Category Archives: Aging & Anti-aging

An Active and Long Life Springs from Your Vascular Health (Part 2)

Continued on Strategies to control risk factors for stroke –

Fundamentally, atherosclerosis (particularly in carotid artery) is the primary cause of a significant portion of ischemic strokes. Cardiovascular risk factors can facilitate the progression of atherosclerotic plaque.

Atherosclerotic disease can be asymptomatic initially because it develops over time. When a plaque grows larger enough to reduce blood flow supplying to vital organs (usually >70% stenosis or narrowed vessel), ischemic symptoms may occur. However, it doesn’t mean that smaller plaques (30-40% stenosis) are stable without rupturing to cause a blockage.

How do you prevent or slow down atherosclerosis and stroke by reducing risk factors?

First, before I lay out key preventive strategies, let me quickly draw your attention to some risk factors for stroke, especially those modifiable and those beyond conventional cardiovascular risks. They include:

3 Highs (high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar)
Atherosclerotic disease and/or other cardiovascular disease
Obesity
Smoking and alcohol abuse
Unhealthy lifestyle such as poor diet and physical inactivity
Atrial fibrillation
Sleep apnea and other sleep problems
Chronic kidney disease
Sickle cell disease
Illicit drug use (marijuana, cocaine or heroin)

Illicit drug use can increase the risk of all types of strokes. Cannabis or marijuana use has been linked to vasospasm, ischemia, and increased hemorrhagic incidence in the brain, likely due to the vasoactive properties of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a key component of these plants.

COVID-19 infection

Acute ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage are known neurological complications in patients with COVID-19, frequently in individuals 50 years or younger with asymptomatic COVID infection. The possible mechanisms include that blatant inflammatory response and “cytokine storm” associated with COVID cause endothelial injury; that the disease causes arterial and venous clots, thus resulting in poor outcomes.

Socioeconomic factors (e.g., lower income with inequality in health care, etc.)

Certainly, there are risk factors out of your control, such as age, gender, family history, a history of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or heart attack, and race. Note that black people have twice the risk as white, particularly young black population.

Here are 8 Key preventive strategies to put into actions:

I’d also like to stress that the point is not just knowing to have a healthy diet or exercise more, but to know important reasons behind and why these strategies work on targets to avert stroke.

1. Lower your blood pressure (BP).

As stroke doesn’t discriminate (by) age, neither does high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke. Young people should never disregard their elevated blood pressure, especially those with a family history of stroke or hypertension and black women.

High blood pressure is also the most significant controllable risk factor. Better BP control works, because evidence shows that tight BP control (systolic <130 mm Hg) was associated with a 42% lower incidence of stroke compared with standard control (130–139 mm Hg).

I’ve notified the danger of high BP, including to watch BP in young people. If you haven’t done so yet, please check out this article – Hypertension can be asymptomatic but potentially fatal.

If you have hypertension but with difficulty to manage it, try to figure out where you can target; for example, whether medication not working or side effect issues, whether your diet is healthy, you exercise enough or you have adequate support.

2. Lower your blood cholesterol. Critically, lower your bad cholesterol (LDL).

LDL increases plaque formation or growth in the arterial wall, and high cholesterol can also cause blood clots due to fatty deposits’ suddenly breaking off; if the blood supply to the heart or brain is significantly blocked, heart attack or stroke occurs. Avoiding or limiting diet high in saturated fat and trans fats, along with physical activity, can minimize the risk for stroke.

3. Lower your blood sugar, control your weight, and prevent diabetes.

Diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke, and with combined overweight, its damaging impact on health piles up over time. Again, diabetes is controllable. Obesity and excess bodyweight pose an increased risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke.

4. Lower your stress level.

Cumulative psychological or mental stress is associated with increased inflammation in the body, and more significantly, with mortality, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Depression has a direct or indirect link to a number of illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease, and cardiovascular events. Studies also showed that stroke survivors who experienced high and persistent levels of stress negatively affected the brain repair process and recovery outcome.

5. Quit smoking. Non-smokers should encourage people around you to do so.

This sounds repetitive or nothing new, but this is one of the most valuable things you can do to save lives of people for whom you love and care.

Smoking increases inflammation in the body and plaque buildup in the blood vessels, and makes the blood thicker to facilitate clot formation, leading to heart attack and stroke. Needless to say, toxicities from smoking (e.g., nicotine and carbon monoxide, etc.) ravage your cardiovascular system, thus paving the road to stroke.

Don’t overlook second hand smoking and e-cigarette smoking either.

6. Practice a healthy lifestyle.

Poor diet and physical inactivity contribute to several cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic disorders, thereby presenting an increased risk for stroke. So, get more active, get a nutrients-rich diet, get bodyweight controlled, and get social. Equally important, have a well-balanced life including relationship, financial, and psychological wellbeing.

