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Activate Your Sirtuins – The Body’s Own Anti-Ageing Proteins

Activate Your Sirtuins – The Body’s Own Anti-Ageing Proteins

by | Aug 2, 2022 | Anti-ageing

Do you ever wish you could turn back the clock and feel young again? Well the good news is that your body has anti-ageing proteins known as sirtuins that can do exactly that! Let’s dive into how sirtuin activation can protect you against ageing and chronic disease naturally.

What are sirtuins?

To understand sirtuins, we need to do a quick refresher on DNA. Every cell in your body contains the same DNA – no matter what type of cell it is. But there is something known as the epigenome which instructs each cell what it’s going to be and what it’s going to do. This is also where you can ‘turn on’ or ‘turn off’ genes.

This is where sirtuins come into play. Sirtuins are a group of signalling proteins that help to control the epigenome, and from there, how your DNA is expressed. And one of the big factors they help to regulate on a genetic level? You guessed it – ageing.

Sirtuins can:

  • Reduce stress

  • Protect against insulin resistance

  • Reduce inflammation (and therefore inflammaging)

  • Repairs DNA instability and damage e.g. from smoking or sun exposure

  • Boost memory

  • Increase exercise endurance

  • Reduce the risk of depression

  • Support optimal metabolism & help maintain a healthy body weight regardless of food intake

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons why we would want to turn these signals up!

THE LINK BETWEEN SIRTUINS AND NAD+

NAD+ acts as fuel for sirtuins. Unfortunately, NAD decreases as we age – with estimates of 50% reduction by the time you reach age 50.

This reduction of NAD leads to a big drop in sirtuin activity. Researchers believe that this is the primary reason why we develop age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, frailty (loss of muscle mass) and macular degeneration. It also contributes to:

  • More inflammation

  • More DNA damage

  • Memory loss

  • Reduced tolerance to exercise

  • Lower metabolism

  • Greater vulnerability to stress

But although this is bad news, the exciting thing is that it means we can tackle the major cause of age-related disease at the root!

How to activate your sirtuins

So now you know why we want sirtuins – let’s talk about how to activate them and turn back the biological clock! It’s easy to turn them up by using tools such as:

  • Specific foods in the diet to support production (this is the premise of the Sirtfood diet that Adele famously used to transform her body and health)

  • Exercise

  • Fasting and fast mimicking diets (keep in mind fasting may not be ideal if your hormones are imbalanced or you’re under significant stress)

  • Hot and cold therapy

It’s important to note that not all of these will be feasible for everyone. I’ve done ice baths and let me tell you, they are full-on and painful! Starving yourself every other day, cold showers and ice baths are not everyone’s cup of tea.

This is where supplementation may be an easier option to implement. To boost sirtuin activity, we want to increase our NAD levels. But simply taking NAD supplements is not effective, as the NAD molecule is too large to enter the cells. That’s where precursors that convert to NAD are the better option.

The precursor with the most human data and clinical trials to date is NR. Research shows that NR supplementation can increase NAD levels by up to 60% in middle-aged and older adults.

This is why NR is the star ingredient in my innovative new supplement, Energy Glow NR. If you’re looking for a simple way to support your NAD levels and sirtuin activation, learn more about Energy Glow NR here.

Susie Garden

I help women feeling stressed, flat and older than they’d like regain their youthful energy and glow using a proven method so their natural beauty and confidence shines through.

Can You Get Sufficient NAD Through The Diet?

Can You Get Sufficient NAD Through The Diet?

by | Jul 26, 2022 | Anti-ageing

Heard that getting plenty of NAD+ is the key to healthy ageing? This essential co-enzyme has multiple anti-ageing properties, but our levels decline with age. Let’s look at whether you can support NAD through diet alone and how you can increase your levels naturally.

What is NAD+?

First up, let’s take a quick look at what NAD is.

