Integrative Medicine

Nutrition

The Power of Resveratrol: Unlocking Anti-Aging Potential

What's the story with this spiritual? So we spiritual is a plant chemical. It's in the classification called flavonoids. And it's found in the skins of dark grapes in red wine to some extent and peanuts and it got really famous and got on the health radar of lots and lots of people who don't normally know about flavonoids because it got known as an anti-aging substance and why is that? Because there's a lot of research showing that calorie. Extends lifespan in every species that's been studied. The only problem is calorie restrictions allow Z strategy. If you're a human being, it's not a lot of fun to eat one third less calories. And what they found was that Resveratrol actually activates the same genes are called the search engines sirt that calorie restriction does and that's where it got its reputation is being such a wonderful anti-aging compound. In the years since it was discovered. It's also been found to help with a lot of other things like inflammation and oxidation and possibly lowering insulin resistance. So it's a really nice little thing to include in your diet. You don't have to start drinking wine to get it. It is one of the benefits of red wine, but it's not necessary to go to Wine to get it. You can get it from, as I said, dark grapes. You can also get it from supplements. I think. The only problem with Resort all is, it's been oversold. So people think that if you take it, everything's going to To be, okay? You're going to live a million years and you're not going to have diabetes and all the rest of the stuff. It is one building block. It is a useful supplement to take. I recommended it many times but it's not my top three. It's a useful additive to your routine if you're thinking about taking it.

Resveratrol is a plant chemical found in dark grapes, red wine, and peanuts. It has been shown to activate the same genes as calorie restriction, making it a potential anti-aging compound. It has also been found to help with inflammation, oxidation, and insulin resistance. While it can be beneficial, it should not be seen as a cure-all and should not be taken in place of other healthy lifestyle habits.

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Resveratrol is a plant chemical classified as a flavonoid. It is found in the skins of dark grapes, red wine to some extent, and peanuts. Resveratrol gained popularity for its association with anti-aging properties. Research has shown that calorie restriction extends lifespan in various species, but it's not practical for humans to significantly reduce calorie intake. Resveratrol was found to activate the same genes involved in calorie restriction, earning its reputation as an anti-aging compound.

In addition to anti-aging effects, resveratrol has been linked to benefits such as reducing inflammation, combating oxidation, and potentially lowering insulin resistance. It can be obtained from dark grapes or through supplements, so drinking wine is not necessary to acquire it.

However, it's important to note that resveratrol has been somewhat oversold. While it is a useful supplement, it is not a magical solution for all health concerns. It is just one building block and can be a beneficial addition to one's routine, but it is not a top priority supplement.

How do you stay updated on research without getting overwhelmed?

Stay updated on research without getting overwhelmed: a balanced approach to information consumption.

Man, this is a sophisticated question and a great one. How do you stay updated on Research without getting overwhelmed? That's, that's just a great question. I personally subscribe to a lot of news letters and journals and I kind of treated the same way I do regular news. How do you stay updated on what's happening in the world without being overwhelmed? But I feel like the important stuff gets to me through my newsletters through the journals that I subscribe to Through the two societies that I'm a member of the American Society on Dish of nutrition and American College of nutrition. I go to their conferences, that go to the script conference every year, so I don't necessarily the script conference on evidence based supplements. So I don't keep up on every single piece of it, but I certainly hear the main Trends in the main trainings. If you will in research and when I find something that looks like it's going somewhere, something I should know about. I then do a deeper dive into Into it on my own. So that's my way of doing it. I'm certainly not up on every single little piece of research that comes down the pipe. But I've noticed this and this is just again, my opinion, much like, with regular news, it may seem like a really big deal when it happens and them a little time. Goes by and go. Yeah. That wasn't really such a big deal after all. So I have found sometimes taking a little bit of a more of a helicopter view approach to what's going on. In the research world is is maybe a little healthier in the long run, the good and Important stuff gets to you. I'm going to low-carb clinicians group online, and we trade information and articles and things all the time. The good stuff will get to you and that's maybe a little bit of a cop out, so I don't have to read, you know, three hours worth of journals every night but that's that's what's worked for me.

I stay updated on research by subscribing to newsletters, journals, and organizations such as the American Society for Nutrition and the American College of Nutrition. I also attend conferences such as the Script Conference in order to hear the main trends in research. I also take a helicopter view approach and rely on others in the Low-Carb Clinicians group online to share important information with me.

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Staying updated on research without feeling overwhelmed is a great question. Personally, I approach it similarly to staying updated on regular news. I subscribe to newsletters and journals relevant to my field, such as those from the American Society of Nutrition and the American College of Nutrition. I attend conferences like the SCRIPT conference on evidence-based supplements. This way, I stay informed about the main trends and important findings in research.

