Although life expectancy has steadily increased during the 20th century, those extra years of life come at a price – the rapid increase of chronic degenerative diseases, also known as the diseases of aging. We are likely to live longer but battling heart disease, cancer and diabetes, disabled by osteoporosis and arthritis,or blinded by macular degeneration.

Many factors, from genes to nutrition, lack of exercise and excess stress, contribute to increasing the risk of chronic degenerative disease and their progression. So, are there steps we can take to prevent or slow down the rate at which diseases of aging occur? Of recent interest is the discovery that vitamin D deficiency plays a role in most chronic disease, and that deficiency of vitamin D is currently at epidemic proportions in all developed countries.

But vitamin D is only one of 40 essential nutrients – the vitamins, minerals, essential fats and amino acids – all of which are needed for the myriad of metabolic processes involved in the body’s repair and maintenance. New research suggests that when the supply of these nutrients is inadequate, they are preferentially allocated to functions needed for survival and reproduction, at the expense of long term health. Agerelated diseases might therefore be preventable by increasing our intake of essential nutrients.

This talk will highlight new research demonstrating that in order to attain a longer healthy life, and stave off illness, radical lifestyle changes are needed. Many of the themes of this talk will be further explored by other speakers during the symposium.