How Do I Know How Well I Am Aging? (The Secret to Anti-Aging)

It’s no secret that our health declines with age. Maybe you’ve been feeling more tired, experiencing joint pain, or noticing new wrinkles and age spots. You may catch yourself wondering, “How do I know how well I am aging? What is the secret to anti-aging?”

Sadly, there’s no magic elixir to cure anti-aging. But the good news is that anti-aging science is rapidly advancing, and many doctors are already helping their patients get back to feeling their best.

In this Dr. Talk, Dr. Joseph Raffaele discusses How Do I Know How Well I Am Aging (The Secret to Anti-Aging). Click the link to watch the full video. Now, let’s break down the key points of anti-aging.

Techniques for Measuring Age

There are two main ways to measure the age of bodily tissue: chronological age and biological age.

We’re most familiar with chronological age, a number that marks the years since you were born. Whether you’re 19 or 69, your chronological age advances at a steady pace. Every year, we celebrate another birthday and add another candle to the birthday cake.

Biological age is different from chronological age. This involves the age of the bodily tissue, from skin to organs to immune health. Biological age often varies in the body instead of remaining constant. Furthermore, your biological age won’t always match your chronological age. For example, a 47-year-old woman may have healthy skin matching that of a 30-year-old, or she may have damaged skin matching that of a 57-year-old. When it comes to conducting aging tests, doctors are primarily focused on assessing the body’s biological age.

Biomarkers help us extract information about cells and tissues in the body, including our age.

We’re all familiar with cholesterol, which is a biomarker that measures the number of lipids in the bloodstream. When it comes to measuring age, biomarkers can be measured via blood or non-blood tests that correlate with chronological age.

Also, doctors measure aging by assessing pulmonary function. Patients take a deep breath and blow it out as fast as possible, allowing doctors to measure the strength and health of their lungs.

Cognitive function and motor skills are other indicators of biological age. Dr. Joseph Raffaele puts his patients through a series of video game-like tests to measure how well patients process, memorize, tap, scan, and take in information on a screen.

Finally, skin health is another huge indicator of biological age—and an example of non-blood age tests. Doctors measure the elasticity, health, and flexibility of the skin in areas with frequent and infrequent sun exposure.

These biomarkers readings give doctors a clear picture of a patient’s overall biological age relative to their chronological age.

Telomeres – Dr. Joseph Raffaele Uncovers The Secret Indicator of Aging

According to Dr. Raffaele, telomeres are “hallmarks of aging” that determine how well or poorly the body ages. Telomeres form small “caps” on the end of each chromosome, which house our DNA. They protect the ends of chromosomes and ensure that DNA strands don’t become torn or damaged.

However, sometimes DNA damage is inevitable. If DNA is damaged or noncoding, the DNA repair system will make repairs. A special enzyme called telomerase repairs the ends of chromosomes and prevents the telomeres from becoming too short.

When we’re born, our telomerase production slows down, and our telomeres get shorter every time our bodies replicate our DNA. If telomeres become too short, cells will stop dividing altogether and won’t be replenished with new, youthful cells. This leads to stagnant cells and the body’s inability to continually heal itself.

Longer telomere lengths are associated with longer life and fewer diseases. On the flip side, shorter telomeres result in aging tissue, inflammation, and disease as the body isn’t replenishing its cells and tissue.

How Lifestyle Factors Affect Aging

Telomeres aren’t the only pillar of anti-aging. Several lifestyle factors also contribute to how well or poorly our bodies age over time.

First, genetics play a huge factor in our telomeres and rate of aging. We inherit our DNA from our parents, which influences everything from our skin color to metabolism and even our telomere count. Also, early childhood stresses have been shown to shorten the telomeres early in life.

When it comes to lifestyle, healthy habits correlate with longer telomeres and slower aging: exercise, healthy eating, lowered stress levels, and sleeping well. These factors keep our bodies thriving and allow telomerase to repair and lengthen our telomeres, which slows down the aging process.

What factors accelerate aging? An inactive lifestyle, poor eating habits, high stress levels, and alcohol and tobacco consumption lead to shortened telomeres and rapidly aging tissues.

Dr. Raffaele recommends a diet high in fruits and vegetables, taking supplements, exercising, and reducing stress and cortisol levels. Only telomerase can lengthen our telomeres, but we can slow the shortening of our telomeres by changing our habits.

The Future of Anti-Aging

What is the outcome of anti-aging? Doctors and scientists are currently conducting research and making predictions about the possibility of humans continuing to live longer. While it’s impossible to completely know the outcome of anti-aging science as technology develops, the future looks promising.

Dr. Joseph Raffaele is confident in the future of anti-aging science and excited to see what lies ahead as he continues to serve patients and help them improve their health.

Visit the following link to see Dr. Raffaele’s full conversation: How Do I Know How Well I Am Aging? The Secret to Anti-Aging.

Pulmonary Function Test

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How do I Know How Well Am I Aging–and What Can I Do About it?