| We've been told aging is natural, so why do so many | | | | stages of development, and that is wonderful. |
| people dread it? What do you think of when you | | | | However, most research shows time and time again |
| hear the words 'getting older' or 'old age pensioner'? | | | | that a really healthy lifestyle can cut down our |
| Is aging, as we perceive it inevitable? It needn't be | | | | chances of suffering cancer in the first place. And |
| so. | | | | that a typical lifestyle encourages the on-set of |
| No one has found a magic potion as yet, over the | | | | cancer. Here is one example - you may decide to |
| centuries so much energy and research has gone into | | | | take 'hormone replacement estrogens' and as a |
| the pursuit of the 'fountain of youth' but in recent | | | | 'preventative measure' so to speak take an annual |
| years much light has been shed on the subject. | | | | mammogram, because artificial oestrogen is known |
| Thanks to all this effort we now know there is so | | | | to increase your chances of breast cancer. |
| much we can do to slow down the aging process. | | | | Many people consider these mammograms, as their |
| The lifestyle you choose can have a profound effect | | | | preventative measure, wait and see. |
| on enhancing or accelerating the degenerative | | | | To me prevention is not even considering taking |
| process. | | | | something that would encourage cancer in the first |
| Off-course aging is inevitable but is so much suffering | | | | place but to find herbs, supplements and a change in |
| inevitable? Around 85 per cent of diseases are | | | | lifestyle to minimise the natural transition and |
| degenerative illnesses, the other 15 per cent are | | | | generally make you healthier in the long run improving |
| genetic, infectious or trauma. So what causes our | | | | your quality of life. |
| body to fall into rapid decline? It never fails to make | | | | Bearing in mind the menopause is natural even though |
| me wonder why we look after our cars better than | | | | the medical profession have declared it a disease. Eat, |
| we look after ourselves. Yet we can go out anytime | | | | drink and be merry, after all the tests keep telling |
| and buy a new one when we've out lived the old | | | | you that you are 100%. |
| one. It's not quite as easy for us to trade-in our old | | | | Or maybe you think you are one of those rare |
| bodies for a new one. I can hear you saying "there | | | | people who can cheat that lifestyle of yours and not |
| are bits we can have replaced", yes there are, such | | | | pay the consequences eventually. Many of the |
| as a new hip joint, new heart or just the valves, new | | | | common diseases we are suffering in the developed |
| liver or new blood from a transfusion, and so much | | | | Western world are preventable in a truly preventable |
| more. | | | | sense, with changes in lifestyles. Change your lifestyle |
| Going back to our car, we don't generally wait for | | | | now don't wait until it is serious (a negative test |
| our car to break down, we have it serviced regularly | | | | result), before you change things. Get healthy now. |
| making sure it has very thing it needs to perform its | | | | This is where alternative medicine differs from |
| daily task well. 'Well' being the operative word, not | | | | conventional medicine. We see things differently |
| 'just spluttering a long'. We should treat ourselves | | | | health is not just the absence of a disease, but a real |
| with the same respect, giving our bodies everything | | | | state of wellbeing and vitality. We see all symptoms |
| it needs to perform its daily task well. Most people | | | | and signs as significant (no matter how small) as they |
| will wait until their body breaks down. | | | | all add up to reveal a picture about your state - |
| So back to the point, why do our bodies fall into | | | | which organs and systems are struggling, what |
| decline? Researchers have several theories such as | | | | deficiencies, and imbalance you might have. |
| the Hayflick Limit Theory - each cell contains a | | | | I would like to make it clear it is important to have |
| program that limits the number of divisions a cell may | | | | tests, but just because your tests reveal everything |
| divide before it dies. Another theory is the Waste | | | | is okay, don't be complacent remember chronic |
| Accumulation Theory - our cells simply produce more | | | | conditions take years to develop most often |
| waste than they are capable of eliminating, all helped | | | | undetected until it is well advanced. |
| along by our typical diets and life-styles. As waste | | | | Scientific evidence backs up the idea that the type |
