The document discusses how aging is not solely determined by genetics or the passage of time, but rather is influenced by lifestyle choices and environmental factors that can accelerate or decelerate the aging process. While lifespans have increased, quality of life in older years is not assured without steps to promote health. Factors discussed as impacting aging include inactivity, chemical pollution from medications, neurological stress from poor posture or injuries, and vertebral subluxations which can interfere with the nervous system. Maintaining activity, avoiding excessive medications, and addressing spinal issues can help support healthy aging.
Author: Brent C. Williams, M.D., M.P.H., 2009
License: Unless otherwise noted, this material is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Ageing, also spelled aging, is the process of becoming older. The term refers especially to human beings, many animals, and fungi, whereas for example bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentially immortal. In the broader sense, ageing can refer to single cells within an organism which have ceased dividing (cellular senescence) or to the population of a species (population ageing).
In humans, ageing represents the accumulation of changes in a human being over time,[1] encompassing physical, psychological, and social change. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world events and wisdom may expand. Ageing is among the greatest known risk factors for most human diseases:[2] of the roughly 150,000 people who die each day across the globe, about two thirds die from age-related causes.
The causes of ageing are uncertain; current theories are assigned to the damage concept, whereby the accumulation of damage (such as DNA oxidation) may cause biological systems to fail, or to the programmed ageing concept, whereby internal processes (such as DNA methylation) may cause ageing. Programmed ageing should not be confused with programmed cell death (apoptosis).
"The Science of Aging" by Martin Borch Jensen Impact.Tech
Slides from the inaugural Impact.tech seminar about the science of aging, healthspan and longevity. The presentation addresses questions such as: What is aging? Is aging treatable? What are the major biological processes that make up aging? What are the major breakthroughs in anti-aging science? How you can get involved in anti-aging as an entrepreneur or investor?
Impact.tech Launch Seminars are meant to give entrepreneurs and investors a launch into a topic where they can apply their skills to make a major positive impact for humanity and the world.
Author: Brent C. Williams, M.D., M.P.H., 2009
License: Unless otherwise noted, this material is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Ageing, also spelled aging, is the process of becoming older. The term refers especially to human beings, many animals, and fungi, whereas for example bacteria, perennial plants and some simple animals are potentially immortal. In the broader sense, ageing can refer to single cells within an organism which have ceased dividing (cellular senescence) or to the population of a species (population ageing).
In humans, ageing represents the accumulation of changes in a human being over time,[1] encompassing physical, psychological, and social change. Reaction time, for example, may slow with age, while knowledge of world events and wisdom may expand. Ageing is among the greatest known risk factors for most human diseases:[2] of the roughly 150,000 people who die each day across the globe, about two thirds die from age-related causes.
The causes of ageing are uncertain; current theories are assigned to the damage concept, whereby the accumulation of damage (such as DNA oxidation) may cause biological systems to fail, or to the programmed ageing concept, whereby internal processes (such as DNA methylation) may cause ageing. Programmed ageing should not be confused with programmed cell death (apoptosis).
"The Science of Aging" by Martin Borch Jensen Impact.Tech
Slides from the inaugural Impact.tech seminar about the science of aging, healthspan and longevity. The presentation addresses questions such as: What is aging? Is aging treatable? What are the major biological processes that make up aging? What are the major breakthroughs in anti-aging science? How you can get involved in anti-aging as an entrepreneur or investor?
Impact.tech Launch Seminars are meant to give entrepreneurs and investors a launch into a topic where they can apply their skills to make a major positive impact for humanity and the world.
Martin Borch Jensen - The Science of Aging 2019Impact.Tech
Why do we experience an exponential increase in disease as we age? Are the underlying processes treatable? What are the recent breakthroughs in anti-aging science, and how are these moving from academia into biotech? The Science of Aging seminar focuses on all the previous questions and, most importantly, how can you get involved in anti-aging as an entrepreneur or investor.
A brief look into the inevitable process of aging, the various theories attempting to explain the aging phenomenon; normal physiological aging changes that play a role in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics w.r.t. drugs.
Age-Related Physiological Changes and Their Clinical SignificanceTrading Game Pty Ltd
Physiological changes occur with aging in all organ systems. The cardiac output decreases, blood pressure increases and arteriosclerosis develops. The lungs show impaired gas exchange, a decrease in vital capacity and slower
expiratory flow rates. The creatinine clearance decreases with age although the serum creatinine level remains relatively constant due to a proportionate age-related decrease in creatinine production. Functional'changes, largely
related to altered motility patterns, occur in the gastrointestinal system with senescence, and atrophic gastritis and altered hepatic drug metabolism are common in the elderly. Progressive elevation of blood glucose occurs with age on a multifactorial basis and osteoporosis is frequently seen due 'to a linear
decline in bone mass after the fourth decade. The epidermis of the skin atrophies with age and due to changes in collagen and elastin the skin loses its tone and elasticity. Lean body mass declines with ag'e and this is primarily due to loss and atrophy of muscle cells. Degenerative changes occur in many
joints and this, combined with the loss of muscle mass, inhibits elderly patients locomotion. These changes with age have important practical implications for the clinical management of elderly patients: metabolism is altered, changes
in response to commonly used drugs make different drug dosages necessary and there is need for rational preventive programs of diet and exercise in an effort to delay or reverse some of these changes.
