Healthy Aging

“None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.”
~ H.D. Thoreau

This is the third in a series of articles on healthy aging. It is the most requested topic for our Weekly Wellness Reports and to me, it is one of the most important topics. You see, health is not about waiting for disease to strike and then battling it. As the World Health Organization said back in 1948, health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Healthy aging
My seventh-grade teacher was an ancient fossil of man – much older than even my parents! I think he was 50. He told me a truth about aging that I have never forgotten: The only way to avoid getting old is to die young. With that in mind I found great wisdom in the words of Benjamin Franklin who said, “All would live long but none would be old.”

So, healthy aging is about living long without being old! To reach that goal we need to take a brief look at the process called “biological aging.”

Biological aging does not happen with the tick of the clock or the pages turning on your calendar; it happens in your cells. During its life cycle a cell may be damaged by exposure to:

• Toxins
• Direct trauma
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Stress

Each of these circumstances causes inflammation and free radical production. Intense nutrition is needed to battle these causes of premature cell death.

Premature biological aging occurs when more cells die than you can replace.

Fighting inflammation
The human body is designed to fight premature aging and remain young. A powerful force called homeostasis mobilizes your immune system, hormones, nerves and other important systems to ignite the healing process. Homeostasis uses focused inflammation to remodel your cells following injury, illness or even the extreme challenges of emotional stress. Once the healing process is complete, homeostasis extinguishes the fire of inflammation and returns your body to a state of dynamic and vital balance – free from the effects of runaway inflammation.

Homeostasis orchestrates the cells in your body to maintain balance under even severe conditions.

However, there are times when your body cannot heal itself. If inflammation overwhelms a cell it may be damaged beyond repair. Damaged, dead cells must be removed or they will become the focus of infection and illness. Betalains, a unique class of nutrient that is both an antioxidant and a protein, assist a special cell called a macrophage (literally “big eater”) to engulf the dead cell and eliminate it from your body. This makes room for a brand-new replacement cell and the cycle of wellness continues.

Intense nutrition
The supplements of healthy aging include four critical components:

1. A balanced multiple vitamin/mineral supplement to establish a solid foundation for healthy aging
2. An essential fatty acid supplement to nourish the arteries and rehydrate the brain
3. A Vitamin C supplement to serve as an antioxidant reserve and keep the immune system active
4. A B-12 supplement to keep the energy level up and the mind bright.

Premature aging is about losing more cells than we replace. Healthy aging is about closing the gap between loss of cells and repair or replacement of our cells as directed by homeostasis and fueled by nutrients.

Learn More…

• Living to 100
• Activity for your body and mind
• Volunteering

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• Toxins: A Major Source of Inflammation
• Hormone Health

Osteoporosis & Grandparent Guilt

One out of every two women and one in four men age 50 and older will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Each year, 80,000 men have a hip fracture and one-third of these men die within a year.

Osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually, including approximately:

• 300,000 hip fractures
• 700,000 vertebral fractures
• 250,000 wrist fractures
• And more than 300,000 fractures at other sites.

No wonder many grandparents are hesitant to lift their grandchildren!

Grandparent guilt
Osteoporosis can effect more than your bones.  For many grandparents, there is a psychological effect too!  The issue of “grandparent guilt” has been discussed for many years. It arises when a grandparent cannot do the things he or she feels is necessary to fulfill their role. Concerns like osteoporosis, arthritis and even incontinence are listed as common reasons for not fully engaging with grandchildren.

Watching the exuberance of youth reminds us of a time in our life when we were more carefree. An old Chinese proverb says, “Even the old horse in the stable yearns to run.” This wistful longing for a body that matches the mind (forever 19) can lead to melancholia and guilt.

But guilt is not necessarily a bad thing.

Benefits of guilt
Guilt is a very misunderstood emotion. Feelings of guilt often arise from unrealistic expectations that we set for ourselves or that others set for us. So it’s important to examine what’s expected within the context of our life.

We can use guilt constructively to remedy situations we feel badly about. Guilt can prompt us to change our behavior. For example, do you believe that aerobic exercise and resistance training could benefit you? Guilt concerning what you should do, what you are able to do and what you have been doing may prompt you to intensify your efforts to exercise more. This will leave you happier, healthier and more able to engage with those rambunctious kids – a very good result!

Use this technique to examine other aspects of your life as well. Ask yourself:

• What do I want?
• Why do I want it?
• What’s so important?
• What should I do?
• What will I do?
• When will I do it?
• Who will support me as I meet this new challenge?

Foundation for longevity
A few helpful hints from centenarians (people over 100 years of age) can help us all stay engaged with grandchildren and others as we go through life:

• Reduce stress
• Stay connected with other people
• Cultivate optimism
• Watch your diet
• Exercise: even a little helps
• Floss your teeth

Proper supplementation aids vitality as well:

• Bone Builder for strong bones
• Sublingual B-12 for brain health
• Vital C for antioxidant and immune support
• OmegaPrime to help increase circulation and reduce inflammation

Conclusion
Another old Chinese proverb says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” (literally, “from where you stand”). Use that twinge of guilt to awaken you to greater possibilities for yourself and those you love. Decide what you want and why you want it. Then, take the first step!

Learn More…

• Guilty as Charged!

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• Tremor triggers
• Healthy aging

Strategies to Help With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

My friend quit teaching, not because of the challenge of teaching a child with ADHD; he routinely taught children with far more severe issues. He quit because teachers and parents would label any child with a behavior problem “ADHD” just to get them out of their class and, often, onto some kind of sedative medication.

What is ADHD?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is characterized by an inability to stay focused on any task. It may also include impulsive, disruptive and often destructive behavior. These symptoms may begin between the ages of 6 and 12, usually by age 7.

