Aging, anti-Aging, and Longevity - Utilizing TCM and Complementary Medicine

Paul Reller, L.Ac.

The Truth about Aging and Healthy Longevity

Today, as the baby boomer generation, of which I am a member, approaches the dreaded ‘old age’, the health industry is gearing up to provide supposed “anti-aging” therapy. This generation is told that they need to look good and appear healthy and active as they age to maintain their identity, and many therapies are being marketed. Unfortunately, the bulk of these supposed therapies now are steering a great number of patients toward cosmetic surgery, botox, and high testosterone treatments, combined with costly protocols that do not make efficient use of nutrient and herbal medicines for each individual. Some of these cosmetic anti-aging treatments take a toll on the overall and underlying health. Unfortunately, if your health deteriorates, no amount of cosmetic surgery or steroid pumping will make you look healthy. The trick is to stay healthy, prevent disease, maintain hormonal and metabolic homeostasis, decrease various stresses, and keep active in the right ways. When this course is taken one will look good for their age, youthful and not artificially young, and their health and vitality will be evident to all around them. An intelligent and comprehensive approach is the best prescription for successful aging, not trying to pretend that the same approaches to work, lifestyle, diet and health maintenance used in your youth will work to keep you healthy as you age. The choices are not between cosmetic treatments and an alternative approach medically, but attention to the whole person and complete health as the years go by. Understanding aging and longevity are fundamental to the process.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a specialty that has a long history of Daoist (Taoist) influence and is famous for its ancient practices insuring longevity and health with aging. Much confusion over the centuries has existed concerning the Daoist “immortals” (xian), elixirs of long life, and even the popular prescriptions of Wai Dan, for the health of the aging and prevention of disease in old age. Like today, the general population in ancient China had a tendency to jump to conclusions and seek easy and dramatic answers to longevity, prompting the use of alchemical elixirs by the general public that were sometimes toxic if not prepared carefully, and led to the government regulation and bans on information and ingredients of some of these alchemical elixirs that purported to insure healthy longevity. On the other hand, the governments of China adopted many public health programs promoting healthy Daoist practices to insure health in old age, mainly to decrease the financial burden of the government and increase the productivity of the population as it aged. Like ancient China, our government today is faced with a daunting financial burden related to the aging population, and individual efforts to maintain healthy longevity will do much to ease the burden of government and the enormous costs of health care for the aging population. Some of these Wai Dan practices adopted by ancient Chinese governments are becoming popular again today, including Tai Chi (Ji) and other Qi Gong practices, healthy dietary recommendations, herbal and nutrient medicines, probiotics, and lifestyle recommendations. A study of the history of these longevity practices in China shows that the challenges and public expectations were not so different from today. Longevity medicine need not be restricted to the rich, who are able to afford the overly expensive care at standard “anti-aging” clinics, but is accessible to everyone by utilizing Complemetary Medicine and the professional Licensed Acupuncturist and herbalist.

While medical doctors have created supposed anti-aging clinics that promote an often very costly program of drugs and supplements, usually not covered by normal health insurance, and often steer the patient toward cosmetic procedures such as botox and plastic, or cosmetic, surgery, patients that do their research find that a relatively inexpensive and individually tailored program of longevity can be achieved with a pro-active approach and utilization of the TCM physician, or Licensed Acupuncturist and herbalist. Indeed, many of the treatment protocols in anti-aging clinics were derived from Complementary Medicine, including bioidentical hormone therapies, nutrient medicine, and even herbal chemistry.

The public is also now spending a fortune on over-the-counter herbal and nutrient supplements to try to maintain vitality. Dependability of herbal and nutrient medicines is finally becoming an issue in the United States, though, as the industry now approaches about $30 billion dollars per year, with a miniscule amount of this out-of-pocket spending going to professional products with an assurance of quality, safety and dependable ingredients and dosages. Products heavily advertised are the most suspect in an industry with almost no government regulation. The United States is one of the very few industrial countries that has not adopted international guidelines of quality control in the herbal and nutrient medical arena, and the public should be aware that to achieve results with longevity regimens, utilizing the professional whose specialty is herbal and nutrient medicine, namely the Licensed Acupuncturist or Naturopathic physician, is a sensible approach. Medical doctors rarely have any real medical training in these areas. This is why Integrative Medicine is now a popular notion, insuring that the public receives integration of complementary medical care that utilizes the correct specialists who integrate care to achieve the best outcomes and most efficient use of resources. One needs to adopt a complete and holistic program in longevity and optimal aging treatment to achieve the coordinated improvements in key physiological systems that is required, and not just depend on herbal and nutrient medicines with outlandish claims and suspect quality bought over the counter.

The first thing that the aging population needs to understand, are the goals of longevity, the definition of longevity, and the objective scientific facts, which support in remarkable ways the practices of the ancient Chinese programs in Daoist TCM practice and public health. Anti-aging is not the point, but optimal-aging is. Looking good and maintaining vitality in all aspects of life follows from optimal-aging and health maintenance. Restoring the respect for the elders in society involves showing that society that with age comes both beauty and wisdom.

The defining of aging, anti-aging, and longevity

Longevity is simply defined as a long duration of life, and aging is the process of becoming mature (fully developed). In medical dictionaries, longevity is defined as duration of a particular life beyond the norm for the species. Aging is medically defined as “the process of growing old, especially the failure of replacement of cells in sufficient number to maintain full functional capacity; particularly affecting cells (e.g. neurons) incapable of mitotic division.” (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary). Now, modern science has not proven to be a reliable source for the ultimate facts concerning aging. In recent years, we have learned that the standard belief in modern science that all neurons are incapable of replacing themselves in aging is false. Not all modern scientists have believed this standard “fact” in the twentieth century and beyond, but these scientists were ridiculed due to their failure to conform.

Since the brain is the most important part of our body that we want to age gracefully, and regulates the health of the rest of the body, attention to neural health in aging is very important. We now know definitively that some adult neurons positively do undergo the most fundamental type of replacement, mitosis, and that all neurons and neural support cells in the brain are capable of regeneration. The mistaken belief, or doctrine, in the past, was that once the brain matures, it could not produce more cells, because the space for growth was defined by the skull, and so the brain was complete at birth, and the healthy function of neurons involved prolonged maintenance of the cells we were born with. This type of apriori fact often afflicts logic and scientific exploration in modern science. We now know that at least olfactory (neurons associated with smell) and isolated parts of the human brain, such as the hippocampus, do positively undergo mitosis in the adult. Advanced imaging techniques have shown us that specific areas of the brain degenerate in size with specific health problems, and may also increase in size with the restoration of health. More importantly to the subject of longevity, neural support cells, or glial cells, do undergo mitosis, that communicating axons and myelin sheaths do regenerate, and that the main neurons, or neural cells, do replace components, and are subject to the same regulation of apoptosis (programmed lifespan and cell death) as are all of our aging cells. More importantly, we now know that increased oxidative stress with aging, and failure to adjust lifestyle and diet to decrease physiological stress with aging, is perhaps the main component to the neural degeneration that lies at the heart of aging.

