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Long Life Is Good, But a Good Long Life Is Better
We’ve all heard the saying “50 is the new 40.” Middle age used to mean that our bodies would begin to slow down—it’s that transition moment when cells start to break down and chronic disease begins to show up. But medical science is starting to better understand the aging process at the cellular level, and doctors and scientists alike are looking for ways to help people reverse the markers of aging.
According to Dr. Joseph Sofianek, a board-certified practitioner who heads up the Lifestyle Medicine department at Bozeman Health, “a new awareness of how telomeres function in the body is transforming how we look at the aging process. The focus is now looking at telomeres as a real indicator of a person’s biological clock and lifespan.”
Telomeres are, in layman’s terms, DNA protein structures at the end of each chromosome. They act like little caps protecting the genome from degrading when the cells divide and reproduce. Telomeres are vital to preserving the information contained in the nucleotide as the cells divide. The longer the telomere, the more healthy the cell. Shorter telomeres are indicators that cells could become senescent (inactive), and these older cells can release chemicals that cause inflammation and chronic disease.
It’s normal for telomeres to shrink as time progresses. But scientists are now discovering that lifestyle choices can preserve and lengthen them. A combination of things like diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and an active social connection can have a major impact on the health of one’s telomeres—and this aligns almost identically to the pillars at the core of Lifestyle Medicine.
The pillars are nutrition, activity, stress reduction, avoidance of risky substances, sleep health, and healthy social connections. Whole-food, plant-forward eating patterns are the cornerstone of diets shown to support optimal health, aging, and a reduced risk of disease. And diets that fit these parameters are all over the news: Mediterranean, DASH, Flexitarian, and Mayo are just a few.
Sofianek speaks enthusiastically about patients that come to see him who are looking for ways not just to extend their lives, but to live a more healthy and physically active lifestyle. He and his team of providers are guiding their patients toward introducing plant-forward meals, combining aerobic exercise with intentional weightlifting, learning meditation techniques, and joining in community.
None of this is surprising, as Bozeman is home to a community that enjoys the outdoors, wants a thriving arts-and-culture scene, and looks for ways to build community.
The Lifestyle Medicine department at Bozeman Health is made up of a team of board-certified registered nurses, health coaches, and physical therapists who are on hand to give patients resources, support, and tools that improve their nutrition, increase their activity, reduce stress, aid in avoiding risky substances, improve sleep health, and create healthy social connections. Sofianek and his team are always looking for ways to help patients find their personal motivations for change.
“We are helping them make SMART goals,” Sofianek says. “Ones that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.” Lifestyle Medicine accepts referrals from departments and modalities across the Bozeman Health network.
In addition to the work he does in the office, Sofianek offers a free healthy cooking and wellness series and hosts live cooking demonstrations called What’s Cooking with Dr. Joe at the Bozeman Public Library. The next two dates are scheduled for October 21 and November 18. Details are available on the Bozeman Health Facebook page.
For more information about Bozeman Health’s Lifestyle Medicine program, visit bozemanhealth.org/lifestylemedicine.
