Introduction
Health maintenance without paying attention to health, nutrition and fitness is impossible. Fitness and proper nutrition are the backbone to good health. Research has proven it , and new research data is surfacing. Yet confusion exists: diet book bestsellers come and go.
Magazine headlines proclaim “miracle diets”, and diet foods or meals claim a sizeable section of super markets and health food stores. TV commercials show new food products in vibrant colors to entice the consumer, and cookbooks deal with foods from health-conscious to decadent.
Yet despite the apparent abundance of products, whether it is fully stocked shelves in food stores or restaurants with huge self-service buffets, not all is well in the health statistics of the population.
Health, Nutrition and Fitness
Obesity
62 % of our society was obese in 1999, which means that we have become the fattest people on this planet (Ref. 6)!
Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions along with this and continues to be on the increase.
Heart disease has become the number one killer, and soaring health costs put excessive burdens on health insurance plans. A host of other diseases are plaguing a large segment of the population:
Arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer figure prominently.
Alzheimer’s and various other forms of dementia threaten to turn the so called “golden age” into years overshadowed by disabilities and illness. (Ref.1)
Anti-aging medicine has become a new specialty for an aging population.
Anti-aging medicine
We would be kidding ourselves, if we would assume that we can double our life expectancy by lifestyle changes. However, it is not unreasonable to pursue the goal of reducing poor health and disability as we age and enjoy a life that is vibrant and full of energy by cutting down known risk factors for these diseases.
Books like “Breakthrough” by Suzanne Somers (Ref.8) have reviewed the new insights of anti-aging medicine. This consists of detoxifying the body from heavy metals like mercury, lead and cadmium.
Good nutrition
Next you need to pay close attention to healthy food intake. It is not surprising that nutrition represents the foundation to health and well-being. We need building blocks that ensure that our physical functions are running smoothly. Start with organic food as this is devoid of toxins. Stay away from processed foods as much as you can.
Exercise regularly, manage stress
Assuming that we are building our health like a house…
…we will start with a solid foundation of good nutrition, add to this a structure of physical activity and fitness, and add a protective roof called stress management by ultimately topping it off with effective relaxation and meditation. You could liken the heating/air conditioning system to our hormones that need to be in balance to keep us comfortable. This is dealt with under this link.
Balance your hormones
It is a balance of our hormones, which will ensure proper functioning of all our organs. Included in this is a proper balance of our sex hormones, which ensures a regular sex life. Our mental functioning depends on proper brain hormone balance. With too much sugar and starch in our diet many North Americans have lost this balance, have inhibited their hormone interactions and as a result suffer prematurely from a variety of the diseases typical for “civilized” countries such as strokes, heart attacks, arthritis, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, depression etc.
The following information sheet has been prepared by Dr. Schilling for patients in a walk-in-clinic in Kelowna, BC who are trying to take a proactive approach to their health. I have also recently published a book “A survivor’s guide to successful aging” where all of these topics are dealt with in more detail (Ref.9). It is the recipe that my wife and I have been following since 2001, so we know it works.
Anti-Aging Medicine Information For You
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Congratulations in taking charge of your personal health. You will be working in close partnership with your physician on the various aspects of getting and staying well in middle age and beyond. You may have read some magazine articles or seen programs on TV about anti-aging medicine, lifestyle and nature identical hormone replacement. It is important that you inform your physician about your health history, surgeries, current or past illnesses and family health history.
In order to get a closer look at your body functions you will need to have some laboratory tests. They will give your physician the information about your health status and also about possible deficiencies. Some of the tests (fasting insulin, thyroid tests such as TSH, free T4 and free T3) will be blood tests. Assessing your hormonal needs is best done by saliva tests, as they are more accurate than blood tests. With all the test results in place your physician will prescribe you the nature-identical hormones that are best suited for your individual needs.
They will be compounded by the pharmacist and will be used as creams that you apply to your skin. After about 3 months you will have some of your tests repeated and depending on the results the dosage of your hormones may be adjusted. Hormone therapy should follow the concept of “starting low and going slow”. It is a fallacy to assume that nature-identical hormones cannot cause any undesirable side effects and the creams can be used without thinking much about the dosage. It is of importance that dosages prescribed are not exceeded, but used as prescribed. Close compliance is necessary to give your body its best chance. You will reap the benefits in the form of energy, overall health and well being.
Your personal commitment to staying healthy does not stop here.
For optimal health you will need a solid foundation in your lifestyle choices:
-Make time for physical fitness. A brisk walk of 30 minutes at least three times per week is a good start. Remember that your heart works 7 days a week! Heart health does not start in an arm chair, but with a pair of good walking shoes.
-Do some house cleaning: trash the junk food and throw out the cigarettes. Eliminate harmful substances from your environment. Mercury fillings in your teeth are not harmless! Have them replaced with ceramic fillings.
-Fuel is important! Give preference to fresh vegetables, fruit, high quality proteins (fish, lean meat, yoghurt, and tofu), whole grains (oats, barley), nuts and olive oil. White flour and sugar are not good buddies in nutrition!
-Avoid MSG like the plague! It is present in many processed foods, dressing, marinades and spice mixes. MSG is an excitotoxin that destroys brain cells and runs under many disguises such as hydrolyzed protein, vegetable protein extract, yeast extract, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, and natural flavor. Start reading food labels carefully, as too many obscure chemical names in processed foods mean: don’t eat it! Go back to the basics.
-Not all our food contains everything we need. Use a multivitamin supplement for starters. Various vitamins and supplements are known to prevent illness, such as vitamin D3, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids in the form of molecularly distilled fish oil capsules, just to name the most prominent ones.
-Relax and enjoy. Clear your mind and keep stress at bay. Allow yourself time to be calm and to unwind from a demanding day.
-Get your sleep. Previous relaxation helps (see above.) The 11 PM news probably won’t contribute to rest and relaxation.
-Stick with it! In a world of instant everything it is easy to give up a program after a month. Getting well and staying well is a program for life. Enjoy the benefits!
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In the next section I will discuss nutrition in detail. I will mention the ingredients of protein, fats, carbohydrates, supplemental vitamins and minerals. I believe that the best diet is one that sticks close to the natural diet of those who live long, fulfilled lives and have lots of energy until a ripe old age. The population of Okinawa comes to mind.
In order to achieve this in our society where GMO foods are freely mixed into processed foods, we have to stick to 100% organic foods or else risk undermining our health.
References:
1. B. Sears: “The age-free zone”.Regan Books, Harper Collins, 2000. Also see Dr. Sears’ site.
2. B. Sears: “Zone perfect meals in minutes”. Regan Books, Harper Also see Dr. Sears’ site.
3. B.J. Wilcox, D.C. Willcox and M. Suzuki: “The Okinawa Program.” Clarkson Potter,2001, N.Y., U.S.A.
4. E.L. Rossi: The psychobiology of mind-body healing. Norton &Co., 1986, N.Y., U.S.A.
5. Vitamins and Foods. Audio-Digest Family Practice Vol 49, Issue 29, Aug.7, 2001.
6. P.C. McGraw: Life strategies. 1999, Simon&Schuster Source, N.Y., U.S.A.
7. B. Sears: “The top 100 zone foods”. Regan Books, Harper Collins, 2001. Also see Dr. Sears’ site.
8. Suzanne Somers: “Breakthrough” Eight Steps to Wellness– Life-altering Secrets from Today’s Cutting-edge Doctors”, Crown Publishers, 2008
9. Dr. Ray Schilling: “A Survivor’s Guide to Successful Aging” , Amazon 2014.
