Posts Tagged ‘triage theory’

Anti-aging and longevity is one of the most interesting fields of research. The triage theory of aging is one of the most comprehensive explanations of how we accelerate aging. 

Bruce Ames, Ph.D., a biochemist with the University of California at Berkeley and Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, presented his theory in the Nov. 21, 2006 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Accelerated Aging

Aging is accelerated when diets are deficient in vitamins and/or minerals.  Dr. Ames found that vitamin and /or mineral deficiencies can cause DNA damage to both human cultured cells, and test mice.

This would account for conditions that were once seen in only mature people showing up at earlier ages.  From all accounts it is a product of a poor diet high in calories, low in nutrition.

Lifespan

Dr. Bruce Ames says there is a known triage between organs.  It works like this if you’re short iron; you take it out of the liver before taking it from the heart.  The heart is vital to your immediate survival.  By taking it from the liver the damage will not show up for many years. Nature is smart it keeps you from keeling over, because you’re deficient in an essential nutrient. So the place it goes is to less vital organs for a supply of the missing nutrient.

It will impact your lifespan, but it may take 20 years for a problem to show up.

Short on micronutrients

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of nutrients is not sufficient.  This is based on acute needs. The long term needs of optimal health are not being met.  The American way of eating is causing deficiencies that are contributing a whole host of conditions.  Heart failure is a sometimes a lack of certain B vitamins. Almost all diseases are coming from a lack of micronutrients.

According to Dr. Ames DNA damage occurs because of a deficiency of micronutrients.  This makes sense since cells are dependent on the fuel you give them.

Conclusion

Aging is accelerated by nutritional deficiencies.  The best health insurance is a diet that is nutrient dense.  If you are looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than your kitchen.