19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5 Stars - A must-read…don’t miss the last chapter 
Reviewer: A reader

I found Ron Teeguarden’s new book “Radiant Health” (now renamed “The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs”) to be the most easily understood and comprehensive book on the subject that I’ve ever read. Many Westerners, during the last several decades, have become aware of the benefits of Chinese Medicine, specifically acupuncture. This book brings to light the extremely effective system of Chinese Herbal Tonics, which is an ancient tradition of promoting and maintaining a state of radiant health rather than treating disease once it has developed. Considering the cost of health care to both individuals and society at large, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in maintaining their own personal health or providing for the health of society.

Not only does Ron Teeguarden explain in detail the properties and uses of each of the tonic herbs but he has a rare talent of making very complex and profound concepts easily understandable to the layman. One suggestion that I would make is not to miss the last chapter called “Six Lessons the Tonic Herbs Have Taught Me.” Some readers might get bogged down in the middle of the book where each of the herbs is described. If that happens to you, just skip to the last chapter and then pick up the book, from time to time, to read about an herb or two. The last chapter was my favorite because it beautifully expresses the degree to which the tonic herbs can transform life and raise it to a pinnacle that is the birthright of every human being.

So here’s the Chapter:

Eight Lessons Tonic Herbs Have Taught Me*

By Ron Teeguarden

Late one night I was contemplating the meaning of life and it came to me that the herbs with which I have been involved for many years have taught me some of the deep truths of life.

As soon I started consuming Chinese tonic herbs, my life virtually turned around.  Within a matter of days, I recovered much of my energy, and though it took some years to fully regain my health, I felt vital and strong within a month.  The original herbal formulas were simple by my current standards, but I often feel that they saved my life.

It is said in the East that for a person to truly develop, he or she must suffer one great disease.  This “disease” might not be an actual sickness–it can be anything that deeply challenges us to overcome our prejudices, our weaknesses, our fear and our ignorance.  As a result of my struggle to regain my health, I had a realization that when a person has already become ill, the curing of the disease can often be delayed by the person’s attitudes.  The lessons contained in his or her afflictions have not been absorbed and upon recovery, he or she will immediately plunge back into the ways which caused his or her original sickness.  For this reason it is imperative that the spiritual aspect of a person (Shen) be considered in all human dysfunction and that the emotions and desires that block the full expression of the true self (Shen) be moderated or eliminated.   

The sickness I suffered forced me to face myself and to grow.  Quite wonderfully, I discovered that, in their great wisdom, the people of Asia had long ago developed a system that could help a person such as myself move through such challenges so as to attain health, happiness and wisdom. 

Amazed at the potency of the tonic herbs, I spent the next several years seeking out teachers who could instruct me in the ways of herbalism.  Because the herbs that seemed to save me were Chinese, I sought Oriental masters who could teach me their ancient knowledge and allow me to penetrate the secrets inherent in the system.   There were no schools of Chinese medicine in those days and herbs were not readily available yet, so I had to find teachers in the Asian communities who were practicing essentially underground.  I was an enthusiastic student in those days and I found a number of excellent teachers, most of whom were Chinese.  The Chinese teachers tended to be very practical, but did not want to go deeply into the principles underlying the practicality.  A Korean teacher, Sae Han Kim, was the first teacher who really got into how the herbs worked and into their subtler applications.

Ultimately, I met my teacher, Sung Jin Park, and he taught me the details of the Daoist art of radiant health. I helped Master Park translate a number of manuscripts as he helped me to understand the principles of the human energy system, the laws of nature, the basics of superior herbalism, Daoist breathing techniques, Daoist exercises, and a few other things.  He was a great teacher to me.  He had a way of communicating to me extremely subtle ideas that nobody else could explain.  He used few words, but his expression was pure wisdom.  Then, one day, he returned to Korea to live as a hermit in the mountains with Moo San Do Sha, his teacher.  I have not seen him since. Master Sung Jin Park took me deep into the realm of tonic herbalism.  He emphasized the attainment of radiant health rather than the eradication of disease factors. This emphasis on health-promotion was a major turning point in my life.  Up until that time, I had primarily relied on the Western model of healthcare, which emphasizes remedial care “after-the-fact.”  As my training proceeded, Master Park instructed me never to become a “healer.”  He said that “healing” in the general sense is always temporary.  He told me to become a teacher, or in his words “an agent of Shen” (“the light-bearer”) who guides people in their transformative processes, so that many could benefit from this knowledge.

When it came to herbal training, Sung Jin Park taught me only about the tonic herbs, and almost completely ignored medicinal substances.  He believed that radiant health could be achieved by any one with the will to achieve it and that the tonic herbs were all one needed to achieve radiant health, even if problems exist which appear to require medicine. He helped me overcome a number of medical problems without ever giving me a medicinal herb.  We met several times a week, and each time he would recommend a formula which I would then prepare and drink over the next couple of days.  My health improved radically during the time that I was under Park’s training.

Master Park returned to his Korean mountain retreat before I learned all the details of each of the tonic herbs themselves. The incredibly subtle details of such an art can only be learned by experience over a long period of time.  I have spent the past three decades making the tonic herbs part of my daily life and introducing them to many others.  In many ways, the herbs have become my teacher, and there are eight lessons that I have learned from them.

