New Age Answers to Old Age Questions

When Dr. Ana Aslan founded the National Geriatric Institute in Bucharest, Romania, in 1952, her anti-aging discoveries might have been far less dramatic than Hollywood would have depicted them, but the results were equally as earthshaking as the portrayal in the final scene would have represented them.

Dr. Aslan had been experimenting with injections of procaine to relieve arthritis pain when her patients began to exhibit both mental and physical well-being that extended far beyond the arthritic benefits she was treating. As a consequence, Aslan became a pioneer in the field of gerontological research with the development of a product known as Gerovital H3 which she introduced in Verona, Italy, in 1957. Today, GH3 is recognized by the World Health Organization as a bona fide age retarding product that is readily available in numerous countries throughout the world.

It was Dr. Aslan’s belief that “to grow old in a beautiful and dignified way is at the same time a science and an art.”

Listed among those who made pilgrimages to Bucharest to visit the Romanian biologist/scientist were President John F. Kennedy, French President Charles de Gaulle, West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and Chairman Mao Tse Tung of China. Dr. Aslan died in 1988 at the age of 92.

While Dr. Aslan was a pioneer in the field of anti-aging medicine, she certainly wasn’t the first to be fascinated by the prospects of eternal life, or, at least, significant longevity. The Chinese have been practicing the disease preventive aspects of acupuncture since 2500 BC. Some experts even claim the process is older than that.

Surely Cleopatra had no inkling that the lactic acid of the milk she bathed in dissolved the adhesion of skin cells to cleanse her flesh to its deepest levels. And, most likely, she didn’t care either, so long as she was well exfoliated.

The search for the Fountain of Youth by Spanish conquistador Ponce de Leon has long been a popular legend, though, in reality, it wasn’t attributed to him until after his death. According to Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo in 1535, the truth is that de Leon was searching the waters of Bimini for a cure for his sexual impotence.

Even Mary Shelley got into the act in 1818 when she created the Frankenstein monster while visiting Lord Byron in Geneva, Switzerland. Whether or not Frankenstein is a true example of anti-aging is debatable, of course. The methods are certainly extreme, to say the least.

When Oscar Wilde published The Picture of Dorian Gray in 1891, he told the story of a man who wished to preserve his youth by having his portrait age rather than himself. Like Shelley with Frankenstein, Dorian Gray is a quirky bit of fiction, but it cannot be denied that mankind has long been fascinated with the concept of prolonging life by whatever means possible. Interestingly, The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only novel that Oscar Wilde ever wrote.

Fast forward to the 21st century and the dawn of the Anti-Aging Age. As the “Boomer Boom” readies for its all-out assault on Social Security and retirement, the Center for Disease Control says that the United States is on the verge of a longevity revolution. Predictions are that the number of older Americans will double to 70 million, 1 in 5, by the year 2030. In 1900, the average lifespan was a mere 47 years. By 1990, the average person could expect to live 75 years or more – an increase of 28 years in less than a century.

With advances in sanitation, antibiotics and medical care, anti-aging medicine has become a medical specialty founded on the application of advanced scientific and medical technologies for the early detection, prevention, treatment and reversal of age-related diseases.

So rapidly is the field of age retardation growing, that the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), founded in 1992, will hold its 15th annual convention in Las Vegas later this year with literally thousands of physicians in attendance.

In truth, the secret to longevity is simple. There are just three basic rules to anti-aging medicine: Don’t get sick; don’t get old; don’t die.

Dr. Daniela Paunesky, of the Anti- Aging Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia, has a similar philosophy when she states, “I want to die young at a very old age.”

Hormone replacement and bioidentical hormones are part of an entirely new approach to healthcare that anti-aging physician Paunesky endorses. Among the most enthusiastic advocates for bio-identical treatment is well-known actress/entrepreneur Suzanne Somers who claims that “50 is a just a beginning of our lives.”

While it may be easy to identify an aging person, Dr. Paunesky says that defining what aging is can be far more difficult. She says aging is the cumulative subtle decline in our body’s ability to produce hormones. This is a degenerative process where hormones that were once thought to influence only the young are now seen as tools for enhancing the quality, and possibly quantity, of life as we grow older. Without hormone production, our bodies begin to wither and deteriorate.

