ORAC Antioxidants = Anti-Aging

Foods that score high in an antioxidant analysis called ORAC may protect cells and their components from oxidative damage, according to studies of animals and human blood at the Agricultural Research Service's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts in Boston. ARS is the chief scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

ORAC, short for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, is a test tube analysis that measures the total antioxidant power of foods and other chemical substances.

Early findings suggest that eating plenty of high-ORAC fruits and vegetables--such as spinach and blueberries--may help slow the processes associated with aging in both body and brain.

"If these findings are borne out in further research, young and middle-aged people may be able to reduce risk of diseases of aging--including senility--simply by adding high-ORAC foods to their diets," said ARS Administrator Floyd P. Horn.

In the studies, eating plenty of high-ORAC foods:

- Raised the antioxidant power of human blood 10 to 25 percent

- Prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability in middle-aged rats

- Maintained the ability of brain cells in middle-aged rats to respond to a chemical stimulus--a function that normally decreases with age

- Protected rats' capillaries against oxygen damage

Nutritionist Ronald L. Prior contends, "If we can show some relationship between ORAC intake and health outcome in people, I think we may reach a point where the ORAC value will become a new standard for good antioxidant protection." (See table at end for ORAC values of fruits and vegetables.)

The thesis that oxidative damage culminates in many of the maladies of aging is well accepted in the health community. The evidence has spurred skyrocketing sales of antioxidant vitamins. But several large trials have had mixed results.

"It may be that combinations of nutrients found in foods have greater protective effects than each nutrient taken alone," said Guohua (Howard) Cao, a physician and chemist who developed the ORAC assay.

He and Prior have seen the ORAC value of human blood rise in two studies. In the first, eight women gave blood after separately ingesting spinach, strawberries and red wine--all high-ORAC foods--or taking 1,250 milligrams of vitamin C. A large serving of fresh spinach produced the biggest rise in the women's blood antioxidant scores--up to 25 percent--followed by vitamin C, strawberries and lastly, red wine

In the second study, men and women had a 13- to 15-percent increase in the antioxidant power of their blood after doubling their daily fruit and vegetable intake compared to what they consumed before the study. Just doubling intake, without regard to ORAC scores of the fruits and vegetables, more than doubled the number of ORAC units the volunteers consumed, said Prior.

Early evidence for the protecting power of these diets comes from rat studies by Prior, Cao and colleagues. Rats fed daily doses of blueberry extract for six weeks before being subjected to two days of pure oxygen apparently suffered much less damage to the capillaries in and around their lungs, Prior said. The fluid that normally accumulates in the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs was much lower compared to the group that didn't get blueberry extract.

Neuroscientist James Joseph and psychologist Barbara Shukitt-Hale at the center tested middle-aged rats that had eaten diets fortified with spinach or strawberry extract or vitamin E for nine months. A daily dose of spinach extract "prevented some loss of long-term memory and learning ability normally experienced by the 15-month-old rats," said Shukitt-Hale.

Spinach was also the most potent in protecting different types of nerve cells in two separate parts of the brain against the effects of aging, said Joseph.

"These cells were significantly more responsive when the animals ate diets fortified with high-ORAC foods--especially spinach--compared to unfortified diets," Joseph said. "The spinach group scored twice as responsive as the control animals."

Why spinach is more effective than strawberries--which score higher in the ORAC assay--is still a mystery. The researchers conjecture that it may be due to specific compounds or a specific combination of them in the greens.

The fruits highest in ORAC value are:

5770 Prunes
2830 Raisins
2400 Blueberries
2036 Blackberries
1540 Strawberries

Nutritional Supplements

Recent research supports the use of vitamin and nutritional supplementation to promote wellness and improve the quality of our lives. Indeed, vitamin and mineral supplements may provide a greater "return on investment" than any other individual health measure.

Barringer's 2003 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine reports that a daily multivitamin can reduce illness due to infection by as much as 75% percent. Other studies (e.g. Ames, 2002) have demonstrated that diseases due to abnormally functioning enzymes are present in a large percentage of the population and that these diseases can be prevented by increased dosages of the proper nutritional supplements, especially B-vitamins.

