Biomarkers of aging
Deepak Chopra shares ageless wisdom
By Adele Slaughter, Spotlight Health
With medical adviser Stephen A. Shoop, M.D.
By Jeremiah Sullivan
Deepak Chopra: Cut 10 years off of your mental image of yourself, and you may just live longer.
In a string of bestselling books such as The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Dr. Deepak Chopra has advocated an East-meets-West program for healthy and happy living. Now Chopra turns his gaze toward the ultimate human problem — aging.
In Grow Younger, Live Longer, released this month, Chopra and co-author Dr. David Simon give advice on how to reverse the aging process.
"You are ancient and eternal," says Chopra, in his usual New Age prose flair. "You have come and gone in innumerable forms — your essence is not the body. This book is about making the body function better and yes — grow younger. It is as if you have an automobile that you take care of so you can enjoy it for a long time."
Because we have made huge advances against disease and eliminated most of our natural predators, humans beings often die of old age — a phenomenon not typically seen in the animal kingdom.
Scientists have long theorized as to how and why humans age. Today, there are two main theories. One holds that aging is born of random events from the environment or from the day-to-day metabolic processes of the body. The other, opposing theory would have it that aging is a direct result of programmed human responses, and that there is nothing random about growing old.
As in the old nature-vs.-nurture argument, most scientists today acknowledge that aging is most likely caused by several mechanisms, and that both random events and programmed responses play a role.
Whatever the answer, one thing is clear: Chronologically, the USA as a nation is getting older.
The aging boom
"The percentage of people in the upper aging group is growing rapidly," says Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center of Aging. "In the U.S. today there are 13 million people in the 65-plus age group. The fastest growing age group is 85-plus."
The elderly population group will swell markedly between 2010 and 2030, when the "baby boomers" reach age 65. Estimations are that the older generation will grow to about 70 million by 2030.
"So thanks to advances in medical technology we are living longer," says Small, "but we just may not be living better."
Many diseases that afflict Americans today appear as we age. And while we live longer, the severity of most of our diseases increases with age. The most prevalent age-related disorders include:
Alzheimer's disease
Breast cancer
Prostrate cancer
Depression
Diabetes
Heart disease
Macular degeneration
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Stroke
"Even without a bona fide disease, older people feel a little creakier in the morning and their memories aren't as good," says Small. "We have this tip of the tongue phenomenon — where there is a problem with retrieving information. We're slower in learning new things, and we all joke about it but it is an issue, and as you get even older there is the risk of getting Alzheimer's and other serious memory problems."
But Chopra says it doesn't have to be this way.
"I like to stretch boundaries and transcend limitations," says Chopra, "whether psychological, physical, or spiritual. I've jumped from airplanes; I scuba dive; I want to master the game of golf. Biologically, I'm more fit now than I was at 25. Chronologically I'm 55, but psychologically I'm 40."
Fountain of youth
In Grow Younger, Live Longer Chopra suggests we accept our chronological age, but reverse our biological and psychological age to re-establish the physical and emotional well-being of youth.
According to Chopra, there are 10 to 15 biomarkers of aging, including:
Blood pressure
Bone density
Fat content
Strength and muscle mass
Sugar metabolism
Sex hormone levels
Hearing and vision
Skin thickness
Fortunately, we can reverse or slow down these biomarkers, says Chopra. In the new book, explains 10 things that can help reverse the aging process.
The most important, he says, is changing our idea of who we are. Chopra suggests that people think of themselves as being 10-15 years younger than their chronological age.
"The first one is perception — changing your perception of time, by finding that part of yourself that is timeless and stilling the mind."
His additional nine practical suggestions are:
Learn restful awareness and restful sleep
Nurture the body through healthy foods
Use nutritional complements wisely
Enhance mind-body integration
Exercise and practice yoga
Eliminate physical and emotional toxins
Cultivate flexibility and creativity consciousness
Love fully and joyfully
Maintain a youthful mind through growth and flexibility
"The recommendations that Dr. Chopra put forth make sense," says Small. "It is good for your physical and mental health, to reduce stress from your life, eating right and so forth."
Scientists around the world are investigating the how and why of aging — looking at the food we eat, the air we breathe, how much exercise and sleep we get.
"So you have physical and mental decline, and that tends to define our perception of old age. But it's not always the case," says Small. "I'm sure there are genes for longevity and healthy aging."
Understanding why cells — the critical building blocks in our bodies — age, lose their ability to function, and eventually die can help researchers cure age-related diseases and conditions.
"In the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging," says Small, "researchers found remaining physically and mentally active in meaningful activities to be the key predictor to aging well."
In addition, the MacArthur study found it is never too late to adopt healthy habits.
The wildly productive Chopra is himself a case study in successful aging. He has just published his 28th book, is releasing two meditation CDs this fall, and manages The Chopra Center in La Jolla, Calif. Chopra also has a Web site that includes an e-mail community and prayer circle.
The key is trusting yourself, maintains Chopra.
