A User’s Guide
for a Healthy Life

Charles K. Brummer, MD

There is definitely a way to be healthy and happy at any age. I recommend a practical “user’s guide” that includes a combination of a healthy lifestyle, intelligent use of herbs and supplements, and judicious use of medication.

While every person needs their own, personalized user’s guide, there are some common elements that can be used by everyone – regardless of age – to achieve and maintain good physical and mental health.

An essential cornerstone is a proper diet. The most nutritious one is based on whole grains, a variety of vegetables, fruits and berries, beans, nuts and seeds, and fish (such as salmon and sardines) that are high in omega-3 oil. Such a diet not only promotes general good health, but also reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many other degenerative and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, this recommended diet has a profound anti-inflammatory action throughout the body. That means you can use diet to prevent or treat many diseases caused by inflammation, such as asthma, arthritis, eczema, acne, and chronic pain.

One important key to remember: don’t overeat! Obesity is at the root of some serious medical problems, most notably type II diabetes which can be prevented or even cured by maintaining a healthy weight. Also, a longer life is associated with lighter body weight.

However, if there is a fountain of youth for good health, it is exercise. Regular aerobic exercise strengthens your muscles as well as your heart, lungs, digestion and mood. The American Heart Association recommends 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise every day for optimal benefits. Daily stretching exercises – such as yoga for 20 to 60 minutes – promotes flexibility and prevents injuries. And strength training – even just 20 to 30 minutes, three times per week – keeps your muscles strong. The whole package of aerobics, stretching and strength training will keep you feeling fit and vital with an overall sense of well-being.

The mind is often neglected in health programs, but many research studies confirm that daily periods of quiet time, relaxation, prayer or meditation have a profound positive impact on both physical and mental health. On the other hand, mental tension, depression, anxiety, agitation, worry and anger have a marked negative impact on health. “Mind matters most” when it comes to both emotional and physical health. You need daily exercise for your mind, just like you need daily exercise for your body.

Other important elements for providing a strong foundation for good health are adequate rest and sleep; laughter; good relationships; avoidance of excess alcohol and not smoking.

To support a healthy lifestyle or to treat medical problems or diseases by alternative means, nutritional supplements and herbs can be used. For example, a broad spectrum multi-mineral, multi-vitamin is recommended. Consider vitamins an insurance policy for something lacking in your diet, either by not always eating well or as the result of eating foods grown in depleted soil.

Fish oil supplements are also helpful – unless you eat “fatty” fish such as wild Alaskan salmon or sardines on a very regular basis. Fish oil provides omega-3 essential fatty acids which are useful in preventing disease and also as a treatment for such problems as depression, anxiety, chronic pain, ADD, arthritis, poor memory, and fatigue. To maintain general good health, about 1000 mg of omega-3s daily is suggested. To treat an illness, the daily dose can be increased to 4000 to 6000 mg.

In fact, there are many nutritional and herbal supplements that can be used at lower doses as prevention and at higher doses as treatment. For example, vitamin D deficiency, the most common of all vitamin deficiencies, can be prevented by taking 1000 units of vitamin D3 – the most potent form of vitamin D – as a daily supplement. Vitamin D deficiency can cause severe bone thinning and osteoporosis. It also puts you at high risk for a variety of cancers and mood disorders. To treat a vitamin D deficiency take an average of 2000-4000 units of vitamin D3 daily, depending on the extent of the deficiency, until it is resolved.

Lifestyle changes and supplements are preferable to pharmaceutical drugs for preventing or treating medical problems. Virtually all chemical drugs are toxic; only the level of toxicity varies. For example, if you have high blood pressure, don’t run to take anti-hypertensive drugs, all of which have substantial and potentially serious side effects, without at least trying a low sodium diet, regular exercise, and weight loss. If that’s not enough, try the herb Hawthorne and therapeutic doses of supplemental peptides derived from fish or milk. These are safe, effective, and non-toxic.

Similarly, if lifestyle changes alone don’t lower your cholesterol, try red yeast rice extract, a natural statin – best taken along with coenzyme Q10 – before taking the toxic, chemically synthesized pharmaceutical statin drugs such as Lipitor or Crestor. Red yeast rice is highly effective for lowering cholesterol with markedly fewer side effects than the chemical statins.

OK…there is a time and a place for everything, even chemical drugs. If you have implemented major lifestyle changes (including diet and exercise) and taken appropriate supplements or herbs in correct doses, and the problem persists, it is time to consider drugs.

But remember that some drugs work better and have less toxicity than others. Before starting on any new medication, do your own online research about the medications and other treatment options for your condition.

One option is to Google your disease. Google will give you alternatives to explore the disease grouped in links such as: For Patients, For Health Professionals, From Medical Authorities and Alternative Medicine. Explore them all. Or go to a reputable, patient friendly Web site, such as mayoclinic.com or webmd.com. This will give you a more complete picture of the variety of drug and treatment options, including potential side effects, than you are likely to get from your busy physician.

You can, and should, take control of your own health and healthcare. It takes some effort and commitment but the benefits are real and very rewarding. Following the basic elements of a healthy lifestyle – a good diet, exercise, enough rest – and adding nutritional or herbal supplements as needed (especially to reduce or avoid chemical medicines), you can create a long, healthy, and most enjoyable life.

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