How to live longer

Eat, Fast & Live Longer HD by limoslight

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Candida and Fungal Infections? Gary Moller recommends you explore this programme: Click Here!

Eight secrets for a long and healthy life

Few people realise that the body is in a constant state of renewal: It is said that your entire body is turned over every eight years.  Some tissue, like the lining of your gut is renewed every few weeks.  Think of hair, skin and nails - constant replacement.  The same goes for the rest of your tissues.

When a person asks your real age, the answer is "About eight years"

In sports medicine, we think of the body being in a dynamic balance between the forces of breaking down (catabolism) and the forces of building up (anabolism).  Its a bit like the comic book battles between "Good" and "Evil".  If the forces of catabolism predominate, we weaken, we tire, we fall ill and we sure feel "old".

Illness is best thought of as being times when the processes of rejuvenation are being overwhelmed by the processes that break down our bodies.  The progressive weakening and tiring that is associated with ageing is similar, if not the same: We gradually fall into a state of structural and physiological disrepair.  When it becomes totally overwhelming of the processes of rejuvenation, we die!

Degeneration into a state of ill health and eventual death can be driven by five factors:

1. Poor nutrition leading to too much or too little of any of thousands of nutrients that provide the building blocks for cell regeneration and vitality.
2. Infections that may go undetected or poorly treated for decades, such as infected gums or intestinal parasites. Infections, acute and chronic wear body and soul down, leaving it vulnerable to attack by other diseases.
3. Stress that can be sudden or acute which disrupts the normal healthy balance of the adrenal and thyroid hormones and their influence on neurotransmitters.  Stress may be the sudden death of a loved one or years of putting up with an over-bearing boss.
4. Toxins that poison the body by interfering with healthy cellular processes.  These may be toxic metals like arsenic in treated wood, cigarettes, chemicals in plastics, sprays on our food or many medicines. 
5. Genetics.  We can't do anything about these at present and genetics actually play a minor role in most illness.  Even where there are strong genetic tendencies for some ailments in an idividual, our attention should be on the controllable factors (The above four).  What switches a gene "on" or "off".  The switch may be a toxin such as mercury?  Or chronic stress leading to a dysfunctional immune system.

What I am writing about here runs contrary to modern medical practice which largely ignores the body's innate capacity to heal.  Drugs employed today to treat most ailments associated with modern life, are actually poisons to the very processes that give cellular vitality and renewal (healing).  Instead, they seek to suppress the symptoms of disease and then call it a "cure", or "disease management".  Examples may be an antacid for digestive reflux which is caused by blood pressure medicine.  Or it may be surgery to remove gall bladder that is inflamed by toxic bile from an unhealthy liver.  Giving another medicine to suppress the toxic effects of another drug may give the appearance of relief but at what future cost?  Removal of the gall bladder gives symptomatic relief; but the underlying disease continues silently, causing damage that may turn out to be irreparable many years later.

Drugs-based medicine invariably uses chemicals that poison 

the body's innate regenerative processes

In so doing, they suppress symptoms while not treating the underlying causes of disease.  Drugs do not improve quality of life or longevity.

A good example is the use of so-called "Bone-sparing" drugs, such as Fosamax and Aledronate to halt osteoporosis.  Please read some of the articles here and be prepared to be shocked:
http://blog.garymoller.com/search/label/bisphosphonates

Modern medicine has much to offer, such as skillfully resuscitating a person following a heart attack, or setting a broken bone.  Where it fails us badly is when it comes to treating diseases associated with stress, inactivity, poor nutrition, toxic exposures and just plain getting old!  So - Modern medicine is great at resuscitating the heart attack victim but very poor at dealing with the underlying causes of the heart attack.

