A Short Introduction to Anti-Aging

The Growing Research of Anti-Aging

There is a movement going on, and it has to do with having access to so much knowledge and new research at our fingertips. Thanks to researchers like David Sinclair and Andrew Huberman, we now understand many of the factors in aging, but we also understand certain measures we can take to ensure a long life. And not just a long life but a long life that is also of high quality.

There is more and more research coming out on anti-aging almost every week. And with that there are more and more people taking advantage of this research to improve their lives ten-fold. This new research includes, daily habits, diet, routine, supplements, etc. And what this all shows is that our bodies have mechanisms that activate under the right conditions and if we take these mechanisms and use them, we can improve our life exponentially.

What is Aging?

For thousands of years, it was thought that aging was an uncontrollable reality of life. Everyone ages differently, some people get very saggy skin, some people lose eyesight, some people develop cardiovascular issues, some people have to go on dialysis due to the function of their organs becoming less and less optimal over the years. These are all common problems that are all increased exponentially due to the matter of aging, some researchers would say that these could be categorized as age-related diseases. Some fatal and some not so fatal but still causing chronic irritability, pain, and limiting people’s ability to do daily tasks. This is what people call a lower quality of life, and it goes hand in hand with aging and other related things such as leading a sedentary lifestyle.

But what measures can we take to prevent aging?

Slowing Aging and Possibly Reversing it?

This is a question that hasn’t changed that much throughout history. The understanding was that aging is due to lifestyle, genetics, and the environment. We understand that diet and exercise play a major role in longevity and health, which then plays a part in our quality of life. There are areas all around the world called blue zones and they have been shown to have the oldest people but not only that, but also that the elderly don’t show signs of aging like that of the rest of the world. They are still physically active, energetic and youthful, and are there for not only their grandchildren but for their great-grandchildren. But this still doesn’t answer the question, well we have to look at aging as a worldwide phenomenon because it happens to every human on the planet.

-The picture above illustrates where the blue zones are located and information on something they each do in order to increase longevity.

Some things these groups of people in the blue zones do on a regular basis in order to live healthier are as follows:

Making movement a natural part of your day
Knowing your sense of purpose
Prioritizing stress relief
Eating until you’re about 80% full
Eating a largely plant-based diet
Drinking alcohol in moderation
Connecting with your community
Putting family (whether biological or chosen) first
Choosing social circles that support healthy behaviors.
Information found at: https://www.houstonmethodist.org

Since there are blue zones which have the highest recorded quality of life and health and longevity of the elderly, we can look at them for ideas on what we should do in order to prevent aging and aging related diseases. For every individual aging is caused by multiple factors and the factors that we can control are quality of sleep, diet, exercise level, and nutrition from not only diet but from supplements. The environmental factor can include stress, because you have the choice to place yourself in stressful situations and just like anything stress should be monitored because it is actually healthy to experience stress but in moderation.

How do we adopt these practices and make the most out of them?

Quality/Quantity of Sleep

Quality of sleep is one of the most important things you can do to improve your life in every single metric. It has been studied that there is a sweet spot for sleeping. You shouldn’t be sleeping for 4 hours a night, and you shouldn’t be sleeping for 10 hours a night but rather you should be following your Circadian Rythm and go to bed as your body settles down, sleep for about 4 sleep cycles, and then get up early with the sun. A sleep cycle is about 120 minutes so an hour and a half, so the perfect amount of sleep for an individual would actually be about 6-7 hours of sleep a night. This is so that your brain can undergo self-washing as well as help you to actually learn and retain information optimally.

Sleep not only helps with stress and aging, it helps with every single thing in life. You should do everything you can to improve the quality of sleep. You should try to go to sleep in somewhat a fasted state so that your body can prioritize repair rather than digestion. This is one of the lifehacks of sleep, to not eat 2 hours before bedtime. It can be difficult, but it is a habit and once you do it for a while it becomes easy. There are also ways to make your body go back into circadian rhythm which are just going to bed and getting up at the same time no matter what, drinking less caffeine, daily exercise, not eating any carbs until the afternoon, intermittent fasting, etc.

Diet/Intermittent Fasting

With diet it will help if you just imagine this for a moment. Imagine your distant ancestors, from the hunters and gatherers era of civilization. This was before we domesticated any animals and began farming. This era was such a long stretch in human history, and it is so primal that it is hardwired in our genes.

What I mean by this is that if we live like the hunters and gatherers did or if we recreate the survival conditions that they were constantly under even if it’s just for a little bit every day, we will be able to make use of these archaic and primal genetic functions.

Now think for a second, what would their diet consist of?

That’s correct it would have a lot of fasting and feasting. This is because these primal humans would go all day or even multiple days chasing down prey and while they are doing that they are barely eating or snacking and drinking water but not even that much compared to today’s standards of snacking. Once they killed their prey and gathered a lot of food, they would bring it back to camp and prepare a big feast. This is very relatable to the daily diet of intermittent fasting. And studies show that intermittent fasting actually does activate the survival genes(sirtuins) which are responsible for many bodily mechanisms that have to do with longevity and repair.

