In its broadest sense, "Anti-Aging" is anything that is done to counter the body's inexorable progressions toward disease and death. Most people do something to slow their decline; they may "eat right", exercise, or take vitamins. They have the right idea, but their efforts are haphazard, and they are not really sure what it beneficial, and what is a waste of time and money.
Anti-aging medicine, an extension of preventative health care, is the next great model of health care for the new millennium. It is the new health care paradigm. This model is based on the early detection, prevention, and reversal of aging-related diseases.
The science of anti-aging medicine is truly multi-disciplinary. It is represented by advances in the fields of biochemistry, biology, and physiology. The field is enhanced by contributions from mind/body medicine, sports medicine, monocular genetics, and emerging medical technologies.
Anti-aging medicine is evidenced-based, clinically sound health care. Only those diagnostic and treatment elements with prove their validity through independent evaluations are embraced by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), of which I am a member.
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
A4M is a non-profit organization with a membership of 11,500 physicians and scientists from 65 countries. It is a medical society which is dedicated to the advancement of technology to detect, prevent, and treat aging related disease and to promote research into methods to retard and optimize the human aging process. A4M is the sole medical society dedicated to the advancement of therapeutics related to the science of longevity medicine.
What Does This Mean For You?
By age 45, most people have a variety of outward symptoms of aging including:
- Memory loss
- Decreased energy
- Hair loss
- Wrinkles
- Depression, and
- Reduced sexual desire and ability
It is not uncommon that degenerative disease such as heart attack, diabetes, and cancer surface by this time. By age 55, very few can escape a body free from cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, or a combination of the above.These account for about 80% of age related degenerative diseases. Although these diseases are commonly accepted as the natural consequence of too many birthdays, 70% of health and longevity is related to lifestyle, and therefore is controllable.
Aging is a disease process. It can be accelerated, as occurs with smoking. It can me slowed down, and in some cases, it can be reversed. Many of the diseases of aging occur as hormones decline. Although the advance of years causes hormones to decline, it is the loss of hormones which cause many of the health deteriorating effects of aging.
Anti-Aging Interventions
Your anti-aging program will involve testing of various hormone and nutrient levels, diet and nutritional supplementation, exercise, and hormone supplementation.