So, individuals that are concerned with healthy aging should now understand two fundamental concepts. One, aging is not fundamentally about superficial appearance, but rather that one’s appearance mirrors their underlying cellular maintenance as they age; and two, modern medicine is not infallible in their understanding and treatment of aging. As the individual looks at their own health maintenance with aging, choices must be made concerning how best to promote healthy skin, hair, muscle, joints, organs, and most importantly to aging, the brain. The key organs, or visceral systems that we need to understand and be concerned with, are the gastrointestinal system and the biota, the adrenal/kidney system, and the workhorse of our metabolism, the liver. A holistic approach that keeps all of these systems vital, and addresses both the mind and body, substance and energy, that defines us as a living organism, is necessary to truly address longevity and nurturing of vitality in aging.

Standard medicine has long approached longevity from the perspective of increasing the average life span of the population, and has accomplished much in this regard in the twentieth century. We may have reached our limit on how much public health and medical technology can benefit us, though. Average life spans of our species has increased in various cultures with the decrease in deaths from infectious bacterial disease with the use of antibiotics, with the decrease in early cardiovascular deaths through widespread availability of immediate medical treatment for stroke and heart attack, with improved community health programs and government sponsored health care, with improved education, and in most countries, with universal health care and insurance schemes. Presently, though, these admirable tactics of the past are not enough to continue the progress in public longevity, and attention to these big issues may have led the public to ignore the details of how to maintain the quality of life in aging, and to promote longevity and productivity in life in old age. An article in the medical journal Lancet in 2011 sums up these tactics, and the need for new strategies, even in Japan, the most successful country to achieve modern results with advancing the average life expectancy: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21885105.

Now even in simple terms, longevity as a duration of life has not been factually and honestly reported. We have been told that life expectancy, or longevity, has increased dramatically in recent history due to the marvels of modern medicine. While this is true for life expectancy from birth, it is not true for life expectancy for those individuals that survived to age 50. Life expectancy from birth has, on average, more than doubled in recent centuries from lows in the past, but this is due to the present enormous industry of medicine, and the fact that the governments of wealthy nations now supply over half of all medical care, and subsidize a large portion of non-governmental health care, in the United States as well as the rest of the world. We do depend on socialized medicine, and it has come at a great cost. The public subsidy for hospital and clinical availability has dramatically increased the percentage of the population that survives to age 50, and the invention of chemical pharmaceuticals, particularly antibiotics, has dramatically decreased deaths in infants, children, teens and adults under the age of 50. Unfortunately, the rise of antibiotic resistance is now changing that scenario somewhat, and the number of aging patients dying from antibiotic-resistant infections obtained in our hospitals and clinics is an alarming situation that is dramatically downplayed in our modern civilization.

The most important fact for the discerning aging public, though, is that the average life expectancy for individuals surviving until age 50 is now lower than that of past centuries in the United States. While average life expectancy in the year 1900 was only about 50, this reflected the high infant mortality rate, and the high percentage of the population that died from infection, disease and malnutrition at an early age. Even at the low point of modern life expectancy for our population, medieval Europe, the average life expectancy for those individuals that survived to age 21, was 64 years, while in 2010, the current average life expectancy from birth is 67.2 worldwide. In 2003, the United States ranked 18th in overall life expectancy at 76.8 years, a rise of 6.8 years of overall life expectancy since 1960, a few years after antibiotics became widely used, but the survival and health of the population that survives to age 50, and how they actually fared in old age, is not made clear in these statistics. How our aging population survives, and the quality of life and function, is finally being addressed in more recent studies.

Now, the demographic life expectancy is another extreme variable, with certain demographics in the United States having a much longer average life expectancy (wealthy educated caucasians fairing much better than most). Gender differences are also evident, and still poorly explained, with women that survive childbirth consistently having longer average life spans (white females averaging over 80 years). A variety of factors account for these dramatic differences in demographic average life expectancy. Statistics, though, have been highly suspect in recent years. For instance, in Japan, which reports a dramatic rise in individuals surviving over 100 years of age, recent studies showed that a large percentage of these recorded centarians actually are not alive, but that relatives continue to report that they are to take advantage of government support services for the extreme aging population. In other words, when we look at the subject of longevity, we may be being sold a “bill of goods”, or misleading promise or plan. Public support for government and the medical industry relies on these rosy statistics, and some, if not most, of these statistics on aging and life expectancy, may be suspect. As stated, the most important facts concerning longevity deal with the health of the population over age 50, not the average lifespan from birth. Today, the intelligent individual has learned to be skeptical of what they are being sold, and take a more proactive role in understanding and implementing goals of health maintenance for themselves as they age. This article is designed to help in this task.

The National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of State, has released new studies on aspects of aging and longevity that address concerns with real health isssues. The latest is a study entitled Why Population Aging Matters - A Global Perspective. The NIH, citing a study by the World Health Organization and the World Bank, entitled The Global Burdens of Disease, predicts that a very large increase in disability caused by age-related chronic disease in all regions of the world, including the United States, will soon eclipse the loss of health and life from infectious diseases, childhood diseases, and accidents. Presently, vehicular accidents have become the number one cause of death by category, but in the near future, age-related chronic disease and dysfunction will be the greatest cause of loss of health and death. The rosy superficial picture of rise in life expectancy from birth does not address the facts, and the aging population needs to seriously consider what healthy aging is all about and reverse this trend of increased age-related chronic disease that threatens our future. By holistically addressing the key issues of biotics, vitality, and neurohormonal health, chronic disease can be prevented, and optimal aging achieved. The human life span in the last century has reached documented heights of over 120 years, meaning that life after 50 could be the bulk of your lifespan, and attention to longevity may be the most important decision that you make concerning health and quality of life. At the core of this subject is the lifestyle and dietary choices, and types of health maintenance and preventive medicine, that we have adopted in recent decades, and how we can improve them.

Defining your real goals in aging and longevity

Is there actually such a thing as ‘anti-aging’? In reality, we cannot really stop the aging process in a species, and programmed aging and death is a fundamental part of the species regulation. Of course, this has never stopped us from believing in immortality. The desire to beat death is an obsession that the human race may never give up. Our most popular religions today have at their core the triumph by a human over death. Our historians have perpetuated the false notions of mythical immortality as well. The famous “immortals” in ancient China are still a popular theme in movies and literature, but in reality the term Xian does not really mean immortal, or even living beyond the normal life span. Daoist cults did develop around this theme, and much mythology of supposed immortals did result, but the term Xian, according to the famed British historian of Chinese civilization, Joseph Needham, referred instead to the Daoist cultivation of optimum aging, or maintenance of the highest state of function into the normal old age, which was called yang sheng, or nurturing life. This is what the legacy of TCM provides for the individual today.

