Longevity Health Dictionary

The result of a combination of natural, largely genetically programmed changes occurring in all body systems. Diseases or injuries may in?uence these changes, which impair the body’s homeostatic mechanisms; environment and lifestyle also affect the ageing process.

The effects of ageing include: cessation of MENSTRUATION in females; wrinkling of the skin due to a loss of elastic tissue; failing memory (especially short term) and a reduced ability to learn new skills, along with slowed responses

– changes caused by the loss of or less e?cient working of nerve cells; the senses become less acute; the lungs become less e?cient, as does heart muscle, both causing a fall in exercise tolerance; arteries harden, resulting in a rise in blood pressure and poor blood circulation; joints are less mobile, bones beome more brittle (OSTEOPOROSIS) and muscle bulk and strength are reduced; the lens of the EYE becomes less elastic, resulting in poorer sight, and it may also become opaque (CATARACT).

In developed countries people are living longer, in part because infant and child mortality rates have dropped dramatically over the past 100 years or so. Improved standards of living and more e?ective health care have also contributed to greater longevity: the proportion of people over 65 years of age has greatly increased, and that of the over-75s is still rising. The 2001 census found 336,000 people in the UK aged over 90 and there are 36,000 centenarians in the US. This extreme longevity is attributed to a particular gene (see GENES) slowing the ageing process. Interestingly, those living to 100 often retain the mental faculties of people in their 60s, and examination of centenarians’ brains show that these are similar to those of 60-year-olds. (See MEDICINE OF AGEING; CLIMACTERIC.)

Help and advice can be obtained from Age

Concern and Help the Aged. See www.helpthaged.org.uk www.ageconcern.org.uk... ageing

Ashwagandha is the Ayurvedic equivalent of ginseng but heats the body less. It is well known for promoting semen and helps treat both infertility and impotency. So, the biggest issue I hear from clients who are looking for help in this area is that they are too stressed and don’t have enough energy for a healthy sex life. Enter ashwagandha. This herb boosts energy, reduces stress and has been shown to increase sperm count and the production of sex hormones (in either sex). The various active principles in this herb (alkaloids, anoloids, withanolides and other technical jargon) are sexually stimulating and support longevity. One thing, though—only take this herb when you’re, you know, in the moment (well, a few hours before you’re in the moment). The body can build up a tolerance for this herb and, as it can increase testosterone, it can cause aggression in some testosterone-sensitive people. My advice? Try taking one 500mg capsule a few times a week and see how it goes.... ashwagandha

Ashwagandha tea has a long medicinal history, being used for its healing properties byAyurveda practitioners, native Americans and Africans. At present, it is used to improve memory, but not only. What is Ashwagandha? Ashwagandha is a stout shrub that belongs to the nightshade family, but it does not possess poisonous properties.  It grows in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Literally translated, Ashwagandha means horse smell. It has been also known as “India’s ginseng” or “winter cherry.” In Ayurveda, practitioners use Ashwagandha for its medicinal properties which enhance longevity and health in general. Native Americans and Africans have been using Ashwagandha to heal inflammation, fevers and infection. The plant has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. Ashwagandha can be taken as tea, as tincture, in capsule form, or as an extract. Ashwagandha tea is the resulting beverage from brewing the abovementioned plant. Ashwagandha tea brewing To prepare Ashwagandha tea:

• Place about 1 teaspoon of dried ashwagandha leaves in boiling water.
• Let the mix steep for about 15 minutes and cool.
• Strain and then drink.

Ashwagandha tea benefits Studies revealed that Ashwagandha tea is successfully used to:

• calm the nerves and treat severe stress and nervous exhaustion
• help in the treatment of hypertension
• clear the mind, as well as to improve memory and cognitive abilities
• help in fighting arthritis
• help in restoring sexual vitality, especially in males

It also has anti-carcinogenic and anti-cancer properties. Ashwagandha tea is recommended for expectant mothers. It is said to purify the mother’s blood and strengthen her immune system. Because it acts as a uterine sedative, Ashwagandha tea is used during childbirth, bytraditional Ayurvedic medicine. Ashwagandha tea side effects Ashwagandha tea is not recommended to pregnant women. To avoid any possible side effects, consumers should not intake the tea in high doses or for long periods of time. Ashwagandha tea is a good choice when looking for an increased libido, or an adjuvant against cancer, due to its antioxidant content. It can be also used to enhance the immune system and thus, to release stress.... ashwagandha tea increases libido

Longevity, Healing, Comfort, Protection... cypress

The state of health of an individual, group or population. It may be measured by obtaining proxies, such as people’s subjective assessments of their health; by one or more indicators of mortality and morbidity in the population, such as longevity; or by using the incidence or prevalence of major diseases (communicable, chronic or nutritional).... health status

A composite index that measures the overall achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development— longevity, knowledge and a decent standard of living. It is measured by life expectancy, educational attainment and adjusted income per capita in purchasing power parity (PPP) US dollars. The HDI is a summary, not a comprehensive measure of human development.... human development index (hdi)

Love, Protection, Sleep, Chastity, Longevity, Purification, Happiness, Peace ... lavender

Longevity, Purification, Love, Friendship ... lemon

If you want to quit drinking coffee or simply try a new variety of black tea, you can chose Yunnan tea for a change. Its strong sweet flavor will surely delight your senses. There are several types for this black tea, so before you buy it take a look at its description and benefits.

