Aging, healthspan, lifespan and longevity - 5.01 Hormetics

5.01 Hormetics!

What the heck is that? It is the most common way to increase your health and longevity! Hormesis is the concept that life has evolved to respond to stresses by increasing fitness.

Exercise is the best example. You stress your body and you grow stronger.

Many of the phyto-chemicals in fruits and vegetables work the same way and are called hormetics. They actually stress the cell, which turns on a host of repair pathways that result in a tougher, more fit cell. Just as with no exercise, with no stress, the cell gets weaker over time. Some phyto-chemicals turn on these repair mechanisms better than others with less negative effects.

Here is my choice for the 10 best hormetic supplements that work in moderation (numbered to refer to in later posts):

5.02 Resveratrol: Famously from the skin of the grape induces many health benefits
5.03 Curcumin: Tumeric the main ingredient in curry
5.04 Quercetin: From onions and many other plants
5.05 Philostilbene: From blueberries
5.06 Sulforaphane: From broccoli
5.07 Apigenin: From apples
5.08 ECGC: From green tea
5.09 Berberine: From several plants including European barberry, goldenseal, goldthread...
5.10 Silymarin: From milk thistle

There are many more, however these have been studied and many benefits have been discovered.

Each of these will be presented over the next posts, so don't miss this - follow me!

Remember that the dosage determines the poison with all hormetics. More is not better, at some point it is worse. A small dose of a hormetic stress, stimulates the repair and longevity genes and pathways. More stress is detrimental and overwhelms these systems.

Also these are phyto-CHEMICALS which may have side effects and may not be suitable for everyone, so do not take this post as medical advice.

Follow me for more info on each of these hormetics.
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So far we have 5 ways of extending health and longevity (follow and see previous posts)

(They are numbered to refer to in later posts)
1.01 Caloric Restriction
2.01 Intermittent Fasting
3.01 Protein restriction
4.01 Methionine restriction
5.01 Hormetics

Lots more to come - hang on!