7. Take seriously alcohol and drug abuse.

Alcohol influences on stroke are not uniform. While low to moderate alcohol consumption (£2 drinks daily for men or £1 for women) may reduce stroke risk, even low alcohol consumption escalates the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

As mentioned above, regular substance use (e.g., cocaine, heroin, phencyclidine (PCP), amphetamines, and cannabis/marijuana) sets an increased risk for stroke, which is a common predisposing factor for stroke among young individuals.

8. Recognize warning signs of acute cardiovascular events (heart attack and stroke).

Young folks (those under 50) may think this is too early for you. Not anymore! Learn those signs seemingly not related to heart. For instance, sudden poor vision in one or both eyes are reported in 66.1% of stroke patients, and pain or discomfort in the arm or shoulder, 53.8%.

Take-home message:

Stroke is dangerous and deadly. Greater awareness, better control of modifiable risk factors all help prevention and timely treatment.

To reduce atherosclerotic plaque development, know your critical numbers (blood pressure, cholesterols and sugar), monitor them, and keep them at healthy levels, while maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise routine. More importantly, take these measures as early in life as possible.

Image credit: heart.org

An Active and Long Life Springs from Your Vascular Health (Part 1)

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

What jumps to your mind when hearing “stroke”?

Whether you say – it’s a primary cause of death and long-term disability worldwide, or FAST (i.e., the acronym of stroke signs: Face dropping, Arm numbness/weakness, Speech difficulty—Time to call 911), high-five to you!

Have you ever thought of stroke as older people’s disease? If so, you need to know beyond that.

I’m going to provide you with the most recent and significant evidence on changing trends of stroke, based on American Heart Association’s statistics on heart disease and stroke 2022 update and wealth of research publications.

I’ve read some touching stories of stroke survivors from American Heart Association News. A common thread emerging in these stories: The survivors are young, age 20-40s, carrying out a typical routine on an ordinary workday, then stroke hit each of them, followed by a long, courageous journey of rehabilitation and recovery.

So, what’s happening here?

First, let me give you a snapshot of the big picture:

Each year, about 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke.
Of all stroke types, – 87% are ischemic stroke (a blockage of the brain artery caused by a blood clot), and – 13% intracerebral hemorrhage (a bleed into the brain caused by burst of a weak vessel or ruptured aneurysm), including 3-5% subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Approximately 10% of all strokes occur in adults under 50 years of age.
On average, every 3.5 minutes, someone died of a stroke.

Although stroke rates declined slowly over decades in old adults, a concerning trend is that stroke incidence increased in young adults, and noticeably, young women (18-45 years) had a higher risk and incidence of ischemic stroke than men of the same age. Specifically, women at ages 35 or younger are 44% more likely to suffer from ischemic strokes than their male peers, but no gender difference in young adults age 35 to 45 years. Furthermore, women do worse after stroke.

But about 80% of strokes are preventable, and the key is to control risk factors.

What is sex difference in stroke? Why do women do worse?

Beside those modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that increase the risk of ischemic stroke regardless of gender (I’ll address later), women have unique risk factors such as:

Pregnancy: Pregnant women have a 3 times higher risk than young, non-pregnant ones. Hypertension related disorders in pregnancy (e.g., preeclampsia, eclampsia) are known as a stroke risk factor, and the risk of stroke can be 5.2 times higher in these women.
Oral contraceptives (Birth control pills): The overall risk is low, but the risk increases in women with other risk factors (e.g., smoking, obesity, and higher cholesterols).
Migraine: It’s more common in women than in men, the risk increases with its frequency, and with additional risk factors (e.g., oral contraceptives, smoking, etc.)
Atrial fibrillation: Despite its high prevalence in men, atrial fibrillation triggered stroke risk increases in post-menopausal women.
Menopause: Higher risk and mortality of stroke occurred in women reaching menopause at age younger than 45 years.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Current users of oral HRT had a higher risk of ischemic stroke than non-users, irrespective of low or high dose(s).

Other documented factors include preterm delivery, social or economic determinants, etc.

Women often fare worse in stroke, because age plays a large role as a nonmodifiable risk factor. Women tend to be older at the time of stroke, experience more severe stroke than men; they are also in poorer health prior to stroke, and more likely live alone and develop depression afterward. Strikingly, young women have a worse functional outcome too.

In addition, initial signs or symptoms of stroke in women may differ from those traditionally recognized ones, leading to certain misdiagnosis and delayed treatment in the clinical setting.

Strategies to control risk factors and prevent (or reduce) stroke – Stay tuned.

For now, remember: no one is too young for stroke, no time is set for stroke. In other words, stroke can hit anybody at any age and at any time!

So, recognize F.A.S.T.

Image credit: heart.org and vitalscan.com

Integrity of the Immune System Is Like Peace in the Storm

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

You got sick; maybe you contracted a virus infection. However, if your immune system is strong, it probably warded off your condition.

That’s because the human immune system is our “silent defender.” It is also a complex system, and much is involved in how it performs its functions.

