I believe and it stands to reason that our aboriginal ancestors had to a defense system that would deal with a threatening disease in a very dramatic way. Lets face it living in a cave or on the savannah with no antibiotics and every critter looking for a meal could be life threatening. When we did suffer disease and wounds they needed a reaction that did not hesitate.
Still with such a system living in to a old age, as we know it today, was a rarity. Children born to very young parents where frequently raised by close relatives that survived. To survive to 70 or 80 was very rare. Think about all the things that could have caused a demise. A abscess of a top jaw tooth could easily go to the brain. Dental care and all the modern cures where just not available.
I worked in the health field for fifty years. I believe in modern medicine to help us with our illness. I am not one to say modern medicine is a bad profession or wrong to utilize. Not everything can be cured "naturally". In fact some natural things can be deadly. So we have to start thinking about this in a intelligent way.
What medicine and surgery is all about is to treat disease. What I say is that most of our disease have a component being caused by our way of life.....that is civilization. We are not getting the nutrients we need and this is especially true in old age because we absorb them even more poorly than when young. Unfortunately, when young the quantity of needed nutrients are lacking too, and that causes problems as you age.
Vitamin D. It helps control inflammation, though slow in onset, just makes you feel better in many ways. Emotionally, pain wise and you get sick less often. Just a fact.
Fermented foods. Same deal as with vitamin D. Felt good with vitamin D .....try fermented foods that you make. Go about it intelligently and know that the starting of fermented foods may require some adjustment. Mercola.com is a excellent source of information on this source. Just remember he is trying to sell you some thing and even he admits your own fermented foods are superior to a pill.
We walked around in the sun without clothes on and on the equator in olden times. Know anybody who does that? I can not imagine a person who is adequate in their vitamin D levels. Even if in the sun all day they wear clothes and what percentage of skin is exposed. Darn little!
All things in moderation.....but modern medicine still teaches none ( of the sun) is best. So get in the sun when available and don't get burned. Burning is what causes problems. That is where moderation comes in.
Fermented foods. A recent look at our chromosomes and examination of the genes revealed some interesting data. For every uniquely human gene there where nine genes that incorporated the characteristics of bacteria into our gene pool. Actual gene fragments taken from bacteria and utilized by us in our genes.
A count of the numbers of bacteria in and on our body ( actual whole living bacteria) out number our cells ten to one. Of course the bacteria are small and account of only 2 to four lbs of body weight. However the fact remains we are living with bacteria that co inhabit our bodies and our number us. This is symbiosis where the bacteria and us get along and each benefit. And we benefit more if they are friendly.
It has been documented that fermented foods improve mood ( anti depressant), eliminate constipation and tend to reduce cravings. That last sentence means you lose some weight.
In lab animals fed a fermented food suffer from increased stress and anxiety when the good bacteria are eliminated from their diets. Many people tell me they enjoy life more since starting fermented foods and are more healthy. Studies ( women listen up) UTI's are eliminated when the gut has a very high percentage of fermented food bacteria in it. Yogurt will not do the trick. Not enough bacteria there.
So many areas to comment on in a small space, but one more. If you are old you have less acid in your stomach. If you take a drug such as pilosec or nexium you are low in acid. That means you do not absorb enough B 12. With that being true back aches, numb feet, anxiety and depression are all possibilities depending on the severity of the deficit. IN FACT, Alzheimer disease and extreme B 12 deficiency is impossible to differentiate with out autopsy. Give them enough B12 and they get better. Alzheimer disease does not.
If you go to my "about" page this is addressed more deeply. I don't expect you to accept anything I say. If you question just look it up yourself. Going back through my blog will reveal links etc to studies. Going to www.vitamindcouncil.org and www.grassrootshealth.net will give you even more information. B 12 and afflictions ....google it only I use www.ixquick.com for information searches. They don't track me and I like that.
To your health and well being. You are in charge!
BB
Addendum....This would not be complete without talking about magnesium. The fourth more prevalent mineral in our diet. Where do you get it. Unprocessed foods (raw has a lot more) and well water. For example you cook your vegetables and throw out the water you cooked them in. You just threw out the majority of the magnesium. Few drink well water these days. Hard water is good for you. So the down side to low magnesium. Cramps of muscles, tire with exercise more easily and a tendency toward no so regular a heart rhythm.
Also if you take vitamin D or sun yourself you are depleting magnesium. Why? Because when vitamin D is turned into the hormone that goes to over 2,000 genes it uses magnesium to make that hormone.
Best form of magnesium to take in pill form is....in my opinion....magnesium malate. It is twenty to forty percent absorbed and the malate portion is used in the krebs cycle for energy. Why is that important. Because without malate ( malic acid in his un compound formulation) you will break down muscle for energy. Remember the muscle cramps I was taking about. .
One more thing do not buy magnesium oxide. It is four percent utilized and the rest stays in the gut causing a laxative effect. You will not find it on the pharmacy shelf. You have to go to a health store and pay a premium or go on line.