Archive for the ‘longevity’ Category

Can You Drink to Your Health and Keep Weight Off?

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

I don’t like to be the messenger when people want to lose or maintain their ideal body weight. It feels terrible to have to tell people don’t eat this or that. Now at least I have some good news for the ladies who are always jealous that the men in their lives lose weight faster due to increased muscle mass and genetic factors. To maintain your weight, you do not have to deprive yourself completely.

An article in the Archives of Internal Medicine researchers found that: “Compared with nondrinkers, initially normal weight women who consumed a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese during 12.9 years of follow up.”

Before you go out and drink glasses of Cosmos like Carrie and her friends in Sex and the City, let’s define moderation. In this study less than 30 grams per day – a 12 ounce beer is 13.2 grams, a 4 ounce glass of wine is 10.8 grams and a shot (1.5 oz) of liquor is 15.1 grams. Most restaurants and bars have larger serving size so a glass is usually more than what is defined here. All the women in the study were normal weight to begin with and women tend to substitute alcohol for other foods while men added alcohol to their daily intake.

If your goal is weight loss, I would advise you to abstain and if you have had difficulty losing, go to a medical weight loss program. Some individuals tend to be more sensitive or may have other reasons why they should avoid alcohol. However if you don’t have any risk factors for adverse effects of alcohol, drink a moderate amount, exercise, eat a nutritious diet and stay lean to maintain health and wellness as well as longevity. Consult with your doctor to be sure you don’t have any risk factors. If not, Cheers!

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Posted in Healthy living, Nutrition, longevity, obesity, weight control, weight loss | Comments Off

Anti-Aging – Medicine, Miracle or Myth?

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Ageless, Forever Young, Younger You – all enticing titles of books on Anti Aging Medicine. What is Antiaging Medicine also known as Preventive Aging or Age Management Medicine? Taken from the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine’s Facebook page: “Anti-aging medicine is the pinnacle of biotechnology joined with advanced clinical preventive medicine. The specialty is founded on the application of advanced scientific and medical technologies for the early detection, prevention, treatment, and reversal of age-related dysfunction, disorders, and diseases. It is a healthcare model promoting innovative science and research to prolong the healthy lifespan in humans. As such, anti-aging medicine is based on principles of sound and responsible medical care that are consistent with those applied in other preventive health specialties. The anti-aging medical model aims to both extend lifespan as well as prolong healthspan — the length of time that we are able to live productively and independently.

Anti-aging medicine is the following:
• It is scientific. Anti-aging diagnostic and treatment practices are supported by scientific evidence and therefore cannot be branded as anecdotal.
• It is evidence-based. Anti-aging medicine is based on an orderly process for acquiring data in order to formulate a scientific and objective assessment upon which effective treatment is assigned.
• Is well-documented by peer-reviewed journals. As of this writing, the National Library of Medicine hosts more than 3,000 peer-reviewed articles on the subject of anti-aging medicine.

Hundreds of scientific research studies clearly prove that modest interventions in diet, exercise, nutrition and single-gene modulation in the laboratory setting beneficially and significantly impact healthy function in old age. Many of these interventions also modify maximum lifespan by 20 to 800% as well. With over the near-daily advancements in biomedical technologies related to research specifically focused on elucidating treatments for aging-related disorders and modulating the metabolic dysfunctions associated with old age, in the imminent near-future, effective interventions will become widely available to modulate the aging process itself in humans.”
Science is showing us the way. It takes belief, commitment, a lifestyle and attitudinal change to drink from the fountain of youth and stay younger, healthier and more vibrant. Stay tuned for the studies. I’m drinking from the fountain – How about you? Stay tuned for applying the science and get evaluated by an Anti aging specialist to reap the benefits.

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Posted in Anti-Aging – Medicine, Healthy living, aging, aging science, anti-aging, good health, longevity | 7 Comments »

Radiation exposure for CT scans

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Radiation exposure is not just a function of a catastrophic disaster such as Chernobyl. What about Cat Scans, otherwise known as CT’s? We have a plethora of technology available to us to look inside ourselves and see tumors, plaque, abscesses, hemorrhages and other maladies. CT has had a profound impact on the practice of medicine and had indeed been a terrific technology allowing us to avoid unnecessary exploratory surgery.
The Archives of Internal Medicine in December 2009 reviewed “Cancer Risks and Radiation Exposure form Computed Tomographic Scans.”The researchers found a 13-fold difference in radiation dose between the highest and lowest that occurred within and across institutions. “The articles in this issue make clear that there is far more radiation from medical CT scans than has been recognized previously, in amounts projected to cause tens of thousands of excess cancers annually. Also, as these scans have become more sensitive, incidental findings lead to additional testing (and often more radiation), biopsies, and anxiety. They question the need for screening CT’s as well as the frequency of follow up. “The one year change in Coronary Artery Calcification does no appear to be a suitable surrogate end point for treatment trials in patients with Cardiovascular Disease or chronic kidney disease. “ In the article “Projected Cancer Risks from CT Scans Performed in the United States in 2007, the overall conclusion was an estimated 29,000 future cancers could be related to CT scans performed in the US in 2007. Consider the risk of the screening scans for your entire body, your heart or other areas. While these may be valuable in select cases, yearly screenings could significantly increase your risk of developing cancer.
All of us want the latest technology and absolute assurances about our health and if a CT is not ordered, may feel slighted. Before you hastily jump to conclusions, consider the risks and benefits, especially when you are considering screening CT’s. So if you seek the assurance of an Executive Physical consisting of a full body CT scan and/or virtual colonoscopy to detect early cancer, you may want to consider your radiation exposure. There are many other ways to get screened. Seek the advice of a preventive medical expert.

