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A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER TO All OUR CLIENTS
Youthful Aging Home Health publishes this quarterly newsletter to share new and innovative ways that will help you lead a more youthful aging lifestyle.

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How to Die Young at an Advanced Age

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Foods That Fight Disease
Can food really help us to lead a longer, more vigorous and healthful life? Research is showing that many of our favorite foods contain compounds that help our bodies fight infection, heart disease and even cancer. They can help us to look younger and even feel younger! Take a look at this list and find out what your favorite foods can do for you.

BROCCOLI: Glucosinolates that help the liver rid the body of toxic substances. Indol carbinols that protect against certain breast tumors. ~ Beta-carotene that protects against lung, colorectal, breast, uterine and prostate cancers. Folic acid, a B vitamin that reduces the risk of some cancers, as well as birth defects such as spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Sulforaphanes that boost the body’s ability to detoxify carcinogens.

CARROTS: Beta-carotene that protects against lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancers. Sulforaphanes that boost the body’s ability to detoxify carcinogens.

TOMATOES: Lycopene, one of the most potent of antioxidants - substances that sop up so-called tree radicals, unstable particles that can lead to DNA damage, cancer and heart disease. Salicylates, compounds with anti-clotting properties; may reduce the risk of blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.

GARLIC and ONIONS: Allylic sulfides which protect against DNA damage and help the body to detoxify carcinogens. The compounds also appear to inhibit growth of tumors, and decrease blood clotting that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

FISH: Omega-3 fatty acids that protect against heart disease and have been shown to prevent cancer in animal studies. The fatty acids also help maintain normal elasticity of arteries and nourish heart and blood vessels.

MULTI-GRAIN BREADS: Selenium, a natural antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of cancer and diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

SOY BEANS: Phytoestrogens that mimic the body’s own estrogen, protecting against ovarian and breast cancers. Genistein, which can block the blood supply to tumors, thus choking cancerous cells to death.

RASPBERRIES: Salicylates, compounds with anti-clotting properties; may reduce the risk of blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.

BLUEBERRIES & SPINACH
May Improve Memory

Can what you eat help improve your memory? According to a recent study presented at the Society for Neuroscience, certain foods may make a difference in memory.

Blueberries and spinach extract supplements (equal to human consumption of one cup of blueberries or two cups of spinach) were given daily to older rats. The animals showed reversal in memory decline and their brain cells were able to communicate better. They also performed better on memory tests than the rats who did not receive the supplement.

James Joseph, chief of neuroscience at Tufts University Research Center on Aging in Boston and the lead scientist for the research, believes it’s the abundant antioxidants, especially flavonoids in spinach and blueberries, that help the memory. Flavonoids reduce inflammation, a process that may impair tissue as we age.

PROTECT YOUR VISION BY EATING RIGHT
by Julian Whitaker, M.D.
Director of the Whitaker Wellness Institute, Newport Beach, CA
October 2000

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of vision protection and enhancement is nutrition. Scientific studies in recent years have confirmed what folk wisdom has long held true: certain foods help you see better. Leafy greens, carrots and other brightly colored vegetables and fruits contain compounds called carotenoids that protect the eyes in very specific ways.

Two carotenoids are particularly concentrated in the retina: lutein and zeaxanthin. These phytonutrients, which are abundant in dark, leafy greens such as spinach, kale and collard greens, filter blue light as it enters the eye and absorb damaging radiation. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the incidence of macular degeneration in people eating the most carotenoid-rich foods was 43 percent lower than in those consuming the fewest leafy greens and other vegetables. In addition, lutein appears to retard the thickening of the lens, thereby guarding against cataract formation.
Other protective foods include eggs. Egg yolks are one of the most concentrated sources of lutein and zeaxanthin (Don’t worry about eggs raising your risk of heart disease. Contrary to popular perception, eating an egg a day does not increase risk.) One of the best nutrients for overall eye health is bilberry. This European cousin of the blueberry contains anthocyanosides, phytonutrients that stabilize blood vessels and collagen and neutralize free radicals in the retina. The benefits of these berries were discovered by Royal Air force pilots in WWII, who found that they dramatically improved their night vision. Formal studies have since confirmed these findings, demonstrating that bilberry extract improves visual acuity, dark adaptation and recovery from glare, as well as protecting against degenerative vision disorders.

Supplements...the best way to ensure adequate nutrient intake.
Start with antioxidants. Free-radical damage is clearly a factor in vision loss. The photoreceptors in the eye are rich in fats, making them highly susceptible to oxidative damage from radiation — and the very process of vision involves massive exposure to light and radiation.

The most active antioxidant vitamins in the retina are vitamin E, vitamin C, and various carotenoids. Studies show that low blood levels of these nutrients are associated with increased risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and other diseases of the eye. In a study of 247 nurses, cataracts were 77 percent less prevalent in women who had taken vitamin C supplements for a minimum of ten years, and other studies have shown a similar trend With vitamin E. Zinc, a mineral that counters free-radical damage, is also quite active in the tissues of the eye.