Graphic by Colin Livingstone

Eight secrets for a long and healthy life:

1. Practice nutrient dense nutrition by going back to traditional diets that are, essentially, preparing meals from fresh, raw ingredients.  A good first start is to get rid of all the long life packaged foods, including the instant noodle and low fat milk.
2. Supplementing with specific nutrients, not by blind guesswork, but by robust nutritional analysis.
3. Identifying infection and disease in the body and treating it properly and completely.  This may be as simple as getting your teeth cleaned every six months by the dental hygienist, and getting dewormed if you have pets.  If you have a condition like diabetes or asthma, how about identifying the underlying drivers, rather than indefinitely treating the symptoms with asthma medication?
4. Get rid of any toxins from inside your body and from your environment.  The first step, as with good nutrition, is to do some testing to determine your true status, so that you know what you are doing. For example: Blindly spending thousands of dollars on removing mercury amalgum from your mouth may be a waste of time on your health, unless testing confirms the presence of mercury in the tissues.
5. Find non-drugs and non-surgical solutions to ill health.  A healthy person is a person who is free of of the need for drugs - regardless of age.  It is not unusual nowadays for even young people to be taking several different prescription drugs for ailments like asthma, anxiety, depression or diabetes.  Almost without exception, these drugs come with serious complications that creep up from behind like a mugger in the dark.  Finding healthy alternatives is best done with the assistance of a suitably qualified health professional and the process of weaning off drugs is sometimes a delicate one.
6. Assess your health risk and take risk reduction measures. This includes being aware of your genetics, such as a family history of breast cancer.  You might be more diligent with breast screening from an early age, such as a yearly thermogram (not a cancer-causing mammogram - please!), and carefully supplementing with protective iodine and vitamin D.
7. Get unnecessary stress out of your life.  Many people get so caught up in their stresses and 

   

   Bike Kiwi

   obligations that they may see no way out and will put up with debilitating circumstances for decades.   My advice is this: You only live life once and you don't know how long you have, so get on with doing the things you love, while progressively getting rid of the things that hold you down.  This requires careful strategic planning and sometimes taking really tough decisions.  Matters will only be made worse if you keep putting things off, so get on with it!
8. Exercise daily, but in a way that is invigorating rather than exhausting.  A morning walk in the fresh air and bright sunshine, plus some relaxed gardening later in the day is about all one needs for optimum health.  Remember

   

   Swim Kiwi

   this: You are setting about nurturing the processes within yourself that give you energy and which heal.  How much exercise is "Just right!" is open to debate.  My opinion is that it does not have to be very much at all for most people.  Overdoing it may be just as harmful to one's long term health as is under-doing it.  The main rule is to be consistent with moderate exercise as opposed to big bursts of over-activity.

Excessive exercise shortens life  

Run Kiwi

Moderate exercise lengthens it

These eight secrets do not claim to "cure" a disease once it has taken hold; their principal role is prevention of the disease in the first place by nurturing the cellular processes of regeneration and vitality.  But it is not unknown for an ill person to fall into a state of "spontaneous remission" after concentrating patiently on revitalising themselves.  I have seen enough cases of the "incurable" being "cured" to be convinced that it works.  I say this with caution because there is probably no such thing as a complete cure - one must be forever diligent and protective of one's precious health.  

Kayak Kiwi

To finish this article, here is the link to an inspiring story of "spontaneous remission:

http://blog.garymoller.com/2013/02/graves-disease-hyperthyroidism-cured.html

About this website 

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

Moller Brothers dominate 2012 Upper Murray Multisports Race

Jarad Kohlar, winner of the individual race
and 2nd overall. He did it the hard way.
We shared the load - So good one
Jarad!
Photo: Tara Ashworth

Gordon Moller taking out the 2012 race in
 record time despite the horrific weather.
Way ahead with nobody else in sight.
Photo: Tara Ashworth

If you ever wanted proof that most of what we regard as being the inevitable consequences of getting old is simply not true, it is the performance of the Moller Brothers (Gordon, Bruce and Gary) in this year's Upper Murray Challenge (Snowy Mountains Australia).

