Inside/Out: Nutracueticals for Internal Aging

Part 1

For the last 20 years, the United States has been researching ways to slow the aging process ( notice I have not said “stopped”) topically, everything from the outside- actives that treat aging are called- Cosmaceuticals. These are anything from injectable to the higher potency actives I’ve talked about in early blogs. We spend 33 billion dollars on an industry based on magic creams and potions.

The next couple of blogs I want to bring you up to speed with what the rest of world has learned in anti- aging research. Japan especially has been researching how to slow the aging process internally- or as they say -  with Nutraceuticals .

The first nutraceutical supplement is a “vitality “drink.  My husband found this drink mix, as he has always had interest in health and vitality supplements; super food drink, anti-oxidants, green tea, etc. Since I’ve always had energy issues (and energy certainly declines with age), I’ve always tried the energy drinks, b-12, GNC,  Herbalife, you name it!

I’ve finally found the “cure all” superdrink. It’s the Super C22  Dr. Pinkus drink mix, I add it to my Fresca. If I have a headache- I take a teaspoon of SuperC22, have a stomach ache , take a teaspoon.. low on energy... You get the point.

The drink makers claim that its high doses of Vitamin C (22 forms) may help: :http://www.drnewtons.com/super-c22-p-1500.html

Super C22 formula -Vitamin C helps to improve immune function, neutralize free radicals, restore energy, relieve stress, and support vital systems. What Important Health Benefits Could Your Body Be Missing

If you’ve used Vitamin C to defend your body against the common cold — or even stress — you already know it’s a vital ally in keeping your immune system healthy. But did you know that Vitamin C has anti-aging properties that encourage collagen formation? What’s more, the latest Vitamin C news suggests that it may be able to:

·         Increase lung capacity

·         Enhance mental clarity

·         Lower blood pressure

I can’t speak to the science of this drink but I have had higher blood pressure readings the last four months, I just had one last week- it was perfect! I also notice if I mix this in with my workout water, I have a ton of energy, I feel refreshed. Placebo effect? Don’t care- it tastes great and it make anything you sprinkle it in a fizzy drink!

Next week-  Japanese scientists have found nutracueticals that produce smooth skin!

Golden Band-Aids: When Temporary is Just Fine!

I know that in the past, I’ve shied away from temporary fixes, like putting collagen on your face topically for a temporary plumper. Some of you have asked me is there is any “quick fixes” that are worth the time. There is! Most people already are familiar with an arrangement of this golden band-aide molecule for their joints- called glucosamine.  While collagen is better taken internally, hyaluronic acid can be applied topically for cosmetic uses.

The “acid” part of the name is a misnomer- there is no burning or harshness sensation when applied. Derived from radishes (vegan product!), this natural plumper is found in the body around our collagen and is used in several injectable products (Juvederm, Radiesse). For cosmetic purposes you can also find, hyaluronic acid made out of powdered rooster’s comb (yuck!)

Hyaluronic acid acts like a giant sponge that 

collects all of the surrounding water and keeps around its molecules for about 8 hours depending on the potency. Hyaluronic acids can absorb between 500 to 1000 times its weight- that’s a lot of plump!

 You can purchase just hyaluronic acid serum, or in most cases, look for it in the ingredients of our favorite moisturizing night cream. If you do use it long enough- it can “maintain” the plumped look over time.

If you look in the ingredients, Hyaluronic acid can be listed as Hyaluronan or Sodium Hyluronate. Over the counter creams including our magical plumper would be Neutrogena ‘s Ageless intensives (19.99-50.00). The price is right and I’ve heard good things. Also Olay includes HA in their array of products.

Currently I am using Life ExtensionDNA Repair cream for 19.60. This cream has lots of other yummy actives which I’ll discuss later, but it also has our famous HA, which I sometimes place on my smile lines and let it just soak in. This cream is a little heavy for me so I need to be careful or I would be breaking out. 

The results, however, are miraculous.

Happy Face Saving!

The Guessing Game- How old do you really look? Technology can now tell....

