There is really no standard definition of what qualifies someone as “old.” Many would say that fifty and above qualify, but fifty is the new forty, sixty is the new sexy, and menopause, a topic barely mentioned a generation ago, is the subject of a “hot” off–Broadway musical. As the baby boomer era becomes of age, our health care system is faced with the challenge of what to do with them
Very soon the first tide of baby boomers becomes eligible for Medicare. According to an American Medical Association report, some 60 percent of the nation’s physicians say they’ll be forced to limit the number of Medicare patients they can treat.
Can our health care system handle the flood? Probably not. That is why more seniors are turning to natural health solutions. Getting at the root cause instead of suppressing symptoms is their best hope for good health.
There are several common health issues those in the boomer category face. Some of the top concerns I see in my office are about circulatory issues such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, memory and brain health, digestive problems, eye health (glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration) and structural problems like arthritis. There isn’t enough space to cover all of these concerns, but let’s look at just a few.
High Blood Pressure
In addressing this first category there are several health issues to consider. Let’s start with high blood pressure. When working with this problem we need to look for the root cause, which is either a blockage of some kind or a congested and inflamed circulatory system. In the case of blockage, the blood vessels may not be pliable enough or there may be calcification in the arteries.
Most high blood pressure medications don’t address specific causes or even symptoms. There is a general attitude that it is all taken care of by the same drug no matter what the cause.
Fibrin is the material that creates the latticework for the plaque that forms in larger arteries. Where fibrin blocks the vessels it is like a scar tissue material. The medical term for this is peripheral vascular resistance.
Why does the fibrin get built up? Usually the root cause is a digestive issue. Nattozimes are a key supplement that can help keep the vessels pliable by breaking up the fibrin. These enzymes not only prevent clogging of blood vessels, they can actually help reverse the problem. They help eat away at both the fibrosis and the harmful build up in the blood vessels.
Another problem is that the body is not transporting minerals properly via the adrenal hormones. This is where the where stress factor in high blood pressure comes in. When the adrenals are too busy producing cortisol, other hormones like the mineralcorticoids that move minerals may become deficient.
Minerals are an important part of vascular health. If a person isn’t getting enough minerals in their foods and/or they are inhibiting mineral absorption by blocking or inhibiting hydrochloric acid in the stomach, they won’t have the minerals their circulatory system needs. Calcium has a heavy atomic weight and requires hydrochloric acid for assimilation. When hydrochloric acid is blocked or neutralized, the calcium doesn’t get to bone and causes calcifications in all areas of the body, including the arteries.
Most people aren’t really deficient in calcium. They just aren’t utilizing it. So instead of putting someone on a calcium supplement, put them on B12, which aids mineral transport, and Vitamin D3, which helps with the delivery of calcium.
Inflammatory responses and hyperinsulinemia are going to have an affect on blood pressure; so those problems have to be addressed, too. Cardio Assurance can be helpful here because the vitamin K2 helps with insulin resistance in hyperinsulinemia.
Often the body isn’t removing toxins efficiently via the kidney or colon. The liver is frequently involved, too. All Cell Detox and the Tiao He cleanse are my favorites formulas for helping to move toxins out. We follow this up with Cellular Energy and Lymph Drainage.
Here are some basic suggestions for reducing blood pressure naturally. First, staying hydrated is a must. Drink half the body weight in ounces of water. Using liquid chlorophyll in the water really helps, too.
Ultimate GreenZone helps too because the greens and mineral rich ingredients help with the root causes. Doing QFA readings to monitor resistivity is very useful to see the congestion or stagnation of the minerals. If there is a low saliva resistivity number then the minerals aren’t likely moving so you will need to do some detoxing there and support the adrenals.
Add garlic to the diet. Two tablets of High Potency Garlic per day will also help to open the blood vessels and keep the vascular walls strong. If there is plaque build up, you can use the Mega-Chel program. You can also use the Blood Pressurex to transition off vasopressins. Just remember you still have to work on the root cause while doing these.
Exercise (especially moving the lymph) is a great way to bring pressure down. I have helped one patient reduce her blood pressure and come off all of her blood pressure medications by using a chi machine and an infrared sauna daily. We used All Cell Detox, Black Walnut and Cardio Assurance to get her pressure from 190/115 to a normal 120/80. She has now added walking and yoga to her program and maintains her blood pressure using no supplements specific for blood pressure. She just continues to drink lots of water and chlorophyll and take Ultimate GreenZone and Adrenal Support.
High Cholesterol
Now, let’s address the issue of high cholesterol. I have stated many times that driving the cholesterol too low is not healthy. We need cholesterol to combust toxins, hormones and create cellular energy. By reducing cholesterol under 150 you are entering danger zones for developing cancer.
The reason cholesterol elevates is to save your life from environmental toxins. Cholesterol is a by-product of protein metabolism. Lipoproteins also engulf toxins and then are stored in tissue cells. Later the body gradually detoxifies these deposits unless the quantity of toxins isoverwhelming.
Cholesterol should not be viewed as a stand-alone test. The body’s cholesterol level involves many factors and the fact that a person has high cholesterol doesn’t mean it is a single factor in a person’s health.
For working with high cholesterol, start by emulsifying fats using the SF formula or lecithin. Then add some essential fatty acids like Super GLA. You may also want to try some fat-soluble vitamins, Vitamin A&D and possibly vitamin E.
Next look at increasing the nitrogen-binding capacity so the cholesterol can be combusted and used for hormones. To do this, use N-Acetyl Cysteine. It is available both as a single or in the Milk Thistle Combo, which is also an excellent choice.
Next, get the toxins out so the cholesterol is not overburdened in its job. Use the Heavy Metal Detox for this. At some point you may also want to try a Tiao HeCleanse, but not in the beginning. I have also used Sam-e and Ho Shou Wu in the past for cholesterol issues
Digestive Problems
According to medical journals, as many as 30% of seniors over 65 develop the inability to produce adequate stomach acid. By the age of 80 as many as 40% of seniors may be unable to produce stomach acid. This can lead to reduced absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, calcium, iron and vitamin B12.
Digestive health is the key to preventing many other age-related issues. We need enzymes to break down and assimilate nutrients. I use Food Enzymes with most people that aren’t on antacids to help with impaired protein digestion. Proactazyme Plus is milder and a better choice if they are having acid reflux.
Gastro Health is my number one choice for seniors followed by ALJ. These formulas help with the root bacterial issues that could cause problems in the digestive system. They are also soothing. Silver Shield is a welcome addition to my protocol because of all the intestinal bacterial infections that can develop after years of using proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec and Nexium.
Eye Health
I like to read studies that back up what we do. Some of them are vague and drug slanted but if you look at the biochemistry behind what they used and apply it to plant chemistries we can do the same thing naturally.
Constant sinus infections and allergy responses due to environmental toxins and adrenal stress with elevated cortisol levels are both adversely affecting our eye health. The sinus pressure or bacteria in the sinus cavity puts pressure on the eye and changes the shape of it, thus, some of us over 40 start needing reading glasses.
Using Silver Sol gel in the eyes has been helping with problems like cataracts and glaucoma and in improving eyesight. When made into a tea and used as an eyewash, EW helps to clear congestion in the eye. Nature’s Fresh provides enzymes to help the eyes and antioxidants like the Green Tea Extract and Thai Go create healthy blood flow to the eye.