Recommended Reading: What You Can Do To Age Well

Jonny Bowden, a board-certified nutritionist and author of several books on nutrition and health, has nicknamed the four dangerous processes that age our bodies “the four horsemen of aging.”  He explains in his newest book, The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Do to Prevent Disease, Feel Great, and Have Optimum Health and Longevity that together, they are probably responsible for the bulk of what happens to our bodies when they break down.  He writes: “Anything that’s happening in your body that you wish were not happening, from the beginnings of disease to the breakdown of systems to the loss of functionality, is being driven by the engine of these four processes.” So here they are with a brief explanation and advice from Bowden for mitigating their harm:

Oxidative Damage: You may have heard about “free radicals,” which Bowden describes as “dangerous molecules created from oxygen that attack your cells and damage your DNA and slowly wear you down, aging you from within.” He recommends eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, all high in ANTI-oxidants.  Berries, apples, prunes and green leafy vegetables are especially good for you.

Inflammation: We need some inflammation to heal an injury or irriation, but too much can be detrimental to  your health. Bowden explains that inflammation  ”damages the vascular walls and is a factor in every single degenerative disease including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer and obesity.”  His prescription includes supplementing daily with fish oil, “one of the great natural anti-inflammatory agents on the planet.”  He also recommends getting a high-sensitivity CRP test (C-Reactive Protein) the next time you have blood work done.  ”It’s the most reliable measure of inflammation now available.

Glycation: The third “horseman of aging” occurs when sugar molecules “glom onto protein or fat molecules, causing “sticky proteins that gum up the works and age your body and all its systems.  These sticky proteins accumulate everywhere in your body and are implicated in many of the diseases of aging,”  he explains.  Bowden recommends supplementing your diet with Carsonine, which he describes as the “ultimate anti-aging nutrient” to help prevent glycation from happening in the first place.

Stress:  Another insult to our bodies, says Bowden, is “any physical, mental or emotional factor that causes mental tension or bodily harm.” Stress produces hormonal reactions that can be detrimental to our health in many ways and make recovery from illness much more difficult.  His prescription includes meditation, relaxation, recuperative sleep and gentle excercise such as Yoga or Quigong.

Before you take any supplements, I urge you to consult an integrative medicine specialist, or naturopathic doctor to help you determine which supplements you should (or should not) be taking and in what dosages.

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