mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of our cells providing energy.
  • Avoid stress, which creates hormonal effects that change our metabolism and can accelerate aging.
More life prolonging points:
  • Get enough sleep. This allows our bodies to do molecular-level repair.
  • One of the newer findings is Dr. Longo’s fasting mimicking diet. Do a semi-fast once a month for 5 days with 500 to 600 calories per day. This helps you to shed 0.5 to 0.7 units of body mass index. It also stimulates your immune cells, your stem cells and elongates your telomeres. Long telomeres make you live longer.
  • Replacing missing hormones with the help of an anti-aging physician will add about 10 years to your life. I mentioned this earlier.

A few more points about longevity research

Dr. Ramakrishnan said: “Already the top 10% of income earners in both the US and the UK live more than a decade longer than the bottom 10%. If you look at health span — the number of years of healthy life — that disparity is even greater. Poorer people are living shorter, less healthy lives.” He said further about the concept of “immortality”: “I think this quest for immortality is a mirage. One hundred and fifty years ago, you could expect to live until about 40. Today, life expectancy is about 80, which, as author Steven Johnson has said, is almost like adding a whole extra life. But we’re still obsessed about dying. I think if we lived to be 150, we’d be fretting about why we’re not living to 200 or 300. It’s never-ending.”

About Aging and a Prolonged Life

About Aging and a Prolonged Life

Conclusion

CNN discussed the quest for longevity with Nobel prize winning Dr. Ramakrishnan. He pointed out that the aging process is due to a number of factors that work together. There are DNA breaks, faulty proteins, chemical damage to molecules, hormone disbalances and degenerative changes. We need to watch that we do not overeat, get regular exercise and eat a variety of healthy foods. In addition, we need to avoid stress, get enough sleep and replace missing hormones with bioidentical hormones. A newer boost to your health is the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) from Dr. Valter Longo that helps you keep your weight in the lower body mass index range. Dr. Longo showed in animal experiments and with humans that the FMD elongates telomeres, which directly prolongs life.

Apply what helps your longevity

While it is far-fetched to believe that we now have a ticket to live for 120 years or longer, it is more important to know that we can do our part to spend our golden years in health and wellness.

May
25
2024

Cancer in younger Adults is due to Accelerated Aging

By | alcohol, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, diet, Heart Disease, Mortality, Processed food, telomeres

Recent research showed that cancer in younger adults is due to accelerated aging. Researchers presented a paper at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024. They discussed in detail how cancer presents in aging tissues.

Details of the study

Researchers examined the UK Biobank databases of 148,724 individuals aged 37 to 54 years. 9 biomarkers from blood of these patients served to calculate the biological age of these patients. The following were the blood tests: albumin, alkaline phosphatase, creatine, C-reactive protein, glucose, mean corpuscular volume, red cell distribution width, white blood cell count, and lymphocyte proportion. I will discuss below how they calculated the biological age from these factors. In most patients there was a discrepancy between the chronological age and the biological age.

The researchers also checked the cancer registries to check how many cancer patients were found before age 55. Nearly 3200 cancers were found. Patients born between 1950 and 1954 were compared to patients born in or after 1965. Surprisingly the younger patients (born in or after 1965) had 17% higher accelerated aging. This made this group more prone to develop early cancers.

Significance of accelerated aging regarding cancer frequency

The researchers also found that increases in accelerated aging were associated with a significant risk of early-onset lung cancer, early-onset gastrointestinal cancer, and early-onset uterine cancer. Individuals who had the highest amount of faster aging were compared to people who had the smallest amount of faster aging. The faster aging group had twice the risk of early-onset lung cancer, more than 60% higher risk of gastrointestinal tumors, and more than 80% higher risk of uterine cancer.

