Preventing the Diseases of Aging
by David Herold and Bruce Heischober, MD

Scientific research supports the fact that herbs, vitamins and minerals as well as diet and exercise will help prevent the diseases of aging. We want to live lives filled with vitality, energy, and joy to experience life to its fullest.  Studies show that when there are deficiencies in vitamins, minerals and especially antioxidants, we will be more prone to disease. Our risk of diseases like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, arthritis, even cancer is greatly reduced with the intake of vitamins, minerals and herbs.

A healthy diet is extremely important for prevention of disease. Eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting back on sugars and fats can reduce cancer, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s risk. But fortifying a healthy diet with supplementation carries these advantages even farther.

Large research studies were reviewed and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association looking at the addition of vitamin supplements. They reported that the intake of supplements is very important for the prevention of disease. The American Medical Association now recommends that people consume a good quality multivitamin/mineral daily and suggests taking additional supplements depending upon medical and family history.

Most people don’t really get enough nutrients in their diet. From a recent Senate report, 99 percent of the population is deficient in minerals and trace minerals. How many people are actually eating five servings of varied fruits and vegetables daily? When we consume a diet of mostly processed foods, it is impossible to get the amount of nutrients we need. When we add the increased consumption of sugar and caffeine products, plus the intake of medications, there is more nutritional loss and deficiency. We have become a society suffering from high caloric malnutrition because our diets have become so low in nutritional value.

We are also living in times where the toxicity of our environment is overwhelming. Everyday we are exposed to thousands of chemicals from the air we breathe, the water we drink and the foods we eat. Even our clothing is treated with chemicals. There is an epidemic of mercury and heavy metals in our environment. Fish is contaminated with toxic metals like mercury and arsenic. It is impossible to escape these chemicals, even if we are eating totally organic. Although we are becoming more conscious about the environment, we still can’t avoid this problem.

Giving our body the nutrition to protect itself is the only answer. If we don’t have the right intake of nutrients, our bodies can’t produce what we need to stay healthy not only physically but also mentally. Our bodies are built to handle a certain amount of toxicity. We have enzymes that protect us from toxic damage. When we get more toxicity and free radicals than we can handle, our cells die, or even worse, our DNA is damaged and this can lead to cancer or organ failure.

It all comes down to nutrition - getting the right nutrition into the cells to keep the mind and body functioning at their optimal level. The body is truly one of nature’s miracles, far more sophisticated than any machine. Our body is a miracle that requires a broad spectrum of nutrients to run optimally.

We all have such busy lives that eating a nutritionally balanced diet is difficult. Sometimes even vitamins are not enough. With all of the toxins from the environment, we need to cleanse and detoxify our bodies regularly. Once the body is cleansed we must support it with food to provide a nutritionally complete diet of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and enzymes.

Most people cannot combine everything the body needs into their daily meals. Therefore, in order to achieve proper balance we have to supplement our diet and eat nutrient dense organic foods. We also rely on taking an herbal tonic regularly. We eat a combination of organic foods, herbal tonics, and nutrient dense supplements that are proven to assist the body and mind to function optimally so that we will live a long, healthy life.