Water…How It Effects Aging
How many times have your heard – drink eight to ten glasses of water everyday? How often do we actually drink that much pure water?
Would you believe that as you are reading this page you are dehydrating? We were all born as grapes, but now we are turning into raisins. Your body was once more than 70% water and now, if you’re like most Americans past the age of 40, you are lucky to have a hydration level above 60%. The bodies of most hospitalized elderly are less than 50% water.
Today, Americans consume more coffee and soft drinks than water. These beverages, along with tea and alcohol, are diuretics and dehydrate the body. All the moisturizer in the world will not restore a youthful appearance. By dehydrating your body you are actually pulling a hundred times as much water out of your skin through the urinary tract. Much worse than the skin dehydrating, is the dehydration of the internal organs, connective tissue and the brain.
Inadequate fluid intake and excess water loss can disrupt critical cell function. Most people experience this level of hydration all day, nearly everyday. Water is essential for all anabolic repair functions, and conversely, dehydration accelerates the aging process.
A study at Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle found that women who drank two glasses of water a day had nearly twice the risk of colon cancer than women who drank four glasses a day. The few women who did drink eight or more glasses of water a day had less than half the risk of those who drank only four glasses. The association of increased water intake may also reduce the risk for other types of cancer. In one study, the women who drank the most water were 80% less likely to develop bladder cancer than women who drank the least. Other conditions that often respond to increased water intake include the reduction of headaches, muscle aches, hangovers, fatigue, constipation, and heartburn. Drinking enough water will also reduce fluid retention and edema. Sometimes it is difficult for people to understand that drinking lots of water actually decreases water retention. If you provide your body with ample amounts of pure water, it will not have to retain water in the tissues The body can become significantly dehydrated before we actually feel thirsty.
In the morning, you have a true need for water, but you may not feel it. For most people, the first liquid they consume is coffee, a beverage that sucks the water out of our cells.
Try this test: Before you eat or drink anything in the morning, sip about four ounces of water-no more. You will be surprised to see that in two to three minutes your mouth will feel parched. Drink another four ounces and in two to three minutes you will be thirsty again. You may have to repeat this six or more times before you are no longer thirsty. Add up all the four-ounce servings that you consumed, and you will discover your body’s true metabolic need for water.
About The Author
Paula Willard is a Certified Herbalist and has been working with Nutrition and Herbs for the past 20 years. Her passion is helping people defy the effects of aging and restore their youthful feeling, through the aid of supplementation. See her website at http://www.youthfulliving.com
pjzteam@rochester.rr.com
The Ancient Art of The Samurai May be Just What a New Generation Needs
A new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation refers to the current younger generation as Generation M, which stands for media. They have found that the youth of today are spending increased time with new media such as the Internet, and video games.
The report also shows that Gen M also consumes multiple media simultaneously. The below 18 year olds may watch TV, read email, and chat simultaneously. The drawback to this multitasking may be a decrease in already shrinking attention spans. Kids may have a more difficult time focusing on tasks which require significant depth.
The benefits of martial arts training for children are numerous. Many psycho-social studies have shown martial arts training for kids may: lead to lower incidences of violence, create happier more easygoing demeanor, lessen anger and mood disturbances, increase self confidence. Studies also show that children who participate in martial arts have better behavior and higher test scores in school.
The martial arts offer children an opportunity to intensely focus on a single skill at a time. With instruction by a teacher who acts as a good role-model, students begin to emulate courteous, respectful, and mindful behavior.
Jujutsu is the ancient martial art of the samurai warriors of Japan. In antiquity it was only studied by the elite, educated members of Japanese society. Its study is therefore more intellectually intense, and involves less brute-force than many other martial arts. Jujutsu relies on principles of physics such as inertia, leverage, and momentum which present challenges that foster mental growth.
Students of jujutsu also develop a greater kinesthetic sense. The physical benefits of practice include those of regular exercise plus increased balance, reduced stress, and greater self-awareness.
Jujutsu, like other arts, always begins and ends with courtesy. Students exhibit proper etiquette at al times and respect that the techniques they are practicing can cause injury to others. For many students, the practice helps develop a sense of responsibility.
