Longevity

Of all the subjects written in this column for the last six years, I suppose more articles have been written about longevity than any other subject.  This must make it appear to the reader that I’m obsessed with living forever.  On the contrary, I simply believe that with longevity comes a more fulfilling life through better health and vitality.  I also believe that success leaves footprints.  If we can follow the footprints by those with longevity, we learn how enjoy better health.  Fortunately, there are known predictors of longevity that can be measured.

Some of the keys to long life I've covered in the past.  For instance, maintaining low insulin levels is critical.  This means eating a diet low in sugar while high in fiber and low glycemic foods such as vegetables.  Physical exercise is also key to keeping insulin levels at bay.  The number one predictor of longevity is body composition.  This means keeping your percentage of muscle high while keeping your fat levels at a minimum.  Just like insulin, maintaining muscle requires regular physical exercise, a low-sugar diet with adequate high quality protein.  But don’t forget about stress!  High levels of emotional stress will elevate insulin and make it difficult if not impossible to build muscle at the expense of fat.  At a training seminar for our 8 Weeks to Wellness program, one of our presenters spoke about another marker of health and longevity – Phase Angle.  In a sentence, phase angle measures the health of our individual cells.  Our bodies are a community of about 100 trillion cells and we’re only as healthy as these individual components.  If our cells are sick, we are sick or heading that way.  Phase angle is measured by a piece of equipment called a bio-impedance machine.  It’s simply an electrical device that measures how quickly a micro-current travels through the body.  This current travels through our body fluids, our muscles, our fat, and our individual cells.  As the current travels through the cells, it is slowed (mostly by the cell membrane) and it bounces through the cells.  The feedback from this current will tell us if the cell wall (membrane) is healthy, if the cell is full of fluid, or dehydrated, and if the electrolytes are in balance.  A low phase angle indicates that there is cell death occurring or breakdown of the cell membrane.  Cell membranes are broken down by oxidative stress and inflammation.  This is simply poor lifestyle (toxins, sedentary lifestyle, stress, inflammatory diet).  One particular toxin that damages cell membranes is arachidonic acid.  Where do we find this?  In all processed grains!  One of the things that helps increase phase angle is proper fatty acids – in particular those found in fish oil.  Vitamin E has also proven beneficial.  There is no drug that improves phase angle; only healthy lifestyle including regular physical exercise and proper diet and nutrition.  By now, I hope you’re seeing the trend regarding health and longevity.  If you’re intrigued by your body composition or this phase angle, it is something we now do for every client upon their initial exam as part of their Wellness Score.  We’re offering this score at a discount for the month of November for just $27.