Why do we age ?

What is aging? What is anti-aging? Aging is a continuous process resulting from the accumulation of little random changes affecting structural and functional elements within the body. At a molecular level, damages accumulate with time on DNA, proteins and lipids as they overcome the intrinsic repair mechanisms of the body. This build-up of molecular changes eventually affects physiological processes leading to the point where it may even compromise the general homeostasis of the body. As a consequence, we tend to become more vulnerable to environmental stress and age-related diseases as we grow old. Anti-aging is also associated with a reversal of the slower metabolism, a decrease in the number of active cells and an increase in their mutation rate.

Scientific Background of Lloyd's Anti-Aging download

Why do we age? As we age, we become more susceptible to the long-term effects of oxidative stress (a condition where the body basically has too many free radicals) and inflammation on the cellular level. The theory is that antioxidants and other age-defying compounds help cells ward off damage from free radicals and minimize the impact of aging. Beyond antioxidants, some other compounds in foods can affect aging. They can be classified according to their impact on inflammation at the cellular level, experts say. "All foods fit into three categories: pro-inflammatory, neutral, or anti-inflammatory," says dermatologist and best-selling author, Nicholas Perricone, MD. Perricone says you can help to slow aging (anti-aging) at the cellular level by choosing foods that are anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. This process is anti-aging. Although genetic disorders and gene mutations may contribute to premature aging, aging itself is not a genetically programmed process. Instead, it appears to arise indirectly through evolutionary neglect. In other words, the natural selection pressure applies until an organism actively starts reproducing itself and wanes thereafter. According to the theory of natural selection, genes that confer a better chance for survival and procreation will be passed along through generations while those that cut life short will not have that chance. But what if the deleterious trait only manifests itself in later life? Likely, it will be transmitted to the offspring. This is well illustrated by Huntingdon disease, a genetically programmed degeneration of neurons in the brain that only strikes when people are in their 30s or 40s, a time when most already had their children. Could it be that aging itself is a late onset disorder beyond the control of natural selection? If so, anti-aging techniques could be beneficial at any time but special attention to anti-aging protocols should be paid later in the aging process.