1.  Faith in Nature

We have evolved over the period of millions of years, by design or otherwise, into true super beings.  Nature is so vast and mysterious.  No one will ever understand all its subtle and intricate nuances.  But its basic laws are clear.  Nature nourishes those that live in close harmony with it and destroys those that move too far astray.  If we destroy our environment, we will eventually perish.  This law applies to our internal being as well.  Modern medicine has brought forth many miracles.  Yet, maintaining our health is not the responsibility of “medicine” but of our own knowledge of how to live as Nature means us to live.

Chinese tonic herbalism is based on the premise that it is possible to attain a state of health known as “radiant health,” which is defined as “health beyond danger.”  The simple idea is that it is best to build a powerful and healthy system rather than wait until disharmony and illness set in.  I do not believe that anyone can argue with this concept.  Certain Chinese herbs have come to be revered because they seem to be profound health aids (not “medicine”), and have been found over the period of many centuries to be extremely safe when used moderately and appropriately. 

These herbs seem to help us attain and maintain an organic and psychic balance even under stressful conditions.  The Chinese tonic herbs have taught me to have faith first in Nature, and in the Nature that resides within me, since I am one with all of Nature.                

More recently, I have learned that the best things come from nature.  With the advent of the phytonutrient revolution, it is becoming more and more clear that the most powerful and wonderful treasures relating to our health and happiness are all natural.  Synthetic and artificial foods and supplements can not hold a candle to the bounty of nature’s phytochemicals.  Science is confirming what Chinese herbalists having been saying all along—the laboratory cannot match nature.

2.  Patience

Even though my illness seemed to reverse itself abruptly, it took me many years to become what I believe to be truly healthy.  And I came to realize that maintaining my health is a moment to moment exercise in life.  Health is more than just a freedom from disease, although that certainly is a minimal requirement.  Health is actually a state of vitality that allows us to fulfill our greatest destiny while we are alive on this planet.  It is a vitality that allows us to adapt optimally to the many changes we go through daily and over time, without becoming exhausted, without using up the precious reserves that sustain our life.

We all may continue to grow on the spiritual plane for as long as we exist.  Growth is fraught with danger, failure and struggle.  We must overcome many hardships, and we must overcome ourselves continuously.  It is the art of overcoming difficulties that allows one to grow and become the most that they can become.  The greatest failure is the inability to overcome the challenges that are required for true human growth.  I have learned that the tonic herbs are an almost miraculous tool for a person on a serious growth path.  They provide the power and adaptability required to survive the down times.  I feel that they have helped me develop my power of will and the creative capacities that have allowed me to find ways around the obstacles that have blocked my path.  And the tonic herbs provide protection, stability and creative vitality during my strong times, allowing me to grow.

The tonic herbs help us to become emotionally strong, calm and adaptive, and to understand the big picture of life.  They have helped me to become patient.  By being patient, I have learned how to avoid exhaustion and by being patient I have learned that one can attain almost anything that Nature allows for us as a human being. 

3.  Self respect

By taking tonic herbs that are harmless and yet so incredibly nourishing in so many ways, I have come to respect my own body, mind and spirit.  I have learned that junk food, abusive and harsh behavior, offensive chemical substances, and the like are self- destructive and self-deprecating.  I have learned that it is essential to respect oneself deeply if one is to attain any level of health and happiness. I have come to know that I have, like every other human being, a higher purpose that can only be attained if we have self respect of the highest order.

Furthermore, by respecting oneself it is possible to respect others and to respect Nature and all its manifestations, both animate and inanimate.  I have observed a deep lack of respect among people in our society, and this will not be corrected with money or “academic” education or medicine.  It will be corrected when we have true self respect and realize that we are all great and that we are all one.  Self respect therefore extends to everybody and everything in human society and in Nature since we are all one.

4.  The value of a positive attitude

Chinese tonic herbalism is based upon the premise that by taking certain very healthy substances we can attain a very positive healthy state.  With a strong immune system, a strong vascular system, a strong nervous system, etc., we will avoid or be able to overcome most dangers and we might even live a longer, better life. This makes sense to me.  If we spend all our time concentrating on our weaknesses and problems, we will never cease putting out fires, since our attitude is awry.  I am not saying that one should ignore a problem.  That would be foolish.  There is the Oriental saying, “when a problem is acute, treat the stem; when a problem is chronic treat the root.”  After dealing with the problem, and even during that process, continue to focus on creating positive health.

As a general principle for living and acting, emphasis should be placed on creating well being and positive achievements.  The tonic herbs tend to generate that attitude, and are in this sense very positive.

5.  The meaning of “moderation”

“All things in moderation….”  These are words of wisdom that we have all heard but by which few abide.  Excessive behavior, including all compulsive and/or addictive behavior patterns destroy our ability to live naturally.  And though we live in unnatural environments, we are still natural beings under the influences of the sun, the moon, the stars, gravity, the weather, the air, our food, water and the earth.

Excessive behavior imbalances us and drains our energy.  Excessive behavior inevitably and invariably results in disharmony.  Excessive activity drains our energy and our energy reserves.  Excess in any aspect of our life can be dangerous and will inevitably lead to trouble, and possibly catastrophe. The saying in Chinese tonic herbalism, for example, which states that “It is all right to become fatigued, but never to become exhausted.”  Fatigue is natural and even healthy.  However, exhaustion means that we have drained ourselves, going beyond our normal limits, depleting energy reserves.  Such depletion is much harder to recover from than mere fatigue.  In fact, many people never do recover from a bought of deep exhaustion.

