Tai Chi has been shown to have many great health benefits. However, few research attempts have been made to explore the effects of practicing TCC on life span. A study published in Cell Transplantation provides direct evidence of Tai Chi?s anti-aging effects. The study compared the rejuvenating and anti-aging effects among a Tai Chi group, a brisk walking group, and a no exercise group. Thirty-two participants were selected based on a survey of their activity level during the previous year so that each fit into one of the three groups.

The CD34+ stem cell counts in peripheral blood of the participants was determined, and the Kruskal Wallis test was used to evaluate and compare the anti-aging effects of the three groups. Of the 32 participants in this study, the participants in the Tai Chi group (10 participants) had a significantly higher number of CD 34+ stem cells than the no exercise group (12 participants). No significant difference was found between the Tai Chi group and the brisk walking group. Tai Chi practice sustained for more than 1 year may be an intervention against aging as effective as brisk walking in terms of its benefits on the improvement of the number of CD34+ stem cells.

CD 34+ cells express the CD 34 protein and are “cluster markers” for hematopoietic stem cells (blood stem cells) involved in cell self-renewal, differentiation and proliferation.

“It is possible that Tai Chi may prompt vasodilation and increase blood flow,” said study corresponding author Dr. Shinn-Zong Lin of the Center for Neuropsychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. “Considering that brisk walking may require a larger space or more equipment, Tai Chi seems to be an easier and more convenient choice of anti-aging exercise.”

“This study provides the first step into providing scientific evidence for the possible health benefits of Tai Chi.” said Dr. Paul R. Sanberg, distinguished professor at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. “Further study of how Tai Chi can elicit benefit in different populations and on different parameters of aging are necessary to determine its full impact.”

Non-mammals such as birds can recover from deafness as quickly as humans can recover from a cut or bruise. In contrast, when humans and other mammals sustain damage to the inner ear’s sensory cells, the resulting hearing loss is permanent.

In two studies published in the journal Development, researchers from the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Neil Segil examined how a key gene, called Atoh1, underpins the development and potential regeneration of the inner ear’s sensory cells, which are known as hair cells.

In the first study, researchers Zlatka P. Stojanova, Tao Kwan and Segil explored how Atoh1 is either “turned on” or “turned off” through a process called epigenetic regulation. By studying the mouse inner ear, the team documented the precise epigenetic signals that turn on or “upregulate” Atoh1 in the progenitor cells that become hair cells during embryonic development, and the epigenetic signals that turn off or “downregulate” Atoh1 during the first week after birth–when the newborn mouse loses its potential to regenerate hair cells and recover from hearing loss.

In the second study, researchers Yassan Abdolazimi, Stojanova and Segil showed that a group of genes called Hes/Hey directly interact with and repress Atoh1 to sculpt the developing structure in the inner ear called the organ of Corti into a complex mosaic of different cell types that ultimately enables hearing.

“These two studies advance our understanding of both the genetic and epigenetic signals that regulate Atoh1, a critical factor in the development of hair cells and the entire sensory structure,” said Segil, professor of research in the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and the USC Tina and Rick Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. “In the future, we hope to find drugs that target these genetic and epigenetic regulators of Atoh1, and that might provide new therapies to stimulate hair cell regeneration in individuals with hearing loss or deafness.”

Women under chronic stress have significantly lower levels of klotho, a hormone that regulates aging and enhances cognition according to researchers at the University of California in San Francisco. They conducted a study that compared mothers of children on the autism spectrum to low-stress controls.

The researchers also found that the women with clinically significant depressive symptoms had even lower levels of klotho in their blood than those who were under stress but not experiencing such symptoms.

The study, published in Translational Psychiatry, is the first to show a relationship between psychological influences and klotho, which performs a wide variety of functions in the body.

