Anti-Aging

Yes, magic. It’s a wondrous process that has more positives than negatives. Middle age and beyond is not something most species get to live through. New ideas suggest that this vital later phase of life is precisely why human beings have ended up taking over the planet! If you are over 50, pat yourself on the back, for being Nature’s most highly evolved organism. Biologically and socially, you are streets ahead of the youngsters who hog today’s limelight! But why did evolution take us down that path? The answer is inextricably bound up with the exceptional nature of humans. We are a brilliantly adaptive species, for which the process of learning has been crucial. Today we can read books and Google information. But before the advent of writing, much less computers, skills had to be learned and it took time; decades in fact. Oftentimes, the necessary skills were not accumulated till after the age of 40. Surviving long enough to acquire these skills would be a strong evolutionary advantage, which would be selected for by Nature. These skills would be passed on to other members of the tribe and that would give them the advantage over competitors, whether the human kind of the sabre-toothed kind! We would quickly “develop” a middle age, even if we didn’t start with one. Middle age would be a valuable commodity that Nature chose for us!

Yes, magic. It’s a wondrous process that has more positives than negatives. Middle age and beyond is not something most species get to live through. New ideas suggest that this vital later phase of life is precisely why human beings have ended up taking over the planet! If you are over 50, pat yourself on the back, for being Nature’s most highly evolved organism. Biologically and socially, you are streets ahead of the youngsters who hog today’s limelight! But why did evolution take us down that path? The answer is inextricably bound up with the exceptional nature of humans. We are a brilliantly adaptive species, for which the process of learning has been crucial. Today we can read books and Google information. But before the advent of writing, much less computers, skills had to be learned and it took time; decades in fact. Oftentimes, the necessary skills were not accumulated till after the age of 40. Surviving long enough to acquire these skills would be a strong evolutionary advantage, which would be selected for by Nature. These skills would be passed on to other members of the tribe and that would give them the advantage over competitors, whether the human kind of the sabre-toothed kind! We would quickly “develop” a middle age, even if we didn’t start with one. Middle age would be a valuable commodity that Nature chose for us!

While we are on the subject of past exploits, I have an update for you all. In my book Diet Wise, I told the case of Cliff (his real name). He is case #2 in the book and I included his story, because at the time of completing the book, I received an e-mail from him. Cliff had been surfing the Internet and found my website and written to me, full of the delights of life and exploring the new technology. He was by then 88 years old. Cliff first came to see me in 1985, when he was 69 years old, with a tale of woe. All his life he had been sick and debilitated. He suffered frequently from what lay people called “bilious attacks” in those days: headaches and vomiting. Nowadays we would call them migraine attacks or “abdominal migraine” when the stomach is so upset. Cliff’s condition was so bad that on the train ride to the honeymoon destination, he had needed to lie down with his head resting on the lap of his new bride (no, he was not drunk, but certainly reacting to food at the wedding feast, as we shall see). In 1953 he underwent a partial gastrectomy, on the recommendation of a local professor who had diagnosed a stomach ulcer. It didn’t work. Twenty-one years later he was subjected to a vagotomy (severing the important vagus nerve to the gut). Again the procedure didn’t work – wrong diagnosis and wrong therapy. By the time Cliff consulted me, he was so weakened that he had difficulty shaving. He would lather up and then have to rest; then shave a little and would need another rest; and so on. He was a very sick old man and felt ready to die.

While we are on the subject of past exploits, I have an update for you all. In my book Diet Wise, I told the case of Cliff (his real name). He is case #2 in the book and I included his story, because at the time of completing the book, I received an e-mail from him. Cliff had been surfing the Internet and found my website and written to me, full of the delights of life and exploring the new technology. He was by then 88 years old. Cliff first came to see me in 1985, when he was 69 years old, with a tale of woe. All his life he had been sick and debilitated. He suffered frequently from what lay people called “bilious attacks” in those days: headaches and vomiting. Nowadays we would call them migraine attacks or “abdominal migraine” when the stomach is so upset. Cliff’s condition was so bad that on the train ride to the honeymoon destination, he had needed to lie down with his head resting on the lap of his new bride (no, he was not drunk, but certainly reacting to food at the wedding feast, as we shall see). In 1953 he underwent a partial gastrectomy, on the recommendation of a local professor who had diagnosed a stomach ulcer. It didn’t work. Twenty-one years later he was subjected to a vagotomy (severing the important vagus nerve to the gut). Again the procedure didn’t work – wrong diagnosis and wrong therapy. By the time Cliff consulted me, he was so weakened that he had difficulty shaving. He would lather up and then have to rest; then shave a little and would need another rest; and so on. He was a very sick old man and felt ready to die.