We won the race outright, beating the two best individual Australian multisporters of recent years (Jarad Kohlar and Luke Haines) into 2nd and 3rd placings respectively.

In doing so, we set new course records in the Open Team and Veteran Team divisions and Gordon broke the run section record which was astonishing given the slippery and muddy conditions.  Gordon, was the only runner to break two hours for the grueling mountain run. He hammered that leg of the race finishing in record time way ahead of the next runner!

We were about an hour ahead of the next Veteran Team and about 40 minutes ahead of the first Open Team.

I finished the mountain bike section in 4th place overall, Bruce brought us up to 2nd place with an impressive paddling performance and then Gordon astonished every one by mowing down Jarad during the mountain run.  I think this is the first time that a team has won the event outright.  The pros, like Jarad and Luke have always dominated the race.  Until now, that is.

Lining up for a wet, cold start.

What the results don't tell you is this:  

A very wet, cold and muddy Moller!

We set these course records in the worst conditions of the ten year history of the event.  It rained all day, making the mountain bike and run a treacherously slippery slog and there was the possibility of the kayak section being cancelled for safety reasons.  Thankfully it was not.

When you look at the results below, you will note that Luke had a bad day.  It was tough out there and Luke looked hypothermic by the end of the paddle leg.  It is to his credit that he hung in there to the end to take 3rd place overall.  Jarad ran a phenomenal race when you consider the conditions.

Now, here's the interesting thing:

The best photo of Bruce - Sorry Bruce, we weren't
going to hang around in the rain just for you!

As we get older, we are getting faster

All three of us are over 50.  I am 59 next week.  My own aerobic performance has improved by about 20% over the last five years.  Despite the atrocious weather, Gordon and Bruce smashed their times as compared to last year, or the year before.  These should be declining.

A good athlete is a healthy person

From about age 28 there begins a gradual decline in aerobic power by the factor of 0.001 per year.  So, by age 50 the average person has about half the aerobic potential that they had in their 20's.  The faster this decline, the sooner we start falling to pieces and the sooner we die.  Sounds depressing eh?

The big question is this:

How much of this decline in performance is due to uncontrollable ageing 

and how much is due to controllable factors?

What the Moller Brothers are demonstrating is this:

Most of the decline that we attribute to uncontrollable ageing is, in fact, controllable

For more about this fascinating topic, please take a few minutes to read this article and the others that are linked to it.
http://blog.garymoller.com/2011/06/cardiovascular-disease-arteriosclerosis.html

Here are some screen shots from the Upper Murray Challenge results pages:

http://www.uppermurraychallenge.com.au/

Here are some of the race records as at 2011 (2012 yet to be
updated).  We did it in 5:32 this year.  Not too bad
when you consider the weather!

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.

More about Reversing Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Quality of Life

Far from being anti-doctor, I am all for them - with some reservations about specific treatments, as you would gather when reading my articles.  Anyway, I went to see my Dr, a long time acquaintance who completed the same University of Otago sports medicine course I went through.  It was several years since I last saw him - That was for a gashed forearm following an "unplanned dismount" off my bicycle!

It was time for a cardiovascular health check to see how the blood tests, etc matched with my Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses and general good health.

Please read what follows in conjunction with this article about reversing cardiovascular disease.  

I suggest that you read it first then come back to this one 

(there is a link back to here at the end of the the article).

My doctor is very good at telling me where I am while not necessarily the best at telling me how I got there.  So, where am I right now health-wise?

I now have records of blood cholesterol, blood sugar, body composition and blood pressure stretching back as far as 25 years.

During those years up until 5 years ago:

• Blood pressure gradually crept upwards to about 130/90 and sometimes higher despite an increasingly low salt diet.
• Cholesterol trended to unhealthy ratios despite an increasingly low cholesterol diet.
• Muscle declined and fatness increased to about 16-17%.
• And, of course, my general well-being and athletic performance did a steady dive!