chapter outline
· PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
· Biological Aging Is Under Way in Early Adulthood
· Aging at the Level of DNA and Body Cells
· Aging at the Level of Tissues and Organs
· ■ BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT Telomere Length: A Marker of the Impact of Life Circumstances on Biological Aging
· Physical Changes
· Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems
· Motor Performance
· Immune System
· Reproductive Capacity
· Health and Fitness
· Nutrition
· Exercise
· Substance Abuse
· Sexuality
· Psychological Stress
· ■ SOCIAL ISSUES: HEALTH The Obesity Epidemic: How Americans Became the Heaviest People in the World
· COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
· Changes in the Structure of Thought
· Perry’s Theory: Epistemic Cognition
· Labouvie-Vief’s Theory: Pragmatic Thought and Cognitive-Affective Complexity
· Expertise and Creativity
· The College Experience
· Psychological Impact of Attending College
· Dropping Out
· Vocational Choice
· Selecting a Vocation
· Factors Influencing Vocational Choice
· Vocational Preparation of Non-College-Bound Young Adults
· ■ SOCIAL ISSUES: EDUCATION Masculinity at Work: Men Who Choose Nontraditional Careers
The back seat and trunk piled high with belongings, 23-year-old Sharese hugged her mother and brother goodbye, jumped in the car, and headed toward the interstate with a sense of newfound freedom mixed with apprehension. Three months earlier, the family had watched proudly as Sharese received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from a small university 40 miles from her home. Her college years had been a time of gradual release from economic and psychological dependency on her family. She returned home periodically on weekends and lived there during the summer months. Her mother supplemented Sharese’s loans with a monthly allowance. But this day marked a turning point. She was moving to her own apartment in a city 800 miles away, with plans to work on a master’s degree. With a teaching assistantship and a student loan, Sharese felt more “on her own” than at any previous time in her life.
During her college years, Sharese made lifestyle changes and settled on a vocational direction. Over-weight throughout high school, she lost 20 pounds in her sophomore year, revised her diet, and began an exercise regimen by joining the university’s Ultimate Frisbee team, eventually becoming its captain. A summer spent as a counselor at a camp for chronically ill children helped convince Sharese to apply her background in science to a career in public health.
Still, two weeks before she was to leave, Sharese confided in her mother that she had doubts about her decision. “Sharese,”her mother advised, “we never know if our life choices are going to suit us just right, and most times they aren’t perfect. It’s what we make of them—how we view and mold them—that turns them into successes.”So Sharese embarked on her journey and found herself face-to-face with a multitude of exciting challenges and opportunities.
In this chapter, .
Martin Borch Jensen - The Science of Aging 2019Impact.Tech
Why do we experience an exponential increase in disease as we age? Are the underlying processes treatable? What are the recent breakthroughs in anti-aging science, and how are these moving from academia into biotech? The Science of Aging seminar focuses on all the previous questions and, most importantly, how can you get involved in anti-aging as an entrepreneur or investor.
A brief look into the inevitable process of aging, the various theories attempting to explain the aging phenomenon; normal physiological aging changes that play a role in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics w.r.t. drugs.
Age-Related Physiological Changes and Their Clinical SignificanceTrading Game Pty Ltd
Physiological changes occur with aging in all organ systems. The cardiac output decreases, blood pressure increases and arteriosclerosis develops. The lungs show impaired gas exchange, a decrease in vital capacity and slower
expiratory flow rates. The creatinine clearance decreases with age although the serum creatinine level remains relatively constant due to a proportionate age-related decrease in creatinine production. Functional'changes, largely
related to altered motility patterns, occur in the gastrointestinal system with senescence, and atrophic gastritis and altered hepatic drug metabolism are common in the elderly. Progressive elevation of blood glucose occurs with age on a multifactorial basis and osteoporosis is frequently seen due 'to a linear
decline in bone mass after the fourth decade. The epidermis of the skin atrophies with age and due to changes in collagen and elastin the skin loses its tone and elasticity. Lean body mass declines with ag'e and this is primarily due to loss and atrophy of muscle cells. Degenerative changes occur in many
joints and this, combined with the loss of muscle mass, inhibits elderly patients locomotion. These changes with age have important practical implications for the clinical management of elderly patients: metabolism is altered, changes
in response to commonly used drugs make different drug dosages necessary and there is need for rational preventive programs of diet and exercise in an effort to delay or reverse some of these changes.