The full name is nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide – so you can see why it’s easier to shorten it to NAD! It’s a co-enzyme that is found in every single cell of the human body.

WHY WE NEED NAD

To put it simply, we cannot live without NAD. It is required to form ATP – the energy source for our cells. But it also has dozens of mechanisms that help to keep us youthful and healthy. It can repair DNA, reduce oxidative stress and boost multiple anti-ageing pathways.

Without sufficient NAD, you can experience issues such as:

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Decreased brain function

  • Obesity

  • Premature ageing

  • Increased zombie cells (more on these here)

  • Higher oxidative stress and inflammation

  • Increased risk of chronic disease, particularly those related to ageing

  • Less DNA repair, leading to a higher risk of mutations and a shortened life span

Unfortunately, once you hit 40, NAD levels decline by up to 50%. From there, your levels continue to drop, particularly if you have additional lifestyle factors that reduce NAD.

Can you boost your NAD via diet?

Most of our essential enzymes and co-enzymes can be supported by eating a nutritious diet. We are able to consume the building blocks needed to build these compounds via wholefoods.

But unfortunately, that’s not the case with NAD. The major precursor for NAD that is known to boost NAD levels is NR (nicotinamide riboside).

You can get some NR through specific foods. For example, cow’s milk has been shown to contain NR. But the research shows that even across multiple brands of milk, the NR content is minuscule. It certainly does not come close to the dose of NR that research shows can support NAD.

Another option that is known to contain NR is brewer’s yeast. But there isn’t enough research to confirm the average amount of NR that brewer’s yeast contains. It’s also not something that you would consume in a large amount, so your NR intake will likely be minimal.

In theory, any food that contains B3 could also contain NR. But we simply don’t know of any dietary source that contains a significant amount – and certainly not a therapeutic dose.

How to support your NAD levels naturally

So if you can’t get enough of a boost to your NAD via the diet, what other options are there?

There are two major steps to take:

#1 – REDUCE THE FACTORS THAT DEPLETE NAD

No, you can’t hit pause on your age, but there are other factors that can churn through your NAD reserves. They include:

  • A nutrient-poor, highly-processed diet

  • Overeating

  • Poor sleep (quality and quantity)

  • Alcohol consumption

  • Overtraining (excess high-intensity training and/or lack of recovery time)

  • Inflammation

#2 – SUPPLEMENT WITH NR

Many people think that NAD supplements are the solution – but our cells aren’t able to absorb NAD. That’s why we want a precursor that can cross over into our cells, so they can make their own NAD internally.

This is where NR becomes our new bestie.

NR supplementation can increase NAD levels by up to 60% in middle-aged and older adults. So it really is a game-changer when it comes to supporting NAD!

WANT TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE THAT NR AND NAD CAN MAKE FOR YOU?

I’ve formulated my own innovative supplement designed to support healthy ageing – and I’m so excited to share it with you! Learn more about Energy Glow NR here.

Susie Garden

I help women feeling stressed, flat and older than they’d like regain their youthful energy and glow using a proven method so their natural beauty and confidence shines through.

5 Ways You’re Depleting Your NAD Levels

5 Ways You’re Depleting Your NAD Levels

by | Jul 19, 2022 | Anti-ageing

Could you be exhausting your anti-ageing NAD+ levels without even knowing it? Our NAD levels drop naturally as we age, but there are also lifestyle factors that deplete them. Let’s take a look at 5 big factors that contribute to the loss of NAD.

5 causes of NAD+ depletion

Lifestyle factors can cause a rapid loss of NAD. If you have multiple factors depleting levels, it can lead to rapid premature ageing and an increased risk of chronic age-related disease. So it’s important to be aware of these 5 common causes of low NAD levels.

AN IMBALANCED DIET

Both what you eat and how much you eat can play an important role in your NAD levels. If you’re focusing on plenty of wholefoods and personalised nutrition that supports your body, you will find it easier to maintain healthy levels.

