Hundreds of published studies confirm mitochondrial decay as a primary cause of most neurodegenerative diseases. Antioxidants alone cannot prevent this kind of brain cell death. A compound called pyrroloquinoline quinone or PQQ triggers aging brain cells to grow new mitochondria and stimulates nerve cell growth, which may help to prevent Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other degenerative brain disorders.

As many as 95% of all cancers utilize a molecule called nuclear factor-kappaB or NF-kB. It is the master regulator of inflammatory processes that cancers use to grow and spread. A variety of nutrients have been shown to suppress NF-kB and blunt its impact, including fish oil, curcumin, and green tea.

Swimming icon Dara Torres has won 12 Olympic medals in her career. Most impressive are the three silver medals she won in 2008 at the age of 41. Dara plans on competing again in 2012. Here she discusses the keys to her career longevity, her quest for another Olympic win, and the supplements that help fuel her success.

Years of research confirm resveratrol’s power to boost longevity when taken orally. Dermatologists are now discovering that when applied topically, resveratrol also protects against skin aging, with 17 times the antioxidant potency of the expensive anti-wrinkle drug idebenone.

What kills those who take extraordinary steps to stay healthy? Often just one catastrophic event can launch a cascade of degenerative processes ending in death. Aortic stenosis is one such catastrophe. Health pioneer Jack LaLanne did almost everything right, but he may have fallen victim to one omission that resulted in him developing aortic stenosis.

Omega-3s prevent cognitive decline; garlic and grape seed supplements lower blood cancer risk; green tea protects against influenza; and more.

Artichokes are packed with a host of disease-fighting nutrients known to ward off liver dysfunction, high cholesterol, and diabetes. These include quercetin, rutin, gallic acid, and cynarin.