January/February 1998

Aging into the millennium
Add life to your years holistically

By Luana Collins Rubin

As aging baby-boomers seek more alternative healthcare choices, holistic geriatrics is looking like the wave of the future. Although it is difficult to find alternative practitioners who specialize in treating the elderly, plenty of holistic doctors work with seniors on a regular basis.

Rita Cummings, D.C., of Tamarac Chiropractic and Wellness, is one of those practitioners. The good news is that Colorado has a high percentage of older people who are interested in sports and nutrition, she says. These seniors are adding life to their years, rather than just adding years to their life. Cummings cites Dr. Leo Galland’s book, The Four Pillars of Health, as a good resource about combining traditional and alternative healthcare, as many of Colorado’s seniors are doing. The trend in Europe for patients to seek less drastic treatments to fight aging is now becoming more popular in the U.S.

One of the gentler paths to health in old age is Ayurvedic medicine. Frank Eliot, D.C. has a 12-point Ayurvedic prescription for longevity at his Denver clinic. Panchakarma, a purification and rejuvenation treatment including meditation, exercise, rest, and professional bodywork, can be done at home, in a clinic or health spa. Eliot coaches his patients on releasing the past and participating in life with an open, optimistic attitude. He encourages patients to take charge of their life and their health. He points out that the problems of old age start well before our senior years. "Polluting the body, careless living and failing to communicate effectively in one’s closest relationships all contribute to a loss of vital energy in later years," he says. Once patients arrive at the crossroads of ill health, they often insist on escaping the symptoms quickly. Eliot suggests that they use that moment to ask. "What can I learn from this experience? How can I create wholeness, quality and strength from the challenge at hand?"

Ayurvedic herbs such as Indian gooseberry, winter cherry, Indian asparagus and country mallow can only help, he says.

Chinese medicine has always been interested in life extension, with its beginnings in the emperors’ search to preserve life. Shi Cheng, OMD, is the director of the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Rather than cite individual herbs, he talks about groups of herbs (formulas) that are combined to treat specific aging problems, such as weak liver, poor circulation or deficient blood chi. Cheng explains that the typical problems of old age have to do with poor circulation, causing an accumulation of waste products in the system. These toxins inflame and irritate the cells of the body and cause oxygen depletion in the brain cells. Congestion then builds up as mucous in the lungs, heart and brain. Acupuncture and herbs are used to treat these problems externally and internally.

Tai Chi and Chi Kung unify the mental, physical and spiritual process, much like yoga. These Chinese exercises are seen as a preventative to slow down aging. Doctors of Chinese medicine also consider diet a large part of the health process. Cheng says that much of disease in later years comes from diet, especially in this country. "The problems of aging are not just a natural deficiency or weakness. They are the result of our daily habits in all the years or living," he says.

So what are some strategies one can adopt from holistic medical systems for health and strength in later years? Here are some ideas from Rita Cummings:

• 65 to 75 percent of all illness comes from stress. Take an inventory of tensions brewing at home, at work, even in the environment around you. Long-term stress can cause anxiety, depression, heart disease and even cancer. Do what you can to simplify your life and eliminate stress.

• Avoid isolation. Healthy seniors tend to be active, social people with a good attitude.

• Take steps to avoid osteoporosis. Even a small amount of weight training can help build bone density. Any weight-bearing exercise, including walking, is beneficial to women (and other humans).

• Calcium absorption is affected by other foods, so take it alone at bedtime. A good calcium supplement with Vitamin D and magnesium is Calcium Apatite: Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite.

• Eat freshly prepared foods, including lots of leafy green vegetables.

As you continue to patronize holistic practitioners over the years, they will be aging along with you. Ask questions. Demand clear, complete answers so that together you and your practitioner can create a plan for optimum health and reap the benefits of your combined wisdom.