Vince Morris is a Karateka that has become world renowned for his no-nonsense approach to martial arts and fighting. He is also the founder of the Kissaki Kai.

I'm going to confess now!! Yes, I do pop pills!!!

So many people have asked me how - at my age - (and I'm not overly enthused at that opening remark, I can tell you!) do I manage to do so much and appear so full of energy?

Well, in a sense it's true! I seem to live about three lives in one. Teaching, travelling, giving seminars, more or less daily training (and often very hard training!) looking after my little girl Rhianna, shopping, house-cleaning, washing and ironing - all the regular chores, plus spending hours on the computer, on the Internet, planning and refining projects. This and a million and one other things: new books, a novel, articles, research..I could go on.

The truth is, some years ago I did a lot of research into diet and to vitamin supplementation, and what I learned I put into operation, and I can truthfully say that - for example - I am seldom if ever ill! While others around me drop like flies, I might get a little niggle if I'm very unlucky. Now this isn't just a placebo effect or wishful thinking, as over the years a number of my close friends have also benefited from my research, and have followed my advice and supplemented in the same way. They too have confirmed that they generally have more energy, suffer far less from illnesses, and notice the difference if for any reason they come off the regime for a while.

Personally I love life! I wake up around 6.30 - 7am every day and can't wait to jump out of bed and grab hold of the day and what it has to offer! I am interested in just about everything, and love new challenges and adventures. I really try to taste what life holds for me, and I truthfully believe that I am able to continue in this fashion in part because of the supplements.

OK. So what are they? What's the secret?

Firstly, let me say I have no shares in any supplement company, so what I say isn't sponsored by anyone.

Well, Of course diet is vital, but before we come to that there is one other point to make.

DO NOT SMOKE!

There, I've said it. Smoking is foolish and fills your body with potential carcinogens which will destroy your body in later life. It has no beneficial aspects that I know of, so If you do - don't! And if you don't - don't start!

So, having got that off my chest, what is the secret. Well, Firstly let me say that knowing how to do something doesn't make one expert at doing it. For the one thing that everyone could do to live longer and be more healthy is simply to eat less!

Now if you know me, you know right then and there, I would have a problem with this, as I do like to eat!

Having said that, however, I have, over the years, modified my eating habits enormously, so that nowadays I normally begin the day with either a bowl of cereal (no sugar) or a protein drink mixed with fresh fruit. The particular drink I recommend is Met Rx, which I first learned about in the bodybuilging gym I use.

For lunch I either have another protein drink or just a small sandwich with maybe an apple later on.

In the evening everything falls apart unless I'm training, as I tend to get a little carried away and cook something and eat too much!

Still I have managed to drop 1 ½ stones so far.

This attempt to consume less is based upon the latest findings from research laboratories, which shows that in all species tested, dropping body weight to % of normal actually increases not only the average life span by but also the life expectancy.

A long term trial with humans is now commencing in the USA, and I will keep you informed as to the progress.

This diet modification alone, however, would not be responsible for what I take to be my robust health and vitality. No, I put this down to my regular daily consumption of two important items:

C0-enzyme Q10

Juice-Plus capsules

Firstly, let me spend a moment describing what enzymes are, and why they are so important.

Enzymes are protein molecules that carry energy. When you cook food, you destroy the quality of the enzymes in it.

Enzymes are involved in every process of body functions and in every metabolic process, i.e. immune system, blood stream, liver, kidney etc. Our immune system is dependent on our enzyme level and it fights disease. Correct enzyme levels maintain vitality, endurance and prevent disease

Young adults have a higher level of enzymes than older people who get illnesses when their enzyme level is low. We need enzymes to fight disease. Enzymes give us energy, vital force, nerve energy and strength. If we burn out our enzymes we get premature old age. At warm temperatures we use up more enzymes than in a cool climate. Enzymes are also good for controlling low blood sugar which causes hypoglycaemia and also high blood sugar which can lead to diabetes.

Tests showed that enzymes boost antibody production by 350%, indicating support for the immune system in the body.

As we grow older, enzyme production decreases. In fact chronic disease, enzyme exhaustion and old age are synonymous. The pancreas, which dispenses enzymes, is one of the first organs to go with chronic disease. From the martial artist's point of view, it is important to understand that people lose enzymes when they exercise - athletes need to take in more live enzymes to replenish themselves.

There are four types of enzymes:-

Protease (proteins)

Lipase (fats)

Amylase (sugar, carbohydrates)

Cellulase (Cellulose)

When you eat cooked food, you get no live enzymes; your body has to produce enzymes of its own to digest the food. The pancreas produces enzymes, and internal enzyme production weakens the immune system.