How old does your face say you are? I’m assuming if you are reading this that you are hoping your face is telling people your age is younger than your ID would admit.

With this blog I want to discuss what it is that actually signifies age, and where are you actually are on that scale.

Most of know what old looks like when we see it: wrinkles, droopy lids and skin.  I have found an excerpt that is the benchmark for what cosmetic surgeons look to in determining how advanced a patient has aged dermatologically, not necessarily chronologically.

Read the types below and see where you think are, then put your assumptions to the test and really see what type of aging you are in.

The 4 Facial types were described as:

Type I: Mild (age 20s to 30s)

•             Little to no wrinkling (even with animation) and no skin spots

•             Minimal or no makeup needed by these people for a clear complexion

Type II: Moderate (30s to 40s)

•             Early wrinkling (especially with motion)

•             Loss of smoothness

•             Early appearance of brown lesions, slight yellowish discoloration or brownish cast with increased freckling

•             Makeup needed for uniform appearance of the facial skin

Type III: Advanced (age 50s)

•             More visible wrinkles

•             Sallow, yellowish skin discoloration with telangiectasias (spider veins, reddened areas)

•             Obvious visible brown skin lesions

•             Heavier makeup always worn to even skin color but can accentuate deeper wrinkles by flaking

Type IV: Severe (age 60s to 70s)

•             Wrinkling heavy

•             Almost no pink color at all

•             Increased brown spots, becoming more elevated

•             Heavy makeup worn that cakes and does not cover well

Where do you think you were? I would say I would say I’m between a type 1 – type 2. Starting to see some wear and tear, but can still get way with a powder for a complexion corrector.

So now the fun part- let’s put my assumption to the test!

Face.com is the originator of the face recognition software hopefully used to determine if Facebook users are the age they say they are. Currently Face.com has a “sandbox” for us to play in and hopefully get some us to build apps around their technology. Their software allows you to either play with the photos they provide, or upload your own. It is so intelligent – it can confidently determine your gender, your mood, and for our purposes, how old you look to the world.

I took this software for a spin for myself and several friends and family members. Sorry! Surprisingly it was pretty accurate. See below:

My daughter Madeline- actual age- 12...and usually happy:)

Myself- it says i am probably  23, at the most 33.

Actual age- 36- was happy with these results!!!!

Want to see if you’re fooling anyone? Give it a whirl,

Go to . http://developers.face.com/tools/#faces/detect

1. Step 1 :Click on the window saying “upload”, it will launch a window

2. Step 2 : Select picture

3. Step 3: Click on “Call Method"- then hover over your picture.

Have fun and enjoy! But don't take it too seriously- it thinks Justin Bieber is a female:)

Vegetable Soup:My Routine- You Asked. I'll answer

I’ve been researching longevity for about 20 years now, so all of my information that I’ve acquired and all of my tips and tricks are so second nature to me, I forget how crazy or how confusing the information can be. So to answer one our contributing editor’s question- “ What is My Routine?”

Most of you know about cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, the three step process we all see from acne care to Avon.  This is a fine solution for no fuss, no muss. As long as your moisturizer has 30 spf in the morning, you’d be fine. Don’t expect miraculous results, but it’s better than nothing.

Now on to my routine, I do probably have a little too many anti-aging products (like there is such a thing) But I’m always trying new things and most of these products take a few months to see cumulative effects- this is the exchange we make for non-invasive, non-medical spa cost.

I spend about the same amount a month as I would for a gym membership- about 50. 00 month.  However consider that I do my own hair, my own nails, and have a treadmill in the basement. I figure I came out way ahead.  Can you imagine the time and money spent for going to the Medical spa/ tanning bed, nail place and beauty salon?  No thank you!

Each morning and evening I have my non-negotiables, and then a couple that I’m trying before I decided if it actually does anything.   I use one *wild card* until it runs out, then I watch and see if I can tell a difference with or without it- I give about 2-3 weeks to tell. I use very small amount- about a pea size if that, it doesn’t take much. But when I have my little mixture in the palm of my hand- my daughter called it my anti-aging “vegetable soup”.  This takes me about 5  min of my morning/evening routine. 