Another thing to mention is that our bodies haven’t changed much since these times, so we should eat as close to our ancestors as possible. That means we should be limiting our sugar intake heavily because the only sugar they had back then was from plants and fruits, not candy and soda. There is also the matter of what to prioritize when eating food. You should prioritize meats, other proteins, create a balance of multiple kinds of fats, and make sure to get enough fiber to help digestion and of course some carbs for energy. If you want to go no-carb then just know that ketosis will take a while to get into and that it is 100% doable but it might not be fully maintainable for longevity.

This combined with intermittent fasting and doing some sort of physical activity while you are in a fasted state activates these genes that otherwise would never be activated due to the modern-day access to tons of food and the myth of eating 3 meals a day. This is one of the findings of world-renowned researcher and geneticist David Sinclair.

Exercise

Along with the diet standpoint, you should also try to recreate the hunters and gatherers exercise routine. Now for us it would be exercise but for them it was a part of their daily life all day every day. In today’s modern world we can do our best to get as close to their exercise level as possible, but it is most likely impossible to recreate exactly what they did due to needing a job, home, family, etc.

The way that our ancestors moved was they woke up with the sun and probably went on a walk or a run to a place of fresh water and drank from it. Then they either hunted and gathered all day in a fasted state with minimal snacking. Then they went into combat mode with their prey and had to carry it back to the camp to prepare a feast for everyone. This whole day translated into a modern-day exercise routine would be as follows. Also keep in mind all of this should be done while in a fasted state with minimal snacking such as having a fruit, nuts, jerky, caffeine, etc. beforehand if it helps.

Long cardio session that consists of periods of walking and periods of jogging and periods of running repeated over and over.
Then a burst of speed and a sprint at maximal output.
Then some moderate lifting of some sort, calisthenics, compound mnovements with moderate weight.
Then a cooldown of weighted lunges as if you are carrying the prey back to camp.
Notes: This is just a rough theory of what an accurate routine would be in order to create the same conditions as that of our ancestors, but anything is better than nothing and I would like to think that this is pretty accurate.

Other ways you can be healthier is just by parking farther from the grocery store when you get groceries so that you can incorporate more movement into your day. You can take the stairs instead of use the elevator. Instead of taking a nap or consuming mindless entertainment you can listen to music and go on a walk. You can also call people and go on a walk to kill two birds with one stone, connection to other people and exercise. You can also use a stationary bike or a treadmill while you’re doing things on the computer.

There are countless ways to incorporate body movement into your daily routine. Remember our ancestors constantly used their bodies so we are supposed to burn and burn and burn calories and then feast and then rest and then do it again every day.

Nutrition

This is a very complicated area of conversation. There are disclaimers that I would like to say before I explain anything within the field of nutrition.

I am not a doctor or nutritionist; however I am a certified trainer, and I am certified to give nutrition advice, but that is all it is. You make the decision for yourself if you want to take this advice and use it or not. And also, if you have any medical conditions please speak to your doctor before trying anything drastic with your diet.

So we need to think about how our ancestors ate, we can also look at the mechanisms in the human body to understand how these systems might have been useful to survival back in the day. Our ancestors didn’t farm or have domesticated animals while they were hunters and gatherers so what did they eat? They hunted and foraged for food.

So, hunting would include, Meats, poultry, fish, amphibians, reptilians, etc. Foraging would include anything from the wild like fruits, berries, vegetables, seeds, nuts, roots, leaves, fresh water sources, insects, nests for eggs, honey, etc. This is pretty much just a whole foods diet with no processed foods like bread or pasta. They probably did cook the meat but not all the time, and they might’ve used some flavorings like spices, herbs, and juices, but we don’t know for sure.

This would mean that if you were to adopt this diet as your own you would be doing a whole foods/paleo or keto/low carb diet. This is because the amount of protein you’re eating would need to be high and you would need to increase the amount of fats (Butter, animal fats, olive oil, avocado oil, MCT oil, etc.) that you are eating. Since they were active almost the whole time, they were awake the low amount of carbs they ate weren’t stored at all, they would be used almost immediately and in a survival situation they would use the remaining fat stores, and then once they run out of fat their body would start a process to use the extra muscle as energy.

Humans are amazing creatures with many different mechanisms within us. These mechanisms act as passwords to unlock genes that do certain things. That is why some people see benefits from trying extremely different diets, because they are activating a key for certain pathways in the human body to repair and heal. The Keto diet is extreme, but it has substantial benefits when it comes to healing skin and increasing focus as well as being a perfect diet for those with diabetes and epilepsy.

The Carnivore diet is great for people who have many autoimmune disorders. The human body is sometimes unable to or has a hard time processing plants and vegetables due to the structure and defense mechanisms inside of fruits and vegetables. Some people are just way more sensitive to these things and that can cause many issues not only with the body but with the mind as well. The human body has mechanisms that allow us to survive on only protein and fats from meat and oils. And this is perfect for some individuals.

