Everyone wants to live as long as they can. We also want the best quality of life as we continue to age. Without good health and the ability to handle stress, living longer becomes a challenge and often undesirable. The goal is to live a long, vibrant and healthy life, with the ability to handle different types of stress.
We are all exposed to stress from the environment. The air, food and water contain chemical toxins and pollutants that are not designed to be inside the human body. These cause internal stress to all systems of the body, especially the digestive and hormonal systems. As food becomes more processed and genetically modified it is essential that we incorporate simple detoxification programs into our lives.
Foods that help with detoxification include members of the cabbage family including brussell sprouts, broccoli, and kale. These alkaline, mineral rich vegetables help improve liver detoxification. If these foods are not a regular part of the diet, or not eaten daily, they can be consumed through whole food supplementation.
Whole food nutrition provides the genuine replacement nutrients that we need to help keep our bodies healthy. These concentrated food supplements have all the vitamins and minerals that are essential for health, compared to the isolated nutrients found in man-made conventional supplements. When combined with healthy dietary choices, whole food supplements help keep us living longer and healthier.
Healthy foods are essential for our longevity. A diet focused on organic vegetables and fruits, instead of processed and fast foods, helps to provide the body with real nutrition and fiber. Eating the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates and good essential fats is also key to longevity. Too much sugar and excessive carbohydrate consumption leads to unwanted weight gain and hormonal stress.
Hormones are chemical messengers that signal the body to make energy, respond to stress, and govern our weight, pain levels and mood. Stress from toxins, excessive sugars, and nutritional deficiencies cause the hormones to go out of balance. When the hormones are not balanced, the proper anti-aging hormones are not produced.
The body requires specific nutrients, including essential fats in order to make hormones. These must be supplied daily from our diet. Essential foods and oils such as avocado, flax seed, olive oil, and tuna oil provide the necessary levels of Omega 3 oils that the hormones and brain need to be healthy. Most people get more Omega 6 than Omega 3 in their diet, with the average ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 at 10-20:1. The correct ratio should be 1:1.
The brain requires the correct balance of Omega 3 oil in order for us to stay sharp and smart. The least expensive Omega 3 may not always be the best, as the oil is often rancid, and not purely Omega 3. With our diets being so out of balance, supplemental Omega 3 Oil from a trusted whole food source is essential for both brain and hormone health and longevity.
We are what we eat, but actually we are what we digest and metabolize. If the digestive system is not working properly, we cannot absorb and use the nutrients in our food or our supplements. Beginning at age 30, our bodies decrease digestive enzyme production 12% per decade. That means by age 50 the enzyme production is already reduced to 25%. Digestive enzymes are essential for proper digestion, nutrient utilization, and longevity.
With proper digestion and nutrient absorption, we can keep our joints and spine healthy by adding exercise and mobility. Motion is key to moving nutrients into muscles, joints, and body tissues, and keeping healthy blood and lymphatic flow. Exercise benefits the heart and entire body, helping promote longevity.
Making sure we drink the correct amount of water is also vital for keeping our brain healthy, our body and joints hydrated, reducing stress on our hormonal system, and creating a healthy digestive system. Water makes up 70% of our body composition. The brain is over 80% water, the muscles are over 85%, while the blood is over 90% water. The nutrients we use are moved into the cells of the body by water. Drinking half our body weight in ounces of healthy clean, hydrating mineral rich water promotes longevity, since all body functions require water.
The secrets to longevity include proper body hydration, healthy brain function, efficient digestion, balanced hormones, reduced toxicity and stress. Simple diet and lifestyle changes can help anyone improve their health, energy and longevity. Some alternative health care physicians utilize non-invasive screening methods to evaluate one’s health and fitness level, ability to respond to stress, and longevity potential as part of their initial evaluation.
Dr. Carol Ann Fischer, B.S., D.C., N.D.
