{"id":10025,"date":"2014-03-11T13:54:25","date_gmt":"2014-03-11T17:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=10025"},"modified":"2014-04-03T18:30:48","modified_gmt":"2014-04-03T22:30:48","slug":"from-the-doctor-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yang-sheng.com\/?p=10025","title":{"rendered":"From the Doctor — A New Love Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

[From the Doctor]<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

A New Love Story<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Nadia Linda Hole, M.D.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span> <\/em>\u201cEnjoy life. There’s plenty of time to be dead\u201d<\/em> – Hans Christian Andersen<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom your I AM is born \u2026 the song that beautifies all\u201d<\/em> – Aramaic Lord\u2019s Prayer<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStart the day with Love. Fill the day with Love. End the day with Love\u201d<\/em> – Sai Baba<\/span><\/p>\n

Live each day like it\u2019s your last, and one day you\u2019ll be right<\/em> \u2013 Quincy Jones<\/span><\/p>\n

When you find the Love, you find yourself<\/em> – Sidi<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Nadia<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Want to live a remarkable life? Want to \u201c<\/span>age well\u201d?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>As integrative holistic physicians,\u00a0 we can easily write you doctor\u2019s orders, for an exhausting \u201cto do\u201d lists of lab tests and nutraceuticals; from super food mega vitamins, nano-minerals, green and red \u201cinstant\u201d juices, to enhancers for your stem cells, adaptogens for growth hormone, cordyceps for telomeres, ashwagandha for adrenals;\u00a0 sepia or vetiver for libido, and so on; not to mention the newest other state of the art \u201cproven\u201d therapies\u00a0 \u2013 from EEG brain wave entrainment to quantum vibroacoustic \u201cQi machines,\u201d and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Baby boomer or not, how much time, money, and energy, do YOU really want to spend on aging \u201cwell?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 AND \u2013 With the ever escalating demands of modern day life, is Shangri-La just a dream, forever to elude us?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"F5DFD5899691598B232CF88500EE009EF839475E.jpg\"<\/a>Wait! Maybe there\u2019s hope? Have you heard of the people who \u201cforget to die?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers have discovered 5 pockets in the world –\u00a0<\/span> Loma Linda in Mexico, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, and Ikaria in Greece – where remarkable numbers of people, live remarkable<\/em> lives, to remarkable ages. Elders regularly outlive the elderly of more industrialized nations by over a decade, with significantly less morbidity from cancer, cardiac, and other chronic disease.\u00a0<\/span> Interestingly 3 of the 5 are island communities. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ikaria, an isolated Aegean Greek island, tops the world longevity list, with more people living past age 90, than anywhere else in the world, often still socially AND sexually<\/em> active, with virtually no dementia.\u00a0<\/span> Our Aloha state of Hawaii, incidentally, tops the US longevity list, with the US capitol Washington DC, at the bottom.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What secrets do these islands, and our elders, have to teach us?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Years ago, two Greek immigrants, Yiannis Karimalis and war vet<\/span> Stamatis<\/span> Moraitas, got unexpected news \u2013 Yiannis a diagnosis of stomach cancer, Stamatis, lung cancer. Doctors gave each only months to live. In lieu of costly western treatment and hospitals, both chose to return Home instead, to their native Ikaria.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Yiannis and Stamatis returned home, they did not come home to bottles full of pills, and days scheduled full of appointments, practices, and\/or special diets.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yiannis and Stamatis<\/span><\/strong> returned Home to a timeless life style, for many of us forgotten – simple, walks, talks, dances, siesta\u2019s, sipping cups of tea, and breaking bread together,<\/strong> with family, friends, and community.<\/span> Both happily each outlived their doctors by decades, cancer free.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Nadia<\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Interestingly, in Ikaria and here in Puna Hawaii, the native diet of choice, is a \u201cpoor man\u2019s\u201d indigenous diet, with food all harvested fresh from land, or wild, high in organic local greens and grains, with plenty of raw<\/em> dairy, raw<\/em> honey, fresh herbs, fish, and game. Regular exercise, like herding goats walking, dancing, and swimming; and weekly community gatherings are a part of life.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Before you jump on a plane to isolate whatever active anti-aging ingredients there are in Ikarian or Hawaiian native herbs, teas, honey\u2026 Stop!\u00a0<\/span> With sincere gratitude,<\/strong> for good medicine, from all traditions \u2013 are there possibly other, deeper, secrets?<\/span> (Real Food is Good Medicine<\/em>, YS Jul Aug 2012)<\/span><\/p>\n

