Showing posts with label anti-aging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anti-aging. Show all posts

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Moringa Oil For Nourishing Skin


Moringa Oil For Nourishing Skin


Scientists have discovered an on/off switch for ageing cells

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In our bodies, our cells are constantly dividing in order to replenish our lungs, skin, liver and other organs. But most human cells can’t divide forever, and eventually this causes our organs and tissues to degrade as we age.
The "timekeeper" of our cells are telomeres - little DNA caps that sit at the end of our chromosomes, sort of like that plastic bit at the end of your shoelace. Each time a cell divides, these telomeres get shorter and shorter until eventually they're so short the cell can no longer divide. 
But researchers know that there is a way to stop the telomere from wearing down - some cells can produce an enzyme called telomerase, which rebuilds telomeres and lets cells divide indefinitely. However they've struggled to understand why telomerase acts in some cells and not others.
Now researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the UShave discovered that telomerase has an on/off switch - and can be present in a cell but not slow down ageing if it's turned off.
“Previous studies had suggested that once assembled, telomerase is available whenever it is needed,” senior author Vicki Lundblad said in a press release. “We were surprised to discover instead that telomerase has what is in essence an ‘off’ switch, whereby it disassembles.” Their research is published in the journal Genes and Development.
It’s a pretty huge breakthrough, because if scientists can now work out how to manipulate this “off” switch, it could help them slow down the ageing process and lead to treatments for age-related diseases. And, interestingly, it may also provide insight into cancer cells, which require telomerase to help them divide uncontrollably.
Lundblad, along with graduate student Timothy Tucey, discovered this switch in yeast, by using a new technique that allowed them to monitor each component of telomerase while a cell grew and divided. 
Each time a cell divides, its genome must be duplicated completely. And the scientists found that while a cell was replicating, telemorase was sitting in a “preassembly” mode, waiting for a molecular subunit to be added once genome duplication was complete.
But surprisingly, as soon as the telemorase was assembled, it quickly disassembled and switched into the “off” position, they discovered. 
The researchers believe that this off switch might help the body keep telomerase at exceptionally low levels inside the cells in order to avoid the uncontrollable cell growth that can lead to cancer. But it could also be the key to helping cells divide for longer.
While it might not seem as though these experiments in a single-celled yeast can tell us much about human cells, much of the initial research on telomerase was done in yeast cells and laid the groundwork for future discoveries in humans.
The next step is to understand more about this switch and how it is involved in ageing and cancer, and then scientists can try to understand how it can be manipulated to keep people healthier for longer.

Friday, 7 November 2014

YOGA & MEDITATION CAN RESHAPE YOUR BRAIN

KIRSTEN COWART

You can physically change your brain through Yoga and Meditation.  Science has found Neurobiological evidence to support what meditation experts have been claiming for years; That people are healthier and happier when they meditate.

“Neuroscientist Sara Lazar’s amazing brain scans show meditation can actually change the size of key regions of our brain, improving our memory and making us more empathetic, compassionate, and resilient under stress.”



As we age our brains loose grey matter.  However, if you meditate by age 50 you will have the same amount of gray matter as a 25 year old.  Meditation literally keeps your mind healthy and young!

tedxcambridge-sara-lazar-on-how-meditation-can-reshape-our-brains-youtube_dvd.original

tedxcambridge-sara-lazar-on-how-meditation-can-reshape-our-brains-youtube_dvd.original. The area of the brain that controls emotions, empathy and compassion actually grows in the brain when you practice yoga and meditate.  The region of the brain connected to our feelings becomes bigger and there are more connections there.  That is why meditators are more able to connect with the world around them, love everyone and are more able to find happiness.

Also the parts of the brain that respond the most to stress gets smaller with meditation.  This means that anxiety and depression naturally fade with a meditation practice.

Scientific evidence strongly supports meditation, with that in mind will you begin practicing yoga and meditation?  If you do already let us know in the comments how it has influenced your life.

Thank you for reading,

Kirsten
http://thespiritscience.net/categories/healing-2/

Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Moringa Tree Can Be Used to Prevent and Treat Over 300 Diseases

Moringa For Extreme Nourishment


Green Superfood From Moringa Tree Can Be Used to Prevent and Treat Over 300 Diseases

Danica Collins 

The superfood known as moringa (from the moringa tree) contains several thousand times more of the powerful anti-aging nutrient zeatin than any other known plant — and that it also has 2 compounds that prevent cancer and stop tumor growth.

The moringa is a genus of trees indigenous to Southern India and Northern Africa. It is a short, slender, deciduous, perennial tree that grows about 30 feet tall.