I don't try to keep up with every single piece of research that comes out, but when I come across something that seems significant or relevant, I do a deeper dive into it on my own. I've noticed that sometimes what initially seems like a big deal may not hold up over time, so taking a more holistic view of the research landscape can be healthier in the long run.

Being part of online groups or communities focused on specific areas of interest, like the Low-Carb Clinicians group, also helps in exchanging information and articles. The key is to trust that the important and valuable research will find its way to you, rather than feeling the need to read every journal article for hours every night.

In summary, subscribing to relevant newsletters and journals, attending conferences, and selectively diving deeper into specific topics has helped me stay updated on research without feeling overwhelmed.

How can consumers distinguish between legitimate science-based claims about health products and marketing hype or pseudoscience?

Finding Legitimate Health Claims Amidst Marketing Hype and Pseudoscience

This is a brilliant question, and God knows I wish I had a perfect answer for you. The question is, how can consumers distinguish between legitimate science-based claims about health products and marketing hype, or pseudoscience? Man, my heart goes out to you, because it's brutally difficult. I have looked through this stuff, I can't believe the crap I see online that claims all kinds of things for all kinds of supplements, and it's all based on studies that the manufacturers, or did in their office, it's brutally difficult to do that. My best advice to you is to look at trusted sources. I hope I'm one of them, but there's a lot of them here on Any Question. I usually, if I'm in doubt, I look at what does David Permut have to say about it, what does Peter Atiyah have to say about it. Those are the people I look to for some guidance when I'm confused about anything. The other thing that you can do, any citizen can do, any American can do, go to PubMed.gov. That is the complete collection of studies done at the National Institute of Health. Everything that's ever been published is there. Put in the terms you're looking for and see what peer-reviewed studies have been done on the supplement you're interested in. That's the best advice I can offer. Good luck because it is a jungle out there when it comes to crappy information.

To distinguish between legitimate science-based claims and marketing hype, consult trusted sources or search for peer-reviewed studies on the supplement in question on PubMed.gov.

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Distinguishing between legitimate science-based claims about health products and marketing hype or pseudoscience is a challenging task. It can be overwhelming to navigate through the abundance of online claims and misleading information. My advice is to rely on trusted sources such as reputable experts or platforms like Any Question where reliable information can be found. Some experts I personally recommend are David Permut and Peter Atiyah. Additionally, you can visit PubMed.gov, which contains a comprehensive collection of studies conducted by the National Institute of Health. By searching for peer-reviewed studies on the specific supplement or topic of interest, you can access reliable scientific information. However, it's important to remember that it's still a complex process, and misinformation is prevalent in this field. Good luck in your quest for accurate information, as the realm of health products can be akin to a jungle filled with unreliable claims.

The Fight or Flight Hormone: Understanding Cortisol's Role in Stress and Healing

What is cortisol? Cortisol is your body's main stress hormone. It's made in the adrenal glands and it was put there as what we call the fight or flight response as a way of getting your body out of an emergency situation. So cortisol is what allowed your Paleolithic cavemen ancestors to react to a woolly mammoth or a lion in the bushes. Right there. Will allow them to either pick up a club and fight it off. Or get up a tree as fast as possible. So it is literally the fight, or flight response hormone and it is very vital to our existence. Just like first gear is in a car, but you don't want to be driving down the 405 at full speed with first gear and you don't want to be living your life with cortisol plug down, you know, pedal to the metal. And unfortunately, that's what most of us do. We live in a very high-stress environment? Unlike a zebra, that gets a lot of stress when he sees a lion. And you runs and stuff, and then once he gets to safety, he forgets all about the line. We don't forget all about whatever stress this out in the morning, if we carry around with us. So cortisol is this vitally important hormone that we're abusing whom were abusing by turning it on all the time. So, it's something that really needs to be handled. And of course, the best way to do that is with meditation and deep breathing relaxation, warm baths, walks in the woods, anything that kind of brings down your blood pressure and bring Is down your heart rate and makes you feel relaxed and good is stimulating. The opposite of the fight or flight response, and that's the rest and digest response. And that's where all healing takes place.

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone produced in the adrenal glands. It is responsible for the fight-or-flight response and is what allowed our Paleolithic ancestors to react to danger quickly. Nowadays, cortisol is often overproduced due to chronic stress, which can be damaging to one's health. To reduce cortisol levels, activities like meditation, deep breathing, warm baths, and walks in nature should be done to stimulate the rest-and-digest response and allow for healing.

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Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone, produced in the adrenal glands. It plays a crucial role in the fight or flight response, allowing our ancestors to react to dangerous situations. However, living in a high-stress environment, many of us keep our cortisol levels constantly elevated, which can be detrimental to our well-being.

While cortisol is essential, it's important not to live with it constantly activated. Similar to driving a car in first gear on a highway, we don't want to have cortisol constantly revved up. We need to find ways to manage and handle it effectively.

