|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Anti-Aging Strategies for Health and Longevity Alas, the winter months have arrived. Often the feeling of “winter blahs” is increased by the lack of sunshine and the presence of gray skies, and if you live in the Chicago area long enough, you will know exactly what we mean. Let’s first talk about the physiology that occurs when you do not get enough light. Natural sunlight and circadian rhythms are interrelated. When the amount of natural sunlight a person is exposed to is reduced, the serotonin levels produced in the brain and that supply the rest of the body are greatly reduced. This hormone is associated both with wakefulness and a sense of well-being. It is thought that people with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) may be suffering from depressed levels of serotonin (Psychology Today, Mar/April,2002) and therefore, subject to depression. Since most chemical reactions in the body occur in a cascade, for this example, the sunlight first stimulates the brain to produce serotonin and then the serotonin that is produced by the brain cascades into another chemical, an amino acid called tryptophan. New evidence suggests the timing of light may be more important than the total intensity of light. A recent study at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City found that people who got a burst of artificial light in the morning were twice as likely to overcome their seasonal depression as were those who received the light in the evening. And a recent controlled experiment by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle found that a simulated dawn—a gradual brightening for ninety minutes in the early morning—was more effective than a sudden burst of light for half an hour (Psychology Today, Mar/April, 2002). Other methods of conquering the winter blahs are light therapy and melatonin supplementation. These have proved beneficial in many cases. Regular exercise of thirty minutes, three times a week can also increase the chemical production naturally. To illustrate how detrimental these chemical imbalances can be, here is an example of a case study. A 35 year old female we will call Miss Godiva complained of feeling like she was 65 years old. She felt so tired and very cranky. She wasn’t sleeping well and she wasn’t exercising. All she felt like doing was watching TV and eating chocolate. She could barely get through each day at work in her office which was full of fluorescent lights. She tried some over-the-counter sleeping pills and some over-the-counter supplements for depression, neither one of which was able to override the large quantity of coffee she ingested daily. She was referred to a natural doctor who determined after speaking with her at length, and taking into consideration the many symptoms she described, that she was displaying a classical case of SAD. The practitioner recommended light therapy to begin her program. She replaced the fluorescent lights over her desk with full spectrum light fluorescent tubes, helping to emulate natural sunlight, as well as placing an Ott full spectrum lamp at her desk. She changed her home lighting to full spectrum bulbs. It was also suggested that she exercise regularly, and if she could walk outside for twenty minutes to one half hour daily, weather permitting, she would experience the natural sunlight even though the skies were gray or cloudy. The next recommendation was that she change her eating habits. Since a diet too low in complex carbohydrates can cause serotonin depletion and depression, she was advised to eat complex carbohydrates including brown rice, whole grains, Ezekiel bread, millet, legumes, and soy products. She also was to add more fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit her “junk food” intake. Two weeks after adopting this program, she felt significantly better and her sleep improved. Depression is not a natural part of aging, but it is frequently linked to age-related nutritional problems, such as poor eating habits and B vitamin deficiencies and dehydration (Balch, Prescription for Nutritional Healing). Lack of light—shorter days and longer nights—and feeling lonely can all contribute to the feelings of depression.. Having described a case of a 35 year old woman, imagine those who are homebound or unable to go out when the weather is too bad. If they are not exercising regularly, producing the chemical serotonin, and not getting enough light from full spectrum lights or other forms of light, they may suffer depression, especially SAD. Since attitude is very important, having reasons to feel alive and useful are paramount in keeping feelings of depression at bay. Of course, surrounding yourself with friends and family may lift your spirits also. Since a large number of people in our society do not have moral support from friends or family close by, we would like to offer some suggestions and services within the greater Chicago area that are available to those who may be alone or homebound or just need someone to talk to. The following is short list of groups and agencies who make it their business to help others, offering services such as home delivered nutritious meals, senior citizen companions, regular check-in telephone calls and friendly visiting services. Also, we recommend you call or go to your public library for help. They can guide you to many resources in your own community. American Red Cross of Greater Chicago The Ark Chicago Department of Aging and Assistance Catholic Charities, Family and Aged Services Council for the Jewish Elderly Family Care of Illinois Hull House Association Illinois Department on Aging Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Metropolitan Family Services Proviso Council on Aging Senior Center Retired Senior Volunteer Program Steven and Rose Novil are both doctors of nutrition and naturopathy. Steven practices in Chicago and has lectured at international conferences on Anti-Aging as well as locally, and is an advisor to major supplement companies. In addition to her degrees in health, Rose is also a Professor of Library Services, consulting with Steven and researching new developments in the field of Anti-Aging. Their goal is to help people become pro-active and informed partners in creating their own personal anti-aging programs. Readers are reminded to always check with their health care provider before starting any health regimen. This information is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or disease; it is for educational purposes only. Steven can be reached by phone at 312-458-9676 (24 hour voicemail) or at livonlivon@yahoo.com. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All content and articles copyright ©2004 by Lightworks Inc except where noted. All rights reserved.