There are four primary factors to aging: Hormone depletion, oxidative stress, nutrition and genetics. It is important to note that most physicians in the field of anti-aging medicine agree that each of these factors must be viewed and treated on an individualized basis with an emphasis on moderation and balance in a person’s lifestyle.

Initially, bio-identical hormones were prescribed to relieve the symptoms of menopause, but more recent therapies have discovered anti-aging properties as well, plus the possibility of deferring the diseases of aging. Bio-identical hormones are better than synthetic hormones because they are natural, allowing the body to metabolize them as it was designed to do with minimal side effects. Combined with proper diet, Somers says that a person can retrain herself/ himself to “die healthy.”

Among other treatments favored by Dr. Paunesksy is the hotly debated practice of mesotherapy. Introduced in France in the 1950s, mesotherapy has become popular throughout the world by many cosmetic surgeons who offer it as a specialty. Many advocates of the process profess that it can drastically reduce cellulite, eliminate wrinkles, remove scars and, in some cases, even stimulate hair growth.

One of the reasons for the increase in the popularity of mesotherapy is that, unlike liposuction, it is noninvasive. There are no anesthetics involved. No bandages. And, best of all, there is no downtime afterwards.

The treatment involves a “cocktail” of specially formulated vitamins, minerals and medications which are injected directly into the layer of fat just beneath the skin. Theoretically, the injection will break down fat cells that can then be flushed out as waste.

Like many alternative medical practices, there has been much debate about mesotherapy due to a lack of hard data and testing. While Roberta Flack has been the best known celebrity endorser of the process, USA Today calls it “hope in a needle.” Most patients receive three to ten treatments, spaced a week to a month apart, at a cost between $300 to $500 per injection.

Another minimally-invasive procedure called Thermage® made its debut in 2002. It involves the delivery of Capacitive Radiofrequency (CRF) energy to the underlayer of the skin to stimulate and tighten collagen. Though general anesthesia is not necessary, the doctor may offer light medication to alleviate discomfort from the small incisions around the ear and underneath the chin. The procedure takes 30 minutes to two hours, recovery time is four to five days and the results may last from three to five years. Offered at Genesis Anti-Aging & Plastic Surgery, a one-stop antiaging center in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Quick Recovery Facelift costs $4,800.

Thermage® is completely safe and may be repeated again and again, according to Dr. Paul C. Drago, who practices at Genesis and is the only surgeon in the country who is board certified in Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Nose & Throat Surgery. Named the “Top Anti-Aging Physician” by American Academy of Anti-Aging in 2006 and the author to The Keys: A Guide to Wellness and Anti-Aging, Dr. Drago advises his patients to take vitamins, get seven hours of sleep nightly and exercise four times a week to combat aging.

Another alternative medical practice is naturopathy. Dr. Michael Stadtmauer offers a wide array of naturopathic services. After several visits to China and Nepal, where he received training in Qi Gong and intensive instruction in Classical Chinese medicine, Dr. Stadtmauer’s goal is to improve health and treat disease primarily by assisting the body’s innate capacity to recover from illness and injury. Naturopathic physicians prefer “natural” remedies as opposed to invasive surgery or most synthetic drugs. Treatments may include a broad array of modalities such as massage, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, counseling aromatherapy and environmental medicine among others.

“I try to empower patients to take charge of their wellness,” says Dr. Stadtmauer.

Of course, new concepts in any endeavor will always attract detractors. Writing in Time magazine in 1999, Leon Jaroff termed alternative medical practices as “voodoo medicine.” As he explained in his article titled, “Visions of the 21st Century,” “any alternative therapy that can be proved valid will swiftly be incorporated into mainstream medicine.”

All of which brings us full circle to more traditional, and perhaps better known, means of pursuing longevity such as fitness and nutrition. Among the leading experts on fitness is the “father of aerobics,” Dr. Kenneth Cooper, who published his first bestseller on the subject in 1968.

Motivated by Cooper’s studies on preventive medicine and his enthusiastically received personal appearances around the country, millions of people soon discovered, or re-discovered, the merits of exercise. By 1970, the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, Texas, flourished as a clinic for the full-time exploration of the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and health and longevity. Cooper’s philosophy was simple and straightforward: “It is easier to maintain good health through proper exercise, diet, and emotional balance than to regain it once it is lost.”

