The Balanced Millionaire with Eileen Mendel

Guest, Stephen Schimpff MD is a quasi-retired internist, professor of medicine and public policy, former CEO of the University of Maryland Medical Center and author most recently of Longevity Decoded – The 7 Keys to Healthy Aging. 

Other Books by Dr Schimpff

• The Future of Medicine
• Alignment – The Key to Success of the University of Maryland Medical System
• The Future of Healthcare Delivery
• Fixing the Primary Care Crisis – Reclaiming the Patient - Physician Relationship and Returning Healthcare Decisions to You and Your Doctor
• Fortune Seekers in the Promised Land

Website & Blog

https://megamedicaltrends.com/

Possible Questions for Interview – Use as desired – or not.

What is your basic message?

Every organ and function begins to decline about 1% per year starting in early adulthood. Eventually this reaches a point of potential disability.

In addition, chronic diseases become more prevalent as we age.

With modifications to our lifestyles, we can slow the organ decline, prevent most “age prevalent” chronic diseases (cardiac, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, etc.) and add healthy years to life.

What do you hope will result from publication?

More people with understand that they have the “power” to change the course of their lives to a healthier state

You say that we all lose about 1% of body functions per year. Can you give us an example or two?

Bone mineral density/ muscle decline/ balance decline – all lead to falls, fractures

Cognitive Decline

Is it really 1% or is that an average?

Yes, it is average. The actual number varies widely form person to person, organ to organ and time to time but the 1% is a good conceptual place to start.

So can we really slow the 1% per year decline

Yes. We can’t stop it although but we can slow it. And if we start out early enough in adulthood, we can have a substantial impact. It is like saving for retirement – better to start when young than try to catch up later. But it is never too late to start!

OK, how do we do it?

First, there is no magic pill or fountain of youth.

It is all about modifying life styles. I know that seems difficult to many people but the implications are so important that maybe it is time to stop and consider.

It is the key to both longevity and disease prevention in addition to enjoying wellness and good health.

Let’s start with diet nutrition. What do we need to do?

Eat lots of veggies, multiple colors. Dark green leafies in abundance. Also, fruits, especially berries. Much better if organic and fresh. Basically, it is to eat everything in moderation and cut way back on sugar and white flour while increasing fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds and whole grains. Limited meats in small portions are OK but best if they are from grass fed animals

This implies less bread, pies, cakes cookies, pasta and even pizza made from white floor.

Also little or no sodas, ice cream and other foods high in sugar (which are many)

Read labels – sugar hide everywhere, e.g., many yogurts

And Exercise

Daily aerobic X30 min; walking is fine

2-3X weekly resistance at home or at the gym

Consider adding in some balance exercises – because it too declines with age

And Stress

Very important

Much underappreciated for its damaging role in producing and abetting chronic inflammation – which in turn is the root of most chronic illnesses.

Breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, exercise, etc.

Sleep

Need 8 hours. Not true that seniors need less

It’s when the brain organizes memories and washes toxins – very critical

Completely dark room, no TV, no iPhone light, etc.

Keep to a schedule; base schedule around the light/dark cycle (Circadian rhythm); avoid excitatory TV or movies or books pre-bedtime

Tobacco

None

Intellectual Challenges

Very important. Our brains are always regenerating but it does so only with input that challenges. Consider art, writing, music, chess, etc.

And finally, social engagement. Why is that important for us?

There is a chapter on The Blue Zones. What are they? How do they relate to our health and longevity?

Five areas – Island of Ikaria, Greece, an area of Sardinia, Okinawa, Nicoya peninsula, Costa Rico, Loma Linda, CA

High proportion of centenarians

Yet – different locations, ethnicity, religions, foods, traditions

Why do they live longer?

Don’t know. But, some commonalities

Family very important

Plant based, locally grown, simply prepared foods. Minimal prepared/processed foods

Constant moderate activity, Minimal tobacco, Some wine, Sleep well, Able to deal with stresses of life and have a positive attitude

Most have a sense of purpose to life

How can we use them as positive examples?

See suggestions above re food, exercise, sleep, stress, life’s purpose, intellectual challenges and social engagement

In that chapter you also tell a story about a little town in NE Penn where the immigrant Italian residents had a remarkable low incidence of heart disease. But then in a generation or two, it rose to national norms. What do you make of that.?

First thought - it was genetics but that can’t be. It was probably loss of social interactions that the original immigrants had with each other.

Will there ever be just a pill to slow aging?

Maybe – Metformin, Rapamycin, Resveratrol. Mouse and rat studies exciting but they may not be the best gauges of what will work in humans. Human studies just beginning

Most data relate to metformin, an old diabetes drug with limited side effects that seems to have some potential. Interesting observations in diabetes in England.

What are others doing to actually look for eternal life on earth?

Most interesting approach is to increase the length of telomeres – the end pieces on chromosomes. Each time a cell divides the telomeres get shorter; at some point the cell can no longer divide and becomes senescent or dies.

So, if we could get the telomeres to lengthen rather than shorten maybe we would live longer. This is the approach being used by:

Gene therapy ala Eliz Parrish and her company Bio Viva

Final thoughts?

Don’t wait for pills or gene therapy. Use the power that you have to modify your lifestyles now and, in the process, have better health and greater longevity

Also remember that just like saving money for retirement will compound over time, so too will lifestyle modifications with slower aging and many fewer chronic diseases as you age.