Recent conversations with some folks prompted me to emphasize the importance of nurturing your immune system (although I’ve covered related topics previously).

Essentially, the cells in the immune system and immune-regulating proteins are key players in the “inner storms” that occur in our body. They participate in controlling the body’s pro-inflammatory status, active anti-inflammatory responses, and healing process. The balance and integrity of the immune system are paramount for fighting diseases from acute infection and inflammation to chronic illness such as hypertension and cancer.

In daily life, we have all experienced stress or inner conflict that may cause our peace of mind to disappear, leaving us moody, discontent, or feeling lousy. Sometimes we temper it or fight it off, while at other times stress may overwhelm us, affecting our physical and psychological well-being. Chronic stress, via prolonged elevation of the stress hormone cortisol, proves to have a negative impact on immunity and increase our vulnerability to illnesses.

As we age, the immune system weakens, which contributes to more infections and more illnesses. A pervasive feature of aging is chronic inflammation, a significant risk factor for morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Other factors (e.g., dietary and environmental) also influence our immunity.

However, when our health is great, with our body operating well, our immune system provides us peace in the storm. That’s why we need to develop inner reserves from which to draw strength in difficult situations, and that’s why we shouldn’t do things that detract from the peace and asset that our immune system provides our body.

In light of that, let’s recap 10 very effective ways to strengthen your immune system:
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Get enough sleep. That means for adults, 7–8 hours of sleep each night.
Manage stress and minimize it. Nobody is immune to stress in these modern days. Stress burden and sleep deprivation are connected. To keep your stress in check, one of the best strategies is to integrate a relaxation practice into your daily routine; it could be deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, or even tai chi—whatever you enjoy and works for you.
Never smoke and avoid tobacco smoke.
Curb alcohol consumption. There is no safe level of alcohol intake.
Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds to obtain a variety of micronutrients. Also important is to drink a lot of water.
Get more active. Physical activities have profound beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system and immune function as well as in reducing inflammation. There are many ways to become more active throughout a day, at work or at home.
Enjoy the sun with adequate protection. Sunlight triggers the skin’s production of vitamin D, and a sufficient level of vitamin D helps lower the risk of some infections. But excessive indulgence in sunbathing or tanning elevates the risk for skin cancer.
Maintain personal and food hygiene. Wash your hands habitually, clean fruits/veggies meticulously, cook meats thoroughly, and get a flu shot when advised. All can avoid infections.
Have a positive outlook on life and a sense of humor. Love and laugh! Laughter boosts immunity.
Consider probiotics with care. Because of the role of gut microbiota in immunity and diseases, probiotics are the buzz now. However, know that these supplements are not for everyone. For some, probiotics could do more harm than good, especially for people with a weak or compromised immune system (such as HIV and cancer patients). Plus, supplements are not regulated. So, it’s safer to consult with your physician before taking them.

Collectively, these are long-term solutions to boosting your immunity, rather than a quick fix.

Image credit: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/immune-system-defense-infection

Go Beyond Knowing Obesity Is Bad (Part 2)

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

What comes to your mind when you hear “Belly fat”?

Call it “Belly fat” as you like, but what I’m specifically talking about is visceral fat, the fat stored deeply inside your abdominal cavity and around your organs – unlike subcutaneous fat (under your skin) that’s visible and pinchable. (Image Credit: FitWeightCare)

Fat on Visceral Organs (i.e. intra-abdominal fat)

Everybody likely has visceral fat whether knowing it or not. but how much is too much?

Although visceral fat can only be measured by CT and MRI now, if you or your loved ones have an overhanging belly and large waist, that’s a warning sign of dangerous fat inside. That said, it doesn’t exclude relatively lean (with normal waistline) folks.

So, how dangerous is visceral fat exactly?

Visceral fat has deleterious effects on a variety of your organs and their functions. Clearly, it is attributed to increased inflammation by provoking inflammatory pathways and releasing pro-inflammatory chemicals. Also, extra visceral fat is strongly linked to insulin resistance and metabolic diseases, and to an elevated risk of death, even for people who have a normal body mass index (BMI).

Carrying around excess visceral fat increases a risk for a long list of chronic conditions or diseases including, but not limited to –

Coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke
Cancer
High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and high blood glucose
Obesity – making it hard to lose weight
Type 2 diabetes – due to insulin resistance
Dementia
Depression and mood problems
Sleep disorders (e.g. sleep apnea)
Endocrinal, sexual dysfunction
Arthritis

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Here, I want to lay emphasize on cancer, as cancer’s impact on public health is increasingly prevalent. Excess visceral fat is a risk factor for several cancers of the gastrointestinal system, particularly esophageal, stomach, small intestine, colorectal, pancreatic, liver and gallbladder cancers. This is because overloaded adiposity is associated with fat tissue-derived inflammation, alterations in insulin signaling and sexual hormones’ pathways, then turning normal cells into cancerous ones. Moreover, visceral obesity is greatly associated with breast cancer.

