Health care for yourself starts from the inside
Aging is natural and fair - none of us can avoid it. So what's the benefit of anti-aging medicine?That we live so as to attain a high age and to be at the same time healthy. It is not a struggle with time and nature. This would be in a way futile, but it is the so-called ‘art of aging’. Anti-aging medicine does not deal with wrinkles and gray hair, but is interested in your mental and physical fitness, self-sufficiency, and independence from the care of others. If I say that in a simple way: unlike other medical disciplines, we do not want to treat illnesses but prevent them. And prevention is absolutely vital for us. The sooner you take care of yourself, the better.
But nowadays, all people want to be first of all is young and beautiful. The care of the exterior triumphs over the care of the interior.
You are right - old people desire to be young, young people to be still younger. The world has gotten a little crazy and cares about what you look like and not about what you are inside. Nevertheless a woman is more attractive who has a healthy soul and radiates something than a plastic beauty with a face full of botox. Of course, women should take care of themselves - go in for cosmetics, exercise, and dress up nicely. They should cultivate femininity, but a natural one. If you do not feel well and don't like yourself such as you are, no plastic surgery will bring you happiness. Well, if we pass over the treatments that one undergoes for health reasons. If you're working hard on yourself, and still have a fat lump on your body that protrudes and bothers you, go for liposuction. But if you're fat, and overeat from morning till night, nothing like that will save you.
But nowadays, all people want to be first of all is young and beautiful. The care of the exterior triumphs over the care of the interior.
You are right - old people desire to be young, young people to be still younger. The world has gotten a little crazy and cares about what you look like and not about what you are inside. Nevertheless a woman is more attractive who has a healthy soul and radiates something than a plastic beauty with a face full of botox. Of course, women should take care of themselves - go in for cosmetics, exercise, and dress up nicely. They should cultivate femininity, but a natural one. If you do not feel well and don't like yourself such as you are, no plastic surgery will bring you happiness. Well, if we pass over the treatments that one undergoes for health reasons. If you're working hard on yourself, and still have a fat lump on your body that protrudes and bothers you, go for liposuction. But if you're fat, and overeat from morning till night, nothing like that will save you.
So what can I according to your opinion do for myself to feel good?
There are so-called anti-aging commandments, which are ten recommendations concerning lifestyle and are suitable for everyone. And then I developed a test that focuses on brain health. My original profession is namely neurology, so on the basis of both theory and practice I know very well that everything starts in the mind. You do not have to worry about anything, it's a few simple questions that take up to fifteen minutes maximally, but you will find out a lot of important things - if you lack dopamine, energy and vitality. What is your situation concerning GABA. This is a very important neurotransmitter for your ability to respond. What is the level of your serotonin - a substance of happiness which is important for managing stress or, for example, acetylcholine which is responsible for memory and concentration. And then one thing is sufficient - to eat wisely.
What should I imagine that to be? Is this a special and scientifically-based diet?
Don't look for any complexity in it - the best and most effective things are often simple. The basis is to keep an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation in the body means aging, so each of us should significantly reduce white sugar and flour which cause the greatest damage. When you eat them for a while, nothing terrible will happen, but if your diet is based on them, be certain that at some point they will have their effect - in the beginning you may be more bloated... Otherwise, in general it is true that for our organism the most important vitamins are the vitamins A, C, E, folic acid and antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10, zinc or selenium. We do not need to supplement them artificially - better than any tablet is a diet based on vegetables, proteins, cereals and olive oil.
Let us now be specific for a moment - what do you think about drinking coffee which some experts praise and others, on the other hand, condemn?
I personally belong to the first group. I am a coffee fan because it is a source of dopamine. When you drink one or two cups in the morning, which most people do, it will ignite you in an excellent way. You have energy, vitality, and work fast and efficiently. But be careful when you drink coffee all day, as the effects will begin to fade, and it will enjoy you only with its taste rather than with its effects. As the saying goes, less is more. Nothing should be exaggerated.
What about chocolate, which we cannot do without in the editorial office?
Chocolate is excellent! It's a source of antioxidants so it works against cardiovascular diseases and cancer. But we may only consume high-quality chocolate with at least seventy-percent cocoa content; otherwise we may rather damage ourselves. Milk chocolate, candies and various delicacies often contain a substitute in the form of stiffened vegetable fats that increase cholesterol. And I am not speaking about the high-energy value caused by sugar. You must simply read the labels and be inquisitive.
Does this advice likewise apply to wine?
