HEALTH SENSE
The longing for longevity By Dr. Brück Clift
The average human lifespan is currently 72 years. Men average 69.8 Aging is driven by many factors. At the cellular level, aging is years, while women average 74.2 years, though women have much shorter caused by damage to DNA and alterations to how it is expressed, reproductive capability than men. Since ancient times there have always along with the accumulation of molecular wastes. DNA also been myths and legends about sources shortens every time a cell replicates, and the shortening end of of eternal youth. There have been healers, snake oil salesmen, true scienDNA, known as a telomere, acts as a molecular clock. tists and physicians who have claimed to improve life span, health span and fertility. Indeed, expectancy has increased ening end of DNA, known as a telomere, acts as a molecular dramatically since 1900, but we must beware of fraud. Even clock. Inflammation is associated with oxidative stress that now, and in the future, advances in the fields of organ transcan damage DNA and proteins, as can toxins. The body must plants, implantable devices, artificial limbs, and artificial efficiently repair, recycle and clear damaged proteins and cells intelligence have already begun to push the limit of available so that cellular waste products do not accumulate. therapies, but access to experimental treatments and the overInsulin plays a role in regulating blood sugar and causing all cost of certain types of interventions will create questions the body to store fat but has also been shown to act as a proabout access to care for ordinary diseases of aging. aging molecule in animals like worms, independent of blood To achieve life extension without health span expansion sugar. would be pointless. Ideally we want to be healthy for as long Animal models show that both insulin (which responds to as possible and then die quickly, avoiding the ravages of consumption of sugar) and a pathway called mTOR (which chronic disease. responds to consumption of protein) are implicated in aging What is the current research on what can be done to extend and can be targeted with drugs to increase life span. health span (and hopefully life span) right now? Are there any drug treatments that show promise? What are the most Calorie restriction and exercise important lifestyle changes we can make? These mechanisms largely explain why caloric restriction Aging is driven by many factors. At the cellular level, aging and fasting have been shown to reduce aging and increase is caused by damage to DNA and alterations to how it is longevity. Caloric restriction appears to slow the metabolism expressed, along with the accumulation of molecular wastes. DNA also shortens every time a cell replicates, and the short- and the associated accumulation of toxic byproducts, reducing cellular damage. It increases insulin response. Fasting seems to suppress inflammation and promote a state where the immune system repairs and recycles damaged molecules, activating the sirtuin pathway for DNA and protein repair. you My name is Karin Hadsell and I’ve been in business here in town for over 3 years. I s s e r d The benefits of exercise are widely known. Very large and e Just th st the time rent and sell evening gowns and wedding dresses. Need a dress for a one-time family convincing studies have shown no upper limit to the correlar ju need fo eed it! photo or event such as a prom? Don’t drive to Anchorage to spend $400 on a wear-ittion between cardiovascular fitness and mortality. Individuals you n once gown when you can rent a dress for a fraction of the price and return it.* who can run on a treadmill longer demonstrate significantly lower all-cause mortality. My social media manager (and a client), Kamaya Fenton (Miss Alaska Other studies have strongly correlated other factors, such as Teen Earth 2019) and I are hosting a charity fashion show for next year. the ability to do more than 40 pushups in males, with a signifDetails coming soon! icantly reduced risk of heart attack. In addition to maintaining 544 3rd Avenue, Suite A • Fairbanks, AK 99701 • 11am-6pm Tues-Sat the overall baseline functionality of the muscles, vasculature, 907-328-2933 • www.facebook.com/UntilMidnightAK/ and organs, exercise seems to be protective by stimulating the *Due to Covid dresses must be dry cleaned before returning. production of endogenous antioxidants such as superoxide
Until Midnight
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November 2020 — AlaskaPulse.com