Fat’s Influence on Other Vital Organs (e.g. brain)

Just because visceral fat is wrapped around abdominal organs such as the pancreas, liver and kidneys, it doesn’t mean that its damaging effects are local. For instance, liver fat may have a direct association with brain aging or shrinking. What’s more, greater visceral fat is correlated with a smaller total brain volume, which has been linked to neurodegenerative processes, and used as one of predictors for dementia.

Excessive visceral fat results from a combination of hormonal, dietary, lifestyle (i.e. sedentary), and genetic factors. Now you can see how any big belly and large waistline are unhealthy.

Obesity and Aging

As we get older, we store more visceral fat, because changes in body composition occur and co-morbidities accumulate. However, hopefully by now, you’ve come to the realization – simply accepting a growing midsection as an unavoidable product of aging may ignore or tone down your health risks.

On issues of aging and obesity, it’s inevitable not to touch on the gut microbiome, the microbial communities inhabiting the human body and containing a diverse array of microbes (in trillions).

The gut microbiota has emerged as a crucial regulator between how our food interacts with our body. They modulate how we balance levels of blood sugar and how we store fat, as well as how we respond to hormones. They play a key role in obesity.

As we age, altered gut microbiota in their composition and metabolites (called Dysbiosis) occurs. Science reveals that our gut microbiota undergoes the most prominent changes during infancy and old age, and profoundly, our immune health is also in its weakest and most unstable state during these two critical stages of life, indicating that the gut microbiota and immune function develop hand-in-hand with age.

Sure enough, with aging, levels of inflammatory mediators in the blood rise, and hence age-associated inflammation becomes a strong risk factor for morbidity and mortality in elders. It turns out that the gut microbiota may act as invisible yet important players in chronic inflammation.

Aging-associated dysbiosis can promote intestinal barrier’s broken-down, systemic inflammation and immune dysfunction, which all contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases commonly seen in old people such as obesity-related disorders, liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Age-related changes in the gut microbiota have also been associated with various neurological and neurodegenerative disorders due to disturbed gut-brain communication.

Clearly, the gut microbiota can have a potent impact on human health and diseases. But to date, there is no knowledge on “Which” gut microbe is doing “What”, “Why” and “How”. Without doubt, we can anticipate to learn more soon as a remarkable pace of scientific research is going on.

The Key Point Is –

If fats deposit where they should not be or more than they should be, then that will change a physiological condition to a pathological one through the effects of inflammatory chemicals. Excess body fat is like an inflammation-pumping machine.

For this reason, any extra fat – from both body and diet – any big belly or larger waistline poses a hidden risk. With obesity, people carry not only fat or weight but pain and health consequences.

Obesity is serious, regardless of the debate whether obesity is a disease or a condition. Obesity is just as significant as high blood pressure and high cholesterol – while none of them are actual diseases (but symptoms), all need to be medically treated lest they lead to termed “diseases”.

Indeed, causes of obesity are multifactorial and complex. However, for some, obesity is caused by genetic factor(s) and could be a life-long condition, which needs to be medically treated and individually managed.

Doses of Wisdom for Prevention

Obesity, in most cases, is a modifiable and preventable. Lifestyle, diet and physical activity are key factors to prevent, ease or slow down obesity even with aging.

So, please don’t see obesity as a death sentence, because it’s not.

Nutritional and physical approaches, that are within your control, can prevent dangerous fat buildup, and thus lower a risk for obesity as well as chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Furthermore, getting a good night sleep and reducing stress are also beneficial for a healthy weight, because the stress cortisol can increase the amount of visceral fat your body stores.

Ultimately, consider to recruit your hidden microbial players, keeping them in harmony and happy, which could help your weight control.

Bonus: Valuable Principle on Diet

An optimal diet to manage obesity should be individual-focused and ensure a long-term maintenance of weight loss, along with the diet that’s safe, efficient, nutritionally adequate, culturally acceptable and economically affordable.

Critically important and specifically effective are diet plans including low-fat, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie but high-protein, high-fiber diet, and Mediterranean diet. Without fail, go for fiber-rich foods (e.g. fruits, vegetables and whole grains), because they are essential to boost growth and activity of beneficial gut microbiota.

Remember low-sugar diet too, as research findings indicate that a high-sugar diet increases visceral fat in humans and animals.

References (including Pt. 1 & Pt. 2) Click here

Image Credit: by FitWeightCare, CPD

Go Beyond Knowing Obesity Is Bad (Part 1)

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

As you no doubt know, obesity is a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. The condition results from genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Virtually everybody knows that obesity is bad for you; but in this post, I want to elaborate further. In particular, I’m going to emphasize FAT, the adipose tissue in our bodies.

Adipose tissue is not only an inert fat-storage tissue, but an active endocrine organ, being accountable for synthesizing and secreting several hormones and inflammatory substances – from angiotensin, leptin, TNF-alpha and IL-6 to adiponectin, just to name a few.

