CARE
BEYOND the VIAL
1224 East 4th Street, Vinton, Iowa 52349 Ph# (319)472-4731 A Clingman Pharmacy Exclusive!
AGING WELL- A DAILY QUEST
Click and Clack, paint, an apple, my furnace and me, why is everything wearing out?
On Saturday mornings you will still find rebroadcasts of the popular call in talk show Car Talk on Iowa Public Radio. Julie and I enjoy Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the auto mechanics who make car problems entertaining for everyone. A few weeks back the brothers were diagnosing a wear and tear problem for a caller. As they described the problem they said that oxidation has led to a weakening of this part of the engine and the only fix is to replace the part. The wood and paint façade of Clingman Pharmacy is again in need of significant repair because oxidation has led to wood damage and a lessening of the ability of the paint to protect as it once did. My furnace repair expert told me the other day that the expansion tank to my boiler needs replacing because it has sprung a leak due to oxidation. The apples I just bought last week are soft already because of oxidation. I always thought that oxygen was a good thing, even a requirement for us humans to keep going. The good news of course is that it is and that we still have plenty of it around. We do however have more in common with all of those aforementioned wear and tear examples than we might care to admit. Indeed, we are all coping with the damages of oxidation in much the same way. The damage occurs at the cellular level and is caused by free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that possess an unpaired electron within its molecule. In this state the molecule becomes highly reactive and capable of causing tissue damage of all types. This is called oxidative stress. We could also go even broader in our definition and simply refer to it as aging. If we are fortunate enough to have lived beyond our late twenties or early thirties we have probably begun to realize that we are a little slower. Advancing age into our 50’s and higher brings even more signs that the rigors of everyday life have led to wear and tear beyond what we care to deal with. Of course there is no way to stop this progression but a better understanding of the aging process has brought about some things we can do every day to stay healthier and live longer. Our best offense is to continually replenish our body with the right foods and vitamins to stay as healthy as we can. These foods and vitamins are called antioxidants. The good news is that there are several types of antioxidants including Flavonoids, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A & Coenzyme Q-10. I am going to share some information about each of these in a narrative format that does not address all that they do but concentrates on their antioxidant benefits. My wife Julie is an exceptional cook!! She was raised on fresh vegetables from her parent’s large garden. Understanding the seasonality of vegetables is a gift of health and when you combine that with a passion for cooking and hundreds of great recipes you’re a lucky man! Let’s begin with the best class of antioxidants of them all, the flavonoids. The reason I chose to highlight the flavonoids first is because there are approximately 4000 of them found so far and the only realistic way to get enough of them is by eating the right foods!! I like to think that God created the flavonoids. He incorporated all of nature’s bright and beautiful colors into fruits, flowers, roots, stems, tea, wine, grains, vegetables and more with flavonoids. Indeed he went even farther by usually making the more vibrant and highly pigmented plants the most nutritious. The flavonoids have been proven to show antiviral, antiallergenic, antiinflammatory, antithrombogenic and anticarcinogenic properties. They are rich in Vitamins C, E, A and more. This is of course in addition to the high quality fiber and caloric benefits they offer.
Jon Clingman, R.ph e-mail
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More on the other side
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin A and the Carotenoids are all powerful antioxidants. They protect our DNA and guard us against potential damage to our immune system. They help to stabilize membrane lipids and other proteins. A combination of Vitamin A along with Vitamin C, Vitamin E, zinc, and copper has shown benefit in reducing the damage from age related macular degeneration. The Preservision line of eye vitamins contains a proven formulation for this purpose. All of these vitamins are again found in many fruits and vegetables. My many years behind the pharmacy counter has convinced me of the effectiveness of coenzyme Q-10. Several patients have shared with me that it has really helped lower their blood pressure and reduced the muscle soreness associated with the statin class of drugs taken for high cholesterol. We do synthesize our own coenzyme Q-10. It is essential to our energy production at the cellular level. Because of its powerful antioxidant properties it enhances our immune system. Other possible uses include the slowing of progression of dementia, reducing breast cancer, angina and heart disease. Over the past 10 years I have made some very conscience changes in my life style by including many of these foods and vitamins into my daily routine. My energy level was not where it needed to be and I was not happy with my ability to keep up the demands of work, home and community. One of my goals was to also enjoy consistently good health every day. Today, I feel younger at 58 than I did at 48 and my stamina and fitness are also much improved. My favorite activities have become more active and usually involve walking, running and cycling. I feel much better when I begin the day with a good work out and am currently a big fan of the programs available at Total Balance. It has also been great these past several years to be able to ward off illness.
Let’s finish up with Jon’s daily prescription for good health and hopefully a long and happy life!
1. Early to bed and early to rise! Start each day with exercise! 2. Fruits and vegetables with every meal! Put those flavonoids to work for you. 3. Try this daily antioxidant regimen: 1. Blueberries every morning. My favorite is to mix them with almonds, craisins, chopped dates and topped with La Choy Chow Mein noodles. Tasty with minimal carbs. 2. 3 X 1200mg Omega 3 Fish Oil capsules 3. 1 X 100mg Coenzyme Q10 capsule 4. 1 X 400 I.U. Vitamin E capsule 5. 1 X 2000 I.U. Vitamin D3 capsule 6. 1 tablet Men’s or Women’s multiple vitamin 7. 1 glass of red wine every evening
