Here is the perfect 11-minute rule for a long-lasting healthy life - Interesting Engineering

Cambridge University researchers propose that people can reduce their risk of early death from heart disease, cancer, and various other health problems — just by doing 11 minutes of brisk walking or any other moderate-intensity physical activity daily.

This is half the effort that National Health Service (NHS) recommended in the past to lead a long and healthy life. According to NHS, a person between 19 to 64 years of age should spend at least 150 minutes a week (about 21 hours a day) doing moderate-intensity exercise. 

However, the current study suggests that even 75 minutes of the same level of physical activity every week is enough to save you from an early death. So who is right, NHS or Cambridge?

The logic behind 11-minute brisk walking

To explore the links between physical activity levels and common causes of early death, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, the researchers went through the findings of 196 peer-reviewed research works. These studies collectively involved over 30 million participants from 94 different age groups. 

They noticed that over 60 percent of the participants did moderately-intense physical activity for less than 150 minutes a week, and less than 10 percent of the subjects performed exercise for more than 300 minutes a week. 

However, the most interesting finding was that those who exercised or brisk walked 75 minutes on a weekly basis (i.e., 11 minutes every day) with the same level of intensity also received almost the same health benefits as the people who exercised 150 minutes a week. There was only a marginal difference between the risk of early death faced by people in both groups.  

“If you are someone who finds the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a bit daunting, then our findings should be good news. Doing some physical activity is better than doing none. This is also a good starting position – if you find that 75 minutes a week is manageable, then you could try stepping it up gradually to the full recommended amount,” said Dr. Soren Brage, one of the study authors and a scientist at Cambridge University. 

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How does the 11-minute daily routine benefit you?  

According to the researchers, 75 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week could reduce the chances of early death for a person by 23 percent. Such a person is 17 percent less likely to have a heart attack as compared to those who don’t exercise at all.  

Moreover, the risk of cancer decreases between three to 26 percent (depending on the type of cancer) in individuals who brisk walk (which is probably the simplest moderate-intensity exercise) daily for 11 minutes. For example, if your body is prone to developing lung cancer, the 75-minute/week rule can reduce its possibility by up to 11 percent and by even 26 percent if it is blood cancer that you might develop.  

The study authors suggest that if people commit to brisk walking for 150 minutes a week, about 16 percent of early deaths could be prevented. Even if they commit to 75 minutes a week, we’d still be able to reduce early deaths by 10 percent.  

Moderate physical activity doesn’t mean that you have to join a gym and start practicing intense workout routines. You can complete your daily 11-minute quota simply by cycling, brisk walking, or playing with your kids in the evening. What’s important according to the researchers, is that you do it, and you do it daily.

The study is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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Community members relied on this store. A devastating fire could leave them without access to food. - CBS 6 News Richmond WTVR

RICHMOND, Va. -- A community staple in Richmond's Southside is no longer open.

On Monday morning around 6 a.m., Richmond Police responded to King's Supermarket, located in the 2100 block of Keswick Avenue for a burglary alarm which is believed to have been triggered by flames and smoke in the building.

Richmond Fire quickly responded, fighting the flames for more than an hour.

First responders say no one was inside the building during the fire and no one was hurt. However, the community will be hurting from the loss of one of the only grocery stores for several miles.

"The biggest impact for the community is that this store, that everybody so amazingly loved, is going to be down for just a little bit," said Richmond Fire Battalion Chief Sekou Abdus-Sabur.

Owner John Jeong said the store serves roughly 1,000 customers a day, many of whom live within walking distance.

"This is the only supermarket, food service market. We have a meat department, a deli, produce," Jeong said. "I mean, I feel sorry for everything, for my community, for my customers. I don't know what they're going to do, probably they can go somewhere else, but I feel sorry for them."

Now, those thousands of shoppers will have to search for healthy food

The USDA labels the surrounding area as low-income, with low access to affordable, healthy foods. The closest stores with fresh produce are about five miles away.

"Sadly, many people’s lives will be affected by the fire as greater Manchester has quite a limited number of options for people that are looking to buy fresh produce and perishable items. People without cars are going to face the greatest burden because they may no longer be able to walk or take a short bus ride to shop for healthier food options," said John Jones, an assistant professor with VCU's Center for Environmental Studies.

That could cause health problems for the community now going without.

“Until the affected people can create some workarounds, or our public and business leaders can seek some, a little bit more permanent solutions, people are going to turn to eating highly processed foods that have longer shelf lives," Jones said.

Jones said as warmer weather approaches, some farms near Richmond will deliver fresh produce to the community through Community Supported Agriculture programs. A list of some participating farms can be found here.

The cause of the first is still under investigation. There is no timeline for when the store will reopen.

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Be well: Add an egg (or 3) to your daily diet for heart health - Fox News

Eggs used to get a bad rap because of their high cholesterol content.

Yet a new study shows they may actually be good for heart health.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Nutrients, found that eating one to three eggs per week could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 60%.

IS THERE A CHICKEN COOP IN YOUR FUTURE AS EGG COSTS RISE? KNOW THE HEALTH RISKS FIRST

Those who consumed four to seven eggs cut their risk of heart disease by 75%.

