ANTIAGING
Antiaging: What is it?
Antiaging [or anti-aging] is a force against the natural
aging process. Our
potential today to live longer is extending continuously;
however, due to the escalation of degenerative
diseases and the additional environmental
stresses we live in, our life expectancy has changed
little over the past 50 years. Antiaging methodologies
to tip this balance back in our favour include all the
benefits or modern medicine and practice.
Antiaging medicine
is exploding. The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
has grown from 12 physician members to 17,500 in 85
countries. They have 26 seminars in 2006 alone, where
they will train 30,000 doctors worldwide. With 1,500
physicians certified in antiaging medicine, it is become
one of the fastest-growing medical certification programs
in history.
Our natural vulnerability to threats to our health
doubles each 8 years. By using advances in antiaging
medicine for disease prevention
we can avoid certain conditions which would kill us
early, however, this does not actually extend the maximum
lifespan barrier. Other measures such as calorie
restriction do. Antiaging is when the vulnerability
doubles each 14 years instead of 8.
How Does AntiAging Work?
Antiaging is simply reversing the physical processes
of aging. It is not a new concept. My first real exposure
to its principles was in Leslie Kenton’s book,
Ageless Aging, published in 1985. It remains a favourite
on the subject today. It is based on what appears to
be the natural, biological law of life, centering on
an holistic mind-body approach. Once we understand how
the body ages, we can adopt a number of actions
to slow the process and enhance the quality of life.
The goal of antiaging is maximising both the lifespan
and the quality of life. Due to the growing high prevalence
of degenerative diseases, the average life expectancy
is not increasing.
Antiaging can be either preventative or restorative.
- Preventative treatments and products can be targeted
at general wellness
and skin
care, or in more advanced ways targeting deeper
tissue and cell
molecular management.
- Restorative treatments can also be at the various
levels, from simple skin Dermabrasion
to surgical procedures such as joint
replacements and body
contouring. Some of these treatments are quite
simple and affordable, but it is very much recognised
that many restorative programs are beyond the time
and financial resources or many.
A complete antiaging program
can be approached in four main categories:
- Improve and maintain optimal
wellness
- Slow and prevent cellular
damage leading to DNA mutations
- Reduce and rid the body of damaging
free radicals
- Ensure cells operate at optimal levels to reduce
oxidation
Read more details on antiaging
programs
Gerontology [old age]
experts maintain that 70% of the aging process is controllable
through lifestyle choices; only 30 percent is the result
of genetic makeup.
NEXT: Antiaging Programs
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