Recent aging studies have shown that caloric restriction and fasting have a prolonging effect on lifespan. A compelling new study by a team of Japanese researchers has offered an incredibly thorough examination into the metabolic alterations that occur in human blood during fasting, revealing a fascinating array of changes that could point to a variety of health benefits.
The research set out to exhaustively analyze the metabolic profile of blood samples as subjects underwent an extensive stretch of fasting. Four healthy participants were recruited and subjected to a long fast, with blood samples taken at three points in the process: 10, 34 and 58 hours after commencing fasting.
The researchers identified 44 different blood-based metabolites significantly increasing in abundance after 58 hours of fasting. Alongside known markers signaling the body is moving to utilizing alternative energy stores, such as butyrates and branched-chain amino acids, an interesting increase in anti-oxidant metabolites was found suggesting that the response could be an evolutionary defense against the oxidative stress put on the body during fasting.
Other previously unidentified metabolites revealed in the study signaled enhanced mitochondrial activity. This discovery adds weight to a compelling Harvard study from last year that suggested that fasting could increase longevity and promote healthy aging by kickstarting youthful plasticity in mitochondrial networks.
Interestingly, three specific metabolites known to be associated with aging and longevity – leucine, isoleucine, and ophthalmic acid – all increased in levels after fasting. Prior study has revealed these specific metabolites essential for maintenance of muscle and antioxidant activity decrease with age and are found in notably low levels in the elderly. This result suggests the possibility of a rejuvenating effect by fasting.
One of the biggest limitations in this particular study was the small sample size. Although the ultimate increases in metabolites were consistent across all four subjects, how quickly those metabolites peaked did vary from person to person. The researchers note that further work in more subjects will hopefully resolve any questions over individual metabolic respond patterns.
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Journal Reference:
Teruya T. et al., Diverse metabolic reactions activated during 58-hr fasting are revealed by non-targeted metabolomic analysis of human blood
Scientific Reports, volume 9, Article Number: 854 (2019)https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-36674-9#Sec10
Coffee and beer are polar opposites in the beverage world: coffee picks you up, and beer winds you down. It seems that these two popular drinks may also have opposite effects on telomeres — the end points of chromosomal DNA, implicated in aging. Working with a kind of yeast that shares many important genetic similarities with humans, the researchers from University of Tel Aviv and Columbia University found that caffeine shortens and alcohol lengthens telomeres.
Telomere marks the ends of the strands of DNA in our chromosomes. They are essential to ensuring that the DNA strands are repaired and copied correctly. Every time a cell duplicates, the chromosomes are copied into the new cell with slightly shorter telomeres. Eventually, the telomeres become too short, and the cell dies. Only fetal and cancer cells have mechanisms to avoid this fate; they go on reproducing forever.
The researchers expose the yeast cells to 12 environmental stressors. Most of the stressors — from temperature and pH changes to various drugs and chemicals — had no effect on telomere length. But a low concentration of caffeine, similar to the amount found in a shot of espresso, shortened telomeres, and exposure to a 5-to-7 percent ethanol solution lengthened telomeres.
To understand these changes, the researchers scanned 6,000 strains of the yeast, each with a different gene deactivated. They then conducted genetic tests on the strains with the longest and shortest telomeres, revealing that two genes, Rap1 and Rif1, are the main players mediating environmental stressors and telomere length. In total, some 400 genes interact to maintain telomere length, the researchers note, underscoring the importance of this gene network in maintaining the stability of the genome. Strikingly, most of these yeast genes are also present in the human genome.
This is the first time anyone has analyzed a complex system in which all of the genes affecting telomere length are known. It turns out that telomere length is something that’s very exact, which suggests that precision is critical and nature has decided to protect this precision from environmental effects.
More laboratory work is needed to prove a causal relationship, not a mere correlation, between telomere length and aging or cancer. Only then will we know whether human telomeres respond to the same signals as yeast. For now, suggested the lead research Prof. Kupiec, “Try to relax and drink a little coffee and a little beer.”