But if you are eating foods that lead to more inflammation and oxidative stress, your NAD gets depleted trying to counteract these effects. Eating excess amounts can have similar effects.

POOR SLEEP

We know how crucial sleep is for your health – it’s when your body does the majority of its repair work. But if you’re not getting enough sleep and/or sleeping poorly, this repair work doesn’t get done.

What does that mean? More damage is sustained over days and weeks, and more NAD is depleted trying to clean up the mess and get you back to a state of health.

On the flip side, NAD can help to restore healthy sleep patterns. It regulates pathways involved in your circadian rhythm which leads to a more ‘youthful’ sleeping pattern. If you’ve noticed you struggle to sleep properly as you get older, low NAD might be the reason.

EXCESS INTENSE EXERCISE

Physical activity is a must for your wellbeing. But if you’re overtraining or including too much intense exercise, you may be depleting your NAD without realising it.

You use NAD during your workouts to access the energy needed to exercise. But if you train excessively, you’re causing more cellular damage. As one of NAD’s tasks is repair of DNA and cells, that means more and more is used.

That’s why it’s important to vary your workout intensity and allow for plenty of recovery time if you engage in high-intensity training.

DRINKING ALCOHOL

It might be delicious and help you to unwind, but alcohol consumption is one of the biggest depletors of NAD. This is because NAD is used in the liver to process and detoxify ethanol (alcohol). The more alcohol you consume, the greater the drop – with some studies showing it can deplete NAD by up to 20%!

Interestingly, NAD is also being considered as a potential therapeutic substance for treating alcohol addiction along with other addictions. So if you struggle with alcohol, food or other substances, supporting your NAD levels may be a way to break that addiction.

UNCONTROLLED INFLAMMATION

It’s no surprise that inflammation is a player in NAD – after all, we know that it’s tied to inflammaging and premature ageing. The issue with this is that inflammation can be sneaky. You may not even realise you have low-grade chronic inflammation issues until you develop a chronic disease!

Inflammation is also involved in each of the above factors. So if you are dealing with one or more of those, you can assume inflammation is also present.

The consequences of low NAD

So what does it mean if you have depleted NAD levels? Just some of the outcomes include:

  • Chronic fatigue (thanks to reduced energy production)

  • Decreased brain function

  • Obesity

  • Accelerate ageing (premature ageing)

  • Increased zombie cells (more on these here)

  • Higher oxidative stress

  • Increased risk of chronic disease, particularly those related to ageing

  • Less DNA repair, leading to a higher risk of mutations and a shortened life span

To put it simply, the lower your NAD, the harder you’re pressing on your ageing accelerator. That’s why we want to counteract this and support healthy levels. To achieve this, we need a combined effort of reducing the depleting factors and boosting your levels naturally.

WONDERING HOW TO BOOST YOUR NAD LEVELS? NR IS THE SECRET!

NR (aka nicotinamide riboside) can increase NAD levels by up to 60% in middle-aged and older adults. So it really is a game-changer when it comes to supporting NAD!

That’s why I’ve formulated my own innovative supplement designed to support healthy ageing – and I’m so excited to share it with you! Learn more about Energy Glow NR here.

Susie Garden

I help women feeling stressed, flat and older than they’d like regain their youthful energy and glow using a proven method so their natural beauty and confidence shines through.

NAD Drops As We Age – This Is Why You Want To Prevent That

NAD Drops As We Age – This Is Why You Want To Prevent That

by | Jul 12, 2022 | Anti-ageing

NAD+ is an incredibly powerful anti-ageing compound. Our bodies naturally produce it – but levels decline as we age. Want to learn more about why you want to slow the decline as much as possible? Let’s take a closer look.

What is NAD+?

NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (that’s quite a mouthful, which is why we shorten it to NAD!)

NAD is a co-enzyme that is found in every single cell of your body. It helps to process nutrients and form ATP – energy for our cells.