In ancient China, the Daoists were a group of scientists that played a fundamental role in shaping not only Traditional Chinese Medicine, but in the shaping of government policies as well, and social structure. In simple terms, Daoism, or the study of natural science and the universal patterns or laws, was a scientific perspective and philosophy that sought to help individuals understand that leading a life that was adhering to natural law, or universal patterns, would help create the healthiest and most productive life. As this philosophy progressed, great thinkers, such as Sun Si Miao, the physician philosopher of the Sung Dynasty (581 to 682 AD), called the King of Medicinals, extended the application of Daoism to the formation of a healthy civilization as well, and a general extension to the individual’s realization of their role in the macrocosm. One of the key concepts in Daoism was that if the individual lived in greater harmony to their environment, adjusted their lifestyle and diet with seasonal changes, and understood the natural changes that came with aging, that longevity, or optimal aging, would occur for that individual. If the person then consumed the correct herbs and minerals, the results may be astounding, and these individuals that followed this Daoist prescription and consumed the “elixirs of life” would be unusually healthy and intelligent in their old age. These individuals were referred to as Xian, which is mistakenly translated into the English word immortals. In essence, the word xian is composed of the characters for human and mountain, and simply signified the sages that took up a life of healthy practices and contemplation outside of the urban environments. Helping the general public to achieve this optimal aging of the Xian insured that the society would achieve greater goals.

For the ancient Daoist Xian, the program to achieve optimal aging (yang sheng, or nurturing life) involved a holistic regimen that culminated in macrobiotic transformations within the body. This term, macrobiotics, became very distorted as a simplistic dietary regimen from Japan in the 1970s, but in essence signifies that concept of the organism creating a healthy biota and biotics. The term biota signifies the array of flora and fauna within the body, with the flora referring to the symbiotic microbial cells that actually make up the greatest number of cells in our bodies, and fauna referring to our human, or animal, cells. These microbial friends outnumber our human cells by about 40 to 1, and account for a large percentage of our nutrient chemical production in the body, as well as integrating with both overt functions and genetic expression of regulatory proteins. The healthy symbiosis of flora and fauna may be essential to optimal aging, and was certainly important to the macrobiotic concepts of ancient Daoists in China. The term biotics refers to the science of vitality, vital function, and the life functions within the organism. Macrobiotics is a term signifying the holistic enhancement of biotics for the purpose of prolongation of life, longevity, or actually ultimate aging. Any modern medical dictionary will have these precise definitions of biota, biotics, and macrobiotics, but they seem to be ignored in the arena of longevity in standard medicine. For the individual concerned with longevity and ultimate aging, understanding how to improve the biota and biotics is a fundamental task. Today, understanding of the individual biota and its relation to health has become the subject of much research, and the development of improved probiotic regimens and concern with antibacterials and the negative consequences on the human biota is finally occurring. To actually restore our biota, though, it may take more than just consumption of probiotics, depending on the individual and the health of their gastrointestinal system. A holistic and individualized approach creates the foundation for rebuilding a healthy biota and utilizing macrobiotics.

So we see that two areas of anti-aging, if you want to call it that, but what we might call optimal aging, and longevity, that are fundamental to the process, are biotics and neural health. While we might look at ourselves and judge aging mainly on appearance, even the health of our skin, hair and musculature depends on the health of these two most fundamental aspects, the gastrointestinal biota, and the health of the central nervous system, or brain. The third fundamental area of concern in aging is the endocrine system, and especially the main endocrine axis between the adrenal (kidney system) and the hypothalamus (the command center at the top of the brainstem). By improving the functions of the adrenals and the hypothalamus, each of us, as we age, will be able to maintain our health and appearance much better, and insure optimal aging. Stimulating a physiologically normal balance of key hormones in the body for the individual and for the age cycle allows all of these key systems to work efficiently to maintain homeostasis, and a holistic approach is needed. Understanding how to use minimal bioidentical hormone therapy to restore the endocrine homeostasis is a key part of this optimal aging treatment strategy. While later parts of this article will concentrate on the herbal and nutritional medicines that will help cellular health and visceral functions, and the value of acupuncture and soft tissue physiotherapies (Tui na), in the whole program, first we should look at lifestyle and diet, as well as emotional health and a mind-body coordination.

Prescriptions for Longevity and optimal aging in ancient Chinese medicine and Daoism

Probably the most well known of the Daoist physicians that wrote of longevity was Sun Si Miao, in about the 7th century AD. In Chinese, the fundamental concept of optimal aging, or longevity, adhered to the concept of nurturing life, or yang sheng. This was approached with a holistic concept, nurturing both the mind and body. Dietary principles, qi gong exercises and visualization, a quiet and contemplative lifestyle, and most importantly, steady activity and striving. Sun Si Miao wrote: “The Way of nurturing life consists of never moving nor standing for a long time, never sitting nor lying for a long time, never looking nor hearing for a long time. Extended looking (as in sitting at a computer without breaks) damages the blood, extended lying down (such as the ‘couch potato’) damages the qi, extended standing damages the bones, extended sitting damages the flesh (causing myofascial syndromes), and extended moving damages the sinews (tendons and ligaments). Avoid overeating, overdrinking, and heavy lifting. Avoid anxiety and worrying, great anger, sorrow and grief, great fear, jumping about (excitability), too many words and great laughter. Avoid eagerly jumping at your desires and avoid holding on to hatred. All of these are harmful to longevity. If you are not able to observe these (proscriptions), then you will not extend your health into old age. Therefore, a person who is good at preserving life constantly reduces excess thinking, ideas, desires, business affairs, speaking, laughter, worrying, joy, happiness, anger, likes and dislikes. If you observe the avoidance of these twelve reductions of excess, this is the essence of nurturing life. Excessive thought imperils the spirit and scatters the will, excessive desires muddle the will, excessive business affairs exhaust the physical body, excessive speech wears out the qi, excessive laughter damages the viscera, excessive worry intimidates the heart, excessive joy makes the intentions spill over, excessive happiness makes you forget mistakes and become muddled and confused, excessive anger makes the hundred vessels unsettled (cardiovascular and neural problems), excessive likes make you lose your concentration, and excessive dislikes make you haggard and dismal. If you fail to eliminate these twelve excesses, construction and defense (cell regeneration and immune function) will lose their measure, and qi and blood will flow frenetically (neurological and cardiovascular problems). This is the root to losing your life. Only a person who has neither too much nor too little (of these) is able to approximate the Way of Things (Daoism).”