Daily	Am: non- negotiable	Syn-ake (synthetic snake venom) drops in smile lines, forehead
		3 drops of copper peptide
		3 drops of apple stem cell
		Olay SPF 30 spf
		Finish with 1 squirt of emu oil
		Platinumskincare- eye cream
	Wild card- can’t decide	Finishing Platinum Skin Care- GABA- featured on Dr. Oz
	Nights out	Arbonne- 8 hour face lift
	PM	3 drops of copper peptide
		3 drops of apple stem cell
		Afirm Retinol /eye cream
		Finish with 1 squirt of emu oil
	Wild card- can’t decide	Avon’s Gentix..
Weekly	Jessner Chemical peel- 3 min	Very mild peel
	Microderm abrasion	In shower
Every 4-6 Weeks	TCA 30% Peel	3 day weekendJ

 

 Am I a crazy woman ?  Perhaps. But this crazy woman thinks longevity science is pretty cool and just got carded at the liquor store last week.

An Ounce of Prevention

This latest blog I’m dedicating to my cousin, who at the young age of 36 yrs, was just diagnosed with stage four melanoma cancer. My cousin is fair skinned and blue eyed and loved to be outside and snowboard.

I’ve already talked about smoking – on a vanity level. So let’s talk about the sun and our obsession with a “healthy glow” .Historically tan skin has  been in and out of fashion. For the last 5000 years, a tanned person meant low-class because they were outside laborers- think "farmer tan". Upper class ladies went to great lengths to keep fair skin; lead paint, arsenic, and layers and layers of clothing.

Since the industrial revolution, the lower-class suddenly went inside to the factories. The tables turned and only the very rich were able to have the luxury of time. Time to lay about outside, time to go on exotic and expensive vacations in the tropical south.

Fast forward a few decades to now; where we still long for the tan look and not caring about the consequences- just watch an episode of Jersey Shore and watch them obsess about their darker-the-better mentality. Listen to popular music on the ipod advocating not caring about the future, just about having fun “…and all that counts is here and now, “ I’m glad you came, The Wanted   

So what happens when you don’t care about the future , and just caring about looking good and having fun? Science shows us that:

·        One or more blistering sunburns in childhood or adolescence more than double a person's chances of developing melanoma later in life.²⁴

·        A person's risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns at any age.²⁵
http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts#treatment

And if science doesn’t do it for you- Take a look at these ladies:

Pam shows signs of her years of topless bathing, Lindsay is only in her twenties , but her fair skin just can't take it. 

So what should we do- we all know what to do, slather up in sunscreen. But after a little research, it’s a little more complicated than I realized. I can sum up new research in a few bullet points:

• -         You need 30+ SPF 30  min before you go outside- not 15 minutes like we've been told
• -        You need to pay attention to both UV and UA rays.
• -        There is no such thing as sweat proof or water proof, it just stays on a little longer.
• -        You need to reapply every 2 hours in full sun, and after going in the water.
• -        Moderate exposure in sunlight (with protection) is good for you.
• -        You can still get UV/UA rays on a chilly, cloudy days, so just suck it up and put it on anyway!
• -        You need to put on enough sunblock to fill a shot glass.
• -        70% of people do not put enough sun-block on.

What do I use?

I got the Olay Regenerist 30spf  for $18.00- at Costco

Cheap, effective, preventative.

Happy face-saving, and life-saving,!

Not Going Down Without a Fight! Herbal Hormones and Longevity

When I’m not teaching or caring for my family, I work at my second job as a CNA- working with elderly people in their own homes. It’s a blessing to work with these wonderful people but also gives me some pointers on how I want to be when I’m their age.  It seems that those who do not actively care for themselves spend the last 20 years of their life in a “Groundhog Day” like routine in their favorite recliner barely able to walk around. Then I see the 96 years olds that are still moving around and getting out there, what are they doing?

