Antioxidants are chemicals that interact with and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing them from causing damage. Antioxidants are also known as “free radical scavengers.” Free radicals are formed naturally in the body and play an important role in many normal cellular processes. At high concentrations, however, free radicals can be hazardous to the body and damage all major components of cells, including DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. The damage to cells caused by free radicals, especially the damage to DNA, may play a role in the development of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other diseases of aging.The body makes some of the antioxidants that it uses to neutralize free radicals. These antioxidants are called endogenous antioxidants. However, the body relies on external (exogenous) sources, primarily the diet, to obtain the rest of the antioxidants it needs. These exogenous antioxidants are commonly called dietary antioxidants. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are rich sources of dietary antioxidants. Some dietary antioxidants are also available as dietary supplements. Examples of dietary antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, Acetyl l-carnitine, and vitamins A, C, D, and E (alpha-tocopherol), and the mineral Selenium.

The definition of anti-aging is to delay, stop or retard the aging process. Our bodies are made of cells, and aging occurs when there is cell death. As an infant, child and young adult, our body’s cells are strong, resilient and can make new cells. As the years advance, our body’s ability to generate new cells diminishes, cell death occurs, and the aging process ensues.Many natural aging mechanisms frequently result in actual diseases. From this, we can conclude that fighting an aging process may well bring about an improvement of age-related illness.

To put an effective anti-aging program together for your body, you should follow these four principles

•  Enhance your health by eating a hormonally correct diet
•  Enrich your body with optimum doses of proven antioxidants and nutraceuticals
•  Improve your physical exercise performance, which includes aerobic, anaerobic and flexibility training
•  Replace hormones to levels to those of 20-30 years old

A hormonally correct diet is the diet that balances insulin and glucagon activities in our bodies. The hormonally correct diet contains 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates and 20% fat along with vitamins, minerals and drinking plenty of water. Eating small meals every 4-5 hours and eating the proper ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat at each meal or snack can mean a difference between illness and good health.

Nutraceutical supplements include various antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. These include but are not limited to Vitamin A, C, E, mineral selenium, glutathione, superoxide dismutase, Coenzyme Q10, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Carnosine.

​Regular physical activity has been a way of life for virtually every person who has reached the age of 100 years in sound condition. Always remember: exercise is medicine.

The goal of hormone replacement therapy is to bring them to the level of youth. It must be done after a complete evaluation and under the guidance of an Anti-Aging physician.