Aging is a natural process, but what if you could slow it down or reverse its effects? Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, a naturopathic physician, and researcher, has dedicated her career to unlocking the secrets of biological aging and developing practical strategies to help people live longer, healthier lives. Through her groundbreaking research and best-selling book, "Younger You," Dr. Fitzgerald has introduced the world to the Younger You Protocol. This comprehensive program combines nutrient-dense eating, lifestyle modifications, and cutting-edge science to reverse the biological markers of aging.
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Epigenetics, Lab Technology, and Shaping Modern Healthcare
Dr. Kara Fitzgerald's journey into epigenetics and biological aging began with her fascination with laboratory science and its potential to transform modern healthcare. "I started to put a lot of attention on the science coming out," she shared. "When it was still in the research setting, I could see that measuring what genes are being turned on and off and how we influence that... just struck me as something fundamentally important to our space, to what you're calling root cause medicine or functional medicine."
This realization ignited Dr. Fitzgerald's quest to understand how our environment and lifestyle choices influence gene expression, a field known as epigenetics. "That interface between the epigenome and the genome is all about our environmental influences, turning genes on and off," she explained.
How Diet and Lifestyle Impact Biological Aging
At the core of Dr. Fitzgerald's Younger You Protocol is the understanding that our diet and lifestyle choices profoundly impact our biological age. "We influence how well and how long we live by the choices that we're making every day," she emphasized.
The concept of biological age, as opposed to chronological age, is a critical distinction. While chronological age is simply the number of years we've been alive, biological age refers to the rate at which our bodies are aging at the cellular and molecular levels. Factors such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and epigenetic changes can accelerate or decelerate this process.
"Aging is the biggest risk factor for chronic disease," Dr. Fitzgerald explained. "As we age, our risk for developing those diseases just rises exponentially. And once we develop one of them, one begets another, begets another, begets another, and it's a slippery slope to spending the final decades on the planet sick."
Affordable Testing and Practical Tools for a Younger You
One remarkable aspect of Dr. Fitzgerald's approach is its accessibility. Recognizing that traditional age-reversal treatments can be prohibitively expensive, she has developed various affordable tools and resources to help individuals assess and optimize their biological age.
"We have a bio-age quiz on our website," Dr. Fitzgerald shared. "It's just a collection of questions that we've given each a weight to. And depending on your answers at the end, we will give you an age estimate."
In addition to the free bio-age quiz, Dr. Fitzgerald recommends the PhenoAge calculator, which utilizes standard blood tests like a complete blood count (CBC) and a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) to estimate biological age. "This spreadsheet is based on the original PhenoAge DNA methylation clock, a second-generation good epigenetic clock," she explained.
Dr. Fitzgerald recommends the Pace of Aging test, a cutting-edge DNA methylation analysis that measures biological age through epigenetic markers for those seeking a more accurate assessment. "It's looking at a collection, a suite of methylation sites," she said. "When we were conducting our study, we paid about $1,200 per test. That test today, I think, is $200. It's massively dropped in spend, and it's really the best one available currently."
Why Should You Reverse Your Biological Age?
The motivation behind reversing biological age goes beyond vanity or a desire for eternal youth. As Dr. Fitzgerald eloquently stated, "None of us, you're not sitting here thinking, anybody listening to this is not planning for their final 20 years to be really sick. That's not how we're wired to think at all. And yet that is the trajectory for us. That is what happens unless we're very intentional."
Chronic diseases, polypharmacy (reliance on multiple medications), and the loss of independence are all potential consequences of accelerated biological aging. Dr. Fitzgerald's experience witnessing her landlady's decline underscored the importance of taking proactive measures to ensure a high quality of life in our later years.
"I look at my beloved landlady right before I went to medical school. She was in her 90s and slowly sort of giving away her home to the government so that she could afford to have people come in and care for her. And she became more and more insecure. And she became more and more insecure. And just losing her independence and losing any kind of inheritance that she wanted to pass down to her kids. That's the journey that we go through if we're lucky."
Individuals can potentially reduce their risk of chronic diseases, maintain independence, and enjoy a vibrant, fulfilling life in their later years—a goal that resonates with Dr. Fitzgerald as a mother to a young daughter. "I feel extremely responsible for living a good life, to be able to be with my daughter through hers," she shared.
