Dr. Kallinteri Paraskevi

Dr. Paraskevi Kallinteri University of Patras, Rio, Greece

The clocks of aging and wellness practices

Authors: Paraskevi Kallinteri, Aristidis Tsatsakis School of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Greece Aging is a multifactorial and complex process involving endocrine changes, immune system deterioration, oxidative stress, extracellular matrix changes, mitochondrial (dys)function, telomere length changes, genetic and epigenetic factors, calcium metabolism, changes in circulating plasma, sarcopenia, and stem cell deterioration. All these interconnected processes constitute the twelve “biological clocks” which indicate our biological age. The individual’s way of life (diet, exercise, smoking), and the environmental conditions they live in (areas with high chemical and/or noise pollution, working environment conditions and exposure to heavy metals), affect significantly the balanced function of the biological clocks, and consequently the aging process. Increased life expectancy and an aging global population have a financial impact on healthcare and social security systems due to higher cases of age-related disorders. Therefore, the aim of the current policies is to improve health span, which is defined by more years of healthy living and a reduction in age-associated comorbidities, which translates into “graceful” aging. In this case, good health maintenance and prevention are key strategies to address the first signs of aging, which can be achieved by adopting a healthy lifestyle according to personal needs, living and working environment as well as reducing physical and psychological stress. Following a suitable diet, sleep, hydration and exercise schedule, avoiding smoking and drug abuse, performing practices for mindfulness to reduce stress and maintain psychological wellbeing, and socializing are key healthy lifestyle habits. It must be emphasized that each individual should be approached from a holistic perspective taking into consideration genetic predispositions, phenotypic characteristics, daily routines, emotional and mental health in order to achieve wellness and longevity through personalized interventions.

Scurt CV

Evi (Paraskevi Kallinteri) is a pharmacist with an MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutics and a PhD in the field of drug delivery (School of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Greece). She worked as a postdoctoral researcher on polymeric nanoparticles and their potential applications for the treatment of brain tumours at the University of Nottingham, UK. Then, she was appointed as a lecturer in Pharmaceutics/Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology at the Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, UK. Her research focused on the use of targeted arsonoliposomes for the treatment of leukaemia and brain tumours. In 2010 she moved to Helsinki, Finland, and worked at the University of Helsinki as a teaching researcher. She is a Registered Pharmacist in Greece, the UK, and Finland. Since March 2022, she has been working as a freelance translator, editor, and medical writer based in Finland.