Tests show that when people eat cooked food, their white blood cell count increases, indicating that the body is defensive. On the other hand, there is no increase in white blood cells after eating raw food, which contains live enzymes. Enzymes aid digestion, taking the pressure off the pancreas.

In the body, carbohydrates are burned faster, and more nutrients are needed for fuel supplies. The athlete usually eats mostly cooked food so it is like burning the candle at both ends. Enzymes are being used up rapidly and little is brought in to replenish the supply.

It has been said that half the amount of body energy is spent digesting food. If exogenous enzymes (enzymes taken through raw food or through supplementation) are added to the diet daily, more nutrients will be available and less food will be needed, resulting in less digestive stress and waste elimination. This is called energy conservation. The athlete will be able to work out more often and with greater intensity, and will require less recovery time.

Although many of us supplement our diets with vitamins, living only on vitamins and minerals without an adequate enzyme level causes exhaustion, premature ageing and a low energy system. The body needs only a small amount of vitamins and minerals when combined with enzymes.

Impressive stuff isn't it?

I first became interested in Co-enzyme Q10 (Quinquonine) from some research I was doing into some US Forces medical reports. The first indication I got of the tremendous powers of this Q10 was reading that a Dentist had used some as an experiment on a group of servicemen who's gum problems were so acute that there seemed no alternative but surgery. After a few weeks, he was astonished to find that the recovery was so complete that he had to do no corrective work at all!

Later research at the Queen's Medical Centre here in Nottingham convinced me that it was so important, especially as one grows older, that I immediately began to use it on a daily basis.

Now, although I'm a chronic asthmatic, with all that that entails, I have no doubt at all that after a few months I was feeling better and suffered far less from the usual run of coughs and colds. Some years later, I must confess that I've never felt better! And I hardly ever feel under the weather. In fact I can't wait for every new day to dawn, just to get at it!

Does it sound as though I'm on the payroll? Well, I'm not! No-body sponsors me to tell you this, but I believe that we should all do what we can to live fitter and healthier lives, if only to be able to train longer and learn more!

OK, now for the final part. Most health and cancer agencies now agree that the most beneficial diet in the fight against cancer is one in which a number (3 - 4) of small portions of fresh fruit and (3 - 5) of vegetables are consumed daily. There is little argument about this! (American Ministry of Health - Institute für Sporternährung - Germany).

This will supply the body with the required amount of anti-oxidants to balance the production of the damaging Free-radicals which can destroy the human body cells and can be a significant factor in certain diseases and illnesses. This is especially important to those who exercise frequently, as they generate more of these dangerous and destructive free radicals.

One of the findings to emerge from studies at the Institute for Sports Research in Germany is that;

"For the professional athlete higher concentrations of free radicals can be tolerated particularly if adequate amounts of anti-oxidants are consumed with daily food and drink....it is even more important to take the correct nutritional action when your exercise is irregular and erratic."

Right, so why isn't a "Balanced Diet" enough?

Who are we kidding? Who do you know that consistently consumes a regular intake of the required amount of fresh fruit and vegetables to meet the demands of combating the free-radicals? As I write I'm listening to a programme on Radio 4 and it states that 1/3rd of all women on supplementary benefit consume a diet totally inadequate in terms of vitamins and fruit and vegetables, living mostly on 'Junk' and pre-prepared food!

Don't forget that any of us that do not prepare all our own meals have no way at all of knowing how fresh the food is we eat, how long it has sat on a shelf, and so on, (All fruit and veg. lose most of their vitamin C, for example, within a few days of picking!)

So, with all this in mind I have supplemented my own diet with a daily intake of "Juice Plus+" Fruit Blend and Vegetable Blend capsules which contain concentrated Juice extracts from 5 types of fruit and 7 types of vegetable, plus natural enzymes, vitamins and dietary fibre.

As many of you already know, I am very interested in ensuring the ability of the older martial artist to continue to practice in good health until a ripe old age, and in delaying the debilitating effects of ageing as much as is possible.

I firmly believe that with the correct sort of training, and with a diet that enhances health and battles the ravages of the free-radicals by building up the immune system, this can be achieved. I carry out such a regime myself, and encourage others to try.

If you want to know more about the specific products mentioned above, or where you can get them, please contact me. There is plenty of detailed information available, and I'll be happy to send it to you.

"Live long and prosper!"

As usual, if you want details of forthcoming seminars, or any other information you can contact me at the magazine or at:

The IIKR, PO Box 17, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 4BY.