Over the past 50 years, a growing body of basic science and clinical research has improved our understanding of how the endocrine system interacts with the immune and nervous systems in regulating growth and repair of tissue. This interaction between these systems allows us to adapt and survive in our environment. These molecular messengers regulate our bodies’ temperature, reproduction, growth, aging, immune function, and most IMPORTANTLY, tissue maintenance and repair. Click the blue hyperlink Introduction to pericytes in the reference section.
As messengers for the nervous system, hormones regulate internal organ systems in function as well as affect the way we feel and perceive our environment. Unfortunately, both men and women experience a decrease functionally and quantitatively in these life-sustaining hormones as we age. Another new paradigm in preventative medicine strategies has evolved; a new paradigm called Bioidentical Hormone Replacement (BHRT). Many physicians assume that age-related hormonal deficiency is a natural unavoidable consequence of old age. Mainstream medical thought as a whole has been slow to offer hormone replacement therapy to the aging community. Contemporary clinical and basic science research from all around the world has shown that a hormonal deficiency impacts aging no differently from that of the younger person with hormonal deficiency. www.worldlinkmedical.com
Of great excitement, is the understanding of the hormone’s preventative role in cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia, cognitive function, macular degeneration, prevention of bone loss and prevention of cancer. With optimization of hormones and the concurrent benefit, function and vitality that occurs in aging, there is now the ability to optimize preventation. Examples of hormone regulatory change accompanying aging dysfunction include: loss of muscle mass strength and endurance, depression, sleep difficulties, degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis, a compromised immune system with increased visceral fat, depression and stress intolerance, insulin resistance, fatigue, disordered sleep and loss of sex drive. see Rouzier, Neal, MD. How to Achieve Healthy Aging, second edition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Worldlinkmedical Publisher. 2007.
Replacement of these maintenance and repair hormones to optimal physiological levels has been shown to alleviate many of the changes associated with the declining of these molecular regulators of our repair processes. Specifically, many of the hormone receptor sites and cells tend to change with age and become less sensitive. They become more resistant to hormonal stimulation which results in decreased cellular function, protein synthesis and cellular and tissue repair. This leads to the signs and symptoms of dysfunctional aging that can be minimized by optimizing the levels of hormones to improve cellular function. See Dr. Rouzier’s book How to Achieve Healthy Aging www.worldlinkmedical.com
“Whole-food, plant-based diets are profoundly important in preventing and even treating disease”. See The Campbell Plan. Thomas Campbell MD