Episode Details

Episode 185: Aging 101.  

Dr. Schlaerth explained the physiology, how to slow down and how to prevent aging. Dr. Ayyagari inquired about how to fight ageism in our clinic and in our society. Dr. Arreaza highlights the importance of treating elderly patients with dignity and empathy. A new book written by Dr. Schlaerth is introduced (“The Ways our Bodies Age.”)  

Written by Katherine Schlaerth, MD (Clinica Sierra Vista). Edits and comments by Hector Arreaza, MD (Clinica Sierra Vista), and Tejasvi Ayyagari, MSIV (Ross University School of Medicine.)

You are listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California, a UCLA-affiliated program sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. This podcast was created for educational purposes only. Visit your primary care provider for additional medical advice.

Interview

Arreaza: Question 1: 

1. What are some early signs that may indicate that your body is aging? (Pain? Memory? Weight loss?)

Schlaerth: Maximum bone mass, muscle strength and mass and general strength and endurance generally peak in the third and early fourth decades of life. However, genetics and environment play a big role in aging for each of us. People can have problems with visual accommodation in their early forties, if not before. Many people feel that a realization of the possibility of aging begins when they must have magnification to read very small print.  Women often complain of menopause as a benchmark for aging. Men don’t really have such a well demarcated event in their lives. 

Arreaza: Sure, men do not have a specific event, but I think an undeniable sign of aging in men is urinary frequency. I normally tell my patients that the nose, the ears, and the prostate are organs that tend to grow with age. So, if a male patient complains that they must use the bathroom more frequently, that may be a sign that their prostate is growing, after ruling out other conditions, if needed, we can reassure the patient that this can be a normal sign with aging. We will not neglect the patient because “it is normal” but we must offer interventions when needed.

Schlaerth: The bottom line may be that aging is multifactorial, involves everything from the demands of one’s employment, through genetics, diet, and exercise right up to how many friends one has. It is also a stealth process, and all our body parts may even age at different rates! One individual may have great kidneys but an erratic thyroid, and another a shrinking liver but a superb array of teeth.

Arreaza: (Humor) Plastic surgery and cosmetics can hide some signs of aging (not all). A wise woman said that you can hide your age, but your hands and neck will surely reveal it.

Schlaerth: Many of us use external clues to measure aging. Teenage daughters accuse us of being behind the times, or new wrinkles and white streaks in our hair bring the reality of time passing to us. 

So, the realization of aging may be rather subjective, or it may be signaled by reduced energy, a falling off of the athletic skills we once had, or weight gain when we eat the same exact quantity and type of food we did at a younger age without gaining weight. So subjective aging mirrors incompletely the aging we are undergoing at a cellular and subcellular level.

TJ: Question 2:

1. How can we slow down aging?

Schlaerth: One unpopular way would be to increase the age at which people are eligible for social security if in good health. WHY would this help? Because work adds a valuable dimension to the daily lives of seniors. It provides socializati