By Dr. Joseph Mercola
     with Rachael Droege

Centenarians, people who live to be 100 years or older, are becoming more and more common in the United States. In 1950 there were 2,300 U.S. centenarians and today there are more than 40,000. According to one researcher in the November 2003 issue of Discover magazine, the number of centenarians is doubling every decade.

Naturally, this is pretty explicit evidence that traditional U.S. health care is not the secret to longevity. In fact, health care in the United States would be more aptly named if it were called "disease care," as the system only serves to treat disease--not protect health.

There are obviously other factors involved in living to be 100 years old or more. Some scientists believe that people may be able to live for hundreds of years based on their study of round worms.

The study, published in the October 2003 journal Science, found that by manipulating the worms' insulin signaling and removing their reproductive systems, the worms could live six times longer than normal. According to the researchers, this corresponds to a healthy, active lifespan of 500 human years.

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It is quite clear that elevated insulin levels are indeed one of the most significant physical influences that contribute to rapid aging, and there is no question that optimizing insulin levels is the key to optimizing the aging process.

However, I firmly believe that our maximum lifespan is about 120 years and manipulation of even insulin genes will be highly unlikely to improve our lifespan significantly beyond that. Ironically, even though most people express an interest in living to their maximum potential, many people refuse to use the available methods that are sure to slow down aging. If they did, we would surely not be facing the ever-increasing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in this country.

If you want to increase your chances of living a longer, healthier life, one of the first things you should do is start practicing my nutrition plan. You'll notice that at the heart of the program is the elimination, or at the very least a large reduction, of grains and sugar in your diet. Consuming sugar and grains will increase your insulin level, and that is the equivalent of slamming your foot on the aging accelerator. There is simply no more potent way to accelerate aging than eating sugar and grains. Eating right for your nutritional type will also help to optimize your anti-aging program.

Fish oil is another strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet. When choosing a fish oil brand, it is important to find one of high quality to ensure that it has been purified of mercury and other toxins. The Carlson's brand fish oil and cod liver oil on this site is the best quality fish oil that I have come across to date. You can also look for it in your local health food store.

You may also want to look into some specific foods that may slow down aging. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that have anti-aging effects. Most fruits and especially vegetables contain antioxidants, but blueberries have been ranked #1 in antioxidant activity by the USDA when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables. We now carry delicious and convenient Wild Blueberry IQ Softgel Capsules in our store that are made from whole fresh blueberries -- and contain 40mg of potent disease fighting anthocyanins per capsule -- more than any other available supplement!

Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil, and this one is doubly beneficial because it can be eaten and applied directly to your skin. Coconut oil can be used in place of oils, margarine, butter or shortening and used for all your cooking needs. It can help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight, reduce the risk of heart disease and lower your cholesterol, among other things.

Researchers are also looking into the anti-aging effects of resveratrol, the antioxidant found in red wine that has been found to extend the lifespan of yeast cells by up to 80 percent.

Easily, implementing the nutrition plan is an excellent way to slow down aging and improve your quality of life. There is no quick fix with this, no pill and no magic fountain. While there are certainly some exceptions--some centenarians do little in the way of healthy eating or exercise--for most of us living a healthy life well into our 100s will take some dedication, and it's up to you to decide if the effort is worth it for you.

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