So we see the importance of moderation in all things with this advice, avoidance of repetitive stress, avoidance of overreacting emotionally, avoidance of overthinking and overwork, and then, with the right diet, herbal medicine, healthy activities such as qi gong, and living sensibly in tune with nature and the seasons, one may achieve the most in old age. This was the practice of the Daoist Xian, or sages, in ancient China, and became the role model for all of society as it aged. Sun Si Miao, and other Daoist physicians of note, stated that this prescription for life practices should be the foundation with which to build the medical protocols for longevity, and only when this foundation was established could the longevity protocols work with utmost effect.

A famous predecessor of Sun Si Miao was the medical sage Huang fu Mi, who lived during the transitions of the Han, 3 Kingdoms, and Jin dynasties of the third century AD. Huang fu Mi was born of a poor agrarian family, but became famous in his old age, and compiled the Canon of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, or the Zhen jiu Jia yi Jing, literally the abc’s of acupuncture, arranged according to the Heavenly Ten Stems, an ancient system of numbers from the Yi Jing, or Book of Changes. Huang fu Mi, upon achieving a great scholarly reputation and medical expertise in middle age, tried the elixirs of immortality, of the Daoist alchemists, but nearly died with an overconsumption of these strong medicinals, that were taken when he was chronically ill with rheumatic disease. He learned that to properly make use of the elixirs, one must first prepare one’s health with the Daoist prescriptions for healthy mind and body. His utilization of acupuncture to cure himself and restore health, so that he could prepare himself with Daoist lifestyle and practices and rightly utilize the elixirs of longevity inspired him to compile a complete clinical textbook of acupuncture prescriptions. Later, he achieved much in his old age, compiling not only the 12 volumes of acupuncture clinical knowledge and prescription, but 10 books of history as well, called the Records of Emperors and Kings. While not living to a particularly remarkable old age, he achieved much in the years after age 50, which he attributed to both the efficacy of acupuncture and the Daoist practices of the art of longevity, or yang sheng.

Now, while the fantastic stories of the immortals dominate the English history of Chinese alchemy, to a point where the obsession for prolonged life nearly defined our Western notions of Chinese alchemy and herbalism, and may even have enhanced the focus on spiritual immortality in Europe, or cultivation of the soul, as European Christian scholars went to China and tried to portray themselves as superior in knowledge and understanding, the real history of the art and science of longevity in China was much more practical. Sabine Wilms, Ph.D., an esteemed scholar and translator of ancient Chinese medical texts, describes this practice of longevity in Chinese medicine as Yang Sheng, or nurturing life. The character for yang in this context is no longer in standard Chinese dictionaries, but is similar to a simplified character with the meaning to support or cultivate, but which also means to heal, recuperate or maintain. In TCM English translations, we see the character signifying to nourish, and the character for sheng translated as to engender, grow, existence, life. A more commonly used term in TCM that sounds similar is yang sheng, with different characters, that could be translated as exuberant yang. We see that with the difficulties of the Chinese language, that the capacity to ascribe various meanings to these ancient Daoist medical terms is great. Slowly, modern civilization is getting past the notions that the ancient Chinese Daoist physicians were promoting shamanism, magic, immortality, etc. and coming to realize that these scholars and scientists were presenting practical medical science to cultivate a more productive and healthier aging to increase the capacity within a human lifespan to achieve.

The esteemed English historian from Cambridge, Joseph Needham, devoted the last published volume of his life work, Science and Civilisation in China, to biology and biological technology. This culmination of his study finally dispelled even his attachment to the fantastic notions of ancient Daoist physicians as crazy alchemists seeking immortality and using shamanism and magic in their practice. In this text, Dr. Needham attributes many of our most important medical discoveries to these Daoist physicians, such as the origins of immunology, or inoculation and vaccine to prevent disease, as well as the science of nutritional chemical deficiencies as a potential cause of disease. Dr. Needham translates the term for longevity practices, or yang sheng, as ‘nourishing the vitality’. The term for the popularly promoted longevity programs, or Wai Dan, is clarified as well. While the character for Dan can be translated as cinnabar, or mercury ore, and often refers to alchemical preparations, or even alchemy itself, Dr. Needham, and his editor, Dr. Nathan Sivin, point out that this term Dan is used in many contexts outside of alchemical associations, and is used to refer to a wide number of herbal and nutrient medicines and formulas.

The public programs of healthy longevity in ancient China, called Wai Dan

Like many ancient Chinese terms, Wai Dan has had a number of translated meanings, which have engendered considerable confusion as to the practice. As stated, the term Dan is used in Chinese alchemy and denotes both the essential mercury ore, or cinnabar, and the alchemical elixirs. In Qi Gong practice, the focus in the mind-body visualization is to the areas in the body called the Dan Tian. Loosely translated, this means the ‘cinnabar field’, but in the context of this healthy practice, which was a part of the Wai Dan practice of longevity and health maintenance, Dan Tian surely refers to something other than an actual field of cinnabar in the body. The term Wai is used in contrast to the term Nei, as in Nei Dan, referring to the practices of ingesting medicinal formulas for health maintenance, and achieving a macrobiotic transformation to promote longevity. This term Nei was also used for the fundamental text of the medical science, now referred to as the Nei Jing. A simple translation of Nei and Wai are inner and outer, but this presents many questions concerning the true meanings of the terms in the above concepts. Dr. Needham, in his life, finally came to the conclusion that the term Nei in the medical usage referred to the corporeal, of physical body and substance. The term Wai may then refer to the non-corporeal, or energetic practices, as well as the health practices that provide external agents to affect the biochemistry of the body. In reality, the context of the term usage concerning Wai and Nei must have played a part in the use of the terms, as they do not seem to entirely fit the definitions in all usages.

Part of the practices of longevity medicine involved formulas, described as dan, that achieved macrobiotic transformations in the body. Dr. Needham stated: “The macrobiotic preoccupation made Chinese alchemy, as it were, iatro-chemistry (medicinal chemistry), almost from the first, and many of the most important physicians and medical writers in Chinese history were wholly or partly Daoist.” Dr. Needham stated that the main task of the Daoist was to “transform himself by all kinds of techniques, not only alchemical and pharmaceutical but also dietetic, respiratory, meditational and sexual, into a Xian.” The Wai Dan were practices and formulas that were outside the body, or worked outside the body, or were non-corporeal, that achieved this goal of ultimate-aging, or longevity. The Nei Dan were formulas and elixirs that worked to transform within the body, to transform the substance of the body itself, to achieve this ultimate aging, and longevity. Today, we can apply these same theories to the array of practices that may achieve healthy longevity and nurturing of vitality. For example, bioidentical hormone creams are used to enter the bloodstream from the skin and affect hormonal stimulation, or transformation, within the body. Herbal formulas, taken as a pill or tincture, contain a set of chemicals that are created outside the body, but stimulate a set of physiological reactions. The distinctions are subtle, and for this reason, perhaps, the practices of Nei Dan fell out of favor in China. Nutrient medicines can usually be seen as Wai Dan as well. Of course, many Qi Gong forms of movement, as well as specific exercises, can be considered part of the Wai Dan practice, and meditational practices can be a mind-body, or non-corporeal, practice that enhances vitality without a chemical transformation within the body. The exercises that became famous, such as the animal forms, are now called Qi Gong, but were perhaps just thought of as calesthenics that promoted longevity at the time.