The data was collected from 3,042 healthy participants in Athens, Greece.

A new study shows that a daily diet consisting of eggs may be good for heart health. (iStock)

The study, titled "Egg Consumption, Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: The Interaction with Saturated Fatty Acids," was led by a group of nutrition researchers and data scientists in Greece.

Michelle Routhenstein, a New York City-based cardiology dietitian who was not involved in the study, said there is a place for eggs in a heart-healthy diet — as long as the total saturated fat intake is considered.

Eating one to three eggs per week could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 60%, a recent study found.

"Eggs are a rich source of vitamin B2, vitamin B12 and selenium, which are cardioprotective," she told Fox News Digital via email. 

When someone is deficient in vitamins B2 and B12, it can cause a spike in homocysteine (an amino acid), which can increase the risk of plaque formation in the arteries.

Selenium also acts as an antioxidant, helping to prevent heart disease.

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Eggs are also packed with high-quality protein that fills you up faster, reducing the chances of consuming processed or refined foods that aren’t so heart-friendly, said Routhenstein.

Heart-healthy ways to enjoy eggs

Eggs are a versatile food that can be enjoyed at any meal. 

Routhenstein recommends preparing a veggie-packed omelet or frittata, or having poached or boiled eggs as part of the protein in a well-balanced grain bowl.

A veggie-packed omelet is a healthy way to include eggs in your daily diet. (iStock)

Registered dietitian Lisa Moskovitz of the NY Nutrition Group in New York City likes to hard-boil eggs, slice them and put them on top of avocado toast. 

Another option is to scramble them and roll them into a breakfast burrito with fiber-rich beans and salsa — or chop eggs into your favorite salad for lunch. 

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"For a more interesting way to enjoy eggs, you can make mini crustless quiches or pour eggs into a muffin tin and bake them into bite-sized muffins," she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"Eggs can also be cracked and stirred right into brothy soup (during the cooking process) to up the protein intake and create your own version of egg drop soup."

Dietitian says moderation is key

While eggs can be a heart-healthy addition to any diet, Routhenstein stressed the importance of taking into account the total amount of saturated fat intake for the day. 

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"The study points to the benefit of 1-3 or 4-7 eggs per week for cardiovascular risk reduction, which equates to about 1.6 grams to 11.6 grams of saturated fat per week from the eggs," she said. 

One dietitian recommends enjoying eggs as a topper for avocado toast. (iStock)

The American Heart Association recommends that only 5% to 6% of calories come from saturated fat. 

For a 2,000-calorie diet, that would be about 13 grams of saturated fat each day.

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"While eggs may be able to be included in a heart-healthy diet, the amount should be relatively limited, and the whole diet should be evaluated for optimal risk reduction," Routhenstein told Fox News Digital.

To read more pieces in Fox News Digital's "Be Well" series, click here. 

Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. 

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The six pillars of healthy work-life balance - Happiful Magazine

Good work-life balance can sometimes feel elusive and unattainable, so we’re breaking it down into its six key pillars

Poor work-life balance can snatch life’s joyous moments away from us, and be detrimental to our mental health and wellbeing. But levelling it out isn’t usually straightforward. Here, with the help of Dr Kirstie Fleetwood Meade, we’ve identified six key pillars of work-life balance on which to lay your new foundation.

Your ‘why’

It’s pretty impossible to set off on any journey if you don’t know where you’re heading, which is why working out what you’re seeking should be your first step.

“Spend some time visualising what an ‘ideal’ work-life balance would look like to you,” Dr Fleetwood Meade says. “It may be that this visualisation seems really out of reach right now. If it currently feels like it’s a three out of 10 in terms of how aligned you are with this ideal, how could you nudge it up to a four? Focusing on the little steps can make this seem more achievable.

“Next, ask yourself why it’s important to you. If it’s to feel less stressed, why? Does it allow you to be more present with your family? The clearer you are in your ‘why’, the easier it will be to say ‘yes’ to the things that lead you closer to it and ‘no’ to the things that don’t.”

Your values and priorities

Once you’ve explored your ‘why’, Dr Fleetwood Meade recommends shifting your focus to your key values. These are the beliefs that help guide us to live a life that is meaningful to us, she explains.

“Being crystal clear on your values makes decision-making around work-life balance easier,” she continues. “Some example values are: adventure, curiosity, power, fitness, freedom, fun, compassion, self-development, connection, love, equality – but there are many, many more.”

What role do your values currently play in your life, and what would a better work-life balance do for your values?

Your barriers or derailers

“Changing habits, making decisions, and saying no can all be emotionally draining,” Dr Fleetwood Meade says. “Which makes it all the more important to be able to pre-empt your likely ‘derailers’ – the things that will throw your work-life balance off track, or get in the way.”

Spend some time thinking about what exactly these might be for you, and consider how you can address them, plan for them, and get support with them.

