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of heart attack and stroke.
    Medically speaking, inflammation is when the immune system creates an environment that oxidizes (or burns) certain cells or tissues in the body. Inflammation can become the root of many of the disease processes of aging if it is not controlled and regulated. The best measure for inflammation is to take a “high-sensitivity C-reactive protein” test. This blood test is extremely important in measuring the amount of chronic inflammation in your blood vessels.
    The human body is a wonderfully complex machine designed to repair itself in the event of damage. But more and more humans are putting themselves at risk from poor diet and lifestyle choices. As a result, as we age many of our repair systems are breaking down and we suffer damage. Up until now, you’d go to your doctor with the complaints normally attributed to aging and he’d say, “What do you expect? You are old. This is what happens with aging.” It has been common thinkingthat we have no control over aging and that at a certain point the best years will be behind us. What we see all around us as classic aging is not enviable—or inevitable.
    Here’s the good news. You can reduce inflammation by eating more vegetables and more medium- and low-sugar fruits (especially berries) for their antioxidant value. You can also increase your fish oil consumption, make sure to exercise regularly, manage your stress, and learn to sleep eight hours nightly. (Again, see more on the specific steps to take to reverse aging throughout the book and in part III , “Putting It All Together.”)
    GLYCATION
    Sadly, it is well known that most diabetics age prematurely and die about ten years earlier than nondiabetics. One reason for this is a process called
glycation
, which binds proteins and/or fats to glucose and other sugars in the body to form nonfunctioning structures. When your body is exposed to too much sugar or carbohydrates that convert to sugar when you eat them, excess glycation is triggered. The result is called
cross-linkage
, either inside or outside the cell, which impairs the cell’s functions and causes damage to it. Diabetics suffer accelerated glycation. What few people realize is we all suffer from deadly glycation reactions, only at a slower rate.
    The major undesired cross-linked molecule is low-density lipoprotein (LDL). We’ve all heard of this one. This is the bad cholesterol everyone is so worried about because these molecules oxidize (which simply means they turn rancid) and clump to the insides of arteries and other critical places. These oxidized LDL molecules are now useless and can be deadly if they are allowed to build up. If your LDL has large particles, they are harmless, but small particles can be deadly. (You can test for large or small particles by taking the Cardiac Blood Test Panel, available by calling 1-888-884-3666 or log on to www.lef.org/goodhealth . This is a very important test for those seeking to slash their risk of heart attack and stroke. This test measures much more than just LDL levels. It helps assess LDL particle size and other artery-clogging risk factors.)
    Everyone is fixated on cholesterol, yet cholesterol in itself is not bad. The problem with cholesterol starts when it oxidizes. (Remember, this is free-radical damage.) In fact, a good balance of cholesterol is essential to our health. Very high or very low levels mean you are out of balance.
    Our bodies make cholesterol for many important reasons: our brains need it for neural replication, testosterone is made from cholesterol, and the body requires cholesterol for many other uses. This cholesterol-testosterone connection sheds light on why many flaws lie with statin drugs such as Lipitor. Testosterone is a vital hormone; it builds bone and muscle, plus the heart has many testosterone receptor sites. This is your
pumping power
! Why eliminate the very substance that protects the brain and is required to produce needed testosterone, which