From those humble beginnings more than 35 years ago, to a staff of 650 at the Cooper Aerobic Center today, Dr. Cooper is recognized as the leader of the international physical fitness movement. Certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, and holding an MPH degree from the Harvard School of Public Medicine, Cooper is credited with motivating more people to exercise in the pursuit of good health than anyone else.

Today, even the benefits of aerobics have advanced to a higher level of training known as cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, or “cardio” for short. The ability of the heart and lungs to transport oxygen through the blood vessels to and from the heart is the true benefit of aerobic exercise. Cardio workouts promote faster metabolism which is nearly a dozen times greater than aerobics with high-intensity weight training. Certainly, golfer Tiger Woods is a testament to this concept. Until Tiger arrived on the scene, weight training among golfers was a taboo. Now that his fellow competitors have seen the size of Tiger’s checkbook, many of them are doing it. In addition, cardio advocates claim that the building up and maintenance of your muscle mass supports resistance to disease and illness.

In the end, however, whether you choose aerobics, cardiovascular endurance, alternative medicines or some combination of them all, most experts agree that living longer still boils down to the basic matter of weight control, moderation and a balanced lifestyle.

“Paramount in the lives of older individuals is flexibility and balance,” says Martha Krauss. She and her husband Will have hosted guests from 39 states and 8 countries for nearly ten years at Elizabeth Lane B&B, their three-bedroom inn in Matthews, North Carolina.

Now in their late 60s, both are cancer survivors; Martha beat breast cancer in 1992, while Will overcame prostate cancer four years ago. Though Martha was a physical education major in school, her bout with cancer was a wake-up call. Today, she and Will visit their local YMCA about four mornings a week, participating in yoga, pilates and piyo. Two days each week Will also does extensive cardio workouts. In addition, this active couple swims in the summer and walks in the winter.

“It’s the best time of my life,” states Martha with enthusiasm. “Will and I have adopted a new motto, ‘If not now…when?’”

Boomer Mary Mitchell, who will turn 61 in January, is also discovering this to be the best time of her life. The Raleigh, North Carolina, entrepreneur attributes her youthful looks to good genes and a healthy lifestyle, which she began pursuing in earnest over 35 years ago. “When I discovered I had food allergies, I started reading labels and everything I could find on wellness. Dr. Andrew Weil, an expert on integrated medicine, nutrition and alternative treatment, made a lot of sense to me, and I continue to consult his website.”

Mary gave up hydrogenated fats, started eating healthier foods and taking vitamins and began exercising regularly. Now she begins each day with a 15-minute warm-up and over the course of a week gets 10-14 hours of exercise by walking and doing some form of weight training. “I do strength training to tone the muscles and build bone density, pilates to improve balance and flexibility and walk to get my heart rate up,” she says.

Mary believes a healthy lifestyle is one that includes a passion for something and a creative outlet. She enjoys gardening, decorating, writing and spending time with her dogs. “The arts in every form are another lifelong passion, as I was trained a child in ballet, piano and visual arts,” she adds.

Each year, some 300,000 deaths in the United States result from complications arising from being overweight. With 97 million Americans either obese or overweight, the condition has reached near epidemic proportions. Health risks related to obesity include, but are not limited to, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart problems, lower back pain, arthritis and respiratory difficulties, to name a few. But even though obesity is now the second leading cause of preventable death in this country, most dieters have a history of failure. This is why proper diet, nutrition and exercise can have a significant effect on age retardation when combined with whatever supplemental factors an individual might choose.

While it is not possible to reverse a person’s inherent genetic makeup, most anti-aging professionals agree that a customized approach to an individual’s personal healthcare needs will lead to a more productive, active lifestyle for those on the leading edge of their golden years. There is no question that sustained regular activity has life-enhancing benefits.

Presently, there are more than 60 anti-aging conventions and conferences scheduled throughout the world for next year. As Dr. Eric Braverman of the Place for Achieving Total Health (PATH Medical) in New York City so appropriately puts it, “All great medicine is anti-aging.”

Anti-aging has become the medical wave of the future. It’s just another wrinkle in the age-old problem of dealing with old age.

Bob Taylor writes from Charlotte, North Carolina.