The Anti-Aging Healing Arts Center Presents

THREE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON AGING

1. The Fountain of Youth

Five hundred years ago the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon heard from Florida natives many fantastic tales about the Fountain of Youth. Whoever drank from this Fountain, it was said, remained young forever.

Though he searched high and low, De Leon never found his fountain. But with intersecting research in biology, information science, and nanotechnology, we are on the brink of achieving De Leon's dream -- maybe within the next five years. With the decoding of the human genome and our efforts to understand its expression in proteins, new and powerful methodologies are emerging which could effectively halt the aging process. In fact, some natural source supplements are already available with incredibly powerful healing properties.

2. A Healthy Body = A Healthy Lifestyle

As we grow older our bodies will naturally decline, mainly due to the harmful effects of free radicals. But the more we learn about the aging process, the clearer it becomes that this decline can be drastically reduced.

What You Can Do:

     A. Eat Healthy: Go easy on fats and sugars and watch out for spoiled foods. But most important, get the following essential anti-oxidant nutrients from fruits and vegetables: Beta-carotene/Vitamin A ; Vitamin C ; Vitamin E ; Selenium; Zinc (see 'Articles' page 'Staying Young and Healthy' for more details).

    B. Exercise: Physical exercise -- aerobics, walking, cycling, etc. -- is a must and could extend your life by ten years. The American Institute for Cancer Research determined that one-third of all cancers could be prevented through exercise, diet and weight management.

C. Get Enough Sleep: Cells are repaired during rest and especially deep sleep - REM. A lack of adequate sleep can have a serious impact on health.

D. Take Food Supplements: Vitamin and mineral supplements make up for what our foods might be lacking. Look for our recommendations.

3. A Healthy Mind = Healthy Emotions

A growing body of evidence using quantum physics and medical research shows that every ill of the body can be influenced by how we feel. For every emotion, the body produces specific chemicals. For example, the body will produce a chemical we call sadness upon the news of my mother's death. Think a simple thought and the body will follow up with substantial changes: A scary though will cause your skin to get goosebumps. An erotic thought will cause blood to rush into certain parts of your body. An embarrassing thought will turn you hot and red due to blushing which is really a chemical shower in your face.

Even a simple perception of danger or fear will trigger a chain reaction of neural and hormonal changes putting your body in a state of readiness. Your heart beats faster; more fat, cholesterol and sugar is pumped through your bloodstream; your stomach secretes acid; hormones are released which can jam your immune system.

This kind of severe stress can, over time, lead to gastrointestinal distress, high cholesterol, insomnia, or lower back pain. It can leave you more vulnerable to infections.

But the effects of thoughts on the body can be positive. With things like meditation, friendship, guided imagery, prayer, biofeedback, and laughter you can literally send healing messages to your brain, reducing stress and boosting your immune system. Many hospitals have now integrated these new healing methods in their patient care for more efficient and lasting recovery.