aging

Fasting Twice a Year Can Reboot Your Immune System

June 7, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain 20 Comments

study says fasting can regenerate a healthy immune system with new stem cells

Would you be willing to go without food for a few days to keep your immune system in tip-top shape? That is exactly what may happen if you’re willing to fast twice a year according to a new University of Southern California study featured in the June 5 edition of Cell Stem Cell. The study is the first to find that someone, through natural intervention by the person, can help trigger stem cells to regenerate. In other words, it appears fasting can help your immune system recycle itself to become stronger than it had been before you began to fast.

The fasting works in the following way. By not eating for two to four days in a row, the body significantly lowers the number of white blood cells. Those cells that die off tend to be those which are weak or have damage. When a person begins to eat again, new stem cells are created which end up being much healthier than the ones that died off. In other words, by fasting, a person can regenerate a completely new and healthy immune system.

The study could have huge implications for a variety of groups, especially in the area of healthier aging. As people get older, their immune system declines, which can lead to a bigger chance of getting a variety of diseases. If fasting can help regenerate a person’s immune system, their body may be able to better fight these diseases than they could before, without the need of any prescription drugs. As the authors note, “If you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system.”

And added benefit is that a healthier immune system could end up saving people a lot of money. Being able to fight off diseases without the help of pharmaceuticals can save a small fortune. Simply being in better health can save money in a large number of ways such as being more productive, having fewer sick days and having more energy. For those who think this would be a good idea for them and their health, don’t just jump right into it. Here are a few things you need to consider before you begin a fast:

Tell Your Doctor

Before you do anything, consult your doctor to get their opinion. Since they will best know your health issues, you want to make sure doing a fast will actually be a benefit, and not detrimental to your health. There may be reason you should not do this which you may not have considered. This is especially true if you are taking medication which might be affected by you not consuming food or calories.

Stay Hydrated

Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, be sure that you drink plenty of water during the fast. Especially during the summer, the last thing you want to do is get dehydrated while fasting. Consult your doctor on the amount of water you should be drinking during the fast, and make sure you consume the recommended amount.

Don’t Strenuously Exercise

Trying to fast and keep your regular routine will be a challenge in itself when you aren’t able to take your normal food and coffee breaks throughout the day, but it will make the entire process even worse if you try to exercise as well. When you make the commitment to fast, give your body the best chance to complete it with the least amount of discomfort. Strenuously exercising while fasting will make the other hours all that more difficult as your body craves food even more.

Reduce Stress

Try to make the time you attempt the fast as stress-free as possible. Trying to not eat while you have major stresses will make fasting miserable, and make it much more likely you fail to succeed. Try to schedule the fast during a time when you have plenty of time to use the way you want, and you don’t have a huge number of commitments which have to be met.

Make Sure You’re Healthy

You want to make sure that you’re in the best health possible when doing this. That is, you don’t want to attempt this when you have the flu or some other type of illness. Again, make sure to consult your doctor and review your health before attempting to fast for 48 – 96 hours.

It’s Not a Diet

Be sure to remember why you’re doing this. You’re fasting to regenerate your stem cells and rebuild your immune system, not to lose weight. You should not care one bit about any weight you lose or don’t lose. It’s also important to note that this should only be done twice a year, not on a monthly basis. Doing it more often than twice-a-year may have a number of negative effects which outweigh any benefit you get from the immune system regeneration.

(Photo courtesy of Cordey)

Virtual Reality Can Help You Save Money

April 14, 2014 By Jennifer Derrick 2 Comments

It’s funny how the human mind can conceive of just about everything except our older selves. We can easily imagine a pink dragon that farts rainbow bubbles, but if you ask us to imagine ourselves as old, we can’t do it. No matter how much information we have that we will get old, decrepit, and die, we just cannot imagine it for ourselves. We see our parents, grandparents, and friends age and die and yet we still think it won’t happen to us. If you want to be successful financially, though, research shows that you have to find a way to make friends with your older self. And the younger you are when this happens, the better.

Researchers in the field of virtual reality at Stanford did some experiments where they showed young adults virtual reality images of themselves as senior citizens and allowed the participants to interact with their older selves. Before the study began each person was asked how much they would save for retirement. They were asked again upon exiting the virtual reality facility. Those who were shown images of themselves as older increased their savings numbers, sometimes by a large amount, upon exiting the experiment. Those who were shown only images of themselves at their current age did not change their numbers.