“Our findings suggest that klotho, which we now know is very important to health, could be a link between chronic stress and premature disease and death,” said lead author, Aric Prather, PhD, an assistant professor of psychiatry at UCSF. “Since our study is observational, we cannot say that chronic stress directly caused lower klotho levels, but the new connection opens avenues of research that converge upon aging, mental health, and age-related diseases.”

Scientists know from their work in mice and worms that, when klotho is disrupted, it promotes symptoms of aging, such as hardening of the arteries and the loss of muscle and bone, and when klotho is made more abundant, the animals live longer.

In previous work, senior author Dena Dubal, MD, PhD, showed that a genetic variant carried by one in five people is associated with having more klotho in the bloodstream, better cognitive function and a larger region of the prefrontal cortex. Carriers also tend to live longer and have lower rates of age-related disease. Dubal and colleagues found that increasing klotho in mice boosted their cognition and increased resilience to toxins, suggesting a therapeutic role for klotho in the brain.

The current study included 90 high-stress caregivers and 88 low-stress controls, most of whom were in their 30s and 40s and otherwise healthy. Klotho is known to decline with age, but in this cross-sectional study of relatively young women, this decline only happened among the high-stress women. The low-stress women did not show a significant reduction in klotho with aging.

“Chronic stress transmits risk for bad health outcomes in aging” said Dubal, an assistant professor in the UCSF Department of Neurology and the David A. Coulter Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease. “It will be important to figure out if higher levels of klotho can benefit mind and body health as we age. If so, therapeutics or lifestyle interventions that increase the longevity hormone could have a big impact on people’s lives.”

The researchers hypothesized that lower levels of klotho could contribute to stress and depression, since klotho acts on a variety of cellular, molecular and neural pathways that link to stress and depression.

When we first tested Stem Cell 100 on drosophila we were very pleased that it doubled both their average (mean) and maximum lifespans. As far as we know no one had ever accomplished that before. The study was conducted with a control group that received a normal diet and the SC100 group which received the same diet with Stem Cell 100 added starting the second day after hatching.

People who take Stem Cell 100 are typically middle age or older. They did not start taking the nutraceutical supplement during childhood. So we wondered what would happen if the fruit flies started it much later in life. The study was repeated with a third group added which started Stem Cell 100 at the age of 36 days. For perspective the oldest 5% of the fruit flies in the control group typically live 45 – 50 days. In the first study the average (mean) lifespan was about 20 days for the control group and 40 days for the SC100 group. So 36 days is fairly old for a fruit fly.

The results of the study with the third group starting Stem Cell 100 much later in life were better than expected. As you can see in the graphs below the maximum lifespan of the oldest 5% averaged 120 days which was almost as old as the SC100 group that started with the supplement added to their food from the second day after hatching. This result implies that one can take Stem Cell 100 later in life and still get excellent longevity benefits! Also as we described in an earlier blog post the SC100 drosophila regardless of when they started Stem Cell 100 were still flying around, fertile and laying eggs long after the oldest of the control group had died of old age showing that they stayed youthful and healthy.

Stem Cell 100+ contains the same botanical extracts as Stem Cell 100 with additional ingredients and an improved formula that make it even more effective.

It has been known for some time that reducing caloric intake tends to lengthen lifespan and improve overall health. The history of caloric restriction goes all the way back to Luigi Cornaro a nobleman who lived during the 1400’s. At the age of 40 he was suffering from failing health so he began eating less to see if that would help. As a result he recovered his health, stayed on the limited diet, and lived to be 102 years old. Of course that was an amazing achievement back when the average lifespan was only 40 to 50 years. He even wrote several books on the subject which have been translated into English.

In modern animal studies that have been conducted on caloric restriction those that were given a lower calorie diet still received the same nutrient intake of vitamins, minerals, EFA’s, amino acids, etc., but ate food with less calories. The increase in lifespan was significant in many of the studies with the restricted animals living as much as 30% – 40% longer. The results were an increase in both average and maximum lifespan as well as better health.