chapter outline
· PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
· Biological Aging Is Under Way in Early Adulthood
· Aging at the Level of DNA and Body Cells
· Aging at the Level of Tissues and Organs
· ■ BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT Telomere Length: A Marker of the Impact of Life Circumstances on Biological Aging
· Physical Changes
· Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems
· Motor Performance
· Immune System
· Reproductive Capacity
· Health and Fitness
· Nutrition
· Exercise
· Substance Abuse
· Sexuality
· Psychological Stress
· ■ SOCIAL ISSUES: HEALTH The Obesity Epidemic: How Americans Became the Heaviest People in the World
· COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
· Changes in the Structure of Thought
· Perry’s Theory: Epistemic Cognition
· Labouvie-Vief’s Theory: Pragmatic Thought and Cognitive-Affective Complexity
· Expertise and Creativity
· The College Experience
· Psychological Impact of Attending College
· Dropping Out
· Vocational Choice
· Selecting a Vocation
· Factors Influencing Vocational Choice
· Vocational Preparation of Non-College-Bound Young Adults
· ■ SOCIAL ISSUES: EDUCATION Masculinity at Work: Men Who Choose Nontraditional Careers
The back seat and trunk piled high with belongings, 23-year-old Sharese hugged her mother and brother goodbye, jumped in the car, and headed toward the interstate with a sense of newfound freedom mixed with apprehension. Three months earlier, the family had watched proudly as Sharese received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from a small university 40 miles from her home. Her college years had been a time of gradual release from economic and psychological dependency on her family. She returned home periodically on weekends and lived there during the summer months. Her mother supplemented Sharese’s loans with a monthly allowance. But this day marked a turning point. She was moving to her own apartment in a city 800 miles away, with plans to work on a master’s degree. With a teaching assistantship and a student loan, Sharese felt more “on her own” than at any previous time in her life.
During her college years, Sharese made lifestyle changes and settled on a vocational direction. Over-weight throughout high school, she lost 20 pounds in her sophomore year, revised her diet, and began an exercise regimen by joining the university’s Ultimate Frisbee team, eventually becoming its captain. A summer spent as a counselor at a camp for chronically ill children helped convince Sharese to apply her background in science to a career in public health.
Still, two weeks before she was to leave, Sharese confided in her mother that she had doubts about her decision. “Sharese,”her mother advised, “we never know if our life choices are going to suit us just right, and most times they aren’t perfect. It’s what we make of them—how we view and mold them—that turns them into successes.”So Sharese embarked on her journey and found herself face-to-face with a multitude of exciting challenges and opportunities.
In this chapter, .
Prof. Serge Jurasunas Biological Aging vs. Chronological Aging Part 1.pdfSheldon Stein
Biological Aging VS. Chronological Aging - How to Build a Healthy Longevity - An Important Role for the Mitochondria
Part I
Professor Serge Jurasunas, M.D. (hc) N.D. M.D (Hom)
Topics in Part 1:
A Longer Lifespan No Longer Means a Healthier Lifespan
What are the Causes of Normal Aging or Premature Aging?
Mitochondria, Oxidative Stress, and Premature Aging
What are Mitochondria?
Brain Neurons
The Brain and Alzheimer’s
Abstract On Peer Pressure
Abstract Paper On Stress
Abstract On Depression
Abstract On Water Pollution
Abstract Of Alcohol
Abstract Of Cloning
The Holocaust : An Abstract
Abortion Research Paper
Unit vi ageing process and physiological changes m.sc ii yrsanjalatchi
Normal ageing is characterised by a decrease in bone and muscle mass and an increase in adiposity . A decline in muscle mass and a reduction in muscle strength lead to risk of fractures, frailty, reduction in the quality of life and loss of independence [45]. These changes in musculoskeletal system reflect the ageing process as well as consequences of a reduced physical activity. The muscle wasting in frail older persons is termed ‘sarcopaenia’. This disorder leads to a higher incidence of falls and fractures and a functional decline. Functional sarcopaenia or age-related musculoskeletal changes affect 7% of elderly above the age of 70 years, and the rate of deterioration increases with time, affecting over 20% of the elderly by the age of 80 Strength declines at 1.5% per year, and this accelerates to as much as 3% per year after 60 years of age . These rates were considered high in sedentary individuals and twice as high in men as compared with those in women . However, studies show that on an average, men have larger amounts of muscle mass and a shorter survival than women. This makes sarcopaenia potentially a greater public health concern among women than among men
CHAPTER 1 SEMESTER V - ROLE OF PEADIATRIC NURSE.pdfSachin Sharma
Pediatric nurses play a vital role in the health and well-being of children. Their responsibilities are wide-ranging, and their objectives can be categorized into several key areas:
1. Direct Patient Care:
Objective: Provide comprehensive and compassionate care to infants, children, and adolescents in various healthcare settings (hospitals, clinics, etc.).
This includes tasks like:
Monitoring vital signs and physical condition.
Administering medications and treatments.
Performing procedures as directed by doctors.
Assisting with daily living activities (bathing, feeding).
Providing emotional support and pain management.
2. Health Promotion and Education:
Objective: Promote healthy behaviors and educate children, families, and communities about preventive healthcare.
This includes tasks like:
Administering vaccinations.
Providing education on nutrition, hygiene, and development.
Offering breastfeeding and childbirth support.
Counseling families on safety and injury prevention.
3. Collaboration and Advocacy:
Objective: Collaborate effectively with doctors, social workers, therapists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated care for children.
Objective: Advocate for the rights and best interests of their patients, especially when children cannot speak for themselves.
This includes tasks like:
Communicating effectively with healthcare teams.