| and toxins builds up in the cell, it accumulates and | | | | of diet we choose has a very deep and fundamental |
| eventually the cell drowns in its own toxic waste. | | | | impact on the way we age, this has far deeper more |
| The other main theory is the free-radical theory, first | | | | reaching consequences than the genes we have |
| developed as much as 50 or more years ago, | | | | inherited. We can't choose our genes but we can |
| offering an explanation that helps us to understand | | | | choose our lifestyles. What does this mean? People |
| degenerative disease, accelerated aging, and | | | | tell me they have several close family members who |
| prevention or at the very least slowing down its | | | | are diabetic. So they have the idea that they have |
| onset for much later in life. Free-radicals roam about | | | | no say in their own destiny, that they too will |
| trying to break up stable pairs of molecules by | | | | eventually be diabetic. Yet I see them eat loads of |
| stealing their partners. A little like a bachelor breaking | | | | refined carbohydrates - dough-nut, cookies, bread, |
| up stable married couples. Once the free-radical | | | | pancakes, pasta, chocolate, sugary foods, sodas, |
| manages to steal a partner, the other molecule is | | | | coffees, with next to no fresh food what so ever. |
| now unpaired, unstable and is now a free-radical on | | | | Their diet is so very lacking in enough vital nutrients, |
| the hunt, a bachelor now themselves. This reaction is | | | | but full of foods that will speed up aging and |
| a little like the domino effect setting off a chain | | | | encourage much more suffering. Though this diet will |
| reaction of a cell-damaging viscous circle. | | | | not guarantee diabetes, it will certainly increase your |
| The most attention is focused on the oxygen-based | | | | chances of getting diabetes, regardless of our close |
| free-radicals called oxy-radicals. It is these tiny | | | | family members. |
| molecules that are responsible for the free-radical | | | | However, with close family members with diabetes |
| damage we know as oxidative stress that contribute | | | | and that lifestyle the chances are very high. A |
| to degenerative diseases much in the same way | | | | self-fulfilling prophesy. You inherit genes but you also |
| they rust metal. We slow down this process by | | | | inherit habits. Born in Japan you might have acquired a |
| coating the metal with a protective covering, helping | | | | taste for raw fish, born in America you might have |
| to prevent oxygen and moisture from doing its | | | | acquired a taste for doughnuts. That is not genes but |
| worst, by applying a primer and then a coat of paint | | | | acquired taste and habits. |
| we effectively extend the life of the metal. By | | | | When we think of aging, we think of it involving |
| protecting the metal from free-radials we can extend | | | | some degree of physical and mental decline, however |
| the life of the metal by many years. | | | | there are many people who maintain comparatively |
| There are things we can do to protect and slow | | | | full physical and mental health throughout a very long |
| down our own deterioration. We can slow down our | | | | life. A healthy life depends on many aspects, a |
| own rusting process, however most people choose a | | | | person's constitution, their family or society, their |
| lifestyle that speeds up this process. | | | | past lifestyle, whether they are lonely or fulfilled. |
| Having said all of this not all free-radicals are all bad, | | | | Whether they smoke or drink too much. Diet plays a |
| we do some free-radical activity to help fight | | | | huge part of our physical and mental well-being, but it |
| infections from bacteria and viruses. These | | | | is not the only aspect we need to consider. Too |
| free-radical bachelors are also involved in the | | | | much research has been done to ignore the facts - |
| production of vital substances such as prostaglandins, | | | | aging can be a very pleasant experience. They can |
| hormone-like substances vital to many processes of | | | | be the best years of your life. There is a huge |
| the body. Our bodies also release free-radicals during | | | | amount to look forward to. |
| energy production like periods of strenuous exercise, | | | | I recently came across a 55 year old man in our clinic |
| during prolonged periods of stress, excitement, anger | | | | with mild diabetes, high blood pressure, high |
| or during an infection. | | | | cholesterol, poor digestion, heartburn, overweight, but |