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Journal Reference: Gal Hagit Romano, Yaniv Harari, Tal Yehuda, Ariel Podhorzer, Linda Rubinstein, Ron Shamir, Assaf Gottlieb, Yael Silberberg, Dana Pe’er, Eytan Ruppin, Roded Sharan, Martin Kupiec. Environmental Stresses Disrupt Telomere Length Homeostasis. PLoS Genetics, 2013; 9 (9): e1003721 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003721
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNCTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
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I use lots of herbs from Chinese traditional medicine for my skincare and general wellness purpose. In this post, I’d like to share some top ranked moisturizing and skin brightening herbs based on Chinese herbal medicine. All of these herbs have been extensively used in China both for medicinal applications and as everyday food items. You should be able to find these herbs in your local Asian grocery stores or a number of online stores. Just copy-paste the herb name into you Google search engine.
Here are a few general rules for incorporating herbs into your skincare and dietary routines:
- use the whole herb, chunks or slices for tea or soup
- use rough powder for tea or facial scrub
- use fine powder as face wash or mask
- You can also use herb tea as an ingredient for face toner, hair wash, or hair conditioner.
For tea or skin toner use, simmer herb slices in hot water for 5-10 min. Strain the water out. Drink as a tea. Or, cool and use as a skin toner or hair conditioner. I would recommend infuse the tea with other herbal ingredient for skin toner use.
For face wash or facial mask use, mix herb power with a grain powder such as oat or barley flower. Add a little agar or gelatin powder to increase the adhesion. Mix the powder with water, milk, or diluted honey to make a soft paste. Sometimes, you might want to microwave a few seconds to assist the softening of agar or gelatin. Use as a facial mask. You can also add other ingredient as desired.
Here are two top ranked moisturizing and skin brightening herbs from Chinese medicine.
Poria (Fuling)
Poria is a fungas, from Polyporaceae family, similar to mushroom. The herb was termed as “God’s medicine” by ancient Chinese. The herb is very versatile and can be mixed with many other herbs for various indications. In general, the herb is known to be calming, diuretic, and strengthen immune system. For skincare use, the herb is used to smooth and refresh the skin, improve elasticity, moisture and texture. It is often used in recipes for treating dry skin or damage skin. The herb is especially good for mature skins and is known to be the favorite skincare and anti-aging herb of Empress Cixi. Nowadays, Poria is often used as an essential ingredient in anti-aging supplements in China.
Poria can be found in the dried food sections in any Chinese grocery store. I often use them in soup or porridge. For skincare application, Poria powder can be used in face wash or facial mask.
Pearl (Zhenshu, Margarita)
Pearl powder has long being used for moisturizing and brightening the skin and strengthening and whitening the teeth. For example, ancient performers in the Chinese palace preferred pearl powder as a cosmetic make-up. Pearl contains calcium carbonate, organics, amino acids, peptides, and minerals. The herb is known to promote cell regeneration, inhibit lipofucsin (an aging substance), stimulate cell activity and prolong the lifespan of cells.
To incorporate earl powder into your skincare regime, you can try a mixture of pearl powder and silk powder at a 3/1 ratio as a daily facial powder. The mixture is very good at control oil especially in the T-zone. If the weather is too dry, you can try mixing pearl powder into your favorite day or night lotion or skin toner to give those a super nutritious boost.
Thanks for reading!
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
We know that aging is un-avoidable. Since immorality is still a myth, many settle with a successful aging strategy. Successful aging is defined as aging with youth like vitality, an absence of disability, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, respiratory symptoms, and chronic diseases including cancer, coronary artery disease, and stroke.