Calculating the biological age 

The following is a list of items to calculate the biological age (taken from this CNN source):

  • albumin: a protein made by the liver that declines with age
  • creatinine: a waste product in blood produced by protein digestion and the breakdown of muscle tissue; a measure of kidney function. Lower levels correlate with better longevity.
  • glucose: With age, blood sugar stays higher for longer after meals.
  • c-reactive protein: made by the liver in response to inflammation; relatively higher levels correspond to faster aging
  • lymphocyte percent: The concentration of these white blood cells related to immune function tends to decrease with age.

More items to calculate biological age:

  • mean cell volume: a measure of the average size of red blood cells, which increases with age
  • red cell distribution width: the difference between the size of a person’s smallest and largest red blood cells, which tends to increase with age
  • alkaline phosphatase: an enzyme produced mainly by the liver and bones that tends to increase with age
  • white blood cell counts: Numbers of white cells in the high end of the normal range in the blood may correspond with greater aging.

Using these criteria, a research group developed the algorithm PhenoAge. This is how the biological age was calculated.

What factors lower the biological age?

There are 8 essential components that determine your biological age: diet, physical activity, avoiding nicotine exposure, sleep health, lower body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. This link states that when you optimize this list of 8 essential components your biological age will be 6 years less than your chronological age. It will make you resistant to several diseases including cancer.

Your telomere length is important to reduce your biological age

Researchers know for some time that telomere length determines the biological age. Telomere length determines how old we get. It also can predict whether we get illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular diseases as we age. In addition, it determines whether you get the blessing of longevity or not. Researchers showed that two lifestyle habits, namely a Mediterranean diet and regular exercise, preserve our telomeres to give us a younger biological age.

Effect of Junk foods on our biological age

Too many people eat unhealthy foods like processed meats, French fries, hamburgers and other processed foods. How does this affect your lifespan? When we consume unhealthy foods and beverages, like sugar-sweetened beverages and highly processed foods, we gain weight. Obesity and other chronic conditions are the results that put us at a higher risk regarding at least 13 types of cancer. Included in this are endometrial (uterine) cancer, breast cancer in postmenopausal women, and colorectal cancer.

How can we counter the devastating effect of highly processed foods?

We need to buy whole foods that were not processed. Buy fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, organic chicken, fish like wild salmon.  Cook your own meals. This link describes anti-aging foods that help you to enjoy a longer life with less diseases. Other studies showed in the past that this type of food preserves your telomeres, prevents many cancers and prevents heart attacks and strokes.

Discussion

The study in the beginning of this review showed a higher cancer frequency in younger patients. This is a new concerning trend. But the study failed to show the reason behind this. In my opinion it is the fact that younger people nowadays have poorer lifestyles than in the past. They consume junk foods and larger amounts of alcohol regularly. This behavior pattern causes shortening of telomeres, lowering of the biological age and the emergence of diseases mentioned above. We need more research into the causes of telomere shortening in younger patients. Also, why do they experience accelerated aging with an increase in the biological age? The research paper shown in the beginning of this review was done on a British population.

There is a need for other studies

A similar study with a more diverse population including a record of their eating habits would be welcome. Apart from measuring the biological age, measuring the telomere length would also be useful. In addition, a control group of younger people who consume healthy foods would help as a contrast. This control group likely would have a lower biological age and longer telomeres than the experimental group.

Cancer in younger Adults is due to Accelerated Aging

Cancer in younger Adults is due to Accelerated Aging

Conclusion

In the beginning of this review, I described a study about younger patients. They had an accelerated biological age with a higher rate of various cancers. I showed that other researchers examined telomere length and the longer it was the less cancer the patients got. I mentioned that eating junk foods, processed meats and consuming sugary drinks was bad for your health. This accelerates your biological age and shortens your telomeres. As this study was based on a British cohort, we need new research that concentrates on a more diversified population. Apart from measuring the biological age, measuring the telomere length would also be useful. In addition, a control group of younger people who consume healthy foods would help as a contrast. This control group likely would have a lower biological age and longer telomeres than the experimental group.