Description of Yunnan Tea

Commonly known as Dianhong, Yunnan tea is a type of Chinese black tea used in various blends and other tea assortments. Its name comes from the Chinese province of Yunnan where it is grown and harvested. This type of tea has three major properties : big leaves, a brownish color and a strong flavor. The first sip can be slight sour at the beginning but after that it gets sweeter. Quality Yunnan tea has a sweet strong flavour. Low quality Yunnan tea can have a darker color and a bitter taste, so be careful what to buy. It is also known as Yunnan Red tea. There are several varieties of Yunnan black tea.

Broken Yunnan

A cheap tea used in various mixtures which contains very few golden buds and is generally bitter on its own. It can be easily identified because the dried leaves have a darker almost black color with only a few bursts of golden tips. The drink is dark with a reddish-brown color. The taste can sometimes be as strong as cooked pu-erh tea.

Yunnan Gold

Another Dianhong type which has less golden buds and more dark tea leaves. It resembles with Yunnan Pure Gold type and is priced similarly. However, the tea resulting from it has slightly different characteristics. The drink has a bold red color different from other black teas and a vivid sweetness not quite as intense as Yunnan Pure Gold.

Yunnan Pure Gold

Seen as the best type of Dianhong tea, it holds only golden ends, which are generally covered in fine hairs. If we look it from a distance, the dried tea has a bright orange color. The tea liquor is bright red in color and it has a gentle aroma and a sweet taste. The leaves turn into a reddish brown color after preparation. If we compare it to other small-leaf varieties, Yunnan tea contains a higher concentration of polyphenol, catechin and water-soluble substances that the average values for a black tea.

Preparation of Yunnan tea

Like most of black teas that are usually infused with hot water, Yunnan tea is no exception. It is recommended to use porcelain containers or cups. Put a teaspoon of Yunnan tea and poor hot water of approximately 100 degrees Celsius. Let is infuse for about 5 minutes, then it’s ready to drink. Some people may add milk to the tea.

Yunnan tea benefits

According to the different methods used in tea processing, Yunnan tea can be classified into over 100 kinds of products. Yunnan tea is famous for its health benefits. Studies have shown that it is indeed an effective beverage for eliminating fat, reducing weight, strengthening the body, enhancing longevity, stimulating metabolism, balancing and regulating cholesterol level. Yunnan tea is also highly reputed as “slimming tea”, “beauty tea” and “healthy tea” in more than twenty countries and regions including France, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong and so on. Studies confirm what the Chinese have known for centuries - that Yunnan tea provides a natural alternative to medicines for those expecting to lose weight, reduce tension and generally have a more healthy and relaxed lifestyle. It was clearly proven that drinking Yunnan tea regularly lowers blood lipid levels without having side effects as medical drugs have.

Yunnan tea side effects

The side effects of Yunnan teaare similar to those caused by other black teas and they are related to intense consumption. They are mostly associated with higher caffeine content which may cause restlessness, palpitations, difficulty in sleeping, anxiety, irritability, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. Caffeine is also diuretic. Like most black teas, Yunnan tea is suitable for regular consumption in spite of few side effects. Drink it wisely and enjoy its benefits.... discover yunnan tea

Longevity, Health, Healing... life everlasting

Love, Longevity, Money ... maple

Love, Exorcism, Longevity, Fertility, Wishes... peach

Immortality, Longevity, Wisdom, Protection, Wishes... sage

Health, Longevity... tansy

Hydrocotyle asiatica, Indian Pennywort, European Water-marvel. Centella asiatica L. French: Hydrocotyle. German: Wassernabel. Italian: Idrocotile. Indian: Brahami. Chinese: Chi-hsueh- ts’ao.

Constituents. flavonoids, terpenoids, volatile oil.

Action. Adaptogen, alterative, de-toxifier, bitter, diuretic, digestant, powerful blood tonic, central nervous system relaxant, laxative, emmenagogue, Ginseng-like effect, antibiotic (ointment and dusting powder).

