The rise of “anti-aging medicine” bothers Dr. Andrew Weil.
At 64, the internationally recognized expert on holistic medicine is himself aging, and he sees nothing wrong with it.
“Aging is natural and universal,” said Weil, who runs the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.
“You cannot stop or slow the aging process.”
But Weil says we can reduce the risk of age-related disease by eating well, exercising regularly and managing stress.
He’ll discuss these ideas, outlined in his latest book “Healthy Aging,” when he speaks in Charlotte next week as part of the Novello Festival of Reading.
“To my mind, the denial of aging and the attempt to fight it are counterproductive,” Weil writes.
Yes, aging can bring frailty and suffering, but it can also bring depth and richness of experience, complexity of being, serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace.”
Here are some of Weil’s tips for how to be healthy at any age.
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet to protect the immune system and help your body resist and adapt to change.By “diet,” Weil doesn’t mean a temporary weight-loss program.
He means changing to Mediterranean-style meals that include lots of fruits and vegetables and slow-digesting carbohydrates, such as whole grains, sweet potatoes and winter squash instead of foods made with white flour.
“This is not an onerous diet,” Weil said.
“It is intended to be delicious and healthful.
It’s possible to make it easy and simple.”
Research has shown that chronic low levels of inappropriate inflammation cause age-related disease, such as coronary artery disease.
Food choices can determine whether a person is in a pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory state, Weil said.
Basically, he said, make your own meals as often as you can.
“If you look back 50 or 60 years ago,” he said, “most families were eating two meals together, and most of those meals were cooked from scratch.”
Because most people don’t get enough antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from food, supplements “have a great role in healthy aging,” Weil said.
· As much vitamin D3 as possible.
Weil said he would also take an additional vitamin D3 supplement to get a total of 1,000 international units daily.
It helps your body use calcium from food effectively, he said, and it has been shown to help prevent lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer as well as multiple sclerosis.
· Calcium for women, but not as much as recommended in the past.
Recent research shows that people with the highest total calcium intake have the worst bone health.
Weil said men should not take a calcium supplement.
Women should aim for 1,000-1,200 milligrams of calcium daily, including 500-700 milligrams in a supplement.
They include beta- and alpha-carotene, lycopene and lutein.
They’re the same thing that give carrots, watermelon, tomatoes and broccoli their color.
“It is very important to be physically active throughout your life,” Weil said.
“That does not mean you have to run marathons.”It also doesn’t have to mean working out in a gym.
It can be housework, dancing, gardening, walking.
As long as it’s often enough and regular enough to make a difference.
“You want to move every day,” Weil said.
Strength training, such as lifting weights, helps protect against bone loss and fractures.
Flexibility and balance training, through yoga or tai chi, can also help reduce falls and reduce the chances of injury if you do fall.
“I don’t think we can live without stress,” Weil said, “but you can learn ways to neutralize the effects.”
It calms and energizes, helping with stress-related problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.
When he speaks, Weil frequently demonstrates his technique: Inhate through the nose for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 7, and exhale audibly through the mouth for a count of 8.
-Adam
A fresh wrinkle on aging (The Charlotte Observer)
The rise of “anti-aging medicine” bothers Dr. Andrew Weil.
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