Your worth and your infallibility

“It’s so important to look after ourselves just as well as we look after others, but if that’s challenging for you, I often reference the classic ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’,” Dr Fleetwood Meade says. “In my therapy work, I’m also a big fan of the idea of the ‘both/and’ – the idea that two things that may seem opposing can actually be true at the same time. Often we get sucked into black-and-white thinking – e.g. if I am the best colleague I can be, that means I need to be always ‘on’.”

Instead, Dr Fleetwood Meade suggests reframing to something like this:

• You are important and you can’t do it all.

• You are doing your best at work and the world won’t fall apart if you don’t check your emails in the evening.

• You’re caring for others and you need time to recharge.

‘No’

It’s probably one of the first things you think of when considering how to improve your work-life balance, but that doesn’t make it easy.

“Firstly, try challenging your perspective on the word ‘no’,” Dr Fleetwood Meade suggests. “We often grow up with stories around being likeable, helpful, and kind, and saying no can make us feel like we’re not these things. But it is possible to say no and still be a kind person.”

Dr Fleetwood Meade suggests having some helpful phrases ready. For example, offer an alternative: ‘I’ve got too much on my plate right now, but I can get back to you in X days/weeks.’ You can also try being polite but firm: ‘Thank you for your offer, but I am already committed to something else’. Or, if you tend to people-please under pressure, give yourself some time: ‘Can I get back to you on that?’

Your gut feeling

“Lastly, an embodiment practice (awareness of what is happening in your body and mind) can be very helpful for guiding your work-life balance,” Dr Fleetwood Meade says. “Think of situations where you definitely knew you wanted, or didn’t want, to do something – do you know what a full body ‘yes’ feels like, and, a full body ‘no’?

“We say we know something from a ‘gut feeling’ or ‘in our bones’. The more we know how our bodies feel in any given situation, the more we can respond from a place that feels authentically us, rather than acting automatically.”

You may need to spend time tuning-in to these sensations, especially if you’re used to pushing past them. But, it’s worth it when our bodies could hold the key to our true feelings.

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For more information on work-life balance, visit the Counselling Directory or speak to a qualified counsellor.

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Study finds nature-based activities boost health, quality of life in elderly - News9 LIVE

Image used for representational purposes (Photo credit: Pixabay)

The researchers found that people who discussed their experiences in nature with others tended to have a stronger sense of purpose in life.

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• The researchers studied the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours of a group of elders, people over the age of 65, who spent time in a natural area on a regular basis.
• Fostering social relationships around nature-based activities, according to the researchers, may be linked to enhanced health and quality of life in the elderly.
• This improved sense of purpose is related to better physical functioning, higher quality of life, and lower fear of death

Spending time in nature has been shown in studies to have psychological, emotional, and physical advantages. To maximise the benefits of spending time in nature for people over the age of 65, researchers revealed. Researchers from Penn State, National Open University in Taiwan, and Lunghwa University of Science and Technology in Taiwan studied the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours of a group of elders, people over the age of 65, who spent time in a natural area on a regular basis.

Fostering social relationships around nature-based activities, according to the researchers, may be linked to enhanced health and quality of life in the elderly. In Japan, the term shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” was developed to refer to spending time in nature while engaging all of one’s senses: tasting the air, smelling a forest, listening to a stream, and being present with whatever you experience.

For elders who encounter challenges when attempting to hike quickly over difficult trails, forest bathing may present an enjoyable and safe way to spend time in nature. According to the researchers, forest bathing is popular among older adults in Japan, China and Taiwan, where the practice originated, and it is becoming increasingly popular in the United States.

The researchers studied older visitors to the Xitou Education Area, a natural preserve in Taiwan. Between April and June of 2022, the researchers surveyed 292 visitors to the preserve who were at least 65 years old and who visited the park at least once a week. Participants were asked a range of questions, from whether they felt supported by others, to how much they thought about their futures, to how much purpose they felt that their lives had.

The results of the study were published in the journal Leisure Sciences. The researchers found that people who discussed their experiences in nature with others tended to have a greater sense of attachment to forest bathing and a stronger sense of purpose in life.

Prior research supports the conclusion that these factors are related to better physical and mental health and higher quality of life. This finding can guide leisure-service providers working in various settings including community recreation departments and retirement villages on how to facilitate leisure for elders, according to John Dattilo, professor of recreation, park and tourism management at Penn State and co-author of this research.

“Elders can access community and state parks where it is safe for them to spend time in nature: places with walkable paths and convenient, accessible parking, are helpful,” Dattilo explained.” Agencies can publicise these opportunities and help identify the value they offer to elders and others.

“Better yet, leisure-service providers could arrange transportation and then afterwards facilitate social interactions among participants,” Dattilo continued. “Enabling people to get out into nature to experience their surroundings is one aspect of forest bathing. Part of what we found is the linkage between positive social relationships and spending time in nature. So, if leisure-service providers create opportunities for elders to return from an experience, meet over a warm beverage and talk about their experiences, there will be value in these connections for people’s sense of purpose.”

An improved sense of purpose is related to better physical functioning, higher quality of life, and lower fear of death, according to Liang-Chih Chang, professor of living sciences at National Open University in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Forest bathing matters, he continued, because it might be able to help people foster that sense of purpose.