Apr
13
2024

Eating the right Food Determines your Health

By | Cancer, diet, exercise, food, Health, heart attack, Mortality, Nutrition, Prevention, sleep, sugar

CNN had an interview with Dr. Leana Wen about the fact that eating the right food determines your health. Dr. Wen is a wellness expert, an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University.

How much does the quality of food we eat influence our health?

There are detailed studies that showed the following effects of healthy food on our lives.

  • If you eat a diet consisting of more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts, the following will happen. You could exceed the age of controls eating unhealthy food by 10 to 13 years.

Specifically, a woman starting such a diet at age 20 would add 10 years to her life, when starting at age 60 she could add 8 years to her life. For men starting this diet at age 20 would allow him to gain 13 years, when starting at age 60 he would add 9 years to his life.

Additional healthy food studies

  • A 2023 Nature study found that men can add 10.8 years, women 10.4 years by switching their diets. This switch was from unhealthy diets to a longevity diet with more whole grains. In addition, the healthy diet contained more nuts and fruits and less sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats.
  • Another 2023 study from the Jama network followed over 100,000 people for more than 30 years. There was an association between adopting healthy eating patterns and a reduction in early mortality. People on a healthy diet reduced their risk of early death by 20%! The study also noticed that people who ate more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes had fewer other diseases. They were less likely to die from cancer, cardiovascular illness and respiratory and neurodegenerative disease. These were important findings. 

What kinds of food make you live longer?

Dr. Wen stated clearly that it is only minimally processed, whole food that allows a person to live longer. The highly processed foods like processed meats, sausages, cakes and cookies are a “no go”. They are the ones that cost lives from heart attacks, strokes and cancer. On the other hand, leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains associate with significantly reduced mortality. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce heart disease and dementia. It is also a good source of protein. So, stay away from hot dogs and chicken nuggets, instead enjoy salmon fillet or roasted chicken.

Foods that you need less of

Avoid sugar sweetened sodas and energy drinks, as they elevate cholesterol levels and cause heart attacks. Next, stay away from ultra-processed foods like chips and candies. In one study with more than 11,000 participants people who ate a lot of ultra-processed foods had a 31% higher risk of mortality.

With what do you replace junk food?

Here are a couple of examples. Somebody who used to drink a lot of sodas can replace them with water, sparkling water, flavored water or lemon juice, sweetened with stevia. Instead of snacking on ultraprocessed foods like chips, candies or pretzels eat nuts instead. Look at the list of ingredients before you buy anything in the grocery store. If there is a long list of ingredients including chemicals, this is ultraprocessed food. Replace it with minimally processed foods with only a few items on the ingredient list.

Other advice for health and longevity

  1. If possible, eat three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Stop eating 2 hours before bedtime to allow your guts to digest the food you previously ate. This avoids heart burn and interference with your sleep.
  2. Exercise regularly. Studies showed that 150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week reduced mortality by 23%.
  3. Take care of stress in your life. Cherish your social life and socialize; it is important for longevity. See your doctor regularly to take care of any medical problems you may have.
  4. Watch your sleep habits. Many studies have shown that adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Sleep restores your hormone glands, gets them ready for the next day, but it is also important for longevity.
  5. Keep your body mass index (BMI) between 21.0 and 24.0. Personally, I keep my BMI between 21.0 and 22.0. Any extra pounds of fat merely lead to elevated cholesterol and triglycerides. Eventually this leads to heart attacks and strokes, but also to diabetes.
Eating the right Food Determines your Health

Eating the right Food Determines your Health

Conclusion

A recent article in CNN described that eating the right food determines your health. One study said that you should eat a diet consisting of more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts. Doing this increases your life expectation by 10 to 13 years compared to controls who ate unhealthy food. It is only minimally processed, whole food that allows a person to live longer. You must eliminate ultraprocessed food. This means you should not consume sausages, fries, chips, pretzels and other overprocessed foods. Instead, eat leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits and whole grains that associate with significantly reduced mortality. Yes, eating the right food determines your health.