Cenegenics: A new beginning
The first time I saw the outstanding ad in the air magazine of what is now my career, I was somewhat incredulous. How did they get the photoshop perfect to get that 74 year old man's head on that Mister Universe body? That was about 10 years ago and, although intrigued, I still didn't have the motivation to reverse my slide into middle age, as I thought what was happening to me was to be expected in my 50s.
The first time I saw the ad... I was a little incredulous...
Fast forward 10 years to my 60 years of age and 7 years of transformation and career... I am helping other people achieve the vigor of their youth in their middle or old age. I am now one of the physician partners of Cenegenics and I am the director of three centers..... Cenegenics San Francisco, which I developed since its inception, Cenegenics Beverly Hills and most recently Cenegenics Santa Fe, in the "Land of Enchantment".
Here is my story and my hope is that it will serve as an inspiration for men and women to take control of what had been the inevitable and expected decline into old age prior to the creation of Cenegenics over 25 years ago... the first and best of its kind and the company against which all other programs remain measured.
My path to optimal health
I was a 53-year-old ophthalmologist and had been doing very well with three great kids and a thriving independent practice. I worked hard during the day, got enough sleep, thought I ate well according to the gestalt of the day and went to the gym a few times a week.
The problem was that, despite this, I became more lethargic, less motivated, less able to build muscle and began to experience a number of diseases associated with early adulthood. I have been by nature, a tall, lean guy, but my weight went all the way up to 205 pounds (93 kg). It just became "not okay" to see this degradation in front of my eyes.
Enter Cenegenics
I called and was put in touch with a physician who later turned out to be one of my partners. He gave me an overview of the program and its costs and piqued my interest in the possibility of making a career change if I thought my own transformation was dramatic. It was a lot to take in on a single phone call, but I did my homework and researched the company and found it to be best in class.
Within weeks, I was in my new doctor's office and learning things I had never been taught in medical school, internships or residency. You see, nutrition, exercise and hormone balance are basically omitted from formal medical training!
I learned more about myself and about "age management medicine" than I had ever learned before. I was surprised that many things were contrary to the accepted wisdom of the time and still persist in the general consciousness.
The health program
I had a body composition scan, VO2 Max test, carotid scan, fitness testing and cognitive testing to establish a baseline. I got 37% body fat with inadequate muscle mass for my size, an average fitness level, an acceptable carotid scan, and thankfully excellent cognitive results..... at least one thing hadn't failed me!
I was prescribed a new way of life. I was not offered "band-aid" solutions, but real changes....
- I was prescribed a new way of life. I was not offered "band-aid" solutions, but real lifestyle changes that led me to my current physical state that I have enjoyed since reaching my goals about six months after my first visit.
- I began to see food as medicine and started following a low glycemic Paleo diet that, in my case, even excludes the Solanaceae family (tomato, potato, among other vegetables) I don't even count calories! Now I know what I should eat and stop when I'm satisfied.
- I learned how to lift weights properly without injuring myself and, thanks to VO2 Max, I learned my unique heart rate targets during high intensity interval training, which could never be determined in a gym by simply entering your vital stats.
- I was prescribed hormone replacement to rebalance my system to a more youthful state.
Most importantly, I realized that all of these practices essentially focus on decreasing the inflammatory state of the body.
Therein lies the real secret of Cenegenics. Having a qualified and trained physician to guide me to better health was essential and instrumental in my success.
I am now writing this article as a happy and healthy 60 year old man. I am mentally excited, physically fit, spiritually fulfilled and relaxed in the knowledge that I made the best decision of my life 7 years ago. My body fat, after its initial drop to 9%, has settled at a comfortable 13-15% and my muscle mass is where I like it...I am a swimmer/surfer with lean muscles and great flexibility. My carotid remains clear and my libido..... well, you be the judge!
The Cenegenics approach
I encourage everyone reading this to consider three essential factors that will bring balance and fulfillment to your life. The first and most important is to work on your spiritual development, whichever direction you take, from a deep belief system to unbelief. The second is to keep your mind in shape, for without it you can do nothing on this planet. The third is to keep your body in shape as long as possible, for it is the most important vehicle you will ever have. It is the vessel that allows the other two to exist here and now.
Cenegenics was the way I chose to manage my physical being. I can say that my other two aspects have benefited greatly from this choice. Personally, I think we should all try this approach to make life what it should be..... Glorious!
References
The article was written and contributed to Jetset magazine by Dr. Paul Campion. Available at https://www.jetsetmag.com/lifestyle/health/cenegenics-means-new-beginnings/.
Dr. Campion is a member of the American Board of Ophthalmology with medical licenses in California and New Mexico. After earning a medical degree from George Washington University, he completed an internal medicine internship at Huntington Memorial Hospital, followed by an ophthalmology residency at George Washington University. In 2012, Dr. Campion completed the Cenegenics Physician Training and Certification program in Age Management Medicine and became a Cenegenics Medical Partner assuming the role of director of the San Francisco, Beverly Hills and Santa Fe centers.
