T<\/span>oday\u2019s technological advancements and focus on the science of aging have resulted in people living longer and more active lives than at any other time in history.<\/p>\n Like many aging Americans, I experienced professional and personal burnout at the peak of my career, which made me rethink how I was living each day and how I was thinking about the aging process.<\/p>\n As an active person participating in physical activity, I shifted toward achieving a more balanced life. As a neurosurgeon, I started to re-examine the brain\u2019s role in aging from a physiological standpoint and reevaluate the aging process. What I found is fascinating, and at the age of 82, I am still running triathlons and engaged in athletic competitions.<\/p>\n According to the World Health Organization<\/a>, by 2030, the world\u2019s population of people aged 60+ will increase from 1B to 1.4B, and the number of people aged 80+ is expected to triple by 2050.<\/p>\n Still, many people will spend a decade or more in medium to poor health, decreasing their quality of life despite increasing the number of years lived. While people are starting to understand the impact of taking an active role in the aging journey, most don\u2019t notice until the visible signs of cognitive and physical decline are unavoidable.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t have to be that way any longer.<\/p>\n Through innovations in science, research, and clinical trials, there is a better understanding of extending the quantity of a person\u2019s lifespan and enhancing the quality of those additional years through proactive measures.<\/p>\n Waiting until decline begins to show in brain and body performance before addressing aging can be just as dangerous as ignoring other health problems. Therefore, it is beneficial for people to treat aging as a disease, proactively focus on health and wellness, and take advantage of the latest medical advancements. People can now address aging as a disease just like they have addressed other age-related illnesses as new treatments and practices are discovered.<\/p>\n Today, many technological innovations are being developed and made available to keep people physically and mentally active. These advancements enable a more substantial definition of independent living for aging Americans. This includes innovations in smart home technology, the ability to remotely monitor and detect falls or other accidents, and automatically alerting medical help.<\/p>\n Technology today also provides early detection and management of diseases and maintenance of social connections to reduce social isolation and mental health issues. More recently, technological innovations in the field of aging are proving that we can prevent and, in some cases, even reverse the effects of aging.<\/p>\n Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is one practice that has proven to be effective in extending the prime years of one\u2019s life when combined with taking a proactive approach to health on a day-to-day basis.<\/p>\n Decades of research and clinical studies have suggested that this therapy can keep the mind and body more active, alert, and engaged in later years. Studies have also shown that HBOT with an inflow of pure oxygen allows the body to create new stem cells, reduce inflammation, and repair damaged tissue in the brain, thus reversing symptoms associated with cognitive and physical decline. It also may increase attention and information processing speed.<\/p>\n Many symptoms of age-related diseases begin from a reduction of cells\u2019 oxygen supply which expedites the aging process and increases the risk of further brain and body deterioration. When delivered as part of a comprehensive approach to brain and overall health and wellness and professionally monitored by medical experts in a safe environment, HBOT has shown regenerative effects. Through a protocol of delivering 100 percent pure oxygen to the body, HBOT has been shown to heal non-necrotic tissue damage in the brain, which is often a result of age-related diseases like stroke or TBI\/concussion.<\/p>\n When incorporated into a holistic approach, including the correct diet, consistent physical activity, enough sleep, and regular mental stimulation, an HBOT protocol can help proactively address and avoid age-related diseases. As proven in clinical studies, these factors worked together to prevent the symptoms commonly associated with aging, like brain fog and decreased energy levels.<\/p>\n While many new anti-aging solutions exist, a dedication to a healthy lifestyle outweighs many \u201cquick-fix\u201d options. A healthy lifestyle is a 360-degree approach that requires positive improvements and consistency in all aspects of brain and body health, including diet, fitness, sleep, mental stimulation, stress levels, avoiding environmental toxins, and more.<\/p>\n Just as someone would make lifestyle changes to prevent potential age-related diseases, adopting a healthy lifestyle before symptoms develop has been scientifically proven to make a significant difference. Early detection and intervention of any illness are vital to successfully treating the disease or condition. The earlier we can make responsible lifestyle choices and adopt healthy habits, the older we can be before age-related diseases might affect us. Though early intervention is ideal, it’s never too late to adopt and maintain healthy habits.<\/p>\n These practices include eating a variety of nutritious foods, maintaining an active lifestyle, managing the frequency and level of stress on a day-to-day basis (including laughter and spending time with friends and family), consistently getting a good night\u2019s sleep, and keeping the brain sharp through cognitive stimulation like puzzles or learning new skills. Incorporating these skills as a preventative measure is advantageous in more effectively retaining mental and physical health.<\/p>\n The National Institute on Aging<\/a> suggests a diet high in fiber and low in saturated fat to lessen the development of chronic diseases that come with age, like heart disease. The CDC recommends that adults 65 years and older complete 150 minutes per week of moderately intensive activity like brisk walking or 75 minutes of vigorous intensive exercise like hiking or jogging.<\/p>\n The more we learn, the more we understand what keeps the body and the brain healthy. A healthy lifestyle is not just eating right and staying physically active. It means making results-driven investments in how we age. It means not just caring for the psychological aspects of the mind but the physiological aspects of the brain that nest many of the detrimental effects of aging. To fight aging as a disease, we must adjust how we think about aging and implement preventative measures as soon as possible. The good news is that these preventive measures can be implemented today, and we can increase quality and quantity to our lifespan.<\/p>\n Most people accept the cognitive and physical decline that happens as they get older, but with the technology and information available today, in combination with what we already know about the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you don\u2019t have to accept this fate. Thanks to scientific research and therapeutic advancements, we are now shifting our mindset to aging as a disease that can be delayed or even reversed.<\/p>\n Extending quality-of-life years by fighting aging as a disease<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13398,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[165,167],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2023","category-winter-2023-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13309"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13686,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13309\/revisions\/13686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Can Technology Make You Feel Younger?<\/h3>\n
The Science Behind Staying Young<\/h3>\n
A 360-degree Approach to Successful Aging<\/h3>\n
So, What Does It All Mean?<\/h3>\n
Dr. Joseph Maroon<\/a>, 82, is a neurosurgeon, serving as a clinical professor, vice chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery, a Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center<\/a>, senior vice-president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and a member of the newly formed Global Aging Consortium<\/a>. Dr. Maroon has served as the neurosurgical consultant to professional and college athletes in football, baseball, golf, hockey, and soccer and was a team neurosurgeon to the Pittsburgh Steelers for over 40 years. He has completed eight Ironman distance triathlons.<\/h5>\n
Photo: Aviv Clinics<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"