Health Noise

Its official! Skipping a meal adds healthy years to one’s lifespan (First published on Business Day Life/Business Day) We all dread becoming old and decrepit. But what if someone told you that you could reach a 100 and still be energetic and engaged? Now there is scientific evidence that fasting (or calorie restriction) prevents much of the deterioration associated with aging.  For centuries scientists have tried to discover why we deteriorate as we age. Although it was known that genes and lifestyle affected one’s lifespan, and how well one aged, the full story was far from understood.  Professor Ben Loos, who heads a neuro research group in the department of Physiological Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch, says that the breakthrough came in the early 2000s, when scientists developed the capability to investigate the detailed molecular biology of how cells age. Their conclusion: the way we age is greatly determined by the way in which cells dig...

We are all experiencing a mixture of feelings: frustration, loneliness, isolation, uncertainty and even fear. And while the move to Level 3 has allowed some of us to go back to work, the onset of cold, dry weather will provide just the conditions COVID-19 is said to prefer. And the annual flu season is upon us.  No surprise, then, that experts are recommending that we redouble our efforts to stay mentally and physically healthy.  Nola Dippenaar, Professor Emeritus at the University of Pretoria’s Medical School and owner of Health Insight, believes that our choices directly determine our present and future health.  She believes that most COVID-19-positive people experience mild or no symptoms because they have a healthy immune system. By contrast, high morbidity is associated with weakened immune systems due to pre-existing conditions, particularly when combined with old age.  Building up one’s immune system starts with a balanced diet, at least 3...