Reversing the Aging Process with HBOT – OHR #420

Some of you may be unaware that we have two Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers at LifeWorks Wellness Center and we can accommodate treatments for 20 people a day.

Did you know that HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) can stop the aging of blood cells and even reverse the aging process in healthy adults?

Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that HBOT can reverse three major processes associated with aging:

1. The shortening of telomeres
2. The accumulation of old malfunctioning, so called senescent cells.
3. Improvement of brain functions damaged by age, brain injury or stroke and can ameliorate symptoms in Alzheimer’s patients.

In their study, 35 healthy people aged 64 or over given 60 HBOT treatments over 90 days, there was up to a 38% increase in telomere length.

Telomeres before and after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Image courtesy of Tel Aviv University.

Telomere length is identified with aging. Longer telomeres = longer life and slower aging. HBOT was proven to be more effective than diet or other lifestyle modifications such as intense exercise in improving telomere length. They also found a 37% decrease in senescent cells.

Other studies have found that HBOT can improve cognition, attention and processing speed of aging adults.

At LifeWorks we routinely use HBOT in cancer patients and anyone with Lyme, chronic fatigue, or autoimmune disease. But its use for normal people who want antiaging for their brain and body is also a very good application.

If you are “feeling your age, having too many senior moments, or just don’t have that youthful pep” you used to have, you should come in and get a series of treatments. The successes we get are amazing.

Here is one:

“One word says it ALL:
The HBOT is MIRACULOUS!!!
If someone told me 6 weeks ago that my debilitating neuropathy would be almost gone, I would have said “NO WAY!”
Guess what?  It’s happened!
I also have a clearer mind, more energy and simply just feel great, like Tony the Tiger!” – John

That’s all for this week. But call us today and get an evaluation for HBOT for yourself or someone you love.

Have a great one,

Dr. David I Minkoff, MD

Reference:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33206062/

Holiday Stress & How to Handle It

The holidays can be a great time of year, spending time with family and friends that you may not get to see throughout the year.  It can also cause some unwanted stress.  Some people only see certain family members once a year and there’s a reason for that.  Other people may put a lot of bills on credit cards over the holidays and now that we are in January, those are coming due.  Then there are the ones who try to make everything perfect and stress over every detail, worrying all the time if people are enjoying themselves, not thinking about their own actual enjoyment.

Whatever category you fall into, there is no better time than now to handle any stress in your life.  Stress can have a negative impact on our bodies and can allow illness or other health conditions to develop.  The new year has arrived, and now is the time to take care of yourself.

Tips to handle stress:

1. Acknowledge what is causing you stress

Take 5 minutes to yourself, sit down and think about what is causing you stress.  We can all put our finger on at least one thing that causes us stress.  Once you have that in your mind, make a to-do-list of tasks that will help you handle this and check them off as you complete them.  This will make you feel accomplished and relieved as you tick off each task.  If your stress is the upcoming credit card bills, make a plan with how much you can pay above the minimum payment each month to pay that off faster.  If your stress was making sure everyone had a good time and you were not really able to enjoy it yourself, plan for a little weekend all to yourself or with loved ones.  Cherish this time and be in the moment.  Do not worry about anyone else.  If you are spending time with loved ones, know that they are just as happy to be spending time with you, so relax and enjoy the time with them.

2. Get plenty of sleep

People are not getting the right about of sleep(i) that they need for their bodies to recover and be ready for the next day.  Stress is a huge culprit that affects our sleep, where you are not able to relax enough to get a good night’s rest.  There are three stages of sleep – Light, REM and Deep.  These are all important in how the body recovers and prepares itself for the day.  Lack of sleep can also make you more prone to sickness and other health issues.  There are many devices on the market now that can track your sleep, including the Oura Ring and Fitbit.  Try and get into a routine where you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including the weekends.  When you go to bed at different times and your wake-up time varies, this can affect your sleep and the body’s circadian rhythm.

Approximately two hours before your normal bedtime, try to stay away from phones, tablets, TV’s etc., anything with a blue light.  A lot of people do not realize that the blue light in these devices can affect the melatonin in your brain.  Our bodies naturally release melatonin which makes us feel tired and know that it is time for bed.  However, the blue light stimulates your brain and causes the melatonin to not release, therefore not making you tired.  So, when you go to bed, you just lie there wide awake or toss and turn all night.  Maybe try reading a physical book, as this may relax you enough where you could get the 7 – 8 hours of sleep (ii) that your body needs.  When your body is well rested, it can handle stress better.

3. Get active

Have you ever noticed that you felt better after exercising?  We have all experienced a time in our lives where we’ve said, I can’t be bothered going for a walk or doing a workout, but afterwards felt better for doing it.  Being active can help your sleep but it’s also a great stress reliever.  We aren’t talking about going for a 10K run but a simple 30-minute walk in the fresh air, and depending where you live, in the sun, is great for the body.  Exercise reduces stress and increases endorphins which make us feel good.

4. Eat well

Have you ever noticed that you feel worse after eating certain foods?  Whether it is fatigue, bloating, acid reflux etc. you may be eating the wrong kind of foods for your body.  Are you getting enough fruits, vegetables, and protein?  Are you eating too much processed foods or is your grocery pantry full of packaged foods?  Eating the wrong type of food means you are not giving your body nourishment that it needs to get through the day, which adds extra stress on the body.  By eating organic, healthy foods we are giving our bodies the vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay strong and healthy.  If you ate a lot of “bad” things over the holidays or overindulged in sweets, cakes, and alcohol etc., now is the best time to hit the reset button and start fresh.  Write out a grocery list before you go to the store or order online.  If you are going to the store, try to shop around the perimeter of the store, like the produce and butcher sections.   Try to avoid walking up and down the aisles as these are mostly filled with processed foods that are bad for you.  Eating better will make you feel better and stress is less likely to develop, and if it does you will be able to handle it better.

We are all going to getting stressed at some point in our lives, but by following all these steps you will be able to handle it better.  If you or a family member has any health issues that are causing you stress, please call us today to schedule an appointment.  We will find the root cause and get you back to living life to the fullest, stress free.  Call (727) 466-6789 to schedule an appointment.

References:
1. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
2. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/longhourstraining/risks.html