Understanding DNA Methylation
At the heart of Dr. Fitzgerald's approach lies the science of DNA methylation, a crucial epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression. "Methylation in general on the DNA is less robust as we age," she explained. "We don't do it as much. We don't do it as efficiently. Beyond that, like I said, kind of scramble it up as well."
DNA methylation involves adding methyl groups (a carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms) to specific sites on our DNA. These methyl groups act as switches, turning genes on or off and influencing a wide range of biological processes, including aging and disease development.
As we age, our methylation patterns become dysregulated. "Genes that protect us from illness, genes that protect us from cancer, those get turned off, unfortunately," Dr. Fitzgerald said. "So there's this swap in the aging journey, and our epigenetics gets a little wonky, if you will. And we start to make ourselves vulnerable to developing the diseases when we look at them epigenetically."
Transforming Health through Nutrient-Dense Eating
Methyl donors are foods rich in nutrients like folate, betaine, choline, and vitamin B12, which provide the building blocks for methylation reactions. "These are leafy greens, mushrooms, nuts and seeds, primarily seeds, beef liver, eggs, beets, etc.," Dr. Fitzgerald listed. "There's a plethora of these nutrients that have these methyl donors in them."
In her studies, Dr. Fitzgerald found that loading the body with methyl donors significantly increased participants' circulating methylfolate levels, supporting the methylation cycle.
On the other hand, methylation adaptogens are compounds that help direct where methylation occurs in the body. "These methylation adaptogens kind of help direct where methylation goes," Dr. Fitzgerald explained. "So as I said before, when we get older, we're not methylating efficiently. You know, we have a net loss of methylation. And we start putting methyl groups where they shouldn't be."
Many of these methylation adaptogens are found in traditional diets and medicines worldwide. "Turmeric, curcumin, the EGCG in green tea and the other catechins in green tea, rosmarinic acid from rosemary, thyme, all of those herbs in our spice cabinet are epi neutrines," Dr. Fitzgerald shared. "When we're eating colorful fruits and vegetables, sulfur, paint, and cruciferous. When we're eating cruciferous, when we're eating greens, when we're eating colorful fruits and vegetables, allergic acid."
Food VS Supplements in Epigenetics and Health
While supplementation with isolated vitamins like folate and vitamin B12 is common, Dr. Fitzgerald advocates a more holistic approach. "The obvious question for me as a clinician is, well, if I give my patients B12 and folate, if I give them the classic methyl donors in high doses in isolated synthetic vitamins, could I be driving this negative pattern? Could I prompt a patient that has maybe a precancerous yet-to-be-identified condition in negatively changing epigenetic expression?"
The concern stems from the fact that aberrant DNA methylation patterns are implicated in cancer development, where tumor suppressor genes are turned off, and oncogenes (genes that promote cancer) are turned on. "So could B vitamins actually be detrimental under certain conditions? And I think that the answer, I think there's sufficient evidence in the literature for the answer to be, yeah, under certain conditions, B vitamins are contraindicated," Dr. Fitzgerald explained.
Instead, she emphasizes the importance of obtaining methyl donors and methylation adaptogens from whole, nutrient-dense foods. "There's no evidence in the literature that this whole food, plant-dense, but not exclusively plants, diet causes aberrant methylation patterns, DNA methylation at all," she said. "There's no evidence that a big bowl of kale is going to push cancer forward. Or... broccoli. In fact, the opposite is true."
Balancing Exercise and Nutrition for a Younger You
Exercise is another cornerstone of the Younger You Protocol, but Dr. Fitzgerald emphasizes the importance of finding a sustainable and enjoyable approach. "We do what we like. We get our heart rates up to 60%, which is just a light sweat. I mean, this is not hardcore. And we do that for at least 30 minutes," she advised.
The baseline recommendation is 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week, with a perceived exertion level that induces a light sweat. However, Dr. Fitzgerald acknowledges that as individuals progress on their journey, they may want to incorporate more intense exercise and focus on building muscle mass.
"Recently, I published a blog on drkarafitzgerald.com on protein," she shared. "One of our nutrition interns and I wrote it just on how to layer a higher protein diet into the younger you principles to support muscle mass. And I talk about how I do that. So I'll toggle higher protein days in my dietary pattern, kind of associated with when I'm lifting and that kind of thing."
