Aging Issues

Natural Solutions to Common Aging Issues

If you’re over the age of 40, chances are that you’ve experienced some changes in biology that have made normal life…well, a little less normal.

Maybe you now find yourself sore after the same workout you used to do with no problem a few years ago.

Maybe you are constantly waking up throughout the night when you used to sleep right through.

Or maybe your diet has stayed the same but now you have constipation no matter how much fiber you eat.

It’s the woes of aging – and they are real.

But what do you do about it, if anything at all?

Fortunately, you don’t have to chronically suffer from anguishes of getting older.  A variety of naturopathic options can support your physiological changes so you can make a new normal that’s healthy and enjoyable.

Pain flare-ups

As we age, muscle tissue becomes less flexible, much in thanks to less growth hormones (like testosterone) and simple wear and tear.

This can result in pain and soreness that may not have been noticeable at a younger age (when muscle tissue was more resilient and limber) but is much more prominent now and harder to recover from.

What to do about it: Get, on average, 7-8 hours of quality sleep; modify your exercise routine to include a few harder days (inclusive of strength training) interspersed with more gentle movement such as flexibility training (like yoga and stretching).

Also, supplements such as magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, curcumin, and CBD work to reduce inflammation causing pain while branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) helps repair muscles.

Sleep Disruption

Aren’t sleeping like you once did?  It’s no surprise considering how much hormones fluctuate as we age.

Both quantity and quality (ideally 7-8 hours) are important as ever because adrenaline and cortisol can run high in a vicious cycle for days following a bad night’s sleep leading to mood issues, weight gain, and more sleepless nights.

What about sleeping medication?  It’s not something I love unless absolutely necessary (benzodiazepines can be highly addicting and some medications put the brain to sleep but don’t balance out hormones to treat the root cause).  Ideally, support to balance hormones for less sleep medication or none at all is recommended.

What to do about it: Schedule a complimentary 15 minute phone consultation to talk with me about what sleeping issue you are having.

A variety of options such as acupuncture, supplements (like magnesium, time-released melatonin, CBD, Lavela WS 1265™ by Integrative Therapeutics, NeuroCalm™ by designs for health, Sleep Easy™ by Mountain Peak Nutritionals, and Cortisol Manage®r by Integrative Therapeutics), bio-identical hormones, and lifestyle modifications can all help with falling asleep and/or staying asleep and can be recommended accordingly.

Digestion Upset

Bowels can move differently with age, particularly for women who have a slightly varied intestinal make-up than men.  A decrease in hormones like estrogen and progesterone can make the digestive track less flexible than it used to be leading to more constipation.

What to do about it: Try adding 100-200mg a day of magnesium and slowly increasing until bowel movements are normal.  Start with one dose for 5 days, then two doses for 5 days with one dose in the morning and one at night.  If bowels become too loose, pull back.

A more in-depth discussion can be had with me to consider acupuncture, probiotics, prebiotics, liver supplements, digestive enzymes, stomach acid tablets or capsules, and treatments for overall health of the gut.

Are you living with issues that are hindering your quality of life?

Just because you are aging doesn’t mean you have to live uncomfortably.  I am here to help.

Please call our office at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation with me to talk about it and learn how naturopathic medicine may be able to help.

The CNMA office provides naturopathic care, acupuncture, testing, massage, and holistic counseling to those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area.  For those outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.