A Critical Analysis of Aging
The effects of aging and its associated chronic non-communicable diseases in Jamaica, is currently costing $42 billion dollars per year and is obviously of grave concern to our government. Our Prime Minister, Bruce Golding, met with other Caribbean heads of government in Trinidad at the 2007 Regional Summit of Heads where a decision was made to initiate a Caribbean Wellness Day. As a result of this initiative The Urban Development Car Park downtown will be transformed into a fitness area. The Ministry of Health has also launched a “love your body, treat your body right” campaign that includes in their recommendations an increased intake of fruits and vegetables and a reduction in sugary and fatty foods. Is there evidence that a diet high in fruits and vegetables slows aging and reduces non-communicable diseases? This type of dietary campaign is not new and is currently being pushed by our North American neighbors. Reports coming from these regions are that this campaign is not bearing any fruit and that the epidemic of non-communicable diseases is progressively getting worse. In fact the NHANES study in the US states that the medical status of treated diabetics is worse today than it was 15 years ago. It is therefore necessary that a critical analysis of factors important for aging should be examined in order to find the direction we should take and debunk the misconceptions that will only cost us further.
Science and Aging – Scientific analysis of the potential lifespan of human beings has consistently estimated this to be approximately 120 years. This target has not been achieved by the general population in any society in modern times. The Chinese and Japanese are today the longest living ethnic group on the planet with an average life span of approximately 80 years. The average lifespan for Jamaicans is 74 years while the US is about 77 years. These figures are very interesting since despite the vast technological advantage of the US and Japan when compared to Jamaica, their lifespan is only 3 to 6 years more than ours. This means that an initiative of investing into more hospitals, equipment, doctors and drugs is unlikely to yield much improvement in our health status.
Bible and Aging – Biblical literature has two references on human lifespan. In Genesis 6 verse 3 God declares that the human lifespan will only be120 years as a result of his propensity to sin. In Psalm 90 the writer comments that man seems to live for 70-80 years depending on the state of his health. Both science and the bible agree that we have fallen way below our true potential and that most people die, not because they are old (about 120 years) but rather because they are aged (at 70-80 years). It is recorded that Moses lived for 120 years before he departed the earth. A physical analysis of his body was that despite being old he did not bear the resemblance of someone that was aged. (Deuteronomy 34:7)
Why Aging occurs – The process of aging of the human body is very simple to comprehend. It results from the same process that causes your house, car TV, computer etc. to look old. It is because you are using your body and therefore it will sustain wear and tear damages. If you misuse or abuse the body such as engage in smoking then you will only increase the rate of wear and tear and therefore speed up the aging process. The greater the wear and tear damage, the greater the onset of diseases which will only add further to the rate of aging.
How to slow aging – The process of slowing aging is very simple to comprehend. If you want your car or house to last you longer then you must have an ongoing restoration or repair program. Let us take your car as an example. If you wish to slow the aging of your car then you should regularly remove the old worn and torn parts and replace them with new parts. Therefore if you want to slow aging you must encourage your body to regularly remove the old parts and replace them with new parts.
Is there any evidence that the body has the two systems necessary for restoration? i.e. A destructive system for removal of old tissue and a constructive system for replacement of new tissue?
Scientific research has shown that the body possesses a destructive hormone (removes old parts) and a constructive hormone (replaces new parts) and therefore has the potential to restore itself. Let us turn our attention to how these hormones work.
Destructive hormone – Cortisol is the destructive hormone of the body. It is increased during stressful conditions and is the reason why persons, during stressful periods, will lose weight rapidly even beyond their reduced food intake. The cortisol level in your body is regulated by two rhythms or cycles. It has a 24 hours rhythm or circadian rhythm that causes the cortisol level to be high in the mornings at about 8:00 a.m. and lower in the evenings. Cortisol causes the breakdown of both fatty tissues and protein tissues. The breakdown of protein tissues by cortisol does not occur if the person has a meal in the morning when cortisol is high. Cortisol also has a circaseptan rhythm. This is to say that cortisol is higher every seventh morning than the other six mornings of the week. Most persons do not show this rhythm except when they are under severe stress. This is the reason why persons who receive kidney transplants will usually reject them on days that are multiples of seven i.e. day 7, 14, 21 or 28 etc. The circaseptan rhythm of cortisol is still observed in some aboriginal communities.
Constructive hormone – Insulin is the body’s constructive hormone. It is released into the body after a meal, especially if it is high in sugary and starchy foods. Insulin will cause your body to build both fatty and protein tissues. The building of fatty tissue by Insulin can be suppressed by a heavy meal in the morning during the time cortisol is high. This suppression of fat building will last up to a 24 hours and program the hormone to direct the building of new protein tissues.
It would appear from this analysis of the body’s restoration hormones, that how one consumes food in the morning (breakfast or fasting) will dictate the extent of restoration, the rate of aging and the presence of non-communicable diseases.
Science and breakfast – Scientific studies have consistently shown that persons who consume a large breakfast regularly are four time less likely to be obese than those who do not. This is consistent with the finding as discussed above that Insulin’s building of fat is attenuated with a large breakfast.
Science and fasting – Scientific studies in the Mormon community have shown that their regular monthly fast significantly reduces the incidence of heart disease in their community. It would appear that the fasting allows for more restoration work on their hearts hence the lower incidence of heart diseases.
Conclusion -The critical issue then, based on the scientific evidence, is the optimal ratio of fasting to heavy breakfasts which will allow for optimal restoration. The Bible clearly indicates that the optimal ratio is 1 fast to every 6 breakfasts. This was hinted at in the creation story (work rest cycle) and reinforced in the story of the dietary plan Moses used to feed the Israelites as they traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land. (Exodus16). Interestingly the breakfast was a high carbohydrate or Insulin stimulating meal called manna (sweet like honey and starchy like a seed). The morning fast that was instructed, to take place every week, usually lasted until after 6:00 p.m.
The circaseptan rhythm of cortisol discovered by science would also suggest that fasting should take place every seven days. Returning to this pattern of eating will ensure the slowing of our aging process and the reversal of the epidemic of non-communicable diseases. Therefore, if the government and health experts wish to avert this impending health and economic disaster, more attention should be paid to the pattern of eating, that is, 6 heavy breakfasts and 1 fast each week, rather than the increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, which has not proven effective in North American countries.
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