| Why do we age? Currently, there are seven theories | | | | When this happens, our entire body ages more |
| on the aging process. Actually, we do not have a | | | | quickly. Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of |
| good scientific explanation for aging. We just know | | | | adult Americans that claim 40% of us and seriously |
| that our bodies were designed to grow old. There | | | | effecting more than half of us.Genetic controls in |
| are seven major theories about why we age. All of | | | | your cells protect your cells from becoming |
| them have some credibility.The first is that our genes | | | | cancerous. When these cellular controls slip you have |
| program ourselves to divide a certain number of | | | | total body wide systems that help control any |
| times and once this division has reached the | | | | pre-cancerous cells that develop. This is your immune |
| maximum number our bodies will begin to fail. This is | | | | system. Many types of arthritis are good examples |
| the Telomar Theory. These are genetic elements | | | | of a break down in the immune system.How you |
| that are controlling the number of allowable cell | | | | react to environment biologically, psychologically, and |
| divisions.The second is the general degradation of the | | | | socially all have to do with how young you stay. |
| neuroendocrine system. The neurological and | | | | Living and working in a hazardous environment |
| hormonal systems that regulate the body finally wear | | | | obviously has a negative effect upon your health. |
| out and make us susceptible to a host of | | | | While maintaining increased mental activity, becoming |
| diseases.The third is that our body builds up so many | | | | a life long learner, and maintaining close personal |
| toxins and other waste products that our systems | | | | relationships with a few people and having several |
| begin to shut down. This toxic waste build up can | | | | other good friends that are not so close but where |
| even affect the structure of our genes.The fourth is | | | | you can laugh, have fun and enjoy life. Developing |
| the wear and tear theory that living itself causes our | | | | some passionate life producing interests keeps one |
| joints and body parts to wear out.The fifth theory is | | | | young.Why Do We Age? | Men and WomenMen |
| the free radical damage of aging. The body builds up | | | | reach their peak of performance curve in their late |
| free radical oxidants that damage our organs and our | | | | twenties and women in their mid thirties. Our bodies |
| DNA causing us to age quickly.The sixth theory is the | | | | are fully matured, we are strongest and at our most |
| glucose toxicity theory, which also has to do with | | | | mentally acute then. Somewhere between 28 and 36 |
| waste build up, and the poor utilization and control of | | | | years of age most people reach a turning point, a |
| glucose within our physiological system.The seventh | | | | transition from growing into an aging process. Most |
| theory of aging derives from the law of entropy that | | | | people experience significant backaches between the |
| means that in the universal there is continual | | | | age of 28 and 36 in my practice. When they reach |
| movement from order to disorder and that in our | | | | that turning point and their ability to compensate, |
| bodies this movement is marked by aging.Why Do | | | | musculoskeletal and physiologically it starts to turn. |
| We Age? | What Gets OldSo what part of our body | | | | This can be quite momentous event for men and |
| ages? Aging happens in particulars, our arteries get | | | | women, for the first time in their life that they are |
| clogged, our joints flare up with arthritis, our parts | | | | really suffering.Statistically, our physiological function |
| start to slow down and wear out, and we do not | | | | and cognitive ability performance declines as we age. |
| heal as quickly as we used to.Scientists have found | | | | Each biological function decreases 3% to 6% per |
| that we all have certain genes in our make up that | | | | decade after age 35. But the good news is certain |
| we are born with and today we cannot change, yet, | | | | functions such as mental acuity and IQ have some |
| but how we age is primarily up to us. Our | | | | people show almost no decline or even improve as |
| environment, our tendencies, our activities, and our | | | | they progress from 35 to 75 years old.You may wish |
| interactions are what matters. As a matter of fact, | | | | to take the online questionnaire at to determine what |
| our inherited genetics account for less than 30% of | | | | your real age is according to their approach. The |
| all aging effects and the importance of genetic | | | | resulting age you will get there is based on |
| inheritance matters less and less as we age. By the | | | | epidemiological research.Dr. Feely is an Osteopathic |
| age of 80, behavioral choices account almost entirely | | | | Physician and Surgeon, board certified in Family |
| for your overall health and longevity.Some people are | | | | Practice, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, |
| biologically predisposed to early onset of arterial aging. | | | | Acupuncture, Disability Evaluation, Independent |
| They have inherited a tendency toward high blood | | | | Medical Evaluation, Quality Assurance and Utilization |
| pressure, high cholesterol, and weight gaining. While | | | | Review. He has a special interest in the use of |
| other people are culturally predisposed to the disease | | | | Osteopathic manipulation and acupuncture for |
| because they are far more likely to develop bad | | | | migraine headeaches, back pain and myofascial pain |
| eating habits, high in saturated fat, that will accelerate | | | | disorders. His site, offers information to help you pass |
| the aging process within the artery. Many say you | | | | your NCCAOM or California Traditional Chinese |
| are as old as your arteries. When your arteries | | | | Oriental Medicine acupuncture board exams (tcm |
| become clogged, they diminish the amount of | | | | tests). |
| oxygen and nutrients that can get to your cells. | | | | |