Reversing Entropy
Entropy is a fundamental concept in physics and information theory that describes the degree of disorder or uncertainty within a system. In the physical world, entropy is a measure of the randomness or disorganization of a system, and it is often associated with the second law of thermodynamics, which states that the entropy of an isolated system not in equilibrium will tend to increase over time, approaching a maximum value at equilibrium.
The principles of entropy can provide us with a useful lens to look at health and aging. Entropy provides a model to study energy flows in any system. As a system is able to use and store more energy it’s entropy decreases, and as it loses more energy than it stores, it’s entropy increases. Entropy is a measure of disorder in a closed system, and how much energy is unavailable to do work. The more disordered a system is, the higher its entropy, and the less energy is available to do work.
For instance, as an object is heated, its temperature rises and its entropy increases. The amount of entropy at any given temperature depends on how much energy was added to the material and how much of that energy is stored. For example, if a system gives up energy to its surroundings, its entropy decreases by at least that amount of energy.
Entropy is a measure of the disorder of a system. Entropy also describes how much energy is not available to do work. The more disordered a system and higher the entropy, the less of a system's energy is available to do work. Conversely, lower entropy means we have more energy available to do the work of repair and regeneration that is necessary to maintaining health.
The better integrated and organized our bodies are the healthier we will be. This decreases entropy as it lowers the level of disorder in our bodies. Lower levels of entropy means higher levels of energy as well. Aging research has demonstrated that people actually age at different rates. Some people age more slowly than others of the same chronological age, while others age more quickly. This difference in aging rates is called our biological age. For instance someone could be 60 years old, but have a biological age of 45. This difference is closely related to the concept of healthspan vs. lifespan. Lifespan is how long we live while healthspan is how long we live in a state of optimal health. Ideally we want our healthspan and lifespan to be as close to one another as possible. Lowering our rate of entropy helps accomplish this as we lower our biological age.
So what are some things we can do to slow and even reverse entropy? In my experience there are 3 levers we can use to do this.
1). Get regular NIS (Neurological Integration System) treatments.
NIS slows entropy by increasing the neurological and physiological organization of our bodies, making them more efficient. We’ve all seen people who have poor posture or limps and other gait problems. This is just one example of a disorganized body. NIS also helps our organs to function more optimally, which in turn decreases entropy. It also reduces stress and anxiety which are major factors in our levels of entropy. By reducing interference to optimal neurological signaling and organization, I’ve found NIS to be an ideal way to slow entropy and aging. For more information about NIS click here.
2). Become metabolically healthy.
Research reveals that over 90% of Americans are metabolically unfit. Metabolic health has to do with how our bodies utilize glucose and fat for energy, and has been shown to be a major factor in aging, resulting in shorter lifespan and healthspan. Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and dementia are a few of the direct results of being metabolically unhealthy. One of the main complaints I hear from patients who are in poor metabolic health is how fatigued they are, a sure sign that they are in a state of increasing entropy. I’ve seen patients who are in their 90’s and are full of energy proving that fatigue and increasing entropy aren’t inevitable as we get older. For more information on becoming metabolically healthy, click here.
3). Stay physically fit.
Science has shown conclusively that people who exercise regularly are healthier and age at a slower rate than those who don’t. This is especially true of those who do regular resistance training. Maintaining muscle mass as we age is critical to increasing healthspan and lifespan. Healthy muscle mass also increases our metabolic fitness by helping us maintain a healthy weight, keeping blood glucose low, and reducing the inflammation associated with higher body fat. The good news is that we can get all these benefits by doing the proper resistance exercise for a little as 30 minutes twice a week. A recent study showed that one 30 minute session of resistance exercise produced high lvels of anti-tumor factors, making it a great way to prevent cancer. For more details exercise and aging, click here.
By employing these three levers we can dramatically slow entropy and aging, and increase our healthspan and lifespan. None of these three strategies are difficult, they only require your commitment to implement them. The payoff is exponentially greater that the time and effort they require. Are you willing to do what it takes to reverse entropy and increase your healthspan. I’m available and ready to help anyone who wants to embark on this journey!
