Radio Shows | Centenarians and 100th | mp3 … wma … wav

I hope I feel this good when I reach a hundred…

"When" you reach a hundred? We'd be lucky just to get there! But if we do, We'd join a growing number of Americans reaching that milestone. You know Dave… Medical Discovery News has its own milestone today. This is our one hundredth episode.

That's why we're dedicating this one to all the centenarians out there who're doing a better job of aging than most of us. So why do we age anyway? Believe it or not, scientists don't agree on one answer.

That's right. There are two main schools of thought. One says aging is natural while the other says aging is the accumulated damage to our cells and tissues over time.

There is evidence that aging is encoded in our genes. The very fact that mutations in certain genes can extend life suggests age is programmed. Plus, all species — like man — seem to have an average life span.

The second school of thought is a bit more complex. One part involves free radicals which are a by product of normal cellular functions like when our bodies create energy. In that process, unstable molecules are created which over time, prevent essential molecules like DNA and proteins from functioning properly.

Plus environmental exposure to UV rays, radiation, chemical mutagens as well as errors when our cells divide can lead to the accumulation of genetic damage over time. So, without the secret to eternal youth, we'll share a few tips from the wise. Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, who died at 115, thanked her diet of pickled herrings while at 116, Kamato Hongo of Japan recommended green tea. The oldest person ever, Jeanne Louise Calment, who died in 1997 at 122 says her secret was a daily glass of port.

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