Longevity and Reversal of the Aging Process

Longevity and Reversal of the Aging Process
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I’ve shared a bit in previous articles about prevention and reversal of Alzheimer’s and what I call the “Diseases of Aging.” There is a brighter side to this picture. We can take a look at the aging process and see how we can stack the cards in our favor, so to speak.

Arianna Huffington encouraged me to share some of the concepts I discuss in my webinar for the pubic:

The BodyEnergy Longevity Prescription: How to Live a Long and Healthy Life.”

Here are some key points from the webinar that can give us a broader view for the 100 million of us who are 50 years or older in the US:

  • Chronological Age: Our “passport age”, as my European friends say. Our official calendar age.
  • Biological Age: This is an area of increasing interest. How fast or slow the body ages. Did you ever meet anyone who looks a lot younger or older than they are? That is their biological age talking. It is an indication of how well they take care of themselves.

What Accelerates Aging?

There are key factors that influence how fast or slow our biological clock ticks. In other words, these are factors which are not a normal part of the aging process:

  1. We all know about stress and that it can come in many forms. External events, family pressures, caring for our loved ones, financial commitments, current events and even politics.
  2. Lack of sleep. It’s estimated that over 80 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. It’s as if our minds and bodies simply can’t shut off to rest. This can have a negative effect on our body’s ability to regenerate and recuperate. Even more alarming, the systems in our brain that help release waste products are less efficient if there is a lack of sleep.
  3. This is perhaps a less obvious contributor to our overall biological health. Many researchers have pointed out how a diet with excess sugars, bread and carbohydrates can create insulin resistance, which challenges the body and the brain. It’s no wonder that 79 million Americans are estimated to be pre-diabetic, laying the groundwork for greater national health problems in the future.
  4. An unbalanced diet and other stress factors, including injury, disease and concussions, can lead to inflammation. It also leads to an excess of pharmaceuticals, which can put even more stress on our organs and our “cellular intelligence.”

What Helps “Turn Back the Clock”

Anything which can counter the above list will help keep us biologically fit. Here are some tips to combat stress and lack of sleep:

  1. CranioSacral Therapy. Developed by Osteopath Dr. John Upledger in the mid 1970’s, CranioSacral Therapy or CST helps decrease stress levels and the “fight or flight” response in the body. Preliminary research of Alzheimer’s patients indicates a decrease in their level of agitation due to reduced stress in the body. CST very gently helps to release some of the stored impressions and memories that we’ve carried around in our bodies, often for decades. We emerge more relaxed and able to get a good night’s sleep.
  2. Meditation and yoga. We’ve all heard about the benefits of yoga and there are many forms of soothing meditation. One of my personal favorites is Transcendental Meditation ™ which is easily learned and can be practiced for 20 minutes in the morning and evening. Just ask Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah or Dr. Oz.
  3. There are many ways to change our diet to help our bodies heal. The BodyEnergy Longevity Prescription” and the Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook” offer healthy, tasty food suggestions.
  4. Countering inflammation. Food can trigger inflammation. This can and should be addressed, regardless of age. Exercise is yet another inflammation buster. Research shows that even 30 minutes of gentle exercise each day can lower our A1C levels, a key marker of diabetes.

A gentle, 30-minute daily yoga workout, a 20-minute daily meditation session and some minor changes in your diet may be all you need to do in order to enjoy a longer, healthier life.

To find out more about Michael’s mission go to www.preventingalzheimers.com

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