"Your body is more intelligent than your brain, it is more intuitive, more relational, more nurturing and more wise."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-10-03-chopra-aging.htm
By Adele Slaughter, Spotlight Health
With medical adviser Stephen A. Shoop, M.D.
By Jeremiah Sullivan
Deepak Chopra: Cut 10 years off of your mental image of yourself, and you may just live longer.
In a string of bestselling books such as The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Dr. Deepak Chopra has advocated an East-meets-West program for healthy and happy living. Now Chopra turns his gaze toward the ultimate human problem — aging.
In Grow Younger, Live Longer, released this month, Chopra and co-author Dr. David Simon give advice on how to reverse the aging process.
"You are ancient and eternal," says Chopra, in his usual New Age prose flair. "You have come and gone in innumerable forms — your essence is not the body. This book is about making the body function better and yes — grow younger. It is as if you have an automobile that you take care of so you can enjoy it for a long time."
Because we have made huge advances against disease and eliminated most of our natural predators, humans beings often die of old age — a phenomenon not typically seen in the animal kingdom.
Scientists have long theorized as to how and why humans age. Today, there are two main theories. One holds that aging is born of random events from the environment or from the day-to-day metabolic processes of the body. The other, opposing theory would have it that aging is a direct result of programmed human responses, and that there is nothing random about growing old.
As in the old nature-vs.-nurture argument, most scientists today acknowledge that aging is most likely caused by several mechanisms, and that both random events and programmed responses play a role.
Whatever the answer, one thing is clear: Chronologically, the USA as a nation is getting older.
The aging boom
"The percentage of people in the upper aging group is growing rapidly," says Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center of Aging. "In the U.S. today there are 13 million people in the 65-plus age group. The fastest growing age group is 85-plus."
The elderly population group will swell markedly between 2010 and 2030, when the "baby boomers" reach age 65. Estimations are that the older generation will grow to about 70 million by 2030.
"So thanks to advances in medical technology we are living longer," says Small, "but we just may not be living better."
Many diseases that afflict Americans today appear as we age. And while we live longer, the severity of most of our diseases increases with age. The most prevalent age-related disorders include:
Alzheimer's disease
Breast cancer
Prostrate cancer
Depression
Diabetes
Heart disease
Macular degeneration
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Stroke
"Even without a bona fide disease, older people feel a little creakier in the morning and their memories aren't as good," says Small. "We have this tip of the tongue phenomenon — where there is a problem with retrieving information. We're slower in learning new things, and we all joke about it but it is an issue, and as you get even older there is the risk of getting Alzheimer's and other serious memory problems."
But Chopra says it doesn't have to be this way.
"I like to stretch boundaries and transcend limitations," says Chopra, "whether psychological, physical, or spiritual. I've jumped from airplanes; I scuba dive; I want to master the game of golf. Biologically, I'm more fit now than I was at 25. Chronologically I'm 55, but psychologically I'm 40."
Fountain of youth
In Grow Younger, Live Longer Chopra suggests we accept our chronological age, but reverse our biological and psychological age to re-establish the physical and emotional well-being of youth.
According to Chopra, there are 10 to 15 biomarkers of aging, including:
Blood pressure
Bone density
Fat content
Strength and muscle mass
Sugar metabolism
Sex hormone levels
Hearing and vision
Skin thickness
Fortunately, we can reverse or slow down these biomarkers, says Chopra. In the new book, explains 10 things that can help reverse the aging process.
The most important, he says, is changing our idea of who we are. Chopra suggests that people think of themselves as being 10-15 years younger than their chronological age.
"The first one is perception — changing your perception of time, by finding that part of yourself that is timeless and stilling the mind."
His additional nine practical suggestions are:
Learn restful awareness and restful sleep
Nurture the body through healthy foods
Use nutritional complements wisely
Enhance mind-body integration
Exercise and practice yoga
Eliminate physical and emotional toxins
Cultivate flexibility and creativity consciousness
Love fully and joyfully
Maintain a youthful mind through growth and flexibility
"The recommendations that Dr. Chopra put forth make sense," says Small. "It is good for your physical and mental health, to reduce stress from your life, eating right and so forth."
Scientists around the world are investigating the how and why of aging — looking at the food we eat, the air we breathe, how much exercise and sleep we get.
"So you have physical and mental decline, and that tends to define our perception of old age. But it's not always the case," says Small. "I'm sure there are genes for longevity and healthy aging."
Understanding why cells — the critical building blocks in our bodies — age, lose their ability to function, and eventually die can help researchers cure age-related diseases and conditions.
"In the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging," says Small, "researchers found remaining physically and mentally active in meaningful activities to be the key predictor to aging well."
In addition, the MacArthur study found it is never too late to adopt healthy habits.
The wildly productive Chopra is himself a case study in successful aging. He has just published his 28th book, is releasing two meditation CDs this fall, and manages The Chopra Center in La Jolla, Calif. Chopra also has a Web site that includes an e-mail community and prayer circle.
The key is trusting yourself, maintains Chopra.
"Your body is more intelligent than your brain, it is more intuitive, more relational, more nurturing and more wise."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-10-03-chopra-aging.htm
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