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Preventing a Silent Epidemic
One should die young as late as possible. --Ashley Montagu, American anthropologist Almost any diet, even one that consists of three fast-food meals a day, supplies nutrients in amounts that are adequate to keep the average person alive into his sixties or seventies. But eventually, inevitably, the effects of chronic low-grade malnutrition begin to add up. A heart attack, stroke, or cancerous tumor may seem like a sudden rude awakening. In reality, these and other deficiency-induced illnesses develop slowly and subtly, a consequence of decades of dietary abuses. Arthritis, cataracts, depression, diverticulosis, hearing loss, high blood pressure, Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, periodontal disease, poor circulation, prostate problems, memory loss, senile brain disease--all of these conditions creep up over time. This is why they're so often written off as a "normal" part of aging. In fact, they do not result from aging. Every one of them can be traced to some nutrient shortfall that has persisted for decades. In our overfed, undernourished nation, this problem has become so widespread that I call it a silent epidemic. "Silent" because for the first 10 to 20 years, deficiency-induced illness may show no symptoms. "Epidemic" because 80 to 90 percent of the adults in this country are afflicted, whether or not they're aware of it. A Genetic Glitch If you have a nutrient deficiency (odds are that you do), you won't notice any repercussions immediately--perhaps not for years. The disease process is covert and insidious. But a couple of decades from now, maybe more, the symptoms will emerge. As I explained in chapter 19, the ability to go for so long on a subpar diet is a genetic "gift" from our prehistoric predecessors. For millions of years, they lived off the land, hunting animals and gathering nuts, seeds, and fruits. The quantity and quality of their food supply varied tremendously. They had to survive not only famine but also extended periods during which a limited variety of foods was available. Their bodies adapted to diets extremely deficient in essential nutrients. Needless to say, our ancestors endured a great deal of nutrient deprivation in order to propagate and ensure continuation of the species. But the genes they passed on to us are programmed for short-term survival, not for longevity--bad news for those of us who aim to stick around for 120 years. Possessing the genetic makeup to stay alive in times of famine is of little value when food is abundant. On the contrary, it causes major problems by creating the illusion that we can eat whatever we want and suffer no ill effects. Because disease does not set in until much later on, we see no harm in continuing our poor eating habits. We become oblivious to the fact that a lousy diet erodes health and thwarts Renewal. Disease without Symptoms Make no mistake: Malnutrition is rampant in this country. In a long-term study sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration, half of the 12,000 participants--who represented all ages and walks of life--had nutrient intakes below the skimpy Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). Another study produced even more troubling findings: 95 percent of women between ages 40 and 80 suffered from chronic malnutrition, with nutrient intakes significantly below the RDAs. These people experienced unexplained symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, and shortness of breath. They also had substantially higher mortality rates. The bottom line is that hordes of symptom-free but nonetheless malnourished people have already begun to develop degenerative conditions such as arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. Yet because they feel healthy, they believe that they are healthy. It is possible to be seriously ill yet relatively symptom-free. Who hasn't heard of someone getting a clean bill of health from a doctor, only to be felled by a heart attack on the way home from the doctor's office? Did the person's coronary arteries suddenly harden and clog? Of course not. The plaque lining his arteries simply escaped detection. (An astute physician once observed that the first symptom of heart disease is often sudden death.) With all of its wonderful technology, modern medicine is usually useful only when symptoms turn catastrophic--when chest pain occurs or brain function fails or a lump appears. Until then, we're told that "all the tests are negative" and "your health is excellent," which only reinforces our denial that a problem exists. We continue to believe that the standard American diet--high in fat and sugar, low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber--hasn't undermined our health. But it has.
Fighting Back against Deficiency You can dramatically decrease your chances of being among the 90 percent of people who die prematurely as a consequence of silent, insidious degenerative diseases. How? By following the Renewal Anti-Aging Diet and Anti-Aging Supplement Program. Together they serve as preventive medicine--your preemptive strike against chronic malnutrition and the health problems that it causes. Only in the past few decades have we come to understand human nutrition well enough to exert intelligent control over it. Researchers have unraveled some of the most fundamental mysteries of human biochemistry, including the discovery of essential nutrients, antioxidant nutrients, phytochemicals, and natural hormones. Their findings have spawned an entire industry that manufactures nutritional products not even dreamed of just two decades ago. Today, a bounty of healthful foods and supplements is yours for the taking. By taking advantage of what's available, you can biochemically supercharge your metabolism, accelerate Renewal, and create longevity. The choice is yours. Atherosclerosis: A Cause, a Cure Atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by gradual hardening and clogging of the arteries, is the most common of all chronic degenerative diseases. In fact, it is an epidemic: In the United States alone, it's responsible for three-quarters of all deaths. You can arrest the progression of atherosclerosis by correcting the nutrient deficiencies that lead to cellular degeneration in the first place (see "When Minerals Are Minimal"). Or you can prevent the disease by making sure that you get your ODAs (see "Help for Your Heart" on page 250). Nutritional therapy has proven successful in improving the symptoms of atherosclerosis even after they become physically apparent. But rather than waiting until the disease establishes itself and then trying to reverse it, why not protect yourself against it by aiming for the ODAs? After all, if Humpty Dumpty had never sat on that wall . . .
Your Best Defense Atherosclerosis is just one of many health problems that can be treated and, even better, prevented with proper nutrition. To me, as a doctor, the plague of chronic malnutrition that afflicts the American population is a senseless, heartbreaking tragedy. Most of the heart attacks, strokes, and cancers--the conditions that diminish quality of life and often end life prematurely--are preventable. The relatively simple measures that I advocate throughout this book can extend your life span with years of good health and vitality while preventing the miseries of disease and decrepitude. Although the biochemistry behind them can seem quite complex, the principles of this Renewal-supporting lifestyle are yawningly simple.
The Renewal Anti-Aging Diet and the Renewal Anti-Aging Supplement Program make these principles practical. They can help you dramatically decrease your chances of being among the 90 percent of people who die prematurely as a consequence of chronic degenerative diseases. Think of these plans as a preemptive strike against illness and aging. * We've seen how nutrient deficiencies set the stage for disease. Now let's examine why taking supplements is such powerful preventive medicine. |