Have you noticed wrinkles, hair loss, or reduced energy?
Have you noticed a diminished sex drive?
Do you get sick more often than you used to?
Anti-Aging, Prevention and Wellness!
Anti-Aging
Although we typically think of the external signs of aging with the emergence of wrinkles and graying hair, aging is also an internal process that has roots at the cellular level. All the organs of our bodies are made up of individual cells that have limited life spans. While we are young, our cells divide many times as we grow. Our cells are capable of repairing themselves, communicating with other cells, and interacting with all the physiological molecules that ultimately define our current state of health. Scientists have discovered, however, that our cells have a limited capacity to divide and repair.
Laboratory studies have shown that cell aging patterns are genetically encoded and cell death occurs along a predictable schedule of events for different cell types. Our DNA is bundled into chromosomes, each capped with repeated sequences called telomeres. During cell division, the cell attempts to make a complete copy of itself, including all of its DNA, but researchers have discovered that these telomeres shorten over successive cell divisions. The telomeres help protect the DNA from radical arrangements (that might cause cancer, for example) and they can be lengthened by an enzyme called telomerase. If the telomeres are allowed to become too short, however, the cell senses this problem and puts in motion a cascade of events that will result in its own death. This mechanism of programmed cell death, also called apoptosis, is a critical part of proper human development and a natural part of the life cycle of a cell.
A cell’s life also comes to a close if its DNA sustains damage more quickly than the DNA repair machinery can compensate for it. One of the major causes of DNA damage in our cells is the presence of free radicals. These highly reactive molecules can cause significant damage to both the proteins and the DNA in our cells by undergoing chemical reactions with them. The free radical theory of aging suggests that these molecules accumulate naturally over time and that our DNA repair machinery copes less and less well with the damage. Thus, our physical aging would be correlated with this decline in the health of our individual cells. Free radical damage has also been scientifically linked to many age-related medical conditions, including arthritis, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Intriguingly, it has been shown that antioxidants can slow or stop the damage caused by free radicals by helping to balance the chemical reactions in the cells. Antioxidant levels can be increased by adding antioxidant rich foods to the diet or by taking nutritional supplements.
Because our cells become less resilient as we age, so do our bodies. We become more susceptible to illnesses and once we get sick, it takes longer to recover. Wounds may also take longer to heal. As some cells begin to lose function, they cease expressing hormones, further shifting our physiological balance. All of the changes to our immunity, metabolism, and body chemistry can have a huge impact on our health and well-being as we age.
A Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Diet Can Prolong Life
Dietary fat is a major source of free radicals. Many age-related and degenerative diseases, including cancer, arthritis, atherosclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and cataracts, are associated with increased intake of fat. In addition, dietary sugars chemically alter the proteins and chemical make-up in your body, ultimately damaging your immune system and kidneys.
Following a low-fat, low-sugar diet is one of the most effective ways to slow down the aging process. More important, our practitioners will teach you how to shop for and prepare low-fat, low-sugar meals to make them part of your regular diet. High blood cholesterol, for example, can put undue pressure on the cardiovascular system, causing the heart muscles to age prematurely. By identifying this particular risk, we can increase the longevity of your heart and your life.
Detoxification
Depending on your case, a detoxification program may also be recommended. By reducing the toxin levels in your body, damage to your cells and stress on your cell repair systems can be minimized and ultimately slow the aging process. Carefully regimented dietary restrictions may be suggested to cleanse the body of ingested toxins it may be harboring. We are available to guide you through a complete detoxification program.
The path toward greater longevity requires a steadfast commitment to healthier habits beyond these specific treatments. It sounds simple, but keeping active, eating a diverse diet rich in antioxidants, and getting plenty of sleep are some of the most natural, effective anti-aging measures that one can take. As with all of our treatments, we can help devise a plan centered on achievable goals for your health that mesh well with your lifestyle and personality.
Natural Hormones Are Powerful Anti-Aging Tools
Hormone replacement therapy is the essence of anti-aging medicine. By restoring your body's levels of hormones to those of a young adult, you are taking one giant step away from the aging process. We are well-versed in the safe uses of natural hormones to boost energy, vitality, and libido, as well as lower risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and many other degenerative diseases.
