A Plan for Living a Long and Healthy Life (Part 2)

Tuesday, May 06, 2008 by: Tony Isaacs
Tags: longevity, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) In part one of "A Plan for Living a Long and Healthy Life" we concluded with the good news that it is never too early or too late to begin living a healthy lifestyle, regaining lost youth and energy and adding many healthier and more enjoyable years to your life.

Yes, the good news is that it is not too late -- no matter what your age may be. People in their 40`s, 50`s, and 60`s can change their diet and lifestyle and undo most of the damage that a lifetime of neglect has caused. Even people in their 70`s, 80`s and beyond can add quality years to their lives by changing their diets and exercising. The important thing is, no matter what your age, you should take action now, because a neglected body in poor shape is a ticking time bomb that you want to defuse before it really is too late. So, with everything to gain and nothing to lose, let`s get started!

Good Things to Do & Consume:

* Boiling, Baking (low temperature), poaching, steaming & roasting -- low temperature keeps more of the good vitamins, nutrients, phytochemicals and so forth; heat destroys the nutrients in food and can cause the formation of harmful substances.

* Keep and use fruit and vegetable broth left over from cooking (that`s where a lot of the vitamins and good stuff goes).

* Get a juicer! Use it for fruits & vegetables (fruit and vegetable juice in big quantities are some of the healthiest things you can consume).

* Eat smaller meals with healthy snacks such as nuts, vegetable and fruits between meals (helps you maintain a constant energy level and avoid overeating).

* Chew each bite at least 50 chews -- helps pre-digest food with saliva and makes it easier for digestion once swallowed.

* Drink filtered, distilled, or reverse-osmosis water only, and drink plenty of it, but avoid tap water (the average municipal water supply has trace amounts of over 2,000 bad chemicals, including pesticides, solvents and carcinogens).

* Drink a large glass of water before each meal and snack and drink a large glass of water with each meal and snack -- not only is the water good for you, it will help you feel full and prevent overeating.

* Garlic - preferably 3 cloves of raw garlic every day! Garlic, long recognized as a natural broad spectrum antibiotic, is also a potent and proven natural cancer preventative and it is the natural enemy of cholesterol as well because it prevents cholesterol from sticking to the sides of our arteries.

* Turmeric (or curcumin) - This is one of the really important ones! A highly potent cancer fighter that recent tests have indicated protects cigarette smokers from developing cancer, it has also been reported recently to not only prevent Alzheimer`s but even reverse it! Turmeric, a member of the ginger family, contains a variety of bioactive substances called curcuminoids. The curry spice turmeric is also found in yellow mustard. The most active component is curcumin, an orange-yellow volatile oil that includes three curcuminoids"turmerone, atlantone, and zingiberone. Research shows that turmeric and its curcuminoids have a number of beneficial properties: (1) good antioxidant activity, comparing well with vitamin C, vitamin E, and superoxide dismutase; (2) anti-inflammatory activity that is comparable to steroidal and non-steroidal drugs; (3) anticancer properties influencing all the steps of cancer formation: initiation, promotion, and progression; (4) protects the cardiovascular system by lowering serum cholesterol and inhibiting platelet aggregation; (5) protects the liver by several mechanisms; (6) in vitro and in vivo studies show curcuminoids can help with HIV in a number of ways, including acting as biological response modifiers, resulting in significant increases in CD-4 and CD-8 counts. Supplementation may prevent, or be helpful with, the following conditions: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS, HIV), Aging, Asthma, Atherosclerosis (heart disease), Cancer, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Cataracts, Immunodepression (immune function), Inflammation (including bursitis), Peptic Ulcers and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

* Cayenne Pepper, Ginger & Sage (all potent cancer fighters). Cayenne pepper also promotes cardiovascular health, helps cure stomach ulcers, and a tincture of cayenne pepper can stop a heart attack in three minutes or less. Ginger also enhances circulation and acts as a catalyst for other herbs, to increase their effectiveness and it helps the body relieve congestion.