A great Chinese wise man by the name of Chuang Tse once wrote:

                          When the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten.

                                When the belt fits, the belly is forgotten.

                                And when the Heart is right, “for” and “against” are forgotten.

The great wisdom expressed in this proverb can only be experienced and appreciated when we have attained a dynamic balance and harmony with Nature.  The great Chinese tonic herbs are some of Nature’s sublime gifts.  They can help the “shoe to fit,” they can help the “belt to fit,” and ultimately and most importantly, they can help the Heart become “right,” allowing us to rise above the illusionary world of duality and to know Nature as it is, as a complete, unified, harmonious being, of which we are a part.

The tonic herbs can help restore that balance, harmony and energy and are themselves the very essence of moderation.  They can also help us to sense our limits, maintain our center and to have the strength and wisdom to stop when we need to.

6.  Perseverance yields stunning results

When I discovered something that exploded with truth, I was compelled to follow its path, even through times of diversity and extreme challenge. It was the perfection of the principles of yin and yang, the ring of truth in my teacher’s words and teaching, the intuitive knowledge that tonic herbalism makes sense, that led me to persevere through thick and thin.

Sticking with the Chinese tonic herbs over the years has yielded great results that I would not have envisioned in the beginning. At first my goal was to feel better and eradicate some of my nagging symptoms. It was because my teacher had been such a good “light” that I kept on with the herbs. I had an understanding beyond mere medical relief. I had a vision of achieving radiant health – health beyond danger. Perseverance has yielded its great rewards.

Never give up on the really important things. Don’t give up on your life’s work. Don’t stop working on your health before you have achieved radiant health, and don’t stop even then. Great success only comes to those who persevere.

7.  Giving is truly its own reward

As I became a practitioner of tonic herbalism, I gradually came to know how remarkable these herbs are. They are practically miraculous and to some degree fool proof, which is why I was able to get so much out of them while I was young and foolish. There may be temporary set backs and temporary side effects, but as the body grows and adjusts and becomes more adaptable, the side effects disappear, and the tonic herbs become easier and easier to assimilate.

Over many years, I have provided herbs to thousands of people, and the joy of doing so has made my life truly complete and satisfying. Many people say that “giving is its own reward,” but for most of us, that is hard to really connect with fully. But by providing the tonic herbs, blended with a good dose of intelligence, skill, caring and compassion, the magic of life unfolds on a daily basis right before our eyes. All health care practitioners know the joy of helping someone overcome illness, pain and suffering. That is a motivating force for all of us. But tonic herbalists are really Shen Herbalists, guides for people on a path to higher consciousness. The joy of observing people grow is truly stunning – and quite unexplainable. It’s like tending a garden. God provides us with a unique feeling of pleasure and satisfaction in seeing our crop develop and the same is true with seeing our clients become more special, more evolved, happier, more giving and more successful in their lives. It is the joy that drives people to become teachers.

My teacher, Daoist master Sung Jin Park, told me: “Don’t be a healer, be the Light.” I have taken these works as the guiding spirit of my life. Become the Light. Guide people. Help them to nourish Jing, Qi and Shen. Help them to cultivate their lives and the lives of those they influence, positively and with joy. The tonic herbs are a remarkable tool in this process. They provide something tangible to a growth process that is not always so tangible. People take the tonic herbs regularly and that alone is of great importance. Taking the tonics is not too far off from being a form of prayer or yoga. It keeps people connected to the to their ancestry (Jing), to the earth (Qi), and to God (Shen).

It is said that giving builds Shen. How true this is! Giving also builds knowledge and wisdom. The more you teach the more you learn. We are performing Shen Herbalism. Teaching and providing the earthly tools to achieve radiant health are definitely giving of the highest order. To be the Light. Bright are the one’s that shine in the dark. Guide people every day. Be the Light.                         

                Clearly, being the Light is it’s own reward.

8.  Love is everything

As we learn the other five lessons over time, we come to experience a sense of profound love for Life, for Nature, for ourselves, for our Earth and all its beings, for Humankind as a whole and for all the members of our human family.  Love is the ultimate truth.  Love really is everything.  And indeed, everything is love.

Our true spirit, which the Chinese call Shen, is the spark of divinity that resides within the heart of every human being.  Shen is the guiding light by which all of us are capable of growing toward illumination.  All beings possess Shen, and in particular the animals, plants and trees are often abundant in Shen.  Even many minerals possess Shen in crystallized form.  Mountains possess Shen, as do all aspects of Nature.  But it is in the human being that Shen comes to full flame.

Shen resides in the heart and manifests as love, kindness, compassion, generosity, giving, tolerance, forgiveness, mercy, tenderness, and the appreciation of beauty.  It is the spirit of a human being as the divine messenger, the channel of God’s will and love.  Shen is the purpose of all spiritual paths.  It is Buddha’s desire to end suffering and it is Christ’s love.

