The hot topic in health and wellness these days is Anti-Aging. As with anything that is hot, there is a lot of hype and misinformation being disseminated in this field.
The Gold Standard in Anti-Aging treatment is the administration of supplemental Human Growth Hormone (HGH). As people age, their natural levels of HGH decline. Supplementation has been shown to increase muscle mass, reduce fat tissue, and improve the appearance of skin and hair. Unfortunately, HGH is expensive, requires a prescription, and is administered by injection. As a result, there are many substitutes on the market but I am not aware of any that work as well as the real thing, and many are outright junk. Caveat emptor!
So, if you can afford it and are willing to take injections daily, you should consult with an anti-aging specialist and see if you are a candidate for HGH. Most likely he will start off by checking blood levels of HGH and other hormones. You may need not just HGH, but perhaps also thyroid hormones and the sex hormones. In order to find someone in your area who specializes in Anti-Aging Medicine, you can contact either the American College for Advancement in Medicine, or the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Just be sure that your consultant is legally allowed to prescribe HGH (such as an M.D. or D.O.; not all health care practitioners can prescribe injections), because if he can't prescribe HGH, he may try to tell you that he has something better than HGH.
In any case, whether or not you go on hormone replacement therapy, there are things that you can do right now to slow down the aging process. Some are common-sense, such as not smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol, keeping your weight optimal and eating a balanced diet. Some are less obvious. For example, sunscreens protect the skin from premature aging.
Exercise is also extremely important. It not only increases muscle mass and endurance, but exercise has also been shown to reduce serious falls in the elderly. This does not mean that you need to become a jock, but you should have a regular exercise program. The experts recommend both weight training and aerobic exercise (such as running, swimming, bicycling, etc.). Twenty to thirty minutes three or four times a week of aerobic exercise plus a couple sessions a week of weight training is adequate. However, if you are not currently exercising, before you get started, you should get a complete physical examination and discuss any possible limitations with your physician. You should also consult an exercise trainer about specific weight training regimens.
Many of the effects of aging are believed to be due to damage caused by free radicals. Although pollutants make the problem worse, free radicals are always present in the body-they are an unavoidable result of the chemical reactions that sustain life. Your body uses antioxidants to defend itself against their depredations. There is still controversy in the scientific community as to whether a balanced diet provides all the antioxidants and other nutrients essential to optimal health. Not every scientist believes that supplementation is necessary.
However, in my opinion we should all be taking a good vitamin and mineral supplement. Not only do most people not eat the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables daily, but the produce we do eat usually has been picked green, possibly grown on mineral-depleted soils, and may be contaminated with pesticides or other pollutants. The supplement which I personally use is LifePak from Pharmanex. The various LifePak Anti-Aging formulas contain optimal amounts of vitamins, trace minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients, as well as sufficient calcium and other nutrients necessary to promote bone health.
Another reason to take LifePak is to maintain normal homocysteine levels. An elevated homocysteine level, which is caused by a deficiency of one or more of three specific B vitamins, has been associated with two common diseases of aging, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and Alzheimer's disease.
Take the LifePak Challenge and compare your current multivitamin with LifePak. Then choose the one that's right for you-regular LifePak for men under 40, LifePak Women for pre-menopausal women, LifePak PreNatal for pregnant women, LifePak Prime for men over 40 and post-menopausal women, LifePak Teen for children between 9 and 18, and Jungamals for younger children.
Unless you eat fish or genuine grass-fed beef (ordinary organic beef does not count)at least several times a week, you should probably take a fish oil concentrate such as Optimum Omega. Although still controversial, I would also suggest considering the use of products containing coconut oil (additional relevant links available on my Wellness Resources page). Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids and coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA).
Mental decline is one of the cruelest symptoms of aging. In addition to maintaining normal homocysteine levels, discussed above, you can take Ginko biloba to improve your chances of avoiding declining mental abilities. Ginkgo biloba has been studied extensively and appears to stimulate memory and concentration, apparently by improving circulation to the brain. Some research suggests that it, too, may help people with Alzheimer's disease. Pharmanex's BioGinkgo formulation has been shown to be more potent than other brands of Ginkgo biloba and it can be taken twice a day instead of three times daily. (CAUTION: Since Ginkgo biloba "thins" the blood slightly, there is a slight risk of internal bleeding and you probably should not take it if you also take prescription blood thinners or aspirin regularly. Consult your physician first.)
Men's sexual potency also declines with age. This can be caused by a low testosterone level, among many other things. If you are experiencing potency problems, you should certainly get a complete medical examination and this should include a blood test to check your testosterone level. As far as nutritional supplements are concerned, the ingredients found in Pharmanex's Venix (Ginkgo biloba, Cordyceps sinensis, and l-arginine) have been shown to support normal sexual functioning. However, unlike the sometimes-dangerous prescription medication Viagra, which works immediately, the natural ingredients found in Venix sometimes take up to three months of regular use to be fully effective.
If you need help losing weight, consider Pharmanex's Body Design program. Body Design is a comprehensive weight management program which incorporates exercise, specially-formulated between-meal snacks, and CraveEase, a proprietary blend of Glucosol, chromium and vanadium that is designed to reduce carbohydrate cravings. CraveEase does not contain dangerous stimulants. Although controversial, the use of coconut oil instead of vegetable oils may also help you lose weight.
You can order Pharmanex products either online by going to my personal Pharmanex website or by calling Pharmanex at 1-800-800-0196 or 1-800-487-1000. You will need to provide the order-taker with my name and ID number (Dr. Eric Schendel, US9074385). If you want additional information, feel free to call me or send me email. You can find my phone number and email address at the top of this page.
Finally, there are skin care products that can reduce the appearance of aging. Nu Skin, Pharmanex's sister company, has several products that reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Their latest high-tech product is Tru Face Line Corrector, which uses low-molecular-weight peptides to promote collagen formation. Medical research has shown that these peptides can significantly reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles. Other Nu Skin products, such as the their System 180 Anti-Aging Skin Therapy and their MHA Treatments, target fine lines and wrinkles. You can order these products online by visiting www.cynthia.mynuskinusa.com, my sister Cynthia's Nu Skin website. Or you can call Nu Skin at 1-800-487-1000. You will need to provide the order-taker with Cynthia's name and ID number (Cynthia Schendel, US9111398).
As always, it is important to consult with your personal physician before undertaking dietary or lifestyle changes.
Good luck. And may we all live to at least 100-and in the best of health!
