Your Body Knows
Are you healthy? Really? How do you know? How can you be sure there’s no little cluster of mutant cells growing silently into a tumor somewhere inside your body? How do you know there’s no silent plaque in one of your arteries ready to rupture and cause a heart attack or a stroke? Or a slow buildup of plaque in your brain that might turn those ‘senior moments’ into bona fide Alzheimer’s disease in 10, 20 or 30 years?
Doctors and scientists keep inventing stronger and more precise scanners – CAT scans, MRI scans and PET scans to try and see even smaller defects inside of us. Should each of us get a whole body scan every year? What if it finds something deep inside of us? What can we do – have surgery? What if the scans don’t catch it in time? Or what if they catch it too early and we have needless surgery?
Believe me, these questions are not trivial and they are becoming more and more relevant as medical science, technology and costs advance faster than our ability to understand what they mean or how to pay for them.
But once again, nature trumps technology. Our bodies are a lot smarter than a computer or the scanners used to peer inside us. Our bodies know if and when we’re sick years, if not decades before symptoms alert us to a problem. The wisdom of your miraculous body knows everything that’s going on inside of you long before any scanner possibly could.
To find out if you’re healthy, really healthy, you just have to ask your body.
Of course you need to know how to ask, and how to interpret the answer.
In the miraculous creation of the human body, we were all born with a built-in diagnostic and early detection system just like your modern car’s computerized diagnostics. Your diagnostic system is your immune system – billions upon billions of microscopic cells traveling through every crevice of your body on surveillance for any disruption.
In UltraLongevity you will learn how to harness the power of your immune system to treat and prevent disease as well as to promote health and longevity. I’ll post more soon and I hope you enjoy and get healthier by reading my book.
Hello- I am really looking forward to your book. There is so much confusing info out for the public I hope you shed light that is much needed. There seems to be a lack of integrity and the public suffers.
↓ Quote | Posted September 20, 2007, 1:13 pmI am wondering what you think about the book “French Women Don’t Get Fat” it has a non-diet philosophy that is new for us Americans.
Thanks!
Gerg - thanks for your post. Don’t you love the concept of ‘French Women’? Enjoy what you eat, take your time, walk everywhere and never get fat. I think it works quite well, especially in France. I’m not sure it translates to the fast-paced, overproducing, stressful lives we lead in the U.S. After all, obesity is ‘largely’ a cultural problem. We could certainly learn a lot about how to live a more mindful, less stressful life. We should all learn a little French (or Italian, or Greek, or Spanish)… Dr. Mark
↓ Quote | Posted September 21, 2007, 3:44 amThanks for the reply.
↓ Quote | Posted September 21, 2007, 2:37 pmWell, I live in the country - some stress but much less, a choice I made. I did look at your book today and I didn’t purchase it. I liked the ideas but I looked the recipes and to be honest there was nothing there I would make on a regular basis. Too complicated. Sorry…. just an honest response.
The “French Woman” has simple recipes and I think more can be incorporated than we think as Americans. It might take more time to cook, to enjoy the expereince of shopping, to connect, to walk, smell , breathe. We have much to unlearn as Americans. I think if we embrace our individual cultural heritage we might find solutions too, not just French. I know my Norwegian ancestry was and is pretty healthy with the usual fast food inluences decending.
I plan on fighting it.
Best. Greg
Best- Greg
Hello~ I just saw you on Rachael Ray. I have an immune disease I was diagnosed with Lupus at 16yrs I am now almost 36. I took the test and of course I am in the second from the worst category. I have had 2 kidney transplants so I am on immunosuppressents Prograff, Celcept and of course the all mighty Prednisone. Do the suggestions you make for others work for me too?
↓ Quote | Posted September 25, 2007, 11:45 amThanks for your time
Sarah
I am impressed by your work. What advice do you have for senior woman my age (over 60), who are often alone and therefore without a significant other in their life. It has be my experience that many of my fellow senior woman contend with extended periods of depression. I know that is hard to imagine at age 40 +/- something what it is like to view the world thru the eyes of those in the last quarter (possibly less) of their lives. Often the only help offered by the medical communities is a PILL.
↓ Quote | Posted September 25, 2007, 12:43 pmYour comments would be greatly appreciated.
I never watch tv during the day but for some reason I decided to turn on Rachael Ray and am so glad that I did. I have alot of bad habits such as eating too much of the bad stuff, not exercising and not sleeping enough (I used to smoke but thank goodness, I did manage to quit a few years ago). When you mentioned the negative effects on the immune system when you don’t get enough sleep it made so much sense! I was struggling today on just 4 hours and have felt achy all day like I was coming down with the flu. I have a significant amount of weight to lose and also have insulin resistance. I plan to purchase your book right away and start implementing your strategies immediately.