Generally, though, this light, this love, is buried in the heart of a human being, hidden behind a thick opaque layer of human emotion and misguided imagery.  It is taught in Chinese philosophy that Shen naturally rules our lives, but if we lose our balance (which we all do) then the ego and the emotions vie for dominance and Shen withdraws and becomes hidden.  We develop addictions to particular egoistic attitudes and to the emotions that help manifest our egoistic goals.  Anger, greed, fear, worry, sorry, frustration, the perpetual seeking of pleasure in the things of this world of relativity and illusion, are all examples of the types of emotional states that force Shen into hiding, often for the duration of one’s life.

The great spiritual teachings have all attempted to teach their followers how to temper these excessive desires and unbalanced emotions so that Shen can naturally regain its position as the ruler of our lives.   Shen manifests only when the heart is open.  Once the heart is open, Shen manifests as light which illuminates the path of a man or woman in life’s journey toward the spiritual goal and along the spiritual path.  All people possess Shen.  For some, Shen manifests easily and early in life.  Others must dig for it.  In digging for Shen, one may have to uncover a few or many ugly or unpleasant experiences and thoughts.  These thoughts, experiences and misconceptions provide a kind of cocoon for Shen.  According to Taoist tradition, the great Shen tonic herbs can help us to find our way into the heart of our own being. They are a gift from the heart of God.  They have helped me, and I have seen them help others as they have helped me.

If there is one truth, it is that he or she who seeks Shen shall find it.  As the great Taoist sage Lao Zi said:

                          You ask where is Tao?

                                    Look, it is within your heart!

* Excerpted in part from “The Ancient Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs”

copyright Ron Teeguarden, 1997, 2009 (Warner Books – A Time-Warner Publication)

Ron Teeguarden’s Notes:

This is a review of a fantastic, decidedly rational, visionary article published in the summer of 2008 in the British Medical Journal, a conservative medical journal of extremely high standing. I found this article, written and signed by twelve distinguished scientists at major research institutions in the United States and Great Britain, to be a powerful, profoundly thoughtful, timely declaration of the need for a paradigm shift in the way we view and practice medicine, healthcare and health cultivation in the 21^st century. It calls for a shift in direction for which many people have been calling for some time now.

With the spawning of the holistic health movement in the United States in the latter half of the 1960s, we first saw the beginnings in the Western world of this inevitable shift. Over the last forty-five years, millions of people have developed a different vision of what it means to be healthy, to have a healthy lifestyle, to live holistically and in a positive manner. Not content to live life ignorantly, millions upon millions of books have been sold on the subject of healthy living. The holistic health arts have reached a point of acceptance at every level of our society. That was not always true. Forty years ago a person with a holistic attitude was an odd-ball, and a practitioner with a holistic approach was a quack. Now we know that even the President of the United States sometimes takes herbs (we cannot tell you how we know this, but we know first hand that it is true).

The nature of the holistic health arts is to focus on “well being.” And though the concept of “healing” is universally appealing, the concept that it is even better to be healthy so that you do not require healing is even more powerful. My great teacher, Taoist Grand Master Sung Jin Park, once said to me: “Do not be the ‘healer,’ be the ‘light.’” Healing is awesome. The world needs healers and plenty of healing to be sure. But ultimately, it must be better if we can somehow reduce the need for healing by mastering the ways of life that foster peace and harmony, and health and well being.

Until now, this may have seemed utopian and whimsical. But we have entered a time of great change. Everything is changing. And in many ways the changes are overtly logical and obvious. For example, it suddenly is obvious to everyone that by going “green” we can improve our lives in a multitude of ways that a few years ago would have felt absurd. The exact same thing is happening in the field of healthcare. We, as a society, know that healthcare is necessary, but we all know that the Western model is expensive and in many cases risky. Look at what is happening with antibiotic resistant bacteria. We may soon enter a period where antibiotics as we have known them are no longer of any value.

The Western model of medicine has focused for well over a century on healing disease so as to relieve suffering, save lives, and to improve and extend life. This is indeed a compassionate approach at its roots and in practice, and is certainly to be admired and appreciated. Nevertheless, it may turn out that it is a losing battle to always chase after the disease. It is becoming financially more and more expensive to develop drugs that are effective and safe. Technology is expensive. Insurance is very expensive for most people. More and more people are now coming to the conclusion that it is better to stay healthy, to stay fit, to avoid disease by living right, by eating right, by doing right.

This is the dawn of the holistic age in the healing arts. Medical research has entered a new phase as well. Thousands of studies have been conducted, and thousands more are being conducted that are exploring the issues pertinent to achieving true health and promoting true well being, even as we age. This research has now reached critical mass, and as a result it is becoming apparent that for the first time in the Western world, we can actually practice a paradigm that features the promotion of radiant health and opposed to a medicinal paradigm that only focuses on disease. Researchers will of course continue to seek ways to cure cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a thousand other diseases that torment humans and animals. But some are realizing that we are now very close to understanding how to prevent these diseases in the first place, thus avoiding the need to cure them in many instances.

This wonderful proposal for a new model of health promotion and disease prevention for the 21st century is almost like the Diamond Sutra to Buddhism. I hope with all my heart that the President and his advisors somehow read this short article and take its practical and hopeful premises to heart.

The editors of the BMJ introduce this article by saying: “Our susceptibility to disease increases as we grow older. Robert Butler and colleagues argue that interventions to slow down ageing could therefore have much greater benefit than those targeted at individual disease.”