* Broccoli and other Cruciferous Vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, sprouts, horseradish, turnips, radishes, wasabi, and kale, etc). One prominent researcher said, "If broccoli were a drug, it would be worth billions!" Broccoli boosts your immune system, reduces the incidence of cataracts, builds bones, and fights birth defects and heart disease, and, like other cruciferous vegetables, helps ward off various cancers such as stomach, colon, breast, etc.

* Apple Cider Vinegar - Truly one of nature`s miracle substances, use of apple cider vinegar for medicinal purposes has been traced back as far as 3000 BC, and was used by Hippocrates, the Babylonians, Julius Caesar`s armies, Christopher Columbus`s crewmen, and ancient Samurai Soldiers to ward off disease and keep strong and fit. Be sure to use only natural non-distilled apple cider vinegar available at most health food stores - the kind you find on grocer`s shelves has been distilled to remove the natural cloudy appearance and has had most of the healthy life-giving enzymes, acids and trace minerals removed. If you do not have cancer, mix a teaspoon of organic locally produced honey with two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar three times a day. After a few months of regular use, you should notice improved health and vigor and the elimination of stiffness and joint pain.

* Tomatoes - Excellent source of lycopene. Tomatoes and tomato products lower cancer risk, increase your skin`s sun-protection factor, and play a role in preventing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Eat one tomato a day. tomato sauce is great, the more the better, just avoid ones with added sugar. Tomatoes combined with broccoli enhance the effect of both vegetables! Don`t like tomatoes? Try watermelon, persimmons, or pink grapefruit instead.

* Green Tea (or black) enhances health - especially cardiovascular health, boosts the immune system, prevents cancer, restricts bad cholesterol, controls high blood pressure, suppresses aging and more. Drink at least one cup a day.

* Shitake Mushrooms - lowers cholesterol and improves immune system function, good for preventing high blood pressure and heart disease, for controlling cholesterol level, building resistance against viruses, and fighting diseases such as AIDS/HIV and cancers. Often available fresh, Shiitake mushrooms are very flavorful when used in cooking! If you cannot find them fresh, they are available as a supplement also.

* Maitake Mushrooms - high in nutrients including Vitamins B-2, C, D, niacin, magnesium, potassium, fiber, and amino acids, contains the polysaccharide compound beta-1.6-glucan which naturally stimulates the immune system and lowers blood pressure. Beneficial for obesity and diabetic patients, the Maitake mushroom may be best known for its cancer fighting ability. Tests in mice prove that it blocks tumor formation and boosts the immune system. They are available fresh or as supplement.

* Reishi Mushrooms. The Reishi mushroom can increase the production of interleukin 1 and 2, resulting in inhibition of tumor growth. Studies show that Reishi can have a number of other positive effects on the body such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-viral (through its interferon production), lowers blood pressure. It also acts as a cardiotonic by lowering serum and increasing the production of interleukin 1 and 2, which results in inhibition of tumor cholesterol, has expectorant qualities, liver protecting and detoxifying, protective against ionizing radiation, antibacterial, and anti-HIV activity. Available fresh or as supplement.

* Grapefruit (Be careful on this one if you take any prescription medications). Grapefruit helps keep weight down and is a good source of vitamin C and lycopene; however unique among fruits, grapefruit (and possibly grapefruit hybrids like the tangelo) interfere with stomach enzymes that break down certain drugs and may result in higher blood levels of the drugs than desired.

Grapefruit Cautions: Drugs that are known to have potentially serious interactions with grapefruit products include: Anti-seizure drugs such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol) Antidepressants such as buspirone (BuSpar), clomipramine (Anafranil) and sertraline (Zoloft), Benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) and triazolam (Halcion), Calcium channel blockers such as felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), and possibly verapamil (Isoptin, Verelan), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors such as saquinavir (Fortovase, Invirase) and indinavir (Crixivan), HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors such as simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor), Immunosuppressant drugs such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), tacrolimus (Prograf) and sirolimus (Rapamune), Antiarrhythmic drugs such as amiodarone (Cordarone).

