What- How- Why
How can we extend life? We need to consider the possible opportunities to ameliorate the inevitable.
Aging is a process that starts at conception followed hopefully by birth, growth, puberty, youth adult, middle age, senility and death. The step between middle age 40 or so and death is where a difference can be made. The DOD (date of death) and more important the quality of life, you have little control over be finial step from senility to death. This will require further research into gene and stem cell therapy, which is currently being vehemently opposed by religious leaders and the government are making the situation at this time very grim. There are like 50,000+ centenarians with only 50+ in the next decade and very few, if any in the, 120+ category. Well this certainly sets limits for us without new research our lifespan is short and defined.
The aging process is really a growth process. From embryo to fetus, to baby to young adult and on. It is a constant process driven by our endocrine system. Hormones are chemical messengers that make big changes in cell activity. They plan our growth, strength, and finally our obsolescence. We are programmed to have a DOD of 35 to 40. We now can expect a life span of 70 to 80. What we can control is the quality of life in the last decades. Here are a few of the important hormones which regulate your life, the quality and your DOD.
Hypothalamus: Regulates the other gland secretion rates.
Pituitary Gland: Determines growth hormone release rates.
Thyroid Gland: Regulates the metabolism, the cellular activity level in our bodies.
Parathyroid: Regulates your calcium intake.
Pancreas: Produces insulin and glucagons.
Adrenal Glands: stimulant when active.
Testes: Testosterone.
Ovaries: Progesterone and estrogen.
In addition we must consider the thymus which regulates the immune system.
The process of aging after 40 is a gradual shut down of this system.
The system is built to shut down about 15 years after the last birth. From evolution that makes a lot of sense. Why feed and house and use valuable assets of the community to maintain a person who is not producing offspring. This means the system starts closing down about 35 to 40 and reaches a noticeable impact by around 55 to 60 and this is just about what happens, look around you. Go to Walmart.
So here is the problem what can do about it?
Options:
Organ transplants might be considered. Difficult, dangerous, expensive, rejection, general incompatibility with your body.
Life style changes would be a lot less dangerous, cheaper, and relatively few side effects.
Supplements, the magic pill, everyone wants them so they do not have to go out and run. There is NONE. It is just hard work. I know no one wants to hear that. So do you want to trade some effort for a healthy body and a limited improvement in longevity? Maybe it is not worth it since you get the first 40 to 50 years free. Take it and get out of the way. But the next 20 years are in and out of the hospitals, reduced sex ability, incapacity of movement, you look like hell. But much more important, before you opt for the no effort route– think—I mean think—the brain— the brain. Even though you are willing to let yourself got to an early senility, again look around you, I will bet you are NOT WILLING TO GIVE UP MENTAL HEALTH. Now the rub, it takes a healthy body to maintain a healthy brain. Why? The brain needs a huge supply of blood. Those pipes going up are big. So if cannot even run up a hill how are you going to supply the blood to your brain as your pipes age and corrode? You are setting yourself up for all the dementia symptoms, plus stroke, lack of neuron transmitters, all of which opens the door for Alzheimer’s disease, etc. It is all over even if your body is still functioning.
There is an old adage that says “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Well I think the ratio is lot greater. A little help to the immune system to prevent cancer is lot easier than all that surgery, radiation, kemo etc.
What can you do?
**Go anaerobic every day; you need to tailor an exercise program to meet your goals.
**Take lots of amino acids see below.
**Have a good stretching program ½ hour per day minimum.
**Take lots of supplements see below.
**Have a good stable relationship and an active sex life.
**Be involved both physically mentally.
A few rules to live by:
1. Go hard live long
2. Use it or lose it
3. Go anaerobic every day
4. Eat well, fruits and vegetables and supplements
5. Set plans well in advance and have achievable goals
6. Have a stress free relationship
7. Keep socially active and interested in life and it’s challenges
8. There are no fat old people so watch your calorie intake.
We all stumble and fall down, the achievers, winners successful, get back up and keep going. This is where persistence pays off. It is easy to quit. I am not a quitter.
Persistence prevails when all else fails
The only one I need to account to is the mirror. If I look in the mirror and I can honestly say “Lew you did the very best you could at the time and place you were in then we, the mirror and I are OK”. I always know I will need to account to that mirror and it does not allow for quitting. Of course I can decide to do or not to do something for good reasons that is ok but if I go for it I must give it my very best effort and get back up again and keep going or I will have to account to the mirror.
