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There is no doubt that anti-aging research is slowed down hugely by unnecessary bureaucracy.

Researchers in the field spend far too much of their time dealing with regulatory matters and too little of their time actually doing the anti-aging research they love. Much more of their time is spent in raising money to fund an area of research in which government has little interest.

In future years, the current regulatory environment will be seen as sheer madness. This research will, in 20-40 years, produce massive relief from suffering and avoidance of many of the diseases of old age. The burden on society that such ailments cause will also be massively reduced.

As usual, government is being short-sighted. No surprise there. What would we give for an enlightened leader?

Of course some regulation is necessary: but not the amount which so massively reduces the rate at which problems are solved such as recovery from stroke, the conquering of cancer, and of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Here is a post by someone who deals with this type of excessive regulation every day.

Regulation Slows Down Anti-Aging Research is a post from: Living To 150

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A great step forward (if you can have one of those in nanotechnology) has been made in molecular machinery. A cog has been made out of atoms, and rotated clockwise and anti-clockwise.

This was created by fixing a ‘stick’ like molecule onto the sides of a benzene ring, resulting in a 6-spoked cog. This was then rotated around the molecular fold occurring on a piece of gold.

This is a huge step forward, and an essential step, for molecular machines.

Now the method has been proved, more complex machines will be developed, enabling energy to be converted into work at the molecular level very efficiently.

Article

Nanotech Rotor Created is a post from: Living To 150

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In June this year, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine approved $60m worth of funding to fund 15 grants aimed at moving some of the stunning results from stem cells from the lab to clinical practice.

The pace of progress with stem cell research means that results can progress from project conception to clinic use in ten years – a very rapid time compared to conventional research.

These grants mean that we will be able to take advantage of this exciting technology that much faster.

California funds the biggest stem cell research programme in the world. This is thanks to Californian residents who voted the measure through in a referendum.

$60m Funding for Stem Cell Research is a post from: Living To 150

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A small pilot study appears to show that lycopene – an antioxidant found in tomatoes – was protective against sunburn.

The subjects who received the lycopene supplement experienced a sunburn cell count six times lower than that of the placebo group. This is a significant benefit as sunburn causes DNA damage in cells.  Cancer often involves DNA damage.

The study was carried out by a company producing a lycopene supplement. However, confidence in the results was strengthened by the comments of David McDaniel, M.D., director of the Institute of Anti-Aging Research in Virginia Beach, USA, who said these  results “…are  impressive.” 

McDaniel added:

"Our research program has seen significant protection from UV damage from other topically applied super-potent antioxidants. We’ve also seen anecdotal evidence that oral lycopene supplementation in the 5mg to 10mg daily dose range may reduce the risk of sunburn in very sensitive, fair-skinned individuals. The apparent protection of Langerhans cells is also potentially significant," he notes, adding: "Oral supplements such as this mixture of lycopene and related carotenoids need further studies like this one to expand our understanding of how oral antioxidants impact our skin – both for health and beauty."

Further information on this study

The Richest Source of Lycopene

The fruit with the highest content of lycopene is called a gac. It is found in south east Asia, when it can be harvested during December and January. However, it is little know elsewhere. If you do live in Vietnam or nearby it is well worth seeking out gac, as it contains 80 – yes, 80! – times the lycopene found in tomatoes. Other foods have lesser amounts of lycopene, the only significant one being watermelon, which has about 1/4-1/3 of that found in tomato sauce.

Tomatoes Protect against Sunburn is a post from: Living To 150

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Longevity and anti-aging was not the only focus of this fascinating conference in San Hose, California, November 2008. It also covered nanotechnology, bio-technology and artificial intelligence.

300 people gathered together with interests in these main areas. An obvious connecting factor was: ‘thinking outside the box’.

Aubrey de Grey

One attendee was Aubrey de Grey, a man of striking appearance, and strong intellect. He speaks convincingly about how the degeneration caused by aging will be ended by biotechnology – potentially within a generation or two. 

Longevity – Supplements – Yes or No?

From the point of view of supplements the longevity enthusiasts polarised into two main groups: "take supplements", and "take few supplements" (or "take no supplements").

The "take few supplements" lobby were concerned about studies which appeared to show that supplements can be toxic, such as vitamin E; and those which showed them to be ineffective. An example of the latter is that the effectiveness of anti-oxidants is questioned, as our cells appear to regulate anti-oxidants so closely, that it is questioned whether it is worth taking extra ones such as vitamin C or CoQ10.