Death may be inevitable, but a new report shows the risk of death isn’t what it used to be. In fact researchers found the risk of dying in the USA has dropped by 60% over the last 75 years. Similar figures exist for the rest of the developed world. The risk of death has decreased for all age groups, but the biggest improvement has been among young people. The death rate among children aged 1-4 declined 94% from 1935 to 2010, compared with a 38% decline among adults aged 85 or more. That’s done a great deal to raise the average life expectancy, which childhood deaths drag down. In 1935, the top five causes of death were heart disease, cancer, stroke, kidney disease, and flu/pneumonia. By 2010, the pattern was slightly different. Heart disease, cancer, and stroke were among the top five causes of death every year between 1935 and 2010. By 2010, chronic respiratory diseases and accidents replaced kidney disease and flu/pneumonia in the top five.

Death may be inevitable, but a new report shows the risk of death isn’t what it used to be. In fact researchers found the risk of dying in the USA has dropped by 60% over the last 75 years. Similar figures exist for the rest of the developed world. The risk of death has decreased for all age groups, but the biggest improvement has been among young people. The death rate among children aged 1-4 declined 94% from 1935 to 2010, compared with a 38% decline among adults aged 85 or more. That’s done a great deal to raise the average life expectancy, which childhood deaths drag down. In 1935, the top five causes of death were heart disease, cancer, stroke, kidney disease, and flu/pneumonia. By 2010, the pattern was slightly different. Heart disease, cancer, and stroke were among the top five causes of death every year between 1935 and 2010. By 2010, chronic respiratory diseases and accidents replaced kidney disease and flu/pneumonia in the top five.

Making berries a part of your daily diet may help keep your brain in good working order, a new review shows. Researchers reviewed recent studies on the effects of berries on brain signaling or internal communication and behavior; how they block the damaging effects of free radicals; and how berries, rich in antioxidants, help to […]

Making berries a part of your daily diet may help keep your brain in good working order, a new review shows. Researchers reviewed recent studies on the effects of berries on brain signaling or internal communication and behavior; how they block the damaging effects of free radicals; and how berries, rich in antioxidants, help to […] The post Berries Boost The Brain appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.

The current medical thinking is that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a deficit in neurotransmitter function; specifically acetylcholine. Doctors have become obsessed with the characteristic amyloid plaques which are found in Alzheimer’s brains. But there is no evidence whatever that these plaques are the cause of Alzheimer’s. In fact scientific studies say the opposite. Drugs designed to reduce the presence of plaques have no significant effect on the progression of AD. Moreover drugs designed to rectify the acetylcholine deficiency also fail miserably, even though they are pushed with phoney science and TV advertizing hype (Aricept etc. are worthless). All this is despite the fact that there is a better model for AD. It’s better because rectifying it results in dramatic improvement. Alzheimer’s patients suffer from a metabolic disruption that inhibits the brain’s ability to use glucose to power neurons.

The current medical thinking is that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a deficit in neurotransmitter function; specifically acetylcholine. Doctors have become obsessed with the characteristic amyloid plaques which are found in Alzheimer’s brains. But there is no evidence whatever that these plaques are the cause of Alzheimer’s. In fact scientific studies say the opposite. Drugs designed to reduce the presence of plaques have no significant effect on the progression of AD. Moreover drugs designed to rectify the acetylcholine deficiency also fail miserably, even though they are pushed with phoney science and TV advertizing hype (Aricept etc. are worthless). All this is despite the fact that there is a better model for AD. It’s better because rectifying it results in dramatic improvement. Alzheimer’s patients suffer from a metabolic disruption that inhibits the brain’s ability to use glucose to power neurons.

One of the classic studies of emotional factors in aging is called the “Whitehall Study”. Over the years 1967- 1977 it examined the lives of civil service employees in London, UK (Whitehall is the location of the seat of government, Parliament, etc.). It showed that those lower down the pecking order did not live as long, […]

One of the classic studies of emotional factors in aging is called the “Whitehall Study”. Over the years 1967- 1977 it examined the lives of civil service employees in London, UK (Whitehall is the location of the seat of government, Parliament, etc.). It showed that those lower down the pecking order did not live as long, […] The post Toxic Bosses Can Kill appeared first on Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby.