New Straits Times : 26 September 2006 

Nutrition and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle are keys to building a strong body, looking good and living a long life. MANVEET KAUR writes.

A GOOD nutritional plan is often the last thing people consider when starting their fight against ageing. Often they look to expensive anti-ageing creams and other more serious treatments like botox. But there are volumes of research in the anti-ageing arena that says if you really want to fight the natural ageing process, you should seriously consider the science of anti-ageing nutrition.

Dr Robert I-San Lin, an expert on nutrition in health-promotion, disease-prevention, and anti-ageing, says that nutrition is the key to building a strong body, looking good and living a long life.

“There is no ‘fountain of youth’ or elixir that can help you remain youthful except sound nutrition,” he says.

“The combination of sound nutrition and a good lifestyle is the only true way to achieve anti-ageing.”


A former director of the board of the American Preventive Medical Association, Dr Lin has made substantial contributions to the prevention of degenerative diseases. He is also the recipient of the most prestigious accolade in the field of nutrition, the James Lind award.

He believes that although medical science has seen tremendous progress, good health, strength and longevity depends primarily on good nutrition, not drugs.

“Diets that are comprised two-thirds plant derived foods and one-third animal derived foods are most conducive to good health.”

But studies worldwide have concluded that most people do not have an adequate intake of all the essential nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals.

Hence, Dr Lin has coined a term “Super Nutrition” which he defines as having a balanced diet and taking a supplement of complete essential nutrients in proper proportions and quantities.

“It is very difficult to measure the exact nutrient content of many foods. As fruit ripens it often becomes sweeter and richer in flavour but loses vitamin C content. When vegetables are cooked, the potassium content leaches and the vitamin C and E content may be partially destroyed, with the degree of the loss depending on the length and condition of cooking.”

He says the only way to ensure that one’s daily intake of every essential nutrient is to take a supplement.

“The supplement must provide all essential nutrients in proper proportions and proper quantities. In dealing with vitamins and some other nutrients, potency is often used in place of quantity.”

He adds that the final step in fighting this battle is to keep your body moving, flexible, and energised. Avoid living a sedentary lifestyle and move your body frequently, but be careful not to overdo it to yourself to the point that you cause injury.

“Youthful living is a chosen lifestyle, it’s something you decide you want, and it’s something you decide to do. Only you can make that choice to live healthy, eat healthy, and help your body produce what it was meant to produce,” he says.

Nutritional arsenal


OUR dietary choices are just as important as using sunscreen, getting exercise and other preventive anti-ageing tactics. Dr Robert I-San Lin lists the following for your anti-ageing nutritional arsenal.

 

• Limit the intake of fats and sugar. Reduce any food choices that are higher than 30 per cent fat content. Items such as lard, animal shortening, oils, butterfat, whole-milk solids, shortening and margarine are fats.
  
  
• The best anti-ageing foods are minimally processed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nonfat skim milk and lean meat, especially fish.
  
  
• Focus on eating complex carbohydrates, rather than fast-digesting carbohydrate foods like rice, wheat, bread and pasta that increases your blood sugar level. Also they tend to cause weight gain, thus making you obese.
  
  
• Avoid underground vegetables like potato, yam, and carrots that tend to cause sugar imbalance. Opt for above ground veggies, as they have antioxidant properties.
  
  
• Drink plenty of water, at least about 10-12 glasses every day.
  
  
• Consume a moderate-dose multiple vitamin-and-mineral supplement on a regular basis.
  
  
• Consume fresh fruits, rather than opting for fruit juices, which contain high fat and sugar content.