Identifying and addressing potential risks to child welfare.
Educating families about their child's condition and treatment options.
4. Professional Development and Research:
Objective: Stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in pediatric healthcare through continuing education and research.
Objective: Contribute to improving the quality of care for children by participating in research initiatives.
This includes tasks like:
Attending workshops and conferences on pediatric nursing.
Participating in clinical trials related to child health.
Implementing evidence-based practices into their daily routines.
By fulfilling these objectives, pediatric nurses play a crucial role in ensuring the optimal health and well-being of children throughout all stages of their development.
Medical Technology Tackles New Health Care Demand - Research Report - March 2...pchutichetpong
M Capital Group (“MCG”) predicts that with, against, despite, and even without the global pandemic, the medical technology (MedTech) industry shows signs of continuous healthy growth, driven by smaller, faster, and cheaper devices, growing demand for home-based applications, technological innovation, strategic acquisitions, investments, and SPAC listings. MCG predicts that this should reflects itself in annual growth of over 6%, well beyond 2028.
According to Chris Mouchabhani, Managing Partner at M Capital Group, “Despite all economic scenarios that one may consider, beyond overall economic shocks, medical technology should remain one of the most promising and robust sectors over the short to medium term and well beyond 2028.”
There is a movement towards home-based care for the elderly, next generation scanning and MRI devices, wearable technology, artificial intelligence incorporation, and online connectivity. Experts also see a focus on predictive, preventive, personalized, participatory, and precision medicine, with rising levels of integration of home care and technological innovation.
The average cost of treatment has been rising across the board, creating additional financial burdens to governments, healthcare providers and insurance companies. According to MCG, cost-per-inpatient-stay in the United States alone rose on average annually by over 13% between 2014 to 2021, leading MedTech to focus research efforts on optimized medical equipment at lower price points, whilst emphasizing portability and ease of use. Namely, 46% of the 1,008 medical technology companies in the 2021 MedTech Innovator (“MTI”) database are focusing on prevention, wellness, detection, or diagnosis, signaling a clear push for preventive care to also tackle costs.
In addition, there has also been a lasting impact on consumer and medical demand for home care, supported by the pandemic. Lockdowns, closure of care facilities, and healthcare systems subjected to capacity pressure, accelerated demand away from traditional inpatient care. Now, outpatient care solutions are driving industry production, with nearly 70% of recent diagnostics start-up companies producing products in areas such as ambulatory clinics, at-home care, and self-administered diagnostics.
Defecation
Normal defecation begins with movement in the left colon, moving stool toward the anus. When stool reaches the rectum, the distention causes relaxation of the internal sphincter and an awareness of the need to defecate. At the time of defecation, the external sphincter relaxes, and abdominal muscles contract, increasing intrarectal pressure and forcing the stool out
The Valsalva maneuver exerts pressure to expel faeces through a voluntary contraction of the abdominal muscles while maintaining forced expiration against a closed airway. Patients with cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, increased intracranial pressure, or a new surgical wound are at greater risk for cardiac dysrhythmias and elevated blood pressure with the Valsalva maneuver and need to avoid straining to pass the stool.
Normal defecation is painless, resulting in passage of soft, formed stool
CONSTIPATION
Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Improper diet, reduced fluid intake, lack of exercise, and certain medications can cause constipation. For example, patients receiving opiates for pain after surgery often require a stool softener or laxative to prevent constipation. The signs of constipation include infrequent bowel movements (less than every 3 days), difficulty passing stools, excessive straining, inability to defecate at will, and hard feaces
IMPACTION
Fecal impaction results from unrelieved constipation. It is a collection of hardened feces wedged in the rectum that a person cannot expel. In cases of severe impaction the mass extends up into the sigmoid colon.
DIARRHEA
Diarrhea is an increase in the number of stools and the passage of liquid, unformed feces. It is associated with disorders affecting digestion, absorption, and secretion in the GI tract. Intestinal contents pass through the small and large intestine too quickly to allow for the usual absorption of fluid and nutrients. Irritation within the colon results in increased mucus secretion. As a result, feces become watery, and the patient is unable to control the urge to defecate. Normally an anal bag is safe and effective in long-term treatment of patients with fecal incontinence at home, in hospice, or in the hospital. Fecal incontinence is expensive and a potentially dangerous condition in terms of contamination and risk of skin ulceration
HEMORRHOIDS
Hemorrhoids are dilated, engorged veins in the lining of the rectum. They are either external or internal.
FLATULENCE
As gas accumulates in the lumen of the intestines, the bowel wall stretches and distends (flatulence). It is a common cause of abdominal fullness, pain, and cramping. Normally intestinal gas escapes through the mouth (belching) or the anus (passing of flatus)
FECAL INCONTINENCE
Fecal incontinence is the inability to control passage of feces and gas from the anus. Incontinence harms a patient’s body image
PREPARATION AND GIVING OF LAXATIVESACCORDING TO POTTER AND PERRY,
An enema is the instillation of a solution into the rectum and sig
One of the most developed cities of India, the city of Chennai is the capital of Tamilnadu and many people from different parts of India come here to earn their bread and butter. Being a metropolitan, the city is filled with towering building and beaches but the sad part as with almost every Indian city
We understand the unique challenges pickleball players face and are committed to helping you stay healthy and active. In this presentation, we’ll explore the three most common pickleball injuries and provide strategies for prevention and treatment.