First, it is important to know that most children (and adults) are inattentive and impulsive from time to time. Also, many, many other conditions and circumstances share these same symptoms. For example, Stephen Covey described a man boarding the subway with two disruptive boys in tow. From the description of their behavior a person could easily see the traits of ADHD. What was the real problem? They were leaving the hospital where the mother of the two young boys had just died.

Inattention and impulsive behavior may be signs of ADHD or they may be signs of something else. We cannot be too quick to diagnose without fully investigating the circumstances of the person as a whole.

Brains in pain
One interesting line of exploration in the child with ADHD is the pattern of brain waves. The human brain responds in a similar way to similar circumstances. Most of us have an increase in Delta brain waves when we are concentrating and an increase in Alpha brain waves when we are relaxing.

Theta waves increase and Beta waves decrease when we finish a task and feel a sense of accomplishment. People with ADHD have the exact reverse of this pattern: They demonstrate a decrease in Theta waves and an increase in Beta waves when they are asked to focus on a task.

People in chronic pain have exactly the same brain wave pattern. This may be why it seems so painful for people with ADHD to “sit still” and concentrate!

Sources of help

• Proper diagnosis
  The most important step in caring for someone with ADHD is ensuring they are properly diagnosed. As mentioned, there are many conditions that trigger inattentiveness and impulsivity. Occasionally, a trial of medication for ADHD may be used by a physician to make the diagnosis. The physician prescribes a drug and if it helps, the child is said to have ADHD. But response to medication is no way to diagnose ADHD.

  The most important part of any treatment is proper diagnosis.

• Avoiding certain foods
  Next, limiting sugar and sweeteners and absolutely eliminating anything with colors and additives will often prove helpful. Avoiding food allergies is imperative. Children with ADHD are often allergic to grains, dairy, corn and soy.
• Supplements
  Supplements that are helpful include a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement, Vitamin B-12 (I prefer Super Sublingual B-12 because the ratio of folic acid to B-12 is better for ADHD), VitaCal-Mag D as a calcium, magnesium, Vitamin D and zinc supplement and OmegaPrime as a good source of both Omega-3 and Evening Primrose oil. The amino acid GABA (as found in Peaceful Sleep) may also help balance the Beta and Theta brain waves when used consistently.

Conclusion
My teacher friend pointed to a very real problem: Many times a child will be labeled ADHD because of a behavior problem in the classroom. Often, the problem was that these children were in distressing circumstances at school (for example, being relentlessly bullied) or not having appropriate parental supervision and nurturing at home.

However, ADHD is real and it is a serious disorder that will affect a person’s entire life. With proper diagnosis and assessment of the individual learning style of the child there is every possibility for a full and productive life!

Learn More…

• More information about ADHD
• Lifestyle changes for ADHD

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• Osteoporosis/Grandparent Guilt
• Tremor Triggers

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other healthcare provider. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem. You should consult with a healthcare provider if you suspect your child might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

The Controversies of Antibiotic Use

Here are some steps you can take to repair your system following antibiotic use and how taking a prebiotic/probiotic supplement with each meal may help reduce the likelihood of future infections.

Weed, seed & feed
To improve any terrain it is often necessary to remove weeds and unwanted plants. The same is true in the human terrain: In extreme cases we may need to remove certain pathogenic (disease-producing) bacteria from our system in order to establish a baseline upon which to build a healthy immune system.

Once “weeds” in the form of disease-producing bacteria, parasites, yeasts and other microbes have been removed, the system needs to be “re-seeded” with probiotics. Probiotics are any of the 300 to 400 different bacteria that live inside us and promote health. Many of these have names you will recognize such as Lactobaccilus acidophilus.

Fermented foods carry many good bacteria with known health benefits. To encourage these health-producing bacteria to colonize (settle down and raise a family) they need to be fed regularly. Good bacteria thrive on healthy fiber and starches called prebiotics. A prebiotic is anything that supports the healthy growth of good bacteria. Examples of common foods rich in prebiotic fibers include okra, parsnips and artichokes.

Critical steps
People who vigorously apply the 10 Essentials have a reduced risk of infection. However, those who live an imbalanced life are more at risk or prone to infection; they are said to be in the “pool of susceptibility.” That is, they are susceptible to infection. To take oneself out of the pool of susceptibility we need to follow some simple steps:

1. Breathe deeply 20 minutes daily
2. Drink pure water: ½ your body weight in ounces
3. Sleep peacefully 7 ½ to 9 hours each night
4. Eat nutritious food: 5, 7 or 9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily
5. Enjoy activity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week
6. Cultivate healthy emotional and spiritual relationships
7. Seize your sense of purpose – your many purposes in life

If you are recovering from antibiotic use you may add prebiotic fiber and probiotic bacteria such as those found in Digestive Complex.

Caution needed
There is a dark side to antibiotic use: resistant strains of bacteria. Antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria develop when antibiotics are over-used or improperly used. Antibiotic-resistant microbes colonize and serve as reservoirs of disease. Antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis, pneumonia and meningitis epidemics have killed thousands of people and threaten to kill millions more in the coming decades.

Dr. Jim Wilde, chief investigator of the misuse of antibiotics for the National Institutes of Health in concert with the Centers for Disease Control, states that many antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary. This is because our own immune system can respond adequately to kill the infection and restore balance.

So, take yourself out of the pool of susceptibility by vigorously applying the 10 Essentials, eating foods rich in prebiotic fibers and taking probiotics as necessary.

Learn More…

Infections resolve without antibiotics:

• Lower respiratory infections
• Antibiotic use linked to breast cancer

Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

• ADHD
• Osteoporosis/Grandparent Guilt