Harvard Medical School researchers reviewed years of scientific literature regarding vitamins and found numerous benefits with very little risk. They conculded that "everybody - regardless of age or health status - [should] take a daily multivitamin."

Unfortunately, solid pills are rather difficult for your body to digest. As a matter of fact, numerous studies have shown that as much as 75% of injested supplements do not get absorbed or utilized by your body. The way to improve absorbtion of supplements is to injest either liquid or "isotonic" supplements. These supplements move into the lower digestive system quickly, where they are completely absorbed.

Some of the best absorbed products include supplements in the NutraMetrix(tm) product line. These products are provided in powder form and are mixed in water just prior to consumption to ensure rapid and complete absorbtion.

OPC-3: oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) plant derived bioflavonoids. OPCs are super-effective, free-radical neutralizers. They are also crucial in their role in supporting the circulatory system. OPC-3 is made from a combination of grape seed, pine bark, red-wine, bilberry and citrus extracts.

ORAC Formula: Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, is a test tube analysis that measures the total antioxidant power of substances. ORAC extracts contain an assortment of bioflavonoids, organic acids and other polyphenolic compounds that work synergistically to create a formidable antioxidant defense against free-radical damage. A single ORAC Formula serving delivers 3,000 ORAC units from elderberry, blueberry and cranberry extracts.

MultiVitamin: Vitamins are substances which are essential for the maintenance of normal metabolic function, but which are not produced in the body and therefore must be consumed. They are necessary elements in the process of converting food to energy and in the growth and repair of body tissue. Shortages may lead to loss of appetite, loss of body weight, increased irritability, sleeplessness or constant drowsiness. Deficiencies of this nature can be easily be prevented or reversed by adequate vitamin intake.

Heart Health Essential Omega III: Omega III fatty acids help maintain healthy triglyceride levels, reduce C-reactive protein levels, and reduce blood clotting. Heart Health Omega III provides 3,000 mg of EPA and DHA - the active components in Omega III - which are ultra-refined fish oils from deep ocean waters and processed under pharmeceutical guidelines to ensure only the purest mercury and contaminant free oils.

B Complex: The "B" vitamins are most adversely affected by aging. Fortunately, supplementation can replace depleted B-vitamins. B-vitamins reduce the negative effects of stress on your body and provides you with extra energy.

Coenzyme Q10 100: Co-Q10 helps to restore the body's adenosine triphosphate (ATP) cycle. ATP is the energy source for all body functions. With restored ATP, the immune system is enhanced, increased stamina is realized, and mental alertness is improved.

Ultra Prime: This is an amino acid supplement which naturally increase the secretion of human growth hormone(HGH). HGH, which normally regulates the growth of bones, muscles and other organs, decreases with age. Increasing HGH levels may help prevent premature aging and improve insulin-like growth factors (IGF)that can return your metabolism to a more youthful state.

IPL FotoFacial Treatments

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology is a non-invasive treatment that can correct a variety of benign skin conditions, including: signs of photo-aging, birthmarks, unwanted hair, unsightly small veins, broken capillaries, benign brown pigment, age spots (sun-induced freckles), mottled pigmentation, poikiloderma and other blemishes. It can be tailored to your individual condition and skin type, providing superior cosmetic results and outstanding satisfaction.

How is Photorejuvenation performed?

A cold gel is usually applied to the area to be treated, and you may be given dark glasses to protect your eyes from the bright light. The smooth glass surface of the IPL handpiece is gently applied to your skin and pulses of light are applied. You may feel a slight warming sensation - this is quite tolerable and anesthetics are not required. Treatments are generally administered in a series: 4 to 6 sessions that provide excellent long-term results, minimal adverse effects and high satisfaction. Each treatment takes about twenty minutes.

Why are multiple treatments necessary?

Depending on the condition(s) you are treating, and the severity of the individual problem, a series of four to six treatment sessions may be recommended. You can return to work the same day and resume all your regular activities. By dividing the full program into several treatments, the procedure provides gradual improvement with very low risk — and, it preserves the wonderful "no down time" feature that people appreciate so much.

How do other treatments compare to Photorejuvenation?

