To all the mothers out there – we love you! Being a mom is never easy, but there’s no more important job in the world. In recognition of all the support you give, it’s time to take care of yourself (and/or your mother!). Here’s how to save your skin in a pinch! In this article, we dive into the effective way for healthy and glowing skin.

 

 

IV Drips

IV drips are beneficial in many ways. It provides a faster way of delivering vital nutrients to the body.  Vitamin deficiencies are a common phenomenon that can be affected by day to day life, and the stresses imposed on the body.  Deficiencies can also cause dull skin, hair fallout, brittle nails, etc. External topical nutrients like creams, serums and soaps, among other products only provide temporary relief and don’t compensate for internal deficiencies. Furthermore, many oral vitamins and supplements have can have a low absorption rate while some can be harsh to your digestive system. An IV drip, on the contrary, provides better absorption of these nutrients so you can ‘glow from the inside out’.

The appeal of using IV drips and infusions for beauty is the quickness of delivery into the body and the results are almost immediate, unlike most procedures. Within 24 hours, one can see a visible difference in the skin’s quality and texture. The skin will be more hydrated and have the right nutrients to detoxify and rebuild.  Other procedures are methodical like fillers and botox that can cause side effects and require post-care procedures. IV drips, on the other hand, is totally safe without much post care needed other than your regular skincare regime.  Many actors and actresses use this method to prepare their skin before events and brides have found a fondness for this procedure to get glowing skin for their big day.

 

Potential Benefits of IV Treatment for Our Skin:

• Helps to improve skin hyper-pigmentation
• Helps to repair and nourish your skin
• Helps skin to be smoother and clearer
• Helps to give your skin a radiant glow
• Helps to make pores smaller
• Helps to prevent acne and heal marks
• Helps to defy the aging process

 

Key Nutrients

Diet is always the foundation for health. But getting an extra dose of certain key nutrients helps optimize your skin’s health and appearance.

• Collagen

Collagen is the answer to maintaining tight and firm skin, especially important when we reach the age of 40s-50s with declining hormones causing the skin to lose its elasticity and to sag. In addition, collagen helps maintain healthy joint function by maintaining the integrity of your cartilage, which protects your joints. It is also an important nutrient for maintaining good bone density as bones are made up of collagen.

• Glutathione

Glutathione is an antioxidant produced in cells. It’s comprised largely of three amino acids: glutamine, glycine, and cysteine. Glutathione is depleted when the liver has lots of oxidative stress from poor diet and nutrition or alcohol drinking which can lead to problems like fatty liver disease. The concentration of glutathione will also decline with age. Improving glutathione levels helps our body fight against oxidative stress and enhances our liver’s ability to detoxify toxins from our environment.

• Vitamin C

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and can help prevent UV-induced skin damage. It is also essential in producing collagen. Deficiency can result in rough, dry skin and abnormal hair growth as well as poor wound healing and wrinkles.

A study of 56 patients taking vitamin A, C, E and procyanidins over 8 weeks proved the safety and effectiveness of this combined supplement for uneven and mottled skin pigmentation.

 

So why not give it a try this Mother’s Day as part of your self-care ritual.  Or give the gift of ‘glow’ to your matriarch as a thankful gesture for being the best mum in the entire world.

 

Deep Longevity is a leading provider of biomarkers of aging and longevity. Owned by Regent Pacific Group, their mission is to extend healthy productive longevity and increase human performance. They have now announced that they are adding LifeHub and LifeClinic to their growing network as a longevity medicine collaboration. The partnership will leverage Deep Longevity’s extensive range of AI-powered aging clocks with the integrative physicians at LifeClinic. Together, they will be exploring the effectiveness of longevity interventions including lifestyle choices and drug regimens.

Deep Longevity’s aging clocks are backed by scientific academic publications supporting its efficacy. In 2020, a review article summarizing the latest research in the field, concluded: “Overall, we expect deep learning, deep neural networks and generative approaches to be the next power tools in this timely and actively developing field.”[1]

As part of the partnership, LifeHub and LifeClinic medical professionals are being engaged in advanced research with Deep Longevity. Physicians will be trained in deep aging clocks to be able to interpret data and provide customized wellness journeys for their clients.

Based in Hong Kong, LifeHub and LifeClinic are one of the largest functional medicine-based medical wellness and medical clinic facilities in the region. By taking a science-based approach to health optimisation and longevity, they are able to address physiological imbalances that could stem from nutritional deficiencies or other factors like hormonal imbalances or the effects of environmental pollutants.

Hear why the leaders behind this collaboration are so excited:

“I am delighted that we will be able to use Deep Longevity’s most advanced aging clocks to assess and improve LifeHub and LifeClinic’s various youth extension products and services.” – Dr Jonathan Seah, Chairman of LifeHub and LifeClinic.

