The Fountain Of Youth
We are all aware we need food and drink to sustain our daily lives. Food being important because it gives us the energy our bodies need daily. Some health experts say if we eat a range of foods we will get enough of the essential vitamins and minerals our bodies need. Then on the other hand some say we need to top up our intake of these essential vitamins and minerals. So who’s right? you tell me. Vitamin supplements and minerals may well be the way to the fountain of Youth Maybe… Maybe Not, Judge For Yourself…
SELENIUM Is a powerful trace mineral with many anti-ageing properties. It is also believed that Selenium can ward off depression. As we get older it is believed our body levels fall, leaving us open prey to viruses, cancer, heart disease and other signs of rapid ageing. It is reported that six brazil nuts a day will provide you with approx. the correct nutritional values. Average in-take of selenium in the UK has fallen from 60 to 34 micrograms per day, The European recommended daily intake (RDI) is 60 micrograms.
However, although brazil nuts are rich in selenium, the amount of selenium varies greatly. So that leaves me wondering which is correct.? Is six nuts enough.? Although selenium is an essential trace element, you do need to watch your intake it can prove to be toxic if taken in excess. The effects of taking to much selenium is called Selenosis. This condition can lead to the loss of hair, skin and nails in its mildest form, include a garlic odour on the breath, gastrointestinal disorders, fatigue, irritability and neurological damage. Extreme cases of Selenosis can result in Cirrhosis of the liver.
Our Thymus Gland the engine that controls our immune system is bigger than the heart at birth. Around puberty it starts to shrink so by the time we reach our 40s, it is very doubtful if it would show up on an X-ray. The shrivelling of this gland is one of the most outstanding signs of ageing. As it gets smaller we get older and weaker.
A Monash University researcher has found away to return the body’s immune system back to the days of our youth, by regrowing the Thymus the organ that produces T cells which are of great value to our immune system. It appears this gland is about the size of an apple, however when our immune system steps in around puberty the Thymus Gland shuts down and is reduced to about the size of a pea. It would appear the researchers have proved it works on mice and now trials are underway in cancer patients.
If you are interested in the thymus there is an interesting piece of reading by Owen Craig and Caroline Penry-Davey at abc.net It was researched back in 2002/2003 but it does give an idea at how researches rate the Thymus Gland.
Vitamin C (or ascorbic acid) is well known for its help in fighting colds and is also known for it’s benefits in reducing the risk of serious illness. Experts believe boosting your daily intake is even more effective than cutting down on fat and lowering cholestral. Yet amazingly it is a fact no one gets enough vitamin C and it is believed a deficiency can rob you of youth, health and longevity. Whether vitamin C is of help to reducing the common cold symptoms. There is research that agrees and there is also research that disagrees. A review paper at the Cochrane Library suggests that there is more therapeutic trials needed to settle this question one way or the other. Vitamin C helps in the formation of collagen. If the making of collagen becomes a problem the body would be left open to a variety of problems.
Vitamin E has been suggested by top researchers around the world to be necessary when it comes to fighting off the diseases of ageing. It’s virtually impossible to get the recommended daily dosage. To do so would mean eating around 5,000 calories, mostly fat.
Bananas Our heart and brain as we age can become an area of concern. Recent research into the three B vitamins - B6, folic acid and B12 shows that these vitamins play an active role in keeping these organs healthy as well as helping to relieve, stress and anxiety.
If you would like to read more on how the banana benefits us humans, or would like to try a recipe how about this dessert, made from bananas with a splash of rum, ready in 5 minutes. pay a visit to David Hall’s website book the cook direct for more recipes, or celac website, and read up on the benefits of the humble banana.
“If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels, there’s no better snack than a banana. Containing three natural sugar’s - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fibre; a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy”…Lula(nick name) Vecchi