Longevity [publisher's letter]

Lately, I’ve been watching videos by functional medicine experts, including one by bestselling author, speaker, educator and advocate in the field of functional medicine Dr. Mark Hyman, who is featured in this month’s Wise Words section.

I am admittedly at the beginning of my knowledge-seeking quest into the world of functional medicine, but it seems as if the longevity strategies involve some basic concepts, some of which I do already, like eating organic foods and very little sugar and starch, and some that I need to work on, like my sleep habits.

I love the simplicity of these strategies and how we can implement them to help our bodies stay strong and prevent disease. It seems like a splendid alternative to taking the do-nothing approach that lives in the reactive world of treating disease—not to mention the side effects that come along with these treatments. It’s a slippery slope downhill once you’re on that path.

Another great part of this emerging science is that we have some control over our genetics, even if we are predisposed to some illness. We can make a difference in our own lives, and it’s bound to lessen some of the fears we face if, for example, cancer runs in our family. It doesn’t mean we won’t get cancer, but it does give us tools and hope we can at least minimize the risk in science-backed, simple ways.

It may seem a little overwhelming, especially when we have a lot of habits to change to get on the right track, but once the habits are in place, it really appears to be a straightforward way of living, harkening back to the days when human beings engaged in more physical work and there was no junk food…

I have a ways to go before I have a better handle on how to proceed, but I like what my research has yielded so far―no fads, just getting back to basics, with some strategic elements, such as specific foods to combat specific things. The only habit I’ve come across that I may end up digging my heels in on is the ice bath Dr. Hyman suggests in the Wise Words interview. But once we hit 100-plus degrees this summer, I may be rethinking my hesitancy on that one!