Mature_Years_Mod You mention successful aging ....what is that?

Speaker_Schneider I think it includes the whole person from the most inner levels, to consciousness and mind and physiology and even the environment should all be in balance for ideal health.

Mature_Years_Mod For those that don't know... can you define... free radicals... and antioxidants and examples of herbs that you are talking about... Free radicals are bio-chemicals found in the body which are often waste products in the body or are toxic and can be caused by ingestion of toxic chemicals, etc., and these bio-chemicals actually damage the bodies own cells, including DNA itself, and many gerontologists theorize that it's the accumulated effect of these which may be the central physiological cause of aging and aging declines in the mind and body as we know them. These also contribute to many or most of the chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, perhaps dementia, cataracts, Parkinson's disease, and others.

For this reason, medical scientists have been evaluating the effects of compounds which could neutralize free radicals. These compounds are called anti- oxidants. Because free radicals cause oxidation, which is like rusting -- so these are anti to that process, or anti-oxidants. These compounds are found in the diet, in the plant world such as in herbal preparations, and can also be synthetically manufactured such as in synthetic Vitamin C or E. However, there is significant scientific research to indicate that the natural forms of antioxidants which includes many compounds altogether, may be synergistic and therefore, more effective than a single synthetic compound. And many of these herbal preps are available in the traditional text of natural medicine and are being evaluated and applied clinical with the aging process. The traditional texts describe some of these are restorative or rejuvenative.

Mature_Years_Mod Our time is running out is there anything else you would like to cover on the subject before saying good bye?

Speaker_Schneider Many ask what is the most fundamental mechanism by which TM or these other vedic approaches work, and there has been some very good theoretical work done by Professor Tony Nader, a scientist, who has proposed that all these modalities we've discussed have a common fundamental mechanism of action human physiology, and that is -- how do they work? Prof Nader suggests that they work by enlivening the bodies own inner intelligence, if you will, the body's own inherent know-how. This is a way of enhancing our inherent self repair processes and homeostatic processes, and this seems to create balance on a most profound level of physiology, which is why many of these modalities are apparently effective in preventing much of the aging process and even reversing some features. It is a very important medical discovery.

Mature_Years_Mod Thanks for joining us today for Health In Your Mature Years. A big thanks to Dr. Robert Schneider for being our guest speaker today. It has been a very informative discussion. If you would like to learn more on this subject please check out WebMD's library topics A-Z. I also invite WebMD members to join us tomorrow for another Health in your Mature Years Program. Thank you and have a great day.

Mature_Years_Speaker It's been a great pleasure.

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