Healthy Aging: Recent Episodes
Dr. Denise Bogard
Our health starts to decline as we enter our 6th, 5th, 4th, even 3rd decade. Aging can be a slow decline or a rapid decline. Many age related illnesses can be prevented and even reversed like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, arthritis, cognitive decline and many others. Our program looks at each system in the body: cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, gastrointestinal, renal, endocrine including thyroid, adrenal, sex hormones and growth hormone and optimizing each of these systems. We also look at blood sugar control, genetic factors, neurotransmitters, lifestyle and toxin exposure. It has been very gratifying to see my patients come in tired, exhausted, with low libido and not feeling their best and return with a shine in their eyes and looking so much better! Tune in to find out more on Healthy Aging, on the VoiceAmerica Health and Wellness Channel.
More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, an estimated 5.2 million are age 65 and older, and approximately 200,000 individuals are under 65 years of age. One in three adults will suffer from Alzheimer's disease or some form of dementia. These numbers will escalate rapidly in coming years, as the baby boom generation has begun to reach 65 and beyond, the age range of greatest risk of Alzheimer's. Among people age 70, 61% of those with Alzheimer's are expected to die before the age of 80 compared with 30% of people without Alzheimer's--a rate twice as high. There are various interventions which can reduce your chances of developing cognitive decline. We will discuss this.
Neurotransmitters are the primary messengers for the nervous system, which coordinates everything from the stress response to general organ function to emotion and cognitive function. What has recently come to light in the research is that the immune system also produces and uses neurotransmitters. Imbalances in these neuro-immune markers, can disrupt normal nervous and immune system function leading to the manifestation of psychological, somatic, and mood disorders, and related clinical complaints. Symptoms can also sometimes present as a hormone issue.
Numerous nutritional supplements and medications are claimed to possess antiaging or longevity properties. We will discuss a few that have been important in preventing diseases common in aging and preventing premature death.
Autologous stem cells are taken from a patient's own body. Both bone marrow and fat contain numerous cells that can serve multiple functions when released including the release of proteins that reduce inflammation and assist in the healing of tissues and take on properties of the surrounding tissues to rebuild the injured area. These stem cells have been used to inject in various joints for advanced osteoarthritis and intravenously for various diseases.
Telomeres are structures that exist at the tips of the chromosomes. At their most basic level, they play a role similar to that of the small plastic tabs at the ends of your shoe laces. The purpose of these tabs is to keep the lace from unraveling. As the chromosomes divide, telomeres help keep the cell intact. In turn, each time a chromosome divides, the telomere gets shorter and shorter until the cell reaches a point that it can no longer divide. This shortening of the telomere occurs gradually as we age, and by monitoring these changes, doctors can now provide insight into where you are in the aging process regardless of how many birthdays you've had. Shortened telomere are associated with certain types of cancer, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
Exercise has many benefits on the aging adult. It decreases the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer and many more. It improves the quality of your life. It improves your mood, your energy level and your sex life!! Tune in to hear about aging and the benefits of exercise.
The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and produce a variety of very important hormones such as cortisol, the stress hormone. These hormones secreted by your adrenals influence all of the major processes in your body. Adrenal fatigue or dysfunction is usually caused by some form of stress. This stress can be physical, emotional, psychological, environmental, infectious, or a combination of many together. Stress can come in major events such as the death of a loved one, an automobile accident or a serious illness. Stress can also take its toll in less obvious ways. If these smaller stresses accumulate or become chronic, the adrenals have no opportunity to fully recover, and adrenal fatigue is usually the result. Primary components of lifestyle leading to adrenal fatigue are lack of sleep, poor food choices, using food and drinks as stimulants when tired and many more. Treatments for adrenal fatigue will be discusses in a multi-disciplinary program.
Every single muscle, organ and cell in the body depends on adequate thyroid hormone levels to achieve and maintain optimal functioning. In a hypothyroid state, the thyroid gland is releasing inadequate amounts of thyroid hormone to meet the body's metabolic demands, and the metabolic rate is therefore reduced. In a hyperthyroid state, the thyroid gland is releasing excess amounts of thyroid hormone which results in an elevated metabolic rate. Hashimoto's disease and Grave's disease are chronic autoimmune diseases resulting in damage to thyroid cells and can often lead to hyperthyroidism initially followed by hypothyroidism later in the course of the illness. Treating autoimmune disease is challenging. Treatments must be individualized. Treating the underlying causes of the illness, if it can be found, is the best course. By implementing dietary and nutritional support, most individuals with autoimmune disorders can significantly improve their condition.
Inflammation is a natural response of the body designed to prevent infection and repair damage. Swelling, redness, warmth and pain are all hallmarks of inflammation. Your body recognizes foreign invaders and fights to defend itself. This kind of inflammation is short term and beneficial. But inflammation becomes a problem if it becomes chronic. With chronic inflammation the body keeps fighting and gets stuck in the fight mode. The chemicals released wind up damaging or killing the body's own cells. Instead of protecting the body, the inflammatory process starts to destroy it. Chronic inflammation is thought to be the root of most degenerative diseases, including arthritis, diabetes, cancer heart disease and hypertension.
Diabetes is on the increase in the USA. It is a preventable disease. Diabetes is becoming a modern, silent epidemic. It is a metabolic disorder characterized by elevation of fasting blood sugar. It may be caused by too much glucose or too little insulin or insulin resistance but the complications of chronic uncontrolled blood sugar are devastating: increased risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and loss of nerve function. This is a Western disease which reflects our diet, exercise and level of stress. Emphasis: This is a reversible disease!! We have many natural ingredients than can help, but lifestyle changes (this includes diet, exercise, and stress management) must be present to have permanent change. Food is the primary foundation for blood sugar control--often called glycemic control. Food can be considered either a poison or a therapy depending on its content.
Traditional lipid testing fails to detect cardiovascular disease in its early stages. A 2009 study showed that 50 percent of patients hospitalized for coronary events have normal levels of traditional markers of LDL cholesterol. Coronary artery disease is the result of inflammation, oxidative stress involving free radical formation and autoimmune damage to your coronaries. There are about 200 risk factors for coronary artery disease. Covered in this series will be advanced lipid testing, genetic testing, and hypertension as a side effect of damage occurring in the blood vessels. Ways to address and prevent hypertension will also be included.
Hormone replacement is an integral part of my medical practice. Successful Healthy aging entails much more than hormone replacement but few things have an immediate and profound effect on the quality of life as restoring hormones to optimal levels. Within a few weeks of beginning hormone replacement, patients typically experience a new level of energy, physical vitality, improved mental function, increased resistance to disease and a more youthful skin and physique. Although hormone production begins to taper off during our 20's we don't fully fell the effects until we reach our 40's or 50's. Then as we reach menopause for women and andropause for men this decline in hormone production goes further. Both menopause and andropause contribute to the progression of aging. The goal of hormone administration is to achieve optimal levels but never to achieve unnaturally high levels of any hormone. We will discuss differences between bio-identical and conventional hormone therapy.
I will go through an overview of what the next twelve weeks will encompass and explain each episode briefly.