Some lasers can treat telangiectasia and broken capillaries, other lasers can treat benign brown pigments, and yet others that are used for resurfacing facial skin. However, only IPL technology can provide long-term improvement in both the tone and texture skin — all without the slightest interruption in your busy lifestyle.

What conditions can Photorejuvenation treat?

Facial imperfections can detract from your well being and appearance, no matter how healthy and young you feel. IPL technology helps create healthier, smoother-looking skin. After a series of treatments, you can see a significant reduction of unwanted pigmentation. The same treatment can be used effectively on the neck, chest, arms and hands.

What Results Can I expect?

After only one treatment, your skin will have a more even tone with a smoother look and feel. Sunspots will fade. Pores will shrink. Fine lines and wrinkles will gradually decrease in size. These improvements will steadily improve with each treatment. Patients with rosacea will see a progressive decrease in redness with every treatment.

What will recovery be like?

Following your treatment, the treated skin may appear a little flushed and capillaries may seem to be more visible. The flushed look soon fades away, and the capillaries appear to vanish, leaving the skin looking younger. Post-operative discomfort is almost nonexistent. It's that simple.


How do IPL Photo Facial Rejuvenation treatments work?

Today's new light technology delivers precise dosages of energy to the skin. During your treatment, light energy is gently delivered through a special handpiece to the targeted area. Levels of energy specific to your treatment are used to maximize your improvement. Once delivered, the light energy is absorbed by the targeted damaged tissue.

Are IPL Photo Facial Rejuvenation treatments safe?
Advanced light systems have been used safely for millions of treatments worldwide. These systems treat only the targeted tissues, leaving the surrounding tissue intact.

Quick Eyebrow Lift Procedure

Traditional browlift surgeries consist of incisions across the head along the hairline and possible longer incisions at each temple. Muscles are repositioned and excess skin is trimmed away. Multiple sutures, scarring, time off work, a painful, lengthy recovery time and possible hair loss are all typical outcomes with the traditional browlift method.

With nearly 400,000 facelifts performed worldwide each year, often in conjunction with a browlift as well as 350,000 upper eyelid procedures performed annually, which are ideally performed with a browlift to yield longer lasting results, you can see why there is a need for a browlift technique that is less-invasive, has a quicker recovery time and offers optimal results.

The ENDOTINE TransBleph is a revolutionary new procedure that allows you to have a browlift through a single upper lid incision. So, if you are having an upper eyelid (blepharoplasty) procedure as well as a browlift - you can now have both procedures all through the same single incision.

Using a patented, multipoint soft tissue fixation technology-via a small, three tined bioabsorbable implant-you now have the opportunity to regain a youthful, beautiful appearance around the eyes, without undergoing a complete forehead lift.


Simple and Quick

This is a dynamic new combination in eye rejuvenation that is simple, quick and direct. The entire procedure is performed under local anesthesia and can be completed in just minutes per side.

The Threadlift Procedure

Note:

The Threadlift Technique is also known as the: Featherlift, Contour Lift, Aptos Lift, and Endo-Aptos Lift.


Overview:

Elimination of unsightly facial contours has long been the desire of both women and men who take pride in their appearance. Today, facial contouring is an achievable objective without surgery utilizing Non-Surgical Skin Tightening (NSST) and/or the Threadlift procedure. NSST is a completely non-invasive method of rebuilding collagen in the skin, resulting in an overall tightening and lifting effect.

The Threadlift procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that utilizes sutures to mechanically lift the skin. The suture material (polypropylene)is FDA approved and has been used in surgery for decades. The Threadlift sutures (Aptos Threads) have been modified from the FDA approved form by creating "cogs" on one side of the suture. The cogs are able to engage the soft tissue and create a lifting effect.


History:

Since the early 1990's, surgeons have been evaluating new surgical techniques for lifting the cheeks and jowls. In 1998, working with surgeons in Wisconsin, Dr. Summers performed a series of cheek/jowl lift procedures using the "Mid-Face Sling" technique. The Sling technique, which was published in the Journal of Plastic Surgery, securely lifts the cheek/jowls with a single suture. Simultaneously, in Russia, Dr. Sulamandize developed the Aptos ("anti-ptosis") technique for facial rejuvenation using modified sutures. The original Aptos technique did not require any incisions, but was not as secure as the Sling described by Dr. Summers. To achieve increased stability, Dr. Summers places a 2 inch incision in the hair-bearing scalp above the ear to secure the Aptos threads ­- this is called the Endo-Aptos technique.


