How the body ages

[m42]

MSN's interactive take on the topic:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23958246

[krahmaan]

I don't agree with MSNBC's take on this.

I know this is a subject that a lot of people don't want/like to talk about. But it is a reality. Just like after this aging process DEATH is another reality that most of us won't talk about -until we're on our ‘death beds’.

Back to aging. According to MSNBC the mind is going to be the first thing to start going -along with the eyes, then the teeth, and the joints. But I really don't agree with any of this!

From my own personal experience with myself and family. Alzheimer’s run's in my family, even baldness. But I don't think these things are hereditary. I think they involve how we live our lives. If we live with a lot of stress -like most of us do then yes we may start to lose our hair and our minds. But if we can find better ways to deal with this stress I believe, we can hamper or slow down the process.

Better ways to deal with stress have been attributed to prayer, meditation and relaxation. Or at least learning how to relax more so when a stressful even arises, then we are more prepared to deal with it. Also, we can be on our guards for stressful things to happen. Because believe me, they're bound to happen. But if we're aware that bad times always come, then they won't be such a surprise and we can handle the stress easier.

I won't say too much more but concerning the body and skin, muscles, heart, bones and joints. The condition or longevity of these I feel, will determine on what we put into our bodies and how much or how often we exercise.

[m42]

Baldness
Alopecia Universalis (full baldness) maps to chromosome 8p12. The confirmed cause is a genetic mutation that is passed through the X chromosome.

Androgen Alopecia is the most common form of hairloss. It is also known as male pattern baldness. This form of baldness is caused by sequence variations with several genes in chromosomal region Xq12-22, the part of the X-chromosome responsible for androgen reception.

Alzheimer's
Geneticists have identified a strong genetic link between Alzheimer’s and people with two copies of the G bleomycin gene who lack the APOE4 gene. An estimated 6% of the world’s population fit this genetic profile.

They’ve also found elevated risks in people who carry the APOE4 form of the apolipoprotein gene.

I agree that environmental factors may impact the progression of both, but don’t ignore the genetic code. Your risk factors are most definitely hereditary.

[Cricket]

Lord, I am soooooo old.

[m42]

Oh Grandma, what big eyes you have!

[Cricket]

Next time I take a picture, I am actually gonna open my eyes . . .

[Jacob34]

I'm so glad I'm young..... I mean its so cool how the body ages lol

[Domestic Diva]

The fact is, nobody knows how much time they have. I'm already infinitely luckier than some people I know who passed away in their most attractive, youthful years. I couldn't be more pleased that I've made it to 40 - random gray hairs and all!

About a third of the more than 28,000 respondents said their biggest fear of aging is that they won't be able to take care of themselves.

THAT is my biggest fear and I probably dwell on it more than I should. My goal is to save enough, so if I do live that long, I can afford to reside in some sort of lovely senior community....and my children and other loved ones will never have to be burdened. I seriously would rather die than burden my family.

Originally Posted by Cricket

Lord, I am soooooo old.

Oh puhhleaze! You're beautiful and very young-looking! (not that you're old!!). That's NOT the face of someone's granny!

[krahmaan]

Originally Posted by m42

Your risk factors are most definitely hereditary.

Does this risk actually foretell the outcome?

I'm a believer of today. I have no control over all future events, and the past has already slipped away from my grip. But if I'm blessed to wake up today then I feel I know where I stand.

What I mean is all these scientific factors never can tell what will really happen -in the future. They're are just hypothesis. For example, with baldness there are men who used to have a full head of hair before they had children. I won't say all, but many of them have said that after they had kids they lost all of their hair. I think it was because of the pressures of life increased and also the stress. Even the ability to deal with stress most likely diminished. Then comes their hair loss.

Even with gray hairs. I have a few, but I've also had some of them turn back to my natural hair color. How? Better ways of dealing with stress. Anyhow, I really don't see gray hairs as getting old. I see them as getting wise.

