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The Test
America Medical Center and Santa Barbara Longevity Institute is the first
and foremost provider of Longevity and
Anti-Aging Medicine in Santa Barbara County -- dedicated to
the proposition that Aging is a Treatable
Condition.
| Unless you slow down your aging, aging is going to slow you
down. It will make you increasingly physically and mentally disabled, sluggish, forgetful and depressed, ultimately making life not seen worth living. Fortunately, you can fight back with lifestyle, the right diet, and the right nutrients and supplements. |
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CAUSES OF
AGING
There are many causes of aging. The central concept and the model that ties them all together is the
free radical theory of aging put forth by Denham Harmon from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in 1954. This theory did not have much support from the medical community until the early 1990s, when results from studies by scientists began to show that oxidative damage to human cells accumulates with age and is a major contributor to degenerative diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, and nervous system dysfunction.
Free radicals are formed in the body as by-products of cellular metabolism. Chemically a free radical is a molecule highly reactive with at least on unpaired electron. Since reactive or unstable molecules strive to achieve a stable, neutral state, free radicals circulate through the body on a mission to stabilize their electron structure. During this process, they attack the DNA, lipid membranes, and cellular proteins of the body. The number of free radicals in the body is increased by environmental factors such as chemicals, pesticides, cigarette smoke, air pollution, UV exposure (sun light), radiation, stress, age, and fried, processed foods. Some experts estimate that free radical activity is involved in 80 - 90% of degenerative diseases. Antioxidants are compounds that control the damage caused by free radicals and neutralize free radicals. Our bodies produce antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, but the levels of antioxidants decrease as we age.
FACTORS
INVOLVED WITH ANTI-AGING THERAPY
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The
Anti-Aging Pyramid |
The anti-aging pyramid illustrates the various factors involved with anti-aging medicine.
At the base of the pyramid are the Antioxidants which are responsible for controlling the damage caused by free radicals. Consuming the right antioxidants slows down and even reverses the damage caused by oxidative stress of the free radicals.
Vitamins - Minerals Replacement. This is the cornerstone of an overall disease, anti-aging program. Many of today's foods are not as rich as they once were in vitamins and minerals. In addition, as you get older, your ability to absorb many vitamins and minerals drops considerably. The problem is compounded by those who eat poorly, drink alcohol, smoke and some prescription medications.
Hormone Replacement. Hundreds of scientific studies document the benefits of maintaining youthful hormone levels in order to help preserve vigor and stave-off degenerative disease. The major hormones that decrease with aging are: Human Growth Hormone (hGH), DHEA, Pregnenolone, Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, Melatonin.
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Cognitive Function Enhancement and
Restoration Brain
Aging. Aging precipitates progressive decline in overall cognitive function. It causes us to lose our ability to store and retrieve from short-term memory and to learn new information.
There are potent brain-boosting nutrients that function via a variety of mechanisms to correct the molecular devastation that aging inflicts on brain cells. Some
mechanisms involved in the therapeutic action of brain-boosting nutrients: Antioxidant effects: prevents and reduces free radical damage.
Membrane stabilizing effects: prevents cell damage. Inhibition of glucorticoid synthesis: reduces stress. Pharmacological and Nutritional Supplements, Memory-Enhancing Nutrients: Ginkgo
Biloba, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Coenzyme Q10, Phosphatidylserine (PS),
DMAE (dimethyaminoethanol), Vinpocetine, and Pregnenolone.
Weight
Control. Entering the
new millennium, Americans face a major health problem.
Sixty-eight (68%) percent of all Americans are overweight, and the
percentage of adults who are obese has been rising for a
decade. Obesity is the second most common preventable cause
of death in the United States. The risk of disease in not
just confined to adults, children and young adults also face
increased heath risks is they are overweight or obese.
Anti-aging efforts without weight control are irrational.
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