What kinds of diseases are studied most in the field of Anti-Aging Medicine?

This is difficult to say concisely, other than this field of study is wide open for any School of Knowledge. For example, in Anti-Aging Medicine, through diet, supplements and medications we can prevent Type 2 diabetes. We are also exploring high blood pressure, high cholesterol, muscle wasting and aging, arthritis, obesity, heart problems, stroke, and Alzheimer disease. As you can see, Anti-Aging Medicine has the potential to help heal or prevent many diseases.

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What are symptoms of Fibromyalgia (FM)?

The official criterion of the American College of Rheumatology for making the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is very restricted and eliminates about 80% of sufferers. As with any disease, Fibromyalgia presents a spectrum of symptoms from mild to severe. In general, if you are tired and cannot sleep, have at least six painful spots on your body, have memory and cognition problems, and have intestinal and absorption problems you probably have Fibromyalgia.

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What are symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

The official diagnostic criterion of the Center for Disease Control is listed separately from Fibromyalgia. This disease is very similar to Fibromyalgia, but pain is a less prominent symptom. Put simply, if you are unusually tired or exhausted out of proportion but cannot sleep or wake un-refreshed from your sleep, you probably have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

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What are treatments For Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Because both these illnesses are multi-factorial in the cause, so must the treatment be multifactorial. The prevalent theory of how this illness attacks the body is as follows. The hypothalamus in the center of the brain is the seat of the sleep/wake center, all hormone control, and autonomic nervous system and imminently involved in the direction of the immune system. This area of the brain requires a lot of energy to do this job, so when there is energy crisis in someone’s life, be it an illness, chronic stress, near starvation, etc., the hypothalamus has a “blown circuit breaker” and is not functional. Consequently, the sleep/wake, hormone autonomic nervous system and immune system are all poorly functioning. Regretfully, at this time there is no direct treatment for a failed hypothalamus so we separately treat sleep disorders, multiple hormone replacement, blood pressure, pulse, gastrointestinal disorders, and boost the immune system. There are additional abnormalities that may need to be addressed if the need arises.

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What can I do on my own to stay healthy and live longer?

Simple measures can include appropriate sleep, good nutrition, and adequate exercise. Sleep is most restful in a darkroom; I recommend blinds or black out curtains on the windows and low watt bulbs in all the lights. A good, quality mattress is important, after all you spend at least 1/3 of your life on that bed. The room temperature should be somewhat cool as it is easier to sleep in the cool than when it is warm. The bed should be used only for sex & sleep. Do not do work on your bed.

Nutrition is very important and should include the proper amount of protein, fat and low glycemic index carbohydrates. I recommend following a diet like that promulgated in “The Zone” diet by Dr. Barry Sears or a similar approach. Humans were built to graze. We should eat 6 to 8 times a day. Each meal must be balanced in carbohydrates, fats and protein. Dr. Sears says, “you are only as healthy as your last meal.” Every meal matters and getting proper vitamins and supplements is also important.

Exercise should be thought of as part of your life style. I often hear “I don’t have time to exercise.” This should never be true. You must make exercise as important as eating, breathing, or bathing. Exercise must include both aerobic (with oxygen) such as walking, running, bicycling, or any other exercise that includes movement of the larger muscle groups for an extended time (20-60 minutes at least 3-4 days a week), and weight or resistance training. The use of weights improves muscle tone and strength, increases the expenditure of calories and therefore contributes to leanness, and fights the frailty of aging. I also recommend Yoga, Pilates, or Thai Chi for balance and stretching. Studies have shown such exercises boost the immune system.

Vitamins: The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins is the very minimum required to prevent a vitamin deficiency disease like Scurvy, Ricketts, and Beriberi or the like. The optimal levels are much higher. Some vitamins are routinely over-looked by medical practitioners such as B12. Low levels of this vitamin contribute to europsychiatric and blood disorders and contributes to Alzheimer’s disease..

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What is Anti-Aging Medicine?

In most species of living organisms, their main function is to grow to maturity and create off spring, ensuring the survival of the species. Nature seems intent on this goal. Often, the individual is less important than the species as a whole, and so the physiologic functions that made the creature healthy, vibrant, alive and fit for reproduction began to decline as the organism passes the age of reproduction. We were programmed for this growth and maturity cycle. There are many factors that contribute to this slow decline and demise of the organism.

Man is the “thinking” animal. Since we “think” and are self-aware, we now question this slow decline to demise or death. Previously, medicine concentrated on understanding disease and finding a way to treat disease. At one time, infection took many children before they reached maturity or made them unable to reproduce the species. Often, diseases attacked us in our nature state and interfered with the ability to raise the next generation. Standard medicine has done an excellent job of this so far, but now it is time for a change from detection and treatment of disease to prevention of the decline in function. This anti-aging goal is obtainable using the methods that have been established and are continuously being researched and improved.

Just extending the time of death is no longer an adequate goal. Though no one wants to die, (we all cling dearly to life), no one wants to be alive but unhealthy. We don’t want to be bed-ridden, unable to take care of ourselves, etc. There is a way to be 80 years old chronologically and feel and look as though we were 40. Part of it is genetic, but we now have proven ways to safely continue and return to optimal function. This is the goal of Anti-Aging Medicine.

It is a fact that 90% of the money spent on “healthcare” is spent on the extraordinary methods employed in the last two or three years of life. Fifty percent of the United States health care budget is spent on the treatment of degenerative disease of aging. One hundred million Americans are now being treated for one or more of the degenerative diseases of aging at a cost of $700 billion per year. To change the failing health care infrastructure, we must focus on these degenerative diseases of aging. If we can slow or reverse the aging process, even slightly, we can eliminate much of this fifty percent of disease and the health care expenditure on these diseases. The National Institute of Aging has officially recognized the role of Anti-Aging Medicine as the leading frontier of health care. We are now fighting to be proactive rather than reactive.

Anti-Aging Medicine incorporates the fields of biochemistry, biology, and physiology, with contributions from mind/ body medicine, sports medicine, molecular genetics, and emerging medical technologies. Anti-Aging Medicine utilizes proven evidence from these dynamic fields to produce sound health care. Only diagnosis and treatment modalities, which have been proven through independent evaluations, are embraced.

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What is Thyroid, Cortisol, Estrogen/Progesterone/ Testosterone, Growth Hormone and why are they so important?

Thyroid, Cortisol, Estrogen/Progesterone/ Testosterone, Growth Hormone are so important because...

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