The dimensions of healthcare quality refer to various attributes or aspects that define the standard of healthcare services. These dimensions are used to evaluate, measure, and improve the quality of care provided to patients. A comprehensive understanding of these dimensions ensures that healthcare systems can address various aspects of patient care effectively and holistically. Dimensions of Healthcare Quality and Performance of care include the following; Appropriateness, Availability, Competence, Continuity, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Efficacy, Prevention, Respect and Care, Safety as well as Timeliness.
2. Americans are living longer than ever before. The
human life expectancy is increasing and barring
unforeseen circumstances, we can expect to live to
a ripe old age-that is a ripe old calendar age.
Though our life expectancy has increased, the
quality of our lives and our health has not. The
United States continues to be one of the un-
healthiest nations in the developed world.
Most of us do not want to live to be 90 if the last 30
years are filled with illness, disability and
dependence of family and nursing homes. We want
to be able to play golf, take long walks and enjoy
our families. We want those extra years to be
quality years. Longer lives do not mean much if
they are not active lives. The quality of those years
will largely be dictated by the choices we make in
the preceding years, choices designed to stave off
the aging process.
GENETICS & AGING
Assuming that a person's entire life is "written" in
the genes that they are born with has been a major
mistake in recent health care philosophy. The more
we learn about genetics, our biological inheritance,
the more we realize that for the most part, our
lifestyle decisions and behaviors have far more
impact on longevity and health than does heredity.
A person's genes define their basic biology, but
health decisions and habits control the way genes
will affect the body and health in general.
“Genes are unquestionably the fundamental
units by which our bodies are constructed.
However, pure genetic determination does not
adequately explain the varied capabilities of our
biology. A more accurate view of the role of the
genome is to see the genes as providing the
overall plan for the developmental pathways. The
environment to which the individual is exposed
will modify the actual pathway.” 1
PETER NATHANIEL, M.D.
Life in the Womb
“The major function of your genes is to transmit
health and the inborn resolve to remember
wellness. In the sickness paradigm, we are taught
that disease-carrying genes determine our destiny.
This is a false view. If we were truly destined to live
by our genes, we would suffer from the thousands
of diseases experienced by our ancestors for as
long as we lived, which would not be very long at
all. Disease-carrying genes are not our destiny,
because they must answer to our inner compass-
our healing force.” 2
EDWARD A. TAUB
"America's Wellness Doctor"
“The environment in which you
grow up is as important as
your DNA in determining the
person you become. Certain
genes can lead to vulnerability,
but not inevitability.” 3
NEWSWEEK
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3. A NEW PARADIGM OF AGING
It used to be thought that aging is the ticking away
of some internal clock to a predetermined plan laid
down in your genes. Dr. Leonard Hayflick, a noted
research scientist, grew human cells in tissue
cultures and showed that they could subdivide to
create new cells only a limited number of times.
This fibroblast replicative limit, as it was termed,
appeared to show that the human cell has an inbuilt
timer that eventually runs down. The evidence
looked good and the study was repeated in several
laboratories, but numerous scientists could not
accept the aging “clock” theory.
One problem with tissue culture experiments is that
the life of the cells is dependent upon the adequacy
of their nutrition. If there is even the slightest
deficiency in the nutrient, medium used to grow the
cells or in the air, water or temperature, or any one
of a hundred variables, then the cells will
accumulate damage.
Every successive cell division is then progressively
impaired until the cells no longer replicate and dies.
These cell deaths have nothing to do with an
internal clock, but are caused by environmental
damage.
Chronological age is not biological age. How do
we know this? There are two main lines of
evidence.
First, though average levels of many physical
functions show a progressive decline with age,
there is a wide variability within aged groups. Some
individuals show no decline at all. That these
individuals exist indicates that chronological aging
is not an inevitable cause of biological aging.
Often a person will blame a health condition, such
as a bad shoulder, a bad knee, etc on their age.
But if age were to blame, then it would stand to
reason that both shoulders and both knees would
be degenerated and not just one limb. These
problems are due to cumulative stress and
traumas, not to the passage of time.
The second line of evidence that aging is in fact
degeneration caused by abnormal stress is the
continuing discoveries that aging process
previously considered natural do not occur at all in
some human populations. Blood pressure for
example, rises with age in the American
population, and used to be considered an
inevitable part of aging. Science knows now,
however, that there are numerous populations,
mostly isolated from Western society, in which the
elderly have the same blood pressure as the
young. Science has known that rising blood
pressure is caused by complex factors in the
environment of Western society.
When members of populations migrate to western
society, their blood pressure begins to rise with a
few years.
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4. Osteoporosis is a major health concern for western
women; however, women in other cultures around
the world do not suffer from osteoporosis and
similar degenerative disorders.
TIME IS NOT THE ENEMY
The Human Body is an amazing collection of
synergistic entities controlled by what can only be
described as innate intelligence. The body is
designed to be totally self-functioning and self-
healing.