Over the last five years I have progressively resorted to:

• Liberally salting my food with Himalayan Salt.
• I am currently eating up to six eggs every day (We have a friend with free range chickens), I eat the fat on meat, use butter and drink full cream milk daily (All in relative moderation and combined with physical activity).
• I use dietary supplements daily as per the guidance from repeated Hair Tissue Mineral Analyses.

My latest medical tests as compared to 2002/3:

• Body composition has body fat now at ~10% while muscle has increased by about 3kg.
• Blood pressure in the Dr's surgery was 100/60 (A bit low in my opinion).
• Blood sugar 5.0 (was 5.1)
• Total Cholesterol is 5.8 (was 5.3)
• Triglycerides 0.7 (was 0.9)
• HDL Cholesterol 1.49 (was 1.07)
• LDL Cholesterol 4.1 (was 3.9)
• Chol/HDL ratio 4.0 (was 5.0)

Let me explain what these figures mean:

Blood sugar, insulin and body composition

As we get older, it is usual for insulin resistance to increase.  This may show as the blood sugar levels creeping upwards. What this means is we get poor at using fats and sugars.  Insulin resistance is regarded as one of the best measures of biological ageing as compared to chronological ageing.  This process of gradual decline shows as:

• Increasingly fluctuating energy levels, 
• Reducing physical endurance,
• Food cravings,
• Gaining fat, no matter what, about the hips and waist,
• Increasing difficulty getting rid of belly and hip fat and
• Loss of muscle and loss of strength.
• Insulin resistance may lead to Type II Diabetes.

In my case, this trend of biological ageing has been reversed:

• Blood sugar is a steady 5.0 despite being older,
• I have increased muscle without a single visit to the gym,
• Body fat has dropped and is very low for age and gender and
• The time I can go on a bike without the need for sustenance has stretched from 2.5 hours to a remarkable 4+ hours.
• Muscle power has increased dramatically.

Blood Pressure

As we get older, our arteries tend to become hardened, brittle and inflexible due to oxidative damage, calcium deposits and progressive clogging with fatty plaque.  These processes are present in at least 80% of the population, beginning from a very early age and will ultimately result in diseases such as:

• Heart attack,
• Stroke,
• Impotence,
• Diseases of dementia and
• Arthritis.

This gradual process of declining circulatory health will show in the early stages as increasing blood pressure, decreasing maximum heart rate during extreme effort, decreasing physical performance, impotence, joint pain, cramping and brain fog.  The usual calculation for this if 220 beats per minute minus your age, so at 58 years, my maximum heart rate should be about 162.  The sooner the causes of this gradual decline are identified and corrected, the better your chances of success.

Here's the circulation facts for me:

• Blood pressure is now120/80 or less,
• Libido is at about where it was during my 20's,
• Maximum heart rate is an impressive 180+ beats per minute and
• I am riding "A" Grade in cyclocross racing which is just about as intense a cardiovascular sport you can get (There are "A", "B" and "C" Grades and the "A" is generously populated by some of the best in NZ). 

Cholesterol

• Total cholesterol has increased.  This is healthy because cholesterols are the building blocks for cells and hormones.  Too little cholesterol and health fails terribly.  High cholesterol is healthy - so long as your body is turning it over fast and so long as the ratios between cholesterols are "healthy". Let me explain:
• Triglyceride at 0.7 is very healthy and well below the threshold of 1.7.
• HDL Cholesterol has increased to 1.49.  HDL is the protective form of Cholesterol and is now well above the threshold for healthy (>1)
• LDL Cholesterol (the "unhealthy" one) has increased from 3.9 to 4.1; but this is offset by lower Triglycerides and higher HDL as follows:
• The Cholesterol/HDL ratio (this is the important one) has improved from 5.0 to 4.0 (4.0 or lower is considered healthy).

According to my doctor, I am now in the bottom 5% of the population, for age and gender, for cardiovascular risk.

This is despite all of the extra salt, protein and fatty cholesterol that I have been eating over the last five years.  I will qualify this by saying that I have been generally very careful about choosing fresh, natural foods, home cooking, not over-indulging and exercising.

