By Jon Benson, Creator/Co-Author of Fit Over 40:

Role Models For Excellence At Any Age

www.fitover40.com

Every day, more and more research surfaces that points to oxygen and the connection to disease and aging. A prime example of the connection between oxygen and disease is cancer — and once again, the foe of glycolysis is rearing its ugly head.

In contrast to normal cells, which produce energy primarily through the use of oxygen, cancer cells produce energy by glycolysis because their mitochondria (energy producing structures in cells that utilize oxygen) are damaged and not capable of utilizing oxygen the way normal cells do.

Degenerative diseases, including cancer, and premature aging, start with low oxygen levels in the body. The question becomes, “What can I do today to increase oxygen in my body and decrease the chances of glycolysis?”

Begin today by engaging in exercise routines such as the ones in Fit Over 40

Exercise of any kind increases the oxygen demand on the body. Think of your cells as muscles for a moment. (Of course your muscles are a collection of cells, but lets reverse the roles.) “You use it, you lose it” is also true of cells. Cells need, for lack of a better term, “a good workout”, otherwise they begin the process of dying more rapidly or, as in cancer, mutating. Breathing, or forcing the cells to deal with oxygen demands, is one form of “workout” for these building blocks of life — and you simply must begin your training today.

Second, do not just rely on exercise to supply cells with oxygen. That’s far too brief a period of time. You must start breathing deeply and oxygenating your system. Become mindful of the state of your breathing — is it deep and slow, or is it shallow, labored, and erratic? Deep, slow, peaceful breathing is a free, easy and foolproof way to increase your vitality.

It may also be the key to beating cancer and other disease states before they ever begin.

Now, listen up, all of you over the age of 25 — your body is programmed to slow its breathing down as you approach 30. This has prompted many anti-aging authorities to declare “aging begins at 30!” This is not true. Aging begins at the moment of conception. However, there are certain key breakdowns in the aging process which accelerate like crazy past the age of 25-30. Breathing is one of these processes.

After age 25 we lose 10% lung (respiratory) capacity every 10 years, due to shallow breathing. Some disease conditions impair oxygen utilization. Forceful injuries with swelling can cause excessive pressure that cuts off healthy circulation flow. Swollen tissue causes a loss of oxygen circulation to areas of the body called ischemia. This problem drops the P02 dangerously low, destroys tissue and slows healing. If you are wondering why it takes longer to recover from things as you age, well now you know — oxygen.

Perhaps you now have that much more of a reason to stop smoking and start moving!

The good news is you can do something about it. Start with 10 deep breaths, breathing from your diaphragm. Do not hold your breath if you have elevated blood pressure! If your blood pressure is normal, you can hold your breath for a few seconds and then breathe out slowly. You’ll find an immediate boost in energy just from this simple exercise. Practice breathing — it’s critical to your long-term health. Before long you’ll be noticing the times when you slip back into shallow breaths.

Some anti-aging specialists recommend breathing pure oxygen, or hyperbaric chamber treatments, in order to increase the amount of oxygen you take into your system. There is some credence to this, but I think it’s best to start with the basics.

Next, consume an “oxygen-rich diet.” What do I mean by that? A diet highest in oxygen contains ample amounts of raw foods with a high concentration green vegetables and sprouted seeds and nuts. Fruits are good in moderation, but again we have to balance these oxygen-rich foods with the need to decrease glycation. Too much sugar in any form can stimulate the glycation process.

Why are these foods “oxygen-rich”? Live fruits, green vegetables and sprouted/soaked seeds and nuts are composed of water, which is hydrogen and oxygen and mostly oxygen by weight. The green in the vegetable is chlorophyll which is very close in atomic structure to human blood. Chlorophyll has a magnesium atom and human blood differs only with an iron atom. With enzymes from raw food the magnesium ion is changed to an iron one making blood that can transport oxygen for human use instead of CO2 for plant use.

For more information, see the various examples of high-vegetable diets many of our role models consume in Fit Over 40. Take action today — and start working out from the inside-out!

Jon Benson
Creator/Co-Author of Fit Over 40:
Role Models For Excellence At Any Age
www.fitover40.com