Trees can live a long time.

The world’s oldest recorded tree is a 9,550 year old spruce in the Dalarna province of Sweden.

We can learn a few things from big trees:

1. On the defensive.

Quoting Dr. Alex Shigo, “trees are super survivors mainly because they grow in ways that give them defense systems” against the disease process. A tree has the ability to fight infections and wounds by rapidly reacting to changes that threaten their survival.

Trees that are injured and infected begin a “processes of boundary formation” and new cell growth starts. Trees do not restore or heal the old and dead wood, but instead grow new cells around infected and dead wood—effectively sealing disease off. This is called tree compartmentalization, where good wood is safely separated from infected wood.

Trees cannot move to protect themselves and have developed a very effective defense mechanism for their own survival. This method of defense has developed for millions of years and is why trees are so adapted to living over long periods of time.

We also need to be prepared physically for attacks on our immune system.

In particular we need to be cognizant that what we eat directly correlates to how our genes express themselves. Dr. Colin Campbell showed in his studies on cancer cells, that he could literally turn on and off cancer using casein (dairy milk protein).

We must also strive to provide our bodies with an alkaline environment. Acidity has also been shown to promote inflammation—resulting in heart disease and cancer.

2. Energy efficiency.

Trees use energy so efficiently that very little waste occurs. Wood is stored energy in the form of cellulose, or long strands of glucose, that are essentially sugar. This wood is always being created and used, in both the living and dead form, for structural support and transporting nutrients, sugar and water.

Naturally, the cleaner we eat the more efficient we become.

By using less energy, we store less fat and avoid the obvious implications of carrying excess weight. Animal protein, in particular meat, requires enormous amounts of energy to digest. For example, pork can sit in your intestinal tract for days before being fully broken down. Stick to the least number of ingredients when you can and eliminate the bulk of the packaged and processed foods.

3. Protecting telomeres.

Think about making a copy of a copy, thousands of times—eventually it is going to look terrible. Same thing happens with our DNA as it replicates. Protect your telomeres and your original copy will last a lot longer. Trees replicate cells slower and effectively preserve their telomeres longer.

A plant-based diet high in folate, antioxidants, polyphenol nutrients, trace minerals and carotinoid compounds lower homocysteine, reduces oxidative damage, and manages chronic inflammation, which preserve telomeres. Regular short-term dietary restriction combined with high nutrient density foods, as in juice fasting, may have a positive influence on telomere length. Regular use of  “super foods,” in moderate amounts over time, such as green tea and blue-green algae, may offer telomere protection.

If you have a moment, take some time to explore telomeres. It really is the reason why we eventually die of old age —we get to the point where we can no longer divide our cells.

 Ian Welch had quadruple bypass surgery on March 22, 2011 at the age of 40. It was the single most powerful event in his life. He and his wife have taken control of the disease and are in the process of reversing it through nutrition and exercise. Email: [email protected].

 

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Ed. Evan Livesay 

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