All of these practices of nurturing vitality, or longevity, revolved around the notions of balance, or yin and yang. In Daoist medicine, if the constant transformation of yin and yang is held in balance, the organism is free of disease and maintains optimum health. This concept suggests that there is no single static substance or activity that maintains health in old age, or longevity, but that the complex balance of activities and substances, yang and yin, in a fluid state, define our existence and our health. While the practices related to Nei Dan in the form of alchemical elixirs, eventually was no longer supported by public funds and laboratory study and development, the practices of Wai Dan, or promotion of Tai Chi, Qi Gong, exercise, dietary regimens, and medical practices of herbal formulary, topical herbs, Tui na physiotherapies, and acupuncture continued to be supported by the government to promote longevity. The science of macrobiotic transformations became more obscure. The alchemical practices related to mineral experimentation continued as commercial entities, producing industrial products, gunpowder, and even pharmaceuticals. The focus on these complex and holistic longevity practices have been preserved in the Chinese culture and civilization, but not in an overt manner, as they were in the height of Daoist science and culture.

The Daoist science of longevity became more and more complicated in theory, but the individual in the culture just wanted a set of things to do to maintain vitality in old age and prevent chronic disease. They were obliged with publicly promoted health regimens. Simplest among these were the physical activities, keeping busy, both mentally and physically, and practicing daily exercises. Even today, Americans may see Asian neighbors as they age get up and practice these exercises every morning, while their aging neighbors that are not attuned to this culture often lie on the couch and use the mechanized chair to get around. The Daoists used the aphorism “Running water does not stagnate, nor does a door-pivot become worm eaten, because they move. This is true of both the physical form and the qi (energetic form). If the physical form does not move, the essences (genetic expressions) do not flow freely; if the essences do not flow, the qi becomes static.” Today, one may still visit Bei Jing and get up with the sun, go to the park, and see many aging individuals practicing Tai Chi or another form of Qi Gong exercise. Dietary habits promoting longevity are still presented even in restaurants. The corner store has a number of herbal medicines that are still true to ancient formulas of longevity. Individuals still seek out their acupuncturist, and often receive their tui na. The culture has made this complex holistic longevity program routine.

Hormonal deficiencies and imbalances in Menopause, Andropause, Somatopause, normal aging, and related health problems

Hormonal therapy is integral to modern anti-aging therapy in the United States now. Research in recent years has brought great clarity to the treatment of hormonal problems. The amount of knowledge from research in response to the failures and risks of the synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has finally brought these problems and the effective restoration of hormonal balance, or homestasis, into focus. In addition, we now see exactly how the hormonal deficiencies affect a wide variety of disorders. Estrogen deficiencies are a primary cause for problems with short term memory and attention problems, poor tissue healing, inflammatory disorders related to tissue calcification, and a variety of calcium related problems, including osteopenia and osteoporosis. Progesterone deficiencies create a relative estrogen excess even in estrogen deficient states, and are responsible for most menopausal and premenstrual (PMS) symptoms, and many cases of infertility, as well as the possibility of cancerous growth. Progesterone deficiencies are also related to male endocrine dysfunction, especially concerning testosterone receptor function, prostate health and balding. Hormone dysfunction is a prime contributor to metabolic disorders and creates an added stress that contributes greatly to insulin resistance, diabetes and weight gain. Male and female hormonal imbalances contribute greatly to poor cardiovascular maintenance, and overall affect the vitality. Research into the physiological mechanisms of the hormonal system has placed all of these hormones at the center of the mechanisms preserving cellular vitality. Since the hormonal system of regulation affects so much of our health, and operates via an elaborate feedback system, focusing on just one hormone is not the key to success.

Most standard anti-aging and longevity clinics now focus on bioidentical hormonal therapies as the key to their programs. A few short years ago, bioidentical hormones were still vilified by most of standard medicine as both ineffective and dangerous. Now, suspicion arose, as with herbal medicine and acupuncture, over how bioidentical hormone therapy could be both ineffective and dangerously effective. Obviously, neither of these assertions were correct, but rather a middle ground. Bioidentical hormonal therapy, long the tools in alternative and complementary medicine, are now the foremost tools in the area of “anti-aging” medicine in the realm of standard medicine. This area of expertise has grown considerably with research, and now the means of bringing not only the sexual steroids into homeostatic balance, adjusted for the individual and their age, but also the means to affect the numerous growth hormones, as well as the pituitary hormones, and the thyroid and parathyroid hormones, as well as hormone receptors, has come into play. A key set of hormones related to healthy aging concerns the insulin-related hormones, including leptin, adiponectin, and the inflammatory cytokines that affect these considerably. The field of neurohormonal immunobiology has brought the knowledge of the important interrelationships between hormones, neurotransmitters, and inflammtory cytokines into focus. Today, holistic medicine is finally taking hold in standard medical theory and practice.

The use of bioidentical hormones, though, should be relegated to stimulation and normalization of the innate production of hormones, and achieving of the most optimum physiologically normal levels and balance in the system. While abnormal levels of such hormones as testosterone and estrogen may provide immediate effects related to muscle and skin tone, the long-term effects of abnormal levels may be deleterious to the health. It is a mistake to look for immediate gratitude and miraculous effects while ignoring the long-term consequences. Our bodies did not evolve such an elaborate system of homeostatic balance without good reason. Minimal use of bioidentical hormonal therapies to achieve stimulation of optimal innate production and balance in your body is the sensible goal in optimal aging therapy.

