The 3 Essential Pillars of Pro-ageing

Dr Jonathan Seah doesn’t believe in shortcuts. “Imagine you’ve got a tenyear-old car, and you send it to get a new paint job. But you ignore the rust underneath the bonnet, parts are breaking down, and overall, it’s not functioning at its optimum,” he says. “Getting Botox and fillers is fine and good, but why not treat yourself inside and out so you have skin, heart and muscle tissue that has the energy of a younger you?”

We asked Seah to break down the most important pillars of pro-ageing.

DETOX

“One of the reasons why we age badly is a build-up of contaminants in the body. Processed food, pollution, heavy metals in the air, even organic toxins like fertilisers —imagine the damage of all these toxins that have accumulated in our skin, tissues and body. If you’re not removing these toxins, it’s not efficient to say ‘I’m going to start exercising and eating right’, because you’re working with a broken-down system. It’s important to ensure you aren’t working against yourself.”

NUTRITION

“If you’re not giving yourself the right nutrients and proper supplementation, you are going to eventually break down. One thing that’s hot in the space of pro-ageing and longevity is the use of NAD+ supplements to fight ageing at a cellular level. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD+, is a coenzyme that powers the batteries in every one of your cells, and the amount of NAD+ we have in our cells drops as we age. At 70 years old, you have about 5 per cent left. As a result, NAD+ deficiency can result in ageing and a decline in performance in your skin, heart and muscles.”

SLEEP

“What else can cause a car to break down? Running it all the time. Without sleep, not only do we look haggard and tired, but it affects everything from our stress levels to our eating habits. Fixing sleep is very important, and can be as simple as meditating or taking a melatonin supplement. If someone is sleeping well, they look and feel younger and happier.”