According to a study published in The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences by scientists from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, a diet high in fiber should be an essential part of a healthy aging strategy because eating the right amount of fiber can help avoid disease and disability into old age. 1
Using data compiled from the Blue Mountains Eye Study, a benchmark population-based study that examined more than 1,600 adults aged 50 years and older for long-term sensory loss risk factors and systemic diseases, the researchers explored the relationship between carbohydrate nutrition and healthy aging. They found that out of all the factors they examined — which included a person’s total carbohydrate intake, total fiber intake, glycemic index, glycemic load, and sugar intake — it was the fiber, a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest, that made the biggest difference to healthy aging. Essentially, the researchers found that, over a 10-year follow-up, those who had the highest intake of fiber or total fiber had an almost 80 percent greater likelihood of living a long and healthy life including less incidences of hypertension, diabetes, dementia, depression, and functional disability.
This study backs up similar recent findings by the researchers, which highlight the importance of the overall diet and healthy aging. In another study published 2016 in The Journals of Gerontology, Westmead Institute researchers found that, in general, adults who closely adhered to recommended national dietary guidelines reached old age with an absence of chronic diseases and disability, and had good functional and mental health status.2
Therefore, these research findings suggest that increasing intake of fiber-rich foods could be a successful strategy in reaching old age disease free and fully functional. According to the Institute of Medicine, adequate intake levels for fiber are 38 grams per day for men ages 19 to 50 and 30 grams of fiber each day for men ages 50 and older; and adequate fiber intake levels are 25 grams per day for women ages 19 to 50 and 21 grams of fiber per day for those ages 50 and older. High-fiber foods include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds – which should be part of your diet.
Thanks for reading.
Journal Reference:
- Bamini Gopinath et al. Association Between Carbohydrate Nutrition and Successful Aging Over 10 Years. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 2016; 71(10): 1335-1340.
- Bamini Gopinath et al. Adherence to Dietary Guidelines and Successful Aging Over 10 Years. The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2016; 71(3): 349-355.
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
Mix together an equal amount of dry powder of angelica (Danggui), ginseng, Salvia miltiorrhiza (Dansheng), dwarf lilyturf tuber (Maidong), and Panax (Sanqi) to provide a herbal mix. All herbs are available in Chinese grocery stores. Angelica and ginseng are essential for the recipes. Other herbs are optional.
Mix an equal amount of honey, glycerol and water into a liquid mixture. You can replace the water with any flower water.
Add the liquid mixture into the herbal mix and blend together to provide a spreadable paste with soft consistency. If you have oily skin, add a small amount of egg white to the blend. If you have dry skin, add a small amount of whole milk.
Spread the paste over your clean face. Wait until dry. Wash off with warm water and end with a splash of cold water. Pat dry. The mask moisturizes the skin, decreases fine wrinkles, removes dark spots, and firms the skin.
Thanks for reading.
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
Cut Ginseng into thin slices. Mix glycerol with equal amount of water to make a 50% glycerol. Soak Ginseng in 50% of glycerol for 10 days to provide a ginseng enriched glycerol stock. To make a toner, dilute the ginseng glycerol with flower water at 7 parts of flower water with 3 parts of ginseng glycerol. Mix well and use as a skin toner.
Be creative when creating your own ginseng toner. You can use any flower water, essential oil or other herbal ingredients in this recipe. The toner is anti-aging and very effective in treating wrinkles.
Note: You can buy fresh ginseng from Korean grocery store or slices of dry ginseng from any Asian supermarkets. Vegetable glycerol is usually available in supermarkets.
Thanks for reading.
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
Through thousands years of herbal use, Chinese herbal doctors have accumulated precious experiences on skincare herbs. For example, the “Compendium of Materia Medica” alone has listed more than 165 herbs for beauty and skincare purpose. In this post, I am introducing you to six most common and well-recognized skincare herbs. Any of these herbs can be used either internally as healthcare supplements or externally as ingredients in your skincare products.
