Aging may inevitable but ill health is not! Our aim should be to remain healthy at every stage of our life. Free from pain, free from confusion, free from wear and tear. Age is the dawn of wisdom and rather than try and hold back the sands of time, we need to value and enjoy our lives. Chronological aging is inevitable but the mental attitude to age is not and if we look upon each stage of our life as a fantastic journey.
We have been delighted at The Essential Health Clinic to see several octogenarians with a refreshing attitude to aging . One 81 year old lady’s complaint is that her legs feel tired after skiing! We have treated an 84 year old with chronic fatigue and our first anodyne machine was purchased by an 81 year old with leg ulcers. She would not accept the gloomy verdict of the health professionals who warned that she may even lose her foot. She sought out new technologies and the result is that she has a rapidly healing ulcer and her pain and swelling has gone.
One thing that all these patients have in common is a positive attitude to health and aging. They would not accept that age will bring with it inevitable decline, pain and poor mobility.
A positive mental attitude ensures that optimal health is what is expected and when you expect this you will generally get it.

Nutritional Balance – nutritional balance is more important in old age than ever before. Common deficiencies are folic acid, selenium, chromium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin D and omega 3.
Absorption of multivitamin may be reduced so it is vital to check blood tests to assess the levels of these essential nutrients in the body.
Omega 3 - is particularly important to protect the brain, heart and lungs. It also has the added benefit of reducing joint pain and stiffness. One of our octogenarians attended his own GP for a skin compliant to be told that he had the skin of a much younger man. It just so happens his omega balance had been recently checked and was in the ideal range. Visual deterioration can be reduced by ensuring optimal omega balance as shown by recent research into macular degeneration.

Vitamin D – this vitamin is deficient in 90% of the UK population but in the elderly, it is particularly important. Absorption of dietary calcium into the bones depends on adequate vitamin D which has been shown to reduce fractures. It is also important for proper muscle strength and this is important factor in retaining mobility and reducing falls. Optimal vitamin D is also important for reducing blood pressure and plays a vital role in the immune system. It is probably because of the effect on the immune system that several studies have shown that cancer rates are related to levels of vitamin D and sunlight exposure. The higher levels of vitamin D were associated with reduced cancer incidence with colon cancer in particular being reduced by 60%.

The human body changes very little in the years we are on this earth. What is good for children is good for adults, even older ones! Good food, exercise and essential nutrients. It becomes more important as time goes on to look after these aspects of your life. Most important of all is retaining the belief that your health can remain good all your life.