Just a century ago, the average life span in the United States was 47.3 years. Today, that number has climbed to 77.8 years. And in addition to the extra years, we now enjoy prolonged healthy, active lifestyles as well.

With amazing advances in nutrition, health care, science, and technology at every turn, can we expect human life spans to continue to increase at such a rapid rate? Will we soon be living healthy lives well into our hundreds? The American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine thinks it's possible.

A4M Docs Focus on the Cause
A non-profit organization formed in 1993, the American Academy for Anti-Aging Medicine (or A4M) is an association of more than 11,000 doctors whose practices are focused on stopping, slowing, and managing the processes of aging. The group holds conferences, publishes newsletters and textbooks on anti-aging medicine, and offer educational resources for doctors interested in the emerging specialty.

Stopping the aging process might sound too good to be true, but the science behind this group is solid and compelling. And, personally, I think it's great to see a medical establishment focusing on the aging process itself rather than simply pushing pills and surgeries that address one symptom of aging at a time.

Even if the A4M is not as simple or romantic as a fountain of youth, I'm willing to bet that most Americans would jump at the chance to extend their lives by a few decades, if they only knew how to do it. Not only that, but putting off crow's feet has got to be better than trying to minimize them after the fact, with botox, lasers, and skin-plumping creams. And keeping your heart healthy and strong through cutting-edge medicine and good self-care beats getting a pacemaker at 70.

No Support from the AMA
While it is attracting the attention of the media, the A4M is not recognized by the American Medical Association. In 2002 the A4M came under indirect attack by S. Jay Olshanskya, Leonard Hayflick, and Bruce A. Carnes, co-authors of a Position Statement on Human Aging, who claim that most anti-aging products and services "have no scientifically demonstrated efficacy, [and that] in some cases they may be harmful, and [that] those selling them often misrepresent the science upon which they are based."

The A4M responded by publishing "The Truth on Human Aging Intervention," an article in which they not only discuss the advances made in anti-aging medicine, but also address what they call the "gerontological bias" of current medicine. Treating the health problems of the elderly is a multi-billion dollar industry, they point out. It is because of this profit center, they claim, that A4M's focus ton "halt[ing] the degeneration and disability normally associated with aging... threaten[s] the very core of the gerontological establishment, posing a serious challenge to the well-established financial arrangements and personal reputations involved therein."

Who's Right?
No one can argue that treating sick elderly people is a lucrative medical specialty. This segment of the population produces more revenue than any other for the doctors, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers that service them. Doctor visits and medications to treat Alzheimer's, arthritis, heart disease, and other age-related health problems can bring in several thousands of dollars per person per month - for years!

But to be fair, anti-aging is big business as well, and it has the potential to become even bigger. Full body scans to diagnosis problems while still treatable, supplements, genetic testing, individual nutrition programs, and other anti-aging advances are all pretty pricey. And unlike conventional medicine, these practices are not likely to be covered your insurance company. While the managed healthcare insurance programs of today sometimes cover preventative screenings like bone marrow density tests at a certain age, they are not likely to cover many of the newest screenings and health-promoting strategies promoted by the A4M.

An Ounce of Prevention
Perhaps it's human nature to avoid medical care until we need it. And that approach makes at least some sense within the disease model of conventional medicine. But it doesn't make sense in regard to anti-aging medicine. The A4M model is focused on sustaining health instead of treating disease. Within that framework, doctors become allies in keeping you healthy rather than addressing problems. And the A4M provides an online directory of anti-aging physicians and other medical professionals, as well as spas and anti-aging product suppliers.

A visit to an anti-aging doctor sounds intriguing to me. And while the professional opinions and quality of care is likely to vary from one provider to the next, it seems to me that nothing is lost - and much may be gained -- by following theA4M's basic advice and keeping up with the latest research posted on their web site.

To Do Now
The A4M provides information on many new and occasionally amazing advances. There are 27 articles on human growth hormone alone, along with information on cutting-edge inventions like nanobots, biochips, and full body scanning.

Much of A4M's core advice, however, sounds pretty familiar. I can't imagine that the AMA would disagree with their "Facts on Aging," [], for example. These fourteen strategies for living a longer and healthier life sound very much like strategies for good health in the short term as well. Here's an abbreviated version:

• Stay Slim: Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death.
• Keep Safe: Injuries and homicides are leading causes of death in adults under the age of 44.
• Don't Smoke: Tobacco smoke is a leading cause of cancer.
• Exercise Regularly: Exercise has a huge number of health benefits, including psychological health.
• Be Social: Regular social activity has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing dementia in later years.
• Engage in Sex: Studies have shown a link between a healthy sex life and visible signs of aging.
• Get a Mental Workout: Read, work puzzles, do math. Exercise that mental muscle-your brain!
• Reduce Stress: Master some stress-reduction techniques to help keep your hormones balanced and reduce the negative affects of stress.
• Sleep Well: Deep sleep is related to the release of growth hormones that keep you visibly younger-looking.
• Eat Right: Live longer on a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats.
• Observe Happy Hour: A small amount of alcohol has been shown to have some health benefits, yet too much is harmful.
• Combat Free Radicals: Antioxidants - found in fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts -- help protect cells from aging.
• Defend Yourself: Infectious diseases are the third leading cause of death in the United States.

These tips may sound simple, but some are a pretty hard to master. Do you know, for example, which antioxidants you need most? Or how to protect yourself from infectious disease? And how are you doing with stress? With sleep? Getting enough mental exercise?

One thing seems certain, and that is that the science related to living longer and stronger will continue to grow. As the A4M continues to keep abreast of the latest research and understanding related to anti-aging, I, for one, will be paying attention.