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Another type of stress that is part of day-to-day life is basic wear and tear. The daily grinding down of bones, joints, and teeth is to a certain extent unavoidable, but here again, there are ways to lessen some of the impact.

First and foremost, staying at a healthy weight prevents undue stress on joints and ligaments. A healthy diet certainly contributes to maintaining healthy joints, ligaments, and bones. The right combination of dietary fats can actually decrease the inflammation of joints associated with arthritis. Exercise done appropriately with proper stretching ahead of time and practicing disciplines such as yoga lessen the effects of wear and tear on the body.

Physical stress can tax the healing systems of the body as much as any other stress. Extremes in temperature can be quite debilitating. Excessive cold is something that few of us are threatened with today, but cold temperatures have been an ever present concern to those who have ventured toward the most northern and southern regions of the globe.

I have always been fascinated with the story of Ernest Shackleton, who, in 1914, set out with a crew of 28 men on an attempt to cross the Antarctic continent by dogsled. Early on, their ship was trapped in an ice flow and crushed. The band of intrepid adventurers spent nine months moving with the ice flow until they escaped to desolate Elephant Island via three remaining lifeboats. Shackleton, with a crew of five men, sailed one of the lifeboats across 800 miles of inhospitable southern ocean to seek rescue. He survived the harrowing journey and returned months later to find all crew members alive.
Shackleton’s adventure was one of a number of expeditions to the northern and southern poles that occurred during that time in history. What sets his experience apart was that the crew survived horrendous conditions for an astoundingly long period of time with no loss of life and minimal loss of limb. Different from other expeditions, they decided early on to supplement their food supply with seal blubber. Toward the end, this made up a large portion of their diet. Seal blubber contains very high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, and I, for one, believe that diet was a key factor in their survival. Their blood was like antifreeze! Today the harvest of seals is appropriately banned and seal blubber probably contains much higher levels of toxins than it did in 1914, but regularly consuming other sources of omega 3 fatty acids certainly makes sense for many health reasons.

Most of us would rather be hot than cold, but extreme heat, especially dry heat can be quite threatening. Excessive heat and dehydration are becoming more of a concern as the world heats up. In 2003 Europe experienced the hottest summer on record. The loss of 35,000 lives could be attributed to either the heat itself or crop shortfalls associated with the drought. As the population of the world continues to expand and the atmosphere becomes hotter, severe heat waves and shortages of food production across the globe are something with which we will all have to contend.

Trauma, another physical stress, affects all of us during our lifetimes to one degree or another, but is less of a threat than in days gone by. Before about 1920, trauma was a major contributor to decreased life expectancy. Today, trauma and accidents are minor factors. As much as I would like to attribute this shift to people having better sense, we owe it all to “big brother.” Rules, regulations, and government bureaucracies make us wear our seat belts, force manufacturers of automobiles and machines to make safer products, and in general, make our world a safer place. Even so, being ever careful and ever vigilant is a wise practice.

The above excerpt was taken from the "A New Style of Healthcare" chapter in my book, Health First!. This book was created as a resource for my patients and First Do No Harm Health readers who are eager to learn more about simple lifestyle changes that can improve their quality of life and dramatically reduce their risk of disease. It is my hope that you will consider this book as a resource for better understanding your health and take control of your own health today!

Categories: Disease Prevention,

Previous Comments

JP- Dec 24, 2009

Thanks for addressing this important point, Bill. In a way, I believe that "anti-aging" remedies really do exist. By that, I'm not referring to many of the overhyped lotions, potions and "miracle cures" often sold these days. Rather, I think that nutrient-dense foods, select supplements and certain complementary therapies can counter much of the repetitive "wear and tear" damage that dramatically contributes to age-related disabilities. This, in effect, results in a slowing down of the aging process. Omega-3 fatty acids, as you've mentioned, fall into this category. Please keep up the good work by continuing to get the word out! I hope the upcoming holiday treats you and yours well and that 2010 is even kinder to you than 2009. JP

Bill Rawls, MD- Dec 25, 2009

Thanks JP! I wish you the best this holiday!