The Younger You Program
In recognition of the growing demand for accessible and effective age-reversal strategies, Dr. Fitzgerald has launched the Younger You Program, a comprehensive training initiative for healthcare providers.
"We're launching it. You guys are generously and importantly supporting us in this journey, as you have in a lot of things that we've done," she shared, referring to her collaboration with Rupa Health. "And you're making it easier for healthcare providers to be able to get the biological age testing that we recommend in this. And the other functional medicine testing, actually, that we use in functional medicine or root cause medicine."
The Younger You Program aims to equip clinicians with the tools, resources, and knowledge necessary to implement the Younger You Protocol effectively in their practices. This training program promises to empower healthcare providers to guide their patients toward a biologically younger, healthier self, using handouts and strategies as well as the latest research and best practices.
Beyond Eight Hours of Sleep to Optimal Health and Longevity
Sleep, a vital component of overall well-being, is given special attention in the Younger You Protocol. "Sleep has gotten a lot of attention. I think there's some good science around sleep coming out, the implications of insufficient sleep and adequate sleep, lots of data around that," Dr. Fitzgerald acknowledged.
While the general recommendation is to aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night, Dr. Fitzgerald emphasizes optimizing sleep quality and achieving a balanced distribution of deep and REM sleep cycles. She shared her journey of "training for good sleep like I was training for a marathon, just really kind of figuring out the hacks that worked for me."
Among the strategies she recommends are avoiding caffeine after noon, creating a conducive sleep environment through room darkening and white noise, and practicing nasal breathing techniques. Additionally, Dr. Fitzgerald highlights the potential benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, such as the Relaxation Response and the Healthy Minds app, for improving sleep quality.
"If I wake up too early, you know, I've got a nice one that I'll just pop on. If I stay centered with it, it'll just bring me right back to sleep," she shared, referring to the Healthy Minds app's guided meditations.
Meditation Practices and the Healthy Minds App
Meditation and mindfulness practices play a crucial role in the Younger You Protocol, not only because of their potential benefits for sleep but also because of their impact on overall well-being and stress management.
Dr. Fitzgerald is a proponent of the Healthy Minds app, developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin, offering free guided meditations and mindfulness exercises. "I have a warm spot for Healthy Minds because it's totally free. And they study it. They're researching it. They're doing it over at the University of Wisconsin. They're researching the benefits of meditation really very carefully," she explained.
One of the app's standout features is its collection of micro-meditations, designed for those who feel they lack the time or inclination for longer practices. "They've got some awesome micro meditations, literally a minute long. So when people say they can't meditate, which many do, or they don't have time for meditation, or they don't like meditating, there's an entry into this conversation that all of us can have," Dr. Fitzgerald shared.
Integrating Wellness into Family Life
One of the most inspiring aspects of Dr. Fitzgerald's approach is its emphasis on making pursuing a biologically younger self a family affair. "For the parents at home who are identifying with what you said about wanting to slow down your biological aging for your kids... invite your loved ones into these practices with you. So cook together, move together, meditate together," she advised.
Dr. Fitzgerald's philosophy aligns with research suggesting that engaging in community-based activities and fostering social connections can profoundly impact longevity. "There's some really cool research on community and exercise. It's suggested that engaging in community sports are more longevity promoting than solo sports, which is really interesting," she shared.
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Conclusion
In an era where longevity and vitality are highly coveted, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald's Younger You Protocol emerges as a beacon of hope and empowerment. By harnessing the power of nutrient-dense eating, strategic exercise, optimized sleep, and mindfulness practices, this comprehensive program offers a practical and accessible path toward reversing biological age and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Through her groundbreaking research and dedication to making this knowledge accessible, Dr. Fitzgerald has democratized the pursuit of a biologically younger self, inviting individuals from all walks of life to embrace a proactive approach to their health and well-being.
By quoting Dr. Fitzgerald extensively throughout this article, we have gained invaluable insights into the science behind the Younger You Protocol, the rationale for prioritizing whole foods over isolated supplements, and the importance of integrating wellness practices into family life.
As we navigate the complexities of aging and strive to live our best lives, the Younger You Protocol stands as a beacon of hope. It empowers us to take control of our biological age and create a future where vitality and longevity are not mere aspirations but attainable realities.
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