“Forest bathing seems to connect people to the moment and the world,” Chang said. “When elders use that same experience to develop social connections and support, they may experience a broad range of benefits associated with physiological functioning as well as cognitive health. These are associations, not cause and effect, but the potential consequences are exciting to consider.”

The study continues Dattilo’s research on the value of the leisure experience for elders that he has explored with his collaborators in Taiwan as well as locally with colleagues from Penn State’s Center for Healthy Aging.

“We have conducted research on square dancing and karaoke, both of which are common activities for elders in Asia,” Dattilo said. “Forest bathing, is unique in that it is closely tied to hiking, strolling or sitting in nature in which many elders engage across the globe. If leisure-service providers facilitate exposure to nature and help participants build a sense of community around those experiences, then elders could live, not only healthier, but richer and more meaningful lives.”

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Nutrition sector in Karnataka gets a boost, but battle not over yet - Deccan Herald

The Karnataka Budget 2023-24 gave a much-needed push to the nutrition sector, focusing on anganwadis which are at the core of providing services to the poor. Attempts have been made to address the concerns raised by the Second Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission (KARC2) headed by former Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar.

The recent report (the fourth) of the Karnataka Administrative Reforms Commission, released by Basavaraj Bommai on February 3, 2023, has given a few significant recommendations for addressing malnutrition in a comprehensive manner. 

The report speaks of the need to increase the number of eggs given to Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) children aged 6 months to 3 years from three per week to five. Similarly, it has also recommended for giving 2 eggs per week to normal children as well. The report recommended the need for extending the scheme for adolescent girls in the 15-18 age group from aspirational districts to other districts as well, covering an estimated population of 6 lakhs at the cost of Rs 180 crore to address the intergenerational issues of malnutrition, child marriages, teenage pregnancies, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR).

Also Read | Nutrition security needs more than slogans

It also suggested the creation of a separate directorate for child development and women empowerment and development. The report stressed the need for measuring malnutrition among children in a periodical manner by linking Poshan tracker with the Student Achievement Tracking System (SATS), which can be a very powerful tool to track dropouts and take corrective actions.

While all the recommendations have not been implemented fully, budget 2023-24 indicates a few important proposals informed by the KARC2 report 4 that can go a long way in addressing the malnutrition issues in the state.

One of the important administrative changes the government is making to address malnutrition is by creating a separate Department of Child Nutrition. The proposal to start Arogya Pushti on the lines of Mathru Poorna (full meal and IFA tablets) for eligible married women for a period of six months, with a special emphasis on aspirational taluks, is a very good move to address the intergenerational challenges of the nutritional cycle.

The scheme “Vatsalya”, aimed at screening all children in rural areas in the age group 0-6 years every 6 months for their health and other growth parameters, is a strategic move as it not only addresses the health and nutrition aspects but also helps to track them for their early learning and enrolment in schools. 

Similarly, the proposal to provide nutrition to adolescent girls who have dropped out of schools has been extended to all aspirational taluks (earlier, it was only in Raichur and Yadgiri). The decision to open 4,000 child care centres in urban areas and 500 kindergartens in rural areas in convergence with NREGS is a welcome move and can help daily wage labourers significantly.

The decision to open 3,538 new anganwadis at a cost of Rs 270 crore and construct 1,000 anganwadi buildings (250 in urban areas) is a significant move that will help the poor to access services at the nearby anganwadis. The monthly honorariums of anganwadi workers, helpers have been increased, apart from provisioning for gratuity for them.

The additional nutrition cost by way of one full meal, milk (Ksheera Bhagya) and Srusti (eggs) for children and women has been increased by 94 per cent, from Rs 460 crore in the current year (2022-23 RE) to Rs 893 crore for the year 2023-24.

The NFHS-5, which came out in 2019-20, pointed out that the effect of these state level interventions is varied across districts, with some showing impressive progress while others are still lagging behind. For instance, between 2015-16 and 2019-20, there was an overall decrease in the number of children under 5 years who are wasted (low weight for height) across the state.

But five economically and socially advanced districts (Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Shivamogga) showed an increase in these numbers. Similarly, districts which previously in 2015-16 were having the lowest stunting (low height for given age) numbers showed an increase in 2019-20. Therefore, although increase in overall nutrition expenditure of the state did lead to some positive outcomes, this did not translate equally in all districts.

One of the important reasons for this could be that currently nutrition budgets to districts are estimated based on unit costs set by the central government in 2017 and not curated towards individual districts. The unit costs of nutrition Mathru Poorna scheme set in 2018 as well as the Poshan 2.0 (erstwhile ICDS) needs to be adjusted for inflation every year and enhanced for greater benefits.

Initiatives taken during the Covid-19 pandemic in Yadgiri offers good lessons for nutrition management as indicated by the study conducted by the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, Bengaluru.

District-level nutrition governance can come up with innovative, proactive and timely solutions to maintain the nutritional health of the most vulnerable.