| However, the vast majority of our oxidative damage | | | | for him the biggest worry was that he had been |
| in our body comes mostly from excess free-radicals | | | | refused further medical insurance (he was from the |
| found in our environment and the food we choose | | | | US) due to his state of health, the amount of |
| rather than those produced within our bodies as a | | | | surgery he'd already had and the large amounts of |
| natural by-product of our own metabolism. Air | | | | medication he was taking. The condition this man was |
| pollution, tobacco smoke, toxic waste, herbicides, | | | | in is pretty typical in our Western society. |
| pesticides, chemicals in cosmetics or cleaning | | | | On the other hand there is a 64 year old who visits |
| products, preservatives, additives in processed foods | | | | the clinic for acupuncture as part of his maintenance |
| and processed oils all form free-radicals. Then add | | | | program, has none of these problems is taking no |
| these factors to too many negative thoughts you | | | | medication what so ever, is not over weight and is |
| have a recipe for accelerated aging and damage. So | | | | extremely fit, still riding a bike for many miles up and |
| what can we do to protect yourself from this | | | | down the mountains around here. I don't except you |
| destruction? What can we do to equip our bodies | | | | to buy a mountain bike for one moment, I am just |
| with the right tools to cope with all this destruction? | | | | pointing out that anything is possible you can choose |
| Most of us have now heard of anti-oxidants, they | | | | your path, way to go, so to speak. The first man |
| prevent or slow down the damage caused by | | | | has all the conditions that have been proven to be |
| free-radicals. These days our environment places a | | | | self inflicted by the life-style he chose, and that |
| tremendous strain on our bodies over which we have | | | | these conditions can improve or even reverse with |
| little choice and often no control. However, we do | | | | the right choices. |
| have a choice over whether to consume | | | | Incidentally, the first man has made vast |
| anti-oxidants or free-radicals, directly speeding up or | | | | improvements in many areas since treatment, |
| slowing down our aging process. Antioxidants act a | | | | lifestyles changes and supplements. His recent blood |
| bit like Kamikaze pilots they sacrifice themselves by | | | | tests have revealed - bad cholesterol down, |
| donating one of their own electrons. Certain vitamins | | | | triglycerides down, blood pressure down and weight |
| and minerals, plant compounds are very effective | | | | down, medication down. He is a different man. |
| anti-oxidants protecting us from rusting so to speak. | | | | We are all at great risk of not getting adequate |
| Researchers are telling us over and over again how | | | | nutrients due to refining and processing of food but |
| the lack of antioxidants are contributing to | | | | even more so as we get older, due to the decline in |
| degenerative diseases like heart disease, diabetes, | | | | our digestive function. As fewer calories are needed |
| arthritis, eye problems, pain and needless suffering as | | | | due to a reduction in general activity, and for some |
| we age. | | | | appetite declines, which may be in part due to |
| The goal is to look at health care as a method of | | | | changes in taste and smell. As we get older we can |
| promoting wellness rather than treating illness, this is | | | | often lose our sense of thirst, so dehydration is more |
| two completely different things. Prevention is easier | | | | likely. Our digestive system starts to cause us a |
| and less expensive than waiting to treat a disease. | | | | problem, having been so abused for years. The |
| People often say to me in our clinic when discussing | | | | stomach slows down its production of digestive |
| lifestyle changes, 'I don't want to live to 110'. I am | | | | juices and enzymes this in turn affects absorption of |
| not saying for one minute that making lifestyle | | | | B12, iron and calcium to name just a few. There is a |
| changes will make you live for a very long time. It's | | | | reduction in lactase production, which causes milk |
| the quality of life that is so important and we owe it | | | | intolerance. |
| to ourselves to be as happy and as healthy as | | | | Constipation is often a problem as we get older, as |
| possible. Be positive and play an active role in your | | | | more fibre is needed compared to our younger days. |
| own health. | | | | Medication can change the way food tastes, cause |