We tend to think of healing when we suffer a cut on
our arm or have broken a bone, but healing is a
constant process of replacing old cells with new
cells.
For example, red blood cells are replaced at a rate
of about 100 billion a day, with one trillion total red
blood cells in constant circulation.
The body is constantly analyzing what is happening
within the body and what is happening in the
environment outside the body and makes adaptive
changes as necessary.
Aging can best be defined as the gradual loss
of the body's ability to respond to the
environment.
Aging, per se, is not just the effects of chronological
time, but also the abnormal stress we place on our
body, which gradually breaks it down.
This is caused by a number of things by including
inactivity, chemical pollution and neurological and
postural stress.
INACTIVITY & DISUSE
The human body is designed to move. The
technological age of labor- saving devices and
sedentary living often detracts from the biological
necessity for movement.
Disuse is deadly; many degenerative diseases
plaguing Americans have a portion of their roots in
sedentary, inactive lifestyles. as much as 50
percent of the decline in physiological functioning--
weak muscles, stiff joints, low energy levels--is
actually due to disuse and not a normal
consequence of age,"
The human body is designed to move. The
technological age of labor- saving devices and
sedentary living often detracts from the biological
necessity for movement. Disuse is deadly; many
degenerative diseases plaguing Americans have a
portion of their roots in sedentary, inactive
lifestyles. As much as fifty percent of the decline in
physiological functioning--weak muscles, stiff joints,
low energy levels--is actually due to disuse and not
a normal consequence of age.
"More people die of a sedentary
lifestyle than from smoking.” 4
C. Everett Koop, Former Surgeon General of the U.S
Without movement you could not sustain life: blood
cells that don't move cannot transport oxygen,
lungs that don't move can't breathe, hearts that
don't move can't pump blood, and spines that don't
move can't create the motion required for proper
joint nutrition, for the activities of daily living, or for
the stimulation of the joint-brain pathways required
for proper brain and body function.
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5. Spinal movement stimulates brain function in the
same way that a windmill generates electricity for a
power plant. Half of all the nerve impulses that are
sent between your brain and body in your spinal
cord are for the delivery of movement stimulation to
the brain.
This enables the brain to coordinate activities such
as concentration and learning, emotions, motor
control, and organ function. Movement charges
your brain's battery and makes you able to think
better, feel better, and function better, all of which
are essential to health and longevity.
Proprioception is the term used to describe the
ability to sense the position, location, orientation
and movement of the body and its parts, all which
are important to movement and brain function.
Spinal proprioception plays a critical role in
modulating protective muscular reflexes that
prevent injury or facilitate healing. Sensation is the
fundamental ingredient that mediates the
proprioceptive mechanism.
The joints of the body act as sensory chambers,
which relay proprioceptive information between
specific neural pathways and the central nervous
system (CNS). These neural pathways also
transport the necessary sensory motor information,
which modulates muscle function.
The disruption of muscle and joint
mechanoreceptors from physical trauma results in
partial deafferentation of the joint and surrounding
musculature, thus resulting in diminished
proprioception and increased nociception. This
predisposes the joints to further injury and
accelerates the degenerative aging process.
“Mechanoreceptors in cervical facet joints provide
major input regarding the position of the head in
relation to the body. With aging, mild defects impair
mechanoreceptors function. With decreased
proprioception, body positioning in space is
impeded and the patient becomes reliant on vision
to know the location of a limb. To compensate for
the loss of proprioception in the legs, the feet are
kept wider apart than usual. Steps become
irregular and uneven in length. As impairment
increases, the patient becomes unable to
compensate. With severe loss of proprioception,
the patient is unable to get up from a chair or rise
after a fall without assistance.” 6
Caranasos, M.D. Gait Disorders in the Elderly
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6. CHEMICAL POLLUTION
The United States is the most medicated nation in
the world. The U.S. consumes 68% of all of the
drugs in the world at the rate of 250,000 pills an
hour, twenty-four hours a day.
Drugs are foreign to the body. Drugs work by
altering the body’s natural biochemistry in order to
suppress symptoms. Even with suppressed
symptoms, the true cause of the problem may grow
worse with the body’s natural healing mechanism
compromised by the drugs. In, fact by interfering
with normal cell function, drugs cause cellular
malfunction, which is the same as causing disease.
In addition to toxicity, drugs also cause severe
nutritional deficiencies by depleting the body of
essential nutrients.
Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and steroids all
damage the human digestive system by impairing
the ability of the body to digest food and absorb
nutrients. The main side effect of steroids is to
increase many of the parameters of aging. This
includes arthritis, degenerative changes of joints,
etc. These are all well documented in scientific
literature.
Research has shown that NSAIDS, such as aspirin
and ibuprofen interfere at the cellular level with the
mechanism responsible for rebuilding and repairing
cartilage. NSAIDS actually cause degradation of
joint cartilage causing further degeneration to the
joints. This inhibits normal joint movement, which
inhibits normal stimulation to the brain
NEUROLOGICAL STRESS
The human body can respond and adapt to just
about anything it encounters provided it is a state of
homeostasis, which means that the body is able to
send and receive nerve information. The central
nervous system is the master control system of the
body and every single function reflects its activity.