It was seen that Yadgiri, which has one of the state’s poorest nutrition indicators (57 per cent of its children under 5 years were stunted), made a rational decision of providing take-home rations in pre-packaged kits prepared by the Mahila Supplementary Nutritious Food Production and Training Centres (MSPTC), unlike in Tumakuru where it was providing rations.

This enabled easy delivery of rations to families of children under five years of age during the pandemic.

There was another important initiative during the Covid months in Yadgiri. Anganwadi helpers personally ensured that SAM children consumed boiled eggs or nutrimix under their supervision, and then uploaded photographs of the same with their block level Child Development Project Officer.

To ensure that the egg supply was uninterrupted during the pandemic and unaffected by the fluctuating commodity prices, a tendering process was undertaken in Yadgiri and eggs were supplied to AWCs across the district by the Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation (KFCSC).

A decentralised governance approach can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of nutrition delivery systems. Similarly, the annual revision of unit costs, combined with monitoring the growth parameters of children from the beginning, can go a long way towards achieving the health and nutrition goals of the state.

(Gayathri Raghuraman is a consultant, Sridhar Prasad a research adviser and Madhusudhan Rao B V a senior research adviser at the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, Bengaluru)

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What to eat if you want to live longer - The Telegraph

What you eat can increase your lifespan or shorten it; the science has never been clearer. Food isn’t just calories and energy, it is both the cause and the cure for the signs of ageing. 

“Food is not like medicine, it is medicine,” says Dr Mark Hyman, an American physician and author. “The right foods keep your gut healthy. The wrong foods wreak havoc.”

Dr Hyman is 63 and aiming to live to at least 100. In the course of his life so far he’s seen a shift from thinking that the sort of old age we thought was inevitable – afflicted by illnesses – is, in fact, abnormal ageing. “It is the result of myriad changes in our biology that are treatable,” says Dr Hyman.

He has developed the pegan diet, which combines the paleo diet (with a focus on whole foods such as fruits, meats and nuts) with the vegan diet (which consists of only plant-based foods).

Raw power: a fusion of paleo and plant-based diets can ward off diabetes, says Dr Mark Hyman Credit: Masha Maltsava

With more than two million followers on Instagram, he is passionate about drawing attention to the damage that ultra-processed foods do to our bodies. He credits a low-refined-carbohydrate, higher-fat, high-fibre phytonutrient-rich diet for giving him better health today than he had 20 years ago.

And in his new book, Young Forever, he argues that it’s never too late to transform your health by changing your diet. Through his clinic, the Centre for Functional Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, he has seen the reversal of the devastating effects of our modern food culture.

Using food as medicine

Take Katherine, a 66-year-old type 2 diabetic, severely obese and on course for a heart and kidney transplant. Three days after joining his clinic’s programme, says Dr Hyman, she was off insulin.

The cure was as simple as switching from a lifetime of junk food to using food as medicine; a very low-glycemic diet, high in fibre, good fats, phytonutrient and plant-rich. Within three months she was off all medication. 

Katherine moved off all medication three months after switching to a low-glycemic diet Credit: Getty

“Heart disease, cancer, dementia and diabetes are all largely manifestations of the same underlying changes in biology that occur with ageing and are highly influenced and modifiable by our lifestyle and environment washing over our genes.”

However, by addressing the hallmarks of ageing, he says we can prevent, treat and even reverse most of the diseases without directly treating the disease itself. Inspired by the unusually high number of centenarians in so-called “Blue Zones” such as Sardinia, Ikaria and Okinawa, his belief is that we can all live healthier lives for longer. 

How to do it

The key is knowing what foods to eat and when. Dr Hyman is a fan of time-restricted eating and a pegan approach. “If I had to choose between a steak and a bagel I would choose a steak every time.” The former will help you build muscle, he says, the latter offers little nutritional benefit and will spike glucose levels.

Dr Hyman: “If I had to choose between a steak and a bagel I would choose a steak every time” Credit: Getty

While the diets in Blue Zones vary – some favour goat’s milk, others seaweed – what they share is a similarity to those of our ancestors, whom our bodies evolved to support.

“Unfortunately our modern diet and lifestyle primarily drive the slow decay of our biology,” says Dr Hyman. “Our bodies are designed both to clean up and repair old cells and proteins and to build new molecules, cells and tissues. The problem with ageing is imbalance; too much decay and not enough rebuilding.”

Longevity pathways

There are 10 hallmarks of ageing; changes in our biology that are upstream from the diseases they cause. These range from cell senescence (deterioration) and stem-cell exhaustion to telomere (sections of DNA at the end of each chromosome) shortening, and disrupted hormone and nutrient signalling. “Our diet plays a part in all of these processes,” says Dr Hyman. 

When it comes to keeping our hormone and nutrient signalling firing on all cylinders, there are four key systems that work together: insulin and insulin signalling, something called mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and sirtuins.

“They are designed to beautifully protect us from disease and abnormal ageing,” explains Dr Hyman. But it is food that is the master controller of these longevity pathways. 