We cannot live without NAD. If you run out of it, you die because you can’t fuel your tissues & cells. But what NAD actually does is a bit more complicated, particularly when it comes to the prevention of premature ageing.

WHAT DOES NAD+ DO FOR US?

This is where the science gets a little complex, so bear with me here. The major function of NAD is to support energy production and DNA repair throughout all of the cells in your body. This helps to maintain the wellbeing of every organ, every gland, everything from your skin to your gut and even your metabolism.

But NAD also has some specific actions when it comes to longevity and healthy ageing, including:

  • Delaying cellular senescence (aka zombie cells – more on those right here)

  • Reducing oxidative stress

  • Protecting against age-related diseases and premature ageing

  • Boosting major anti-ageing pathways including sirtuins, mTOR and AMPK (stay tuned for more info about why they are so amazing!)

Because of these benefits, researchers believe that NAD+ is key to improving your healthspan and potentially even your lifespan!

NAD+ as we age

It’s a pity that NAD is such an amazing compound for protecting against ageing – and yet it decreases as we age! Once you’re over 40, NAD levels decline by up to 50% and continue to drop as you age further.

This leads to symptoms including chronic fatigue, decreased brain function, obesity and accelerated ageing. That’s why we want to ensure we maintain our levels, particularly once you hit your 40s!

HOW TO SUPPORT NAD+ LEVELS

There are 3 key steps for supporting NAD levels, particularly to prevent the decline caused by ageing.

Step 1 – cut the factors that deplete NAD

You can’t stop yourself from ageing, but there are also lifestyle factors that deplete levels. To address these, make sure you:

  • Eat a wholefood-based diet

  • Reduce your intake of processed & high-sugar foods

  • Prioritise high-quality sleep

  • Moderate your alcohol intake

  • Stick to an exercise regime that is moderate intensity (not high!)

  • Address any underlying causes of inflammation

Step 2 – Increase your intake of NAD precursors

Yes, you can eat foods that support NAD levels naturally. I’ll explore these foods in more detail in a future article, but the main precursor we want plenty of is NR (nicotinamide riboside).

Unfortunately, diet alone is not enough to increase NAD levels, particularly once the age-related decline kicks in.

Step 3 – supplementation

The benefits of an NR-rich diet and a NAD-supportive lifestyle, while useful, are also limited. That’s where supplements can help to bridge the gap, particularly if your levels are already dropping due to age.

NAD supplements and infusions are popular options. But NAD is too big to get through the cell membranes, meaning that it can’t actually boost NAD where it actually matters – in the cells. The way we can get around that is by using a precursor that can enter the cells and convert into NAD.

This is where NR becomes a key player.

NR can increase NAD levels by up to 60% in middle-aged and older adults. So it really is a game-changer when it comes to supporting NAD!

That’s why I’ve formulated my own innovative supplement designed to support healthy ageing – and I’m so excited to share it with you! Learn more about Energy Glow NR here.

Susie Garden

I help women feeling stressed, flat and older than they’d like regain their youthful energy and glow using a proven method so their natural beauty and confidence shines through.

Secrets of an Anti-Ageing Naturopath

Secrets of an Anti-Ageing Naturopath

by | Jul 7, 2022 | Podcast

PODCAST EPISODE

Secrets of an Anti-Ageing Naturopath

PODCAST SUMMARY

 

Have you ever wondered what an anti-ageing naturopath does to stay young, healthy and happy? Healthy ageing is not just important for my clinic – it’s something I aspire to as well. That’s why I’ve combined the best research and information out there to create my own anti-ageing routine.

If you want to know the habits that I prioritise to combat ageing, you’ve come to the right place.

My new gamechanging supplement is launching soon!!! Follow @theglowprotocolau to learn more!!

About Your Host: Susie Garden

I help women feeling stressed, flat and older than they’d like regain their youthful energy and glow using a proven method so their natural beauty and confidence shines through.