An important part of the Daoist holistic protocol to achieve longevity, or yang sheng, nurturing vitality, included advice concerning sexual practices in aging. The advice of Sun Si Miao and other Daoist physicians was to encourage sexual intercourse and orgasm for the female, but to limit the ejaculation, or loss of semen, from the male. Sun Si Miao wrote extensively on the importance of female sexuality, women’s health, and health problems that could be related to the hormonal imbalances. His advice to men concerning longevity was to maintain a healthy sexual practice but to limit the loss of semen with aging, to preserve the vitality. Research in recent years seems to support this as a scientific principle as well. A research citation below, from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, lists the important chemicals being researched in relation to longevity, and includes the chemical spermidine, a component of semen. Spermidine is a polyamine that plays an important role in transcribing RNA and expressing DNA proteins, acting as a growth regulator, and slowing the rate of cellular aging by inducing autophagy, or the destruction and replacement of cellular components. The preservation of semen in old age, along with the stimulation of semen production through sexual practices, appears to have a proven effect in promoting longevity. This practice is mentioned in many cultures, especially in ayurvedic ritual, where brahmin were instructed in how to achieve orgasm but not let the semen escape the body, ejaculating inward so to speak. These sexual practices may seem strange in modern society, but the research with spermidine confirms that the Daoists and ayurvedic physicians were correct.

While holistic medical practices come with the challenges of complex treatment protocols and assessment, the results of bringing the body and mind into a greater natural balance and adherence to natural biological laws and patterns, which was the goal of the ancient Daoist physicians and Xian in China, and the key to the art of longevity, is worth the effort. The mature individual, with optimal aging and healthy longevity, will achieve the greatest goals and aspirations in their life in old age. While our modern society has led us to believe that only the youth is valued, as we approach age 50, and beyond, we must realize that this was just a marketing tool to sell things, not the reality of our existence in this life.

Research revealing the physiological mechanisms of longevity stimulated by chemicals in Chinese herbs and nutrient medicines

Resveratrol is a chemical found in quantity in the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum, or Hu zhang (bushy knotweed). This chemical is also found in very minute quantities in grape skins, and thus in red wine. A number of Chinese herbs contain resveratrol, though, including wild rhubard root, or Da huang. The Chinese have long researched this remarkable chemical, and found that the trans-isomer had greater effects, standardizing this form for medical use. Resveratrol has been found to be very impressive in its effects, both as an antioxidant and neuroprotective agent, and is now widely used, even in standard medicine. The effects proven in scientific studies are so dramatic that the pharmaceutical companies have been spending much money on creating a synthetic analog, or altering the chemical in a way that is patentable. Beneficial cardiovascular effects, anti-inflammatory, insulin-like, anticancer, and antiviral effects have also been noted in scientific study. Specific longevity effects have been shown in laboratory studies, benefitting the health of aging study animals, but not specifically extending their lifespan. As we note from the article above, though, the goals of longevity are not necessarily extending the normal lifespan, but rather improving the vitality of the organism. Resveratrol helps accomplish this task admirably. In addition, an array of factors may alter the longevity effects of resveratrol, and thus a holistic treatment is needed. Studies cited below show that when the natural cellular autophagy is inhibited, resveratrol will not achieve its physiological effects as well.

Sirtuins are a class of proteins that have received much focus with the advance of longevity research related to resveratrol, the active chemical in the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum, or Hu zhang. These proteins possess enzymatic activity that affects the life of genetic components of cells, the histones, which our DNA wrap around, and ADP-ribose (adenosine diphosophate ribose), which affects proper cell signaling. Histones are highly alkaline proteins that compress our DNA strands and provide orderly genetic expression. ADP-ribose regulates the TRPM2, or transient receptor potential cation channel, a cell signaling pathway that is very important to cellular genetic maintenance, especially in the brain. In the brain, TRPM2 has been found to be involved in the insulin hormone effects on cell maintenance and lifespan, mediation of responses to an important immune cytokine TNF-alpha, and regulation of the effects of toxicity of amyloid beta plaques, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Sirtuins are also important to the functions of bacteria, and with aging, increased low-grade bacterial infections may play a significant role in chronic disease and expression of chemicals that interfere with normal cellular maintenance and apoptotic mechanisms. There are 5 known classifications of sirtuins (Sir), and Sir1 and Sir2 in the first classification have received the most attention. Sir2 affects the cytoplasm of the cells, or nuclear components, while Sir1 affects the nucleus and cytoplasm. The nucleus is the site of our cellular DNA. Sir2 affects the cell cycle (apoptotic and maintenance mechanisms) and tumorigenesis. Sir1 affects cellular inflammation and metabolism. While Sir2 has received more attention in pharmacological research to find a chemical modulator that may affect basic cellular aging mechanisms, Sir1 has been found to be activated, or stimulated by resveratrol. While the effects of resveratrol, and other active chemicals in Hu zhang, are broad, the focus in the news has been on Sir1.

Resveratrol has been proven to stimulate the enzymatic activity of sirtuin-1, a protein enzyme that deacetylates signaling proteins that contribute to cellular regulation, reaction to stressors, and longevity. Sirtuin-1 is downregulated in cells that have high insulin resistance as well, and it is believed that resveratrol increases insulin sensitivity to help regulate blood sugars and induce sirtuin-1 expression. Studies have shown that resveratrol increases the activity of sirtuin-1 via indirect activation that is still being investigated. Sirtuin-1 is shown to benefit the longevity mechanism when cellular autophagy (which we may call cell cleansing or parts replacement) occurs, and that activation of Sirtuin-1 by resveratrol or other means ignites this autophagy. The process of autophagy is also found to be enhanced with caloric restriction, and certain types of nutrient deprivation. This practice of fasting and nutrient deprivation was also discussed in Daoist longevity practices. Many references to Daoist Xian who fasted from cereal grains is found in reference to longevity systems. Here, too, we find proof of the efficacy of these ancient Daoist theories and practices. The modern individual may take a resveratrol pill, observe a short fast, or utilize a particular nutrient restricted diet, especially the avoidance of high caloric, high glycemic, simple carbohydrate foods and drinks. These refined carbohydrates, now a significant portion of the modern diet, may increase acidity in the body, and disrupt sugar, or carbohydrate, metabolism. We see from the study of sirtuins, that chronic acidity may damage histone function, and that an imbalance of our sugar metabolism may disrupt the ribose pathways and the ADP-ribose that also maintains genetic signaling health.

Other herbal and nutrient therapies that may stimulate autophagy include the isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein, found in the Chinese herb Psoralea coryfolia (Bu gu zhi), and the herb Red Clover, as well as the foods soy (fermented to insure healthy digestion), green bean, alfalfa sprout, mung bean sprout, kudzu (Ge gen), chick pea, and peanut. Isoflavones are a class of organic compounds found in foods and herbs that are related to isoflavonoids. Isoflavones have a broad array of beneficial effects, but the most publicized are the phytoestrogen and antioxidant effects in humans. Like resveratrol and the chemicals in Hu zhang and various foods, isoflavones have also demonstrated the ability to inhibit tumor growth in certain cancer cell lines, such as the LNCaP human prostate cancer cell line (Onozawa et al, 1998). Isoflavones were also shown to be able to potentiate chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer cell lines, allowing for less toxic dosages to be effective when the patients were pretreated with genistein (Li, Yiwei MD et al, 2004). A 2003 study cited below, at the University of Reading, UK, found that the isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, as well as their metabolites, exhibit potent antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects, and the breakdown of the herbal and food isoflavones in the human metabolism produces metabolites with even greater effects. Other isoflavones studied include luteolin and orientin, found in Berberis and Vitex, commonly used herbs in TCM, and also in millet. Isoflavones are also found in topical bioidentical hormone creams, delivering these valuable chemicals directly to the bloodstream.