| What does prevention mean to you? In | | | | nausea or the way the bowel works. For some of us |
| conversations I have with people about their health, | | | | just having to eat alone can put us off bothering to |
| they tell me they are really healthy. So how does | | | | cook and eat well. Smoking robes the body of large |
| one define healthy? Is healthy merely an absence of | | | | amounts of vital nutrients. Nutrients that are needed |
| a named disease? In other words your Doctor has | | | | to repair joint 'wear and tear' or maintain healthy |
| not given you a label, angina or diabetes, a named | | | | bones or even teeth, the list is endless. Try not to |
| disease, so therefore you must be healthy. I hear | | | | drink too much, more than a small amount of alcohol |
| things like - I have my annual check-ups and various | | | | can have a negative effect on your general health |
| tests every year and I am told I am 100% okay. | | | | and well being. Are your tests showing - high blood |
| What does this mean 100% okay? | | | | pressure and high levels of cholesterol, are the scales |
| I observe people - they eat and drink all sorts of | | | | screaming out "you are overweight" but you knew |
| unhealthy foods and drinks, are not active, are often | | | | this before you got on the scales, because your |
| over weight and put up with many physical | | | | 'lower front' was causing your 'lower back' a problem! |
| annoyances. Annoyances like aches and pains, | | | | They are telling you that you are now prone to |
| headaches, migraines, blocked nose, painful digestive | | | | diabetes. That the menopause is a disease! What |
| problems, asthma, insomnia, fatigue, various skin | | | | does that make puberty? That osteoporosis is only a |
| conditions like eczema, hypoglycaemia, and more. But | | | | matter of time. Prostate cancer, no man gets away |
| would definitely consider themselves' healthy. Many | | | | with it! That incontinence pads are for life! And soon |
| people I know consider taking conventional tests as | | | | you will be battling with false teeth! |
| their 'preventative' measure/medicine. | | | | In our culture we hear of people after a certain age |
| To me this is like 'Russian roulette' you are pulling the | | | | (but now happening at a younger age than before) |
| trigger until one day, bang! The tests, then one day | | | | suffering diabetes or stroke or arthritis or heart |
| suddenly, out of the blue come up with some | | | | disease and hardly batter an eye lid. Yet if we lived in |
| 'negative result'- you've taken the bullet! Just like that. | | | | a more traditional society these diseases would be |
| Suddenly you have heart disease or diabetes or | | | | rare at any age, but very rare at as young an age as |
| suddenly you have a thyroid that has stopped | | | | we are now suffering these now, they would be |
| working properly. So why should you worry if the | | | | quite a talking point. For instance, women who eat a |
| tests keep showing you are in the clear this time, the | | | | traditional diet in Japan hardly ever suffer |
| barrel was empty this time? In truth you don't just | | | | osteoporosis and few menopause symptoms. Yet |
| wake up one day with a thyroid problem or a heart | | | | the modern Japan woman who lives on a typical |
| disease problem. It has taken many, many years to | | | | western diet suffers osteoporosis and the usual |
| develop. Few tests give you any indication of things | | | | symptoms of menopause! This is not genes. |
| in their very early stages, for instance a thyroid that | | | | We need to look at the facts - a speedy decline is |
| is struggling. The tests will keep showing your thyroid | | | | not inevitable. There is so much research that proves |
| is absolutely fine. Then when 'broken' so to speak | | | | things can be different, that your life can be |
| you are told your thyroid is under-active and you | | | | different. That your life can be so much better, you |
| need medication, what happened in the interim, the | | | | can be healthier, happier, slimmer, and more active |
| time leading up to this problem? Off-course there are | | | | late into your life. Do not be brain-washed by the |
| always exceptions, where a thyroid could have a | | | | advertising companies, by the lure of the addictive |
| problem overnight - for instance in a case of a car | | | | ingredients sitting on the supermarket shelves that |
| accident, where whip lash can dramatically affect the | | | | are aging you. |
| thyroid function. | | | | Think positively, as it is never too early or too late to |
| It is true some cancers can be detected in their early | | | | start an anti-aging program. |