Yes, the higher quality the wine, the better it is. There are a number of serious studies that prove its positive impact - especially of red wine. It contains the herbal substance resveratrol that breaks down free radicals and thus facilitates cell renewal. As with coffee and chocolate, important is the measure in which we indulge in it - it is still an alcoholic drink and therefore a poison. Additionally, its absorption decreases significantly with age - therefore, the typical symptoms of a hangover such as a headache, discomfort, loss of appetite ... But that's no new discovery. We simply have everything in our hands and in our head. Two to three glasses relax you excellently; a whole bottle on the contrary devastates you. So you must choose.
Red wine is mainly drunk in the winter, white during the summer months. It's probably no coincidence...
It is not. Weather has a big impact on what we drink and eat. In the winter, we need more warmth; in summer, we need to be cooled. Unfortunately, we follow this only concerning beverages; in food, we bet rather on the offering of supermarkets that have one sole purpose - to sell even such goods that are not appropriate for the given season. In the winter, they offer mainly oranges and lemons, but they do not give us enough vitamin C. For this purpose sauerkraut will serve much better. Already though our grandmothers knew that. They did not listen to fancy advertising, but to their common sense and intuition.
Does this mean that St. Martin's goose, which is always served at the beginning of November, is absolutely all right?
And why not? When you serve potatoes with it, and not dumplings, you will please not only your taste buds but also the digestive system. Of course, the right preparation is important - you should eliminate fat, perhaps with a baking sack into which you place the goose. If you do this, I guarantee you that you will not put on even one gram of weight. You will enjoy it, warm up and give your body a good helping of energy which you need to fight against viruses. Goose liver, known under the international expression of “foie gras,” is a source of acetylcholine which I have already spoken about - it is a substance for the proper functioning of the brain. And when our brains work well, the body also functions well and you are more resistant to diseases. The short and the long of it: Seasonal dishes have and make sense. Just like movement.
Our ancestors worked hard in the fields, and we go to the gym. It's probably not the best option, but it’s not bad either. Or am I wrong?
It depends. When you look for instance at circular training, you will find that it copies the movements that people did in the past - they lifted, pushed, cut, pulled something behind them... But then it was natural. Energy was burned at work and while walking in nature. We are walking today too, but on a belt in an air-conditioned room under artificial lighting. We do not create anything, we only play. Instead of going to mow the grass in the garden, we lift dumbbells. And during this time, a lot of sensations on radio or television are bombarding us. The brain has no chance to stop and rest, so finally we feel tired, stressed and moody. We feel the emptiness that is said to be the symbol of modern times. It is sad that this concerns not only adults but also children.
Do today's children suffer from depression and stress?
Unfortunately yes, psychological problems and hyperactivity appear in them already at five or six years. They are overloaded and their brains do not know how to solve it. Psychologists often solve this by taking all the toys out of the child's room and leaving only one. The child focuses its attention on just one thing and gradually calms down. The greatest power is just in simplicity and tranquillity. No planning, no solving of problems, but concentration only on what I do at the moment.
Health care for yourself starts from the inside
What kind of movement would you recommend?
Normal walking for at least forty minutes a day. It does not matter if you go shopping or take a walk somewhere in the park, it's important that you move naturally. It is extremely effective - you burn a lot of calories, clear your thoughts, ventilate your lungs and charge yourself with a good mood. In addition, it will not cost you a single penny - you do not need membership or a season ticket and you can just walk in your old track suit. It is best to do this before breakfast in the morning to ignite the metabolism, but even an afternoon or evening walk has many advantages.
So if you are not working at your clinic, will we meet you in the park?
I know where you're heading - the shoe salesman never carries shoes. I see it at congresses where I meet a number of colleagues who talk about movement and a healthy diet while they are obese, sick, and deadly tired. I do not intend to live like this - I perceive self-care as a duty. I want to serve as an example and to feel good about myself at the same time. Everything I recommend to my clients I test on myself. Ten years ago, I passed the food intolerance test which told me what is appropriate for me and what is not. But that doesn't mean that I live as an ascetic - I eat healthily and cheat slightly every now and again. I break the rules with a piece of cake or chocolate, but then I will add more movement. I go in for tennis, skiing and first of all exercise regularly. I do knee-bends, pushups, and simple boosting exercises. If a woman's body needs something, it is strengthening.
And what do you do for peace of mind? You manage a clinic and you have two children. This is not exactly an easy combination.
Everything is possible if you want it. I have the great advantage of having found a partner on whom I can truly rely. When I need to work, he takes care of the kids excellently. He does not blame me for anything, but supports and encourages me. And I repay it back to him. In our relationship it is simply a rule that we take turns. Already for sixteen years our relationship has been filled with love, esteem and respect. I must say that I am happy not only as a doctor, but also as a woman. And I am not afraid to get old at all.
Source: The Journal Women and Life, 11/2015