Once grown only in India, Africa and the Himalayas, it is now cultivated in Central and South America, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The leaves, flowers, bark, wood and roots of the moringa tree are used all over the world for a wide variety of medicinal, pharmacological and nutritional purposes. But it’s the leaves of the species called moringa oleifera, in particular, which have become recognized in recent years as being highly beneficial to human health.

moringa tree Compared to other green superfoods like spirulina, wheat grass and chlorella, moringa oleifera has been relatively unknown until recent years when reports appeared in mainstream scientific journals describing its medicinal and nutritional properties.

Moringa, The “Miracle Tree” Multiple Health Benefits
Moringa, which has been called the “Miracle Tree” in many indigenous cultures, contains more than 90 essential nutrients. Folk medicine practitioners and anecdotal reports suggest moringa’s great value in reducing tumors or retarding their growth.

Studies show that 2 compounds that are present in moringa cause a dramatic reduction of skin tumors, and even inhibit tumors in lab mice that are bred to be susceptible to tumors. This has earned moringa the reputation of being a cancer preventative plant.

Over the past 40 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been studying and using the moringa plant as a low-cost health-enhancing food for third world countries where malnutrition and hunger are widespread.

India’s natural Ayurvedic medicine uses moringa leaves to prevent and treat over 300 diseases. The leaves contain complete proteins, which are rare to find in the plant kingdom.

This should come as good news for vegetarians, as well as those who are trying to limit their meat and dairy consumption — without compromising their protein intake.

A Bureau of Plant Industry report states that, gram per gram, moringa leaves contain: twice the protein content of 8 ounces of milk (and 4 times the calcium); the Vitamin C equivalent of 7 oranges; the potassium content of 3 bananas; 3 times the iron of spinach; and 4 times the Vitamin A of carrots.

Moringa leaves’ rich combination of nutrients, amino acids, antioxidants, as well as anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties could fill an entire book. But perhaps the most fascinating discovery about moringa leaves is that they are rich in zeatin.

Zeatin is a member of the plant hormone family known as cytokinins. Cytokinins induce cell division and growth, and delay cell aging. A study published in Rejuvenation Research shows the undeniable youth-preserving effects of zeatin on aging human skin.

Zeatin has recently become increasingly sought after because of its powerful anti-aging properties. It defends cells against free radical damage, protects healthy cells from the effects of stress, helps the body replace dying cells more rapidly, and strengthens living cells… thereby slowing the aging process.

No plant has a greater abundance of zeatin than the moringa plant. In fact, moringa has several thousand times more zeatin than any other known plant.

The human body has approximately 19 million skin cells at any given time. However, 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells die every minute. New skin cells make their way to the upper skin layers as old skin cells flake off and die.

With the zeatin contained in moringa, new skin cells grow at a faster rate than old skin cells die. This results in a marked reduction of wrinkles on the face and other parts of the body, and a more youthful skin appearance.

Moringa dietary supplements are available in the following forms: moringa leaf powder, moringa leaf capsules and moringa condensed powder tea.

According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., 25 grams of moringa leaf powder could provide these astounding percentages of recommended daily allowances:

Protein: 42%
Calcium: 125%
Magnesium: 61%
Potassium: 41%
Iron: 71%
Vitamin A: 272%
Vitamin C: 22%

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

Moringa Seeds for Extreme Nourishment

Moringa Seeds for Extreme Nourishment



There are a number of products which claim to provide plenty of nourishment, but they often only cover one or two elements – with Moringa seeds, you could receive many nutrients in one. Vitamin A features in them in great amounts and is important for the health of your eyes, hair and skin, while vitamin C helps to protect the body and boost the immune system. Moringa seeds are also rich in oleic acid, which is a good fat that your body needs to help it to function. Calcium comes in spades when you eat Moringa seeds, so your teeth and bones get a boost, while muscles can be aided by the amount of protein that you get in the supplement, which can be snacked on like you may do with nuts. There are plenty of other benefits to consuming Moringa seeds and you can find out more about them by browsing ankhrah.com. - See more at: http://www.ankhrah.com/wpsite/health-and-nutrition-videos/moringa-seeds-p/moringa-seeds-for-extreme-nourishment/#sthash.9YiqnvPl.dpuf




Antioxidants = Anti Aging


Inside your body, an army of antioxidants is protecting you from the forces of aging and disease. Here's why we're huge fans of these stellar nutrients and how you can get more on your side.


Labels on everything from chocolate to pomegranate juice to moisturizer scream the benefits of antioxidants. And we're happy to report that it's not just hype. One study after another has shown that antioxidants help prevent cancer and heart disease, safeguard memory, reduce the risk of degenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, protect joints, soothe pain, reduce muscle soreness and fatigue, avert blindness caused by macular degeneration and cataracts, and even ward off wrinkles.