Voice of Moderation for Anti-Aging

After fighting in my head with the opposing views for a couple of days, I was won over by Terry Grossman, co-author of ‘Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever‘, who I heard speak, and spoke with, several times.

Terry runs a longevity clinic in Denver, Colorado.

His views run very closely to my own naturopathic ones; do all you can through lifestyle – as supported by science; take medical tests for major diseases where they are available; and take moderate levels of supplements.

Terry argued convincingly against the ‘vitamin E toxicity’ argument put frequently by the "take no supplements" lobby, as a misrepresentation of the data.

I plan to visit Terry Grossman’s anti-aging clinic for an ‘overhaul’ in mid 2009.

Great Anti-Aging Conference

This was an eye-opening conference. There were many people there making fantastic discoveries at the cutting edge of health and science; and, contradictorily, some of these were not so open minded in other areas.

I should not be so surprised – that’s human.

I look forward to the next conference. The organisers may have one focused more specifically on anti-aging which would be great.

Convergence08: Overview is a post from: Living To 150

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Scientists have used genetic engineering to create a new type of DNA by incorporating eight extra nucleotides – the ‘letters’ of DNA – into it. The eight ‘extras’ are slight modifications of the four nucleotides DNA usually consists of.

The new DNA is structured in a double helix, as DNA usually is.

The result of this genetic biotechnology is a mixture of oil and water in a beaker in a laboratory containing a new, artificial organism. The beaker has to be fed nutrients and alternately warmed and cooled to make the whole thing work.

Within two years, Dr Steven Benner at the American Association for the Advancement of Science hopes to make a self-sustaining version.

The two applications Dr Benner saw for his system were in medicine, and in researching possible alien life. The latter would be helped because it would be useful to study how an alternative system to our own developed.

Genetic Engineering Uses Synthetic DNA is a post from: Living To 150

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Google and Nasa are backing Ray Kurzweil in a new school for ‘futurists’. The school will be located around the corner from Google in Silicon Valley.

The school will pull together people and ideas from rapidly growing and advancing disciplines which are going to affect our future – including health and longevity – tremendously. These include technology, medicine, artificial intelligence (AI), genetics and  nanotechnology.

The students will get together each year for nine weeks to soak up cutting edge ideas across discipline The idea of the University is not to set exams and issue degrees, but to share ideas in these rapidly developing fields. 

Ray Kurzweil put forward his view that the day when the intelligence of machines equal the intelligence human is coming nearer at a faster pace. This is because of the accelerating progress in biology, technology and AI. This time has been called the ‘Singularity’.

Kurzweil predicts this time will be before the middle of this century. More intelligent machines will, he says, be able to solve problems of poverty, starvation, pollution and global warming.

Kurzweil has a strong back-catalogue of successful and ground-breaking inventions including the electric piano, the document scanner and dictation software. He is the visionary who has been appointed as Chancellor.

The new school will be called the ‘Singularity University’.

Guardian article

Smart Machines on the Horizon is a post from: Living To 150

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Every year sees an increase in life expectancy, and this rate of increase is accelerating.

For example, in the UK. Between 1981-91. Life expectancy for a 65-year-old man increased by 1.6 months. During the following decade it increased by 1.8 months. Between 1995 and 2005 the increase was 2.3 months.

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=168

Will You Be Alive In 2100?

If this longevity trend continues, and most forward-thinking statisticians think it will, we will get to the point where the passing of a year brings about an increase in life expectancy of more than a year.

Raymond Kurzweil, a brilliant thinker and inventor (who some have compared to Thomas Edison for combining invention with practicality), thinks this date will arrive in only 15 years hastening in a long life for many.

http://www.kurzweilai.net

So, this means that if you can manage to live until around 2022, an unlimited lifespan is potentially possible.

Unlimited ‘Healthy Middle Age’

An unlimited lifespan may sound fantastic; but so would many other medical and technical advances have sounded to people in, say, 1960. A healthy long life is very close. It is inevitable; it’s just a matter of when.

In 1960, the Internet; heart bypass surgery; microwaves; mobile phones – would all have seemed fantastic; even unbelievable. Now, as then, we need to think ‘outside the box’ because these changes which will usher in longer and longer life are very close; I mean that we will see human living much longer in, probably, around 25-30 years.

The Future – Computers + Technology

The great changes in life expectancy we see in the 21st century are those enabled by a rapid increase in computing power combined with huge advances in biology. For example, who would have thought 20 or even 10 years ago that in the first decade of the 21st century, thousands of surgical operations would be carried out by robots controlled by humans?

The changes which science will soon bring to human longevity will result not in an extended period of old age. They will give us an increasing amount of healthy middle age.