Nutritional and Intravenous Supplementation
We have a variety of nutraceuticals and phytonutrients available to enhance your anti- aging therapy. We will work with you to incorporate these into your diet to encourage better overall health and strengthen your immunity to prevent disease. Be sure to communicate with all your other doctors before incorporating any new therapies, as some of these supplements are still undergoing FDA evaluation and may also have interactions with other medications you are taking. Many of the supplements we recommend and offer to patients as a convenience are termed medical foods and all are extremely effective in optimizing health and vitality. By helping to limit the damage done to DNA, nutrients can help slow aging at the cellular level by reducing the strain on the DNA repair machinery and keeping our cells healthier longer.
Intravenous nutrition with vitamin C and B vitamins all has anti-aging properties and provide energy to our cells. Many of these therapies are invaluable in ensuring that we get the nutrients we need because oral supplementation may not be effective due to absorption issues.
What is genetic testing?
Genetic testing looks for specific inherited changes (mutations) in a person’s chromosomes, genes, or proteins. Genetic mutations can have harmful, beneficial, neutral (no effect), or uncertain effects on health. Mutations that are harmful may increase a person’s chance, or risk, of developing a disease such as cancer. Overall, inherited mutations are thought to play a role in about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers.
Cancer can sometimes appear to “run in families” even if it is not caused by an inherited mutation. For example, a shared environment or lifestyle, such as tobacco use, can cause similar cancers to develop among family members. However, certain patterns— such as the types of cancer that develop, other non-cancer conditions that are seen, and the ages at which cancer typically develops—may suggest the presence of a hereditary cancer syndrome.
The genetic mutations that cause many of the known hereditary cancer syndromes have been identified, and genetic testing can confirm whether a condition is, indeed, the result of an inherited syndrome. Genetic testing is also done to determine whether family members without obvious illness have inherited the same mutation as a family member who is known to carry a cancer-associated mutation.
Inherited genetic mutations can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer through a variety of mechanisms, depending on the function of the gene. Mutations in genes that control cell growth and the repair of damaged DNA are particularly likely to be associated with increased cancer risk.
Atherosclerosis Screening - Imaging For Heart Attack Prevention
Atherosclerosis Screening is the latest state-of-the art technological advance in carotid IMT (intima-media thickness) ultrasound that allows your physician to get a direct measurement of how healthy your arteries are.
Vascular disease can be seen even in its earliest stages before it causes symptoms or starts to block blood flow. Much more sensitive than regular carotid ultrasound vascular imaging (or Carotid Duplex which can only tell us if there is already significant plaque or blockage in the carotid arteries), Carotid IMT (CIMT), has been shown to correlate with future risk of stroke and heart attack. CIMT results allow us to assess how old your arteries are.
Stress Rehabilitation & Management
Just as stress is different for each of us there is no stress reduction strategy that is a panacea. Jogging and other aerobic exercises, different types of meditation, prayer, yoga and tai chi are great for many people but when arbitrarily imposed on others, prove dull, boring and stressful. There is certainly no shortage of stress relievers and in addition to the above, various progressive muscular relaxation exercises, autogenic training, deep breathing, massage therapies, visual imagery and self hypnosis practices are popular.
There are also acupuncture, acupressure, biofeedback, and other bodywork and postural techniques. Some people find that listening to music, hobbies, volunteer work, keeping a daily journal of events and how they feel, laughter, playing with pets, taking short breaks or shopping help them to relax. Others find relief for their stress related symptoms from aromatherapy, nutritional supplements like chamomile, spearmint, kava kava, adaptogens and St. John’s wort or even sitting under a pyramid.
In addition, a variety of cranioelectromagnetic stimulation devices have been found to be effective and safe for anxiety, insomnia and drug resistant depression. Strong emotional support from group therapy, family or friends is a powerful stress buster.
Dr. Stephen Dalton uses a series of questioners and testing along with state of the art technology to identify and preserve the anti-aging process. Many times the foods, activities, or lack of, stress, and many other factors contribute to us aging. Although many things seem healthy they are contributing to our health problems. Let Dr. Dalton customized a plan to slow the aging process compiled directly from your test results and your nutrition questionnaire. Get an Anti-Aging Consult Today!