I am determined to be that active 96 year old living their life to the fullest to the very end. Part of that anti-aging goes beyond vanity of course. I do exercise, and eat right. But one other proactive anti-aging activity that I do I learned from my mother ( we’re all natural born wildcrafters I swear). I found many don’t know about taking herbal hormone supplements.

I’ll take you back…

We have not been living past forty until the turn of the 1900 century. Menopause is something new for all of us- women were bearing children in their late teens and early twenties. It’s only the last hundred years us women have decided to hang around another 40 years while our bodies have not caught up. Our hormones begin to slow down when we get to 30 years old- our hair thins and our cells do not turn over as quickly. Around 20 years ago it was common for menopausal women to take Premarin to put symptoms at bay, unfortunately that led to increased breast cancer.

So now what? And what about young women and other pre-menopausal women? There has been significant research at Mayo Clinic done about using herbal supplements as an alternative. Another buzzword  is called “Bioidentical” hormones. You can pay large amount of dollars to swab your mouth to get the right balance of what you’re lacking. This helps ease the aging process and keeps you healthy and active longer. However studies are not clear yet about its safety- so please proceed with caution, this is truly cutting edge.

Since I turned 30 many years ago, I noticed I was experiencing peri-menapausal symptoms and added Estroven and DHEA to my morning supplement. Taking them early on decreases the severity of aging you would have experienced.

Estroven has Black Co-hosh and mimics a VERY mild form of estrogen- the hormone that keeps us girls! I notice that my body feels like it did, cycle wise, when I was 24 years old. DHEA is a hormone that is found naturally in a human’s body that makes either estrogen or testosterone. In low doses in can increase lean muscle, energy level, sex drive- woohoo, and vitality.  This vitamin is my exercise motivator in a pill. Seriously.

I purchase mine from Swanson Health products, I trust their safety processing and their price- 3 month supply for DHEA 3.99 plus shipping. I can buy Estroven there as well or at Wal-Mart- both cheaper alternatives than Bioidentical “doctors”. Safer too. 

Plant Stem Cells- Cellular Fountain of Youth

As Shirley McClaine says in Postcards from the Edge “ I don’t mind getting old, I do mind looking old.” If science could find a way to stop the aging process, at least the in the epidermis layer (i.e. esthetic skin layer) I would be all for it! Thankfully we are living in a highly technical age where we are beyond moisturizing creams .

In my early twenties, I worked for a biotech company while they played with programmed cell death- or apoptosis.  Our genetics are programmed when to start shutting down. What could happen if we could simply- “reprogram” our genes to stop aging? I do feel science is getting close to finding these answers because of progress in cancer treatments and with nanotechnology.

So what does this newfound research mean for us frugal gals looking for real answers that are also effective? Scientific articles in the Life Extension field have shown that plant stem cells as well as topical DNA technology are effective in anti-aging.

Let’s discuss the effects of using plant stem cells as a topical treatment. Miebelle Bio Chemistry in Switzerland discovered the use of a rare Swiss apple known for its ability to stay fresh for an extended period of time. Most of us know about stem cell research in the news- mostly from embryonic sources. Scientist wanted to know if plant stem cells would “show” animal cells how to not age, and help the new cells keep their longevity. Through research, it showed that there were some positive results. They measured line depth of the face in20 subjects over 28 days.  All confirmed shallower line depth and each cell sample proved to be more effective in “rejuvenating” itself.

Are there any side effects? None so far, like any new technology long term effects are not documented yet.

I have been using Apple Stem Cell with 35% active for about a year now, three drops in my emu oil “medley” morning and night. I also put it directly on my face after a chemical peel to get it right to the new layer of skin asap.  I have done a lot of research on the best product of apple stem cell and so far the product with the highest percent of active is… you guessed it, Platinumskincare.com at 35%. I’ve used Life Extension ($28.00)and other healthcare brands, as well as cream that cost about 130.00, and  none of them disclose the amount of active in their formula.  This product for me is a little pricey- 42.95 but it seems to last me about 4 months.   I notice that before I used it my laugh lines would return about 10 days after a peel, now with the stem cell it is about 35 days for the lines to return.

Try it and let me know what you think!

Happy Face Saving!