Radical Longevity

CHAPTER 1

NEW RULE #1: IMMUNITY IS EVERYTHING

OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS OUR FIRST RESPONDER DEFENDING AND PROTECTING US from potentially disruptive, harmful invaders. Our overall immunity determines how we will weather any onslaught of bacteria, mold, fungus, virus, parasites, heavy metals, and chemicals. Additionally, our immunity is subject to highly inflammatory lifestyle factors, such as a diet high in processed and refined carbohydrates, a high intake of sugar and grains, stress, lack of sleep, reduced exercise, unexpected trauma, and physical challenge and change as we advance through life. While we are meant to be strong and resilient throughout life, we are more at risk for autoimmune conditions and infections when our toxic burden “runneth over” and the immune system is unable to function in the way it was designed to optimally perform.

The reason the Rules work together, much as the systems in your body, is that every day your DNA is being damaged in some way. A healthy person replaces or repairs their damaged DNA at about the same rate that it was damaged. This is why it is so critical to address our overall health as we age, so that we are advancing our healing, repair, and restoration, not relaxing into “normal” decline over the years. When your hair starts to gray, skin starts to sag, or memory starts to fade, these are signs your body is not able to do all the DNA repair it needs, and oxidative damage is accumulating. Think of these as calls to action rather than an inevitable trajectory of your life and health. Because your immune system is a full-body defense system, the information throughout Radical Longevity can have either a direct or indirect impact on your immunity. For that reason, I suggest that you begin your approach in the following way:

THE ROCK STAR OF IMMUNITY—VITAMIN D

Let’s start with the basics. As most of us are already aware, vitamin D is essential to maintain strong bones and reduce the risk of fractures. It stimulates the absorption of calcium and magnesium and promotes mineralization and strengthening of the collagen matrix in bone, increasing bone density and overall health of bone tissue. This process starts in the intestine, then the signal travels to the bones and bone marrow, and once the bone marrow is involved, so is the immune system. Interestingly, a 2012 Spanish study compared vitamin D levels in blood levels drawn from three age groups. The seniors studied (ages sixty to eighty-six) showed lower vitamin D levels than the other age groups. This versatile vitamin is not just for bone health. It plays an important role in respiratory health. Through its influence in lung development and respiratory muscle strength as well as reduction of inflammation, it triggers a powerful immune response to foreign invaders. In fact, researchers have found that a deficiency in vitamin D is a risk factor for developing respiratory tract infections. It turns out that vitamin D is such a powerful immune factor for the respiratory tract that the lungs actually produce their own active form of vitamin D.

In addition to fortifying the immune system in general, vitamin D contributes to creating a stronger barrier to viruses by increasing the antimicrobial compounds in mucous membranes—our first line of defense. These membranes are found in your nose, mouth, eyes, lungs, and windpipe. Research supports that vitamin D improves viral immunity by strengthening mucous membranes.

The best form of vitamin D is sunshine. Opt for at least fifteen to twenty minutes at midday in direct sunlight. You want as much of your skin exposed to natural sunlight as possible, with particular attention to legs and arms (be mindful not to burn). And no, sitting by a window is not enough. You need to physically be in the sunlight. This becomes increasingly important in the winter months when we stay indoors and typically have less exposure to sunlight. Natural vitamin D becomes even more critical as the cold and flu season takes hold.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it will typically be found in fatty foods. Sources include beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, fatty fish and fish oil, and even mushrooms, which seem to be the only nonfat food source rich in this vitamin. Like magnesium, vitamin D supports calcium absorption, helping to create strong bones.

As it stands, the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) for vitamin D is 600 IU (international units) per day. However, in 2014, research from the University of Alberta showed that the official RDI of vitamin D from the National Academy of Medicine is significantly lower than needed to maintain a healthy body. According to the researchers’ statistical analysis, the RDI should actually sit at 8,895 IU per day to ensure that the vast majority of the population has adequate vitamin D in their system. The researchers do note that this dose is higher than any previously studied dose, and caution should be taken when interpreting this number. I recommend a daily vitamin D intake of 2,000 to 5,000 IU of the D₃ fat-soluble version of the vitamin, which is more bioactive than D₂. Ask your health-care practitioner to ascertain your vitamin D level in a blood test and strive for levels of 50 to 80 ng/ml. Ideally, vitamin D should be taken along with vitamin K₂ to be sure that the increased level of calcium that is being absorbed is directed to your bones and not your arteries.

VITAL VITAMIN C

Of course, most of us know the wonders of vitamin C, yet still, many of us don’t think to take it until we begin to feel a little under the weather. Vitamin C is essential to our immunity. It can help prevent respiratory infections as well as help treat and heal infections. Note that our body does not store vitamin C, so you need daily intake. Period. Exclamation point! I recommend a time-release vitamin C, with a recommended daily dosage of 2 to 5 g daily.