Nerve impulses travel from the brain, down the
spinal cord and out through nerves to all parts of
the body. Nerve impulses then return to the brain
through return pathways.
There are in excess of 100 billion neurons, or nerve
cells in the human central nervous system and the
number of possible interconnections between these
cells is greater than the total number of electrons in
the known universe.
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7. Recent research has clearly shown that even
activity that occurs at the cellular and molecular
levels are controlled and coordinated by the central
nervous system.
The central nervous system regulates the aging
process and dependent upon healthy stress
responses, determines longevity. Proper
neurological signaling in the human body is the
primary key to psychological, emotional, immune
and hormonal health and longevity
There is a greater quantity of communication in the
human body than all of the combined manufactured
communication systems in the world and the
coordination and precision of neurological and
biological communication systems is un-paralleled.
The entire body is wired for cell signaling so that
the body can repair, restore and coordinate
physiological and psychological activities. This
enables our bodies to optimally adapt to physical
and psychological stressors.
Cell signaling with growth factors is more
fundamental to the body than is breathing. Cell
signaling begins before birth and ends just before
death. Loss of cell signaling underlies ineffective
adaptation. Inability to adapt is the pathway to
death.
To stay healthy, as well as repair cell damage
during aging, our cells continuously talk to each
other to know how to behave in context with the
surrounding environment. Cell signaling is
fundamental to coping with stress, the underlying
component of functional aging.
“No one could survive without
precise signaling in cells. The body
functions properly only because
the cells constantly communicate
with each other.” 8
Scientific American
Aging was earlier defined as gradual loss of the
body's ability to respond or adapt to its
environment. We can take that one-step further and
state that aging is the breakdown of communication
between the nervous, immune and hormonal
systems of the body.
“The quality of healing is
directly proportional to the
functional capability of the
central nervous system to
send and receive nerve
messages.” 7
Janson Edwards, M.D Ph.D.
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8. The Role of the Nervous System in
Lifespan Determination
Recent studies in diverse organisms have provided
evidence that, indeed the brain may control
lifespan. Signaling pathways involved in both
central nervous system and peripheral stress
responses and regulation of energy metabolism
may play important roles in lifespan determination.
The brain also controls neuroendocrine systems
strongly implicated in aging. The hypothalamic-
pituitary system has a strong influence on lifespan.
A consistent feature of environmental and genetic
factors that increase longevity is that they increase
cellular resistance to stress. The brain coordinates
the responses of the whole body to such stressors
on both rapid and long-term time scales by
modulating the activities of neuroendocrine
pathways (involving the hypothalamus and pituitary
gland) and the autonomic nervous system.
The responses typically involve a behavioral
response (fleeing the mugger or tiger), a vascular
response (increased blood pressure and diversion
of blood flow from the gut to muscles) and a
metabolic response (increased mobilization of
glucose). An increased ability of an organism to
escape from a potentially lethal stressor will
obviously increase its probability of having a long
lifespan, and this is one way the brain can
determine average lifespan.
“However, the brain may also control maximum
lifespan by its ability to stimulate signaling
pathways that increase the resistance of cells to
stress.” 9
M.P. Mattson
Aging Research Reviews
VERTEBRAL SUBLUXATIONS
The vertebra of the spine protects the central
nervous system. Because the spinal column is
moveable, it is also susceptible to various stresses
and forces, which can cause them to lose their
proper structural position. These minor
misalignments of the spine, known as “vertebral
subluxations” inhibit normal spinal movement,
which causes nerve interference resulting in
decreased nervous system, function, improper
healing and accelerated aging
Subluxations also alter the optimal structure of the
spine, which weakens it and increases
degeneration. Vertebral subluxations are often
referred to as the “Silent Killer” because they can
be present for long periods without any evidence of
pain or symptoms. This is similar to a cavity eating
away at a tooth.
Any force that the human body cannot adapt to can
cause a vertebral subluxation. Such examples
include auto accidents, work related injuries, stress,
sports, and repetitive movements even the birth
process.
Vertebral subluxations are devastating to a
person’s health and longevity and are well
documented by leading health authorities.
“Subluxation is very real. We have documented
it to the extent that no one can dispute its
existence. Vertebral subluxations change the
entire health of the body by causing structural
dysfunction of the spine and nerve interference.
The weight of a dime on a spinal nerve will
reduce nerve transmission by as much as sixty
percent.” 10
Chang Ha Suh, Ph.D.
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9. "Abnormalities of central afferent and efferent
pathways have been revealed by evoked potential
studies in diabetic patients. Central nervous system
abnormalities are more frequent in patients with
peripheral neuropathy, but evoked potential can be
abnormal even in patients without neuropathy.” 11
Clinical Neuroscience
“Subluxations of vertebra occur in all parts of the
spine and in all degrees. When the dislocation is so
slight as to not affect the spinal cord, it will still
produce disturbances in the spinal nerves passing
off from the foramina.” 12
Dr. James Woddersee, Neurosurgeon
“Hyper-functional or hypo-functional neurons along
a neural chain prevent normal nerve transmission
causing disturbances in the homeostasis of the
cells, tissues and organs.” 13
Dr. T. N. Lee
CHIROPRACTIC
Chiropractic is a health care system that is
founded on the premise that a properly functioning
nervous system is essential to overall health
and function of the human body.
