Growing old is of course one of the most natural things are bodies go through and is also one of the most despised natural attributes humans must endure. It happens without notice and even when a person is quite elderly they tell me they still think and feel so much younger. I was once told by my eighty six year old father that his cognitive thought process was still like when he was twenty years old. Except for the aches and pains, he still felt in his heart and brain as if he were a much younger man.
The advance of age is an extremely complicated procedure utilizing every cell and part of our mechanism of physiology that we have.
As we grow older things begin to go wrong with us. Our vascular system begins to show its age as the arterial walls lose flexibility and start to harden – a process known as arteriosclerosis. Our digestive tract usually absorbs nutrients needed to maintain our good health but our digestive enzyme growth starts to decrease making absorption more difficult. Our respiratory system is also affected as we lose some lung capacity and lower amounts of oxygen are taken in and hence, a lower oxygen disbursal.
We all know we are aging, since from the time we are old enough to comprehend a birthday, we start realizing we only have so many of them. But why does aging occur? Why do some folks live longer than others and how come some individuals age quicker than others do? Good questions – all and we’ll take a stab at answering them.
Senescence – or the study of biological aging – has many expert researchers working toward some answers and our knowledge base regarding human longevity and the aging process is much better than it was even a few decades ago. Throughout the years huge advances have been made in the battle to fight diseases and illness, chronic or otherwise due to age research.
Is it possible that human beings could potentially improve their chances of sustaining their health, continue to be active and enjoy prolonged independence much later into their lives? Is it possible that humans could augment their current life expectancy while slowing down the advancement of aging?
The answer is a definitive YES. The process of aging can be managed and slowed down and medical science is doing a terrific job of safeguarding us from many illnesses. There is still so much more research to be done but progress is being made.
1. Diseases, Disability and Chronic Illness
As we get older our vulnerability to illness and disease dramatically rises as does the seriousness of the conditions we contract. When we arrive at the normal retirement age of sixty five we have a much higher risk percentage of acquiring our first chronic malady.
So much of this risk is based on the numerous choices we make throughout our lives that have an impact on our health and well being. Many people still smoke, same for a lack of exercise and poor nutritional habits, so many folks are guilty of seemingly just giving up – or being lazy!
This means that many of us can expect to suffer health problems as we get older, contracting chronic illness and diseases such as:
• Arthritis
• Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes Mellitus [type 2]
• Hypertension [high blood pressure]
• Osteoporosis
2. How Are We Growing Older – The Mechanics Of Senescence
There is much that still remains to be discovered about how humans age. There are theories and hypotheses abounding in the medical and scientific communities, some like the fact that humans are preprogrammed to die and life expectancy is preordained. Still others think that we just start to wear out after exposure to time and our surroundings, both doing quite a number on us.
Scientists who work in cellular science have arrived at the following theories regarding aging:
• DNA Harm and Restoration
DNA is the building blueprints that are required by our cells so they can function correctly. They are a vital element for cells, similar to the importance of our brain to our own life. Each day our body undergoes upwards of a million aggressive cellular invasions, each of which could damage our DNA. Here is a sample of them:
Oxidative harm – Genetic errors or faults occurring at the time of cell replication – exposure to UV radiation as well as toxicity. When these various mutations begin to take their toll on the DNA, the result could be malfunctioning cells, aging and eventual mortality.
• Genetic Monitoring Of Aging Process
Genetic Controllers accountable for translating the gene coding – or verifying the instructions. This means they have a responsibility for copious metabolic functions which could become dysfunctional while aging begins in the cell itself. The controllers manage the equilibrium inside the cell. They regulate the production of power and handle cell restoration and at the end of the day, life expectancy.
• Mitochondrial Mechanism
The mitochondria are basically responsible for the cell’s energy. They utilize the nutrients taken in by the cell and produce energy from them. However, they are also producing harmful free radicals throughout this process and these free radicals are very harmful to cellular casing or membranes and also the DNA. When the free radicals build up they add to the growth of illnesses and disease that the medical community has associated with the advancement of age like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease.
