by Lawrence Wilson, MD

WORKING WITH OLDER CLIENTS

The special needs of those over the age of about 65 include the best nutrition possible, attention to their medications, and at least several nutritional supplements to offset common nutritional deficiencies. This article also discusses a number of topics of major importance for older people.

CAUTIONS WITH NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS

Diet. This needs to be a priority. Cooked, not raw food, is best for seniors because the body can absorb more minerals from cooked food and it is generally cleaner and less irritating to the digestive tract. If chewing is difficult, food needs to be blended or pureed. Sugars, all sweet foods, food chemicals and all low quality food is especially harmful. Fruit, for example, is often a problem as it feeds yeast and other improper flora in the intestines. Be sure to rest a few minutes before and after meals, eat slowly and chew thoroughly in a peaceful environment.

Supplements. Among the most important supplements is a powerful digestive enzyme because digestion weakens with age. Most older people need to take two or three tablets of GB-3 (ox bile, pancreatin and Russian black radish) or a similar product.

Another good supplement for older people is garlic 1-1-1 or 2-2-2. Also, they often need a little more zinc than is recommended by Analytical Research Labs at this time (2011-2012). Everyone needs the B-complex vitamins, and about 1000 mg or so of vitamin C. Other important supplements most people require are calcium and magnesium, 5000 iu daily of vitamin D3, about 1000 mg daily of omega-3 fatty acids, and extra iodine from about 3 capsules of kelp each day. These need not be costly and can greatly enhance one’s quality of life.

However, taking a lot of vitamins, herbs and other health food products I have found to be harmful for most people. The reason is they are yin in Chinese medical terminology, they often antagonize or oppose one another, and they can upset the digestive system, which is already weak in older people. It is usually far better to eat a diet extremely high in cooked vegetables, with some animal protein daily and some whole grains, though not wheat. This way, a person may not require more supplements to be well nourished.

Other natural healing procedures. Daily coffee enemas, or a series of colonic irrigations each year, are extremely helpful for many older people. The reason is their colons are often clogged, constipation is often present, and the liver is often extremely toxic from a lifetime of absorbing toxins. Many also have residues of many medical drugs that can be eliminated with these procedures.

Sauna therapy is another simple home-based cleansing and healing method that helps many older people. With age, the skin tends to become toxic and congested. As a result, most seniors do not sweat well and cannot eliminate poisons well through the skin. The sauna also raises the body temperature a few degrees, even if it is only for a short time each day. This can help fight off infections without a need for drugs. It also helps normalize the activity of thousands of enzymes in the body that depend upon proper body temperature to work optimally.

VITALITY AND HEALING

The vitality level of most older people is much lower than that of young people. This means that seniors tend to respond and heal more slowly, in general, than most younger people.

It also means that if an older person develops an infection, for example, it needs to be handled quickly and more aggressively because their resistance to illness is often less. This does not mean one should take antibiotics. I find these to be very toxic for the liver and upsetting for digestion. Often, seniors respond well to natural methods for healing infections such as adequate amounts of vitamins A and C, colloidal silver, bee propolis or the use of simple herbs such as Echinacea.

Anyone’s vitality level can be increased with a nutritional balancing program. In other words, by changing the diet to one of mainly cooked vegetables, and some animal protein daily, vitality will slowly increase. It is important to avoid all wheat and spelt products, and most all sweets, including most fruit, fruit, juices, sugars, syrup, and honey. Food should also be preferably organically grown and fresh, cooked properly and not raw, and eaten in a peaceful and quiet manner. These are basic nutritional requirements for everyone, but even more so for those over the age of 65 or so.

MALNUTRITION

Even if one eats good food, most older people become malnourished. This is often the hidden cause of their decline and demise. Malnutrition occurs for many reasons, including:

1.Loss of appetite. This is probably the most important factor. It can be due to:

a. Zinc deficiency. Zinc is needed for the sense of taste and smell and for apetite.

b. Other nutrient deficiencies that impair the ability to taste or smell food.

c. Some medical drugs deplete zinc and upset digestion and can interfere with appetite.

d. Liver toxicity due to the accumulation of toxic chemicals, toxic metals, medical drugs or other toxins can cause nausea and a poor appetite.

e. Depression and discouragement, which is discussed below.

f. Excessive levels of human chorionic gonadotropin or HCG. This is a hormone secreted by cancer cells, which most older people have to some degree or other. This hormone suppresses the apetite and is part of the cancer syndrome.

g. Low levels of digestive enzymes may cause a poor apetite.

h. Excess biounavailable copper or other toxic metals such as cadmium may interfere with apetite, perhaps by antagonizing zinc.

2. Inability to properly chew food. This may be due to dental problems such as missing, loose or false teeth.

3.Weakened digestion. This is often a cause of malnutrition in many older people. There may be no obvious symptoms, but the person cannot absorb nutrients as well. Basically, as one ages, the body’s secretion of digestive enzymes such as pancreatin and bile, decreases. This reduces the body’s ability to digest one’s food properly. Weak digestion can also cause gas, bloating, stomach pain or other discomfort when one eats. This often also discourages healthful eating.
Many prescription and over-the-counter medications also irritate the digestive tract to some degree, further worsening digestion. Also, many seniors are somewhat delicate and easily upset, and this tends to worsen their digestion as well.

4. Nutritional imbalances affect cellular nutrition. As one ages, a deficiency of omega-3 and other fatty acids can interfere with nutrient transport across cell membranes. As a result, nutrients and hormones do not reach the cells adequately.

5. Infections and other ailments. As one ages, more people suffer with various infections that impair nutrition in many subtle ways. These can include diabetes, heart and lung problems, intestinal infections, and many others.