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The science behind healthy ageing

Dr Hyman’s dietary tips to live longer and healthier

The true cost of a sugar fix

“If I were to prescribe one intervention to extend life, to prevent and reverse chronic disease, it would be to dramatically reduce or eliminate sugar and refined starch from your diet,” says Dr Hyman. 

Dr Hyman recommends dramatically reducing or eliminating sugar and refined starch from your diet Credit: Getty

“The flood of sugar and starch drives your pancreas to produce more and more insulin to keep blood sugar under control. They also adversely affect all the longevity switches including mTOR and sirtuin pathways.”

The most important thing you can do for healthy ageing is to balance your blood sugar and keep your insulin levels low and your cells insulin sensitive.

What to eat

The best way to keep your insulin levels low and your cells insulin sensitive is by eating a low-sugar, low-starch diet with plenty of good-quality fats and protein, “and a boatload of phytochemical and fibre-rich fruit and vegetables”, adds Dr Hyman.

Fibre-rich fruit and vegetables are a great way to keep insulin levels low Credit: Getty

Happy, healthy cells for happy, healthy people

Important for regulating cell growth, protein synthesis, mitochondrial function, cell senescence (programmed cell death) and more, mTOR is a longevity switch that sometimes we want on (such as when we are exercising so that we can build muscle and create new proteins) and sometimes off (to enhance autophagy, the clearance of old cells).

Without regular periods of autophagy, diseases such as Alzheimer’s, obesity, cancer, Parkinson’s, polycystic ovary syndrome and fatty liver disease, take hold. 

It’s a fine balance, though. “Periods of fasting or calorie restriction silences mTOR and activates autophagy,” explains Dr Hyman. “While periods of high-quality protein activate it to build more muscle.” Meanwhile, “over-activating mTOR with too much sugar and starch can cause cancer”.

What to eat

The key is to give your body a break from the constant influx of calories on a regular basis. Certain phytonutrients can activate autophagy too: polyphenols in coffee, oleuropein in extra virgin olive oil, resveratrol in red grape skins, catechins in green tea, turmeric, berberine and a gut metabolite from phytochemicals in pomegranate called urolithin A.

Pomegranates contain urolithin A, which can activate the process of ‘autophagy’ whereby the body clears out old cells Credit: Getty

The energy booster button

AMPK is a critical enzyme found in every mammalian cell. Its role is to sense low levels of energy in the body and activate the enzyme ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to do its work. “As we age, AMPK becomes less sensitive, which leads to low levels of energy and nutrients, leading to a slower metabolism,” says Dr Hyman.

What to eat

Time-restricted eating can help activate AMPK and some plant compounds such as areca nut, saffron, artemisia, aloe, ginseng, hot peppers, black cumin seeds, tangerines, chlorogenic acid in coffee, and capsaicin from peppers.

Time-restricted eating can help activate AMPK and some plant compounds such as tangerines

The DNA fixers

Sirtuins are a family of signalling proteins that regulate the making of new proteins, lower inflammation and oxidative stress. They are essential for fixing DNA damage and protecting our telomeres, however their activity decreases as we age.

What to eat

Resveratrol found in red wine activates the sirtuin pathway, “but it would have to be the equivalent of 1,500 bottles of red wine”, caveats Dr Hyman. Other beneficial compounds are compounds found in berries, onions, turmeric, green tea and cruciferous vegetables.

Green tea is a source of beneficial compounds Credit: Getty

Much like all the other longevity pathways, a high sugar and starch diet will inhibit their function. “A fizzy drink or bagel is the best way to turn off their benefits,” adds Dr Hyman.

Importance of protein

Muscle loss and bone loss are huge factors in ageing and age-related diseases. Having a low muscle mass slows the metabolism and worse. “Poor-quality muscles marbled with fat lead to diabetes, inflammation and ageing,” says Dr Hyman.

“High-quality protein combined with strength training is imperative if we want to stay agile, strong and active well over 100 years old.”

“High-quality protein combined with strength training is imperative if we want to stay agile, strong and active well over 100 years old” Credit: Getty

While protein intake is key to maintaining muscle mass, it has become a contentious subject. Dr Hyman is clear though that while the body makes most of its important molecules from protein, not all protein is the same. 

“Animal proteins build muscles best. Plant protein is not the same and doesn’t have as many of the essential amino acids that your body needs to create new muscle, especially the branched-chain amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine and sulphur-based amino acids.”

How to eat away the zombie cells

Cells that don’t quite die but stay in the body causing damage are known as zombie cells. As we age, the immune system functioning wanes and inflammation drives the formation of more zombie cells.

What to eat

Natural compounds such as quercetin, in apples and onions, have been found to help. Other foods with helpful compounds include strawberries, carrots, broccoli, artichokes, cabbages, grapes, broccoli, citrus fruits, cherries and turmeric.

Artichokes are a source of helpful compounds Credit: Getty

Energy cells

Mitochondria are tiny ancient organelles that combine food and oxygen to produce energy that runs everything in our body. As we age, mitochondrial DNA mutations accumulate, free radicals increase and mitochondria drop in number and function, especially as we lose muscle. “Hence the decline in energy.”