The researchers concluded that making “friends” with the virtual, older selves increased savings levels (whether the effect lasted long term or not wasn’t studied) among participants. In other words, if you can see yourself as older and accept that this is your fate, you’ll be more inclined to protect this older person that you regard as a friend and as part of you. This makes sense. If you don’t think old age will ever apply to you, if you approach it with fear and hostility, or if it is so far in the future as to be inconceivable to you, then where is your motivation to save?

And this is exactly the state that most twenty-somethings find themselves in, yet the twenties is the best time to save because you have all that time and compounding on your side. Instead, most young people would rather use the money to buy stuff for the person they are today, not the person they can’t even conceive of being forty years from now.

Unfortunately, most people who eventually make friends with their older self do so too late. It may happen once their own kids are gone and they realize how much time has passed. It may happen after a health scare. Or it happens when they reach retirement age and are not-so-subtly pressured out of the workforce. By the time these things happen, you’re usually in your forties or fifties and you’ve wasted a lot of years and money. It’s almost impossible to bring your retirement savings up to a decent level without slashing and burning your budget to the bone. Had you only started earlier…

Most of us don’t have access to a virtual reality lab where we can see and interact with our older selves. Absent that, how can you make your older self real to you? How can you make your unwilling mind accept the idea that you will one day be old, retired, and in need of money?

Age a photograph of yourself

There are lots of free tools on the internet that can age a photo so you can get a rough idea of what your older self will look like (even Merrill Lynch offers one). Print out a copy and keep it near your bill paying station, or even in your wallet. Think about this older self before making purchases that benefit only your younger self like fancy cars, DVD’s, unnecessary clothes and shoes, and dinners out.

Make a list of what your older self will want to do

Of course this will change through the years as your interests change, but give some serious thought to what you want to do in your older years. Travel? Hobbies? Spend time with family? Try to see yourself living and doing all these things you want to do and write them all down. You can even write a “Day in the life” piece where you describe your ideal day as an older person. Writing all of this down makes it more real than just saying, “Someday I’ll…” Refer to this list when you need motivation to save for those far off goals.

Study yourself in the mirror

Most of us get up in the morning, get dressed, maybe put on some makeup and do our hair, but we don’t really see the person looking back at us. We see what we expect to see or want to see. We don’t want to see the wrinkles, so we don’t. We tend to see ourselves as we remember ourselves at our best. If you really study yourself, though, the signs of aging will be there. Spend some time really looking at yourself. Note the wrinkles, the gray hairs, the sagging, the subtle changes in your skin, etc. You’re not doing this to scare yourself off to the plastic surgeon. You’re doing this so you can really see that stranger in the mirror and make peace with him or her.

Really study your elders

We tend to turn a blind eye to our parents’ and grandparents’ aging process. We just don’t want to see it because it means they are getting older and will die. We tend to see the parents of our youth until something awful happens and we can no longer ignore it. But take some time and really look at your relatives. They are the closest you’ll get to seeing yourself as older without aging your own photo. Watch them move, view their appearance, pay attention to their medical issues, and look at their circumstances, too. If this person who looks a lot like you is having a hard time making ends meet it’s not too hard to see yourself in that position and want to do something different. And if they’re doing well that’s a form of motivation, too. You could be just like these people in the future so pay attention.

Study aging

You don’t have to make a huge study of aging, but there are plenty of general interest books, websites, and forums where you can learn about the common progression and issues of aging. Again, you’re not doing this to scare yourself senseless, but to get beyond denial. If you know what waits for you, you’re more likely to deal with it proactively and that means saving money (and staying healthy, etc.).

Stop fighting it

I’m not saying you have to let yourself go and give up. But the sooner you accept the fact that you are aging and that no amount of makeup or Botox is going to stop that, the sooner you can make peace with the person who is going to need a large retirement nest egg. By all means do what you can to remain healthy (eat right, exercise, etc.), but give up on preserving your 20-year old looks because nothing you do will stop aging. You’ll save money and make friends with the older self you are becoming.