New model of health promotion and disease prevention for the 21st century

 By  

• Robert N Butler, president, International Longevity Center, New York, USA
• Richard A Miller, professor, Universityof Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
• Daniel Perry, executive director, Alliancefor Aging Research, Washington, DC, USA
• Bruce A Carnes, professor, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
• T Franklin Williams, professor emeritus, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
• Christine Cassel, president, American Board of Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
• Jacob Brody, professor, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
• Marie A Bernard, professor, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
• Linda Partridge, director, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London
• Thomas Kirkwood, director, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle
• George M Martin, scientific director, American Federation for Aging Research, Seattle, WA, USA
• S Jay Olshansky, professor, Universityof Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Many countries now have ageing populations and are facing an increased prevalence of age related diseases and escalating healthcare costs. However, if ageing is combined with extended years of healthy life, it could also produce unprecedented social, economic, and health dividends. In recent decades, scientists have shown that the underlying biological processes of ageing, which give rise to most diseases and other age related health problems, can be delayed. We argue that a concerted effort to slow ageing would provide a broad strategy for primary prevention that would greatly enhance and accelerate improvements in health at all ages.

Rise of human longevity

Life expectancy at birth rose by a remarkable 30 years in developed countries during the 20th century, initially because of reductions in infant, child, and maternal mortality and then because of declining mortality in middle and old age. In 1900, about 40% of babies born in countries for which reliable data existed were expected to live beyond age 65. Today in these same countries more than 88% of all newborns will live past age 65 and at least 44% will live beyond age 85. This dramatic extension of life has provided social and economic benefits.

The traditional medical approach to ameliorating modern chronic diseases has been to tackle them individually, as if they were independent of one another. This approach flows naturally from our experience with acute diseases, where patients seek medical care for one condition at a time. In fact, applying this same strategy to infectious diseases in the 20th century helped to deliver the first longevity revolution.4 Although some infectious diseases have chronic effects on health (such as malaria and HIV infection), and others remain difficult to treat (including tuberculosis and most viral diseases), public health efforts to combat these diseases have made it possible for people in today’s developed nations to live long enough to experience one or more of the degenerative and neoplastic diseases that are now the dominant causes of morbidity and death.

Diminishing returns from disease specific model

Medical research worldwide has already accomplished much, and is certain to achieve more in decades to come, but its effectiveness will become limited unless there is an increased shift to understanding how ageing affects health and vitality. Most medical research teams are oriented towards the analysis, prevention, or cure of single diseases, despite the fact that nearly all of the diseases and disorders experienced by middle aged and older people still show a near exponential increase in the final third of the life span. Now that comorbidity has become the rule rather than the exception, even if a “cure” was found for any of the major fatal diseases, it would have only a marginal effect on life expectancy and the overall length of healthy life.

The change in strategy we are calling for requires a systematic attack on ageing itself. Although such a strategy was clearly articulated more than a quarter of a century ago, there has been little progress towards making the necessary changes. However, recent advances in understanding the complex biological mechanisms responsible for ageing suggest that it is feasible to translate this strategy into practice. Evidence in models ranging from invertebrates to mammals suggests that all living things, including humans, possess biochemical mechanisms that influence how quickly we age and that they are adjustable. It is possible—for example, by dietary intervention or genetic alteration, to extend life span and postpone ageing related diseases such as cancer, cataracts, cognitive decline, and autoimmune diseases.

We are not calling for the modification of human genes to extend healthy life—that would not be practical, useful, or ethical. However, investigating how genetic mutations influence the basic rate of ageing is likely to provide important clues about how to develop drugs that do much the same thing.

Attempts to develop preventive measures against individual conditions related to ageing have been, for the most part, frustrating and unsuccessful. But in striking contrast, all of these conditions, and more, can be ameliorated or postponed simultaneously by well validated interventions that slow ageing. The interventions that have worked in laboratory animals are not now appropriate for disease prevention in humans. However, we believe that exploration of the mechanisms by which ageing can be postponed in laboratory models will yield new models of preventive medicine and health maintenance for people throughout life, and the same research will also inform a deeper understanding of how established interventions, such as exercise and healthy nutrition, contribute to lifelong wellbeing.

Recommendations

The potential of fundamental research into ageing to contribute practical benefits to improve health at all ages, but particularly at older ages, has been under-recognized by most of the scientific establishment, and, importantly, by many of those who decide on allocation of resources for health research. Now that most people in developed nations reach old age in reasonable health, and scientific progress has been made on interventions capable of postponing nearly all the diseases and disabilities that affect older people, the time has arrived for national policies to support and develop practical interventions that slow ageing.

The research strategy that we propose is intended to supplement, rather than substitute for, research into specific diseases, which will continue to discover new and improved therapies and approaches to preventive medicine. We propose, however, a large increase in resources available for investigations into how diseases such as type 2 diabetes, congestive heart failure, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and most cancers, either interact with ageing or share mechanisms in common with it. We further propose greatly increased funding for basic research into the fundamental cellular and physiological changes that drive ageing itself.