Uses: Mentioned in most Eastern religions and medical systems. Has a reputation for longevity. Under the name Fo-ti-tieng it was prescribed and taken by Professor Li-Ching-Yun, Chinese herbalist who died 1933 at the reputed age of 256. (Guinness Book of Records) The herb is active in Ayurvedic Medicine, having a long history for leprosy and tumour. Prominent as a mild analgesic to alleviate pains of the female generative organs, for mental illness. Some success has been reported for cancer of the cervix. In Chinese medicine it covers a wide range including infertility, insomnia, crumbling nails, impaired vision, chronic sinusitis, sexual debility and some venereal diseases (juice of the fresh leaves).

It is a medicine of some versatility. In the West it has been used for recovery from surgical operation, drug withdrawal. Addison’s disease (copper-coloured complexion), rheumatism. For skin disorders: discharging ulcers, acne, pemphigus and lupus (where not ulcerative). It is said to heal without a scar. Of value for tiredness, depression, loss of memory, and to improve the nervous system generally in Parkinson’s disease.

Recent research reports improved memory and the overcoming of stress, fatigue and mental confusion. Preparations. Average dose: half-1g. Thrice daily. Tea. Quarter to half a teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 10 minutes; dose – 1 cup.

Liquid extract: 1:1. Dose – 2-4ml (half-1 teaspoon).

Bengal tincture. 1 part coarsely powdered dried plant in 5 parts by weight of strong alcohol. Macerate 8 days in well-corked bottle in a dark place; shake daily; strain; filter. Dose – 1-2 teaspoons in water.

Use for not more than 6 weeks without a break. Not used in pregnancy or epilepsy. ... gotu kola

n. a peptide containing the amino acids glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. It functions as a *coenzyme in several oxidation-reduction reactions. Glutathione serves as an *antioxidant: it reacts with potentially harmful oxidizing agents and is itself oxidized (see also selenium). This is important in ensuring the proper functioning of proteins, haemoglobin, membrane lipids, etc. High levels of glutathione in the blood are associated with longevity.... glutathione

(NGF) a protein (see growth factor), consisting of two polypeptide chains, that is required for the development and longevity of some neurons, including those in the sympathetic nervous system and some central nervous system and sensory neurons. Nerve growth factor is necessary for axon growth and also for initiating new neuronal connections with other cells. The role of NGFs in preventing the degeneration of brain cells is being explored in research into Alzheimer’s disease.... nerve growth factor

a measure of a person’s wellbeing that is relevant in two ways in medical ethics. (1) The experience, burden, and effects of disease as opposed to its duration are often invoked in debates about *abortion, *assisted suicide, *euthanasia, and the withholding or withdrawal of medical treatment. The criteria for determining another person’s wellbeing are complex and contested, and some argue that competent adults are the best judges of their own quality of life. (2) The formal evaluation of losses and gains is employed to determine who will benefit most from a treatment and, on this basis, who should receive priority where resources are scarce. In such cases a calculation of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) is made, rather than a simpler estimate of how long a successfully treated patient can expect to live. Each expected year of full health is scored 1, each expected year with various degrees of illness or disability less than 1, and death 0. Research priorities are often made on the basis of a related metric, *disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), which seeks to minimize the burden of disease. Both metrics have been criticized for discriminating against those with prior medical conditions, which lower their baseline score, and the elderly, whose longevity is short. See also need.... quality of life

Foeniculum vulgare

FAMILY: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

SYNONYMS: F. officinale, F. capillaceum, Anethum foeniculum, fenkel.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Biennial or perennial herb up to 2 metres high, with feathery leaves and golden yellow flowers. There are two main varieties of fennel: bitter or common Fennel, slightly taller with less divided leaves occurring in a cultivated or wild form and sweet fennel (also known as Roman, garden or French fennel) which is always cultivated.

DISTRIBUTION: Bitter fennel is native to the Mediterranean region, found growing wild in France, Spain, Portugal and North Africa (they produce the ‘weed’oil). It is cultivated extensively worldwide, the main oil producers being Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy and India.

Sweet fennel is thought to have originated on the island of Malta, having been introduced by monks or crusaders thousands of years ago. It is now grown principally in France, Italy and Greece.

OTHER SPECIES: Bitter fennel (F. vulgare var. amara) and sweet fennel (F. vulgare var. dulce) are both closely related to the Florence fennel (F. azoricum), a smaller plant with a large cylindrical fleshy root which can be eaten as a vegetable. There are also many other cultivated varieties such as the German or Saxon fennel, the Russian, Indian and Japanese fennel, all of which produce slightly different oils.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: A herb of ancient medical repute, believed to convey longevity, courage and strength. It was also used to ward off evil spirits, strengthen the eyesight and to neutralize poisons. In eastern and western herbalism it is considered good for obstructions of the liver, spleen and gall bladder and for digestive complaints such as colic, indigestion, nausea and flatulence (an ingredient of children’s ‘gripe water’).

