The Functional Medicine Guide to Aging Gracefully

We all have a friend who is in her mid 40s, but in reality doesn’t look a day over 32. Not only does she have no problems fitting into her jeans from high school, she’s almost aging backwards while everyone else is dealing with menopause symptoms, thyroid disorders, and ever-increasing stress.

What could be the reason behind her graceful aging? If you have it chalked down to great genes and good luck, you may want to think again. What you’re probably not seeing is all the work and effort your friend puts in to look and feel youthful as she ages.

Most people tend to overlook the fact that aging is not a far off, distant reality. In fact, we are aging as we live our day to day life. Our lifestyle choices today will determine how we will look, feel, and move in 10 years from now. So, if today you choose to spend an hour scrolling on social media instead of going on a walk, you’re likely to age as someone who has troubles with mobility.

Aging is a natural process that we cannot avoid no matter how hard we try. Our bodies are complex systems that can take on a lot of stress, wear, and tear before showing signs of slowing down. While aesthetical interventions can take years off your appearance, functional medicine brings the focus back on living a life to its fullest by feeling young and energetic on the inside as well.

Aging in America Fast Facts:

• By the year 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 years or older due to the aging baby boomer generation.
• Older adults face a higher incidence of chronic conditions, including diabetes, Arthritis, Heart disease
• Almost 95% of older adults have at least one chronic condition, and nearly 80% have two or more.
• Approximately 7 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease, a figure expected to nearly double to around 13 million by 2050.
• About 58% of older adults have high blood pressure, which is a significant factor in metabolic syndrome.

What is Healthy Aging? Is It Even Possible?

If only there was an elixir to stop aging in its tracks! Even if there would be, it’s a given that it would come packed with serious side effects. With functional medicine principles, healthy aging is not only a possibility but also a necessity to prevent physioloigcal and metabolic deterioration before its time. The result? You remain mentally sharp and physically strong as you step into your golden years.

Key Lifestyle Factors That Can Help You Age With Grace

1. Exercise: Regular exercise is among the most transformative things you can do for your health as you age. Moving your body is a powerful way with far reaching effects down to cellular health to combat the dreaded effects of aging poorly. Not only can exercise keep you physically fit, it also ensures your brain functions at its best with improved memory, better moods, and great attention span. Studies show that exercise promotes neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new neural connections, which supports learning and mental agility. Exercise regulates insulin levels and improves glucose metabolism, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, which becomes more prevalent with age. So, take up both resistance and aerobic training to maintain healthy metabolic markers and mental acuity as you age.

2. Sleep: Are you perpetually sleep-deprived? Watch out, you’re priming yourself for a challenging road ahead as you grow older. Similar to exercise, good sleep is intricately linked to a lot of mechanisms that keep you feeling and looking young. Running low on sleep can induce oxidative stress and amp up your risk of cardiac events. Sleep deprivation is directly linked to increased cortisol that runs rampant in your system, breaking down collagen and stripping the youthful glow from your skin. This study found that lack of sleep promoted wrinkles, sagging skin, and even increased dehydration in poor sleepers. In short, get an uncompromisable 8 hours of quality sleep every night to age like fine wine.

3. Stress: Being stressed chronically can set you the path of aging poorly with challenges like hypertension, IBS, and even dementia. Chronic stress is linked to shorter telomeres, which are protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that naturally shorten with age. When stress persists, telomeres shorten more rapidly, leading to faster cellular aging. This accelerates the onset of age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Stress also triggers the release of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can lead to chronic inflammation. Over time, this inflammation damages tissues and organs, contributing to conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and cognitive decline. Inflammation is considered a key factor in “inflammaging,” the low-grade, chronic inflammation associated with aging.

4. Social Activity: Functional medicine takes an integrative approach to overall well-being, so taking care of your emotional health is imperative to aging well. Staying socially active supports emotional well-being and also overall physical health, cognitive function, and longevity. Social interaction can stimulate the brain and help maintain cognitive function, reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

5. Diet & Gut Health: The foods you consume play a crucial role in the composition of your cells. Therefore, if your goal is to slow down the aging process, it’s vital to nourish your body with nutrients that optimize cellular function. Aim to fill your plate with nutrient-rich choices such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Antioxidants are essential molecules that shield your cells from damage. You can boost your antioxidant levels by adding foods high in these compounds, such as berries, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. Additionally, your gut health and the balance of your gut microbiome significantly influence the aging process, as they impact nearly every aspect of cellular health and function. It’s important to maintain a robust gut lining and support a diverse community of beneficial microbes to promote healthy aging.

While lifestyle factors like consuming a nutritious diet, managing stress, getting quality sleep, and minimizing toxin exposure all contribute to a healthy gut, sometimes your gut may require extra support to truly flourish. Stay tuned to discover which supplements can transform your aging process in our next blog! To revive health and vitality, I offer functional and integrative medicine therapies at My Pure MD Houston. Book your discovery call with me today.