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Posted in cancer risk, healthy body, longevity, radiation risk, reduce cancer risk | Comments Off

Fishing for Brain Health – reduce depression and other disorders by eating more fish

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Improving mental health may be a fish story. Fat….it should all be in your head. Data suggests that populations that consume large amounts of fish appear to have relatively low rates of major depression. Rates of depression are high and increasing in parts of the world (eg, United States and Western Europe) where changes in agriculture and food technology have shifted diets away from omega-3 fatty acids toward omega-6 fatty acids (from commercial and processed vegetable oils). Studies have shown improvements in depression, bipolar disorders, mood, ADHD, schizophrenia and may hold promise for other inflammatory disorders such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and asthma as well as spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.

The brain is largely made up of fat and fatty acids. Fish oil has EPA and DHA and the brain is largely made up of the DHA component as well as other phospholipids. Inflammation has been shown to be present in a host of brain disorders and fish oils have an anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation causes cell excitation, increased oxidative stress and cell death. We were designed to have a 2 to 1 ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids and the Standard American Diet (SAD) has shifted that ratio to 25 to 1 with the balance shifted towards fatty acids that are more inflammatory. There are many compelling studies that indicate Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have therapeutic potential in neurology and psychiatry. Enrichment of cell membranes in DHA can lead to subtle changes in plasma membrane which is the cells “doorman” allowing signals and nutrients to get through and waste to be removed.

While fish oil with emphasis on the DHA component shows promise in improving or managing these conditions, there is no substitute for a healthy lifestyle of exercise, good nutrition, reduction of toxins such as herbicides, pesticides and heavy metals known to affect neurological conditions, a good nights sleep and stress management, as well as other supplements that improve nerve transmission and circulation. The good news is that if you are deficient, a good quality supplement may improve your condition and you can have tests to measure the balance of fats as well as oxidative stress. Have a fatty acid profile done to look for balance of inflammatory versus anti-inflammatory fats and seek expert advice on how to improve your mental health.

Dr. Lorraine Maita has expertise in nutrition and supplements and is a Diplomate in The American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and Internal Medicine. She specializes in lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, supplements, executive physicals, bioidentical hormone replacement, neurocognitive function and stress management in Short Hills, NJ

From Clinical Lipidology Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Their Neuroprotective and Regenerative Potential in Traumatic Neurological Injury Posted: 11/18/2009; Clin Lipidology. 2009;4(3):343-353. © 2009

Behavioral Health Matters: Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Mental Health http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/409997

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Posted in brain health, eating healthy, good health, longevity | 7 Comments »

Blog Vigor Quest –How to Dig a Well to Access The Fountain of Youth

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Are you aging prematurely or at an accelerated rate and are you willing to change your lifestyle to enjoy a better quality of life? On Janurary 15, 2010, The New York Times wrote an article called Vigor Quest featuring Cenegenics Age Management Institute and one of its leaders, Jeffrey Life, a doctor at the institute, and one of her patients. Life’s message is that if a fat, 59-year-old, divorced family physician from eastern Pennsylvania can reinvent himself through a combination of lifestyle alterations and modern pharmacology, so can you.

There are many controversies surrounding Hormone Replacement therapy for men and women, their safety and the ethical questions – Should we be using these drugs? What is their long-term safety? And are there any consequences? It may be very clear to many middle age or older men or women with fatigue, malaise and declines in their physical and mental functions that interfere with their relationships, job, and ability to function in daily life. When something critical is awry, and if their hormones are low, hormone replacement therapy with testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, or thyroid hormone fixes the problem with little or no adverse effects. Many patients choose the option of using bio identical hormones. With careful monitoring for adverse reactions and testing hormone levels, side effects can be mitigated while reaping benefits such as increased energy, muscle and bone strength, clarity and overall function. Although there are studies that caution against their use, there are many that show benefit as well as no harm. It takes years before any science becomes generally accepted and the aging baby boomers do not have years to wait for definitive answers.

While this article focused on Cenegenics approach, there are many ways to achieve the goal of a healthy lifespan. The spectrum ranges from conservative to aggressive. There is no magic bullet, rather a combination of lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, supplements and when all else fails, the judicious replacement of hormones to the level that relieves symptoms and enhances health. One would not deny insulin to a diabetic or thyroid replacement to someone who has low levels. Sex and other hormones have a profound effect on muscle and bone strength, energy, mood, clarity, body composition and much more. We all have a responsibility to manage our health, and given balanced information, can make choices that suit our personal needs, values and pocketbook. My website contains some scientific articles and I suggest anyone who is experiencing accelerated aging or has symptoms of andropause, menopause or hormone deficiencies, read and learn about the risks and benefits so you can make an informed choice.

Dr. Lorraine Maita is a Diplomate in The American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and Internal Medicine. She specializes in lifestyle, stress management, exercise, nutrition, supplements, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, neurocognitive function and executive physicals in Short Hills, NJ.

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Posted in aging, aging science, anti-aging, good health, longevity | 7 Comments »