Note: Even waiting to take these medications up to 24 hours after you drink grapefruit juice doesn`t prevent an interaction. The best advice is to avoid grapefruit products if you take any of those drugs, unless your doctor or pharmacist approves.

* Omega-3 fats (found in fish oil, particularly cod liver oil). Omega 3 fats are not produced by the body, but are essential for good health, it lowers cholesterol, helps control blood pressure, and has strong anti-cancer properties.

* Dark Green Vegetables (especially spinach, and other dark greens such as mustard greens, collard greens and turnip greens). Good source of calcium, lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases, a variety of cancers, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts.

* Healthy Oils - Olive oil, hemp oil, pumpkin oil, sesame oil, coconut oil and palm oil -- preferably first press cold-pressed organic versions in dark bottles. Other cooking oils are unhealthy. Mediterranean men are 10 times less likely to die of heart disease and that is attributable to the fact that they use mostly olive oil instead of other cooking oils, and they use other oils in salad dressings instead of butter or margarine. Olive oil reduces cholesterol levels, protects against cancer, is full of vitamin E, and beautifies skin, hair, nails. Coconut oil is one of the most healthy oils on the planet and Palm Oil is loaded with anti-oxidants and carotenoids.

* Almonds - Eat 6 or more every day! Anti-cancer, a leading source of vitamin E and magnesium and offers protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron in 246 calories. As an added bonus, almonds and other nuts contain phytochemicals, which are plant chemicals that may provide powerful protection against heart disease, stroke, and other chronic disease. In addition, almonds contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties.

* Walnuts - These are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Walnuts` concentration of omega-3s: a quarter-cup provides 90.8% of the daily value for these essential fats -- has many potential health benefits ranging from cardiovascular protection, to the promotion of better cognitive function, to anti-inflammatory benefits helpful in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, also a good source of ellagic acid.

* Flaxseeds - Best when ground, flaxseeds are even more beneficial than flaxseed oil, because flaxseeds contain the lignans and fiber that is removed in making the oil. Good source of omega-3s, lowers cholesterol, helps keep the colon clean, regulates blood sugar and anti-cancer, especially breast and prostrate cancer.

* Flaxseed Oil Mixed with Cottage Cheese - flaxseed oil mixed together with cottage cheese has been successfully used to prevent, treat and cure cancers, even inoperable "hopeless" ones, for many years by multiple Nobel prize nominee, German biochemist and research scientist, Dr. Johanna Budwig, whose work followed up on the work of two previous Nobel laureates.

* Blueberries - They lower the risk of heart disease and cancer and help maintain youthful, healthy skin. Eat 1 to 2 cups a day. When they aren`t in season, eat cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, currants, and purple grapes.

* Other vegetables - These include: asparagus; escarole; avocado (actually a fruit); fennel; beet greens; green and red cabbage; bok choy; kohlrabi; Brussels sprouts; romaine, red leaf, & green leaf lettuce; mustard greens; celery; onions; chicory; parsley; Chinese cabbage; red, green, yellow and hot peppers; chives; collard greens; turnips; turnip greens; dandelion greens; endive; zucchini and summer squash.

* Beans, Lentils & Chickpeas (as long as you don`t have an insulin problem - the signs of which are excess weight, obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure). Beans lower cholesterol, fight heart disease, stabilize blood sugar, reduce obesity, lessen cancer risk, and relieve hypertension. One California study showed that those who ate beans weekly were 40 percent less likely to die prematurely than those who ate them less than once a weak. Eat four 1/2-cup servings a week.

* Pomegranate Juice - Higher in anti-oxidants than any other common fruit juice. Contains a very high concentration of the potent cancer-fighter ellagic acid. According to research presented in May 2005 to the American Urological Association, eight ounces of pomegranate juice had significant anti-cancer effects on prostrate cancer patients. Other recent studies suggest that pomegranate juice helps prevent hardening of the arteries and even reverses heart disease.

