The Quest for a Healthier, Longer Life
As the leading edge of the baby-boomer generation approaches the age of retirement, their resounding attitude seems to be “we will not go quietly into the night.” Indeed, these Americans whose revolutionary generation continuously defied the conventions of previous generations are now changing the face of retirement. Unwilling to spend days in a rocking chair with prescription bottles at hand, baby-boomers are actively seeking ways to live longer, healthier, more active lives. With the current predicted lifespan of between seventy-five to eighty-five years, baby-boomers are actively searching for ways to increase their quality of health, endurance, and longevity -- without the side effects of prescription drugs. They are searching for the proverbial “fountain of youth”.
This ongoing quest for a longer, healthier life has given birth to another kind of revolution -- the wellness revolution.
Understanding That Chemicals May Not Be The Answer
At least five billion prescriptions will be filled this year in the United States alone. That figure averages out to around one and a half prescriptions every month for every man, woman and child in the United States. Annually, we spend approximately two trillion dollars for health care that primarily focuses on the treatment of disease rather than the promotion of good health and prevention of disease.
The sad truth is that, as we discussed in the previous chapter, the multitude of chemical drugs flowing into American homes is actually contributing to chronic illness, debilitation, and even premature death. These prescription drugs are all too often responsible for both fatal and non-fatal disorders. Many times, patients take handfuls of these drugs every day without really understanding the risks of potentially harmful interactions or disastrous side effects.
And with so many prescription drugs now available in a generic form, a shocking new danger has emerged. Most people are unaware that there is a twenty-five percent variance in generic prescription drugs, meaning that any generic prescription you have filled can either be twenty-five percent less potent or even twenty-five percent more potent than as stated on the label, depending on the manufacturer.
The reason this is such an important variable is that each person’s health affects the efficacy of a drug. What works on one person may have no effect on another, or its effectiveness can even vary from refill to refill for the same person.
The next time you notice a masterfully produced prescription drug commercial on television, pay close attention to the fine print and closing remarks. These hard-to-spot blurbs list possible side effects, and their disclosure is required by law. What you will discover are alarming side effects that many times are, quite honestly, worse than the conditions that the drugs are supposed to treat.
Believe it or not, there are people in the world who do not rely upon medication to eliminate their symptoms, improve their health, reverse aging, or cure diseases. A growing army of people are realizing that “better living through chemicals” just isn’t what it is cracked up to be. Instead, more and more people are turning to nature’s “garden of health” to improve and sustain good health and vibrant energy, as well as to feel, think, and even look younger.
In a way, perhaps we as citizens of the planet Earth are rediscovering a natural fountain of youth that has always been right in front of us.
Returning to Nature for Improved Health and Increased Longevity
Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life, although no one can guarantee how long we will live. A number of nutritional products and natural supplements can markedly increase our chances of living into our eighties, nineties, or even longer.
For instance, did you know that six of the ten leading causes of death in the United States (coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, artherosclerosis, and liver disease) are associated with poor nutritional choices and overeating? This sobering information underscores the fact that good nutrition, natural and dietary supplements are one of the greatest weapons that we possess against disease.
- Keeping unhealthy fats below thirty percent of the total calories you consume and your cholesterol intake below 200mg will significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Eating five servings per day of fruits and vegetables lowers your chances of getting cancer, and studies indicate that simply increasing the number of those servings to between nine and ten each day is as effective as prescription medication in lowering high blood pressure -- without the dangerous side effects. This kind of super-powered natural supplement or nutritional product can significantly reduce or even eliminate your risk of stroke.
Research scientists and even the American Medical Association all agree that the best health supplements and nutritional products are absolutely essential to our health and wellbeing. Nowhere is this truer than when we consider our long-term health.
While our bodies are capable of healing themselves and keeping us healthy, they require a wide spectrum of dietary supplement and nutrients to function properly and to remain healthy over a long life span.
For complete nutrition, our bodies require wellness vitamins and supplements, minerals, phytonutrients, trace minerals, enzymes, amino acids, essential fatty acids, and fiber too.
To further complicate the equation, these nutrients need to be in specific forms and often in specific combinations in order to provide optimum nutritional benefit.
Ultimately, the choice is always yours…
It is extremely difficult for us to relate what we eat -- or don’t eat -- today to what our health may be in five, ten, or even twenty years. You might even believe that aging and sickness are a natural part of life. However, the truth is that with the right nutritional products and dietary supplement choices -- including anti-aging vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants -- it is more than possible to restore and maintain good health while also slowing or even reversing the aging process.
