The Shape Given by Modern Medicine to Ancient Knowledge: Longevity

Longevity Medicine

"Longevity" is the equivalent of the English term "Longevity." Since the beginning of the 2000s, the term "Longevity" has gained a more concrete meaning in the field of medicine, representing a healthy, natural, and long life.

Have you ever heard about how short the average life expectancy of people in Western society was just two centuries ago? The average lifespan for men in English society was only 34 years; for Prussian men, it was an average of 24.7 years, while for French men, it ranged from 27.5 to 30 years. Unfortunately, records for women were not well-kept during that period. In the 1950s world, life expectancy was only 48 years for both women and men. All these average lifespans indicate how quickly death used to come for those who lived back then, doesn't it?

Explorer Samuel de Champlain, who founded the city of Quebec in Canada, wrote about the long lifespans of Canadian indigenous people, sparking heated debates among doctors of that time, who could hardly believe people in their 50s. Looking at the writings of award-winning author Daniel N. Paul about the Mi'kmaq indigenous people, it seems logical to search for the secret of this long life in a low-stress lifestyle, lean meats, a variety of vegetables, and a fibrous and healthy diet.

The first truth that must be accepted in Longevity Medicine is that the more you invest in your future, the more positive the results will be.

In order to reach our long-term goals, our lifestyle choices should primarily revolve around healthy nutrition and an active lifestyle, which can positively impact our quality of life. On the contrary, unhealthy eating, irregular sleep, smoking, and other negative factors can lead to the expected negative outcomes. To overcome all these challenges, a planned and professional medical guidance and support may be necessary.

I would love to explain and justify the history, evolution, and how Longevity Medicine draws from ancient Asian medicine and traditional medical practices, but delving into such details in a newly recognized field might not be appropriate at this moment.

Now we can discuss the medical aspect, but it's important to make a significant warning right from the start. Keep in mind how the commercial world exploits and will continue to exploit these medical and health concepts. When you consider the billion-dollar market for vitamin tablets in the United States today, the idea of achieving long life by simply taking a tablet every day remains a sweet dream.

According to Alex Zhavoronkov, Longevity Medicine is a comprehensive and personalized preventive medicine practice supported by the complex biomarkers of aging and longevity.

A comprehensive evaluation examination that takes place every three months is the cornerstone. Beyond these face-to-face meetings, the presence of an accessible doctor, who can address even small questions and provide feedback when needed, is crucial in guiding you on this long journey. This journey includes comprehensive laboratory analyses ranging from hormone levels to complete blood counts, from disease risk assessments to tests evaluating successful physiology. Assessing risks while taking into account factors such as sexual dysfunction, dementia, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, brain atrophy, symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, various rheumatic diseases following an overactive immune system, and detecting joint deterioration caused by aging, intervening before they affect your quality of life, is an artful touch of longevity medicine.

Taking into account the burden that aging places on metabolism and the hormonal system, planning the necessary complementary treatments, replacing deficient minerals, vitamins, and enzymes, and administering them in the correct doses without causing discomfort, is another important aspect.

Introducing a healthy eating plan into your life with tips, information, and recipes that help you eat right, feel great, and lose weight without restrictions, constitutes another essential route. The recommendations of dietitians, intermittent fasting methods, short detox programs, and nutrition advice following personalized assessments of functional medicine are indispensable and enjoyable steps.

Another significant area of focus is the regular assessment of the adequacy of vision and hearing. Additionally, it is essential to pay special attention to foot health, which is often associated with conditions like diabetes, heart, and circulatory disorders, and frequently leads to foot ulcers and unfortunately even foot amputations.

The 24-hour day-night cycle around the Earth's axis, referred to as the circadian rhythm in medical terms, encompasses the behavioral, biochemical, and physiological effects on all living organisms. This rhythm affects eating habits, sleep patterns, happiness levels, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, hormone secretion, and communication between tissues through neuro-messengers and bio-messengers. While these crucial effects were often ignored in conventional hospital practices, adopting a medical understanding that values our biological essentials is necessary for a long, healthy, and quality life.

As you can see, there is much work for doctors to do in these areas.

While the idea of making Lifestyle Changes may seem difficult when you think about embracing a long and healthy life, it's not as challenging as it might appear. The education programs of Longevity Medicine experts emphasize the principles of "Feasibility" and "Sustainability," and this is where they come into play.

• Feasibility: When suggesting what someone can do to achieve behavioral change, proposing a change based on the principle of "feasibility" involves considering the individual's income level, lifestyle, working hours, roles within the family and social life.
• Sustainability: For those who have previously made sacrifices and efforts for lifestyle changes and are now beginning to see positive results, another challenge may arise. To prevent falling into a monotonous and neglectable routine before achieving permanent behavioral change, offering various options aligning with the principle of "sustainability" is necessary.

The abilities of your doctor in this field are determined by their experience, working background, and their capacity to follow you and your needs.

Roadmap of Longevity Medicine*

• Regular comprehensive meetings at intervals
• Accessible doctor following the meetings
• Assessment and reporting of the situation, risks, and deficiencies
• Treatments
  • Replacement treatments
  • Regulation treatments
  • Strengthening treatments
  • Maintenance treatments
• Management of lifestyle changes

(*Limited to basic headings)

While aging is inevitable, feeling younger is always possible.

You don't have to accept the ordinary changes that come with aging. You can embrace life again with STRENGTH, ENERGY, and PASSION. Ask your doctor to help you achieve that!

A seasoned doctor and their team, utilizing state-of-the-art medical technology, can be by your side to slow down and often reverse the effects of aging that were once considered inevitable. By proposing a personalized work program for each individual, they can strive to keep you in the healthiest conditions possible.

"Live longer, feel younger, and remember: feeling good is our right!"