It has traditionally been used for obesity, which may be due to a type of oestrogenic action, which also increases the milk of nursing mothers. Still current in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, used locally for conjunctivitis, blepharitis and pharyngitis.

ACTIONS: Aperitif, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, galactagogue, laxative, orexigenic, stimulant (circulatory), splenic, stomachic, tonic, vermifuge.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation. 1. Sweet fennel oil is obtained from crushed seeds, and 2. bitter fennel oil from crushed seeds or the whole herb (the wild ‘weed’).

CHARACTERISTICS: 1. A colourless to pale yellow liquid with a very sweet, anise-like, slightly earthy-peppery scent. It blends well with geranium, lavender, rose and sandalwood. 2. The seed oil is a pale yellow liquid with a sharp, warm camphoraceous odour; the ‘weed’ oil is pale orange-brown with a sharp, peppery-camphoraceous odour.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Anethole (50–60 per cent), limonene, phellandrene, pinene, anisic acid, anisic aldehyde, camphene, limonene, among others. In addition, bitter fennel oil contains 18–22 per cent fenchone, whereas the sweet fennel oil contains little or none.

SAFETY DATA: Non-irritant, relatively non-toxic, narcotic in large doses; bitter fennel may cause sensitization in some individuals. Sweet fennel oil is preferred in aromatherapy and perfumery work, since it does not contain the harsh ‘fenchone’ note, and because it is non-sensitizing. Bitter fennel oil should not be used on the skin at all, although it is considered superior medicinally. Neither oil should be used by epileptics or during pregnancy. Use in moderation.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE Bitter fennel – none.

Sweet fennel:

Skin Care: Bruises, dull, oily, mature complexions, pyorrhoea.

Circulation Muscles And Joints: Cellulitis, obesity, oedema, rheumatism.

Respiratory System: Asthma, bronchitis.

Digestive System: Anorexia, colic, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, hiccough, nausea.

Genito-Urinary System: Amenorrhoea, insufficient milk (in nursing mothers), menopausal problems.

OTHER USES: In pharmaceutical products it is known as ‘codex’ fennel oil, used in cough drops, lozenges, etc; also used in carminative and laxative preparations. Extensively used as a flavour ingredient in all major food categories, in soft drinks and especially in alcoholic drinks such as brandy and liqueurs. Fennel oil (mainly sweet) is used in soaps, toiletries and perfumes. It also provides a good masking agent for industrial products, room sprays, insecticides, etc.... fennel

Salvia lavendulaefolia

FAMILY: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

SYNONYMS: Lavender-leaved sage.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An evergreen shrub, similar to the garden sage but with narrower leaves and small purple flowers. The whole plant is aromatic with a scent reminiscent of spike lavender.

DISTRIBUTION: Native to the mountains in Spain, it also grows in south west France and Yugoslavia. The oil is mainly produced in Spain.

OTHER SPECIES: A very similar oil is distilled in Turkey from a Greek variety, S. triloba, which is used for pharmaceutical purposes. See also entries on clary sage and common sage for other types of sage.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: In Spain it is regarded as something of a ‘cure-all’. Believed to promote longevity and protect against all types of infection (such as plague). Used to treat rheumatism, digestive complaints, menstrual problems, infertility and nervous weakness.

ACTIONS: Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, deodorant, depurative, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hypotensive, nervine, regulator (of seborrhoea), stimulant (hepatobiliary, adrenocortical glands, circulation), stomachic, tonic (nerve and general).

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the leaves.

CHARACTERISTICS: A pale yellow mobile liquid with a fresh-herbaceous, camphoraceous, slightly pinelike odour. It blends well with rosemary, lavandin, lavender, pine, citronella, eucalyptus, juniper, clary sage and cedarwood.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Camphor (up to 34 per cent), cineol (up to 35 per cent), limonene (up to 41 per cent), camphene (up to 20 per cent), pinene (up to 20 per cent) and other minor constituents.

SAFETY DATA: Relatively non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing. Avoid during pregnancy; use in moderation.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE

Skin care: Acne, cuts, dandruff, dermatitis, eczema, excessive sweating, hair loss, gingivitis, gum infections, sores.

Circulation muscles and joints: Arthritis, debility, fluid retention, muscular aches and pains, poor circulation, rheumatism. Respiratory system: Asthma, coughs, laryngitis.

Digestive system: Jaundice, liver congestion.

Genito-urinary system: Amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, sterility.

Immune system: Colds, fevers, ’flu.

Nervous system: Headaches, nervous exhaustion and stress-related conditions.

OTHER USES: Extensively used as a fragrance component in soaps, cosmetics, toiletries and perfumes, especially ‘industrial’ type fragrances. Extensively employed in foods (especially meat products), as well as alcoholic and soft drinks.... sage, spanish