My parents, both physicians, from Yale in China, were raised on a \u201cpoor man\u2019s diet.\u201d As prizewinning ball-room dancers, they happily stole every dance floor they could, well into their 80\u2019s. They also absolutely loved their work as doctors helping people. My father just celebrated his 90th<\/sup> birthday.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Nadia_19653_236040268772_111871948772_3226876_577605_n\"<\/a>One of my favorite Hawaiian \u00a0<\/span>near-octogenarians is Uncle Sam, a four-time Purple Heart vet.\u00a0<\/span> Like my parents, he doesn\u2019t pay much attention to diet or exercise. Uncle lives life passionately, to keep Aloha alive.\u00a0<\/span> His joy is protecting our beloved Hawaii as a paradise for our children. One of his dreams is to re-create prisons, literally without walls, for convicted \u201coffenders;\u201d with growing their own food, and sacred Hawaiian teachings, chanting, and community, as their rehab.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recently, I ran into an aging mosque couple whom I haven\u2019t seen for years. Both radiated happiness and health, and looked far far younger than years ago. Their secret?\u00a0<\/span> \u201cJust praying.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most revered elders in integrative medicine, the late cardiologist Dr Lee Lipsenthal MD, past president of American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine,<\/em> who when diagnosed with terminal esophageal cancer,\u00a0<\/span> wrote<\/span> Enjoy Every Sandwich – Living Each Day as if it Were Your Last<\/span><\/em>; spoke often about the vital importance of connectivity, touch, relationships, and love,<\/em> in the practice of medicine, and their measurable outcomes for morbidity and mortality. Lee wrote, \u201cBeing fully alive, I discovered, has nothing to do with the presence or absence of disease\u2026 It\u2019s really about enjoying the simplicity of life.\u201d<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Why waste time on old hurts?\u00a0<\/span> Instead, like my parents, Lee loved dancing. I once had the honor of dancing with him. As one of our colleagues puts it, Dr Lipsenthal, for sure, \u201cdidn\u2019t dance like a white boy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"My parents, Uncle Sam, and mosque friends had no mind for diet, exercises, or nutraceuticals. Dr Lipsenthal\u2019s favorite sandwich was a BLT. What\u2019s their common secret?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>Dr Stefanadis, Dept Cardiology, Athens Medical School,\u00a0<\/span> writes, \u201cThere is increasing scientific evidence that there\u00a0<\/span> are protective health benefits from traditional ways of\u00a0<\/span> living, involving diet, physical activity status,\u00a0<\/span> an active social life, and an optimistic attitude. \u201c\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

One fascinating study which summarizes the results of nearly 150 earlier studies, found that \u201c<\/span>friendship (has) as much impact on the risk of death as smoking, drinking, physical activity or obesity<\/span><\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The ELSA study of 10,000 aging Brits concludes that happy people are likelier to stay alive, than the unhappiest people over a given time period. The \u201cgrumpiest\u201d people had 3 times the death rate as the happiest.\u00a0<\/span> Happy people tended to also stress less.<\/span><\/p>\n

Andrew Steptoe, Dept. Epidemiology and Public Health at U College London and co-author of ELSA, writes, \u201cThe<\/em> link between psychological well-being, and long-term health and<\/em><\/span> survival, was independent of other factors such as age<\/span><\/a>, gender, ethnicity, wealth, education and baseline health<\/span><\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Times as is \u2013 As a doctor, I hear more than my share of heartbreak stories, often totally beyond control of the survivors \u2013 unimaginable losses of health, loves, work, finances, safety\/security, and oftentimes of life itself. As a mother, daughter, friend, beloved, I too know loss.<\/span><\/p>\n