Let’s take one of them, angiotensin, as an example to explain the link between obesity and hypertension.

Fat tissue has a local renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which is well-known as an important regulator of blood pressure and a determinant of cardiovascular homeostasis. One of the components is angiotensin II (Ang II) generated from angiotensinogen (AGT). Ang II causes vasoconstriction, reducing the lumen of blood vessels, leading to elevated blood pressure.

Yiannikouris et al’s study (2012) provided compelling evidence that fat-derived AGT contributes to circulating AGT levels and blood pressure regulation.

Under normal condition, while most AGT in the blood comes from the liver, AGT produced by fat cells contributes significantly (~26%) to the circulating pool of AGT. Noticeably, in obese state, fat mass increases fat-derived AGT, which may become a major source of circulating AGT, leading to stimulated RAS, increased Ang II and elevated blood pressure. So, you can see how obesity is linked to hypertension through fat-derived AGT.

Now, what needs to be addressed is how fat mass is expanded. Well, increased caloric intake, a sedentary lifestyle, and/or various endocrine disorders can all promote the development of fat mass, leading to an increase in AGT gene expression and a high level of circulating AGT in obesity. Furthermore, with an increase in fat tissue and circulating AGT, increased Ang II initiates fat cell growth and thus enlarges fat mass. On the whole, RAS activation results in not only hypertension but also weight gain.

Next, let’s look at how the presence of fat on various tissues and organs impacts your health.

Fat on/around Blood Vessels

Under physiological condition, vascular endothelial cells, the inner lining of blood vessels, synthesize and release endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) and/or other relaxing factors that induce endothelium-dependent vasodilation, increase blood flow, and play a critical role in the regulating blood pressure. We now know that functional changes in endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells contribute to the initiation and progression of cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis.

There is also fat tissue that structurally and functionally surrounds blood vessels.
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How could fat be involved in pathological changes?

Fat tissue around blood vessels can produce inflammation-promoting chemicals, subsequently promoting vascular diseases. Under conditions of hypercholesterolemia, high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS, i.e. free radicals) can rapidly destroy NO and impair endothelium-dependent vasodilation; the abnormality is evident in various disorders such as diabetes, coronary artery disease and hypertension.

After feeding mice with a high-fat diet for 2 weeks, researchers found a reduction in anti-inflammatory factors and an increase in pro-inflammatory chemicals in fat tissue around blood vessels (i.e. perivascular fat), but not fat surrounding abdominal organs (i.e. visceral fat) and under the skin (i.e. subcutaneous fat) in these animals. Consistent with functional studies, these data suggest that pro-inflammatory factors derived from perivascular fat play a key role in the development of vascular dysfunction, and vascular dysfunction is likely an early sign of cardiovascular diseases.

High fat mass can also raise your LDL (i.e. bad cholesterol) and blood pressure, and cause insulin resistance – a risk for type-2 diabetes. My research has demonstrated that bad cholesterol (especially its oxidized form) can cause endothelial dysfunction and reduced blood flow in small brain arteries. Other researchers have also found that fat diet, together with overexpression of oxidized LDL’s receptor, can cause vascular dysfunction in small mesenteric arteries.

It is worth mentioning that obesity reduces adiponectin, a substance that is secreted from fat tissue and protects blood vessels against endothelial dysfunction. Clinical data show that lower levels of blood adiponectin are correlated to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

How about fat inside blood vessels?

You have probably heard about the “plaque”, a combination of cholesterol, fat, calcium and other substances. In atherosclerosis, plaque builds up inside your arteries, grows larger due to chronic inflammation, and can eventually rupture. When this takes place, blood clots clog up the lumen of arteries, blocking blood flow and depriving oxygen supply. Consequently, heart attack and stroke may occur, depending on a clot’s location in the coronary or brain arteries.

Overall, as fat expansion outside and inside blood vessels, increased oxidative stress and chronic inflammation promote cardiovascular aging and diseases.

Please stay tuned to learn hidden fat on intra-abdominal and vital organs (Part 2).

References (including Pt. 1 & Pt. 2) Click here

Image by CPD

Color-Coded Foods Guide Your Immune System and Vitality

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Does the food color panel tell something about your diet and your body?

Are you fully aware how your daily diet contributes to chronic inflammation? — which has been proven to be a link to countless chronic diseases, especially heart disease and cancer.

Plant-based, colorful foods, i.e., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple vegetables and fruits, are filled with nutrients. The “food rainbow” contains not only vitamins and minerals, but most importantly, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Accumulated scientific evidence has shown their anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-pollutant, and anti-cancer properties.
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Therefore, rethink your diet, think about colors and rainbow, and eat a plenty of them for your physical and psychological benefits.

