141: How to boost longevity at the cellular level—with Alyssa Dweck, M.D.

According to Alyssa Dweck, M.D., enhancing women’s quality of life as they age makes up a significant portion of her practice. Although she works with women in all stages of life—she lectures various Westchester public schools in her spare time and educates students about important gynecological issues—she places emphasis on the relationship between the aging process and gynecological health at a cellular level. What most people might not know, is that aging happens at the cellular level due in part to a lack of something called NAD in the body. NAD, at its core, is a substance that every cell in our body uses to turn food into energy, and it decreases as we age. It also decreases due to many other life stressors—being postpartum, excessive alcohol, over-eating, and getting too much sun exposure, to name a few. That said, it’s in every woman's best interest (no matter her age) to become well-versed in all things NAD and start taking the necessary steps to maintain levels of this coenzyme. After chatting with Dweck, we learned that there are actually a variety of ways we can maintain NAD as we age: In addition to taking steps to combat stress, wearing sunscreen, eating well, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle, one of the most efficient ways to boost NAD is to start popping a vitamin B3 supplement on the regular. But, it turns out, not all B3 is created equally. In this bonus episode, we talk about her three favorites. No surprise, Dweck frequently recommends this supplement to her patients (no need for a prescription, as this vitamin is sold over-the-counter), and those patients report back with glowing reviews, including significantly more energy. But, of course, we have to know: Does she take it herself? “I sure do,” the OB/GYN quips. Consider us really, really intrigued. For more tips on how to boost longevity and stay as healthy as possible as you age, check out this week’s podcast. To contact Colleen or Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please email podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please email sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast email newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices