disease, coronary artery disease and Type 2 diabetes is reining in uric acid.” Chronic, unmanaged stress is a major factor in physical


and mental decline due to elevated levels of cortisol. “Stress threatens the health and diversity of our gut bacteria, leading to increased gut permeability, a central mechanism underlying widespread inflammation, which is the cornerstone of all chronic degenerative conditions,” says Perlmutter. “Tose conditions as a category are ranked by the World Health Organization as the number one cause of death on our planet today.” Fitzgerald concurs, “Excessive inflammation—an imbalanced


immune response—accelerates the aging process, and it increases with stress. Stress is the gasoline on the fire of aging.” Eating to reduce inflammation is key, and there is power on


our plates when we add some of Fitzgerald’s longevity boosters like turmeric, green tea, shitake mushrooms, wild-caught salmon, eggs, liver and sunflower seeds. A study last year in Experimental Gerontology reported that the amino acid L-theanine, found particularly in green tea, reduced oxidative stress, liver degeneration and inflammatory responses in aging rats.


No matter which path we follow to aging vibrantly, the most inspiring takeaway is that lifestyle, not genes, determines destiny.


and cucumbers, rivals ever-beneficial quercetin. Research published last year in the European Journal of Pharmacology cites fisetin’s numerous potential benefits for neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and vascular dementia.


Te Trifecta of Acid, Inflammation and Stress Chronic systemic inflammation is now understood to be the physiological springboard for most diseases ranging from cancer to depression, but its connection to uric acid is critical in producing free radicals that accelerate aging. “Unfortunately, most doctors look upon uric acid solely as a risk marker for gout. We now recognize that uric acid serves as a powerful signal in the body to prepare for food and water scarcity,” says neurologist David Perlmutter, author of The New York Times bestseller Grain Brain and the recent Drop Acid, a guide to lowering uric acid in the body. “Uric acid levels above 5.5 milligrams per decilitre trigger the body to raise the blood pressure, increase the blood sugar, become insulin-resistant and increase the formation and storage of body fat,” he says. “Central to regaining metabolic health and reducing risk for metabolic conditions like Alzheimer’s


18 Central Florida www.NACFL.com


Radical Renewal Without Surgery In the daily survival game, the body’s stem cells generate specialized cells to replace those throughout the body that are damaged and dying. Tis ongoing repair process slows down as we advance in years, but cutting-edge procedures offer new hope for conditions ranging from arthritis to age-related brain fog. “Stem cells improve DNA methylation and telomere length,


and result in a reduced physiologic age compared to your chronologic age,” says Chadwick Prodromos, a Chicago- based, board-certified orthopedic surgeon and the founder of the Prodromos Stem Cell Institute, in Antigua. “Joint replacements are offered quite liberally nowadays, but most of our patients with severe arthritis who were offered joint replacements do well in our care without them for virtually any joint in the body.” Prodromos and his team combine umbilical cord-derived stem cell treatment (non-embryonic/fetal) with specially selected nutritional supplements and in some patients, platelet-rich plasma and hyaluronic acid injections. Even with exciting advances in the promotion of long life,


experts are unanimous in stressing that going into our golden years disease-free begins and ends with individual lifestyle choices, starting with what we put in our mouths. “Diet is the most critical variable in terms of our metabolic destiny. It’s been said that a person can’t exercise away a poor diet, and there’s great wisdom in this statement,” says Perlmutter. “While stem cell treatment has been quite effective, it


is important to remember that avoiding chemicals in the environment, exercising vigorously and maintaining a low BMI [body mass index] are clearly the most important factors in good health,” advises Prodromos.


Marlaina Donato is an author, composer and painter. Connect at WildflowerLady.com.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32