These are among the reasons why nutritional supplements are essential for anyone over the age of 65. I believe that statements to the contrary by medical authorities are simply gross ignorance. This is also why three healthful meals every day are also absolutely essential for older people. Some seniors do not want to take the trouble to prepare good meals, especially if they live alone. This can also contribute to malnutrition.

SLEEP

Some older people do not sleep well, impairing their health. Reasons for this include pain or other discomfort in the body, the use of certain medical drugs, fears and worries in some cases, or just a more delicate body at this age. Some authorities claim that older people need less sleep than younger people. I do not believe this, however. Plenty of sleep is essential at every age.

DEMENTIA

Many seniors develop a degree of dementia or impaired brain functioning. Symptoms may include some memory loss, slower thinking, or perhaps the mind becomes foggy, at times. Most of those experiencing these symptoms suffer from one or more of the following:

· Aluminum, mercury and copper imbalance affecting the brain.

· Vitamin B12 deficiency, and perhaps other vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

· Hidden and often low-grade infections in the brain and central nervous system. A common one is a hidden yeast infection. Yeasts turn sugars and starches into alcohol, which can dull the mind and create subtle nutrient deficiencies.

· Other toxic metal or chemical poisoning. The most common is toxicity with medical drugs and anesthesia drugs as a result of medical procedures, operations and other medical interventions.

These causes for dementia are not genetic, and can often be reversed or at least stopped with a nutritional balancing program. Sadly, the medical profession rarely looks to natural healing methods to deal with dementia, even though mental decline is a very costly health care problem today, and one that is getting worse each day.

OVERUSE OF DRUGS IN OLDER POPULATIONS

Most medications are used by people over the age of 50 or so. This greatly harms their health in many instances. Some drugs are needed for pain, high blood pressure, insulin for diabetes, and in some other instances. However, in many cases seniors are drastically overmedicated. This shortens their lives and greatly inflates the cost of health care. The reasons for the overuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs include:

· “Free” medical care, thanks to Medicare and similar programs. While I support compassionate care for everyone, free medical care for the elderly often means going to doctors who prescribe more drugs for every imaginable symptom. Programs such as Medicare and Medicaid must be re-examined in light of this. These programs have raised health care costs for everyone, and are now completely bankrupt, in part due to drug costs. Drugs often do not heal people, but just palliates symptoms, and many do not even do that very well. American seniors, I believe, were actually better off before 1967, when Medicare was created to “help” them.

· Fragmentation of care, or lack of communication. Often, one medical specialist does not realize that another doctor has given a patient a drug, so more drugs are prescribed. These often interact with each other in harmful ways that just confuse the doctor and the patient.

· Gullibility, coupled with deceptive drug advertising. Seniors are especially vulnerable to false ads on television and in the print media that promote questionable and often dangerous drugs. The brainwashing is quite thorough, in fact, but one can only see it if one knows that alternatives to drugs that are cheaper, safer and more effective are often available at home or at the health food store.

Drug side effects murder millions each year. Most seniors take one of more medications that can cause serious adverse effects such as liver and kidney failure, heart attacks, cancers, intestinal bleeding and more. All seniors must realize this and read labels and inserts about drugs carefully. Always read about the side effects, and one must know that many adverse side effects are not reported for years, at times, after a new drug is introduced. Also, always suspect drug side effects if you not feeling well and you are on medication.

OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR SENIORS - BALANCE PROBLEMS

Many older people develop problems with balance and walking. Falling down is especially dangerous for older people because their bones tend to be more fragile, usually with some degree of osteoporosis. Fractures are common with falls, and can significantly impact the quality of life, or even end life itself.

A common hidden cause for a balance problem is an old ear infection from earlier in life that flares up as the body’s vitality decreases. Other causes include chiropractic and other structural problems. In some people, numbness or other nerve problems due to diabetes or other causes contributes to balance problems. Nutritional balancing programs can often help clear out old infections in the ears, and may also help rejuvenate damaged nerves as well.

FATIGUE AND DEPRESSION

Fatigue and particularly depression in older people can cause disability and hasten death. The reasons for depression may include:

· Fatigue. A combination of reduced vitality, malnutrition, and toxicity with medical drugs and other substances, often causes reduced energy that contributes to depression feelings.

· Physical and mental infirmities and disabilities that come with aging.

· Rejection, in some cases, by their families and by society. Old age is not regarded with respect in Western societies. Seniors are often forcibly retired even if they are still excellent workers. Some are herded into retirement homes almost against their will, where they are cut off from friends and family.

· Confusion and in some cases anger at becoming older. Western societies also rarely prepare people for retirement and aging. Many thus become confused and depressed, feeling cheated in some way. Some have simply never learned how to relax and enjoy life. Most indigenous cultures pay far more attention to aging and how to do it graciously.

· Drug side effects. Many drugs can cause depression, including blood pressure medication, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants and others. Just becoming dependent upon drugs and doctors can be depressing.
A related cause of depression I call medical disease. It is the subtle clues that older people get from doctors and nurses that there is little that can be done for their health condition. It is depressing to go from specialist to specialist and hear this news. “Free” health care for seniors has made this problem much worse by causing seniors to visit many more doctors who still offer few alternatives to drugs and surgery.

· Malnutrition. This cause of depression is one of the most important. Many subtle nutrient deficiencies can give rise to feelings of depression. This cause for depression responds extremely well to nutritional balancing science that can help reverse nutritional decline and toxic metal accumulation.

A NEED FOR LAUGHTER AND RELAXATION

Older people often need to relax and laugh more. The end of one’s life should be a time to relax and be happy. Many of the pressures that young people face are gone, and this should be a time to slow down and enjoy life. Laughter has a relaxing and calming effect. Everyone needs to store up happy and fun memories so they can be enjoyed later.

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