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Dementia Book Review
I am so excited to enjoy my latest book, Young Forever by Mark Hyman, MD. The author is @63 years old, in good health, and has traveled the globe searching for people who have longevity in life.
DEMENTIA Are you looking for the Fountain of Youth?
What is a Blue Zone?
He is documenting the secrets to their good health. He visited BLUE ZONES (areas with 20 or more people who lived to be over 100 years old, the name Blue is from the Scientist who circled the map with a blue marker to identify the towns) His conclusions are similar for all Blue Zone areas, eat what you grow, surround yourself with family and friends, walk the farm/ mountains, be happy, live a simple life. These people felt good and had sharp minds. When it was time to die, they died quickly and without pain.
How to Live a Healthier and Pain-free Life?
This book is a game changer. I don't want to live longer, I want to live a healthier and pain-free life. I want to run around with my grandchildren and have fun. Should you purchase this book? Buy this book and take notes in the margins. Highlight important facts and circle things you can do to improve your health.
The first few chapters of the book explain why we are aging and developing different types of diseases including medical terms with definitions and personal stories. According to the author, aging accelerates the risk of all chronic diseases. Some people want to look younger and are searching for the fountain of youth, while other people want to be pain-free. To make lifestyle changes, you need to understand the causes of the disease.
What is my Biological Age?
You need to identify your 'health span' (biological age) and your 'life span' (chronological age). Your health span can equal your lifespan if you eat right, exercise and live stress-free.
Who is Mark Hyman?
Mark Hyman describes the way he follows Functional Medicine instead of Traditional medicine. As a doctor, he asks different questions to get to the root of the disease. What is the cause of the medical problem? Functional medicines address the cause of the problem with diet and lifestyle changes, not just a pill. Aging is a disease with too much decay and not enough rebuilding, but this can be changed by you and the way you live. Dr. Horvath discovered a way to measure a person's biological age by measuring the 'epigenetic clock' which shows how your gene expression changes with your environment throughout your life. This reminds me of cutting down a tree and seeing the rings inside. The rings show you the lifespan of the tree and which years had more growth. You are not going to cut yourself open but you do need to know about your DNA, your years of growth, years of poor health, years of infections, years of poor diet, and so on. Your DNA is damaged by UV radiation, a poor diet with high sugar, and processed foods combined with daily stress.
What is a disease?
Diseases are a result of an imbalance in blood sugar and insulin resistance. To improve healthy aging you need to regulate your blood sugar, keep insulin levels low, eat a low-sugar diet with low starch, and eat lots of good quality fats and protein with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. This is easy to say and easy to type but how do we change our diets when we live in a fast-paced community with processed foods and busy lives? I want to make changes but how? We need to realize that food is medicine. We control how we feel by what we eat, how we think, and what we do.
Can you repair your DNA?
You can repair your DNA by taking care of your 'MITOCHONDRIA'
"membrane-bound organelle found in the cytoplasm of almost all eukaryotic cells (cells with clearly defined nuclei), the primary function of which is to generate large quantities of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondria are typically round to oval in shape and range in size from 0.5 to 10 μm. In addition to producing energy, mitochondria store calcium for cell signaling activities, generate heat, and mediate cell growth and death." (https://www.britannica.com/science/mitochondrion)
What is a Mitochondria?
The best way to revitalize old 'Mitochondria' is to eat whole foods low in starch and sugars,
Increase fiber intake, eat organic and local foods, eat lots of colorful berries, nuts, and seeds, practice intermittent fasting, reduce stress, and increase daily exercise.
How to Increase My Biological Health
TOP THINGS TO DO TO INCREASE BIOLOGICAL HEALTH
Eat foods that are whole, unprocessed
Eat wild or pastured-raised meats and eggs
Increase fiber in your diet
Increase micronutrients (vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, omega-3, B vitamins)
Absorb adequate light exposure at the right time of the day
Breath clean air
Get exercise and move every day
Yoga, meditation, and breathing work
Volunteer in the community, join community groups, go to Church
Have a sense of purpose and meaning in your life
Drink water
Get plenty of sleep
DEMENTIA Are you looking for the Fountain of Youth?
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