Are We Living Longer but Less Healthfully?

The 21^st centuries is witnessing an increased life expectancy as well as a huge increase in modern diseases. While medicines help to extend lifespan, individuals now have to face the ravages of aging for a longer time. Ultimately, we lead a poorer quality of life, even though we are living longer.

One main disease: Two causes
All diseases can be traced back to cellular dysfunction, which are caused by:

1Deficiency of needed nutrients- Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Fatty Acids and Phytonutrients

The modern diet of processed and refined food is laden with sugar, fats and chemicals but lacking in essential nutrients. Even though most of us have enough to eat, the odds are we’re not getting sufficient amounts of essential nutrients that our bodies need to perform optimally.

2 Toxicity from exposure to polluted air, water and foods
Environmental pollution, bad lifestyle habits, processed and oily food all add unnecessary chemicals and metals that interfere with enzymes and cell functions. They are all toxic to our body and these toxins initiate free radical problems that at the end create damage to our body cells. A free radical is essentially a reactive atom or molecule that has an unpaired electron. These unstable molecules then attack and steal another cell’s electrons in order to achieve stability; resulting in an unchecked chain reaction that alters our internal cell structures.

Free radicals arise normally during metabolism. Sometimes our immune system’s cell purposely creates them to neutralize viruses and bacteria. However, environmental factors like those mentioned above will spawn free radicals. Too many free radicals in the body will eventually kill cells. An increasing amount of research has shown that excessive free radicals are related to most chronic illnesses and diseases like premature aging, fatigue, declining mental functions, cardiovascular problems and even cancers.

The ‘H’ Factor in Women’s Lives

Hormones make up the endocrine system and are responsible for the development, growth, metabolism and reproductive functions throughout a woman’s life. Physiological changes are often caused by hormonal upheavals during the critical phases of puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause to address the different needs of the body, thus affecting the quality of life.

Adverse physiological symptoms of hormonal imbalance are usually caused by variations in the progesterone and estrogen hormone levels. Depending on the level of stress, nutrition, exercise and ovulation, a woman’s body produces varying amounts of these hormones from month to month. Other factors that adversely affecting internal hormone levels include environmental pollution like household chemicals and car exhaust, hectic lifestyles, intake of birth control pills and a diet that lack nourishment.

Many women are plagued with hormone imbalances that go unrecognized and untreated. Unfortunately, the development of modern medicine only masks or suppresses the symptoms- like painkillers for PMS, period regulators or hormone replacement therapy but these do not address the root cause.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach
Traditional Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to address imbalance within the body. In Chinese medicine, the kidney, liver, endocrine and reproductive systems are interconnected and any deficiencies may affect other functions. Thus, nourishing these systems in a holistic combination of herbs can improve overall health and vitality and alleviate specific physiological symptoms or discomfort associated with hormonal imbalance. Some useful herbs for ladies are:

Huang Qi- Replenishes inner energy (qi) in females; aids tissue regeneration

Wang Bu Liu Xing- Commonly used to nourish breasts

Dang Gui- Regulates menstruation; helps reduce menstrual pain

Dang Shen, Dan Shen- Helps relieves blood stasis; helps increase production of hemoglobin

By nourishing the internal organs using these herbal formulations with Chinese medicine philosophy, it helps to regulate the endocrine system, resulting in enhanced feminine health and a better quality of life.