The pursuit of extended healthy life through slowing ageing has the potential to yield dramatic simultaneous gains against many if not all of the diseases and disorders expressed in later life. The most efficient approach to combating disease and disability is to pursue the means to modify the key risk factor that underlies them all—ageing itself. Pursuing an aggressive research strategy to devise interventions against ageing suitable for humans requires that it is a goal worth pursuing (it is), and that we have good leads to follow (we do), but it does not require that we know, in advance, which of the current ideas about mechanisms affecting the rate of ageing are most likely to produce effective interventions. A fresh emphasis on ageing should vastly accelerate the health, economic, and social benefits of the extension of healthy life, which we refer to collectively as the longevity dividend.

Contributors and Sources

This article arose from the authors’ efforts to get physicians, scientists, and politicians to understand and appreciate the public health benefits that would accrue from efforts to slow ageing, and distinguish those benefits from the current medical approach to attacking one disease at a time. All authors participated in the drafting and editing of the article and approved the final version. RNB is guarantor.

Published 8 July 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a399

BMJ 2008;337:a399

doi: 10.1136/bmj.a414

Competing interests: None declared

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed

Ron Teeguarden’s Post Script Commentary

The Chinese had the idea a long time ago. Chinese medicine has had a central and profound influence on the holistic, antiaging paradigm that is now crystallizing in the Western world. It has been fundamentally holistic right from the beginning and emphasizes promoting radiant health and longevity above treating disease as a kind of afterthought.

 The Chinese traditionally have divided healthcare into three levels: superior medicine, general medicine and inferior medicine. These three levels were first described in the original classic of Chinese herbalism, attributed to the legendary emperor Shen Nong (the Divine Farmer) more than two thousand years ago. The following section from that classic explains the three levels of herbalism practiced in the Orient since that time:

“The Superior Class of herbs are the rulers. They control the maintenance of life and correspond to Heaven. These herbs are not medicines so the taking of these herbs in larger amounts or over a long period of time is not harmful.  If you wish to take the material weight from the body, to supplement the energies and nutrients circulating in the body, and to prolong the years of life without aging, you should base your efforts on the herb foods of the Superior Class.”

“The General Class of herbs are the ministers.  They control the preservation of the human nature and correspond to Man. One part of them possesses medicinal effectiveness, another part possesses preventive effectiveness. For every application, the choice of the suitable herbs should be considered carefully. If you wish to prevent illnesses and to balance depletions and consumption, you should base your efforts on herbs in the General Class.”

“The Inferior Class of herbs are the assistants. They control the curing of illnesses and correspond to Earth. They possess a markedly medicinal effectiveness and must not be taken over a long period of time since side effects will likely result. If you wish to remove cold, heat, and other evil influences from the body, to break up stagnation of any sort and to cure illnesses, you should base your efforts on the herbs in the Inferior Class.”

Thus the superior class of herbs, also known as the tonic herbs, help “to prolong the years of life without aging” and help the body remain lean and buoyant while improving the circulation and the distribution of energy throughout the body. The general herbs are preventive and help to nip problems in the bud with few side effects. The inferior herbs are the medicines, the uni-directional drugs that may be very effective at treating specific diseases or disease conditions, but must be watched carefully by a physician because they almost always have potential for side effects.

 Of the several thousand herbs used in the Chinese herbal system, there is an elite group of less than a hundred herbs known as the “superior herbs,” also known as the tonics. The most famous and important herbs associated with Asian herbalism all fall into this superior herb, or tonic, category.

These superior herbs are not considered to be “medicinal” in the usual sense of the word. They are not used to treat specific diseases or disorders. Herbs that are strictly medicinal fall into the Inferior Herb class because they often cause side effects and because they do not develop the Three Treasures. The tonics are used to promote over-all well being, to enhance the body’s energy, and to regulate the bodily and psychic functioning, to protect the body and mind so as to create what the Chinese call “radiant health.” The superior herbs provide this adaptive energy in abundance and are thus a primary source of true human empowerment.

The superior herbs are the most prized of all herbs, for it has become clear over many centuries that the tonic herbs can make a very major contribution toward ultimate well being. They can be consumed on a daily basis to fortify us for the adventure of life and to help us take full advantage of life’s richness. Of course, in order to achieve Radiant Health, one must work on all aspects of one’s life, but the tonics are considered to be an essential tool on the path of Radiant Health.

The superior herbs can thus be defined as herbs which promote a long, healthy, vibrant, happy life, without any unwanted side effects even when taken over a long period of time. Essentially, the tonic, or superior herbs, are wonderful, healthful “super-foods” which benefit our well being in ways that more common foods cannot.  And they have a protective, balancing, vitalizing quality beyond that of any other herbs.  They are generally consumed as a supplement to a well balanced healthy diet for the purpose of completing our nutritional needs.

Those of us who have studied tonic herbs believe that they are going to play an expanding role in the new health paradigm of the 21^st century. We are so fortunate to have available to us at this time a virtually complete repertoire of tonic herbs from around the world. An everyday consumer now has better access to premium grade tonic herbs than even Chinese emperors of the past. If we take advantage of these tonic herbs, we are likely to find ourselves feeling healthier for many years to come.

