The New Era of Wellness is shifting from life span to health span. It’s no longer about living longer, but instead about living better as you age - free of disease, full of energy, and ready to take on the golden years. The goal is to live those years with as much energy and vitality as possible, utilizing science backed strategies that prioritize prevention and precision as applied to each individual. Learning techniques to lower chronic inflammation, known as inflammaging, can prevent age related metabolic diseases, helping to enhance our health span.
Dr. Shah is a lifestyle medicine physician with a belief in holistic wellness. She urges women to integrate medicine with lifestyle approaches using nutrition, movement, and nature. She coaches women using an individualized, integrative approach using mind and body to achieve total body wellness, allowing them to discover their authentic selves and thrive in their families and careers.
To connect with Dr. Shah, visit her wellness website at (www.wellwithdrshah) or follow her on Instagram (@wellnesswithdrshah).
What do you mean when you refer to health-span?
It’s shifting focus from lifespan, simply living longer, to the health you’re living with. Health-span is about thriving in your later years and continuing to have the energy to pursue hiking, biking, running, etc.
What are some of your best pieces of advice for women?
I hear the term bio-hacking thrown around, but this sounds too aggressive. I prefer “bio-optimizing” These are the small habits that help us live longer. They make us more resilient at a cellular level and prevent shortening of the DNA telomeres, which are involved in aging. Another key component of healthy aging is maintaining muscle strength. This physical strength translates to mental fortitude and confidence.
What are some ways to bio-optimize?
Key pillars to optimal health are nutrition, movement, sleep, social connectedness, nature, and stress reduction. Currently, everyone is focused on weight loss, which is certainly important for overall metabolic health, but it isn't the only thing that matters for health-span. Staying connected with others, spending time in nature, and reducing stress all contribute to our overall health. We also need to add some hormetic stressors, which are good stressors for our body, things like cold plunging, saunas, intermittent fasting. These encourage cellular autophagy and rid our bodies of senescent “zombie” cells. The gut microbiome also plays a critical role in maintaining overall health beyond just the GI system.
Are there other particular areas for women to consider as they age?
The pendulum is swinging back towards hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially during perimenopause and menopause. We need to reconsider the vital role of HRT for female hormonal balancing as women age, especially those experiencing significant symptoms of menopause. The risks related to HRT may have been overestimated from earlier studies, so it’s important to speak to your physician to see if it is the right choice for you.
"It’s about thriving in your later years, full of energy and the ability to remain active."