Hildreth on Health: An integrative approach to chronic disease processes

Integration is an all-encompassing approach to healing and health.

Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia are systemic in nature. Systemic means that it affects every cell in the body. When you are tired, you are tired all over.

When you experience fibromyalgia, all of the ligaments and tendons, joints and muscles are affected all over the body.

The underlying cause is a metabolic dysfunction. In other words, the metabolism, which is the means of producing energy, is affected in a dysfunctional way to a greater or lesser degree in all cells of the body.

All cells under the greatest demand will complain the most at that time.

There are three main causes of metabolic dysfunction that would be appropriate to look into.

Of course, age, lifestyle and eating habits would be of great influence.

Those three causes would be accelerated free radical oxidative damage, endocrine imbalance, and altered cellular nutrition.

Use also plays a big role, however, lack of use or disuse tend to come with metabolic dysfunction.

Accelerated free radical oxidative activity takes place in two main ways. We have an external free radical oxidative cellular destruction which comes from environmental toxins such as raw and burnt petroleum products, weed killers, disinfectants, preservatives in the form of sprays, food radiation and smoking, only to name a few.

Internal free radical oxidative cellular destruction also comes from multiple sources.

Regular metabolism to produce energy for daily activities and exercise produces by-products which are free radicals creating oxidation and cellular and DNA destruction with mutations.

Abnormal metabolism such as hypo- or hyperthyroid states and all other hormonal imbalances will cause excessive oxidation.

Worry, fear, anger, even inappropriate pride in oneself may increase free radical toxins.

An egocentric individual will generate excess free radical oxidative cellular destruction and will be more subjected to cancer, heart disease, and all other chronic degenerative diseases.

Any of the above states will require more input of antioxidants to compensate for the excess generation of free radicals.

Work at living and enjoy a more carefree, happy, contented stress-free life.

Possibly the most challenging need in reducing free radical oxidative cellular destruction is nutrition.

Much research has been done and noted from all over the world.

All of the body’s nutrition is utilized in a synergistic way from natural proteins, fats and carbohydrates including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

All research from all over the world is proving that this must come from natural unaltered sources.

The most direct comes from organic unaltered fruits, vegetables and grains. A portion from unaltered animal products including fish and fowl in a limited amount is fine but it comes secondhand, ultimately from fruits, vegetables and grains. It comes from the Earth.

A little story I remember comes from the past. England, during and shortly after World War II, was limited severely in the foods that they were used to.

During this time, statistics showed that they experienced less than half the deaths from heart disease and diabetes that they experienced prior to the war.

Natural and complete with no synthetic alterations is the key. Many double-blind placebo studies comparing synthetic to natural vitamins, minerals and antioxidants have been done over and over again in all parts of the world.

Many of the studies were cut short because of the overwhelming evidence that natural vitamin, mineral and antioxidant proved to be superior to any synthetic products.

Synergism of ingesting and utilizing, in many cases, unknown coenzymes and helper chemicals that are in raw fruits, vegetables and grains that were not included into the synthetic products was key.

Apparently, when the Earth was formed by some great genius, there was planning included for the care of the 21st century.

In this day and age, we are trying our darndest to prove him wrong.

I cannot stress too much the synergism required for health. A balance of body, mind and spirit is required.

You cannot have your nutritional balance and intake perfect, take all of your pills that will take care of all of your organ dysfunctions, and sit in front of the boob tube and wait until you are back to 35 again before you go out dancing all night or play that 18 holes of golf or whatever else you wish you could do again.

The spirit has to be willing and ready, the mind has to be as sharp as possible, and the body has to be functioning well and in good tone.

You cannot sit in a recliner and wait for it to happen. You must prepare for it by doing.

The body requires use; the spirit, the mind and the body. That which directs each organ and part of the body to do its part is the hormonal and internal nervous system.

If the thyroid or any other part of the hormonal system is faulty, there will be a metabolic dysfunction and failure of function.

If there is any organ or part of the body that is not told what to do, in time it will not be able to function.

There will be an accumulation of nutrients including cholesterol in the heart and vascular system, and the heart will soon fail.

It may be the heart, it may be the brain, it may be your legs or other areas of weakness. This may happen even though your nutritional intake is perfect.

Remember the comment I made in the last article…that it is much easier to prevent than it is to cure.

Also don’t forget that in most cases when symptoms develop, disease is in progress.

We have the ability to extend our active enjoyable lifespan by many years. Let’s do it.

Contact Green Valley Dr. DeWall J. Hildreth at 625-1101 or cnhcgv@yahoo.com. Dr. Hildreth specializes in hormone balancing and musclo-skeletal degeneration. He practices with Continental Natural Health Clinic at 210 W. Continental Rd., Suite 130. His column appears biweekly in the Green Valley News. Due to a technical error, his column failed to appear Friday. Look for it in its regular spot Aug. 29.