BIOLOGICAL AGING AND SALTY SNACKS

High salt levels are found to spur the growth of immune cells involved in numerous autoimmune disorders, and cause fluid retention that can trigger tissue swelling and joint pain. Many salty snacks are also high in sodium which can raise your blood pressure. A study by the NIH determined that middle-aged people with higher sodium-to-water levels in their blood biologically age faster. They are also more likely to develop chronic diseases – such as diabetes, heart failure, and dementia – and to die prematurely.

A study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology reports that age has a significant impact on the body’s ability to get rid of excess sodium. For this reason, scientists believe that older adults are at a higher risk of suffering negative consequences that come with high salt diets.

DEMENTIA AND SALTY SNACKS

“Excessive dietary salt impairs cognitive function and increases cognitive impairment risk in older adults independently of known risk factors” Source: ScienceDirect

Research On Connections

“high salt levels are found to spur the growth of immune cells involved in numerous autoimmune disorders” Source: Yale School Of Medicine

“According to the Arthritis Foundation, lowering salt intake can help reduce calcium loss in the body, thereby reducing osteoporosis and fracture risk. Salt also causes fluid retention that can trigger tissue swelling, and hence joint pain” Source: Healthshots.com

“age has a significant impact on the body’s ability to get rid of excess sodium” Source: Better Aging

RECOMMENDED HEALTHY AGING PROTOCOL

“I Eat Salty Snacks”: Answer = Never

BIOLOGICAL AGING AND WATER HYDRATION

Water carries nutrients and oxygen to your cells, flushes bacteria from your bladder, normalizes blood pressure and aids in food digestion. In the US, 75% of people suffer from chronic dehydration, drinking only 2.5 cups of water a day. Small amounts of dehydration or not drinking enough water daily can contribute to joint pain since synovial fluid and cartilage tissue cells need water to help reduce friction and maintain motion between the joints. According to the Cleveland Clinic, dehydration is a common cause of hospitalization among those 65 and over.

DEMENTIA AND WATER HYDRATION

“Can dehydration impair cognitive function?”: Source: Cognitive Vitality

Research On Connections

“Small amounts of dehydration or not drinking enough water daily can contribute to joint pain” Source: Creaky Joints

“One of the conclusions was that poor hydration may accelerate biological aging and increase the risk of chronic disease and death” Source: National Institutes Of Health

“According to the Cleveland Clinic, dehydration is a common cause of hospitalization among those 65 and over” Source: Cleveland Clinic

RECOMMENDED HEALTHY AGING PROTOCOL

“I Drink 6+ Glasses Of Water”: Answer = 5-7 Days A Week

BIOLOGICAL AGING AND SOFT DRINKS

Soft drinks are loaded with fructose and should be avoided at all times. As the body breaks down fructose, chemical compounds called purines are released. According to a study by the University of San Francisco of more than 5,000 adults, people who reported drinking a 350ml bottle of fizzy drink per day had DNA changes typical of cells 4.6 years older.

Sugary Drinks Tied to Shorter Life Span. “The optimal intake of these drinks is zero,” said Vasanti S. Malik, a research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.. “They have no health benefits.”

In a research study researchers found that the more sugar-sweetened drinks people consumed, the higher their risk for death. After controlling for many health, behavioral and dietary characteristics, the researchers found that each additional daily 12-ounce serving of sugary drinks was associated with a 7 percent increased risk for death from any cause, a 5 percent increased risk for cancer death, and a 10 percent increased risk for death from cardiovascular disease.

DEMENTIA AND SOFT DRINKS

“People who more frequently consume sugary beverages such as sodas and fruit juices are more likely to have poorer memory, smaller overall brain volumes and smaller hippocampal volumes–an area of the brain important for memory” Source: Boston University

Research On Connections

“As the body breaks down fructose, chemical compounds called purines are released. The breakdown of purines produces uric acid—the substance that forms painful crystals in the joints and causes gout” Source: Mayo Clinic

“The more sugar-sweetened drinks people consumed, the higher their risk for death. After controlling for many health, behavioral and dietary characteristics, the researchers found that each additional daily 12-ounce serving of sugary drinks was associated with a 7 percent increased risk for death from any cause, a 5 percent increased risk for cancer death, and a 10 percent increased risk for death from cardiovascular disease” Source: The New York Times

RECOMMENDED HEALTHY AGING PROTOCOL

“I Drink Soft Drinks Or Soda” Answer = Never

BIOLOGICAL AGING AND SWEETENER

Studies suggest that a diet high in added sugar can make cells age faster, as measured by biological age.

Artifical sweeteners are often added to sweetened beverages, sugary cereals, sweet snacks, and desserts, some research indicates that artificial sweeteners could promote inflammation, a hallmark of aging.

DEMENTIA AND SWEETENER

“New research suggests that sucralose-6-acetate, a chemical found in artificial sweeteners, is “genotoxic,” meaning it could cause DNA damage” Source: Medical News Today

“A new guideline from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends avoiding nonsugar sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose, and stevia, to reduce body weight and lower the risk of diet-related diseases. There is little evidence that nonsugar sweeteners decrease body fat long-term and some proof that they are linked with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults, according to results from the WHO’s 2022 analysis of 283 studies” Source: JAMA Network

“Epidemiological studies have found that increased consumption of artificially sweetened beverages is associated with increased risk for insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia” Source: Cognitive Vitality

RECOMMENDED HEALTHY AGING PROTOCOL

I Use Sugar Or Artificial Sweetener: Answer = Never