“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Poor nutrition, lack of exercise, smoking, excess alcohol, sleep deprivation, chronic stress & environment are all choices. They are also the contributing factors to a classification of illnesses called lifestyle diseases; cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, diabetes & obesity. These diseases are PREVENTABLE by choosing to live a healthy lifestyle. Let me repeat that, PREVENTABLE by choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.
Take a look at these more then startling statistics of CVD…
An estimated 80,000,000 American adults, 1 in 3, have one or more types of cardiovascular disease : high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure & stroke.
- One of every three deaths in the United States, is due to cardiovascular disease. This accounts for 56% of all deaths.
- 32% of CVD deaths occur prematurely, or before the age of 75. Nearly 151,000 Americans killed by CVD are under age 65.
- Lifetime risk for CVD is 2 in 3 for men and more than 1 in 2 for women.
- CVD is the leading cause of death in males followed by cancer & diabetes.
- CVD is the leading cause of death in females followed by cancer & alzheimer’s.
- Coronary heart disease is the largest single killer of American males & females.
- 1 in 3 American adults has high blood pressure (hypertension).
- 69% of people who have a heart attack, 77% who have a stroke & 74% with congestive heart failure have high blood pressure.
- 37% of the American population age 20 and older has prehypertension.
Heart Disease & Stroke Statistics, 2009 Update, American Heart Association
Are you as startled as I am? Disturbed? Irritated? I started this post earlier this morning & have continued to work on it over the afternoon. Throughout the day, I have been bothered and agitated. Why do we, as a society, chose gluttony, gratification & laziness over good health? I know that sounds a bit harsh, but ask yourself, is it the truth? Certainly we know better. Or do we?
What role does our government play in all of this? How about corporate responsibility? What about the pharmaceutical industry? I’m not one to fall prey to conspiracy theories, however, I do have a healthy skepticism when it comes to our government as well as the rules & regulations it imposes on our food supply as well as healthcare.
This excerpt, taken from an outstanding book by Mark Hyman, M.D. called Ultra-Metabolism, sums it up well:
Drug companies would have you believe that “bad”, or LDL cholesterol, is the single biggest factor in the development of heart disease. But the truth is that the determining factor is the ratio of your total cholesterol to your “good,” or HDL, cholesterol.
The pharmaceutical industry promotes this unfounded belief not because there is scientific evidence that supports it but because the main class of drugs available for treating high cholesterol are statins, which mostly lower LDL, and these drugs are among the biggest-selling drugs in history.
The truth is that the ratio between your total cholesterol and your HDL is almost entirely determined by the type and amount of carbohydrates you eat, not by the amount of fat you consume.
“Bad” carbohydrates are a staple of the food industry and the low-fat diet. Shifting from refined carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice and sugar in all its forms to “good” (healthy) carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits, beans & unprocessed grains would lead to a dramatic reduction in all the diseases of aging and obesity. But the food industry spends $30 billion a year on advertising to convince us to eat foods that include bad carbohydrates such as fast food, soda, snacks, chips, crackers, candy, etc. The food industry makes up 12 percent of our gross national product, so it is both a health issue and an economic one.
I think we can agree there is some level of ir/responsibility that the government can bear the burden of, but the rest is up to you. It’s time to take responsibility for your own health and PREVENT the diseases of lifestyle.
- Nutrition. Your nutritional intake should consist of: lean proteins, omega-3 eggs, an abundance of vegetables, colorful fruits, beans, brown/wild rice, nuts, seeds, oats, greek yogurt, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, & dark chocolate (85%). (rule of thumb: if it comes in a box don’t eat it) Limit caffeine intake & get 8 glasses of water a day. Take a high-quality multi-vitamin and Omega-3 Fish Oil.
- Exercise. Your heart is a muscle. It can be strengthened by doing both strength training and cardiovascular training. As Nike says, Just Do It!
- Smoking. If you smoke or use tobacco products, do whatever it takes to quit.
- Alcohol. Limit your alcohol intake. If you must, red wine is best. 2-3 glasses per week.
- Sleep. Establish a regular sleep pattern and get 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
- Stress. Take time to relax. Get a massage, read a book, turn off your cell phone, talk to a friend, get a pet & do your best to not sweat the small stuff.
- Environment. Be aware of the pollutants in your environment and avoid them. The most common are household cleaners.
Are you concerned about your health? Do you want help in creating a healthier lifestyle for yourself or your family? I can help. Contact me for a complimentary consultation.
I think eat food pyramid diets.THE BEST WAY.
I respectfully DISAGREE! After the government-SPONSORED food pyramid was introduced, we reduced our intake of fat, increased our consumption of bread, rice, pasta & cereal (READ: PROCESSED CARBOHYDRATES), and doubled our rate of obesity! The food pyramid is pushing us face first into overconsumption of foods that trigger weight gain, obesity and all known diseases of aging, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer & Alzheimer’s disease. These conditions are not the inevitable result of aging. They are directly related to the quality of our diet. Eating whole, real, unprocessed food is the best way to avoid lifestyle diseases: vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, legumes, nuts, fish eggs & lean protein. (IF IT COMES IN A BOX, DON’T EAT IT)