The importance of cellular regulation in longevity and optimization of aging is increasingly studied. Autophagy, or the process of destroying and replacing cellular components to maintain function, is an important subject in anti-aging theories. As stated above, therapeutic protocols that stimulate autophagy increase the longevity effects of resveratrol, and isoflavones may help in this regard. Insulin is thought to be one of the major suppressive factors for autophagy, as well. Insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome, often called a prediabetic or diabetic type 2, is increasingly common in the population due to poor dietary habits and commercial foods with unnatural sugars and simple carbohydrates dominating. With insulin resistance, the need for increased insulin is acquired, and with increased insulin, the suppression of autophagy occurs. When this scenario plays out, the decline of cell function and integrity accelerates, and this is aging. Various immune cytokines and growth factors may also inhibit autophagy, including interleukin-3 (IL-3).

To show how daunting the task is of scientifically assessing anti-aging and longevity enhancing effects of Chinese herbs, refer to the citation below in additional information resources on the herb Epimedium. Epimedium of the berberidaceae family is a genus of about 52 species, with many genus utilized in medicine, and much study of the more than 260 chemical compounds isolated from this Chinese herb. The review of these studies shows that Epimedium, or Yin yang huo, shows efficacy with anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-atherosclerosis, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, and immunological modulation. Not only this array of scientific studies, though, but empirical evidence from centuries of use should be utilized when designing protocol for the patient in TCM that is looking to enhance, or optimize health in aging. The list of Chinese herbs with proven anti-aging and optimization of aging effects in scientific study is growing, though, and showing that even standard therapy in TCM clinical practice has been providing anti-aging, or longevity effects for patients for a very long history. The patient need not wait until a story in People magazine tells them of specific current research findings.

The most popular and well studied nutrient medicines in anti-aging therapy are being thoroughly investigated, and promising benefits are being shown. Omega-3 fatty acids, Co-Q10, resveratrol, isoflavones, and other antioxidants, probiotics, and phytoestrogens (lignans e.g.) are the most promising supplements thus far. Herbal medicine may deliver concentrated dosages of these and other valuable chemicals, and be combined in formulas with nutrient chemicals.

Historically, some of the herbal medicines that were purported to slow aging

The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing is perhaps the most esteemed fundamental text of herbal medicine in China, and is one of the 10 premodern classics of medicine selected by the People’s Republic of China for concentrated research of prehistoric medical information. Shen Nong was one of the three fundamental patriarchs of the modern Chinese civilization architecture, with Huang Di and Fu Xi, both of whom are also well known with their association to Traditional Chinese Medicine and what became Daoism. The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, or Shen Nong’s Fundamental Herbal Classic Text, often called the Divine Farmer’s Material Medica Classic, or the Divine Farmer’s Almanac, for some reason, lists the slowing of aging, or promotion of longevity, as one of the key qualities of a number of classic herbs. While modern research is still pursuing this efficacy in the chemistry of these herbs, and some of them may not seem particularly dramatic in their so-called “anti-aging” effects, we might consider them as part of a more complex holistic regimen.

Since the prescriptions for these herbs in the Shen Nong Manual called for prolonged taking of the herb, formulas may be devised, obtained from a professional TCM herbalist, and prepared with a classic double-boil extraction method. In this preparation, the herbs would be placed in a one pint jar filled with water, with a tight lid, that is then placed into another pan of water that also has a tight lid. The water in the outer pan is brought to a near boil, and then kept at a very low temperature, or flame, for a few hours, bringing the water in the jar to a near boil, but not with the high heat that would break down the herbal chemistry dramatically. The complete herbal chemistry is water extracted this way. Many older patients in China still use this method for longevity herbal formulas, and sip the water in the pint jar daily. The patient and the physician could choose from the classically prescribed herbs below to find an individualized formula for prolonged taking. Some of these herbs are bitter, and honey may be added to the water to improve taste, although the taste of the herbal medicine is not the point, but rather the effects. Modern research has recommended such herbs as Rhodiola rosea (Hong jin tian), Astragalus (Huang qi), Ginseng, and Cornelian cherry (Shan zhu yu) as well, to slow cellular aging, and these types of tonic herbs may be added to enhance effects.

The following are translated excerpts from the esteemed early Chinese herbal classic named after the patriarch Shen Nong:

