MICHAEL T. MURRAY - LONGEVITY MATRIX how to live better, stronger, and longer.

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The Longevity Matrix

How to Live Better, Stronger, and Longer

2021 Michael T. Murray, N.D.

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ISBN 9781631951374 paperback

ISBN 9781631951381 eBook

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020936312

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M y purpose in writing this book is to share a strategy to help you achieve an extreme level of wellness and vitality. You see, it is not enough to live longer. The desire should be to live better and stronger with a tremendous amount of health, energy, fulfillment, and joy. If you focus on accomplishing these goals, living longer will naturally take care of itself.

In naming this book, I chose a descriptive title. To understand the meaning of a Longevity Matrix, let me give the formal definition of a matrix in biology. It refers to a set of conditions that provides a system in which something grows or develops. In this context, the Longevity Matrix refers to creating the best set of conditions to develop longevity. If that happens, not only will it lead to a longer life, but it also allows the systems within body and mind to function at the highest possible capacity.

The systems within us are composed of very complex interconnectedness. Everyone knows the answer to What determines the strength of a chain? is the weakest link. The same concept applies with a systems approach to our body and health, they are just much more complex than a simple chain. Every system in the body affects the other. So, the strength of our health is ultimately determined by the weakest body system. What I offer in this book is a step-by-step approach to improve the function of each body system and if there is a weak link, I am going to help you make it as strong as possible.

You might be thinking, who is Dr. Michael Murray and why should I allow him to guide me? Well, I am someone who has created a life full of incredible health, vitality, and meaning. I am someone who has walked his talk and sowed the benefits from applying what I detail in this book. I want to share what I have learned in a way that will allow you to feel a higher degree of wellness in your life no matter what circumstances you currently find yourself. And, why do I want to share and help YOU? Because I love the feeling of making a difference in a persons life and I want to make difference in yours. As for my credentials, I am a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicinea N.D. licensed as a primary care physician in the States of Arizona and Washington. I graduated from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA, in 1985. What is naturopathic medicine? It is a system of medicine that is all about the art and science of harnessing the power of nature to prevent and treat illness in order to achieve the highest level of health possible. My particular areas of focus are the use of diet and natural products such as dietary supplements and herbal extracts to promote health and healing. I also take advantage of the discoveries in the new field of positive psychology and my lifestyle is impeccable in its focus on health and personal growth.

When people refer to me as an expert in alternative medicine, I really dont like that label. What is so alternative about using food as medicine? Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine said, Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food. And, how is a helping people develop a positive attitude and live a health promoting lifestyle considered alternative as well? What is considered mainstream or alternative today may trade places in the future or be entirely displaced by advances in our understanding of what really impacts health. One thing that I want to make clear here is that I am very pragmatic in my approach, it supersedes any philosophical dogma. I am a proponent of what I like to refer to as rational medicine.

I am certainly not against rational aspects of modern medicine. It can make a true life-or-death difference when it is needed. As far as improving our general level of health, however, I believe that modern medicine is often completely irrational . There is simply no drug or pill that can take the place of diet, lifestyle, and attitude. Modern medicine is clearing failing us in moving patients to a higher level of wellness. It is obvious if we look at the general health of the population as a whole in the United States and most other developed countries. Do the current medical treatments of such things as depression, digestive disturbances, poor sleep quality really help in the long run? And, what about the treatments of most chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and diabetes? Often, in the long run, current drug treatments in these conditions and others end up causing more side effects and harm than benefits. Here is what I believe with 100% congruency: Rather than relying on drugs as biological band-aids to suppress symptoms, it makes more sense to use diet, lifestyle, attitude, and natural products to address the underlying core issues, the root causes of our illnesses. To me that is a rational approach and simply just good medicine.

My interest in, and commitment to, natural medicine is the result of deep personal experience. Years ago, when I was a freshman at the University of Oregon, I underwent a four-hour knee operation to repair damage from a long-standing injury. The orthopedic surgeon told me that Id be lucky if I walked without a limp. When the cast was removed three months later, I did everything I could to rehabilitate my knee. I wanted to have a full and physically active life, and that meant taking part in basketball games, racquet sports, and jogging. But after a year and a half I was still unable to put any significant stress on my knee. At the suggestion of my father, I went to see Ralph Weiss, N.D., a doctor of natural medicine.

I was skeptical. I knew that Dr. Weiss had helped a lot of people, including members of my family, but I had been treated by one of the top knee specialists in the world. What could Dr. Weiss do that conventional medicine couldnt? I soon learned.

In our first meeting, Dr. Weiss expressed concern not just about my knee but also about my diet and lifestyle. He explained things in terms I could understand. He spoke with confidence and wonder about the bodys tremendous ability to heal itself. All we had to do, he said, was remove the obstacles that were preventing my knee from healing properly. His technique was to use electro-acupuncture and some unique physical therapy machines. As soon as the treatment began, I could literally feel my leg come alive again. Within minutes it was almost as strong as my healthy leg. That evening, I played basketball againwithout painfor the first time in years.