L.A. Times - Health

If red wine's good, are resveratrol pills even better?

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Such is the thinking, though not the proof. Resveratrol supplements are a prime example of how hope, buzz and profit can distort science.

In August 2003, when scientists first revealed the life-extending powers of trans-3,4,'5-trihydroxystilbene-- also known as resveratrol -- its earthly form had all the allure of an apple in the garden of Eden.

Aging: You can hurry it, but you can't slow it

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

At least for now, that is. But you can work to live to your potential age.

Nothing in gerontology comes close to fulfilling the promise of a dramatically extended life span -- despite bold claims to the contrary.

Living a longer life: whose advice helps?

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

For decades, longevity gurus have touted their plans. But have they delivered? Aging experts weigh in.

Live a life without frailty and disease, and enjoy lasting youth, both physical and mental. Purveyors of longevity have been cashing in on that promise for centuries -- never mind that not one of the people prescribing a life-extension plan has ever delivered one that worked.

Eating to live longer: It can be a page turner

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Is red wine the key? Eating to improve brain chemistry? Or a low-cal, low-carb approach? Or should nutrition be tailored to blood type? Authors have their ideas.

Acai berries, green tea, soy, olive oil and sweet potatoes have all been hyped for their life-prolonging potential. Diets rich in vegetables, fruits and grains, and low on meat may help prevent chronic disease. But so far there's only one dietary approach shown to lengthen life span: eating less . Of course, a dearth of firm data hasn't stopped doctors, scientists and nutritional dilettantes from penning anti-aging diet books. Here are a few of them.

Youth in a jar? Probably not, but we buy it anyway

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Whether women's anti-aging products actually work is almost beside the point.

Sharyn Belkin Locke knows better -- she does -- but she's admittedly attached to her anti-aging products.

Are we worrying about aging too young?

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

As a woman in my 30s, I'm more concerned than ever about sun exposure. As a teen I could lie in the sun on Huntington Beach for two hours and get a deep tan; now I usually don't leave the house without sunblock, sunglasses and long sleeves. Every time I go to a cosmetics counter I try the serums, creams and lotions. I admit: The allure of good-smelling, prettily packaged items sucks me in.

Portable hyperbaric chambers: An expensive folly?

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

They can alleviate altitude sickness, but there's no evidence they live up to claims of slowing or reversing aging and treating severe autism and cerebral palsy.

Over the years, Michael Jackson has graced more tabloid covers than any other celebrity, the ghost of Elvis included. One memorable tabloid photo from the mid-1980s showed Jackson lying peacefully in a hyperbaric chamber, presumably part of his plan to stay young forever.

She's good with gray hair

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

I am making a statement tantamount to a terminal patient raising her hand in protest and announcing, "No more treatments!" Mine is not over something life-threatening, though. After 13 years of it, I am just saying "no" to color: Let the gray grow in!

Aging's helpful perks

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Coming to grips with old age is easier when there's a kind stranger at every corner, gas station and grocery store.

As I totter into antiquity, I've become an expert on the pluses and minuses of geezerhood, and the biggest plus I've found is the kindness of strangers.

Forget the 65 years, it's those 30 seconds that count

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

A push to slim down leads to a life of running and a first-place showing at an O.C. marathon.

On May 3, I gave myself a 65th birthday present. I came in first female in my age group at the Orange County Half Marathon. Crossing the finish, my watch read two hours, 30 seconds, but the official print-out registered a disappointing two hours, one minute. I liked the "First Place" by my name, but my goal had been to come in under two hours -- and I was closer with my pace watch.