The whole foods diet is probably the closest you can get to a hunter gatherer diet and that is because, you eat things as they are or cooked together with minimal processing. So, you can eat a wide range of foods but in their beginning state they don’t have any added chemicals, sugars, flavorings, and colorings. This is the best diet in my opinion, and it is because your able to get all the necessary micro and macro nutrients and minerals to sustain a healthy lifestyle. And you can also adapt and watch how your body reacts to certain foods and diets to eventually create your own diet.

The main thing is that applying intermittent fasting or fasting of some sort to your diet has been shown to activate mechanisms in the body that heal and repair us. It is a lifehack for energy, focus, longevity, and a good life. We weren’t meant to eat a ton of carbs in the morning for breakfast, we are meant to eat when we get hungry and need it. When you eat a lot fo carbs in the AM your body spikes in insulin and then it crashes causign you to be lethargic, unfocused, undriven, and messes with youre human potential.

Following a diet that allows you to fully focus every day, be clear-minded, have enormous amounts of energy, and make use of every moment is one of the biggest things you can do in life. Everything starts with what you consume, so if you consume correctly, you will be able to produce what you want and reach heights in life that you never thought were achievable when you were eating Doritos and drinking soda on the couch watching SNL.

Supplements/Bio Hacking

Supplements and Biohacking are very key components to longevity. I will go into depth about what supplements are a must have for longevity and which ones are not necessarily needed but still provide benefits. I will also outline how you can hack your biology by understanding biomechanics. This is however an into this whole conversation so I will just point out the supplements and hacks that pertain to longevity.

Supplements are pricey but not if you understand the benefits of taking the correct ones. There are basic supplements that many people take for overall health such as a multivitamin, D3, and fish oil. There are also ones that people take if they are an athlete or a bodybuilder or trying to get into shape such as creatine, glycogen, whey protein, BCAAs, electrolytes, super greens, different herbs and root extracts to help recovery or stress or hormone regulation, etc. There are supplements that can aid in focus and concentration or energy levels as well. But our focus today is what can I take that will give me a boost in every aspect of life and increase my longevity and wellness.

The first supplement is actually going to have even more of a benefit when taken with the second supplement as they help each other and in turn become a top tier supplement. These are called Nicotinamide Mononucleotide or NMN and Resveratrol which can be taken as Trans-Resveratrol. What’s amazing is that these supplements work in a way that no other supplement works. They are like keys that unlock mechanisms in the human body, and these mechanisms are the same ones activated by intermittent fasting.

David Sinclair, the man who did the research on these supplements and an anti-aging expert, takes resveratrol and NMN together every day. Studies show that Resveratrol activates these genes that promote cell function, cellular healing, and longevity. The other key is that NMN is the precursor to the fuel that powers these genes, so both of these supplements combined are the key to supercharging your life and aging.

Now in all seriousness, this sounds like some magic pill that has endless benefits, but it is a very subtle gradual change. The first change you will notice is that your body will want to follow its Circadian Rythm a little more and that you will have deeper more restful sleep. This is because it activates the genes responsible for cell repair and this is where it helps you sleep better. Then you’ll notice you might not need to take naps every day and you’ll feel more youthful. The effects won’t necessarily be noticeable short term but the effects long-term are quite impressive.

Long-term use of NMN may result in the following:

Improve glucose tolerance and insulin secretion.
Inhibit inflammation, reduce neural cell death.
Reduce the infarct area after ischemia.
Restore physical activity.
Improve learning, memory, and cognitive functions.
Reduced DNA damage.
Improved uptake and consumption of oxygen.
Improve cardiac functions.

Long-term use of resveratrol may result in the following:

Lowering blood pressure
Having a positive effect on blood fats
Lengthening lifespan in certain animals
Protecting the brain
Increasing insulin sensitivity
High doses may lead to devastation of cancer cells
Antimutagenic
Anti-oxidant effects equal or better than that of vitamin C
Protects ovary health
Improving lung function
May serve as a therapeutic agent in male infertility

All in all these two supplements taken together are a wombo combo! The only thing is that there are minimal human studies out right now, most of the data here is from animal mammalian studies but these supplements work in such an ancient genetic pathway that they will almost certainly impact every animal similarly. And the limited data we have on human studies is only growing so there might be some impressive results.

There are a few more supplements that everyone should take along with these. These would include, fish oil or krill oil in order to get healthy fatty acids and to promote heart, brain, and joint health. A multivitamin or some super green powder, these tend to have just enough of everything that if you were to not eat the healthiest that day you would still get a lot of the necessary vitamins and minerals you would need. Probiotics especially if you are eating a wholefoods diet to help aid digestion and keep your microbiome healthy.

End Note

These are my thoughts as it relates to research done by professionals with credibility. This blog is supposed to be an educational platform for educated theories and thoughts. This is all things that I believe and that I personally put into practice, and I see the benefits firsthand. I will always try things I find out online in order to see the efficacy of (said thing) is, the conveniency of (said thing), the difficulty of (said thing), etc. There are, however, things that I have been wrong about in the past and if there is evidence that a different fact or way of thinking about something then I am more than willing to listen to that side and take an educated stance and maybe adopt the new way of thinking. I feel like that is called being a mature scholar, rather than someone so immature they have to be right even when they are wrong.

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