“The traditional approach to preventative medicine is focused on preventing disease by diagnosing the symptoms early or reducing the risks of disease. AI-guided longevity medicine goes much further than that by focusing on tracking the person’s rates of aging at many levels, on the identification of longevity bottlenecks, and on utilizing the latest advances in science and technology to slow down or potentially even reverse biological and psychological aging. We are very happy to have both LifeHub and LifeClinic join the rapidly growing network of our research and clinical partners focused on providing customers with extra years of productive and happy life.” – Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, Chief Longevity Officer of Deep Longevity Inc.

On the franchising potential of LifeHub and LifClinic: “You can walk in, get diagnosed and then work with the doctor to get the optimal IV drip, supplement regiment and diet. Keep coming back, getting tested and explore the ever-growing menu.” – Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, Chief Longevity Officer of Deep Longevity Inc.

References:

1. Galkin, F., Mamoshina, P., Aliper, A., de Magalhães, J. P., Gladyshev, V. N., & Zhavoronkov, A. (2020). Biohorology and biomarkers of aging: Current state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities. Ageing research reviews, 60, 101050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2020.101050

References

1. Role of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Related Precursors as Therapeutic Targets for Age-Related Degenerative Diseases: Rationale, Biochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Outcomes
2. Blander G, Guarente L (2004). “The Sir2 family of protein deacetylases”; Annu. Rev. Biochem. 73: 417–35.
3. Bürkle A (2005). “Poly(ADP-ribose). The most elaborate metabolite of NAD+.” FEBS J. 272(18): 4576–89.
4. Dietrich C, Charles B, Claire LK. “Safety and Metabolism of Long-term Administration of NIAGEN (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of Healthy Overweight Adults.” Sci Rep. 2019 Jul 5;9(1):9772. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-46120-z.

Dr Shivani Sharma | TEDxManhattanBeach

Exosomes – tiny nanoparticles in our bodies – may offer a new path to curing and managing disease. While first discovered in the 1980’s, a new breakthrough method of studying exosomes using the Atomic Force Microscope, offers scientists the ability to comprehensively study these fragile but powerful particles. A new frontier in microbiology, Dr. Shivani Sharma and other nano scientists are just beginning to understand the important role of exosomes in our body. 

What is Plaquex?

Plaquex (phosphatidylcholine) is a natural substance from soy that has the ability to remove both fatty and hardened plaques from blood vessels. The Plaquex Formula was initially designed by doctors to dissolve fatty masses that can develop during traumatic surgeries. However, this function was then extended to treating plaques that have built up in our blood vessels over time and is now a therapy in anti-aging medicine. 

How Does Plaquex Help?

The presence of plaque is a key step in the process of atherosclerosis, which narrows the vessel’s diameter thus restricting blood flow, increasing blood pressure, and increasing the risk of future occlusion events like heart attacks and strokes. 

As Plaquex removes these plaques, it can restore blood flow, repair damage to blood vessel walls, improve blood lipid levels, and maximize oxygen and nutrient cell exchange. This dramatically restores vascular health for wide-spread internal and external anti-aging effects.

 

Plaquex restores vascular health in the following ways:

• Reducing Total Cholesterol

Total cholesterol measures all the cholesterol in all the lipoprotein particles. In a review of 15 clinical trials treatment with Plaquex reduced total cholesterol by 8.8 to 28.2%. [1,2]

• Reducing LDL Cholesterol

LDL, or “bad cholesterol”, is a significant predictor of atherosclerosis. In studies with 1160 patients, the mean reduction of LDL cholesterol was 31%.[3]

• Increasing HDL Cholesterol

Studies show that HDL Cholesterol, or “good cholesterol” was increased between 10-45%. Very low initial HDL levels had the biggest change while close to normal levels were hardly changed.[4] Improved HDL levels are protective against atherosclerosis.

• Reducing Lipid Peroxidation [5]

Lipid peroxidation is the metabolic process in which reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause the oxidative deterioration of lipids. This process damages cells and is involved in the development of atherosclerosis. In vivo and in vitro studies show a decrease in lipid peroxidation with Plaquex therapy.

Safety

Assessments indicate that Plaquex is well-tolerated at daily intakes of up to 18 grams[6]. However, there are some contraindications, such as those on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor medications, which would be discussed with your healthcare professional prior to treatment. Side effects may include temporary lowering of blood pressure and associated lightheadedness.

