Herbs can be some of your best allies for minimizing the health risks that come with age. Here are some expert suggestions for strengthening and healing major body systems.
You’ve gotten over the shock of your fortieth birthday—-maybe way over it. You’ve come to accept changes in your mind and body. Your skin is wrinkling, that spare tire won’t go away, you forget the occasional name. The circles under your eyes are getting darker, your hair grayer. Sound familiar?
Aging involves our whole being—it’s a biological, physical, psychological and cultural process. According to some inherent genetic code, our cellular processes have started to decline. Our immune system has become less efficient. The connective tissue in our skin produces more collagen than elastin, so the tissue is less pliable. Free radicals are taking their toll on various cell and organ systems. Whatever is happening, it happens to the best of us.
Although the legendary fountain of youth doesn’t exist, the search for improved longevity—living better lives longer—is far from a hopeless task. In fact, it can be a highly rational process, one that involves identifying risks associated with aging and minimizing or treating those risks. Herbs can be some of our best allies in this process. They help improve, strengthen and heal major body systems as we age. On the following pages you’ll find our picks for the best-researched and most useful herbs for living longer and healthier lives.
Examples
* Brain Herbs
* Liver Herbs
* Reproductive System Herbs
* Digestive System Herbs
* Circulatory Herbs
Ginkgo biloba and gotu kola are among the best anti aging herbs for your mind. Artichoke leaf, milk thistle and dandelion are some of the best anti aging herbs for your liver. Anti aging herbs such as saw palmetto and black cohosh can help keep your reproductive system healthy. Anti aging herbs commonly used in cooking, such as peppermint and chamomile, can improve digestive health in a number of ways. Among the best circulatory herbs are hawthorn and garlic, but check with your doctor before you start.
Excerpts by Steven Foster
Steven Foster is an authority on medicinal herbs, and the author of many books, including Steven Foster’s Guide to Herbal Dosages (Interweave Press, 1999).
