Q&A with Dr. Eric Braverman – Youth Regeneration

Natalia Rose interviewed our very own, Dr. Eric Braverman, an MD in integrative and internal medicine. He is the director of the Place for Achieving Total Health (PATH), in New York City and the former chief clinical researcher at the Princeton Brain Bio Center. Dr. Braverman is the bestselling author of several books on anti-aging, diet, and brain health, including Younger You, The Younger (Thinner) You Diet, and Younger (Sexier) You, and Younger Brain, Sharper Mind.
“You’re only as young as your oldest part.”- Dr. Braverman
NR: Tell me about the philosophy of your practice.
EB: People are aging very fast. Thirty- to forty-year-olds are waiting for sections of their body to break down, then the medical companies can make money on it. Generally, for women, the first part to break down are the ovaries and the bones and muscles . An inadequate frame leads to brain instability, which leads to a host of neuro-psychological problems: anxiety, depression, memory problems , etc. People have an overly emotional view of aging. Women take all of this into their relationships, to their spouses or boyfriends and other relationships. Men have their own imbalances, but this is what happens with women. The reason men are attracted to women in their 20s is because of their physical and emotional optimism. They can’t have real intimacy with these 20 somethings but this is what drives older men to younger women. It’s not because the younger women are more attractive. By repairing a woman’s system so she can have all the value of her maturity and also radiate that physical and emotional optimism, she can have it all.
NR: Do you recommend HRT (bioidentical hormones)?
EB: Around 30 years of age a woman’ s estrogen production begins to decline, and by 40 most women need mild hormonal repair. I only use bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. By 40 we will already see changes in a woman’s memory, sleep, ability to process mentally; we see a dramatic decline in her muscle tone (the average body fat among my patients is 32 percent; ideal body fat for women is about 22 percent) and skeletal frame. Of course we also see a big change in sexuality and addictions. In my practice, a patient begins with a full medical checkup: physical and cognitive. Based on this, I will give her an ideal protocol of growth hormone DHEA, testosterone, estrogen, thyroid, sleep, and blood sugar support, and memory enhancement aids.
NR: Do you find that all women need all of this?
EB: Need is an interesting word. It all depends on their goals. If someone wants to live to 100 and look and feel 50 (if we can pretend there’s a net zero aging), that per son will need to undertake the full protocol. A woman at 30 or 40 who repairs herself will get another 10 to 15 years of vigor. By age 55 a huge number of people have already lost a significant amount of muscle and bone, are sleeping poorly, have some degree of depression or moodiness, and are pre-cancerous. I can give them twenty-five things for their internal repair. They will do twenty-five things in an evening to get ready to go out (get dressed, put on makeup, adorn themselves with jewelry, dress their partner to match, etc.). They will just as easily do these things I give them to do for their internal repair.
NR: Do you find that someone who has taken care to eat a healthy diet, sleep, exercise, and lead a low-stress natural life age differently than your average patient?
EB: A good diet can add 7 more years to your life. Taking care of your mind, your cognitive well-being, can add another 7 years. Sleeping well can add another 7 to 10 years. And keeping thin and fit can add another 10 to 15 years. You can add 40 years to your life in terms of your medical capacity by prioritizing these things.

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