How did I get to where I am now?

• Annual Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.  This test has removed most of the guessing about what to eat and what supplements to take.  When repeated, it tells us where the action has been and what changes to make.  I could not have achieved what I have without this test.  (If you want my help with improving your health, you will probably need to get one of these tests completed and be prepared to repeat it annually).
• Quality and targeted supplementation.  The key to supplementation is small amounts, often and for a long time.

Small amounts, often and for a long time

• Going back to traditional foods and home cooking.  As a general rule of thumb: If it comes in a packet, has a long shelf life and needs minimal preparation, then leave it out - its not really food.  We seldom eat out and purchase raw food which is then prepared and cooked from scratch.  We grow vegetables and purchase from local farmers' markets.
• Exercise is less than what I used to do and only as and when I feel like it.  I choose to ride a bike for now because it is gentle on joints (Depending on the dismounts!).
• I am constantly seeking ways to reduce stress in my life.  This includes taking every opportunity to chill out on the balcony in natural light.  I now work from an office/clinic at home, employ nobody and we keep do not waste anything, including energy (Meaning we do not have to work long hours to pay for waste).  We take holidays at every opportunity with the theme of getting outdoors, into nature and exploring.
• I expose my body to sunlight.  We are not meant to be cave dwellers. Sunlight is actually good for you.  My skin health has surprisingly improved since doing this and the sun is definitely invigorating and a wonderful antidepressant.

We are Creatures of the Light - Not of the Night

In summary:  

It is possible to reverse the processes of cardiovascular disease; but it takes time, a lot of patience, some money and scientific testing to guide you on your journey.

It is inevitable that our bodies will gradually fall into states of disrepair and eventually fail at which point our toes point upwards and we die.  For many people, this process of sad decline is well in hand by 30 years and gaining momentum.  Medically, the only hope is to last out the rest of life well preserved by an expensive concoction of toxic drugs!   But this is hardly my idea of  living and more like waving the white flag of surrender.

Death is more certain than being born and even more certain than paying taxes

It is a sobering fact that every person in human history eventually died.  This rather depressing inevitability does not mean that we should give up on trying to stay healthy as we age.  To the contrary, Life is throwing each and every one of us the challenge to see how long we can keep the wheels of our cellular machinery screwed on tight and well lubed.  Of course, this is one plan that is doomed to fail from the very beginning!  Before the beginning, in fact.

The Grand Plan is to die healthy - one morning to wake up  dead!

I, for one, am enjoying this, the most  vain of challenges.  You are welcome to tag along with me if you feel up to it!

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About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!


Your email address:

Powered by FeedBlitz

Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

Moller Brothers 4th in Australasian Multisports Championships Open Teams Race

Gordon Moller on fire!

Yes, we came fourth in the Australasian Multisports Championships held in a very wet Rotorua over Queen's Birthday Weekend.  We were delighted for two reasons:

1. As brothers (Bruce, Gordon and Gary) our family was selected over 50 years ago by our parents Maisie and Gordon Moller. 
2. Our team members are all over 50 years of age.  By far the oldest in the team; but still competitive.

The performance of the day has to be awarded to Gordon who flew around the running course at a blistering pace.  It could be said that Bruce and I put in solid performances.  I could have had a better day, starting the 30 km mountain bike leg by sliding out on the first corner and spraining my right ankle in the process!  Wrong tyre selection for the conditions.

So, why are the Moller Bros appearing to defy the inevitable ravages of ageing?  Many say it must be in the genes.  I scoff at that suggestion.  The answer lies in smart training and applying good nutrition science. This is explained in many of the articles that are posted on this Blog.

_______________________________________

About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!

Your email address:

Powered by FeedBlitz

Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

Does Protein Restriction really improve Health and Longevity?