Doctors of Chiropractic detect and correct vertebral
subluxations by physically adjusting the spine. This
restores the nervous system to an optimum level of
function, which maximizes the body’s inherent
healing potential.
Chiropractic adjustments restore normal nerve
function; improve spinal biomechanics, range of
motion, reflex arcs, and posture, all of which are
essential to a properly functioning nervous system.
Doctors of Chiropractic are experts in spinal
structure and body mechanics. Chiropractic
adjustments restore and maintain the structural
integrity of the body by correcting spinal
subluxations. Chiropractors emphasize the
importance of posture to overall health, a concept
that has been often overlooked in traditional
methods of health care.
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10. POSTURE AND HEALTH
Posture and normal physiology are
interrelated.
Posture affects and moderates every
physiological function from breathing to
hormonal production.
Abnormal posture is evident in patients with
chronic and stress related illnesses.
Homeostasis and nervous system function
are ultimately connected with posture.
Despite the considerable evidence that
posture affects physiology and function,
the significant influence of posture on health
is not addressed by most physicians. 14
American Journal of Pain Management
Deviations in the body's center of gravity
(read: poor posture)... have resulted in
intestinal problems, hemorrhoid, varicose
veins, osteoporosis, hip and foot
deformities, POOR HEALTH, DECREASED
QUALITY OF LIFE, and a SHORTENED LIFE
SPAN. 15
Journal of the American Medical Association
"The beginning of the disease process
begins with postural distortions” 16
Dr Hans Selye, Nobel Laureate
THE CHIROPRACTIC LIFESTYLE
Health care is slowly changing from a symptom,
disease based system to a function, and
performance based system in which the structure of
the human body is restored and maintained.
Correction and maintenance of the structure of the
spine is of paramount importance in the pursuit of
optimal health and longevity
In his book, "The Wellness Revolution” economist
Paul Zane Pilzer predicts that wellness will become
the next trillion-dollar industry. According to Pilzer,
wellness is "not about a fad or trend, it's about a
new and infinite need of infusing itself into the way
we eat, exercise, sleep, works, save, age, and
almost every other aspect of our lives." 17
Wellness incorporates all the elements for
preventive health care -- nutritious diet, aerobic
conditioning, good posture, strength training, rest
and periodic spinal adjustments. Wellness really
involves all aspects of your life. Although millions of
people have experienced relief from back and neck
pain through chiropractic care, the focus and intent
of chiropractic is far beyond the elimination of
symptoms, but rather is in the correction of
subluxations in order to ensure a properly
functioning nervous system.
“Subluxation alone is a rational
reason for Chiropractic care
throughout a lifetime from birth.” 18
Dr. Lee Hadley, Syracuse Memorial Hospital
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11. REFERENCES
1. Nathaniels, P. (1999) Life in the Womb, Ithaca, NY Promethean Press
2. Taub, E. (1996) Balance Your Body, Balance Your Life. NY, Kensington Books
3. Sapolsky R. (April 20, 2000) “All in the Genes” Newsweek
4. Koop, C. www.drkoop.com
5. Sperry R.www.rogersperry.com
6. Caranasos, I. Gait disorders in the elderly Hospital Practice, 1991; June 15:67-94.
7. Edwards, J. (1994, August)” Nerve dysfunction & Tissue healing” Journal of Neurological Science
8. Scott, J. & Dawson, T. “Cell communication: The inside story” Scientific American, June 2000 p. 73
Mattson, MP, The role of the nervous system in lifespan determination. Aging Research Reviews
(2002) 155-165 16010
9.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr. Dale Friar is a former All-American running back and has been in private clinical practice for 25
years. He currently practices in Mt. Pleasant, SC and can be reached at drfriar@bellsouth.net
Keith Wassung is a nationally known author and speaker in the field of health education and
research. The author of over 100 articles on health education and research, Keith makes his home in
Goose Creek, SC for more information visit www.keithwassung,com
10. DeRoeck, R. The confusion about chiropractors, Impulse Publishing, Danbury, CT (1989)
11. Comi, G. “Evoked potentials in diabetes mellitus” Clinical Neuroscience, 1997;4(6):374-9
12. Woddersee, J. Surgical Treatment, p.623
13. Lee, T “Thalamic Neuron Theory” Medical Hypothesis 1994, 43 285-302
14. Lennon, J. “American Journal of Pain Management” Jan, 1994
15. Freeman JT., Posture in the Aging and Aged Body, JAMA 1957; 165(7),pp 843-846 JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Assn.
16. Selye, Hans, The Stress of Life, (1978) McGraw- Hill Publishing
17. Pilzer, P. The Wellness Revolution, (2002) Wiley and Sons, NY
18. Hadley, L “Anatomical & Roentgenographic studies of the spine”, Thomas, 1981
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