[G10]

Originally Posted by m42

Baldness
Alopecia Universalis (full baldness) maps to chromosome 8p12. The confirmed cause is a genetic mutation that is passed through the X chromosome.

Androgen Alopecia is the most common form of hairloss. It is also known as male pattern baldness. This form of baldness is caused by sequence variations with several genes in chromosomal region Xq12-22, the part of the X-chromosome responsible for androgen reception.

I would say that a lot of this is heavily nutrition related more than anything else.

Take China or Japan for example... Many years back, they did not suffer from this on the same scale but the Western world did. They have the same polution, similar lifestyles etc but their nutrition is completely different to ours.

Introduce them to the Western lifestyle and what happens. A few generations down and they also start losing their hair also.

There is also a big tie in with prostate cancer as the exact drug that is used to stop this, is also used to stop hair loss.

[m42]

Originally Posted by G10

I would say that a lot of this is heavily nutrition related more than anything else.

Take China or Japan for example... Many years back, they did not suffer from this on the same scale but the Western world did. They have the same polution, similar lifestyles etc but their nutrition is completely different to ours.

Introduce them to the Western lifestyle and what happens. A few generations down and they also start losing their hair also.

There is also a big tie in with prostate cancer as the exact drug that is used to stop this, is also used to stop hair loss.

Temporary hairloss is attributed to nutrition, lifestyles, and medical conditions.

There's also another form of temporary hair loss called alopecia areata. It isn't attributed so much to diet, it's autoimmune and no one currently knows the cause. Odds are it's also hereditary.

[m42]

Originally Posted by krahmaan

Does this risk actually foretell the outcome?

I'm a believer of today. I have no control over all future events, and the past has already slipped away from my grip. But if I'm blessed to wake up today then I feel I know where I stand.

What I mean is all these scientific factors never can tell what will really happen -in the future. They're are just hypothesis. For example, with baldness there are men who used to have a full head of hair before they had children. I won't say all, but many of them have said that after they had kids they lost all of their hair. I think it was because of the pressures of life increased and also the stress. Even the ability to deal with stress most likely diminished. Then comes their hair loss.

Even with gray hairs. I have a few, but I've also had some of them turn back to my natural hair color. How? Better ways of dealing with stress. Anyhow, I really don't see gray hairs as getting old. I see them as getting wise.

Risk influences outcome and cannot be ignored.

Stress doesn't make you permanently bald. See my response to G10.

Your hair doesn't turn gray due to stress, it falls out. Your hair follicles are genetically programmed to stop producing melanin/pigment at a certain age. Stress doesn't change the programming. The grays merely seem more dominant because there's less dark for a while.

I will grant you that recent studies are showing there might be a correlation between gray and stress, but they've yet to even remotely prove that.

[G10]

I understand about hair loss, trust me my dear, this is something I have spoken to a few specialists about in the past due to noticing my own loss

And yes, stress can permenantly make you bald as with some, once it has happened, it doesn't always grow back, even when no longer under stress.

I still find it interesting how colon cancer treatment drugs also manage to prevent hair loss.

That said, each hair follicle IS pre-programmed to fall out at a designated time and when you see some people that have hair removed from the sides and placed where hair is not present, then this doesn't fall out until the loss reaches the sides as it part of that programming.

Of course, there are many reasons one loses their hair and the main one for guys is dealing with women

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by G10

Of course, there are many reasons one loses their hair and the main one for guys is dealing with women

Pulling your hair out over the opposite sex does not count.

[m42]

Originally Posted by Cricket

Pulling your hair out over the opposite sex does not count.

What about the opposite sex pulling his hair out? *duck*

[kristeejo]

I'll be 40 this year and I feel nearly the same as I did at 20....only far more comfortable in my own skin.
Hope this keeps up.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by kristeejo

I'll be 40 this year and I feel nearly the same as I did at 20....only far more comfortable in my own skin.
Hope this keeps up.

Give it a few years babe...

One day, all of the sudden you will look in the mirror and see your mama's butt.