Protection against cerebral ischemia by TSG, a polyphenol from the Chinese tonic herb He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum)

By Ron Teeguarden

©Dragon Herbs 2009

Ischemic brain injury is one of the leading causes of adult disability and death. A transient or permanent reduction of cerebral blood flow often initiates brain ischemia. Ischemia is a restriction in blood supply, generally due to factors in the blood vessels, with resultant damage or dysfunction of tissue. When this occurs in the brain, it usually leads to neuronal cell death in the brain due to lack of oxygen and nutrients and due to initial inflammatory responses. When blood supply returns to the tissue after a period of ischemia, the damage is actually increased. This damage is called reperfusion injury. The restoration of circulation results in inflammation and oxidative damage through the induction of oxidative stress rather than restoration of normal function. Even transient (temporary) ischemia produces large amounts of free radicals and causes severe neurotoxicity in the brain during reperfusion.

The ischemia-induced free radical expression appear to be mediated by the activation of NF-κB, (nuclear factor kappa B) a key signaling molecule in the cell apoptotic (programmed death) process. NF-κB is at the center of all inflammation in the body, acute and chronic. It is central to the process of inflammaging, by which humans become chronically inflamed as they age, leading to degenerative disease and finally death.

NF-κB has been shown to be activated during brain ischemia by increased oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as the hydroxyl radical are considered important mediators of the brain damage after ischemia/reperfusion injury. ROS are a major form of free radical. The intracellular ROS generation during ischemia and reperfusion contributes to a severely disturbed membrane function, triggering various critical cellular signal transduction pathways. This results in a critical intracellular calcium accumulation that leads to cell self destruction (apoptosis – programmed cell death) and, if unchecked, to death.

A molecule known as JNK is activated by oxidative stress and mediates ROS-induced cell apoptosis. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) such as nitric oxide (NO) are another key factor in the pathophysiological response of the brain after ischemia/reperfusion injury. There is an increase of NO production, along with other free radicals which have been implicated in ischemia-induced apoptotic cell death. 

Because intracellular ROS/RNS play such important roles in the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, many antioxidants have been studied for their potential ability to attenuate ROS/RNS formation and protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury. 

Ischemia is not only caused by trauma to the head. It may occur on a more limited, chronic basis simply as a result of aging and degenerative diseases. Small brain lesions known as cerebral microbleeds are now recognized to be relatively common among baby boomers. Dutch researchers recently found that nearly 20% of people aged 60-69 had noticeable lesions and 38% of people who have survived to the age 80 had such lesions. Microbleeding results in brain lesions that are marked by iron deposits that result from red blood cells that have leaked out of the small blood vessels in the brain. Research indicates that people who smoke, those with high blood pressure, and those with risk markers for Alzheimer’s disease and amyloid angiopathy are at higher risk to have these lesions due to cerebral microbleeding (April 1 issue of Neurology, 2008). 

It has been recently affirmed that men and women suffering from coronary heart disease seem to fare worse on measures of cognitive function. The longer the person had heart disease, the worse their performance in such mental processes as reasoning, vocabulary and verbal fluency, according to a study in the July 23 issue of the European Heart Journal. Men who experienced their first CHD more than a decade prior had even lower scores for reasoning, vocabulary and semantic fluency. The risk of declining performance in the realm of reasoning went down by about 30 percent for every five years after a diagnosis of coronary heart disease. There seems little doubt that blood supply to the brain is involved in mental decline as one ages. 

The authors suggest that people should focus on preventing coronary heart disease by not smoking and avoiding or controlling diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. And the focus should start early, before it’s too late.

TSG – He Shou Wu’s potent polyphenol 

Polyphenols are a group of plant chemical substances mostly found in plants and are widely consumed by humans as a part of their diet. For example, red wine, green tea, many fruits such as muscadine grapes and pomegranate, and herbs such as turmeric (a main ingredient in curry) contain active polyphenols. Recently, these natural polyphenolic compounds have received a great deal of attention due to their biological properties, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. One of the most important properties of polyphenols is their ability to confer potent neuroprotection in several models of ischemic brain injury. Numerous studies suggest that polyphenols have therapeutic potential for the prevention or treatment of ischemic brain injury.

Polygonum multiflorum, a traditional Chinese tonic herb also known as He Shou Wu, has been widely used in the Orient as a tonic and anti-aging agent since ancient times. Recently, the extracts from Polygonum multiflorum have been shown to exhibit a significant antioxidant activity.

TSG (2,3,5,4’tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside) is one of the primary active components extracted from the Polygonum multiflorum. TSG exhibits anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.

Recent studies have shown that TSG improved learning-memory abilities in aged rats and in rats that have been genetically bred to develop learning and memory deficits, and to be disposed to develop amyloid deposits like those of Alzheimer’s patients. This suggests that TSG may have a potent neuroprotective effect in brain injury.

A new study, to be published later in 2009 in Free Radical Biology & Medicine (a journal of the International Society of Free Radical Research) and was obtained in pre-release form, indicates that TSG protects against cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury through multifunctional cytoprotective pathways. 

TSG is a polyphenol. In fact, the polyphenolic structure of TSG is very similar to that of resveratrol. It has been reported that TSG exhibits anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects similar to those of resveratrol.

An important property of resveratrol is its ability to activate SIRT1, a gene that plays a key role in an organism’s response to stresses (such as heat or starvation) and has been clearly shown to be responsible for the lifespan-extending effects of calorie restriction.  SIRT1 promotes cell survival, which has been the focus of intense scrutiny by researchers of inflammation, aging and age-related diseases. SIRT1 promotes low LDL cholesterol, low blood glucose, and low insulin levels. SIRT1 also promotes increased numbers and higher efficiency of mitochondria in neurons and other tissues throughout the body. 