Ginseng: Since ancient times, Ginseng is known for its skin nurishing and beautifying effect. As early as in the “Mystic Farmer’s Herbal Handbook” from the Han Dynasty, Ginseng has long been documented for its ability to promote blood circulation in skin capillaries, increase nutrient supply to skin, moisturize skin, delay skin aging, and smooth skin tone, and remove dark spots and scars.
Ganoderma (Linzhi): Ganoderma is a bitter mushroom long used to promote health in traditional Chinese medicine. Known as “fairy grass” in China, the herb contains trace elements, polysaccharide, and antioxidants. The herb is anti-aging, contains ingredients that can eliminate free radicals and protecting cells against aging. Used for skincare, the herb is believed to smooth skin tone, remove dark spots and scars, firm skin, and increase the skin elasticity.
Coix seed (Yiren): In ancient China, Coix seed is only used for palace meals. The herb is believed to promote skin metabolism, whiten skin tone, moisturize and smooth the skin.
Ginger: Yes, Ginger is a common herb in Chinese medicine. According to the Chinese medicine, Ginger promotes blood circulation to the skin and therefore stimulates skin cell rejuvenation, improves complexion, and smooth skin tone.
Baiji (Bletilla Tuber): Baiji is one of most common ingredients in Chinese herb formulation for skincare. The herb is believed to remove scar, moisturize and whiten skin, and smooth skin tone. It is often used in formulations for treating acne-caused scars.
Licorice: Chinese medicine believes that licorice is capable of nourishing and moisturizing skin and hair, promoting cell metabolism and repairing damaged skin cells, whitening skin tone, and removing skin blemishes. The herb is believed to have similar antioxidant effect as that of Vitamin E. Therefore, the herb also has anti-aging effect and can be used as a Sunscreen and to repair sun exposure caused skin damages.
Bailian (Ampelopsis Root): Herbal Bailian is the root of Japanese Ampelopsis. The herb is rich in amino acids and polysaccharides and is a potent skin moisturizer. A Chinese medicine classic herbal book “Herbal Secrets” noted that Bailian has the effect of whitening skin tone. Recent pharmacological study suggests that the herb extract inhibits melanin product in skin.
Baishao (White peony root): For skincare use, this herb is believed to promote blood circulation to skin cells and inhibit sebum secretion. Therefore, Chinese herbalists use the herb to treat pimples, acne, and other skin inflammations.
In my past posts, I’ve provided many tips incorporating herbs into skincare recipes and diets. Try to incorporate these herbs in your homemade creams, toners and masks, make teas and soups with these herbs – and be happy for a beautiful skin.
Thanks for reading!
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
Peeled horse chestnut 25 g, butter 2 g, beewax 1g, avocado oil 20 g, Glycerol 7g, plantain seeds 0.8 g. Add water to bring the total mixture to100 grams. Pulverize the mixture with a blender to make a paste with a soft consistency.
Plantain seeds are a well-known Chinese herb. The popularity of the herb has grown in western countries. Nowadays, you can buy this herb (both the leaves and seeds) readily from many online stores. Rich in antioxidants, tannins and saponins, plantain is considered an astringent herb that has diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It is healing, controls bleeding and fights bacteria infections.
This recipe can be used as a skin treatment mask. Use regularly for an acne-free skin.
Thanks for reading!
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
Longan fruit is a common Chinese herb prescribed to women for its blood warming and beautifying effect. The fresh fruit is juicy and sweet with a round black shiny seed inside surrounded by white succulent pulp. Because the fruit resembles the eye of legendary dragon, hence the fruit is named “Dragon’s eye” in China.
Dried longan fruit is used for medicinal purpose. The fruit is picked in the summer when mature. Then, the shell and pit are removed and the remaining fruit pulp is dried. Nutrition wise, dry pulp contains 21% of glucose, 4.5% of protein, 19% insoluble fibers, fruit acids, amino acids, vitamins B, C, and P, minerals including calcium, phosphorus and iron, adenine, and an abundant of antioxidants.