↓ Quote | Posted September 25, 2007, 5:25 pmJudy
Thanks for your posts! The good news is that taking steps to control your immune system will help anyone at any age, regardless of the health or life issues you might be struggling with.
For example, fish oil, a multivitamin with B6 and vitamin D will help lupus (more steps are found in the book under Enhance).
Cultivating Love in your life doesn’t always mean having a partner/lover. You can love your pet, or your garden, or your favorite hobby, or your church or synagogue. There are many ways to increase the amount of love in your life.
Thanks again for all your comments. I hope to have another topic posted later this week… Best! Dr. Mark
↓ Quote | Posted September 26, 2007, 6:39 amWhilst I follow most of your ideas already, I am a trifle worried by the ultralongevity claim.
I know that most/all of your ideas have some research and plausibility about them (and that’s why I too go along with them). But that is a long way off from proving that this will in fact extend your life.
The only near-scientific evidence for life extension is calorie restriction (which I do not follow); this has been proved to be effective for several species, but not yet for humankind.
None of the rest, convincing as the arguments and backers may be, have any proof that they will, if followed, lead to a longer life - let alone the hyped ultralongevity.
↓ Quote | Posted September 26, 2007, 9:34 amHi Ian and thanks for your comments! I couldn’t agree more… I guess there are 2 schools of thought - wait until science proves that by adopting a healthy lifestyle you can live longer, even “ultra-long”, or just keep doing what you’re doing and hope for the best. Every now and then somebody comes along that really makes you think the first strategy is better - take Jack LaLanne, for example, a powerhouse at age 94 and living testimonial to his own advice about healthy living. There are many others, and many of my own patients have taught me how to live younger, longer.
Sometimes experience is as valuable as “science”, which itself can be fraught with problems.
↓ Quote | Posted September 26, 2007, 9:59 amBest,
Dr. Mark
Thanks for the response, but I think you miss my point.
Apart from there being many schools of thought - another being scientific and going with the research whilst being cautious about unfounded claims - there is the problem of sifting out the competing, but seemingly equally respectable, sincere and dedicated researchers.
My point is that your title is an uncomfortable example of hype, which I feel is misleading. There is no proven way of extending life. Hence the implication of your title that not only is there proven ways of so extending life, but you are offering something even better - extending it even more. This is a double deception, which I fear brings discredit on the science of longevity research.
I’m sure you mean well, and wish to encourage people to take care of themselves so that they fulfill their natural lifespan. But that is a different matter, and should be more honestly addressed.
↓ Quote | Posted September 26, 2007, 1:23 pmHi Ian! I hear your point loud and clear… but it sounds like you’re reacting to the title of the book. I’d really suggest that you read it… I think I’ve done a very good job of explaining the “state of the science”. There’s a lot of information about calorie restriction, as well as a review of other scientific evidence for extending human life.
I honestly don’t feel I discredit any of the science; quite the contrary; I believe I’ve helped people understand how they can make use of the science, themselves, right now rather than waiting for decades until the science is widely accepted.
I hope you feel differently after reading the book…
↓ Quote | Posted September 26, 2007, 3:42 pmBest wishes,
Dr. Mark
I work in an Open Heart Unit (stressfull at times) Also I work nights so my sleep is not regular. Can you address issues night workers face? I know my sleep pattern is weird and eating is a problem. I do try not to eat just before going to bed in the morning but know my diet is not good.
↓ Quote | Posted September 29, 2007, 2:36 pmHi pj - In my ‘former life” as an ER doc, I logged many night shifts, usually 12-hour shifts. Coming home at 7 AM and trying to get quality sleep was always an issue. I found eye shields and ear plugs to be a necessity and a big help. I also think some heavy shades or drapes on the windows are essential to block out as much daylight as possible. If it was tough for me to fall asleep (especially after an ‘exciting’ shift) I sometimes took melatonin 1 or 2 milligrams and that seemed to help.
In terms of diet, that’s an even bigger challenge. My advice is to bring your own food to work with plenty of snacks so you can avoid the usual ICU fare, which is, ironically some of the unhealthiest food around (sweets, chips, donuts, etc.). If you have plenty of healthy snacks and you feel satisfied you won’t be tempted to munch on junk food in the unit.
Hope that helps and thanks for your post!
↓ Quote | Posted September 29, 2007, 2:49 pmDr. Mark
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