Fill in the blank after the phrase, “middle age”. Many will say—crisis! Then, if you ask if the middle/golden years of life feeling are feeling golden, many will say, with a hearty laugh, no!
This creates a profound gap in life, especially “middle, older” life. Imagining a life of more, yet not feeling it day to day.
Multiple joints aching. Energy tapped out by late afternoon. Sagging waistlines. Pantry full of medications or supplements. Calendars filled with doctor’s appointments. Wondering, is this as good as it gets? Am I already past my prime?
If any of that feels too familiar to you, let’s change this perception around the “norm” or aging. Because as Dr. David Sinclair, PhD shared in his book, “Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have To” – We. Don’t. Have. To.
As you age, you need to clearly understand what is going to kill you, shorten your life or rob quality years. What another colleague of mine, Dr. Peter Attia, refers to as the four horsemen in his book, “Outlive”: Heart or vascular disease (and complications such as heart attack or strokes), diabetes or other metabolic diseases, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease).
Then if you know what is most likely to erode your quality of life, my responsibility to you as a patient is to make sure you have a better strategy, clear tactics and daily actions to work towards avoiding those things.
Because what my patients seek is health span—the desire is to maintain vitality, i.e. feeling healthy, strong, happy and fulfilled, not just more years of life (lifespan). More simply, to feel young again!
When your joints or back are creaking and aching you feel anything but young, healthy and happy! Instead, you feel like a ticking time-bomb, waiting for things to get worse.
So, let’s go deeper on that point. Because that is where I have expert knowledge as a non-surgical Orthopedic specialist with more than a decade of experience helping patients turn this around—and fast.
First, here’s a stat that will knock those smartwool socks right off your feet:
The number one most likely cause of disability, mobility and lost quality of life as you age are none of the diseases mentioned above. According to research by the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), the risk of persons age 65 and older becoming immobile due to knee osteoarthritis is greater than any other condition.
It's important to do something to slow the rate of aging of your joints now. Did you know that this is possible with precise daily actions and modern advancements in the treatment of Osteoarthritis.
The “old way” of “treating” Osteoarthritis does not actually treat the underlying problem. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naprosyn, merely manage symptoms. Cortisone shots squash pain and symptoms, yet a 2015 study performed at Stanford University proved this treatment to be “toxic” to cartilage. Meaning each time you are injected, you are likely killing the cartilage left in your joint, not sparing it!
Now, there is a light at the end of your pain management tunnel especially if you’re tired of the treatments above not working as well as you need or you’re looking for other options other than surgery.
The “new way” we are treating degenerative arthritis is with Orthobiologics. These treatments involve using cells from the patient, or possibly from donor sources, to target pain at the source and stimulate healing of injured tissue.
The result for many is a dramatic reduction in pain, with extended longevity of their factory installed equipment! People choose this option instead of accepting the norm of years of decline before ultimately surgically replacing a failed joint.
Now, two things you must know if you are looking into these treatments:
- Find a reputable clinic with a medical staff having the perquisite training, leading edge technology and years of technique refinement and experience to deliver the highest standard of treatment.
- Make sure they also possess the knowledge to know where these treatments work best, or where you may be best served by seeking a surgical consultation for the definitive treatment.
To learn more about Dr. Tait and non-surgical Orthobiologic treatments, visit origenortho.com. Dr. Tait is the founder and Chief Health Strategist at ORIGEN Orthopedics + Optimal Health in Tucson, Arizona. The only dedicated Orthopedic clinic in the region exclusively focused on non-surgical treatments.
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