The ability to go back in time is not science fiction, it's science fact.

What is your life expectancy today and how can you increase it?

These are the type of questions that might come to mind after hearing nutritionist Dr. Gus Reynolds.

Reynolds presented a talk on anti-aging through nutrition at the Wild Oats store's community room in Little Rock on Monday, October 30, 2006.

A group of about 12 people, of all ages and from all backgrounds, gathered that evening to learn about ways to use nutrition to help reverse the aging process of their bodies.

First, the audience took a short test to determine their approximate life expectancy.

Men and women had different beginning numbers. Starting with this baseline numeral, one answered a series of questions to determine if health habits and other processes would either add or subtract years from your life. For example, one of the questions asked if you had any relatives who had lived to be 90 year of age or more.

If so, you could add ten years to your own life. The results of this quiz were fascinating. It seemed that most of those that took the test scored in the upper eighties. Yet, Dr. Reynolds stated that his test score result put his life expectancy at 111!

He went on to explain that in 1995, the World Health Organization (W.H.O) conducted a study on the use of vitamins. The results of that study found that people who take a good multi-vitamin daily can add ten to fifteen years to their life span. A second study found that if everyone on the planet took a multi-vitamin, 90 percent of the diseases known to man would be eradicated.

Dr. Reynolds went on to say that the current science can allow a person to not feel old if they do not wish to. "The goal is to feel good." he explained. "Given a choice between being skinny and sick, and being physically fit but perhaps a bit overweight and healthy, you should choose to be healthy. Losing weight can be achieved, but having good health is more important than being thin or being able to run a marathon."

Anti-Aging

Then, Dr. Reynolds listed many of the outside influences that cause our bodies to age. These processes include lack of exercise, environmental pollution, emotional trauma, and drugs. The acidic balance of the body as well as nutritional deficiencies make up some of other forces that can prematurely age our bodies. He explained that many people's peoples bodies today are more acidic. This acidity can be tested, but from a holistic point of view, the results of three different tests must be examined to reach a conclusion.

If saliva or urine tests are considered without reference to the aciditic level of the blood, it is possible to come to the wrong conclusion. If your body is too acidic, it will try to get rid of this condition by funneling excess acid into the saliva or the urine. He also stated that a major factor in American's elevated acidity in their bodies had to do with shallow breathing.

Other parts of the body demonstrate the signs of aging and Dr. Reynolds listed many of them with explanations as to what can cause these effects. In the central nervous system, there is evidence that aluminum that is ingested into the body may be linked to Alzheimers disease. We get take aluminum into our bodies from the use of alumium pots and pans, aluminum canned drinks and the aluminum put into antiperspirants, to name a few.

Our immune system can also age merely as a result of daily stress. The respiratory system is also damaged by smoking and by automobile emissions that we breathe.

After connecting the influence of our environment and what we ingest in our bodies, Dr. Reynolds talked about how to begin to reverse the aging process. Some simple steps involve breathing deeply, drinking one half of our body's weight in ounces of water each day, having complex carbohydrates (such as raw vegetables) comprise 45 percent of our diet, taking a good multi-vitamin daily, as well as a probiotic, are some beginning points toward a more youthful body.

Next, he talked about the five hormone precursors that could be taken to stop aging.

These substances are DHEA, human growth hormone releasing agents, DAME, preginitol and melatonin.

And on an ongoing basis, we need to take in beneficial nutrients for life. Dr. Reynolds enumerated several supplements that can help the body to reverse the aging process. In addition to a good multi-vitamin, one should take B-complex, Omega III fatty acids, L-Carnitine, grapeseed extract, Alfolic Acid, L Folic Acid, Acetyl-Carnitine, L-Glutamine, turmeric, and Co-Q1O. These substances helps the entire body to work better. For example, Omega III fatty acids rebuild cells and protect the body against stroke. Grapeseed extract helps improve the cognitive functions of the brain.

L-glutamine helps regenerate colon cells, and Co-Q10 helps to ward off the diseases of congestive heart failure and breast cancer.

You can also eat certain foods to complement and assist the quest toward anti-aging.

Eating one bowl of blueberries a day can help your coordination, balance, short term memory and your ability to learn new tasks quickly. Dr. Reynolds suggested that berries such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and cranberries are some of the best anti-aging foods. Some of the other foods he recommended were spirulina (blue green algae), leafy green vegetables (these contain lutein which is good for the eyes and heart), almonds and walnuts (these are high in Omega VI and Vitamin E), as well as flax seeds.