Mitochondria.

Seaside and others,  Seaside, Hope the extra 600mg COQ10 continues to help you more than the 600mg daily total.  I don't remember if I told my PC about my supplements but he knows I'm on something other than the 81mg aspirin.  Every doctor seems to advocate supplemental magnesium since most people are deficient, and my system is now really accustomed to it.  (Don't know if that's okay but will ask my PC.)  I used to take Ester C complex but I wanted to add quercetin so I take Optimal C (powder.) I take half the daily dose for now, which gives a little over 1,000mg of C and he quercetin is only 10mg daily. I'm cautious about the C because of "stones" side effect.   I'm extra cautious about the quercetin because according to WebMD, it can raise BP.  I've cut down on sodium since I last saw my PC and since then, I've had my lowest BP home reading, which was 115/75, and I've been doing home readings for at least 10 years so I know I'm sodium sensitive.  My mom was taking COQ10 to help with the depletion from statins but I don't think she takes it regularly.  Once she would consider it her beginning life extension therapy, I think she would take it more regularly.  We're actually waiting a few more months to make a difficult move to the South, before making our own changes to what we take currently.  I'm due to see my PC for the usual BP check and at that visit I'll talk to him about fine tuning the aspirin and about the magnesium and possibly mom or I or both getting into a clinical trial, such as for metformin or  supplement for a short time as well as what to take ongoing.  About 3 years ago, my blood work showed my D as a little too low, even on 1,000 mg D3, so I am on at least 2,000mg, depending on what brand/form I can find, as I'm limited since I swallow no pills, so need chewables, powders, liquids, etc.  My PC seems to be life extension oriented and years ago had ok'd both colostrum and zinc carnosine for me but I've ceased taking those for now due to lack of information and lack of people to follow who take those but I did prove the zinc carnosine helps with acid indigestion, as it helped both me and mom however the effect wears off to a point over time.  Any comments are welcome.

Seaside and all, BTW, my Optimal C is buffered which is good since I do get reflux.  It's a little pricey though.

 USA2Elsewhere 

Hi USA2Elsewhere,

  I read where you had mentioned that you are salt sensitive. I have been salt sensitive for years and I think it was because of my weight and my sugar intake. I have been on blood pressure meds to keep my blood pressure steady, however, if I ever ate a bag of potato chips or ate something at a restaurant that was salty my blood pressure would go sky-high! I would then have to take a water pill to bring my blood pressure down. 

This past January I tried something new. I went on a Ketogenic diet (the Whole30 diet is very similar too) where I eliminated sugar from my diet. I later found out on-line that excess sugar intake has a lot to do with the body's inability to eliminate salt!  After starting the diet, excuse the expression, I would pee like a race horse! It is now August and I have lost 65 lbs, do not have sugar cravings anymore, my lab work results have now been remarkable, my blood pressure has remained steady and best of all I do not have any increase in BP when I do have something with salt in it. I still stay clear of potato chips though as I do not think anyone should have that much salt. 

  I agree that everyone should take magnesium as it is good for blood pressure and we are depleted of it as we get older. Farmers feed their plants nitrogen but their is no magnesium in their fertilizers, thus we are not getting magnesium anymore unless you eat organic vegetables.

  I agree about being cautious about taking quercetin. It helps as a senolytic with dinastab but I have found on on-line scientific research that long term use can be detrimental to your health.

Snowbird I may be getting some hidden salt from restaurant food so I need to stay away from potato salad.  (I already avoid macaroni salad.)  I love salt free potato chips.  I try to avoid added sugar with sorbitol and maltitol instead of sugar, but it gives me digestive problems.  There are more and more products sweetened with stevia, monkfruit and erythritol but it's very slow.  

Snowbird I'm hearing more and more about the keto diet and I'm going to try it but I think it would help if I could eat something like nitrite-free turkey bacon.  That means I'll probably have to cook it myself which will be a problem because my time spent in upright positions is very limited.

USA2Elsewhere  Carefull on the potato chips. Potatoes are starchy and raises glucose levels, defeating a Keto diet. Sweet potatoes on the other hand are low-glycemic and acceptable. Maybe someone will make a salt-free sweet potatoe chips? Or you could make them yourself. Best to read up on what to eat and what not to eat on the ketogenic diet.

The Keto diet is healthy and antiaging. When you got to www.ketogenics.com or just google ketogentics you will find all kinds of helpful information and what products to buy. Speaking of bacon, on one of the ketogenic websites they gave a list of companies that sell healthy meats.

 Applegate comes to mind. I just bought some Applegate bacon at a health food store, for the first time, as since I had been a vegetarian (but mostly carbatarian!) for years, I never ate bacon. The Applegate bacon says on the label: No Sugar, Uncured Bacon, No nitrates or nitrites added, No antibiotics and humanely raised. I am sure they probably make a turkey bacon too. 

 Some Health food stores can be expensive though. If there is a Whole Foods store or a Trader Joe's store near your I am sure Applegate products and many other healty grass-fed and free-range meats are sold there.

 After a couple of weeks on the Keto diet you will be amazed. The sugar cravings are gone. You could even skip meals and not feel hungry! When your body is in Ketosis (burning fat instead of glucose, you become more alert, sleep better and more energetic. Be sure to pick up some Keto uring tests strips sold at most grocery stores and pharmacies.

 Yesterday I went to a restaurant with retired co-worker friends and I ordered a half-chicken, hold the potato and substitute with extra green beens. I also said, no sugary sauces but real butter is O.K.  I also had water and black coffee. I skipped the dessert. My stomach felt great after that meal.