The Procedure:

Unlike typical facelift techniques, the Threadlift does not remove any skin, so it is not a good procedure for individuals with very loose skin. Also, patients with very loose lower eyelid skin may develop worsening "crow's feet" wrinkles after a Threadlift unless other ancillary procedures are performed. Typically, patients are in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties with some cheek folds (nasolabial folds) and minor jowling. Between two and six threads are used on each side of the face to elevate the sagging cheeks and jowls. Once the threads are placed under the skin, the Aptos cogs form a support structure for the tissue of the face. Over a period of about 6 weeks, the threads will be stabilized as new collagen is formed around the cogs. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia in about one hour and the results are seen immediately.


Both Dr. Summers and Dr. Sulamandize have described the ability to further tighten a previously placed suspension suture. Therefore, in some patients, it is possible to return at a later time to lift the cheeks and jowls even more. Because all patients age at different rates, it is impossible to predict how long the Threadlift results will last in any particular patient.

However, based on Dr. Summers' long-term experience with the Sling procedure, he believes that the Endo-Aptos Threadlift procedure may provide beneficial results lasting up to 5 years or more.


Risks:

Some bruising is possible, but other side effects associated with facelift surgery (swelling, numbness, muscle weakness, scars) are very unusual or completely unexpected. Dimpling of the skin is possible, but when noticed at the time of the procedure, can be resolved quickly and painlessly. Dimples or surface irregularities noted later may require a minor procedure to release the dimple. Minor facial asymmetry is possible and a small degree of asymmetry may be acceptable. However, significant asymmetry may result from "disengagement" or breakage of the Aptos threads. In this case, a new thread may be placed or an existing thread may be tightened to restore the desired contour. The most significant concern is that the thread may be felt or seen under the skin. This may occur if the thread is too close to the surface of the skin or if the skin thins with advancing age or weight loss. In this scenario, the offending thread may be removed and a new thread can be inserted.


After the Threadlift:

Following the Threadlift procedure, patients can reduce their risk of bruising and swelling if they keep their head elevated, keep cool compresses over the cheeks, and avoid straining or strenuous activities. To reduce the risk of "disengagement" or breaking of the threads, the cheeks should not be pulled down for six weeks. For example, facial massages are to be avoided and patients should take care when washing their face or shaving not to stretch their cheeks and jowls downward.


Ancillary Procedures:

Additional procedures may be performed simultaneously with the Threadlift. For example, an upper eyelid lift, a lower eyelid lift, structural fat grafting, and neck liposuction may all be performed under local anesthesia in appropriately selected patients. In patients desiring additional skin tightening and collagen replenishment, the Thermage and/or Titan procedures should be performed either prior to the Threadlift procedure or at least two months following the Threadlift procedure.


About Dr. Summers:

Dr. Adam Summers is the medical director and founder of Maryland Plastic Surgery - Skin Care and Laser Center. The center is the first fully integrated medical spa, ambulatory surgery cosmetic surgery center, and skincare laser center in the region. Dr. Adam Summers is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has been an Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery since 1998. Dr. Summers has published numerous papers, presented at national and international meetings where he has won awards, has had his medical artwork work on display at the National Library of Medicine, and has received several grants for his innovative work in both reconstructive plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery.

Dr. Summers performs non-invasive procedures (Thermage, Titan, IPL, Fotofacial, Botox, Restylane, Captique, Sculptra, Laser Hair Removal), minimally invasive procedures (Threadlift, Fat Transfer, S-lift, Micro-liposuction), and traditional cosmetic surgery (breast augmentation, breast lift, tummy-tuck, liposuction, rhinoplasty, facelift, blepharoplasty, lip augmentation, etc.).

Dr. Adam Summers may be contacted at: 410-553-9444. For more information about Dr. Summers, visit his website at: http://www.mdcosmetic.com