Vital Signs

SHOW #6

Anti-Aging

Our Showcase segment this month spotlights anti-aging. The implications of aging involve far more than wrinkles. Anti-aging is not only about living longer but about living free of age-related chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer.

TOPPING THE LONGEVITY CHART

A tiny principality set high in the Pyrenees, Andorra ranks first worldwide in longevity, according to the World Health Organization. With an average life expectancy of 83.5-years-old, people in their late nineties are not unusual. Doctors say Andorrans illustrate how health is more than just the absence of disease. Their sense of well-being has mental, spiritual, and physical dimensions. With clean air and stunning mountain views surrounding them, the lifestyle reinforces their peaceful state of mind. Andorrans have what the WHO ranks as the third-best public health system in the world. And Andorrans favorite drink, red wine, is even consumed in the hospital canteen. Jim Bittermann travels to Andorra to see what the age-defying locals have figured out.

THE FUTURE OF ANTI-AGING IS SCIENCE

While the fountain of youth remains elusive, recent breakthroughs are showing that real science is now behind the search. Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes us into the labs of three of the world's top aging experts. We look at the major advances in the field, including development of a prescription-based pill based on reservatrol - a substance in red wine - which could possibly trigger a longevity gene. The goal is to avert many of the diseases that strike us as we reach our 50s and beyond - all with one pill. If a cure exists for age-related diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes, there's a good chance it will come from research happening right now.

SUPER VITAMINS AND SUPERFOODS?

Several studies have found a link between healthy diet and delayed onset of age-related disease. Some experts believe you can help slow aging at the cellular level by choosing foods and beverages that are anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants. Advice about what to eat for maximum health benefit seems to change through the years. From mega-doses of vitamin C, to soy, green tea, and omega-3 fatty acids, Dr. Sanjay Gupta weighs in on possible "superfoods" powerful enough to help lower your cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease and cancer.