Embark on the Health Express: A Longevity Plan Towards 100

Get on the health express

★No one can guarantee they'll live to 100, but having hope is always better than having no hope at all. This is a great book to help you increase your hope and build confidence.

★Some methods can make your hair and skin look younger, but others are just exaggerated advertising claims. Can you tell the difference?

★With the right methods, even a fifty-year-old can regain the youthful, or even stronger, body of a twenty-year-old. The secret is to actively participate in physical exercise.

★What you should pay attention to is not how many brain cells you have, but how many brain cells you use frequently. Experts say the best brain-training exercise is to maintain a sharp mind.

Driving towards 100 years old

Everyone can confidently say that they can live to 120 years old without any problem, but if you understand the process of human aging, we might be able to set our goal at 150 years old, because many scientists are working on how to extend human lifespan, especially the most vital period from middle age to old age.

Of course, our goal in life is not to live as long as possible, nor to needlessly add years to our old age, but rather to maintain our youth forever.

Scientists have stated that research on longevity focuses on healthy lifespan, not lifespan.

There are currently many theories about "why we age and what the aging process is like." Each theory has its supporters and critics, and most of these theories suggest using practical methods to extend healthy lifespan and ultimately achieve the goal of extending lifespan.

In today's society, it is not difficult for men to live to 70, but scientists believe there is a way to increase your confidence in longevity: "nutrition is above all else."

Zoologists have shown that a low-calorie, high-nutrient diet can prolong life and help maintain youthful physical strength.

Simply put, this diet aims to provide 1500-1700 calories of energy throughout the day by indulging in delicious food. This is one-third less than the generally recommended energy intake for maintaining an ideal weight, and only half the energy intake of the average man. The following points should be noted when adopting this dietary approach:

(1) Avoid high-fat foods, such as whole milk.

(2) Try to consume low-fat, high-protein foods, especially fish and lean meat.

(3) Reduce salt intake.

(4) Absolutely no sweets or greasy snacks.

(5) Choose natural and unprocessed foods, such as fruits and fresh vegetables.

(6) Consume the number of calories that scientists recommend each person should consume per day.

Controlling diet using the methods described above is not difficult; everyone can change their existing eating habits, as it is simply a matter of personal preference. Animal experiments on mice have shown that dietary control is the only method that can extend their lifespan. Other methods, such as medication, vitamin supplements, aerobic therapy, surgery, and temperature control, have only extended the lifespan of mice to about forty months. Controlling calorie intake, however, can extend the lifespan of mice by more than fifty months.

Currently, dietary control therapy has not been tested in human science trials, but research is ongoing. It is clear that dietary control therapy plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease, malignant tumors, stroke and other diseases, and is of great help in prolonging the aging process.

When the University of California first proposed the main theory of the aging process thirty years ago, it specifically mentioned the "aging free radical theory." Many scientists believe that this theory not only provides the best explanation for why humans age and get sick, but also offers a glimmer of hope that we can improve our lifestyles to slow down the aging process.

Free radicals are byproducts of human metabolism. They share the same characteristics as the chemical reactions that break down food to obtain energy. Throughout the life cycle, most free radicals gradually damage our body's energy. In fact, too many free radicals can begin to inhibit the proper functioning of important bodily functions.

How do free radicals cause damage? It starts with respiration. The oxygen we inhale interacts with compounds in our body to produce energy. However, the oxidation process doesn't always work smoothly because the molecular fragments that are often produced have unpaired electrons. These are free radicals, and free radicals have a high destructive power when they encounter electrons.

Scientists have identified at least sixty diseases related to free radicals, including heart disease, malignant tumors, arthritis, and cataracts. In fact, the immune system is more susceptible to free radical attacks. Facial wrinkles and jawline laxity are physiological phenomena caused by free radicals gradually destroying collagen, leading to a loss of skin elasticity. Mental stress appears to play a significant role in free radical formation. Since mental stress increases free radicals, activities that cause mental stress can also increase them. Why does mental stress increase free radicals? Because you might relieve stress with excessive drinking and smoking, and tobacco and alcohol are major culprits in increasing free radicals. Scientists have stated that one puff of cigarette smoke can produce more than 1,007 free radicals. This is also one of the main causes of lung cancer.