While it is not possible to do a scientific test of lifespan on humans it is expected that it would have a similar effect. Of course few people would not want to go through life hungry all the time even if they knew they would live a much longer lifespan.

Is there a way to achieve the benefits of caloric restriction without eating less food? Scientists have discovered that reducing calories up regulates the SIRT1 gene. What is interesting is that resveratrol has a similar effect on SIRT1. The problem is that resveratrol has a very short half life of about 14 – 17 minutes. Because it degrades so rapidly it has limited effect on humans and animals.

Is there a better way to up regulate SIRT1? The solution is to take resveratrol analogs. They have half lives that are hours long and so can reach cells deep in the human body and continue to be active for a much longer time. So by taking resveratrol analogs it is possible that many of the benefits of caloric restriction can be achieved without limiting calories.

Stem Cell 100 and Stem Cell 100+ both contain resveratrol anaologs. That is just one example of the multi-pathway approach that was taken by Dr. Villeponteau to formulate supplements that act on many different anti-aging and regenerative mechanisms at the same time.

A 20 year long study of nearly 30,000 women in Sweden showed that those who spent more time in the sun lived longer than those who reported less sun exposure. Those with the greatest sun exposure received an extra 7 months to 2 years of life.

Because the sun?s UV light triggers chemical reactions in the skin that lead to the production of vitamin D, it?s possible that vitamin D is responsible for the health benefits of sun exposure described in this study. And that could mean vitamin D supplements would promote longer life, even without sun exposure. However, that?s only speculation and prior studies have not been able to prove this.

The authors of this study speculate that recommendations to limit sun exposure might actually do more harm than good. As long as you avoid getting burned, they suggest that avoiding the sun could have a negative health impact similar in magnitude to smoking. That?s quite a statement!

While it is very important to avoid sunburn there are problems with some sunscreens that contain chemicals that are toxic or that become oxidized by the sun so they may do more harm than good. Wearing sunscreen hasn?t reduced skin cancer cases. In fact, melanoma rates have tripled since the 1970s.

The sun is our primary source of vitamin D, an important vitamin that strengthens our bone health, helps balance our hormones, boosts our immune system and nourishes brain function. But when we apply sunscreen, we block the sun?s rays and subsequently, the production of vitamin D in our bodies.

With these simple tips, you can protect yourself from toxic sunscreen chemicals and reap the sun?s benefits at the same time!

1. Get your sunshine during off-peak hours.

The sun can cause the most damage when it?s high in the sky: anywhere from 10am to 4pm., but that may differ slightly depending on where you live.

Stick to the sunshine early in the morning or later in the day, with one little caveat: spend 10-15 minutes in the sun during peak hours to get your daily dose of vitamin D. This is all the time you need to grab your essential amount of vitamin D.

2. Don’t wash off the vitamin D.

Vitamin D is formed on the surface of your skin when it’s exposed to UVB rays from the sun, but that vitamin D doesn’t sink in right away ? it can take up to 48 hours to absorb the majority of it. But at the end of a sunny day, most of us are in the shower scrubbing off the sunscreen, sweat and sand … and sending all that lovely vitamin D down the drain.

Try to rinse your body in the shower with just water if you can. Limit your soap usage to just your pits and your bits.

3. Eat your sunscreen.

UV radiation increases free radicals in our bodies. Boost your consumption of antioxidant-rich foods like berries, leafy greens, black beans, bell peppers, carrots, green tea, raw cacao, garlic and salmon.

There?s a reason nature offers us such a beautiful bounty of foods like berries in the summertime. Sure, they’re delicious, but they’ll also help us boost our consumption of important free radical-fighters.

4. Avoid sunburns and cover up.

Wearing sunscreen lulls us into a false sense of protection. Some people believe they can frolic through the surf for hours and be 100% shielded from the sun. This is how sunburns happen!