It’s hard to see yourself as older, even when you are older. But seeing your older self and accepting that this is your future is one key to saving money while you’re young. Don’t wait until you can no longer ignore your age. Go ahead and accept that you will be old one day and that person will need money just as much as, if not more than, your current self needs it. You don’t want to squander all of your money while you’re young and leave that older person out in the cold, eating dog food, and depending on others for care, do you? Since he or she is you, I hope not.

(Photo courtesy of Charline Tetiyevsky)

Aging is Expensive Even When You Aren’t Old

July 20, 2012 By Jennifer Derrick 7 Comments

We all know that we’ll likely face increased costs as we age. Most of those will come from healthcare costs as we fight diseases ranging from cancer to arthritis to dementia. While we’re aware of those increasing expenses, we assume that life won’t get more expensive until we’re “much older.” However, I’m finding that life is already starting to get more expensive as I age, and I’m not “old” yet.

It’s the little, subtle things that are starting to weigh down my bank balance. Subtle changes in my body are starting to require that more money be spent to keep me operating effectively and looking halfway decent. No longer can I just buy the cheapest thing on the shelf and know that it will work. As I age I’m finding that I’m becoming higher maintenance, and I’m not thrilled about it. Here are some things that are starting to get more expensive.

Shampoo and Conditioner

I used to be able to buy the cheapest shampoo and still have good looking hair. As I’ve aged, however, my hair has changed and it now requires “better” shampoo and conditioner to prevent breakage and keep it from hanging limply. The cheap stuff no longer works for me and I’ve had to start buying a more expensive salon formula to get good results.

Lotions

I hardly ever used lotion when I was younger. As I’m aging, though, my skin is getting drier. Not only that, the cheap lotions can’t even touch the dryness, especially in the winter. Now I’m not only paying for lotion on a regular basis, but I’m having to buy the more expensive formulas to get any results.

Better Food

Like many people, when I was young my diet wasn’t the greatest. During college it was especially appalling. I can no longer get away with that. If I eat too much junk food, it no longer simply disappears. It tends to stick around on my hips. I’m also less tolerant of unhealthy food now. I don’t feel well after eating it. While I don’t buy “organic everything,” I do find that I spend a bit more now on fresh produce and seafood. On the plus side, I rarely eat out anymore because I can’t tolerate the high sodium and spice content in many foods, so this one might be a wash cost-wise.

Supplements

While I try hard to get everything I need from my diet, I find that I function better when I include some supplements in my life. I never used to bother and I was fine. My doctor has also recommended a couple of supplements due to medical conditions in my family. Different people will take different things, but as you age you may find yourself visiting the pharmacy for various vitamins and minerals.

More Medical Screenings and Checkups

As you age you start coming up on medical milestones. Mammograms for women starting at forty. Colonoscopies at fifty. Yippee. I used to go to the doctor once per year for a physical. Now I go to the ophthalmologist (my eyes are aging, too), dermatologist (thanks to all those years of ill-advised tanning), gynecologist, primary care doctor, and radiologist for my mammogram. All of that every year. And that’s just to keep me healthy. Since each of these carries a co-pay, I’m paying five times more in co-pays than I used to, and I’m healthy!

More Hair Cuts

Back to my hair again. I used to go eight weeks between cuts and my hair would still hold its look. Now, thanks to hair that refuses to cooperate, I’m having to go every four weeks to keep from looking like a sheepdog. That’s twice as many cuts in a year. Thank goodness my stylist is cheap.

Temperature Control

I think this one is uniquely female, but I’m doing battle with my internal thermostat these days. Some days I have to chill the house down until the penguins move in, and other days I’m turning the heat up because I’m freezing. My days of careful thermostat management have been suspended while I seek an ever changing level of comfort. Sadly, the electric bill is a casualty.

Soaps

Back to the ever changing skin. Somewhere along the line, my skin went from normal (which meant that I could use any kind of soap) to sensitive which requires special soap. No longer can I just buy whatever’s on sale. I have two brands that work for me and I have to get one of those. I pray for sales and stock up because those soaps are almost twice as much as what I used to buy.

