Healthy Aging
beginning of a conversation
with Dr. Simon C. Wong, DO
954-603-5508
9750 NW 33rd Street, Suite 210
Coral Springs, FL 33065
www.WellCareMedicalClinic.com
Wellcare Medical Clinic . . .
A Healthy Aging Practice for Your Overall Well Being
We can't avoid the
aging process.
But we can all age with an
able and disease free body.
Once we understand what to
expect as we age, we can work
with our bodies to age and
engage in an ongoing improving
process to achieve the goal.
What is considered
"normal" aging?
Cardiovascular System
Also known as the circulatory system
(heart, arteries, veins and capillaries)
As we age:
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Heart rate slows down
Heart might become slightly larger
Blood vessels and arteries become stiffer
Heart has to work harder to pump blood
Could lead to high blood pressure (hypertension)
Bones, Joints
and Muscles
As we age:
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Bones shrink in density and size
Become more susceptible to fractures
By age 80, you could lose
up to 2 inches in height
Muscles lose strength, flexibility
Decrease in coordination, balance
Digestive System
As we age:
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Constipation is more common in older adults
Reasons include a low-fiber diet, not drinking
enough fluids and lack of exercise
Medications (diuretics, iron supplements) and
some conditions (diabetes and irritable bowl
syndrome) also might contribute
Bladder and
Urinary Tract
As we age:
As we age:
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Urinary incontinence (loss of bladder
control) becomes more common
Conditions such as diabetes, menopause,
child birth and an enlarged prostate
contribute to incontinence
Memory
As we age:
 Memory becomes less efficient with age
 Takes longer to learn new things or
remember familiar words or names
Eyes and Ears
As we age:
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More difficult to focus on objects that are
close up
More sensitive to glare
Clouded vision (cataracts)
Hearing starts to dim
Have difficulty hearing high frequencies or
following conversations in a crowded room
Teeth
As we age:
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Your gums may pull back from your teeth
Medications for allergies, asthma, high
blood pressure and cholesterol can cause
dry mouth
Teeth and gums become more vulnerable
to decay and infection
Skin
As we age:
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Skin thins, becomes less elastic and
more fragile
Bruise more easily
Skin becomes drier due to decreased
production of natural oils
Wrinkles, age spots and small growths (skin
tags) are more common
Weight
As we age:
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Muscle mass decreases, body fat takes
its place
You need fewer calories to maintain
your current weight
Knowing what to expect from your
body means you are better equipped
to work with and improve upon your
body as you age.
What you can do - Cardiovascular System:
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Exercise helps lower blood pressure, lessen
stiffening of arteries
Healthy diet high in vegetables, fruits, fiber and
lean protein keep arteries clear
Stop smoking! Smoking leads to the hardening of
arteries, increases blood pressure and heart rate
Manage and reduce stress
What you can do - Bones, Joints and Muscles:
 Get adequate amounts of calcium and
vitamin D
 Weight bearing exercise and strength
training can help strengthen bones
 Don’t smoke! And limit alcoholic drinks to
two per day
What you can do - Digestive System:
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Diet should include more high-fiber foods
(fruits, vegetables, whole grains), less high-fat
meats, dairy products and sweets
Drink plenty of water
Exercise helps prevent constipation
Don’t ignore the urge to have a bowel
movement
What you can do - Bladder and Urinary Tract:
 Go to the bathroom regularly
 Maintain a healthy weight
 Don’t smoke!
 Kegel exercises
What you can do – Memory:
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Eat a healthy diet
Exercise daily
Stay mentally active (crossword puzzles,
learning new hobbies, etc.)
Be social; get together with friends
and family
What you can do - Eyes and Ears:
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Schedule regular checkups with your doctor
Wear sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat
when you’re outdoors
Wear hearing aids and perform corrective eye
surgery as necessary
Chinese word for being “SMART”
What you can do - Teeth:
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Brush and floss your teeth twice a day
Schedule regular checkups with your
dentist
What you can do - Skin:
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Use warm, not hot, water when you bathe
Use mild soap and a good moisturizer
When outdoors, use sunscreen and wear
protective clothing
Don’t smoke!
What you can do - Weight:
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Eat a healthy diet
Exercise regularly
Watch your portion sizes, should get
smaller as you age
What else should we know and do
besides exercise, diet, drink plenty of
water, no/quit smoking, using sun
block, have my teeth and eyes
checked and fixed and maintain an
active social life style?
Angiogenesis:
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Physiological process through which new blood
vessels form from pre-existing vessels
Natural process in the body used for healing and
reproduction
“On" switches are known as angiogenesis-stimulating
growth (ASG) factors
“Off switches" are known as angiogenesis inhibitors (AI)
Angiogenesis:
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Excessive angiogenesis:
o cancer, obesity, diabetic blindness, age-related
macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis,
psoriasis, and more than 70 other conditions
Insufficient angiogenesis:
o coronary artery disease, stroke, and chronic
wounds
Angiogenic Growth Factors:
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At least 20 different known AGFs
5 AGFs are being tested in humans for growing
new blood vessels to heal wounds and to restore
blood flow to the heart, limbs, and brain.
Angiogenic gene therapy is also being developed
as a method to deliver AGFs to the heart, limbs,
and wounds.
Angiogenesis Inhibitors:
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More than 300 AIs have been discovered.
Some cancer patients have experienced
dramatic regression and stabilization of their
tumors from anti-angiogenic therapy
e.g. Kidney and Skin Cancers
But other anti-angiogenic therapy cancer
treatments are disappointing. WHY?
How did cancer evolve?
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Cancer cells constantly develops in our body
Fortunately majority of them are not growing because
it needs blood vessels to supply nutrients to grow it
i.e. it needs to be free of “inhibitions” from AIs
Some of the AI drugs are not working because It is too
late in the process for the AI drugs to be effective.
i.e. we have to start the preventive process EARLY
Cancer Causes:
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Genetics: 5-10%
Environment: 90-95%
o Infectious 15-20%
o Tobacco 25-30%
o Alcohol 4-6%
o Obesity 10-20%
o Diet 30-35%
Obesity:
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Angiogenesis promotes fat expansion by
supplying fat cells with oxygen and nutrients
Laboratory studies have shown that inhibiting
angiogenesis in obese mice decreases their
weight to normal levels
Obese individuals have increased levels of
proangiogenic factors
Angiogenesis in the body is influenced by
diet and lifestyle:
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Many foods contain naturally occurring inhibitors of
angiogenesis, it acts to boost the body’s existing
system that suppresses undesirable angiogenesis that
can promote or accompany disease
They are comparable even more potent and than
some of the AI drugs available
Any medical evidence?
Eat to starve cancer and combat obesity?
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Licopene (cooked tomatoes)
o 2-3 serving of cooked tomatoes reduce risk for
prostate cancer by 40-50%
 Harvard School of Public Health
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Resveratrol (red grapes)
o Can repeatedly return obese mice to their baseline
weights by injection/withdrawal of Resveratrol
Ingredients for dinner tonight!
Anti-Angiogenic Foods
Can I use the supplement forms
of the AI food?
Yes, such as the red wine extract and
resveratrol but please discuss with your
doctor first
Thank you
Healthy Aging Lecture Series
Questions?
954-603-5508
9750 NW 33rd Street, Suite 210, Coral Springs, FL 33065
www.WellCareMedicalClinic.com