Following are examples of how aging affects some of our major body systems.
Getting the Facts is the first step! You should request to have a LIMA Anti-Aging Consult!
Cells, organs and tissues:
Cells become less able to divide
The telomeres—the ends of the chromosomes inside every cell—gradually get shorter until, finally, they get so short that the cell dies
Waste products accumulate
Connective tissue between the cells becomes stiffer
The maximum functional capacity of many organs decreases
Heart and blood vessels:
The wall of the heart gets thicker
Heart muscle become less efficient (working harder to pump the same amount of blood)
The aorta (the body's main artery) becomes thicker, stiffer, and less flexible
Many of the body's arteries, including arteries supplying blood to the heart and brain, slowly develop atherosclerosis, although the condition never becomes severe in some people
Vital signs:
It is harder for the body to control its temperature
Heart rate takes longer to return to normal after exercise
Bones, muscles, joints:
Bones become thinner and less strong
Joints become stiffer and less flexible
The cartilage and bone in joints starts to weaken
Muscle tissue becomes less bulky and less strong
Digestive system:
The movement of food through the digestive system becomes slower
The stomach, liver, pancreas, and small intestine make smaller amounts of digestive juices
Digestive Difficulties
Brain and nervous system:
The number of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord decreases.
The number of connections between nerve cells decreases
Abnormal structures, known as plaques and tangles, may form in the brain.
Eyes and Ears:
The retinas get thinner, the irises get stiffer
The lenses become less clear
The walls of the ear canal get thinner
The eardrums get thicker
Skin, nails, and hair:
Skin gets thinner and becomes less elastic
Sweat glands produce less sweat
Nails grow more slowly
Hairs get gray and some no longer grow
Examples of how aging affects some of our major body systems.
Cells, organs and tissues:
- Pain areas: in the abdomen
- Gastrointestinal: diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, passing excessive amounts of gas, vomiting, or flatulence
- Skin: hives or rashes
- Also common: baby colic, cramping, flushing, itching, or tingling lips
Other behaviors related to Food Allergies or Sensitivity are are listed below. These are just some of the most common.
Get The Facts About Food Allergies
Here are resources regarding food allergies or sensitivity see below:
- Symptoms
- Triggers
- Diagnosing Food Allergies
- Management and Treatment
- Eating out
- Anaphylaxis
- Managing food allergies in children
- Can food allergies be prevented
You know your body better than anyone. Do yourself and your health a favor and contact LIMA Lubbock to schedule a delayed food sensitivity test to improve your over all health and well being!
FAQ's About Food Allergies
There are lots of questions when it comes to food allergies and sensitivity:
- Are there treatments?
- Do food allergens remain on objects?
- Can food allergies develop as an adult?
- Can you outgrow food allergies?
- Can you have severe reaction to airborne allergens?
- Cost to get tested for food allergies?
- What is gluten? How common is a gluten allergy?
Dr. Dalton treats the source not just the symptom. We want you to thrive by providing beyond average care!
Dr. Stephen Dalton, DO.
At LIMA Lubbock - We are determined to shift the definition of PREVENTION. Go beyond cholesterol, blood pressure, mammograms, and colonoscopies (all important) and learn more about your true health risk for disease and factors that may be accelerating the aging process and affecting your health.
Commonly Reported Symptoms in Patients who are Aging:
Do You Suffer From Any of These Symptoms? If so you should have a LIMA Health Consult!
Increased susceptibility to infection
Greater risk of heat stroke or hypothermia
Slight decrease in height as the bones of our spines get thinner and lose some height
Bones break more easily
Joint changes, ranging from minor stiffness to severe arthritis
Stooped posture
Slowed and limited movement
Decrease in overall energy
Constipation
Urinary incontinence
Slight slowing of thought, memory, and thinking (however, delirium, dementia, and severe memory loss are NOT a normal part of aging)
Reduced reflexes, coordination and balance
Decrease in visual acuity
Diminished peripheral vision
Some degree of hearing loss
Wrinkling and sagging skin
Whitening or graying of hair
Weight loss, after age 55 in men and after age 65 in women, in part due to loss of muscle tissue.