Catherine's Choice™ Blog

It is indeed amazing the amount of anti-aging research that is going on.” That’s the opening line of the previous issue. I repeat because it is so appropriate to this issue. The headline says “New” and it is new to me, and in terms of how long it takes new medical discoveries to reach and/or be considered by physicians — remember the 57 years to accept the easy solution for morning sickness during pregnancy – it is very new.

The 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three Americans in October of that year. Well, the discovery was not quite that new. It was back in the 1970’s they discovered that the part of the chromosome that is at its end is not a useless, dysfunctional tail as previously believed by scientists around the world, but is actually an important part of your DNA.  It seems that this part, named the telomere, is critical for healthy cell division as well as healthy cell function. The telomere is the part of the chromosome where the DNA enzymes attach in order to activate function of the genes. In turn, this leads to making proteins and more enzymes.

Cells are constantly being replaced by cell division where the new cell is the exact copy of the old one it is replacing.  You can see that this process must be perfect and is closely related to aging.  DNA is the coil where the overall plan for your body is recorded in exquisite detail and it is in every one of the trillion cells of the body!

The problem is that the telomeres of the new cells get shorter and shorter each time the cells divide. When they become too short, the chromosomes can not function and the DNA becomes useless.  You start with long telomeres. As the years go by, increasing numbers of cells die that are not properly replaced because their telomeres have become too short. This process manifests as aging.

It appears from that explanation that there could be no remedy for aging, but that isn’t the whole story by any means.

First, there is a special enzyme called telomerase that can actually restore telomeres! Both reproductive cells and stem cells have telomerase. Unfortunately, so do cancer cells, which can divide indefinitely.  If we can find a way to activate telomerase with our healthy cells, it will keep us more youthful and simultaneously ward off cancer.  Factors against us in this are toxins, stress, bad nutrition, and anything that causes higher levels of homocysteine, which seems to inactivate telomerase. (Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood. Studies have shown that too much homocysteine in the blood (plasma) is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. )

Homocysteine can easily be lowered with vitamins B12, B6 and folate (many medical professionals and writers assume that folic acid is the same as the vitamin folate, but folic acid is an oxidized form that may accelerate cognitive decline in some older folk and that has been linked to increased risk of colon and rectal cancer. No such risks are attached to naturally occurring folates, found in leafy and green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.

Not only good diet but also certain supplements can enhance telomerase activity. Green tea supports longer telomeres.  Drink three cups a day and add years to the length of your telomeres and therefore to your life expectancy. The same can be said for vitamin D3, which has become very popular lately as more experts realize how many benefits it has and how small the recommended dosage has been.  Superoxide dismutase is a critically important antioxidant enzyme that is made by the body but can also be taken as a supplement. Higher levels slow telomere shortening.

Now let’s consider a closely related subject where a new discovery offers unprecedented control over destructive aging processes.  The discovery is a new compound that promotes the growth of new mitochondria. Mitochondria are vital bacteria that live inside our cells. They are the cellular power plants that provide 95% of our cellular energy.

If cells are damaged by trauma or by aging pathology, mitochondria may be released from dying tissue. Our immune system sees them as foreign bacteria and responds with inflammation that, if acute, can be fatal, as seen in sepsis, or if chronic, will slowly attack every living tissue. (This demonstrates the importance of long term daily use of Catherine’s Choice Aloe Vera, a mild but powerful anti-inflammatory.)

Mitochondria in healthy cells with intact cell walls that shield them from the immune system do not trigger inflammatory response. Normally these energy producing bacteria have a symbiotic relationship that is very healthy and mutually beneficial as long as the mitochondria is well nourished and protected by nutrients like CoQ10, L-carnitine and, I venture to suggest, aloe vera.

It is vital to maintain youthful mitochondrial function and structure.  In a recent study, researchers found that muscle tissue of a man aged 90 contained 95% damaged mitochondria compared to almost no damage in that of a 5-year-old. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a primary cause of age-related decline!

Damaged or insufficient mitochondria can have a horrible effect. A plethora of recent scientific reports link defective and deficient mitochondria to virtually all degenerative diseases including diabetes, cancer, heart failure, and even Alzheimer’s!

As suggested above, up to now we could protect and improve the function of existing mitochondria with our best nutrients, but the only way to stimulate creation of additional, new mitochondria was reduction of calories or exhaustive physical activity.  But now there is the new discovery I mentioned before. It is a natural agent with the power to safely induce mitochondrial biogenesis!

Mitochondrial biogenesis IS the creation of additional, new mitochondria.

The name of this remarkable substance is pyrroloquinoline quinone, but we will call it by its initials, PQQ. It may well be able to at least halt and hopefully even reverse cellular aging! It is present in all plant species tested and is present in human milk, but is not synthesized by the human body. It is therefore classified as an essential micronutrient.

Notice above statement that “it is present in all plant species tested.” I learned that just as I copied it from my source a moment ago. Immediately I realized that aloe vera is well known for essential micronutrients. I do not know that it has been tested for this particular one (PQQ), but that may well be the explanation for my being the Young Octogenarian!  Whether it is or not, I know that you should always make your choice Catherine’s Choice for better health!

Warren, the Young Octogenarian

By Warren Bridges, the Young Octogenarian

It is indeed amazing the amount of anti-aging research that is going on. It has been going on for quite a few years, now, and is making great progress in developing ways to avoid the consequences of growing older that have long been accepted as normal by most people.

As you may know, serious problems of aging can manifest as young as 40, so the sooner you think about applying the information below to your own life, the better. If you are young enough to be disinterested in this subject, you may still find it useful to learn something that could help other members of your family or perhaps a friend.

In a way you could think of all of the healing arts, including modern medical science, as attempted life extension, but what we really want is youth extension!

