weight loss and aging

Yesterday I performed routine medical exams on a married couple...they are in my medical practice and not the Serotonin Program. The husband is 76 years old and the wife 65. The reason I am writing this entry about them is the following: It was amazing to me how they both looked so young for their respective ages. He looked no older than 60 and she about 48. It was incredible how young they both looked and I had to ask them how this is achieved.

First, they both never smoked cigarettes and alcohol usage has been a bare minimum over the years. They also told me they "eat healthy". When I further queried them about this, they explained that they eat lots of vegetables, protein is much more poultry anf fish as opposed to red meat and very little fat in the diet. They also said that they limited their sun exposure over the years. Exercise still occurs pretty much 4-5 times a week. For the husband, he did 200 pushups a day...200 at age 76! Wow!

"Anti-aging" clinics focus lots on laser treatments, botox, fillers etc. Living "healthy" and keeping weight under control is the most powerful "anti-aging" effect and is much more powerful than store-bought efforts.

weight loss..a fun story

Good morning...as you can tell from the time of this entry, your good Doctor cannot sleep tonight...but I was thinking of a really fun story a patient told me yesterday. I asked her if I could use the story for my blog this morning, and she said it was fine.

The patient is cllose to 60 years old and has lost lots of weight in the program. She was at a dinner party over the weekend, and was sitting at a table with her husband and some other couples. Some guy sitting next to her leaned over at one point and told her how "great she looked". He repeated this several times and at the end of the night, not in earshot of her husband or the guy's wife, he asked her if he could call her. The patient was shocked, firmly said "NO!!!" and then went home.

Why the point of the story? Well, as much as the patient was shocked by the guy's aggressive behavior, she said to me yesterday that "It has been 30 years since I have been aggressively approached", and she smiled lots telling the story. If felt great for her to know that her "look" generated a horn-dog response from a guy.

Yes, losing weight makes us much healthier but it also makes us look younger and more attractive to ourselves and others. We all wantr our spouses to be the ones to notice this and make the compliments, but it sometimes is ego-boosting to have others notice as well!

weight loss and antiaging

Yesterday I received an invitation to speak at a meeting of the Anti-Aging Society in December. The conference is taking place in Las Vegas. I have been asked to speak about the usage of oral serotonin as part of a weight loss program. My first thought was this: Antiaging in Vegas? Booze, blackjack, staying up the entire night eating, drinking and gambling...this is a really good venue for anti-aging! No, just teasing...my first real thought was: Will I hit my 16 against the dealers 10, or should I take adventure of the surrender option they have in Vegas?

Okay, let me get serious now: my first thoughts were about the association of weight with the aging process. With excessive weight leading to the early development of diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, sleep apnea, certain cancers and other serious conditions, clearly a detrimental weight results in more rapid "aging" process. Aesthetically, being overweight results in a person looking older than the chronological age.

At this conference, I am certain there will sellers of skin care creams, supplements of dubious merit, spa treatment machines that result in a more youthful appearance, etc. However, weight loss, probably more than anything else offered at this gathering is probably the most powerful "anti-aging" procedure/intervention that a person can do.

weight loss and looking younger

Good sunday morning..hope the weather did not disturb your weekend plans too much and certainly hope you didnt do the "hunker down" mentality of playing lots on the kitchen yesterday...

Over the past several weeks, i have seen some patients who enter our program who seem somewhat embarrassed that their main reason for being here is the desire to look younger, improve their confidence and self esteem, and otherwise feel more attractive.

The "politically correct" answer as to why someone should lose weight usually is the health answer: "I want to be healthier". To say "Iwant to look more attractive" sounds vain or otherwise superficial.

I strongly believe that people deserve to feel AND look their best and if in their minds, being thinner makes them happier with their own appeaarance, then this is a very good reason..as good as any...to lose the weight. So, if you ever feel ashamed of having a priority for your weight loss efforts be aesthetics, please do NOT feel this way.

Laughing..as an aside, on a whim last nite I took the gray out of my hair with one of those pharmacy bought hair coloring things...I do not look any younger but i sure do look like I had a close encounter with a shoe polish bottle!!!! If you see me wearing a baseball hat at the office, you will know why now....