Face it – If life challenges aren\u2019t enough, we\u2019re ALL, nowadays, being bombarded with unprecedented solar and earth changes, with definite effects on our physiology and psyche<\/span>. Times as is – With one big bang, the whole topic of \u201caging well\u201d could be moot in a second, for any of us.<\/span><\/p>\n

If all we have is NOW, and we can\u2019t pack our bags and move to an island like Hawaii or Ikaria – how now can we possibly embody the secrets of the island and our elders, within ourselves?\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Okinawan elders live a life style culture, imbued with \u201cIkigai,\u201d or \u201cwhat makes one\u2019s life worth living.\u201d Like their Japanese counterparts, Yiannis and Stamatis,<\/strong> by\u00a0<\/span> living what makes life worth living, they simply forgot<\/strong><\/span> to die.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Nadia<\/a>What\u2019s your<\/em><\/span> Ikigai? What makes life worth living for YOU? What simple<\/em> joys do you gift yourself? Who and what are your true Loves?\u00a0<\/span> Whom is it time to break bread with? Share a cup of tea with? Who and where, is your \u201ctribe?\u201d Family? Children? Loved ones? Do they know how you love them? Who needs a hug? What choices would you make, if today were your last sandwich?<\/span><\/p>\n

If you could give yourself ONE gift, for your life, for TODAY, for yourself, what would it be?<\/span><\/p>\n

A friend of a friend suggests \u201cPerhaps it\u2019s time to write a new<\/em> love story for Yourself – one with a happier<\/em> ending. Perhaps it\u2019s time for a bigger<\/em> story, a story bigger than You, ME, our selves, US…\u201d\u00a0<\/span> Perhaps it\u2019s time, no matter what your circumstances, to simply enjoy life, help others live their joy too\u2026 and Love, Love, Love, as if there\u2019s no tomorrow!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One of the oldest women in the world, a recognized chocoholic, drank red wine daily. When asked her secret, she smiled, \u201cI have only one wrinkle and it\u2019s between my legs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Smiles<\/span>J<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> Perhaps it\u2019s high time to fall in love with YOU!\u00a0\u00a0<\/span> Happy 2014 Valentine\u2019s Day, and Blessed Be.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

REFERENCES:<\/span><\/p>\n

Dan Buettner, Blue Zones,<\/em><\/span> http:\/\/ngm.nationalgeographic.com\/print\/2005\/11\/longevity-secrets\/buettner-text<\/a> , and<\/span> http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/10\/28\/magazine\/the-island-where-people-forget-to-die.html<\/a><\/p>\n

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Christodoulos Stefanadis MD, Hellenic J Cardiol<\/strong> 2011; 52: 479-480, Unveiling the Secrets of Longevity: The Ikaria Study<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Lee Lipensthal MD,\u00a0<\/span> Dying Awake<\/em>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span> http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/lee-lipsenthal-md\/coping-with-cancer_b_915067.html<\/a><\/p>\n

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Laura Rowley, \u201cHappiness: Study Suggests Well Being, Or Lack of It, Can Predict Illness and Death,<\/span> http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2012\/10\/15\/happiness-longevity_n_1968158.html<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Nadia Linda Hole MD is a pioneer in bridging Qigong, Oriental, Western, and Energy Medicine. Recognized as a \u201cmaster\u201d by other masters, with degrees from Princeton, Duke, USHS, and Oneness Universities, she has served on the faculties of the American Holistic Medical Association, and American Academy of Pain Management, among others.\u00a0<\/span> She is a contributing author for complementary medicine textbooks; consulting editor for Chinese Medical Qigong, and co-founder of the Free Distance Healing Qi Project. Besides dancing, dolphins, healing in the way of Love, peace, and the practical science of \u201cmiracles,\u201d Dr Hole\u2019s passion is bringing a more heart centered, Qi approach, to medicine.<\/span><\/em><\/address>\n
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