• AGE or Advanced Glycation End Products
During the aging process, certain molecules at the cellular tier like protein and DNA will cross paths and connect with one another. When cross linkage occurs it can cause harmful side effects and these results are directly related to how damage occurs during the advancement of age. If the harm happens at the point that Glycation occurs [proteins connecting to glucose], a permanently out of action cross linkage occurs that has been associated with the course of cellular aging. When the links occur they are known as Advanced Glycation End Products – or AGE.
• Hormone Development
The human neuroendocrine structure encompasses the brain, our nervous system and our endocrine processes – along with their capacity to generate our hormones. As we get older, our hormonal creation processes start to falter and slow down and the consequences of this include muscle loss, hypertension, weakened sugar metabolic function and sleep irregularities.
Now that I have depressed you – let’s see what we can do about the aging issues.
3. Understanding The Scientific Disciplines of Aging
Fortunately for us, scientists have been actively plying their research skills in order to discover methods to do battle with the process of aging. What follows are some of the things that their research has revealed:
• DNA Harm and Restoration
Research has revealed that by decreasing the amount of DNA harm and elevating the cells capability to restore itself from any damage that happens can dramatically prolong life expectancy. Innate nutrients called phytonutrients [located in berries, grapes, tea, and olive oil] have a powerful quantity of healthful support characteristics. One phytonutrients in particular – resveratrol – has shown it can actually transform DNA damage.
• Genetic Monitoring Of Aging Process
Polyphenols from plants have displayed ability to support gene controllers of cellular power, counting the metabolism and longevity. When this occurs it has an affirmative effect on the process of aging. One milestone research study done in 2006 by Harvard Professor David Sinclair revealed how resveratrol affirmatively impacted the damage done by high fat diets effecting the liver and heart organ, insulin resistance and blood glucose levels. Resveratrol was also effectual in countermanding the mitochondrial decreases observed during cellular senescence.
• Mitochondrial Mechanism
Lab investigations have displayed how some polyphenols assist in raising the production of mitochondria inside of the cells. When these tiny “energy factories” are augmented, they increase the power of the cells. Resveratrol again showed it was able to provide numerous positive properties by this encouraging of mitochondrial health.
• AGE or Advanced Glycation End Products
Once more studies of late have revealed the ability of phytonutrients and polyphenols at restricting the creation of harmful cross linkage inside the cells. Resveratrol again had a positive influence on this by lowering the manufacturing of advanced glycation end products [AGE], therefore bettering the health of cells and enhancing cellular longevity.
4. Healthful Anti Aging Lifestyle Pointers
Having learned about particular reasons why we grow old and understanding what we are able to do about it to slow the process; we need to combine this into a program that anyone would be able to achieve.
Just by making some routine changes to our way of life and adding certain vital nutritional supplements and vitamins will enable us to safeguard ourselves from chronic illnesses while we prolong our longevity.
It is quite feasible that we can achieve some anti aging effects and increase our life expectancy. It will not happen unless we commit to certain changes and alter current destructive behavioral life pathways. We can start by changing the following:
• Begin to eat a more nutritious and balanced diet;
• Sustain an ideal body mass index by keeping an ideal healthy weight;
• Start getting more physical activity of ANY kind, preferably a regular exercise program;
• Stop smoking;
• Lower our stress levels;
• Work on modifying our sleep patterns so they become regular and restful;
• Begin consuming vitamin B to combat stress and promote healthy DNA duplication, vitamin C and E so we can enjoy their antioxidant characteristics that aid in slowing cell senescence, and more calcium too promote stronger bone mass;
• We absolutely must start taking resveratrol for its longevity promoting properties and other active bio natural amalgams;
By actively pursuing an anti aging way of life now we will be taking some very positive measures to maintain our health and increase our longevity well into the future. It would be phenomenal to not only have the mind of a twenty something when we are in our mid eighties, but also their physical capabilities. An aggressive goal for certain but not one that is out of the realm of possibility by any means!
Fri, Aug 13, 2010
Anti Aging, Anti Aging Theories, Lifestyle, Longevity