David

Snowbird P.S. Best to just Google the word Ketogentic diet. I just went to the www.ketogenics.com website and it led me to a company that trys to sell everyone Keto nutrients! Personally I do not think they are necessary when your eating a healty Ketogenic diet of meats, healty oils and low-glycemic vegetables. And the vitamins and minerals you have been taking are adequate.

Snowbird P.S., P.S. Sometimes when I am busy, or traveling in my motorhome, and don't have time to cook, I will eat a "Keto Bar". I found the bars on-line. Their website is: www.ketobars.com

When I eat just one, they are tasty and filling! Other health bars I see in the grocery stores have soybean old (not healthy) and sugar alchohols. I used to eat two or three of the grocery store bars as I did not feel satisfied, but these Keto Bars really make me feel satisfied eating just one. It feels like I ate a meal!

USA2Elsewhere  Here is Dr. Mark Hyman, author of "Eat Fats, Get Thin" and the Pegan Diet, take on Artificial Sweeteners:

Many people turn to artificial sweeteners in order to reduce their sugar intake, but recent studies show the sweetener substitutes are not effective in helping people lose weight.

Zero-calorie sweeteners can satisfy sweet tooth cravings, but research suggests the sweeteners can have negative effects on a person's metabolism.

"It increased triglycerides, and it increased insulin levels," said Dr. Mark Hyman, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic. "It increased oxidative stress of free radicals, and it even increased the uptake of glucose into the cells which is really not what we want. All of these things lead to pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes."

Hyman said one study linked the chemical sugar substitutes to weight gain, heart disease and diabetes.

USA2Elsewhere  I just want to add another note. You have not mentioned whether you are diabetic or not. And whether you are on insulin pills or insulin needles or not. If you are diabetic, DO NOT start a ketogenic diet without consulting and being followed closely by a doctor!!

 A ketogenic diet lowers your glucose and if you are taking insulin pills or insulin needles to support a poor functioning pancreas, the outcome may not be good, without medical supervision to make sure nothing goes wrong.

Diabetics and their pancreas have been fixed on a Ketogenic Diet but only under the consulting and close following by a doctor. My lab work showed I was pre-diabetic (my pancreas was still functioning O.K.) and changing from glucose burning to fat burning (Ketosis), and losing weight, made me now no longer pre-diabetic.

Snowbird great that you're no longer pre diabetic.  I was not even pre diabetic at my last fasting glucose test but wasn't optimal at 91.  since then I've cut down on added sugar but I do need the test again soon.   For now I'm cutting down still a little more on sugar but I know I'm probably getting 15 grams of added sugar daily, or close.  Also I've cut down on gluten and starting to cut down on all grains -- and still gradually cutting down more on sodium.  So it's still a very varied diet and far from a keto diet but probably still a lot healthier than most other Americans.  BMI is still a little high at about 26.7.  Thanks for the concern.  :)  I hope to soon move and then will have a new primary care.  

Snowbird Hahaha, the salt free potato chips are my step up from lightly salted.  I always ate bacon seldom but now that my carbs are lowered a little, I can step up on the bacon and not be so afraid of beef, which I also ate only once in a while.  I try to always go nitrite free.  I have had the Applegate.  I think I had their turkey bacon.  I have had various brands of nitrate free turkey bacon.  Today I had coffee with mostly powdered coconut milk and just a tad of grass fed half and half.  I have gone from ordinary microwave popcorn with whatever buttery stuff I could melt down to a lower salt with grass fed butter and I don't eat popcorn as often as I used to.  I love sweet potatoes but usually mom buys yams.  I assume they're good enough.  In my local restaurants, sweet potatoes are not available in restaurants often, so I often do what you did with 2 non-starchy veggies.  I will try the keto strips just to see what's happening.  I don't mind buying a lot at the health food stores, since I don't go on vacation and have had to put off all further cosmetic procedures.   Hehe!

Snowbird Thanks again.  And I did try sweet potato chips.  Many I've found also contain corn, quinoa, etc. unfortunately.  I will think of you while I look for salt free sweet potato chips with no grains, no or very low sodium (unlike low sodium canned soup -- what a joke)   and preferably organic of course.  Wish me luck finding some.  

Maximus Snowbird I avoid things like Splenda and of course same with saccharine.  I use organic stevia, monkfruit and erythritol.  Sorbitol, maltitol and xylitol cause me horrible digestive symptoms so I avoid those.

USA2Elsewhere I use stevia, myself. 

Maximus I try to always list stevia first recommended because of it having a good safety record since about 1970.  Also I have allergies to pollen and therefore probably other flower substances and stevia gives me no symptoms.  I use monkfruit and erythritol only to the point where it takes the main bite out of the bitterness of stevia so I can get it down.

Snowbird I couldn't see your reply on this forum about the black coffee but I will read it in my email and use it if I can.  Anyway the keto bar sounds good.  To cook things myself, it has to be really fast.  I used to eat raw walnuts right out of the shell, wet a section of each piece and dip that section into salt, but now I use shelled walnuts with spices and very little added salt.  I cook the spices to help with the arsenic and add the oil after all the cooking is done. I've heard of MCT oil.  Is it a known allergen?

USA2Elsewhere 

I don't think it is an allergen, but google it. It helps reduce whole-body inflammation so I would guess that it is not an allergen.

I'll add the MCT oil to my list of things to check out.  (Have to look a little more at the different ghee brands/products too.