I think there are many facets that contribute to aging. I find all three causal theories of aging, "the good-of-the species theory, the rate-of-living theory, and the evolutionary aging theory," to be very intriguing. The book makes a great point about why each can be justified and disproved. I have always felt that cell division plays a dominate role in aging. I feel this way because cancer is predominate in the world and it is a disease that results from mutations that cause uncontrolled division of cells. The risk of cancer increases as we get older in age.
In Why We Age, on page 65, it talks about how some research suggests that "limited cell division may inhibit healing in arterial regions that have been damaged by being bombarded with blood. Also our immune system needs rapid, plentiful cell division to operate effectively." If cells don't divide properly, or target foreign cells (viruses) as quickly, it causes us to be ill longer and puts a lot of stress on the organs. I think that stress on the body can really age a person. This is seen often in people who hold stressful positions or undergo stress times in life, such as a parent dying.
While this doesn't support my belief of aging, it is a very different explanation as to why we age. If you have never been on TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, you should check it out (www.ted.com). It's a website that has talks and performances from "remarkable" people all over the world. One lecture that is particularly interesting is a lecture that was given by Cambridge researcher, Aubrey de Grey. He argues that aging is a disease that can be cured. This is quite a statement and he has quite an extreme argument. Check it out at: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/aubrey_de_grey_says_we_can_avoid_aging.html.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
What is Healthy Aging?
What would you define as healthy aging?
I would define healthy aging as taking care of one's self in every aspect possible. To age healthily, I imagine someone who has ate well-balanced meals, exercised at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes, and who has control of the stress in their life. While these traits to me encompass healthy aging, I am well aware that in doing these it does not ultimately lead to a long, healthy life. However, by taking care of oneself, the chances of leading a healthy life are significantly higher than those who choose to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Some examples of choices that would lead to unhealthy aging would be smoking, not exercising, eating a diet hight in fat and cholesterol, and having a stressful career.
At what point in the lifespan does aging happen?
I think that aging is continuously happening. From the moment we are born we are aging. Our cells are multiplying and dividing.
How would you measure this? Can it be applied to everyone?
Having taken many cell biology and nutrition courses, I have been informed of the Hayflick Limit (cells have a limited potential for cell division) and of the possibility that changes in mitochondria cause aging. While there are many physiological things that can measure aging, I think simply looking at a person can really define how well they are aging. People who take care of their bodies tend to age better than those who smoke or drink excessively, etc.
An interesting link....
One interesting link I wanted to add for everyone to check out is the Progeria Research Foundation website. For those of you who do not know what Progeria is, it is a rare and fatal condition that causes accelerated aging in children. It is caused by a mutation in LMNA gene. The LMNA gene is responsible for holding the nucleus of a cell together. The nuclear instability is believed to be the cause of the premature aging.
http://www.progeriaresearch.org/
I would define healthy aging as taking care of one's self in every aspect possible. To age healthily, I imagine someone who has ate well-balanced meals, exercised at least 3 times per week for 30 minutes, and who has control of the stress in their life. While these traits to me encompass healthy aging, I am well aware that in doing these it does not ultimately lead to a long, healthy life. However, by taking care of oneself, the chances of leading a healthy life are significantly higher than those who choose to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Some examples of choices that would lead to unhealthy aging would be smoking, not exercising, eating a diet hight in fat and cholesterol, and having a stressful career.
At what point in the lifespan does aging happen?
I think that aging is continuously happening. From the moment we are born we are aging. Our cells are multiplying and dividing.
How would you measure this? Can it be applied to everyone?
Having taken many cell biology and nutrition courses, I have been informed of the Hayflick Limit (cells have a limited potential for cell division) and of the possibility that changes in mitochondria cause aging. While there are many physiological things that can measure aging, I think simply looking at a person can really define how well they are aging. People who take care of their bodies tend to age better than those who smoke or drink excessively, etc.
An interesting link....
One interesting link I wanted to add for everyone to check out is the Progeria Research Foundation website. For those of you who do not know what Progeria is, it is a rare and fatal condition that causes accelerated aging in children. It is caused by a mutation in LMNA gene. The LMNA gene is responsible for holding the nucleus of a cell together. The nuclear instability is believed to be the cause of the premature aging.
http://www.progeriaresearch.org/
Monday, January 17, 2011
Why this topic interests me
The topic of Healthy Development and Aging: A Life-Span Perspective is very interesting to me. This topic is intriguing to me not only because I, personally, want to know how to pursue developing and aging healthily, but also because I am very interested in the field of health. The past two years I have worked at Bickford Assisted Living of Ames as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Here I have been given the opportunity to see first hand how having healthy habits when younger can really determine how your quality of life will be when your older. I have also seen the effects of many diseases both physically and mentally. I look forward to this class and reading The Blue Zones, to see the habits of those who have lived a long, healthy life.
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