Like clockwork, I stepped into my bathing suit for the first time in May and groaned at the mirror. However, unlike in previous years, I sought help from an expert to do something about what was bothering me. On the face of it, I knew I’d let muscle diminish and that aggravating aging widening and fluffiness take over. This really wasn’t about losing pounds. With a good gluten and dairy-free diet and a naturally rapid metabolism, the scale wasn’t more than 3 pounds shy of where I wanted it to be. This was about tone, muscle, and general health and strength. Beyond Botox, I was ramping up to fight aging. Screw aging, gracefully. I wanted to defy it and needed to know where to start.
Enter: Dr. Chris Michaelis at Luminus Aesthetics and Wellness. At our initial consultation, he reviewed my goals and general physical history. Then, I gave enough blood to keep Count Dracula happy for a month. He reviewed my options and decided I was an excellent candidate for their Age-Defyingpackage. “Bring it,” I said. “Not so fast,” he replied. “Let’s see what your blood work and physical workup tell us and meet back to customize your age-defying package.” I like to forget about it, but I had breast cancer. Dr. Michaelis wasn’t forgetting and wanted to consider the hormone piece carefully. What about NAD? I ask after seeing many celebrities on TikTok attribute “aging in reverse” to this miracle supplement. After being on Tamoxifen for years – a hormone blocker from hell – I understood why he was considering my history. “I’ll have a good treatment plan recommendation for you at your next visit in 2 weeks,” he assured me. Calculating the Summer months approaching, I begrudgingly agreed. Even Oprah says there is no one quick fix pill; it is about a combination of evidence-based therapies customized to your inherent makeup.
Dr. Michaelis gave me homework in the interim:
- Consider what physical fitness you feel you can commit to balancing your schedule and your goals.Eek. I hate gyms. I love being outside. Outside is 150 degrees in Charleston. Pondering.
- What level of accountability are you looking for?He said they will even work out with patients the first time to demonstrate the exercises that best suit the goals discussed. My friends go to this place called the Pain Cave. As daunting as that name sounds, I keep trying to join them, but my work schedule trumps the 8:45 – 9:45 timeslot. It needs to be earlier, but the friends help with accountability. Quandry.
- Are there nutrition changes you can make?I felt good about myself until I thought about the post-work wine I have habituated to incorporating nightly. Hmmm. We can tackle the wine later.
- What supplements are you taking?Well, when? It depends on what the middle-of-the-night doom-scrolling person who caught my interest was peddling. I asked him to tell me what was most important so I could be consistent.
- Peptides.Tell me more!
- Skin concerns?My cousin always said people are either sinkers or saggers. I fear I am sinking. I am also from the ‘baby oil on the roof’ era, so there’s that.
- Hormones.Dammit. Everything I read says that the study about hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer is flawed. My OBGYN, whom I respect, agrees. Let’s see what the blood work says and decide. Dr. Michaelis agrees.
- Truflex body contouring?Truflex simulates 54,000 sit-ups with each session. Is it uncomfortable, I ask? Yes, he says, about a level 3. I appreciate the honesty. I will never do this many sit-ups independently, so level 3 it is. When I got lip filler, I ranked it tons higher on the pain scale. So, I can do this.
- Want to know what happens next? Follow me on Luminus socials as I try defying aging.