In stark contrast to the fast passed media-rich life of today’s 8-18 year-olds, jujutsu offers children an opportunity to spend time simply yet intensely focused. The benefits of practice are many, and it just may be a prescription for the technologically short attention spans.
Copyright 2006 Marketing Comet
John Moore is a 3rd degree blackbelt in Jujutu.
http://www.nesacademy.com/sports/ma_jujitsu.asp
How To Build Muscle and Avoid The Aging Effects Of Free Radical Damage
Free radicals are chemicals that are produced through normal metabolic processes that have the ability to “rip” electrons away from the molecules in the walls of your cells as well as essential proteins such as DNA. What’s more they tend to be produced in excess with intense activities like body building. If they are not “mopped up” by what have been called natural and supplemented antioxidants the free radicals can lead to many health problems i.e.
Accelerated Aging,
Cancers ,
Heart Disease,
Arthritis,
Autoimmune Disorders,
Alzheimer’s,
Cataracts,
Etc.
One of the main free radicals to be concerned about is a natural biochemical called Superoxide.
This free radical in early life is kept in check, so to speak, by naturally produced biochemicals also called “free radical scavengers” such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione which have a tendency to decline with age. This decline accelerates the aging process because the free radical load rises steadily unchecked unless one’s diet is supplemented with antioxidants.
Examples of antioxidants commonly used are: vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase.
In 1994 a Tufts University scientist, Dr. Guoha Cao, developed a new and powerful method for determining the antioxidant capacity of common foods. This test came to be known as the ORAC assay* (which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity which measures a foods free radical fighting capacity). ORAC assays have become the most sensitive and reliable method for determining a food’s capacity to deal with free radicals.
Below I give a list of some common foods and their corresponding ORAC** levels (the higher level is equivalent to greater efficacy):
Ningxia Wolfberry 303
Chinese Wolfberry 202
Acai 184
Pomegranate 105
Prune 57
Blackberry 51
Boysenberry 35
Plum 28
Red Raspberry 27
Strawberry 26
Orange 24
Cherry 21
Garlic 19
Kale 18
Spinach 12
Broccoli florets 9
Beet 8
Apple 3
Carrot 2
The Ningxia wolfberry is, according to Tufts, the highest known antioxidant food source.
What is even more interesting is that it is also highly endowed with protein as it contains about 15.6% protein by weight and has more protein than Bee Pollen***.
As a result it makes Ningxia Wolfberries an ideal source of protein and antioxidants for body builders.
The Chinese national census has also recently reported that the number of Ningxia (Ningxia Province is where Ningxia Wolfberries are harvested) residents living more than 100 years exceeds the national average by an amazing 400%
My personal experience with Ningxia Wolfberries came with an amazing product that changed my life dramatically. Over 7 years ago I was doing a great deal of body building and was trying to restrict myself to vegetable protein sources but found that I was neither able to maintain my energy level nor my routine. I was sensitive to whey products and was loath to supplement with egg albumin because of a family history of heart disease so I was in search of a safe natural product that would not only help build muscle but also address energy and antioxidant concerns. The two products I found were from Young Living. They were 1. Power Meal and 2. NingXia Red Juice.
Both contain the Ningxia Wolfberry that only Young Living now has the rights to.
After only a month of being on each of these I found my energy levels, my strength and my muscle bulk changed dramatically. Other benefits that I experienced as well included improved eye sight and enhanced over all well being.
References:
*Gary Young N.D., Discovery of the Ultimate Superfood, Essential Science Publishing, July 2005
**Gary Young N.D., Discovery of the Ultimate Superfood, Essential Science Publishing, July 2005
***Gary Young N.D., Discovery of the Ultimate Superfood, Essential Science Publishing, July 2005
Nick Arrizza M.D. is trained in medicine and psychiatry. He is an international performance coach and healer as well as the developer of the powerful Mind Resonance Process(TM) (MRP)
Web Site: http://www.youngliving.org/arrizza