No one wants to end up looking like a leather handbag. Don?t spend too much time in the sun all at once, and wear lightweight clothing that’ll allow you to cover your skin and still beat the heat.

5. Buy sun block that is made from natural ingredients, oil free and based on titanium oxide and/or zinc oxide.

By using these sun protection strategies, you can get the essential sun nutrients that will ultimately benefit your health and well-being.

Reference:

Avoidance of sun exposure as a risk factor for major causes of death J Intern Med. 2016 Mar 16. doi: 10.1111/joim.12496; Lindqvist PG1, Epstein E2, Nielsen K3, Landin-Olsson M4, Ingvar C5, Olsson H6.

I was sitting in the front row of the auditorium when Jack LaLanne walked by in one of his famous jumpsuits. On his way up to the stage he had a spring in his step and excellent posture like a young person. The difference was that he was 87 years old. He gave an autobiographical talk about his life and how to retain youthful health and vitality. He was an excellent speaker. At one point he looked fondly at his wife and said “Each morning I get up at 4:30 AM and leave this beautiful women to work out for 2 hours. I want to see how long I can keep it going.”

When Jack was young he had a long list of health issues from headaches to behavioral problems that resulted in dropping out of high school for a year. He described himself as addicted to sugar and junk food. Then he attended a lecture by the famous nutrition expert Paul Bragg who talked about eating more natural and unprocessed foods. Jack changed his diet, started working out, and the rest is history. Besides his long running television show Jack invented exercise equipment that is still used in gyms today, started a chain of health clubs that grew to 200 locations, and performed amazing feats of endurance and strength even at the age of 70 years old that most people would not be capable of in their 20’s.

After the lecture was over a line formed of people who wanted Jack’s autograph or to have their picture taken with him. I waited until the line had disappeared and then was able to talk with Jack and his wife for about 15 minutes. He was so healthy and clear minded it was difficult to imagine that he was approaching the age of 90. He looked just like the picture above so it must have been taken close to when I met him.

The message is that at an age when most people (if they are still alive) are disabled and shuffling around a nursing home with a walker Jack Lalanne was still doing heavy duty workouts each morning and able to engage in the same activities as a young person. He aged, but he never became “old”. How long did he keep it going? He did his last 2 hour workout the day before he past away from pneumonia at the age of 96. Was all that luck or was it because he controlled his own destiny with nutrition and exercise?

Of course we are not recommending a 2 hour extensive workout each day, but the fact that a man could continue that lifestyle for so many years speaks volumes. We can’t stop our chronological age from increasing, however each year we are learning more about how to slow down and reverse many of the effects of biological aging. Don’t accept old age and disability as inevitable. The knowledge and tools to maintain youth and vitality for as long as you live are improving each year. Given the exponential increase in scientific knowledge the day is approaching when staying healthy and active even after the age of 100 becomes common.

?Anything in Life is Possible, if YOU Make it Happen!? ~ Jack LaLanne

Recently one of our customers told me about a comic he saw. It showed a drawing of an old and sickly looking man who was seeing his doctor. The doctor said “you know those extra 15 years you were told you would get by eating a healthy diet and exercising? Well this is it”. This is a common myth in America. That the people who follow a healthy lifestyle will live longer, but it will be additional years of disability and major health problems added to the end of their life. The reality is quite different. The same healthy approach to nutrition, exercise and a healthy lifestyle will not only lengthen life it will also greatly improve quality of life.

The Blue Zones is a book by Dan Buettner about 4 places where there are an unusually large number of centenarians. Those people are over one hundred years old and still typically active and healthy even at that advanced age. Unlike so many Americans that end up shuffling around a nursing home with a walker at the age of 75 or 80 and sitting in bed most of the day watching television they are enjoying life and able to live independently. Of course there are people everywhere that are genetically gifted with long lived parents and grand parents. If they follow the Western diet of unhealthy foods they may still live to an old age, but they will likely be in very poor health with a low quality of life. Most people would prefer a high quality of life over a longer life, although we now have the scientific knowledge about how to achieve both.

