DNA breaks are no joke when it comes to the delicate dance of aging gracefully and warding off aging and disease. Your cells are constantly bombarded by the stressors of modern life: UV rays, environmental toxins, and oxidative stress.
These "stressors" cause breaks in the strands of your DNA leading to errors in cell replication. These errors are mutations and lead to not only aging, but cancer, and other diseases. Crazier still, there are about 800 hits our DNA an hour and up to 19,000 a day. But, there is good news. DNA damage isn't always permanent. DNA can be repaired by the body, as there are "direct repair mechanisms that can fix DNA damage without breaking the DNA backbone." While the body can do this by itself, it's a good idea to help it along with some "nutritional modulation" and a few healthy habits.
Lemon Balm Tea
A 2011 study conducted a before & after clinical trial on 55 radiology staff who were asked to drink lemon balm infusion twice daily for 30 days. They tested for oxidative stress and DNA damage in the participants' plasma before and after using a lemon balm infusion. The findings indicate that the use of lemon balm infusion did indeed resulted in significant improvements in plasma levels of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, which are enzymes involved in antioxidant defense mechanisms. Additionally, there was a marked reduction in plasma DNA damage, myeloperoxidase, and lipid peroxidation, which are indicators of oxidative stress and DNA damage.
Kiwi
Kiwi not only stimulates DNA repair, the high level of antioxidents also help protect from the damage happening in the first place. What's interesting is that in this 2003 study, the beneficial effects of the kiwifruit on DNA damage and repair were seen with relatively small amounts seen in a normal diet. Nothing unusual or concentrated. What's more, the scientists think that probably MANY more fruits and compounds have similar effects, but haven't been studied. So for now, stick with kiwi.
NAD+ Boosters
There is a reason NAD+ is the darling of the longevity scene. While there is some argument as to which molecules are best for boosting NAD+ levels: NMN, NR, or direct NAD+ molecultes like transdermal patches, there is no argument that NAD+ supports DNA repair.
B Vitamins
There are a host of B vitamins that are essential for DNA synthesis and DNA repair so take a methalated B-Complex that has the right ratio and right quantities of these. We are not fans of overdoing, which many B-Complex supplements on the market do. We like these from Gaia.
OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids
You know the ones in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts? They support celluar membrane integrity and repair mechanisms.
Vitamin D
We've been taking vitamin D supplements for years to bring up our levels, but the old fashioned way may be the best. New reccomendations from functional docs in the know are skewing towards getting early morning and pre-sunset sun directly onto your skin and into your eyes. Save your sunscreen for prime sun damage hours in mid-day.
Lemons
Apparently it's not exactly the vitamin C content that gives lemons their DNA-repairing abilities, but rather one of their phytonutrients which cuts DNA damage by 1/3. We'll take it.
We're Always Repairing
Maintaining and repairing your DNA is vital for long-term health and disease prevention. By incorporating antioxidant-rich foods, regular exercise, adequate sleep, minimizing toxin exposure, and utilizing beneficial supplements in the right doses, you can enhance your body's natural DNA repair mechanisms.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet or supplement regimen to ensure they are appropriate for your individual health needs.
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