That's all amazing news, but it begs two big questions: What exactly are antioxidants? And how can this super antioxidant possibly fight off such a wide array of health problems? We investigated these warriors of the health world and discovered how they patrol every part of our body, repairing damaged molecules that if allowed to run rampant would accelerate aging and disease. By the time you're done reading this, you'll want every meal you eat -- and every product you put on your skin -- to be packed with antioxidant power.

When Radicals Attack

Before we can get to the "anti," let's explain the "oxidant" part. Unless you're a monk living in the Himalayas, eating pure food, breathing pristine air, and thinking Zen thoughts 24/7, you're constantly being bombarded by negative elements -- from pollution to chemicals to UV rays -- that damage your cells. Even your own body produces stress hormones and toxic chemical reactions. These toxins weaken the molecules in your cells, causing them to lose an electron -- a unit in the cell that carries electrical charges and allows your cells to work together. These electron-deprived molecules, called free radicals, or oxidants, try to make up for their inadequacy by stealing electrons from other molecules; this damages, or oxidizes, those cells and turns them into electron-swiping free radicals too. Call it the invasion of the electron snatchers.

Once a free radical is created, the damage spreads fast. Free radicals in your blood vessels -- usually caused by things like deep-fried foods, cigarette smoke, or air pollution -- change the structure of the (bad) LDL cholesterol so it becomes more liable to gum up your arteries and cause heart problems. Sunlight and air pollution can create free radicals in your eyes, where they damage retinal or corneal cells, leading to cataracts and blindness, and in skin cells, where they damage cell DNA, raising the risk of skin cancer and accelerating wrinkle formation. And that's just for starters: "Free radicals can damage any cells that get in their way," says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and director of the antioxidant lab at Tufts University in Boston.

Thankfully, there's a nutrient police force that can deal with these delinquents. Even better, you can find them in the foods you love -- not just fruits and veggies but in wine, chocolate, and even beef. As their name implies, antioxidants stop the oxidative damage by replacing a molecule's kidnapped electron without damaging other molecules; this disarms free radicals and turns them back into law-abiding members of cellular society.

Antioxidants do more than rescue cells in distress. Like special ops agents, they're designed to take on specific enemies: Isothiocyanates, found in broccoli, home in on pollutants like nicotine and smog and help prevent them from causing cancer. Vitamin C blocks the uncontrolled cell division that leads to tumors. Selenium fires up the genes needed to break down carcinogens. Antioxidants are like a million microscopic Jack Bauers on a mission to save your bod from the inside out.

Monday, 11 August 2014

Is Resveratrol the Fountain of Youth?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Resveratrol, a brief tutorial. Resveratrol is a natural compound occurring in red wine, more specifically in the skin of red grapes. This powerful antioxidant can also be found in blueberries, cranberries, peanuts, and dark chocolate.
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Scientific Studies at Harvard Medical School
A study done by Harvard Medical School, published in March 2013, confirmed that the Resveratrol compound may be able to provide anti-aging benefits. That is particularly important to all us baby boomers now facing the possibility of sagging skin, high cholesterol, and Alzheimer’s!
France’s Secret to a Longer Life?
Research scientists became interested in the amazing health benefits of Resveratrol when it was first discovered in red wine. This discovery led them to believe that Resveratrol might explain the “French Paradox”— why France’s mortality rates from coronary artery disease remained significantly low despite cigarette smoking and high-saturated fat diets (cream sauces, fried foods, etc.). The answer could lie in the fact that the French also consume high amounts of red wine loaded with Resveratrol. According to this research-based article at Prevention.com, red wine consumed in moderation may help prevent heart disease, lower “bad cholesterol,” and boost your immune system.
Recommended by Doctors wine-splash-2
In an article published in 2009, Dr. Mercola, a New York Times best selling author, stated that “animal studies have shown that Resveratrol helped overweight mice run farther and live about 20 percent longer. It has even been found to increase the lifespan of human cells.” In his article, Four Supplements for a Longer Life, Dr. Oz, made famous on the Oprah Winfrey TV program, recommended Resveratrol for heart protection. In this same article, Dr. Oz also mentions Vitamin D and Fish Oil. For supplementing Vitamin D, we recommend Vitamin D3, and we wholeheartedly agree with supplementing with fish oil, preferably Fermented Cod Liver Oil by Green Pasture.
- See more at: http://www.perfect-supplements.com/blog/7139/is-resveratrol-the-fountain-of-youth/#sthash.mT90XF3V.dpuf