by David Winston, RH (AHG)
The population of North America and Europe is aging. Currently one in ten people in the United States is over 65. By the year 2050, it is estimated that one in five Americans will be over 65. Our life expectancy is higher than ever before and most of us want to live a long and healthy life. While many of us want to live to be 85 or 90, the reality is that what we really want is to be 35 or 40 years old and physically stay that age for another 50 or 60 years. Perhaps someday science fiction dreams (or nightmares) of cloning new organs, 20-something octogenarians, and cellular regeneration may be a reality, but in the present we are stuck with the reality of growing old.
As we reach our 60s, 70s, and 80s, we heal more slowly, our bones become more brittle, our skin sags, our energy is not what it once was. No one has discovered Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth, but we do know that herbs, diet, lifestyle, and supplements can slow aging, enhance memory, help prevent cancer and heart disease, and keep us as healthy as possible throughout our lives. In this talk we will focus on common conditions associated with aging and examine a range of herbal and nutritional therapies that can help you, your loved ones, or your patients.