“As a man thinketh so he shall be,” Proverbs 23:7. quotes Dr. Joseph Maroon, the world-renowned neurosurgeon, turned his life around after suffering major depression to become a world class Ironman competitor. “A positive, grateful attitude — along with diet and exercise — permeates everything we do, reduces stress and contributes not only to longevity but also contentment,” comments Dr. Maroon in the recent article published in the journal Newsmax Health.
“The aerobic exercise of walking will pump nutrients that feed your brain, the conversation will strengthen your neural circuits and talking about your worries will reduce stress to further boost brain health,” says Dr. Gary Small, the director of Geriatric Psychiatry at the UCLA Longevity Center.
Sleep is an important part of life that most people overlook, and this does not change with age. Most experts agree that sleep helps to rest your brain and body to allow clearing of toxins that can accumulate during the day.
“You can’t stop aging but you CAN slow it down,” says Dr. Yoav Kaufman, M.D., Plastic and Hand Surgeon at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Texas. “The sun’s UV rays, outside of genetics, are the main culprits aging us all. Technically an SPF or sun protection factor of 35 is sufficient. With existing damage, the best way to reverse it is using retinoic acid. The treatment has been shown to help new blood flow in the face and even remove some of the ‘sun spots.”
“The most critical factor affecting lifespan and slowing the aging process is moderate caloric restriction in an environment of micronutrient excellence. The reality is there is no simple magic elixir or fountain of youth except for eating very healthfully with lots of vegetables, and not eating fried foods, junk food, sweeteners, and too many animal products,” says Dr. Joel Fuhrman M.D., who is a proponent of the Nutritarian diet that focuses on plant-based foods high in micronutrients and phytochemicals that act as antioxidants.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D., who in his eighties and still competes in tandem bicycle racing with his wife, recommends avoiding/restricting red and processed meats, sugared drinks as well as sugary foods that increase inflammation within the body and raise the risk for obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, and heart attack.
Most experts also agree that people should avoid recreational drugs, smoking, and restrict drinking alcohol as these choice/factors put you at an increased risk for several adverse conditions and diseases as well as an increased risk for premature death.
Dr. Mehmet Oz recommends that part of your antiaging regimen should include taking vitamins, such as vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, DHA Omega-3, and a good multivitamin every day; her suggest that for the multivitamin you can take half in the morning and the other half at night.
Dr. Job Teitelbaum, M.D, suggests that taking bioidentical hormone replacement for both men and women can help to eliminate much of our biological planned obsolescence.
Along with most experts Silverman says that exercise is the single most important predictor of longevity. “Study after study shows that the fitter you are, the longer you’re likely to live. Don’t let health issues stop you unless your doctor tells you to avoid exercise,” he says. “Work with a sports chiropractor or experienced personal trainer. But keep moving! Even if you can barely walk, you can still do chair exercises.”
Dr. Maroon says that anti-aging is not about being “against” aging, rather it is about how to live longer and healthier by avoiding disease before it starts, and modern life consists of the perfect cocktail designed to kill us faster. The good news is that there are steps you can take to help combat aging, many of which can be found in another article loaded with some of his tips that can be viewed by clicking here.
