Is There A Cure For Aging?
For the majority of history, there have been people looking for the answer to immortality. While this is still an unachievable goal, scientists have begun to start cracking the biological code to why we age, and how we age and have started to understand mechanisms that can potentially slow down the process.
WHAT IS AGING?
Aging is a process in which the body is unable to continue repairing accumulated damage to cells, nerves, and other tissues in the body. This is one theory, but it is a very commonly held one. Another is that there is a loss of information organization (DNA breakdown). But we are going to focus on that first theory here.
With this process, chronic conditions arise that have been linked to the biological process of aging. Some of these conditions include diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular disease, and osteoarthritis.
Previously, these were thought to be the inevitable consequences of aging, however now we know that they are more likely due to the dual problems of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.
Over time, aging allows the damage from these two problems to accumulate and thus we have most of our so-called ‘lifestyle’ diseases.
Now, this is not a comprehensive list of age-related conditions, but it has some of the most common ones you might be familiar with.
LOOKING AT AGING AS A DISEASE
It is becoming more and more common for scientists and doctors to look at aging as a disease itself as opposed to looking at only the associated conditions we previously mentioned. Many of these age-related conditions are linked to a handful of failures in the body’s complicated and systematic processes.
AGING IS PREVENTABLE
One of the most well-known failure points of the body that contributes to aging is the body’s ability to utilize insulin and process glucose. Yes, you heard that right. Diabetes and prediabetes have been linked to the acceleration of aging. The diabetes drug Metformin has been the most studied drug when it comes to the science of preventing aging.
The use of Metformin has been linked to longer lifespans in diabetics when compared to non-diabetics. These type-2 diabetics on Metformin had lower death rates from any cause. Age-related conditions like heart disease and dementia were observed in lower numbers. There is even evidence that the risk of cancer is lowered and cancer survival rates are increased.
People have been taking this drug for decades so there is a large pool of evidence scientists and researchers have been able to mine to compile the numbers and statistics.
SO, IS THERE A CURE FOR AGING?
The quick answer? No, not yet. But, scientists are actively looking into it. More and more is being discovered, but since it takes a long too for people to “get old” it takes a long time to observe any changes in aging.
For now, we know that by keeping ourselves healthy, we have a better chance of preventing age-related conditions and living longer. A new term floating around the wellness and health world is “healthspan” the period of time free of illness. By prolonging your healthspan, you will in turn prolong your lifespan!
WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAYTo Prolong Your Healthspan?
To Prolong Your Healthspan?
Well, you can begin by making the conscious decision to eat healthy and live healthy. Eat a balanced healthy diet (Dr. Warner’s favorite is the Mediterranean Diet), get an appropriate amount of exercise, and get a healthy amount of sleep each night. Sleep is arguably the most important factor but it is also important to control your mental stress.
Remember how we mentioned Metformin being one of the potential keys to many people living longer lives? Well, Berberine is a natural supplement that does not require a prescription that mimics the actions of the drug Metformin. Studies have shown that it works as well as if not better than Metformin with regard to the control of blood glucose and insulin levels.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Meredith Warner is the creator of Well Theory and The Healing Sole. She is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Air Force Veteran.
She is on a mission to disrupt traditional medicine practices and promote betterment physically, spiritually and mentally to many more people. She advocates for wellness and functional health over big pharma so more people can age vibrantly with more function and less pain.
At Well Theory, Our surgeon-designed products are FDA Registered and formulated to help people:
- Manage the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain
- Recover vibrantly from orthopedic related surgeries
- Fill the gaps in our daily diets
- Manage pain associated with inflammation