Longer human life is about to happen: perhaps we should wish for the wisdom to use it well.

Unlimited Life Expectancy – Pushing Long Life to the Limit is a post from: Living To 150

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The latest “Statins Beat Heart Attack” headlines would be wryly funny if they weren’t so tragic.

Short sighted journalists are fooled by profit-hungry drug companies who, as often seems to be the case, are driving partisan research chemists.

“Statins Reduce Heart Attacks”

This is not news, and it is not even surprising. Anything which reduces general inflammation in the body will reduce heart attacks. This includes Omega 3 fatty acids, and any number of herbs including nettles, ginger and turmeric. The problem with using statins instead is the many side-effects users have reported.

The New Trial

The new trial is clearly partisan. For a start, it is called ‘Jupiter’, which stands for Justify the Use of Statins… Hmmmh – little doubt about the results they are looking for, then.

The particular brand of statins it ‘justifies’ is Crestor, made by AstraZeneca which costs around £26 a month. As the predominant statins used in the UK are the generic Simvastatin which cost £1.42 a month, the trial results are great for AstraZeneca. No doubt certain sectors of the community will be calling for the replacement of Simvastatin with Crestor (is it me – or isn’t that also a toothpaste?).

Drug Company Strategy

Statins are the best thing that have happened to drug companies for a long time. They are turning into a license to print money. One prime benefit of selling statins is that they are being used by younger and younger people – and they ‘need’ them for life.

As the drug companies see their profits slashed by cheap generic replacements – they simply come up with a new twist – as in this case – to show, by a flawed study, the superiority of their new, replacement product. Then they get to milk it drug until the patent runs out.

This is exactly what they did with HRT (ERT); each time the evidence showed that HRT damaged health, new research unearthed a new supposed benefit of HRT so they could persuade doctors to keep prescribing it and journalists to keep writing about how good it was.

What To Do Instead Of Taking Statins

This trial was carried out by selecting people with a high level of c-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. They were then given statins.

Agreed – CRP does indicate general inflammation in the body which gives a raised chance of heart and artery disease as well as of diabetes, various cancers and Alzheimers’ disease.

Where I don’t agree is the treatment. Drugs are not usually necessary.

To treat raised CRP a combination of herbal treatment and fish oils will usually bring it down. Take these, then recheck CRP in 2-3 months.

Ideally, CRP should be less than 0.5 mg/L (milligrams per litre) in men and less than 1.5 mg/L in women.

Avoiding Statins – or Coming Off Them

Don’t just stop statins if you are taking them. Come off them with professional guidance. Most certainly involve your doctor in this process. Similarly if you have been told that you need to take statins. Be cautious. Around 50% of people come off statins because of the side-effects; but don’t put yourself at risk by just not taking them – you need an alternative strategy.

1. The following link leads to an article which contains a list of 8 natural alternatives to lower cholesterol, based on sound science:
Natural ways to cut cholesterol

Extract from this article about avoiding statins:

“HOW TO AVOID STARTING STATINS
If your doctor advises you to begin taking a statin drug, suggest a lower dose or a delay in initiation of the drug until you have had two to three months to try natural cholesterol- and LDL-lowering agents. Patient involvement in treatment decisions is commonplace today, and most physicians will work with you. A rough rule of thumb: adherence to a low-fat, high-fiber diet (that eliminates processed foods), along with some of the nutritional supplements discussed in this article, will lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 30%. Keep this in mind when starting your program. ……..”

See the article for more detail.

2. This article covers the role of general inflammation in generating disease
Aging and Longevity – 4. Inflammation

Also, read Life Extension Revolution, by Miller, Chapter 7:  Cooling Inflammation: Disease-Proofing Your Body

Above all, don’t fall for the drug-company hype; because that’s what it is. In 2004 the pharmaceutical industry was estimated to be receiving $22 billion (£14 billion) from statin drugs.

Do your research and make your own mind up. And it’s not easy to get your CRP checked regularly – but is very, very useful to do so as it gives an early warning of problems to come.

Statins – Don’t Be Fooled By The Research is a post from: Living To 150

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Scientists have ‘modified’ tomatoes to make them purple. They have done this by modifying them genetically such that they contain anthocyanins. 

Anthocyanins are a type of a class of substance called flavonoids, which show anti-oxidant activity. Flavonoids produce yellow, red or blue colouration in flowers and fruit. They also offer protection against insects and microbes.

Anthocyanins in particular produce a purple colouration, usually in fruit. Fruits containing anthocyanins include the Vaccinium species – such as bilberries and blueberries and the Rubus species – such as blackberry and raspberry.