References

1. Fasoli,A.: Clinical evaluation of polyenephosphatidylcholine (PPC) – effects on the serum lipid and lipoprotein patterns. Therap. Select. Risk/Benefit Assess. Hypolipid. Drugs (G. Ricci, R. Paoletti, Pocciari, Poggiolini, Eds. ) Raven Press, New York (1982) 257-262
2. Blaton, V., F. Sateway, D. Vandamme, B. Decercq, H. Peeters; Effect of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine on human types II and IV hyperlipoproteinemias. Artery 2 (1976) 309-325
3. Saba, P., F. Galeone, F. Savadorini, E. Pagliai, G. Guidi, A. Scalabrigo: Effects of soybean polyunsaturated phosphatdiylcholine on hyperlipoproteinemia. Curr. Therap. Res. 24 (1978) 299-306
4. Maeda, A., K. Kondo, S. Tsuyama, M. Nagasaka, M. Burin, Y. Iida, T. Nomato: The effect of polyenphosphatidylcholine on HDL cholesterol in atherosclerosis. Gendai No Shinryo 22 (1980) 189-192
5. Takahashi, S.: Treatment of abnormality of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism-Effect of polyenylphosphatidylcholine. Shinryo to Shinyaku 17 (1980) 3051-3084
6. Kidd PM. Phosphatidylcholine, a superior protectant against liver damage. Altern Med Rev 1996;1:258-274.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+): a critical coenzyme found in every cell in your body and involved in hundreds of metabolic processes.

What is NAD+?

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a naturally occurring coenzyme found in virtually every cell. Its function is to help catalyse reactions in the body and is heavily involved in cell regeneration, DNA repair, cell metabolism and the production of cellular energy. Unfortunately, this invaluable compound rapidly declines with age¹.

 

How does NAD+ Therapy help?

Emerging evidence suggests that higher NAD+ levels may slow or even reverse aspects of aging and age-related diseases, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative conditions². This is because as NAD+ levels drop, the pathways that NAD+ operate become compromised leading to accelerated aging and a greater risk for developing a range of diseases. Numerous clinical trials have been published on NAD+ Therapy and it is typically very well-tolerated⁵. Side effects are rare and usually mild, such as flushing.

 

NAD+ Mechanisms:

1. May contribute to longer telomeres for anti-aging
2. Promotes DNA repair
3. Modulates immune-cell signaling
4. Improves mental clarity, focus and concentration
5. Boosts mood
6. Mitigates chemical stress inflammation
7. Activates sirtuins³
8. Supports energy production⁴

 

What People are Saying?

“Fountain of youth molecule” – Dr. David Sinclair, Ph.D, Professor in Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School

 

“Potentially one of the greatest advances in medical science since the invention of penicillin.”- Dr. Phillip Milgram, Scripps Memorial Hospital

 

“The next big anti-aging drug” – Dr. Ross Grant, Australasian Research Institute

References

1. Schultz MB, Sinclair DA. Why NAD(+) Declines during Aging: It’s Destroyed. Cell Metab. 2016;23(6):965‐ doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2016.05.022
2. Role of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Related Precursors as Therapeutic Targets for Age-Related Degenerative Diseases: Rationale, Biochemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Outcomes
3. Blander G, Guarente L (2004). “The Sir2 family of protein deacetylases.” Annu. Rev. Biochem. 73: 417–35.
4. Bürkle A (2005). “Poly(ADP-ribose). The most elaborate metabolite of NAD+.” FEBS J. 272 (18): 4576–89.
5. Safety and Metabolism of Long-term Administration of NIAGEN (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of Healthy Overweight Adults

Aging is defined as “the process of getting old” and in humans, aging represents the accumulation of changes in a human being over time. These changes encompass physical, psychological, and social changes. With human’s increased life span, it is more and more pertinent to maintain good health to ensure optimal aging.

The world is increasingly recognizing the aging process as a disease by itself. WHO has recently implemented a definition for “aging related disease”, defined as those “caused by pathological processes which persistently lead to the loss of organism’s adaptation and progress in older ages”—in the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases, code  ICD-11.

Rather than calling it “anti-aging” medicine, our philosophy here at LifeClinic is based on preventative medicine to ensure optimal aging. We believe in optimizing the function of our body from the cellular and metabolic level to ensure that even during the process of aging, our cells maintain optimal energy and maintain minimal oxidative and toxic stress.

Here Are The Top 5 Components Of An Optimal-Aging Diet:

1. Anti-oxidants
2. Good clean proteins
3. Healthy fats
4. Good gut health
5. Caloric restriction

Antioxidants 

These are powerful compounds that inhibit oxidation stress caused by free radicals in our body that can damage our cells. Foods that are high in anti-oxidants include colorful fruits and vegetables. The colorful pigments in these foods contain various flavonoids, flavones, catechins, polyphenols, and phytoestrogens so the more colours you eat, the better range of different anti-oxidant compounds. Most fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids and flavonoids, which are powerful anti-oxidants, while dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale provide polyphenols and chlorophyll. Eat lots of bright, colorful vegetables every day, like tomatoes, carrots, purple cabbage, beetroot, orange and red capsicum, purple sweet potatoes etc.

