Papaya - Good For Digestion And As An Antioxidant

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Although seventy years ago the average life expectancy was age 62, today people are not only living well into their 80s and 90s, but they are also living better too. Doing activities such as mountain biking, kayaking, jogging, hiking, gardening, and golfing, it seems as if everyone is on the go, no matter what their age. Since nobody wants to spend retirement in a doctor’s office, it is important to start planning for a longer, more vibrant life.

Huge advances are made each day in the understanding of how men and women age that help to improve our chances of living long, healthy lives. Some of the most impressive findings have shown that nutritional supplements can help, mainly specially formulated papaya preparation, which is able to fight two of the primary reasons we get old, oxidative stress and immune system decline.

Papaya, a tangy tasting fruit, is now appearing more and more in the produce departments of most grocery stores. A papaya has a bright orange flesh that is very slippery and a core filled with little black seeds. Although eating a papaya can give you a day’s worth of vitamins A, C, and potassium, taking Fermented Papaya Preparation (FPP) could give you an additional 30 years of healthy life.

FPP is a specialized nutritional supplement that has been used in Japan for many years and is very popular in France and parts of Europe. It begins with fresh, ripe papayas that are slowly fermented over several months and then dried and ground into a fine powder. This powder can be sprinkled into the mouth, dissolved, and swallowed. When Japanese scientists noticed that those people who had more papaya in their diet had certain health benefits, researchers studying aging decided to look at the chemistry of the papaya. Several chemicals in the plant showed promise, causing researchers to combine papaya with specific yeasts and traditional Japanese fermentation techniques, giving a rise to FPP. FPP was then used in many scientific studies to determine its health impact and the research concluded that FPP is a superior antioxidant, a powerful immune-booster, and a secret to a long healthy life.

Although getting older is an indisputable fact of life, we don’t have to accept the consequences of aging, which include heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and cancer. We now have the ability to have a say in how we age by slowing down the harmful effects of aging through the use of FPP which helps reduce oxidative stress and immune system decline. By fighting oxidative stress, people are able to retain their youthful appearance for a longer period of time, as it is the number one factor in facial aging. One theory of aging centers on the fact that harmful molecules called free radicals wreak havoc in our cells. Many of our body’s normal metabolic processes produce free radicals, such as the production of ATP from glucose, as well as enzymatic actions that take place throughout each and every day. Outside sources such as environmental pollutants, chemicals, additives, and preservatives, can cause an excess production of free-radicals which leads to a great deal of damage. This excess production of free radicals is what causes oxidative stress, which is linked to almost every disease associated with aging.

Our immune systems are comprised of specialized tissues, organs, and cells, including many different kinds of white blood cells which work in specific ways to keep us healthy and disease-free. Not only do they guard us from invaders, but they also fight and wipe out microbes. As we age, our white blood cells become less efficient in protecting us from viruses and bacteria. They mistake harmful invaders for nutrients and can sometimes be too tired to fight foreign invaders. This age-associated immune decline also allows a single cancer cell to grow into a tumor before the white blood cells can even realize their mistake. This explains why older members of society have more urinary tract infections, pneumonia, cases of bacterial meningitis, tuberculosis, herpes zoster, and cancer. Further, not only are their more cases, but the mortality rates for these diseases are usually 2-3 times higher with older adults than younger people with the same disease. FPP can help because it helps macrophages to work faster and ingest more disease-causing microbes, along with increasing the production of interleukin, a chemical protein that is secreted by macrophages which plays an important role in wound healing. FPP also boosts the activity of NK (natural killer) cells, which can result in increased killing of cancer cells and those cells infected by viruses. FPP contains antioxidants which neutralize free radical damage by donating an extra electron to the free radical and keeping itself more stable and less reactive. By doing this, the antioxidant stops the domino effect and ongoing free-radical damage. FPP also affects the genetic pathways that eliminate free radicals from the system.

FPP has been the subject of over 300 clinical studies which together have proven that it inhibits dangerous hydroxyl free radical, and have led to it being considered for its immuno-protective effects. Dr. Luc Montagnier, co-discoverer of HIV 1 & 2 virus recommends using FPP as part of a tri-therapy to reduce proliferation of the virus and stimulate the immune system. Because FPP has both antioxidant and immuno-stimulative properties, it appears to be an obvious choice for fighting against AIDS. The higher free radical production found in stage II of HIV infection can be contributed to oxidative stress.

Most theories of aging state that there is a limit to how long the human body can remain workable. Although, the oldest age achieved so far was 128 by a woman who lived in the Dominican Republic. As of now, Japanese women have the longest life span, with an average life expectancy of 85.93, while Japanese men average about 78.87 years.

Many people in Japan and Europe have used FPP for many years as an anti-aging product without any side effects. For basic anti-aging support, 3 grams per day is recommended. For additional support, up to 9 grams per day can be taken. To boost your immune system when you need it, start out with 6-9 grams a day for the first 2-3 days and then move back down to 3 grams a day. For optimum immune support, it is advised to take morning and evening doses, preferably on an empty stomach. Papaya can be found at your local or internet health food store.