Dr Hyman compares mitochondria to a hybrid engine that can run on two fuel sources: fat and carbohydrates. One is cleaner than the other, however, says Dr Hyman. “Most of us run on dirty, inefficient carbs, rather than clean-burning fats.”

What to eat

Ketones, a type of fat, and MCT oil (found in unrefined coconut oil) are the preferred fuel to help mitochondria repair and renew. Bad fats include trans fats and oxidised oils (especially from deep-frying). 

Good catch: sardines are a great source of fat to supercharge mitochondria Credit: Getty

To produce energy, your mitochondria also need specific nutrients: foods such as blueberries, pomegranate seeds, grass-fed beef, broccoli, sardines, extra virgin olive oil, avocados and almonds are “great sources of fat that supercharge your mitochondria”, says Dr Hyman.

‘Young Forever’ by Dr Mark Hyman is published by Yellow Kite (rrp £16.99)

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Life Extension: The Five Most Promising Methods So Far - MENAFN.COM

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Most people want to live a long and happy life – or at least avoid a short and miserable one. If you're in that majority, then you're in luck. Over the last decade, a quiet research revolution has occurred in our understanding of the biology of ageing.

The challenge is to turn this knowledge into advice and treatments we can benefit from. Here we bust the myth that lengthening healthy life expectancy is science fiction, and show that it is instead scientific fact.

1. Nutrition and lifestyle

There's plenty of evidence for the benefits of doing the boring stuff, such as eating right. A study of large groups of ordinary people show that keeping the weight off, not smoking, restricting alcohol to moderate amounts and eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetable a day can increase your life expectancy by seven to 14 years compared with someone who smokes, drinks too much and is overweight.

Your five a day is essential. natalia lisovskaya/shutterstock

Cutting down calories even more - by about a third, so-called dietary restriction - improves health and extends life in mice and monkeys, as long as they eat the right stuff, though that's a tough ask for people constantly exposed to food temptation. The less extreme versions of time-restricted or intermittent fasting – only eating during an eight-hour window each day, or fasting for two days every week – is thought to reduce the risk of middle-aged people getting age-related diseases.

2. Physical activity

You can't outrun a bad diet, but that doesn't mean that exercise does not do good things. Globally, inactivity directly causes roughly 10% of all premature deaths from chronic diseases , such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and various cancers. If everyone on Earth got enough exercise tomorrow, the effect would probably be to increase healthy human life expectancy by almost a year.

But how much exercise is optimal? Very high levels are actually bad for you, not simply in terms of torn muscles or sprained ligaments. It can suppress the immune system and increase the risk of upper respiratory illness. Just over 30 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity is enough for most people. Not only does that make you stronger and fitter, it has been shown to reduce harmful inflammation and even improve mood.

3. Boosting the immune system

However fit you are and well you eat, your immune system will, unfortunately, get less effective as you get older. Poor responses to vaccination and an inability to fight infection are consequences of this“immunosenescence”. It all starts to go downhill in early adulthood when the thymus – a bowtie-shaped organ in your throat – starts to wither.

That sounds bad, but it's even more alarming when you realise that the thymus is where immune agents called T cells learn to fight infections. Closing such a major education centre for T cells means that they can't learn to recognise new infections or fight off cancer effectively in older people.

You can help – a bit – by making sure you have enough key vitamins, especially A and D. A promising area of research is looking at signals that the body sends to help make more immune cells, particularly a molecule called il-7 . We may soon be able to produce drugs that contain this molecule , potentially boosting the immune system in older people. Another approach is to use the food supplement spermidine to trigger immune cells to clear out their internal garbage, such as damaged proteins, which improves the elderly immune system so much that it's now being tested as a way of getting better responses to COVID vaccines in older people.

4. Rejuvenating cells

Senescence is a toxic state that cells enter into as we get older, wreaking havoc across the body and generating chronic low-grade inflammation and disease – essentially causing biological ageing. In 2009, scientists showed that middle-aged mice lived longer and stayed healthier if they were given small amounts of a drug called rapamycin, which inhibits a key protein called mTOR that helps regulate cells' response to nutrients, stress, hormones and damage.

In the lab, drugs like rapamycin (called mTOR inhibitors) make senescent (aged) human cells look and behave like their younger selves . Though it's too early to prescribe these drugs for general use, a new clinical trial has just been set up to test whether low-dose rapamycin can really slow down ageing in people .

The sirolimus (rapamycin) molecules may help us live longer. danijela maksimovic/shutterstock

Discovered in the soil of Easter Island, Chile, rapamycin carries with it significant mystique and [has been hailed] in the popular press as a possible“elixir of youth”. It can even improve the memory of mice with dementia-like disease.

But all drugs come with pros and cons – and as too much rapamycin suppresses the immune system, many doctors are averse to even consider it to stave off age-related diseases. However, the dose is critical and newer drugs such as rtb101 that work in a similar way to rapamycin support the immune system in older people, and can even reduce covid infection rates and severity.

5. Clearing out old cells

Completely getting rid of senescent cells is another promising way forward. A growing number of lab studies in mice using drugs to kill senescent cells - so-called“senolytics” - show overall improvements in health, and as the mice aren't dying of disease, they end up living longer too .