The 4 locations are in Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California and the Nicoya Penninsula, Costa Rica. In each place there are groups of people with excellent nutrition who get lots of exercise and follow a healthy more relaxed lifestyle. They also tend to have many friends and family member that they spend a lot of time socializing with. The book is available on Amazon.com in paperback for less than $10 so you might want to buy a copy.

The lesson is that we do not have to accept old age. If we are willing to do some work to eat healthy and exercise we can choose to stay young and enjoy life even as we add more chronological years to our age. This is also an exciting time because we are uncovering the fundamental causes of aging and developing therapies and nutraceuticals to help increase our quality of life and lifespan even beyond what is possible with a healthy diet and exercise alone. But, it all goes together. Although supplements can help you stay young and live longer you will get better results by combining them with a healthy lifestyle.

A long term study middle-aged men has shown that the impact of low physical capacity on risk of death is second only to smoking. Low aerobic capacity has been associated with increased mortality in short-term studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive power of aerobic capacity for mortality during 45-years of follow-up. The research was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

“The benefits of being physically active over a lifetime are clear,” said lead author Dr Per Ladenvall, a researcher in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Sweden. “Low physical capacity is a greater risk for death than high blood pressure or high cholesterol.”

The study included 792 men from the “Study of Men Born in 1913,” a representative sample of 50 year old men in Gothenburg recruited in 1963. The study was designed to investigate risk factors for cardiovascular disease and mortality.

In 1967, at 54 years of age, the 792 men did an exercise test. Of those, 656 men also did a maximum exercise test in which they pushed themselves to the limit. The remaining men were excluded from the maximum exercise test because they had a health condition that could make it unsafe. Maximal oxygen uptake, called VO2 max, was measured in a subpopulation of the 656 men using ergospirometry.

Dr Ladenvall said: “VO2 max is a measure of aerobic capacity and the higher the figure, the more physically fit a person is. In 1967 it was difficult to do ergospirometry in large populations, so the researchers derived a formula using the measurements in the subpopulation, and then calculated predicted VO2 max for the remaining 656 men who had done the maximum exercise test.”

After the initial examination in 1967, the men were followed up until 2012, at the age of 100 years. Several physical examinations were performed, about one every 10 years. Data on all-cause death was obtained from the National Cause of Death Registry.

To analyse the association between predicted VO2 max and mortality the men were divided into three groups (tertiles) ranging from low to high: 2.00 l/min, 2.26 l/min, and 2.56 l/min.

The researchers found that each tertile increase in predicted VO2 max was associated with a 21% lower risk of death over 45 years of follow up, and after adjusting for other risk factors (smoking, blood pressure and serum cholesterol).

Dr Ladenvall said: “We found that low aerobic capacity was associated with increased rates of death. The association between exercise capacity and all-cause death was graded, with the strongest risk in the tertile with the lowest maximum aerobic capacity. The effect of aerobic capacity on risk of death was second only to smoking.”

“The length of follow up in our study is unique,” continued Dr Ladenvall. “When this study began, most data was derived from hospital cohorts and there was very limited data on exercise testing in a large general population. Our sample is representative of the male population in Gothenburg at that time. The risk associated with low aerobic capacity was evident throughout more than four decades and suggests that being physically active can have a big impact over a lifetime.”

He concluded: “We have come a long way in reducing smoking. The next major challenge is to keep us physically active and also to reduce physical inactivity, such as prolonged sitting.”

Reference: 1.P. Ladenvall, C. U. Persson, Z. Mandalenakis, L. Wilhelmsen, G. Grimby, K. Sva rdsudd, P.-O. Hansson. Low aerobic capacity in middle-aged men associated with increased mortality rates during 45 years of follow-up. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2016; DOI: 10.1177/2047487316655466