What’s Aging You?

You are only as young as your oldest part, so what’s aging you? Is it your bones? Do you exercise; are you weak in one area? It’s that weak part that will fracture with a fall. Perhaps you are losing your balance. The changes are so subtle that you hardly notice until you try to recover from a fall. It might be too late and you will fracture your weakest part. What about your brain? Are names more difficult to remember and do you have a harder time learning or paying attention? You may be declining in other areas, however the changes are so gradual that you can’t perceive it.

If you want to find out what your weakest point is, get an in depth evaluation to find your weakest point. When I perform Executive Physicals, I look at physical, mental, hormonal, metabolic, and nutritional and lifestyle parameters. Many factors can affect your health and wellbeing. Here’s what I find most often. This could be you.

• Even people who work with trainers may not be working on what they need. I find they have strength but are missing a muscle group or lack balance or endurance and those who work mostly on endurance may have muscle imbalances or weakness.

• Many of my patients are declining ever so slightly in their memory and attention. None were fully aware of this until I showed them the data.

• We live in a very stressful environment. Even those who handle it well have high, low or fluctuating cortisol, the stress hormone. Some have low DHEA, a hormone linked to youth, immunity and fat metabolism. Others require hormone replacement therapy with estrogen, progesterone and/or testosterone.

• On the nutritional analyses that I perform I invariable find diets high in carbohydrates and low in protein and nutrients. Most people have one or more nutrient, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

• Stress is ubiquitous and in our age of information overload and incessant demands for time and attention, little time is spent in quiet contemplation, rejuvenation or stress relieving activities.

All of these scenarios can be managed. The prescription for health is:

• A balanced exercise program including your brain

• A Mediterranean style diet high in Omega 3 fatty acids, nutrient dense fruits and vegetables packed with antioxidants in a rainbow of colors, low saturated fat, salt and refined carbohydrates and processed foods.

• Supplements to supply what you need to regenerate and repair.

• Stress management to manage cortisol and prevent the damaging effects it has on bone, muscle and memory
Hormone replacement therapy to relieve the stress on your body and prevent bone, muscle and memory loss.

Most of all, age is an attitude. Age with an edge and live with joy, vigor and vitality. You CAN live younger.