Professor Ting Wang and his researchers have hypothesized that activation of SIRT1 by polyphenols may be involved in their protective effects against oxidative stress-related cell injury. SIRT1 can increase the expression of SOD (superoxide dismutase), a potent antioxidant enzyme innate in the human body, which in turn can increase the cellular ability to detoxify ROS and inhibit NF-κB signaling, thus preventing, reducing or evening eliminating inflammation.

It is well established that the activation of NF-κB, a transcriptional factor which is now widely believed to play the key roll in inflammation throughout the body, can increase the expression of many genes involved in promoting cell death. Inflammation is a necessity of life and plays a key roll in survival. But over-expression of NF-κB results in excessive inflammation which causes or is connected to almost every disease, including, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, MS, herpes simplex 1 infection, disk degeneration, degenerative arthritic bone loss, Alzheimer’s disease, and is involved in a core way in an almost unlimited variety of other degenerative and infectious diseases. Inflammation is ultimately lethal. NF-κB is one of the primary roots of aging – and thus the recently coined term inflammaging.  

Studies have linked an intracellular increase in ROS production and NF-κB activation. It is now widely accepted that pro-oxidants tend to stimulate NF-κB activation, while certain antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes inhibit the activation of NF-κB by lowering intracellular accumulation of ROS. For example, it has been shown that activation of SIRT1 by resveratrol is associated with the inhibition of NF-κB signaling. Resveratrol is one such antioxidant that has been proven to stimulate SIRT1 activation.

Schizandrin (the most abundant active constituent from the tonic herb Schizandra chinensis berries, gypenoside-49 from Gynostemma pentaphyllum leaf and quercetin from Turmeric are other well known tonic herbs that have recently been discovered to suppress NF-κB and therefore reduce or alleviate acute and chronic inflammation. This may partially explain why these herbs have been considered to be “anti-aging,” “radiant health-promoting” “longevity herbs” since ancient times. It is no coincidence that these herbs have profound broad spectrum health-promoting actions. Some skeptics have said that there is no way for an herb to be a “panacea.” However, with the discovery that the tonic herbs with reputations as panaceas all squelch NF-κB activity and most seem to stimulate SIRT1, it is becoming clear why these herbs are effective in promoting health throughout the body.

TSG attenuates NF-κB activation

TSG is now another polyphenol that that has been found to stop NF-κB from wreaking its havoc in our bodies, and TSG apparently targets the brain, at least as part of its action. TSG attenuates NF-κB activation caused by ischemia/reperfusion in laboratory tests.

Oxidative stress caused by increased intracellular ROS/RNS generation has been implicated in the neurodegeneration after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-related injury. The Ting group demonstrated that TSG reversed the cell injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion. The injury was characterized by decreased cell viability, nuclear condensation in the neurons, and mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation (loss of energy at the cellular level). TSG dramatically reduced ROS generation and reversed the JNK-related apoptotic signaling pathway, effectively preventing apoptosis (cell death). This was mediated by the activation of SIRT1 and inhibition of NF-κB activation.

And not only was NF-κB suppressed, but the researchers also found that the levels of SIRT1 protein were elevated after the normal cells were incubated for three days with TSG. SIRT1 is widely regarded as the “longevity gene.” 

An in vivo study showed that an intraperitoneal application of TSG at the onset of reperfusion is sufficient to provide significant neuroprotection against induced neuronal injury. TSG also had potent neuroprotection against stroke in vivo.

The researchers went on to demonstrate that neural cell damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion and the resulting oxidative stress can be rescued by TSG pretreatment. TSG showed significant protection against cerebral ischemia injury in mice.

Conclusion

These results have not yet been demonstrated in humans and Polygonum multiflorum is not to be used as a drug for the prevention or treatment of ischemia/reperfusion, stroke or any other disease. Nevertheless, these findings indicate that TSG is a potential protective agent against ischemic injury. The implication for us, as students of Chinese herbology, the Way of Radiant Health and anti-aging studies, is that there appears to be a solid biological basis for the age-old belief that certain herbs, known as tonic herbs, may be broadly beneficial, protective and life-enhancing. One of the most important properties of TSG is its ability to confer potent neuroprotection. Perhaps in time scientists will find that consumption of TSG and similar herbal extracts have life-long protective benefits. In the Orient, it is already accepted that by consuming tonics that are protective from an early age, aging itself may be delayed and degenerative disease may be avoided. Centenarians have generally been found to be the ones who have avoided degenerative disease during their middle years. Time will tell if the science supports the use of these tonic herbs, but fortunately we have the freedom to consume these safe herbs at our pleasure. 

Reference

This article contains information from the forthcoming article “Protection by Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside against cerebral ischemia: Involvement of JNK, SIRT1, NF-κB pathways and inhibition of intracellular ROS/RNS generation.” By Ting Wang, Jun Gu, Peng-Fei Wu, Fang Wang, Zhe Xiong, Yuan-Jian Yang, Wen-Ning Wu, Ling-Dan Dong, Jian-Guo Chen. This research paper has been accepted to be published later in 2009 in Free Radical Biology & Medicine, a journal of the International Society of Free Radical Research.