We want to continue to get older, but without deterioration.  It’s a given that life style (diet, exercise, proper rest, emotional and spiritual factors) have considerable impact on aging.  For more information about how to work this area into our equation on anti-aging and youth extension, please refer to past editions of this blog retained on this site.

I stand by what was written before but do not want to repeat more than I already have, except for this: “People who know me know that I attribute my good condition at age 86 to regular use of Catherine’s Choice Aloe Vera.  Every day I take 4 Catherine’s Choice capsules in the morning and 4 more in the evening.”  My C-Reactive Protein test, which indicates the degree of inflammation in the arteries, one of the most destructive of conditions, is very low. This means I am aging very slowly.

In a recent edition of this blog, I told you about the “fountain of youth” product, Catherine’s Choice Trans-Resveratrol (which in the original I misspelled as “Trans-Reservation.” I am embarrassed and can only explain this as having been written in the early morning hours after an entire day and night’s work. Hopefully the editors caught and corrected this.) Anyway, before we ever added this product to our line, we did extensive research on the science behind it and found it exciting and supported by many authorities.  Our bio-chemists agreed and created the high-quality formula we use.  I take Catherine’s Choice Trans-Resveratrol twice daily myself, which I would not do if I didn’t believe in it (nor would I market it).

Well, recently my mail contained a 20 page 4-color advertisement labeled “SPECIAL LONGEVITY BULLETIN.”  It had a headline that screamed “6 out of 7 Anti-Aging Solutions are Completely BOGUS”

Furthermore, it seems to have been written by a very prestigious medical doctor of New York City who discredits CoQ10 and beta carotene as well as resveratrol, acai berry extract and Human Growth Hormone, all of which have been highly acclaimed by many authorities as aging deterrents.

To be fair, the alarming headlines are more or less explained away in the text that follows, at least for all but beta carotene.  Basically, the doctor is saying that these supplements may be great nutrition but they do not extend the life span as claimed by some purveyors.  He says human studies have not been done, but only animal studies.

I disagree to this extent: if a person’s normal diet is unhealthy, and most are nowadays what with genetic altering of fresh produce and all sorts of shelf-life extenders added to almost everything in the grocery store and unnatural, high stress life in cages for the animals in our factory farms, I repeat, most American diets are not really healthy. Isn’t that factor life-shortening? And therefore, wouldn’t good supplements that furnish missing nutrients needed for optimum health automatically be life extending?

I suggest that the doctor’s original manuscript has had sidebars and headlines added that alter the original meaning so as to needlessly discredit good supplements that can make us more healthy and may possibly extend the life span somewhat. Even if the latter does not occur, what’s wrong with being healthier?

Also, this well-printed piece of mail turned out to be an advertisement that promotes a new product that contains “nature’s strongest, most effective age-defying antioxidants.” That might be considered a claim for an anti-aging product. Anyway, I plan to order the product and try it, but I still believe in the other products the doctor criticized and will continue to use them.

Another advertisement appearing in my mail claimed aloe vera to be the most popular item sold in health food stores. This ad was from a direct competitor of ours promoting their own brand of aloe vera capsules.

This claim is probably true, if you consider all brands and both important forms, capsules and juice.  And that doesn’t include the thousands of gallons of aloe vera juice sold by individuals in various multi-level marketing plans for home businesses. At least one of these companies is huge, with distributors in many countries on several continents.

The reason aloe vera is so popular is simple: It works.

Aloe vera is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory substance that reduces the inflammation that is now recognized as a leading cause of many serious diseases, including coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis. Its high content of polysaccharides accelerates healing, while the large number of trace elements, vitamins and minerals greatly enhances nutrition, even though these ingredients are each present in fairly small quantities.

Everyone should consume aloe vera daily, in my opinion. It is not a panacea and will not solve all health problems, but it certainly does lead to better health in many ways.  I have lived 11 years longer than either of my parents, who were health conscious and tried to eat a properly balanced diet. While they could not have known as much about nutrition as we do today, their food supply was much more natural and less processed. But they did not know about aloe vera, having died years before I learned about it.

Unfortunately, not all aloe vera is up to the quality of Catherine’s Choice, which I truly believe to be the best there is. We have conducted limited tests of other brands and have not found that any one of them is any better than ours, while several were clearly inferior.  You may have to pay a little more, but that is because it costs us more to ensure the high quality.

So remember, to have a secure foundation for better health, always make Catherine’s Choice your choice for better health!

Your friend,

The Young Octogenarian

The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) in the United States. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the organization. In countries other than the U.S. it is referred to simply as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM)”. It is a national and international health campaign to increase people’s awareness of the terrible disease, while at the same time raising funds for the cause.

Breast cancer, also referred to as “malignant breast neoplasm”, is a cancer that usually originates from the lobules or the milk ducts in a woman’s breast. It can originate in other breast tissue as well, and also in the breasts of males.Breast cancer is very treatable if it is caught in the early stages. This is the reason the United States

Preventive Services Task Force recommends women between the ages of 50 and 74 have a mammography (also referred to as mammogram) done every 2 years. Most other medical experts suggest starting to get mammography screenings at the age of 40.

Currently there is no cure for breast cancer, or any specific means to prevent it. However there are ways to greatly reduce the risk of developing it. It is recommended that you live a healthy life that includes:

- Avoiding Smoking, or being around those that smoke.
- Limiting alcohol intake.
- Increasing the amount of fiber you get in your diet.
- Exercising
- Limiting your daily fat consumption.

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, you will see a lot of people walking around with pink ribbons attached to their clothing. This is a fund raising method by the organization to raise further funds for research, and the prevention of breast cancer.

You can find more information about breast cancer awareness as well as treatment, diagnosis, and other facts at nbcam.org.