Image credit: Pixabay

Skin Cancer and Aging: Causes and Solutions

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Here comes the sun! And we all enjoy it. You may be heading for sunny beaches soon. I’d like to remind you of damage from the sun overexposure. By providing some key insights into harmful effects of the sun, and reflecting on skin aging, I am diving a little deeper into this subject, and will equip you with a sun protection tool kit – 5 Essentials or “SHADE”.

Numbers and Notions

First, do you know that more people suffered from skin cancer than all other cancers combined over the past three decades? Breaking down the statistics, it reveals approximately 40-50% of Americans who live to age 60+ will have one type of common skin cancers, and more than 90% of skin cancer is caused by excessive or unnecessary exposure to the sun?

Types of skin aging

If the above numbers cannot transmit the roles of aging and sun hazard in skin cancer, let me briefly elaborate what happened to our skin over our lifetime. As we age, our skin – the largest organ in the human body – goes through the same escalating loss of structure and function as other organs. But unlike other organs, the skin is openly exposed to environmental pollutants and lifestyle-related hazards (e.g. excessive sun, tanning, smoking, etc.). ALL is cumulative! Mostly concerning, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight causes so called “photoaging”.

I summarize here how photoaging differs from natural skin aging, to help you understand how biological evolution of the skin and adverse effects of the sun are interplayed.

	Natural / Intrinsic Aging	Photo- / Extrinsic Aging
Cumulative process	Yes	Yes
Common locations	face, neck, forearm, and lower leg	Yes
Cause	Aging-related	Sun damage overlaying natural aging
Visible characteristics	Looseness, sagginess, fine wrinkles, dryness	Increased pigmentation, deep wrinkles, harsh or rough skin
Structural alterations	Epidermal − dermal area thinning and weakening, reduced elasticity, delay in wound healing	Severe damage of dermal and connective tissues, promoting age-related skin diseases and skin cancer

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Fundamental nature of Sun Damage

UV radiation is a known human carcinogen (i.e. cancer-causing agent). Let me expand further on UV radiation as a major causal factor of skin cancer and premature skin aging at cellular and molecular levels.

UV radiation can modify DNA, intensify oxidative stress, and alter cellular antioxidant and immune defense, as well as other cellular structural or signal transduction pathways.
UV-induced immune suppression contributes considerably to skin malignancies.
UVB can directly cause specific DNA damage, when left unrepaired, it leads to mutations, consequently predisposing individuals to any cancer.

Importantly, bear in mind that UV exposure in children under age 10 has been linked to an increased risk of developing melanoma (malignant) and non-melanoma skin cancer later in life. Thus, childhood is a susceptible window for long-term dangerous effects of sun damage.

Sun safety with 5 Essentials – SHADE

Fortunately, skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer. So, how can you protect yourself and your family? Employ this tool kit, i.e. the acronym “SHADE”.

S stands for “Sunscreen application”

A wide variety of sunscreens are available on the market but not all products are created equal. Make sure to use sunscreens that block both UVA and UVB. In addition, use a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher on a daily basis.

H stands for “Hide away from the sun”.

Whether you stroll under the sun or enjoy outdoor adventures, wear sunglasses, a hat, and cover up with loose clothing. Also, make sure your sunglasses have both UVA and UVB blocking properties.

A stands for “Avoid the sun during its most intensive time”

Staying away from the sun is especially paramount between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., because during this window of time, the sun is at its strongest, thereby making this time the riskiest for sun damage.

D stands for “Detect early and Defense daily”.

Skin cancer can occur just about anywhere on the skin, but most often on the areas exposed to the sun, of course, also in odd places. With that in mind, look out vigilantly for moles, bumps or spots, by following the “ABCDE” guidance from WebMD, and noticing pain or fluid as a red flag too, for early detection. Schedule an annual skin cancer screening if you are among those “high risk” individuals.

In addition, antioxidants are powerful weapons to fight or “catch” free radicals generated from UV. Hence, build up your antioxidant defense by eating plenty of fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables, and more salmon.

E stands for “Educate everyone”.

To emphasize, E is for educating, not entertaining under the sun! Start with children and young adults. Regardless of gender and age, we are all exposed to the same sun. Today, the sun is getting less merciful compared to three or more decades ago due to thinning of ozone protection.

Take home message:

Keep a balance between sun pleasure and sun damage, and hold the value of proper skin care. At the end, healthy skin in the course of life may promote better mental and emotional health. And remember “SHADE”.

Reference (on the table): Quan & Fisher. Gerontology. 2015; 61:427-34.

Image credit: thezonehole.com

Aging, Cancer, and Age-associated Illnesses

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Aging is inevitable. Aging is a complex process through a progressive loss of physiological integrity, which has a negative impact on various body systems and their functions.

Aging is also a major risk factor for cancer. Why cancer risk increases as you age is not completely clear. Because cancer doesn’t develop overnight, one explanation could be – that genetic mutations of DNA (i.e. the root of developing cancerous cells) occur over a long period of time through prolonged, accumulated exposure to carcinogens (e.g. sun/UV rays, environmental toxins or contaminants in the air, the water or the food). Additionally, the aging-weakened immune system is less vigilant to detect and less effective to attack those cancerous cells.