Longan has been used for medical purpose as early as the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). The China’s first pharmacy monograph “Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic” prescribes longan for weight loss and anti-aging application. According to the record in The Chinese Materia Medica, longan fruit is warm in properties, tonifies heart and spleen, replenishes qi and blood, and therefore could be used to encourage circulation, warm the blood and promote a healthy and rosy complexion. The herb is often used to treat a sallow facial complexion due to deficiency of blood, irregular menstruation, and uterine bleeding. Suggested dosage is from 10 to 15 grams, or even 30 to 60 grams in large dosage, in decoction, soaked wine, cream, pills, and powder.
Here are a few beauty recipes using longan fruit:
- Longan fruit can be formulated with American ginseng. Blend two herbs together with small amount of water to make a paste. Consume daily, the paste is know to nourish blood, anti-aging, and promote a healthy complexion.
- Soak Longan fruit in a jar of liquor to make longan wine. The wine is used to invigorate spleen and stomach and warm the blood.
- Dilute the longan wine with twice amount of water, a small amount of glycerin and a few drops of essential oil to make a longan fruit toner. The toner promotes micro-capillary circulation on the skin and supports a well-nourished skin.
Thanks for reading.
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.
I am a night owl — meaning midnight snack is a must. Various surveys showed that about 20-30% of the US population operates on a night owl schedule. If you are a night owl who plans to sunbath the next day, you might want to think again before reaching for that midnight snack bowl. A resent study by researchers from the UC Irvine suggest that eating at abnormal times disrupts the biological clock of the skin, which leads to the reduced ability of certain skin enzyme to protect us against the sun’s harmful UV radiation.
In the study, the mice were fed only during the day — an abnormal eating time for the otherwise nocturnal animals. The animals were exposed to UV radiation day and night. The result showed that the group sustained more UV-caused skin damage during the day than during the night. This means that the animals’ skin is more UV sensitive during the day, which should not be the case naturally.
Further investigation showed that this outcome occurred because an enzyme that repairs UV-damaged skin — xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) — shifted its daily cycle to be less active in the day. The shift was caused by the abnormal feeding time. In comparison, mice that fed only during their usual evening times did not show altered XPA cycles and were better protected against daytime UV rays.
Although further research is needed, the finding suggests that eating late at night could cause a harmful shift in your skin clock and reduce skin’s ability to protect against UV radiation.
Human circadian rhythm (also known as sleep/wake cycle or body clock) is a natural, internal system that’s designed to regulate feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness over a 24-hour period. Previous researches have shown that eating schedules affect the circadian rhythm, which in turn affects liver functions and energy metabolism. For example, it is observed that the time of day food is eaten is more critical to weight loss than the amount of calories ingested. This study by UV Irvine researchers is the first one affirmatively linking the eating time, circadian rhythm and skin functions.
What’s the take home message? Eating late at night may make you more vulnerable to sunburn and consequently other detrimental longer-term effects such as skin aging and skin cancer. I know that I am going to skip that midnight ice cream today.
Thanks for reading.
Journal Reference: Hong Wang, Elyse van Spyk, Qiang Liu, Mikhail Geyfman, Michael L. Salmans, Vivek Kumar, Alexander Ihler, Ning Li, Joseph S. Takahashi, Bogi Andersen. Time-Restricted Feeding Shifts the Skin Circadian Clock and Alters UVB-Induced DNA Damage. Cell Reports, 2017; 20 (5): 1061 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.07.022
About SGC:SGC is an R&D focused developer of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical gummy products. The company specializes in formulating Functional Gummy® products combining the wealth of the in-house knowledge in pharmaceutics, chemistry, western medicine and herbal medicine. The company provides performance gummies® inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine including MOCCA SHOTS™, ENERGON QUBE™, FUNTIONAL FRUIT®, and SEATTLE BEAUTY®.
To learn more, visit https://seattlegummy.com, [email protected],call 206-257-0464, or join at https://seattlegummy.com/be-an-informed-member/.