Herbs for longevity: botanicals boost vitality and give you vibrant health - The Herbalist - includes recipe

Vegetarian Times, Feb, 1997 by Luise Light

We are programmed for longevity not death," says George Roth, Ph.D., the molecular physiology, and genetics chief at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore. "Ever species has a maximum life span, for mice it's about two years, for dogs twenty and for humans about 100." Unfortunately, few of us live to our maximum potential, and, to add insult to injury, for some of us, survival is marred by infirmities of mind and body. Why' some of us are more successful "agers" than others is under study. The answer likely lies in a host of factors. Some of which we can't readily control such as genetics but others we can such as diet, environment and behavior.

BATTLING FREE RADICALS

As we grow older, our metabolism (the work of producing energy from food and oxygen in the cells) becomes less efficient, increasing our vulnerability to degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. To make matters worse, free radicals, by products of metabolism, wreak their own havoc on the body. These highly reactive, little energy bundles careen around damaging cell structures and DNA that carries the genetic information necessary for cell functions, including making the proteins needed for cell maintenance and repair. Free radicals are thought to be responsible for everything from wrinkled skin to forgetfulness. But the good news is they can be kept in check.

"Aging occurs when things get out of balance in the cells," says Pamela Starke-Reed, Ph.D., director of the office of nutrition at the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Md. "Our bodies produce antioxidants as a defense against free radicals, but it's not a perfect system and as we get older, more leakage of free radicals from the cells occur, creating imbalances." Herbs and other green plants, rich sources of free radical-quenching antioxidants, help to shore up the body's defenses.

James A. Duke, Ph.D., a world-famous botanical researcher from Maryland swears by common herbs as sources of antioxidant nutrition. "My laboratory at the USDA [United States Department of Agriculture] just completed a study of the antioxidants in common culinary herbs," he reports. "Plants from the mint family -- oregano, rosemary, self-heal, thyme, sage, peppermint and spearmint were the richest sources. Oregano topped the list, with the herb self-heal second. We also saw that the weedier [wilder] the plant, the higher the antioxidant level."

Most plant's antioxidants are in the leaves where photosynthesis takes place. Plants take carbon dioxide and water out of the atmosphere and make sugars and oxygen. Plants need oxygen and sugars to live, just as we do, but in the process free oxygen radicals are produced that damage plant cells. Plants protect themselves from damage by making antioxidants in the leaves to "quench" free radicals. This may be why people who eat diets high in leafy vegetables, salads and teas are less prone to cancer, heart disease, cataracts and auto-immune diseases common in later life.

Duke always keeps a pitcher of lemonade in his refrigerator into which he throws a few sprigs of oregano or other wild mints from his yard. The water-soluble antioxidants in the mints flow directly. into the lemonade, but the fat-soluble ones need a little extra help so he sometimes adds a little gin or vodka for alcohol extraction of the fat-soluble ones. Duke varies the herbal content of his lemonade because no two herbs have exactly the same antioxidants and a variety ensures a wide spectrum of protection.

MIND OVER MATTER

Declining mental acuity is one of the most dreaded aspects of growing old. Alzheimer's disease, the "long good-bye" that afflicts former President Ronald Reagan, is especially terrifying because it slowly devastates its victim, robbing them of their judgement and memories. While genetics plays an undeniable role in determining who will succumb to security and who will retain his or her mental capacities, herbs offer valuable protection.

To stay mentally sharp, Duke makes a drink he calls "Alzheimeretto." It can be used as a beverage or even as a bath ingredient because many of its antioxidant compounds can be absorbed directly through the skin. The drink is made by steeping together several sprigs of rosemary. Duke says rosemary has about two dozen different antioxidant chemicals that have a similar effect to those in the latest drugs being used to treat Alzheimer's disease. Other antioxidant-rich herbs he includes are oregano, self-heal, horse balm, mountain mint, spearmint, caraway, dill and fennel.

These herbs all contain chemicals that prevent the breakdown of the brain chemicals acetylecholine and choline, compounds in short supply in the brains of Alzheimer patients. These chemicals are messengers that prompt muscles in the heart, blood vessel and stomach walls to contract. The pharmaceutical agents prescribed for people with Alzheimer's disease are designed to stop or slow the breakdown of these chemicals in the brain and are a hot research topic in neuropharmacology. Duke, however, thinks his drink may contain a greater variety of active agents and be safer. Nonetheless, he cautions, that he is not recommending that anyone follow his prescription until research validates his assumptions.