As you age, accumulated damage to the cells put an increased burden on your immune response. Chronically stimulated inflammation, along with genetic, lifestyle and environmental risk factors, all intensify in your body and speed up the deleterious process.

How well we age depends on many factors, including what we eat, how physically active we are, and how often and how long we are exposed to health risks such as smoking, over-consumption of alcohol, or harmful, toxic chemicals/substances.

In a parallel way, cancer is a disease of aging. Cancer is multifaceted and each one varies; but all cancers develop over time.

Interactions between aging and cancer occur at cellular, molecular, biological and physical levels via various intricate pathways. Along with “degenerative dysfunctions”, an initial cellular change becomes cumulative and collaborative to facilitate the accumulation of more or further alterations, thereby contributing to an exponential increase in age-associated cancer. Thus, cancer is a common health challenge among aging and especially elderly people. What could make this process worse are conditions like obesity and diabetes.

The good news: Cancer and other age-associated chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are mostly preventable! Prevention can be enhanced by lifestyle modifications, which is documented by both Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In the years we cialis viagra australia have always notice that somehow Google discriminates or just doesn’t “force” all websites into following their own guidelines and what for many websites would be an instant ban is the success of others. It must be taken orally and must be swallowed whole with a glass sildenafil canada pharmacy of water 1-3 hours before you plan to have sex (many men take about 2-4 hours before sexual activity). cheap cialis professional The hormones that control physical functions and gender hormones are mainly and prolactin. Strength and flexibility must levitra generika be built up gradually – on a gradient level. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes human vitality. One principle in regard to aging is that Qi—your life energy—is crucial to longevity. Longevity is not about mere length of life. It is also about quality of life, i.e. living a life without suffering pain, distress, and diseases. Injury, physical suffering, and lack of proper nutrition cause Qi deficiency. Qi can be increased or decreased, replenished or drained, and balanced Qi promotes blood circulation, reduces inflammation, and regulates hormones.

Here are some key strategies that keep your vital Qi protected and replenished:

Maintain a healthy weight and avoid abdominal obesity. Excessive calorie intake and a sedentary lifestyle cause abdominal obesity.
Have a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants, such as fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Avoid or limit high-fat, high-sugar foodstuffs and excessive salt intake from packaged or processed foods.
Participate in physical activities regularly, age actively.
Watch your numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc), keep your blood pressure normal, and schedule routine cancer screenings.
Remember to get a good night’s sleep.
Practice gratitude. Gratitude is a secret to happiness, so keep counting your blessings.
Love your age and love more. In addition to the love you show to your family, there are many ways to show your love, such as pursuing your passion, giving to your community, and caring and helping others.

Let’s face it. You cannot help aging, but you don’t have to get “old”. Hopefully, at the end, you will achieve one of humanity’s greatest dreams, which is to have a long, productive, and happy life in a healthy body.

So, happy aging through vibrant well-being!

How do you integrate vascular health and cancer prevention?

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

For those who may be unaware of what cancer and heart disease share in common, today I wish to remind you of why I talk about cardiovascular diseases. When I started this website, with its focus on cancer prevention, I had a well thought-out approach to maximize your benefits for heart health as well. To put it simply, there are many practices that will help you “kill two birds with one stone”—both cancer and heart disease.

So today, let me elaborate on cardiovascular risk factors that a cancer-prevention lifestyle can help allay.

First, let me ask you, Do you know if you have peripheral vascular diseases (PVD) or not? About 20 million of people in the United States are suffering from PVD, yet they don’t even know it. What does that have to do with cancer prevention? Please read on.

What is PVD, and what is PAD?

Almost everyone knows about atherosclerosis. Well, PVD is one of the major clinical complications of atherosclerosis. It affects blood vessels outside of the heart and brain, e.g. those of your body’s extremities.

When PVD only develops in the arteries, it is usually called peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which results in reduced blood flow to the lower extremities. PAD is predominantly caused by the buildup of fatty plaque in small arteries, resulting in the narrowing of those arteries, blocking blood flow from the heart to the legs. Consequently, the hallmark of PAD is extreme pain or painful cramping in the legs.

However, many folks with PAD experience no symptoms. That is why it is important to raise public awareness.

PAD and aging

PAD is neither a men’s nor a women’s disease—it is more of an aging disease. According to the NIH and CDC, one in every 20 Americans over age 50 has PAD, and approximately 12-20% of people older than age 60 have it. By age 80, 20-25% of Americans have PAD.

What are the risk factors for PAD?

So far, we have covered two already:

Atherosclerosis
Aging

Other risk factors include:

Smoking
Diabetes
High blood pressure
High cholesterol or abnormal cholesterol – too much “bad” LDL cholesterol and too little “good” HDL cholesterol
Being overweight or obese
Family history of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or cardiovascular disease (stroke, coronary artery disease, or PVD).
Stress

What does learning about PAD have to do with cancer prevention?