" Recent research show that protein restriction may be far more effective  than calorie restriction in prolonging the lives of humans.  Many studies show that restricting calories prolongs the lives of yeast, worms, spiders, flies, insects, rats and probably monkeys.  Humans who severely restrict calories have long-life characteristics, such as low cholesterol and blood pressure and hearts that are more than 15 years younger than those of other North Americans their age (Experimental Gerontology, August 2007)."
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Gary:
Research reports like these are misleading, taking well-intentioned people unwittingly down the path to ill health.

Low cholesterol and low blood pressure are what you see in 80% of people who complain of feeling really, really tired.  Also associated with these is under-active thyroid with associated parathyroid dominance which leads to calcium loss from the bones and deposition into the soft tissues.  This drives further fatigue, osteoporosis, calculus, arteriosclerosis, dementia and high blood pressure.

There is no doubt that protein restriction, like calorie restriction, appears to prolong life.  If there is a shortage of energy, the body shifts to hibernation and does so by shutting down the thyroid gland.  If there is a shortage of protein, the thousands of biochemical processes of life are compromised, including cell mitosis and DNA replication.  Life processes slow.

Sure: Restriction of protein may lengthen life (A very, very qualified "maybe"); but this is at the cost of quality of life.  Who on Earth wants to go through life feeling dead tired?

_______________________________________

About this website

The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation.  Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness.  Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service!
Your email address:

Powered by FeedBlitz

Do you have a question?  Email Gary: gary@myotec.co.nz. Include any relevant background information to your question.  Please be patient and be aware that I may not be able to answer every inquiry in detail, depending on workloads (My paying clients take precedence!). I will either reply by email or, most likely, by way of an article (Personal identifying details will be removed before publication).

Longevity, aging and health news

This page has a selection of newsfeeder search engines that I have set up to give you a summary of news about longevity and health as it happens.

Regular reading of these articles will give you a thorough understanding of all the factors that might accelerate or slow the aging processes; you will learn more about the role of exercise, nutrition and lifestle as factors in the aging processes; you will learn about quality of life issues, saving for retirement, elder care issues and so on.

Bookmark this page so that it is added to your Favourites and drop by every day or so to see what's new in the world of news about longevity and health.

Weight Loss Precedes Dementia Diagnosis In Women Mayo Clinic Study Finds

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that women who develop dementia experience a decline in weight as many as 10 years prior to the onset of memory loss, compared to peers who do not develop dementia.

"We discovered that the weight of those women who developed dementia was drifting downward many years before the onset of symptoms," says David Knopman, M.D., Mayo Clinic neurologist and lead study researcher. "This illustrates changes that occur before the memory loss and mental decline in dementia. We believe that the brain disease began to interfere somehow with maintenance of body weight, long before it affected memory and thinking."

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Gary Moller comments:

What a load of uninformed rubbish! There is hardly ever a single simple answer to these kinds of matters. Furthermore; what came first - the chicken or the egg? The weight loss or the dementia?

There are several other answers than dementia itself for the progressive weight loss that they report that better fits with my personal observations and from study of populations with very low levels of dementia, like the Okinawan Centenarians: It is that the progressive weight loss is occurring principally, as the result of one or a combination of -

• Malnutrition that is associated with poverty, drugs interactions, living alone, poor dental health and lack of access to fresh foods
• Lack of sunlight causing severe and chronic vitamin D deficiency (linked to dementia)
• Steadily reducing activity and dependency
• Dependency caused by well-meaning care-givers, that reduces the need to exercise brain power for activities of daily living
• Lack of physical challenge and mental stimulation, such as previously having to till fields, care for animals (including grandchildren) and grow crops
• Long term effects from chronic use of all kinds of prescription drugs that stultify the brain and interfere with nutrition, muscle strength, balance, kidneys, liver, adrenals etc

I have written this very quickly, so the above list is a bit of a mish-mash; but I am sure that you get the point.

Even if this report is out of the prestigious Mayo Clinic, speculation by experts who are experts in a very narrow field of expertise can be very misleading.