Cosmetics

Women will know that as you age, there is a little more work to do on the face. I don’t wear much makeup since I work from home but when I do need to look my best, I can no longer get by with drugstore cosmetics. Thanks to the skin sensitivity, I’m limited in my choices, plus I need a few more products than I used to. It isn’t cheap.

This is another one of those reasons why it’s so important to save money while you’re young. It’s not going to be just the bigger things that cost more as you age, the little things are going to start costing more, too. Thank goodness I saved a lot when I was young because just getting me up and out the door every morning is starting to cost more.

(Photo courtesy of Unfurled)

Going Broke Trying to Prevent Aging?

March 16, 2009 By Jennifer Derrick 10 Comments

There’s no need to disclose exactly how old I am. Let’s just say I’m at the age where my hair is turning gray, wrinkles are appearing, and things are starting to soften a bit. My hairdresser asked me the other day, “Well, when are you going to start coloring your hair?” as if it was a foregone conclusion that I would be doing so. My dermatologist recently asked me if I was ready for some of the anti-aging creams she sells or, perhaps, some Botox? I said no to all of it.

Anti-aging cosmetics and chemicals are a billion dollar business. Women are spending fortunes on creams, lotions, serums, and injections that they hope will keep them looking young. Here’s an example of how out of hand this business has gotten. Once I was helping one woman with her finances (which were a total mess and she was in debt to the tune of $73,000). I told her to think about what she could cut from the budget and what were “sacred” items that had to stay (meaning, I thought, lights, heat, food, shelter, etc.). On her sacred list were her Botox injections, hair coloring appointments, and a host of expensive creams and lotions to prevent wrinkles and cellulite. I asked her if those weren’t really “wants,” not “needs” and she told me in no uncertain terms that she would not live without them. Ok, then. I told her she’d better start liking Ramen noodles because the money was going to have to come from somewhere. I’ve met plenty of other women like this who believe that spending a lot of money and going into debt to look young will actually keep them young. From where I stand, it’s not worth it.

It’s not that I don’t want to look good. I do, within reason and within my budget. And it’s not that I relish getting older. I certainly do not. But there’s a line that I have to draw. I’m just not willing to spend a fortune to engage in a battle that I have no hope of winning. If aging were like a disease that could be cured, of course I would fight it tooth and nail with everything I had. I would pay a ton of money if I could stop aging in its tracks and remain young forever. But the truth is, no matter what I do, aging isn’t something I can cure. I can’t even slow it down. No matter what I put on or in myself, the aging process is still going on.

The best I, or anyone, can do is to cover the effects for a while. But even then, there will come a point where I will just look silly. (You know the women I’m talking about; the ones that are clearly senior citizens with jet black hair, faces that look pulled too tight to smile, and caked on makeup. That look’s just not going to work for me.) I’d rather age naturally and gracefully than reach that point where I say, “I think I’ll stop coloring my hair or stop getting Botox,” and age dramatically and suddenly so that everyone can see me change in front of their eyes. No thanks. It’s no use fooling yourself that cosmetically covering the effects of aging is really keeping you young.

There are so many other things in this life that I’d rather spend money on that have a better return and add value to my life than anti-aging products. I can save for my future health care which, unlike cosmetic anti-aging products, may literally be a matter of life and death one day. I can travel and see the world so that when I am old I have those memories to look back on instead of looking back on hair appointments and chemical peels. I can save for my retirement so that when I am old I can live freely and comfortably. I can spend my money on books and theater shows and outings to museums that enrich my mind. I can spend money on things that keep me young internally, where it matters. I can eat better food, invest in exercise equipment, and get good healthcare. All of that will add to the value and (hopefully) length of my life over time. But to spend a fortune on trying to remain young looking? It’s a waste of money and time. I’m going to get old and die regardless of what chemicals I put on and in my body and I’d much rather be able to afford my old age and die with a lot of great memories than be a beautiful corpse.

Unless you have unlimited money, in order to be financially healthy you have to choose your battles. Make them battles you can actually win. Aging is, unfortunately, not a winnable battle. Whether you’re covering up the effects or not, aging is still going on inside your body and mind. You are getting older and there’s no sense denying that fact. I would argue that it’s better to accept it and move on, spending money on things that you can control, than to keep fighting a war that none of us will win. No one gets out of this life alive and, if you’re very lucky, you don’t get out of it young, either.