Practices such as meditation, deep breathing, relaxation techniques, warm baths, and spending time in nature can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, and induce a sense of relaxation. These activities stimulate the rest and digest response, which is the opposite of the fight or flight response. It is in this state that healing and restoration occur.

Taking care of our cortisol levels and finding ways to activate the rest and digest response is crucial for our overall well-being.

Have there been any critiques or negative feedback on the Great Cholesterol Myth that you've found helpful or informative?

Renowned doctor changes stance on LDL cholesterol importance

Question is, have there been any critiques or negative feedback on the Great Cholesterol Myth, my book, that I found helpful or informative? Most of them no, because they come from such an antagonistic and tribal kind of mentality. It's like, you're questioning my complete belief in statin drugs and total cholesterol, and I tend to not pay attention to those. But Peter Atiyah, who's one of the great doctors in America and somebody that I have great respect for, has convinced me that while I was right that the old-fashioned test, good and bad cholesterol, is kind of dumb and simplistic, and certainly not as great as the particle test, which is the more modern test, he's convinced me that LDL is not a useless number. It's not the best number that we have. I still would prefer to see ApoB or the particle test that we advocate in the book. But I have softened my position that LDL is a complete waste of time. I think that there is good evidence that it's associated with a greater risk of heart disease, and if you have a very high LDL number, I think you should probably pay attention to that, but I still believe you need to dig a little deeper.

While most negative critiques of The Great Cholesterol Myth have been dismissed, Peter Atiyah has convinced the author to soften his position regarding LDL levels in relation to heart disease risk and to suggest that it should be paid attention to if it is very high.

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Regarding critiques or negative feedback on my book, The Great Cholesterol Myth, I must admit that most of them come from an antagonistic and tribal mindset that I tend to disregard. However, there is one critique that I found helpful and informative. Dr. Peter Attia, a respected doctor in America whom I greatly admire, has convinced me that while I was right in criticizing the old-fashioned test of good and bad cholesterol as simplistic, LDL is not a completely useless number. Although I still prefer the particle test or ApoB as more accurate indicators, I have softened my stance on LDL. There is evidence suggesting that high LDL levels are associated with a greater risk of heart disease, so it's worth paying attention to if your LDL number is very high. However, I still believe it's important to delve deeper into the subject for a more comprehensive understanding.

What books/resources do you recommend for learning more about food science?

Discover the Must-Read Food Science Book: Nutrition Made Simple

What books resources do? I recommend for learning more about food science. Well that's a tall order but I'm going to tell you the book that started me. Got me passionate about nutrition made some of the most complicated and difficult, Concepts crystal clear, and gave me an amazing basis from which, to build my learning and my knowledge. The book is still in print, it was written by my very first nutrition mentor and I have not yet ever found a better introduction to nutrition in this. It's called nutrition Made Simple by the great late, Robert crayon. Now there's a ton of other things you could do to get deeper into any of the topics but if you want a strong basic Foundation, that is not written by an influence, by the American dietetic Association in the low fat diet. All that other bullshit that we learned, this is the place to go. It's just a great book. It's like 9 bucks on Amazon and I recommended it. Every opportunity I get and again nutrition Made Simple by Robert crayon.

I recommend Nutrition Made Simple by Robert Crayon as an excellent introduction to nutrition.

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For learning more about food science, I highly recommend the book Nutrition Made Simple by the late Robert Crayon. This book served as my introduction to nutrition and provided a clear understanding of complex concepts. It offers a solid foundation for building knowledge in the field. Unlike other books influenced by the American Dietetic Association and low-fat diet trends, Nutrition Made Simple provides reliable information. You can find it on Amazon for around $9. I always recommend this book whenever I have the chance. It's a great resource to start your journey into food science.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Physician disclaimer

Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS answers your Integrative Medicine questions. See all the advice Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS has and get answers to your own Integrative Medicine questions.

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Jonny Bowden began his career as a jazz musician, studying under Herbie Hancock and at Juilliard before earning degrees in music & psychology from NYU. He found his passion for nutrition while working as a pianist for Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre. Bowden changed careers and earned 6 personal training certifications, a psychology masters, and a nutrition PhD. He was the Dean of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute for 4 years and became a board-certified nutritionist. Bowden has penned 15 books, including best-sellers "The Great Cholesterol Myth," "Living Low Carb," and "150 Healthiest Foods on Earth”. He's a worldwide speaker, has appeared on every major network (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, MSNBC), has been interviewed on dozens of podcasts, and featured in The NYT, Men’s Health, Woman’s World, Forbes Online, GQ, Cosmo, Self, Prevention, InStyle, Shape, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Known as The Nutrition Mythbuster™, Bowden is committed to debunking health myths and speaking truth to power.