5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Slowly

It seems mom was right about telling you to stop wolfing down your food when you were a kid.

When you’re famished, it’s hard not to devour that sandwich or pasta. And if you consider eating as nothing more than a routine activity or are always in a hurry because of a busy lifestyle, you probably don’t allot too much time to eat your meals.

Eating is not something that should you should be rushing because it leads to a stressful, unhealthy lifestyle, says Dr. Joseph Mercola.

You could regularly be eating healthy food like organic vegetables and grass-fed meat but you won’t be able to properly digest and assimilate what you consume because eating too fast and under stress puts your body in the opposite condition of where it should be when it’s time to process what you’ve eaten, Dr. Mercola explains.

Mercola points out that simply taking your time while eating and chewing your food longer can have a powerful impact to your health.

Here are 5 reasons why you should eat slowly:

1. Fewer calories and weight loss – It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for your brain to realize that your stomach is full. Eating too fast often causes you to eat more. Taking your time eating can help you avoid eating extra helpings, decrease your caloric intake and avoid weight gain.
2. Better digestion – Chewing your food properly and twice longer helps you break down food better as digestion starts in your mouth. The more work you do in your mouth, the less work your stomach has to do to effectively digest your food. 
3. Enjoy the experience and choose better food – Eating is not just something to do but something to experience. Savor every bite and receive pleasure from what you are eating, not how much you’re consuming. You will generally feel better and satisfied instead of feeling heavy and slugging after a meal if you take your time. Also, most processed foods are made to taste good only for the first few bites. Eating slowly gives you the chance to really taste the food, judge it for what it is and reach out for better and healthier options because natural foods like fruits and vegetables taste good even after the first few bites.
4. Relaxation – Europeans drink more wine and eat more fat than Americans but manage to stay slimmer because they take their time eating. Meals are treated as celebrations. They take two-hour lunches and forget about work for a bit. Dine with your family and friends more often to reduce your stress levels. 
5. Liberation from fast food and fast life – The fast-paced lifestyle is dehumanizing America. If you often have a hectic and stressful schedule, you’ll turn to fast food when it’s time to eat, which is one of the fastest routes towards obesity. Don’t settle for fast food or comfort food. Eat at a good restaurant or better yet, spend time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals for you and your family.

Rediscover the joys of eating – it’s one of the best things in life. Eat slowly and live healthy.

Dr. Mercola Explains How Whey Protein Can Help Slow Down Aging

It has been one of man’s fervent wishes to find a way to slow down aging and increase longevity. Emperors and kings have searched for the fountain of youth throughout the centuries. Nowadays, doctors and scientists are continuing the quest in the laboratory, looking for the most effective methods to reverse the aging process.

Late last year, Dr. Joseph Mercola attended the 2009 Longevity Summit, which drew some of the world’s top anti-aging biologists and experts, including Sierra Sciences CEO Bill Andrews, PhD. Andrews gave a lecture on telomeres and their potential role in altering the aging process.

According to one theory, you age as your cells age and if you can find a way to delay the aging of your cells, you’ll be able to control your aging.

All cells contain a nucleus, which house the chromosomes that contain your genes. A chromosome has two “arms,” with each arm containing a single molecule DNA, which is composed of units called bases. A typical DNA molecule is approximately 100 million bases long. Telomeres are bundles of DNA located at the tip of each chromosome arm, and are similar to the plastic tips on shoelaces that keep them from unraveling.

A telomere is about 15,000 bases long at the moment of conception in the womb. Immediately after conception, your cells start dividing and your telomeres shorten each time cell division occurs. Once your telomeres are reduced to about 5,000 bases, you essentially die of old age (note: DNA molecules are about 100 million bases long).

Biologists have discovered that reproductive cells do not age and do experience the shortening of the telomere like somatic cells (all of the other cells in your body). This is because reproductive cells produce the enzyme telomerase.

Somatic cells do not produce telomerase but they do contain the gene for the production of telomerase. This gene is turned off, which causes the telomere shortening process and cell aging.


Whey Protein for Way Longer Life?

Sierra Sciences has screened more than 160,000 different chemicals, looking at their ability to turn on the telomerase gene and is closely studying 33 possible components of what is envisioned to be the first true anti-aging drug, which might be available within the next two decades.

Majority of the research in this field focuses on proprietary chemicals to stop telomere shortening but Dr. Mercola  has discovered that there are studies in progress showing that increasing the levels of glutathione (GSH) – your body’s main antioxidant – can provide similar results.

Mercola explains that you cannot directly ingest glutathione because it is produced from inside your cells by its precursor amino acids: glycine, glutamate and cystine. But you don’t necessarily have to take expensive glutathione supplements. Scientists at the Longevity Summit confirmed that you can increase your glutathione levels by modifying your diet.

The best way to increase and maintain your GSH levels is by eating foods which are high in the sulfur amino acids your cells need to synthesize glutathione. Consuming whey protein is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to do this.

Whey protein is one of Mercola’s favorite health products and superfoods because it provides many health benefits, including boosting your energy and helping promote your optimal intake of carbohydrates, essential fats and vitamins and minerals.

Just keep in mind that not all whey products are created equal. Your best bet would be to consume high quality whey protein from grass-fed cows, which also has to be carefully processed to preserve the glutathione precursors.