The table below shows the risk factors that cancer and PAD have in common.

Risk Factors	Cancer	PAD
Aging	√	√
Tobacco use / Smoking	√	√
Obesity	√	√
Being physically inactive	√	√
Inflammation	√	√ indirectly, because it’s linked to atherosclerosis
Stress	√	√
Diabetes	√	√
Junk diet (high fats, high sugar, excessive salt)	√	may lead to other risk factors above
Hormonal imbalance	√

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Without distracting from today’s focus, I have addressed each of risk factors in previous CancerPreventionDaily Summer Health Education Series, and you can learn more by visiting CancerPreventionDaily.com

What’s the take-away message?

PAD is under-diagnosed and lacking in public awareness, yet its incidence increases with age disturbingly.
Make a cancer-prevention lifestyle your priority. Lifestyle modification is one of the keys to controlling and preventing PAD as well as cancer.
Take action using the “Five Seconds Rule”—meaning that whether you consult with your physician or change one unhealthy lifestyle habit, take one small step at a time and do it now!

Image credit: CDC

Proven Strategies for Prevention of Age-Associated Chronic Illnesses

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Do you know that 2 billion people will be (aged) 60 and older by 2050? According to statistics, between 2000 and 2050, the world’s population of 60+ years old will double from about 11% to 22%.

Aging is inevitable. Aging is a complex process too, which has a negative impact on various body systems and their functions. As you age, accumulated damage to the cells, increased burden of the immune response, and chronically stimulated inflammation, along with genetic and environmental risk factors, all intensify in your body.

Aging is the major risk factor for the predominant killer diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, especially in developed countries or in the population living a sedentary lifestyle and eating a Western diet.

The good news: Age-associated chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes are largely preventable! The prevention can be achieved mostly by lifestyle modification. How well we age depends on many factors, including what we eat, how physically active we are, and how much, how long we are exposed to health risks such as smoking, over-consumption of alcohol, or harmful, toxic chemicals/substances.

Taking care of yourself should be a top priority and it’s never too late to do so. Here are some key strategies:

1.      Maintain a healthy weight and avoid abdominal obesity. Excessive calorie intake and a sedentary lifestyle cause abdominal obesity, as we discussed previously.
2.      Have a diet rich in nutrients and antioxidants, such as fruits, vegetables, fish, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
3.      Avoid or limit high-fat, high-sugar foodstuff and excessive salt intake from packaged or processed foods.
4.      Participate in physical activities regularly.
5.      Watch your numbers (cholesterol, blood sugar, etc), keep your blood pressure normal, and schedule routine cancer screening.
6.      Remember a good night’s sleep.

Let’s face it. You cannot help getting old, but you don’t have to get old. Fortunately, new technologies can make you look and feel young. However, if you want to age gracefully and brilliantly, place a strong focus on the following areas:

Practice gratitude. Gratitude is the key to happiness, so keep counting your blessings. “There’s always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example, I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don’t hurt.” I like this quote from the Unknown. Studies show that people who are always grateful and practice gratitude in their lives tend to have more peaceful and harmonious existences than those who do not.
Learn, learn and learn. It’s never too old to learn. Learning keeps you mentally sharp and spiritually young. Try to learn something every day and every year, whether it is from reading or from doing, whether it is a skill or a sport. Purposefully challenge your mental ability in fun ways (e.g. puzzles and games).
Maintain friendship. It helps your mental and emotional well-being. Keep a circle of people who are positive, uplifting and wise. Also, a connection with your friend(s) from high school or college can kindle a younger spirit.
Love, love and love. Love your age. In addition to your love to your family and relationship, there are many ways to show your love, such as pursuing your passion, giving to your community, caring and helping others, etc.

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Exercising the physical, mental and spiritual areas outlined above can have additional health benefits in the prevention of a variety of age-associated chronic diseases. At the end, one of humanity’s greatest dreams is to have a long, productive life in a healthy, youthful body.

Image credit: By mealsonwheelspeople

Cancer Prevention Daily

Lifestyle for Staying Cancer-free & Solutions to Cancer Prevention

Category Archives: Aging & Anti-aging

An Active and Long Life Springs from Your Vascular Health (Part 2)

An Active and Long Life Springs from Your Vascular Health (Part 1)

Integrity of the Immune System Is Like Peace in the Storm

Go Beyond Knowing Obesity Is Bad (Part 2)

Go Beyond Knowing Obesity Is Bad (Part 1)

Color-Coded Foods Guide Your Immune System and Vitality

Skin Cancer and Aging: Causes and Solutions

Aging, Cancer, and Age-associated Illnesses

How do you integrate vascular health and cancer prevention?

Proven Strategies for Prevention of Age-Associated Chronic Illnesses