Removing senescent cells also helps people. In a small clinical trial, people with severe lung fibrosis reported better overall function, including how far and fast they could walk, after they had been treated with senolytic drugs. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Diabetes and obesity, as well as infection with some bacteria and viruses, can lead to more senescent cells forming. Senescent cells also make the lungs more susceptible to COVID infection, and COVID makes more cells become senescent . Importantly, getting rid of senescent cells in old mice helps them to survive covid infection .

Ageing and infection are a two-way street. Older people get more infectious diseases as their immune systems start to run out of steam, while infection drives faster ageing through senescence. Since ageing and senescence are inextricably linked with both chronic and infectious diseases in older people, treating senescence is likely to improve health across the board.

It is exciting that some of these new treatments are already looking good in clinical trials and may be available to us all soon.

diet exercise immune system cells interdisciplinary research longevity interdisciplinarity interdisciplinary thinking senescence

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Outlook 2023: Cellf Juices owner says she has a passion for health and nutrition - MassLive.com

SPRINGFIELD — Each day between 5 and 6 a.m., cold fruit hits a blade at Cellf Juices before the morning hustle and bustle begins.

Jazlinda Navarro, the owner of Springfield’s first cold-pressed juice bar, located at 1026 Bay St., believes her passion for health and nutrition is what has led to the success of the business.

Navarro said Cellf began as part of her individual self-love and healing journey. Armed with the inspiration for health, fasting and nutrition, she now hopes to support others in reaching their best self, or Cellf.

“The journey to self-love is a selfish journey. I am sharing that with the community and I want to make sure people are supported in their own journey,” she said.

With no loans, Navarro invested her own funds in the juice bar and it paid off, she said. Investment in the right equipment is what Navarro said is the first thing makes her juice bar different from others.

“It is not regular machine; the fruit only hits the blade one time and then it is pressed,” she said.

According to Navarro, the average machine creates heat and oxidizes the cold-pressed juice. The twin gears in the juicer at Cellf provides a greater leafy green yield, has two magnets that separate ions which eliminates the actual press so the fruit or vegetables don’t sit.

“The process is unique and different because it is less oxidation and that gives the best results,” she said.

Amy Brannan, a Springfield College student, was at the juice bar for the first time.

Brannan said she usually goes to different places to try out acai bowls and she had been considering trying Cellf for a while. “I have never been here before,” Brannan said, “It’s good. I like it. The size and price is good.”

Navarro, a Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy and University of Massachusetts graduate, continued her education in Honduras where she studied of the benefits of fasting, proper nutrition and juicing.

Navarro’s health and nutrition journey has taken on a new life since then. Currently, she teaches a spin class, just finished the Philadelphia Marathon and is in the process of getting her registered dietitian nutrition certification from Cornell University.

“I have a plant-based nutrition certification from Cornell and just currently got accepted into a RDN program (registered dietitian nutrition) for master’s,” she said.

What started out as a side business around fasting and juicing by selling fresh juice in the hair salon circuit has branched out into niche health and nutritional campaigns.

“I just want to help our people in Springfield change by talking to them about juice fasting and letting them know they are in control,” Navarro said.

Navarro admits that it is difficult to find something healthy to eat and committing to change after working eight to 12 hours daily, but people can come to Cellf juice to take control over their nutrition and fasting in addition to joining a community of support.

“It is hard to cook and do what needs to get done, everything in our day is moving fast and it becomes easy to put something in the microwave, but we can slow down. By fasting, we can take control of our nutrition and breath,” she said.

She said being open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. helps reach customers with busy schedules and in turn, Cellf is selling more alkaline juice and sorbet bowls than ever.

There was an unexpected boom in sales that started with the COVID-19 pandemic. “During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic was intense,” Navarro said. “Fasting was a hit and in January and February we had lines through the door. Online ordering went from 20 to 50 deliveries within three weeks.”

With all the juicing the pulp had to go somewhere, so Navarro has been recycling juice pulp into compost.

“I graduated in 2015 with a biology and horticulture degree,” she said. “So naturally, I started composting. I have a big yard and I wanted to start a kale garden.”

Navarro said she creates her own mix of compost and topsoil and although there is no fertilizer in it, her compost mix has the same nutrient rich properties to sustain a healthy garden.

“Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium are all needed for a healthy garden,” she said. “You can tell it is good by the color.”

The compost mix is used to support kale, tomato and pepper gardens and many more fruit and vegetables.

Cellf Juices donates the rest of the pulp to be turned into compost at community gardens and farms.

“We have tons of pulp, more than any other juicer in the city. I partnered with Grow your City, Gardening the Community a nonprofit on Walnut Street, and Commonwealth Sustainability, a chicken farm in Hadley, for composting,” she said.

Local farm owners and customers can come in and ask for compost. According to Navarro, the staff will hand over a burlap bag full of freshly pressed goodies created for the garden you have in mind.

And if asked, Navarro said can she go to customers’ homes and test the mix to make sure it is right.

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