“Antiaging medicine” isn’t the best term to describe his area of interest, says Dr. Craig Golding, an antiaging medicine specialist and founder of the Golding Institute. It tends to focus outwards and give the impression that it’s all about wrinkles and botox treatments.” But the focus is much broader. Anti-aging medicine is really about prevention, early detection and reversal of chronic diseases that become more common with age and account for about 90% of the diseases that doctors treat on an ongoing basis.
How to grow old better
As we age, the body’s need for nutrients increases to help fight disease, aging, and decay. Many of the body’s systems, such as the digestive, excretory, and circulatory systems, are tired from years of use and become less efficient.
“I think the biggest change is that people are realizing that chronic and complex illnesses are better managed with integrative medicine,” he says.
Most people understand why we age. The mechanisms of aging are well known, from oxidative stress to glycation, to telomere shortening, decreased NAD+ levels, cellular senescence, mitochondrial DNA damage, loss of proteostasis, inflammation, overactivation of the mTOR system, and overactivation of the autophagy system. “So if you can go through all of that and have a lifestyle and a set of nutritional strategies — to negate all of these processes or mechanisms of aging — you can certainly make it past 100.”
Control your NAD levels and keep your mitochondria healthy
When a person reaches middle age, NAD + levels have decreased by 50%, resulting in the loss of sirtuin activation and PARP activity. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) protects tissues, induces DNA repair, and increases longevity. It plays an important role in transporting energy from glucose and fatty acids to the mitochondria, so it can be converted into cellular energy.
Decreasing cellular NAD levels lead to aging-related disorders.
You need to raise your NAD levels – the higher your NAD levels, the fewer free radicals and the lower your oxidative stress. Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been shown to increase NAD and alleviate many age-related dysfunctions.
“So low oxidative stress combined with healthy mitochondria is what gets you past 100. As long as you do a lot of preventive screenings, you don’t miss things like cancer or autoimmune diseases and other chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity,” explains Golding.
Telomere shortening is an important issue
“You need to protect against wear and tear on the protective caps of the chromosomes. A supplement like astragalus membranaceus is an mTOR inhibitor and should only be taken in the mornings during intermittent fasting or extended fasting to promote autophagy.”
Refer to Autoimmune Diseases
There are about 100 autoimmune diseases. There are many things you can do back using the integrative model. “We do this with techniques like leaky gut healing, cleansing diets, and detoxification. We also work with estrogen detoxification, and we use immune modulatory agents like naltrexone and DHEA,” says Golding.
Your longevity starts here…
Patterns are for longevity Okinawans. Studies show that this culture eats 30% to 40% fewer calories than the Western world, while their flavonoid intake is up to eight times higher than the Western world. Their daily exercise programs are moderate to vigorous. It is not unusual for Okinawans to live to be 100 years old or more.
For longevity
- Eat seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day;
- Eat seven servings of cereal a day;
- Eat two servings of flavonoid-rich soy foods;
- Eat two to three servings per week of foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids;
- Get 30% of their total calories per day from fat;
- Consume less than 6 g of sodium per day from all sources;
- Engage in moderate exercise every day;
- Have a strong social and family network;
- Focus and calm your life with relaxation and meditation techniques; and
- Balance your life – everything in moderation.
Limit your calories
“Calorie restriction increases longevity,” says Golding. This helps prevent inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
It improves mitochondrial function, activates sirtuin genes and has a positive anti-inflammatory effect. Importantly, a low-calorie diet is not the same as an eating disorder.
According to Golding, mimetics mimic the reduction of caloric intake. They do not have the weight loss effect of low calorie intake. Their main value is the life-prolonging effect associated with low calorie consumption.
He shares his calorie mimetic protocol:
Have a plan and find the right healthcare partners to help you achieve it
Any long-term plan should be personalized.
“With this in mind, individual antiaging nutrients should be taken into context, and if you’re going to supplement, make sure to do so wisely and always read the labels on your package. If you’re unsure about what nutritional supplement you need, talk to a reputable health professional.”
For anyone looking for an integrative or geriatric specialist, he recommends joining SASIM, a non-profit network of physicians and allied health practitioners who support clinical practice. integrative medicine (IM). SASIM also educates the public on integrated care, disease prevention, and the effective and sustainable use of IM to treat chronic diseases.
COMMENT: For those reading this article who live outside of South Africa, there are similar organizations in all countries.
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