* Oranges and Tangerines - They support heart health while preventing cancer, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic ailments. Eat one a day. Want more variety? Try lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, or limes.

* Dark Grapes - Contains resveratrol, the potent anti-cancer and anti-aging ingredient found in red wine, effective with leukemia, melanoma, pancreatic, esophageal, breast, lung, colon, prostate, squamous cell, liver cancer and others. Grape leaves are supposed to contain 100 times the resveratol as grapes.

* Black Cherries & tart cherries - These contain the antioxidant anthocyanins which are responsible for the red color and which is higher in antioxidant properties than vitamins C and E. Tart cherries added to ground beef reduce mutagens in ground beef by 90% when cooking, and the flavor is equal or better than plain ground beef.

* Apples/Apple Juice - It turns out that grandma was right - an apple a day keeps the doctor away! Apples are an excellent source of fiber, phenolic compounds (phytochemicals) and phytonutrients, such as the flavonoid quercetin. Apples help reduce cholesterol, protect against cancer, especially prostrate cancer, reduce heart attack risk and promotes cardiovascular health. Note: If you have cancer, or have had cancer, apples are much preferred over apple juice due to the much higher sugar content of apple juice. Plus, whole apples include the added benefits of fiber and the phyto-nutrients contained in the apple skin.

* Apricots, muskmelons and other fruits high in beta-carotene - In test-tube studies at Harvard University, beta-carotene had a direct toxic effect on cells taken from malignant tumors. It also reduced the growth of lung cancer cells and altered the proteins needed for tumors to grow. Research also shows that beta-carotene can change in the body to retinoic acid, a substance used in clinical trials to treat certain cancers.

* Berries - Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, and other Berries are all excellent sources of vitamin C, phytochemicals and phytonutrients and are a good source of ellagic acid.

* Pecans, Brazil Nuts, and Pumpkin. Pumpkin lowers the risk of various cancers, while it promotes youthful, healthy skin. Want an alternative? Try carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and orange bell peppers.

* Pumpkin seeds, Pistachios, Sesame Seeds (Unsalted)

* Yogurt with beneficial fruit such as blueberries (avoid artificially sweetened yogurt, yogurt with soy, or high carb yogurt with added sweeteners). Yogurt helps the body`s ability to build bones, helps prevent and heal arthritis, and protects against ulcers. Yogurt that contains live bacterial cultures may help you to live longer, and may fortify your immune system. Research studies have shown that increased yogurt consumption, particularly in immuno-compromised populations such as the elderly, may enhance the immune response, which would in turn increase resistance to immune-related diseases. Some yogurt manufacturers pasteurize their yogurt products, while others do not. Although the aim of pasteurization is to kill any harmful bacteria, it also kills the beneficial lactic acid bacteria in the yogurt, substantially reducing its health benefits. Therefore, to fully enjoy the benefits of yogurt, look for those that feature "live active cultures" or "living yogurt cultures" on the label.

Tips:

Wash all vegetables and fruits - especially those that aren`t organically grown (if you don`t wash your vegetables from the grocer`s, you very well may be doing more harm than good from the pesticides and preservatives they have been sprayed and treated with).

Note: Eat raw, organically grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible and don`t peel except when necessary - you are often peeling away the best vitamins and nutrients! A good rule of thumb is that raw fruits and vegetables are better than steamed, frozen or dried ones, which are better than boiled, baked or grilled ones, which are better than home canned ones, which are better than store-bought canned ones, which are better than no vegetables at all! Juices may substitute for raw fruit/vegetables, but avoid added sugar or other sweeteners.

About the author

Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for those who wish to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year. He is also a contributing author for the worldwide advocacy group "S.A N.E.Vax. Inc" which endeavors to uncover the truth about HPV vaccine dangers.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near Austin and San Antonio to give lectures and health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs - featuring Luella May" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup" and he serves as a consultant to the "Utopia Silver Supplement Company".