Okay. It starts in your thirties, sometimes twenties and its a battle that stays with you. Year after year. You know what I’m talking about. The battle between the waistline and belt. However, here is some good news to help you wage a successful war against the belly bulge.
There are many ways you can stay fit and promote a long, healthy life. And you probably know about some of them, particularly those habits that are widely discussed in the media and by doctors. However, scientists have recently made new discoveries that can help you activate weight loss while gaining control over deadly aging processes.
Beyond eating a well-balanced diet and getting plenty of exercise, how can you facilitate a healthy body weight?
Your Body’s Enzymes Can Help
New research indicates that when certain enzymes in your body are functioning properly, certain aging processes, such as weight gain, can be slowed or even reversed. One enzyme, in particular, known as AMPK, is being highlighted by medical researchers, Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme found within every cell, serves as your body’s master regulating switch, determining body fat composition and how long you will live. When switched “on,” AMPK triggers the use of stored energy from fats, enhances removal of fats and sugar from the blood, increases production of mitochondria, and reduces inflammation and cellular “junk.”
“When AMPK is more activated, it can help protect you against obesity and diabetes and many degenerative processes can be reversed,” says Dr. Michael A. Smith, senior health scientist for Life Extension and host of “Healthy Talk” on RadioMD.com.
Smith likens the processes that AMPK promotes as “cellular housekeeping,” warning that when these processes don’t work, dysfunctional cells can accumulate and create problems like weight gain and chronic inflammation.
Setbacks
As we grow older, cellular AMPK activation decreases, weight gain often follows, and we are more likely to succumb to the destructive factors of aging. Additionally, excess calorie consumption impairs the enzymatic activity of AMPK. Unfortunately, most humans today suffer chronic nutritional overload, say experts.
Solutions
Researchers have discovered four ways to boost the body’s AMPK activity:
• Exercise: AMPK activity increases with regular vigorous exercise.
• Restrict calories: By taking in fewer calories, you create increased AMPK activity as cells sense a requirement to function more efficiently.
• Botanical Extracts: Two natural agents, the Chinese herb Gynostemma pentaphyllum and trans-tiliroside derived from rose hips, have been shown to activate AMPK, reducing belly fat, cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin levels. You can supplement your diet with an AMPK activator to turn off many damaging effects of aging.
Over the years, you don’t just have to quietly accept weight gain and the effects of aging. Take advantage of the new scientific findings that can help you promote a long, healthy and fit life.
-StatePoint
