Are we as healthy as our grandparents?

It often strikes me in my practice that I (and many others in my profession) are encountering significant illness and weakness in younger and younger people as the years go by. As both a practitioner and parent, this is very troubling to me. Are we as healthy as previous generations? If not, why?

With all the technology in healthcare, it seems as if it cannot keep up with the assault on our bodies and minds from living in our daily world. Certain findings on the pulse, which were rare only a handful of years ago, now seem ubiquitous. A few are:

1. The Choppy pulse: a sensation like teeth grating on your fingertips is a sign, when found over the entire pulse, of toxicity. What those toxins are need to be borne out with other findings and a detailed history, but the numbers of young adults and children with these findings over the past few years is astounding. Our bodies are in a serious battle with the significant numbers of toxins we are constantly being exposed to. From environmental toxins, pollution, chemicals (both inhalant and those found in our water, foods, those that leach through our skin), prescription medications, preservatives and additives in our food, we are being assaulted on a daily basis. For more information on toxicity and the pulse see this link.

2. The Rough Vibration: a coarse rough vibration felt uniformly over the entire pulse. Signifies trauma or heart shock. The import of this is very significant as trauma affects the heart and circulation impairing circulation to the entire organism, and weakening the kidneys and adrenals. When this trauma occurs early in one’s life prior to the maturation of the organ systems, developmental problems and the beginnings of the decline of organ function is set into motion. This leaves one weakened in a compromised physical and emotional state predisposed to the entire gamut of physical and emotional complaints. Unfortunately, unless properly diagnosed and treated, these imbalances will worsen over time into chronic illnesses resistant to conventional treatments. The impact on the emotions (fears, anxieties, panic disorders, depressions) and the body (chronic fatigue syndromes, heart disease, infertility, to name a few) cannot be overstated.

A very common cause of the Rough Vibrations in young children and adults is birth trauma (i.e., placenta previa, traumas to the mother while pregnant, toxic exposures while in utero, breech births, cord being wrapped around one’s neck, forceps, drugs and epidurals, isolation from incubators, etc.). Birthing practices themselves should begin to be questioned by the public at large. Is it okay to continue the common practice of inducing labor for the convenience of doctors when the use of harsh drugs like pitocin and the like literally force out a baby into this world prior to being ready? What emotional effects will this traumatic event have on the baby, toddler, adolescent, young adult, adult? We seriously need to rethink birthing practices and maternal healthcare before the impact of the current practices worsens. In my opinion, they are already unacceptable.

3. Muffled: Muffling on the pulse is described as feeling a pulse through a towel. The artery is palpable and one feels the beating, but the vessel lacks clarity or distinctness. This pulse is a sign of stagnation of the circulation of qi, blood and body fluids. It is generally thought of as a neoplastic process. Not necessarily malignant cancers, but often with cysts, fibroids or other growths and tumors. As such, it is a fairly significant finding. One that is ever increasing in patients across this country and throughout the world. It is not surprising that we are seeing more Muffling on the pulse: just look at statistics. Cancers are practically epidemic.

So with the significant presence of these three pulse qualities in younger and younger populations that were heretofore not present, it would seem that our youth is in serious jeopardy of major illness, illness that will strike younger and younger.

All these findings in young children and young adults suggest weakened and compromised constitution and body conditions. According to Dr. John H.F. Shen and Dr. Leon Hammer, the vulnerability of organ systems depends on (1) constitution (heredity, pregnancy, and delivery); (2) body condition (experiences between birth and adulthood) and (3)adult habits and lifestyles. Should one’s constitution be affected for any reason (and we are mostly discussing the one’s we can control), or should early life experiences be tainted with toxic exposures, it weakens one’s innate energies and invites illness.