We all get older.

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As I like to tell my patients, "Father time is undefeated."

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But what does it mean to get older? What does it mean to age?

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At first, scientists thought that ageing was a function of telomere (the ends of your chromosomes) shortening. Then, they thought it was about accumulating too many reactive oxygen species (free radicals).

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Now, the evidence is mounting that the body ages due to an accumulation of senescent cells. You don't have to be a Greek scholar to recognize that senescent has the same root as senile. Senescent cells are old. They are old cells that don't function well.

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In normal circumstances, when a cell in your body doesn't function well, your body kills it. In the case of senescent cells, they circumvent this process. This gives you a cell that is too old to function, but too savvy to die. Does this remind you of a zombie? Zombies, although fictional, paint the perfect picture. Zombies don't function like human beings, but don't die. These cells are accumulating in your body, decreasing the function of your organ systems.

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Your eyesight isn't what it used to be? Senescent cells are accumulating in your cornea!

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Your knee gets sore when it rains? Senescent cells are accumulating in your joints, causing arthritis!

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Your memory isn't as sharp? Senescent cells are accumulating in your brain!

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Blood pressure elevating? Senescent cells are causing atherosclerosis in your vessels.

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In short, any disease that's age-related has a component of senescence to it.

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Therefore, if you can find a way to prevent senescence or even REDUCE senescence, you will give yourself a better chance to live a longer, healthier life! What research is finding is that by killing senescent cells, your body stimulates STEM cell production, helping to regenerate tissue.

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Don't get me wrong though, you're not going to give yourself 20/20 vision by intermittent fasting or give yourself 25-year-old skin by taking Resveratrol or completely heal that degenerated disc using Shockwave Therapy. There is a chance, however, with the right combination of interventions, to slow down ageing, or even reduce ageing by 15-30% in a given organ system.

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At the end of the day, if you're a health conscious individual (which you probably are since you're reading this blog), you're likely doing many of the things that are senostatic (slowing down the development of senescence) or senolytic (killing senescence and regenerating tissue) like eating well, sleeping well, fasting, avoiding harmful plastics, getting a healthy dose of sunlight, working out in the right dose, getting adhesion removed, and even utilizing shockwave therapy through a qualified healthcare provider.

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At Wildcard, we specialize in removing adhesion and killing senescence with Shockwave Therapy, helping to reduce pain and promote longevity in your musculoskeletal system.

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At home, if you can manage your stress, your diet, your sleep, and reduce exposure to poison, you will give yourself a wonderful opportunity to live a longer, healthier life by reducing senescence.

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I will continue to review research and present more information about longevity and senescence further on this blog so stay tuned!