Aging

Question 1

Plant foods rich in nonheme iron include

Answer 1

whole-grain breads and cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds,

and dark green leafy vegetables.

Question 2

T/F? Bloodlevels of homocysteine are typically lower in people whose diets are high in meat and low in
leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruits. -

Answer 2

FALSE
Bloodlevels of homocysteine are typically HIGHER in people whose diets are high in meat and low in
leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruits.

Question 3

T/F? Increasingones muscle-to-fat ratio does not affect ones aerobic capacity. -

Answer 3

FALSE

Increasingones muscle-to-fat ratio DOES affect ones aerobic capacity.

Question 4

Nothingis more important to our health than

Answer 4

social connectedness and the quality of our human

relationships.

Question 5

T/F? Insulinresistance is thought to underlie the development of cognitive dysfunction, dementia, and
most of the other ravages of unhealthy aging.

Answer 5

• FALSE
• Free radicals are thought to underlie the development of cognitive dysfunction, dementia, and most of
  the other ravages of unhealthy aging.

Question 6

Magnesiumand zinc act as

Answer 6

antioxidants.

Question 7

What type of exercise is particularly helpful for enhancing circulation, increasing range of motion
and providing greater body awareness?

Answer 7

Stretching (such as yoga)

Question 8

Hemochromatosis is defined as:

Answer 8

Excessive stores of iron in the body.

Question 9

What primary foods cause blood cholesterol levels to rise?

Answer 9

• Saturated fats found mostly in animal products.

- Hydrogenated fats found mostly in processed foods.

Question 10

What diet has been scientifically proven to reverse atherosclerosis, decrease angina and insulin
levels, bring about permanent weight loss (five years or longer), and dramatically reduce cardiac events
such as heart attacks?

Answer 10

The Ornish diet

Question 11

What illness is related to poor oxidative capacity?

Answer 11

Chronic fatigue

Question 12

In addition to eating fish, how can a person get adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids?

Answer 12

• By taking 3 grams a day of fish oil capsules.
• By taking 1-2 tablespoons a day of ground flaxseeds or flaxseed oil.
• By taking supplementary DHA (e.g. algae-derived DHA).

Question 13

The cells lining the stomach are replaced every .

Answer 13

FIVE days

Question 14

White flour, white rice, and other refined grain products are absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream,
causing rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The fibre in whole grains:

Answer 14

• Slows fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
• Helps lower cholesterol levels.
• Keeps the digestive tract healthy.

Question 15

Which of the following nutrients are key factors in preventing Alzheimer’s disease by reducing blood
levels of homocysteine?

Answer 15

Folic acid and vitamin B 12

Question 16

Explain what is meant by “the metabolic advantage of a low-carb diet.”

Answer 16

people lose weight on these diets because they are consuming fewer calories and
reduced consumption of unhealthful refined carbohydrates.
In the short term these
diets cause more weight loss.
carbohydrate restricted diet, the human body has to expend energy (burn calories) to manufacture carbohydrate from tissues
that absolutely require glucose, like the brain and red blood cells. Thus, extra calories are expended without exercise.

Question 17

Explainwhy many scientists now believe that people who eat plant-based diets have far less
dementia than those who consume more animal products.
.

Answer 17

Because their diets are very high in antioxidants, which prevent against free radical damage. Animal
based foods on the other hand, typically tend to activate free radical production and cell damage. Such
diets also keep people from being overweight, keep cholesterol levels and blood pressure low and reduce
atherosclerosis - all factors that are extremely important in to retaining healthy mental functioning.
Lastly, homocysteine, a toxic amino acid, a breakdown product of protein metabolism, and animal foods
(meat in particular), tend to contribute to homocysteine production and high levels of blood
homocysteine has been strongly linked to Alzheimers

Question 18

Describethe ideal diet if you want to avoid Alzheimers disease. List which foods to avoid and which
foods to include.

Answer 18

Avoid - Animal foods as they typically tend to activate free radical production and cell damage
(homocysteine levels typically higher in those whose diets are high in meat). Also fat, saturated fat,
cholesterol, sugar, and white flour.
Include - whole foods, plant based, high in antioxidants (found in fresh vegetables, whole grains, fresh
fruit, and legumes such as soy, seeds and nuts) and be sure to get enough DHA and other omega 3 fats
(ground flaxseed, flax oil, fish or fish oil or algae derived DHA)

Question 19

Name four classic signs of testosterone deficiency:

Answer 19

1. Thinning hair
2. Decreasing libido
3. Increasing body fat
4. Memory problems
5. Promote healthy skin

Question 20

Getting enough omega-3s is crucial to optimum physical and mental health in all stages of life. Name
five benefits of omega-3s.

Answer 20

1. Help reverse heart disease
2. Boost immune function
3. Fight degenerative diseases
4. Improve mental health
5. Promote healthy skin

Question 21

How does exercise help control or reverse the biomarkers of aging?

Answer 21

exercise builds muscles
muscle strength helps preserve aerobic capacity,
to keep your blood sugar low, to retain a healthy blood sugar tolerance, to maintain healthy cholesterol, to sustain the mineral density of your bones and to stabilize your body’s ability to regulate its internal
temperature.
Aerobic capacity is a fundamental measure of the health of your cardiopulmonary system - heart, lungs
and circulatory mechanisms. Increasing your muscle to fat ratio (through exercise) increases your aerobic capacity - and the health of your entire circulatory system.
Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity is a biomarker of aging that can be reversed with exercise -
increasing your muscle to fat ratio can reverse this deterioration, improve blood sugar tolerance and
keep insulin sensitivity high and greatly reduce your chances of ever developing diabetes.
As we age we tend to lose calcium from our bones but placing stress on a bone repeatedly causes it to become stronger

Question 22

List and provide a brief description of 4 of the 5 key factors that have produced exceptionally healthy
aging in the Abkhasians.

Answer 22

Children
Food they eat
Exercise
respected their elders