Clean, Lean Proteins

Proteins are important in the form of amino acids for important enzymatic and cellular anabolic processes in the body, hence we need sufficient proteins for muscle building and to prevent visible signs of aging. Proteins are present in plants, such as chickpeas, beans, lentils and legumes, and in meat. Choose clean lean proteins like hormone-free chicken and turkey and deep-sea fish. Avoid conventionally raised poultry or farmed fish which are loaded with antibiotics and hormones.

Eat Healthy Fats

In a study done reported in the BMJ, people with the highest blood levels of omega 3 fatty acids were 18 percent to 21 percent less likely to experience unhealthy aging. Omega 3 fatty acids are important to reduce blood pressure, cardiovascular events and inflammation which are aging-related health issues.

Fatty acids help to maintain healthy cell membranes in our organs like the brain, liver and skin to maintain a beautiful complexion. Flax seed oil is a good addition to the diet as it contains all the essential fatty acids. Other essential fatty acids rich foods include avocados, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or even cold-water fish and seafood.

 Maintain Good Gut Health

A study done has found that microorganisms living in the gut may alter the aging process. Mice received transplanted gut microbes from old mice (24 months old) into young mice (6 weeks old) lacking gut microorganisms. After eight weeks, the young mice had increased intestinal growth and production of neurons in the brain, known as neurogenesis.

Maintaining good gut health can compensate and support an aging body through positive stimulation. Increase your intake of probiotics through supplementation or through fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir etc, which will help increase good bacteria in your gut. Short chain fatty acids like butyrate helps to maintain a healthy intestinal wall lining.

Caloric Restriction

Caloric restriction has recently gained momentum in the anti-aging world as it has been found to stimulate genes that improve longevity.  This relates to cutting off high caloric sugar laden foods and processed foods in your diet. Reducing high sugar foods and carbohydrates reduces your insulin levels and reduces glycation of your tissues, which is the usual cause of aging in the cells. Also regular intermittent fasting with caloric restriction helps our body enter into a protective and stress-resistant mode, triggering autophagy for the cleanup of old and damaged cells, and activating cellular rejuvenation and repair.

References

Fusco D, Colloca G, Lo Monaco MR, Cesari M. Effects of antioxidant supplementation on the aging process. Clin Interv Aging. 2007;2(3):377–387.

Clare-AnnCanfield^a, Patrick C.Bradshaw^b. Amino acids in the regulation of aging and aging-related diseases. Translational Medicine of Aging

Volume 3, 2019, Pages 70-89

Cole GM, Ma QL, Frautschy SA. Dietary fatty acids and the aging brain. Nutr Rev. 2010;68 Suppl 2(0 2):S102–S111. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00345.x

Nagpal, Ravinder et al. “Gut microbiome and aging: Physiological and mechanistic insights.” Nutrition and healthy aging 4,4 267-285. 15 Jun. 2018, doi:10.3233/NHA-170030

Parag Kundu, Hae Ung Lee, Isabel Garcia-Perez, Emmy Xue Yun Tay, Hyejin Kim, Llanto Elma Faylon, Katherine A. Martin, Rikky Purbojati, Daniela I. Drautz-Moses, Sujoy Ghosh, Jeremy K. Nicholson, Stephan Schuster, Elaine Holmes, Sven Pettersson. Neurogenesis and prolongevity signaling in young germ-free mice transplanted with the gut microbiota of old mice. Science Translational Medicine, 2019; 11 (518)

López-Lluch, Guillermo, and Plácido Navas. “Calorie restriction as an intervention in ageing.” The Journal of physiology vol. 594,8 (2016): 2043-60. doi:10.1113/JP270543

Dr See Yunn Ho

Kenneth J. Chu is a practicing naturopathic doctor, and is also a board member of the Integrated Association of Naturopaths in Hong Kong. Ken Practices a holistic healing approach, using a combined approach of clinical nutrition, homeopathy, and herbal medicines to address the root causes of his patients’ problems. He has an interest in pediatrics, gastroenterology, and sports medicine.

After obtaining his Bachelors Degree in Biological Sciences, Ken then graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto. Ken also did further education programs in advanced clinical nutrition, and expanded his homeopathy knowledge by training with the Ullmans, Jonathan Shore, and the Rajan Sankaran and the Bombay Group of Homeopathy in India.

Ken was selected to advance his studies in the sports medicine rotation at CCNM and he treated many athletes at Canada’s largest wellness/multidiscipline clinic in Edmonton, including some of Canada’s Olympic sportspersons and also several MMA athletes.