Antioxidant Properties Help Indirectly

The first lesson we learn about antioxidants is that they ‘mop up’ free radicals – the oxygen-robbing substances which begin or accelerate cancer, heart disease and aging. However, although anthocyanins – and the flavonoids in general – are antioxidants, the way they help us is not by mopping up free radicals directly. Their benefits are indirect.

Particularly, in some way anthocyanins and flavonoids stimulate phase II of the important two phase liver-detox process. The enhanced Phase II then carries out its normal function of eliminating toxins from the body with extra power.

In this way our DNA can be protected, for example, reducing the likelihood of cancer starting.

Eat Purple Tomatoes – Or Stick With Blueberries?

So – do you want tomatoes modified to be purple; or would you prefer just to stick with eating purple berries which grow naturally?

A purple tomato seems to me to be much like taking an anthocyanin supplement. It has to be easier to get people – eg family members who are not great on fruit and vegetables – to eat tomatoes than to eat blackberries and blueberries every day. Let’s have the choice.

The scientists say at least here is a direct consumer benefit of genetic modification, rather than one designed purely to make money.

Science Daily Article

Purple Tomatoes – Modified For Health is a post from: Living To 150

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Our DNA is unique to each individual. Our DNA can reveal various information about us which could be vital for our healthcare.

For example, once we know exactly the blueprint of our DNA, this will help us to know:

• Which diseases we are prone to
• Which nutrients we need more than the average person
• Which ones we have difficulty in making ourselves – indicating that supplementation is desirable
• Which drugs, or combinations of drugs, will suit us best should ever need drug treatment. This might save our lives as well as helping to ensure the dose we are given is suitable for us.

DNA Profile For $1000

It is a matter of time until we know our DNA – ‘sequence our genome’ – for $1000 (£550). The ‘$1000 challenge’ has been issued by America’s National Institutes of Health, and a number of companies are working on it.

In the UK, Oxford Nanopore is one company working on the ‘$1000 Challenge’. In the USA, Pacific Biosciences is one company working on it.

DNA – Cheap Genome Gets Nearer is a post from: Living To 150

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Researchers at Leeds University, UK, have created new ‘bioisensor’ technology which will help diagnose diseases such as cancer, heart disease and multiple sclerosis much more quickly.

The technology is capable of being put into a portable hand-held device similar in size to a mobile phone. Different sensors will test for different diseases.

(Didn’t they have a device like this on Startrek?)

Current methods of getting this type of information date back to 70s technology. They are expensive and lengthy.

The new technology will give results in around 15 minutes. Being quick, cheap and convenient it will be a very valuable tool for diagnosis.

More information at Science Daily. The Leeds research team is led by Dr Paul Millner.

Diagnose Disease in 15 Minutes is a post from: Living To 150

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The Alexander Technique in action

The Alexander Technique has very successfully treated recurring back pain in a study of 500 people. The British Medical Journal reports the study.

Researchers in the UK universities of Southampton and Bristol asked doctors to select a total of 500 patients for the study. They had a history of back pain recurring over five years. Half were given the Alexander Technique and half normal back treatment by the doctor. Half of each category were also prescribed an exercise programme of brisk walking.

In a further variation, half the Alexander Technique patients were given just six sessions and half were given 24 lessons.

Excellent Results For Alexander Technique

After 12 months, the results were very clear.

Those receiving conventional care experience 21 days of pain a month, on average. Those who had received 24 lessons in Alexander technique experienced an average of only three days of pain a month.

Those who received six Alexander technique lessons, and who stuck to the exercise program received almost as good results as those who had 24 lessons.

Background Of Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique was developed by an Australian orator. After long and frustrating trouble with hoarseness, he realized that tension between his back head and neck reduced his ability to speak. He developed a method of muscle relaxation now taught in ‘lessons’. This makes the ‘pupil’ more consciously aware of how they are using these core body areas, and enables more efficient – and less painful – use.

Cost Of Treatment

The cost of treatment is around £30 a lesson. So a total of 6 lessons would cost around £180. This is currently not available on the UK National Health Service. It may well be that the NHS will look into it as they have a history of incorporating alternative methods which have demonstrated cost savings.

Science Daily article
Wikipedia on Alexander Technique
Video of Alexander Technique
STAT – The Society of Teacher of The Alexander Technique (for the UK. Create a username and password to see a list of teachers.)
Alexander Alliance – teachers in USA, Japan, Canada, Germany Italy.

Alexander Technique Reduces Back Pain is a post from: Living To 150

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