I’d like to believe that aging as we know it is optional. Chronological aging is inevitable. There’s nothing we can do about the number of times we’ve traveled around the sun. However, we are beginning to see that biologic aging, or aging at the cellular level, can be significantly impacted by well-proven interventions. There are places around the world called “Blue Zones” where people live long, vital, healthy lives well into their 90s and 100s and are highly functional. Most of the chronic diseases that we see with aging in the USA are conspicuously absent in these communities. If that’s possible in select populations, isn’t it possible for all of us?
What defines aging? We all know what it looks like. Gray hair, wrinkles, hearing loss, reading glasses…but what’s really happening at a cellular level?
Gene expression becomes affected by environmental exposures like chemical toxins and radiation, causing mutations in our DNA and increasing our risk of cancer. Proteins in our cells get misfolded and build up, affecting cellular efficiency. Old or ‘senescent’ cells that have stopped dividing hang around and poison the healthy cells. Our stem cell reserve becomes depleted. Cellular communication becomes altered due to oxidative damage to the cell membranes. We become insulin resistant and blood sugar rises, causing damage from glycation. Our telomeres, the protective caps at the end of our DNA, start to shorten. Our immune system starts to become more pro-inflammatory, and that quiet smoldering inflammation causes a lot of internal damage.
How do I know how well I’m aging?
There are well-designed tests that can determine your biologic age vs. your chronologic age. The test I use (TruAge) can also tell you how many years per year you are CURRENTLY aging (anywhere forom 0.6 to 1.4 years per year), how well your immune system is aging, approximate telomere length, and how many times your stem cells have divided. All of these metrics are displayed in relation to the population that has been tested, so you know where you stand.
So what can we do about it?
We can take measures to live as close to the way we were intended to as possible. Humans were not intended to live in cities, stay up all night, or eat processed, chemical laden foods. We need to get outside, move naturally (not just in a gym), get our bare feet on the ground, and get some sunlight on our skin. We need clean water, whole foods grown locally and in season, and we need to feel connected to the source of these things. We need sleep, in the dark, without light contamination. We need to relax.
We also need a sense of purpose, a feeling of belonging, and to be near our loved ones. This was found to be a key factor behind the longevity of the Blue Zone communities. They had a sense of being a part of something bigger to which they contribute.
They also eat a plant-heavy diet, including legumes. The Blue Zone diet is very similar to the Mediterranean or Paleo diet. It’s lower in meat and dairy, and very low in sugar, with almost no processed food. They also tend to eat a bigger breakfast and lunch, and less in the evening. Most importantly, they cook and eat together. It’s a shared experience.
Sound impossible?
For many of us, it would take such a dramatic lifestyle change that it seems that way. So, we have to find solutions that work. Here’s what I recommend based on observed response and repeat testing in my patients:
- Optimize Vitamin D: We measure this by looking at 25-OH Vitamin D. Aim for levels around 60 to 80 for best immune and metabolic effect. Always take D3 combined with K2 to minimize the risk of too much calcium in the blood.
- Time restricted eating: Aim for an “eating window” of less than 12 hours, ideally 8-10. This is important for intestinal health and blood sugar maintenance.
- Regular fasting intervals: In order to facilitate cellular repair (autophagy, mitophagy) it is important to implement fasting once a month, or at least quarterly. This can be done safely with assistance for up to 5 days with the Prolon Fasting Mimicking Diet.
- Eliminate inflammatory foods: Sugar, dairy, and gluten are big ones for many people. Eggs and other “healthy” foods can also be a problem for some people. Testing can better define your specific triggers. Ask me about the FAST 88 test.
- Protect your sleep: Ensure 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep a night, and try to get to bed before 11 pm so you don’t miss out on your growth hormone surge. If you’re not sleeping well, you need to figure out why. Try 400-600 mg of magnesium along with 1-3 mg of melatonin before bed. If that doesn’t help within a week, talk to me.
- Balance or replace hormones: Get your hormones checked and optimize them with supplements, medications or peptides, or get actual bioidentical hormone replacement.
- Consider senomorphics and senolytics: Fancy words for disabling and eliminating senescent cells! I use rapamycin, fisetin, and quercetin in a specific way to do this safely.
- Listen to your body: If you feel like something is off, it probably is. Get checked out by someone who will listen to you. Like me.
- Targeted supplementation of nutrients based on testing for what your body needs: Don’t just kitchen-sink it. I use the NutrEval test. Everyone needs to supplement, and some more than others.
- Keep your perspective: Don’t get bogged down in the daily minutiae that can feel overwhelming. Focus on the big picture. Our time here on earth is finite, and we should be enjoying it. The earth will not stop turning if you take a day off. If you’re busy and miss your supplements, or eat badly one day, you’re not going to undo the other days you did well. It’s really about what you do 80% of the time.
I could go on, but I think you get my point. If age reversal is something you’re interested in pursuing, contact me for an appointment and we’ll get started!
Dr. Katherine