Fortunately, our bodies can always detect these lurking "troublemakers." Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the rare chemical element selenium, are all antioxidants. Our bodies not only use these nutrients to reduce the damage caused by free radicals, but also prevent the formation of these free radicals.

Antioxidants have a unique ability to seemingly neutralize unpaired electrons. Experts do not acknowledge the value of vitamin supplements, but they do not object to obtaining vitamins A and C from food. Because obtaining vitamin E from food is quite difficult, experts recommend taking 200 IU of vitamin E daily to supplement deficiencies.

Free radicals can also be produced by low-density lipoprotein (LDL), while exercise can increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Therefore, moderate exercise and weight control are essential for lowering LDL. However, you shouldn't forgo reducing free radicals because of exercise. Many experts recommend that moderate exercise, such as gardening or walking, is far better than strenuous exercise. Why is that?

Gentle stretching exercises produce fewer free radicals than vigorous exercise. They also require less oxygen to burn calories. And remember, the interaction between cells and oxygen is the primary cause of free radical production. In fact, some studies suggest that excessive and prolonged exercise generates free radicals, which can lead to serious injuries.

New research indicates that free radicals are rapidly multiplying in the body due to environmental factors and normal cellular metabolism. This proliferation leads to poor health and premature aging. Here's how to track down these troublemakers. You must avoid the following to reduce free radical formation.

Smoking → Alcohol abuse → Sun exposure → X-ray exposure → Radioactive elements → Pesticides → Pickled foods → Dietary lipids → Psychological stress → Long-term and strenuous exercise → Excessive body fat.

Consuming more of the following nutrients can reduce the production of free radicals.

Vitamin A (red grapes, melons, sweet potatoes) --- Vitamin C (citrus fruits, green peppers) --- Vitamin E (fish, wheat germ, rice) ------ Reduce stress ------ Reduce intake of high-density lipoprotein and cholesterol ------ Moderate daily exercise (gardening, walking, cycling, etc.).

If you've eliminated the threats of junk food and sedentary jobs, living to 100 isn't a distant dream. In 1985, over 25,000 Americans lived to be 100 or older, nearly a third more than five years earlier. Statistics indicate that by 2025, Americans over 40 will live to be 100-just 32 years from now. By 2002, the number of Americans living to 85 had more than doubled to 5 million.

This achievement has nothing to do with genetics and bioengineering. If people in ancient times had enjoyed the superior lifestyle of the 20th century, they could have lived just as long. Some scientists have begun to explore genes in basic biological functions in order to find a glimmer of hope for extending human life.

Dr. Chris Ford, a cell biologist at the University of California, said, "This is a vision for the future, but once the structure of the aging process is deciphered, it will no longer be an unrealistic idea. It will be possible to use bioengineering or other technologies to alter the aging process and allow us humans to live longer. I'm not saying these things are about to happen, but this is not wishful thinking."

Bioengineering is one of the most promising research techniques. Geneticists are fascinated by experiments on culturing a type of nematode. Dr. Johnson at the University of Colorado has cultured nematodes that can live up to five weeks, which is 70% longer than the average lifespan of ordinary nematodes. The secret to their longevity is that the nematodes have a gene responsible for the aging process. In different nematodes, this gene is already in danger of extinction, but in the long-lived nematodes, this gene has been changed by chemical reactions.

Dr. Johnson later pointed out that applying the results of this experiment to humans would still take a long time. This is because nematodes have approximately 5,000 genes, while humans have approximately 100,000. Furthermore, the human genome is far more complex than that of animals, and most of the human genome has not yet been fully deciphered. If this experiment succeeds, human lifespan could increase by 70%, making it common for people to live to 130 years old.

Of course, we might as well set our goals a little lower for now. Dr. Christoff said, "The first stage of extending human lifespan will not be 150 years old, because we not only want to live longer, but also to live better. So if we can maintain our vitality until the moment we die, then the actual goal of the first stage will be 90 years old."

In fact, under good physical condition, the functions of an 80-year-old man's organs, such as the heart, lungs, digestive system, and brain, can be just as good as those of a 20-year-old man. However, maintaining this efficiency depends on diligently implementing a good diet and regular exercise.

Even those who rapidly erode their lives (such as smokers and alcoholics) can extend their lifespan by changing their bad habits now. As the saying goes, "A prodigal son who returns is more precious than gold." No matter when you begin to establish a healthy lifestyle, you can start slowing down the aging process from that moment.