ZINC

If vitamin D is the body’s #1 immunity vitamin, then zinc is the body’s number one immunity mineral (and there’s another connection between the two: vitamin D has been linked to improved zinc absorption). Necessary for over three hundred enzyme-dependent processes, zinc’s importance to your immune system starts with its ability to control many of the reactions to harmful invaders. In fact, a zinc-dependent enzyme is crucial for daily DNA repair; zinc is also critical to the white blood cell’s ability to attack invading bacteria and viruses and eliminate them. Without adequate levels of zinc, the immune system can be erratic, resulting in massive inflammation. Any zinc deficiency can impair immune system function; our immunity often declines as we age in direct relation to declining levels of zinc. Zinc deficiency has been linked to pneumonia and other respiratory infections in seniors.

Good dietary sources of zinc include beets, seafood, eggs, and pumpkin seeds. Although I typically recommend anywhere from 15 to 45 mg of zinc daily, many people over the age of fifty are highly deficient and need to take more. Just keep in mind that the greater your zinc intake, the more likely it is to lower other mineral levels, including copper, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, and the insulin mimic vanadium. Zinc needs to be balanced with copper in an 8:1 ratio of zinc to copper. It is important to test your zinc levels with the most accurate testing, which is RBC Zinc, rather than a plasma or serum blood test. Ideally, your zinc level should be in the upper half of normal. Ask your doctor to order this.

COUNT ON QUERCETIN

Quercetin is an antioxidant-rich anti-inflammatory that inhibits histamine release, making quercetin-rich foods natural antihistamines. Also valued for its antiviral effect, it has been known to diminish the ability of a virus to infect cells and impede replication of infected cells. This powerful ability to block viral activity, along with its antihistamine effects, has made it an ideal contributor to respiratory health.

Foods rich in quercetin include capers, quinoa, asparagus, cranberries, apples, kale, okra, spinach, elderberries, and red grapes.

Quercetin supplementation is recommended at 500 mg, two or three times a day.

MELATONIN: THE IMMUNE WARRIOR HORMONE

The body’s number one antioxidant hormone, melatonin bolsters your immune system in an amazing way. It increases the antioxidant activity of two powerful chemicals, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione perioxidase. SOD is an anti-inflammatory that helps repair cells, specifically the damage they incur from the most common free radical in the body—superoxide. Much like SOD, glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier. Like a resident handyman, it can repair free radical damage on the spot as well as clean up any toxins and the injury they cause. Melatonin keeps both of these in the fight. Recommended dosage is 1 to 3 mg, preferably in a time-release form.

QUALITY SLEEPING HELPS YOU GROW NEW STEM CELLS

Getting enough sleep is essential for healthy bone marrow, which is where stem cells are made. These stem cells are essential for repairing everything from your immune system to your brain to your bones, and so much more. Stanford researchers have found that a sleep deficit of just four hours is enough to cut the activity of these stem cells in half. For stem cells to travel to where they’re needed in your body, you first need to get a full night’s sleep. Your investment in getting more high-quality sleep is one of the best you can make.

SOAK IN THE GOOD STUFF

A nice hot soak can help build immunity by raising your body’s pH to an optimal level between 7.30 and 7.45, which makes it a less hospitable “terrain” for bacteria and viruses. Apple cider vinegar is especially good for relieving aches and pains as well as helping to eliminate uric acid deposits and carbon-based pollution through the skin. I recommend the following soak twice per week during the cold and flu season and once per week at other times of the year.

THE AIR YOU BREATHE

A 2019 Harvard University study analyzed hundreds of virus risk factors, including such contributors as age, hand washing, contact with larger numbers of people, adequate sleep, and flu shots. Its findings concluded that the biggest risk factor in determining whether someone developed a respiratory infection was related to the dryness of the air they were breathing. Those studied who were breathing drier air were found to be far more likely to develop an infection. Dry air enables a virus to travel farther and survive longer. Researchers also explained that dry air harms our natural immune barriers—our mucous membranes, whereby they become thinner and less protective.

The answer: a humidifier with an optimal range of humidity from 40 to 60 percent. I suggest prioritizing adding a humidifier in the room where you sleep, since many immune functions and repair are taking place during sleep, as well as having a somewhat controlled environment for a prolonged period of time. However, if possible, you might want to add personal humidifiers to your office, kitchen, and other areas where you spend significant amounts of time.

SOAP, NOT SANITIZER

Much of 2020 was dominated by the mandate to wash our hands. We all know to do it and that it saves lives as well as greatly protects against illness through reducing exposure to bacteria and viruses as well as mold and parasites. What you may not know is that it is the preferred protector because hand washing with soap gives two levels of protection, whereas hand sanitizer provides only one. Since most viruses have a fatty outer layer, soap binds with the fat layer at a molecular level and both kills and eliminates viruses—hand sanitizer simply kills the virus but can leave remnants of it on your hands. Therefore, some virus remnants may not be completely neutralized, leaving you with less protection.

If you wash your hands whenever soap and water are available, using the twenty-second approach and covering all areas of both hands (including tops of your hands, thumbs, and in between your fingers), it is the much better choice. For times when soap and water are not available and hand sanitizer is your best option, be sure it contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Any lower concentration may not kill viruses. I personally use a waterless soap called EssentiaClenz, made with natural plant oils, including thyme, which according to the EPA has been found to contain virus-killing thymol.

Proactively supporting your immune system with key nutrients and lifestyle habits clears a path for your body to be able to age more gracefully. Now, let’s turn to minimizing toxins to further reduce the toxic load that weighs so heavily on modern-day immunity.