Chrysanthemum morifolii, or Ju hua, is a flower that is bitter and balanced, and is used mainly to treat the pathologies of the head, such as dizziness, headache, eye pain, and swelling. The classic text states that prolonged taking of Ju hua may aid circulation, make the body light, slow aging and prolong life. This genus of chrysanthemum grows in rivers and swamps.
Achyranthis bidentatae, or Niu xi, is a root that is bitter and balanced, mainly treating rheumatic disorders and chronic pain of the knees and legs with stiffness. The classic text states that prolonged taking may make the body light and slow aging. The genus of Achyrathis grows in rivers and valleys, and is also called Bai bei, or hundredfold.
Angelicae pubescentis, or Du huo, is a root that is bitter and balanced, and is used mainly to relieve pain and stiffness, but also problems with the central nervous system, and in females fibroids and other conglomerations. Prolonged taking may make the body light and slow aging. This genus grows in rivers and valleys.
Cimicifugae, or Sheng ma (Black cohosh is an analogue), is sweet and balanced, and mainly treats toxins, especially parasitic toxins. Prolonged taking may prevent premature death from chronic disease, make the body light, and lengthen life. This genus grows in mountains and valleys.
Artemisia keiskeanae, or An lu zi, is the seed of a genus of artemesia, and mainly was used to treat blood stasis in the main organs, swelling and edema of the abdomen, and rheumatic illness. Prolonged taking may make the body light, prolong life, and prevent senility (dementia). This genus grows in rivers and valleys.
Artemisia argyi, or Bai hao, or Ai ye, is a leafy herb that is sweet and balanced, and mainly treats antigens in the main yin organs, supplements deficiency, promotes hair growth and restoration of hair color, and treats anxious depression with constant hunger but reduced appetite. Prolong taking may sharpen the vision and hearing, and prevent senility.
Plantaginis, or Che qian zi, is the seed of the plantago, and is sweet and cold, mainly used to treat urinary difficulties and swelling. Prolonged taking may make the body light and slow aging. This genus grows in plains and swamps.
Cuscutae chinensis seed, or Tu si zi, is acrid and balanced, and is mainly used to supplement insufficiency, boost the qi and physical strength, and regain lost weight. Prolonged taking may improve the vision, make the body light, and prolong life. This genus grows in mountains and valleys.
Junci baltici, or Shi long chu (also known as Dipsacus, or Cao xu duan), is a bitter and cooling herb that treats chronic parasitic disease, urinary difficulties, and rheumatic pain. Prolonged taking may make the body light, sharpen the vision and hearing, and prolong life. (Dipsaci are thistles).
Vacarriae segetalis seed, or Wang bu liu xing, is bitter and balanced, and mainly treats wounds, bleeding, and pain. Prolonged taking may make the body light, slow aging, and increase longevity. This genus grows in mountains and valleys.
Eupatorii chinensis, or Lan cao (may be analogous to boneset), is acrid and balanced, and mainly is used to treat chronic parasitic diseases and difficult urination. Prolonged taking may make the body light, slow aging, and better communicate with spirit light. Its other name is Shui xiang, or Water fragrance, and is grows in pools and swamps.
Sesame seed sprouts, Sesami indici, or Qing xiang, is sweet and cold, and mainly treats antigens in the yin organs and arthritic pains, strengthening the tendons, ligaments and joints. Prolonged taking may sharpen the hearing and vision, prevent senility, and increase longevity. Sprouting the black sesame seed may be most beneficial.
Artemisia capillaris, or Yin chen hao, is a bitter herb that mainly treats joundice and liver disease. Prolonged taking may make the body light, boost the qi, and slow aging.
Abutilonis seu malvae, or Gu huo (also Dong kui zi), is a seed that is sweet and warming, and mainly treats chronic pain and swelling. Prolonged taking may make the body light, increase life span, and slow aging. This genus grows in rivers and swamps.
Magnoliae liliflorae, or Xin yi hua, is a flower that is acrid and warming, and is used mainly to treat inflammatory conditions, dizziness and headache, and black patches on the face. Prolonged taking may make the body light, brighten the vision, increase longevity, and slow aging.
Lycium chinensis, or Gou qi zi (wolfberry), is a small red fruit that is bitter and cooling, and is used mainly to treat deep internal heat, diabetes, and general infirmity. Prolonged taking may benefit the tendons and joint tissues, make the body light, and slow aging. The root of this plant may be the beneficial part in this recommendation, which would indicate the Chinese herb Di gu pi. Numerous studies have shown Lycium fruit has chemicals that are cardioprotective, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, and exhibit anticancer benefits. Studies of Di gu pi have shown inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
Zanthoxylum peperiti pericarp, or Qin jiao, is acrid and warm, and maintly treats arthritic complaints, chronic toxins and antigens, and benefits the growth of hair, teeth and brightens the vision. Prolonged taking may make the body light, render a good facial complexion, slow aging, and prolong life. This genus grows in rivers and valleys.
Zanthoxylum bungeani pericarp, or Shu jiao, is acrid and warm, and mainly treats chronic disease of the lung, and rheumatic disease. Prolonged taking may keep the hair from turning white, make the body light, and increase the life span.This genus grows in rivers and valleys.
Sclerotium polypori umbellati, or Zhu ling, is sweet and balanced, and mainly treats malaria, other chronic parasitic disease, and inhibited urination. Prolonged taking may make the body light, and slow aging.

Information Resources

A number of herbal and nutritional chemicals, and synthetics are being investigated for their longevity-producing effects, as well as caloric restriction diets, and a study at Cambridge University Institute for Medical Research, in the UK, found in 2011 that inhibition of the natural autophagy, or natural degradation and replacement of cellular components, compromises these longevity agents, and that these agents often stimulate cellular autophagy. These longevity stimulators include resveratrol (from the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum, or Hu zhang), sirtuin 1 activation, inhibition of insulin and insulin-like growth factor, spermidine, and rapamycin: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21884931
Research in 2010 at INSERM, in Villejuif, France, showed that resveratrol, a chemical in the Chinese herb Polygonum cuspidatum (Hu zhang), activates an enzymatic chemical Sirtuin-1 that is required for the cellular autophagic response (clearing and replacing of cellular components), and that caloric deprivation, of patterns of fasting, will play a significant role in this autophagic response that appears at the heart of longevity mechanisms. This research suggests that all of these components play a symbiotic role in a holistic treatment protocol for longevity: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20023410
Research in 2011 at the University Center for Advanced Neurotoxicity, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, found that resveratrol significantly protected brain cells from methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic neuronal damage via caspase-3 activity, and partiall reduced apoptotic (programmed) cell death of the neurons: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21886561
A 2011 review of research on the herb Epimedium, or Yin yang huo, finds that 52 species of this genus have been studied, with over 260 isolated chemicals from the herb, and that a number of effects have been shown to benefit the optimization of aging, including anti-aging cellular effects, antioxidant, anti-osteoporotic, hormone regulating, immunomodulating, anti-tumor, anti-atherosclerotic, and anti-depressant activities: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21215308
A 2009 study at Taiwan University Institute of Food Science and Technology found that the Chinese herb Astragalus (Huang qi), which is usually prepared with a classic bacillus subtilis natto-fermented processing in TCM, significantly stimulated cellular production of hyaluronic acid in skin cells to promote healthier skin with aging: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19619633
A 2007 study at the University of California Irvine found that the Chinese herb Rhodiola rosea (Hong jin tian) exhibited significant longevity and anti-aging effects in study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17990971
A 2010 study at the University of Fukui Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology found that chemicals and metabolites in the Chinese herb Cordyceps militaris exhibited benefits with anti-aging, antioxidant, immunomodulation, steroidogenic hormonal, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-cancer effects: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20650308
A 2009 randomized placebo-controlled human clinical study at Seoul National University in Korea demonstrated that an herbal formula with red ginseng, Torilus and Corni fruits (Shan zhu yu), significantly improved facial wrinkles and increased collagen synthesis to improve aging skin. This was an internally taken herbal extract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20041778
Nutraceutical studies were reviewed in 2010 at Zagreb University in Croatia, and found promising beneficial effects related to anti-aging with omega-3 fatty acids, Co-Q10, probiotics, phytoestrogens, and other antioxidants: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21830469
A study in 2003 at the University of Reading, United Kingdom, found that the metabolites of isoflavones were even more effective with antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects in the human body, showing that oral consumption of these chemicals in herbs and foods produced potent beneficial effects: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14514441

The information on this website is not intended to be used as a specific medical advice or cure. Please consult with the practitioner or an appropriate physician, such as a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath, or medical doctor, to discuss the proper application of the information contained on this website.