The Anti Aging Power of Living Sugar Free
on behalf of Dr. Mark Drucker, MD
We all get old. There is no magic pill or fountain of youth that can reverse aging. However, some people don’t just get old gracefully, but jump-start the process by the foods they eat.
Sugar is one of the main culprits that can wreak havoc on your body, health and accelerate the aging process.
If you’re looking for a powerful anti-aging strategy and a way to boost your longevity, living a sugar free lifestyle may just be the solution.
Sugar circulating in the blood stream combines with proteins in our body to create advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are a normal part of your metabolism. But too many AGEs can cause damage throughout your body.
Simply put, AGEs age you.
How ‘Advanced Glycation End’ Products (AGEs) Accelerate Aging
These molecules leave a path of destruction throughout your body. AGEs are responsible for the nerve death, tissue damage and eye problems associated with diabetes. And they play a big role in the stiffening of the arteries associated with heart disease.
How does this happen?
AGEs do three different things to age your body fast:
- They cross-link with proteins, stiffening affected tissues.
- They increase oxidative stress also known as free radical damage.
- They trigger inflammation through a number of pathways.
While AGEs are found throughout the body, tissues that go through less cellular renewal over time are the most vulnerable to AGE damage. This includes the tissue in your arteries and heart, the lens of the eye, muscle tissue, joints and tendons.[1]
By cross-linking with proteins like collagen, AGEs turns tissue from being pliant and healthy into wiry, scarred wrecks inside your body. Arteriosclerosis is an example of this.
But this is only the beginning of the problems AGEs cause . . .
Because along with AGE come RAGE!
Some tissues – like the muscles, heart and lungs – have a high number of specialized receptors called (appropriately) RAGEs. When activated by AGEs, RAGEs trigger an immune response.[2] Macrophages, special white blood cells which are tasked to clear the body of debris, churn through these tissues spurring inflammation and damage in their wake.
People with heart disease and type 2 diabetes have particularly high levels of these special RAGE receptors.[3]
AGEs And Your Body
High blood sugar is one way AGEs get a foothold in your body. So diabetics are particularly vulnerable to these monster molecules.[4] But even just eating a lot of sugar, leading to blood sugar levels spikes can cause AGE accumulation.
Not only does your body make AGEs, you can also get AGEs when you eat AGE-rich foods.
Grilled, roasted and fried meats are one of the main sources of dietary AGEs. That rich flavor created by browning meats is really a sign that you’ve created AGEs as the sugars and amino acids in meat bind together.[5]
Many processed foods are also high in AGEs. Baked or fried pastries with a browned crust . . . breakfast cereals . . . even pasteurized milk can contain AGEs.[6]
AGEs: Slow Aging Down By Keeping Them Out
How can you keep AGEs inside you down to a minimum?
- Reduce Sugar. The less sugar you eat, the less sugar in circulation inside of you. And the less AGEs can form in your body.
- Limit AGE-rich foods. Instead of baking, roasting, frying or grilling try cooking without dry heat. Cook stews instead of roasts. And eat grains cooked in water like rice and oatmeal instead of bread and crackers.
- If you have diabetes, watch your blood sugar levels. Using diet and other interventions, you can make a tremendous difference in the AGE damage your body incurs.
- Antioxidant-rich foods like red grape juice extract have been shown to reduce the formation of AGEs due to their antioxidant activity.[7]
- Get Fit. A number of studies have shown exercising can help you eliminate the buildup of AGEs throughout your body.[8]
While we can’t stop time, we have tremendous control over how we age. You can minimize the accumulation of AGEs inside of your body. And by stopping AGEs, you can help slow the aging process in your body.
About Mark Drucker, M.D.
Dr. Mark Drucker earned his Medical degree and Bachelor of Sciences degree form the University of Tennessee. Dr. Drucker began his medical career 23 years ago specializing in nutritional and natural medicine. Dr. Drucker is co-host of the popular radio talk show “Health Talk, A Second Opinion,” is a distinguished speaker on natural health topics, and is the co-founder and Medical Director of the Center for Advanced Medicine. He is a certified member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging medicine, the American Academy of General Physicians, and a Diplomat Candidate of the American Board of Chelation Therapy, as well as a fellow member of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SunChlorella. For more information visit https://www.sunchlorellausa.com/.”
Sources:
[1] Semba R et al. Does Accumulation of Advanced Glycation End Products Contribute to the Aging Phenotype? J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. Sep 2010; 65A(9): 963–975.
[2] Semba et al.
[3] Radoi V et al. Advanced glycation end products in diabetes mellitus: mechanism of action and focused treatment. Proc. Rom. Acad., Series B, 2012, 1, p. 9–19
[4] Sugimoto K, Yasujima M, Yagihashi S, Role of advanced glycation end products in diabetic neuropathy. CurrPharm Des. 2008; 14(10):953-61.
5] Uribarri J et al. Advanced Glycation End Products in Foods and a Practical Guide to Their Reduction in the Diet. J Am Diet Assoc. Jun 2010; 110(6): 911–16.e12.
[6] Semba et al.
[7] Jariyapamornkoon N et al. Inhibition of advanced glycation end products by red grape skin extract and its antioxidant activity. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2013, 13:171
[8] Gano LB, Donato AJ, Pierce GL, Pasha HM, MagerkoKA, Roeca C, Seals DR. Increased proinflammatory and oxidant gene expression in circulating mononuclear cells in older adults: amelioration by habitual exercise. Physiol
Genomics; 2011; 43(14):895-902.
My diversified background includes nearly 20 years of experience in financial and health publishing, financial services, marketing, and law.
I am the author of the #1 Amazon web marketing best-seller,Content Is Cash [Que Publishing, 2011].
I frequently speak at prominent marketing conferences/forums such as Specialized Information Publishers Association (SIPA) and Financial Publisher's Association (FPA).
Professionally, I have worked as a consultant as well as for entrepreneurial companies, top publishers, and Fortune 500 companies.
I received a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John’s University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Nova South Eastern University.
I have been recognized throughout my career with various awards for quality, innovation, teamwork, and new product/new business development.
