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Does nutritional therapy have it's limits in terms of condition severity/chronological age? I have several family members who have made it into their 90's (yay!), but diseases of civilization are certainly taking their toll, RA in particular. I am sometimes asked for advice because they know I study this stuff, and I usually try to help come up with a few dietary or herbal treatments that won't interfere with their meds. Over and over again whatever I suggest will be tried for maybe a week, and then abandoned because "it doesn't seem to be working". I'm wondering if I should just provide emotional support and encourage them to keep up with their pain medications at this point.

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Yes, because "a few dietary or herbal treatments" won't work with significant damage and chronic conditions. I'm at the point where the best advice given (when asked) is well, yes, it's absolutely possible to put your AI disorder into 100% remission but it does require significant, fundamental dietary changes. I'd love to talk to you more about it, let me know if you're interested. Most aren't. A few are. Of those few, most jump ship when they consider living without shredded wheat (seriously.) or whatever....and a rare person sticks around and gives it a go. – Katherine Sep 11 2011 at 11:47
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 I have an 83 years young client right now who is really responding ...she's very enthusiastic about all the advice I give her...maybe the age doesn't matter as much as the attitude. – Rogue Nutritionist Sep 11 2011 at 16:41

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Excellent question! I often ponder what could have happened if Mom had actually read my Paleo Diet book while she had it for 5 months. Could she have done the house purge given her and Dad's post-Depression mentality. Hard for them to throw away anything let alone FOOD bought with coupons. Plus I don't often see coupons for fresh meat, vegetables and fruit. Mom has also pretty big follower of the CW, so I'm sure she hopes the I will change my ways and stop this silly fad diet. It would be a nice n=2 if I could get over those hurdles. Diabetes, a-fib, congestive heart failure, arthritis... Octagenarianism plus some off the wagon WWs in the family. I'm up against a lot! Hoping my example and paleo nephew's will make a difference. Maybe some successes will chime in

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If not, you are still helping with future generations! – Dave S. Sep 11 2011 at 11:26
I am working against an institutional food setting, and neither person is willing to waste food, so the bone broth soups I bring over every so often probably aren't much more than a tasty home cooked meal in the grand scheme of things. – Happy Now Sep 11 2011 at 18:41
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Maybe age and metabolic damage are not reversable at some point - after all, life pretty much always ends in death. But I still cling to the hope that whatever time we have can have the quality improved (and maybe even extended?). The hard thing is that we are creatures of habit and the older you are the more ingrained your habits are - the harder it is to change them.

Here's a post by Peter@Hyperlipid that illustrates both the hope and the frustration:

http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/2006/10/parkinsons-disease.html

And again, to finish with comedic pathos (all paradoxical truth is contained jokes):

"How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?

Just one.

But it take a long time... And the light bulb has to want to change."

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 The point that age and metabolic damage is not reversible is the point at which something becomes alive. From that moment on, the organism is on the path to death. – mth Sep 11 2011 at 13:15
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I would call it limitations of matter....yes, sometimes systems can't be restored. I must say though its is ALWAYS worth trying, because in many cases these "limitations" are only of our own mind. The body has an extraordinary innate capacity for health given the proper changes in lifestyle.

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