These days you are far more likely to be some level of sick than you are to be healthy.
Nearly 70% of Americans take at least one prescription drug for a chronic or other medical conditions, topping the list are antibiotics, antidepressants and opiates.
Here are more statistics proving the point that sickness has become the prevailing norm in our country:
>Obesity rates are on the rise with one in five deaths is now linked to obesity.
> We are in the midst of a worldwide diabetes epidemic. In the US, more than 86 million adults age 20 and over have pre-diabetes. Of that number, nearly 30 million already have type 2 diabetes—a statistic researchers predicted in 2001 wouldn’t be reached until 2050.
Diabetes has increased over 300 percent in just 15 years, and all told, nearly ONE- THIRD of the 320 million people living in America today have either pre-diabetes or some form of diabetes.
>One in eight Americans ages 65 and over currently have Alzheimer’s, and that number is expected to rise to one in four within the next 20 years.
At present, more that half a million Americans die from Alzheimer’s disease each year, making it the third leading cause of death in the US, right behind heart disease and cancer.
>Cancer rates are projected to rise 57% in the next 20 years, with 13 million dying from cancer each year.
>Over half of the US population has at least one clinically diagnosable allergy, and allergies and diseases of the immune system have possibly quadrupled in the last few decades.
So what’s going on here? Your body is designed by Nature to be healthy, well and vibrant; to move toward health and away from disease. But you have to give your body the fuel to do so, and the resources to handle the stresses of your life…structure, chemical and mental/emotional. Otherwise you experience structural pain and illness.
The foundation of holistic health is the body’s innate intelligence to be well. We rely on the body to do so, and use Applied Kinesiology methods to gain an access in, to determine what is needed. Be grateful that you have chosen to include holistic health care because research demonstrates that people who take an interest including action steps to preserve their health will have less chance of attaining the epidemic diseases of our society.
Once you become familiar with the ins and outs of nutrition, you begin to realize that virtually every health problem you can think of can be traced back to the diet. One of the reasons why so many diseases are skyrocketing in prevalence is because of the foods we eat. Most Americans eat a predominately processed food diet, which virtually guarantees you’ll suffer health problems at some point. Therefore the best health advice I can give you based on my reading and studies is to just EAT REAL FOOD (whole, unadulterated/unprocessed, and ideally organic).
Public enemy number one is sugar (all kinds, but in particular refined sugar and processed fructose such as high fructose corn syrup), followed closely by refined grains, as these ingredients cause your insulin level to spike. Insulin allows your cells to use sugar, but when you eat too much sugar your cells eventually become resistant to insulin, insulin resistance, in turn, leads to diabetes and a long list of health problems and disease.
When you are insulin resistant, your body will store rather than burn fat. This is why sugars and grain carbohydrates need to be avoided, as they not only make you fat, they can make you stay fat.
You can turn insulin resistance around by:
- Eliminating added sugars and sweeteners from your diet. Keep in mind that most processed foods that typically comes in a box, jar, can, bottle or bag contains added sugars, especially high fructose corn syrup.
Fruit juices are loaded with sugar. Replace with whole fruit instead.
And don’t make the mistake of switching to artificially sweetened “diet” foods and beverages. Research has clearly shown that artificial sweeteners promote insulin resistance and related health problems just like regular sugar does—despite their lack of calories. Artificial sweeteners promote diabetes and weight gain by disrupting your gut microbiome. Sucralose (Splenda) was found to reduce beneficial gut bacteria by as much as 50 percent!
- Eliminate grains, especially wheat, barley, oats, and rye, as these not only raise your insulin and contribute to insulin resistance, they also contain gluten, which triggers inflammation and can damage your intestines.
- Replace eliminated carbs with healthy fats like avocado, organic butter, raw nuts, and coconut oil.
The consumption of sugar is out of control and it is killing us. You must take ardent steps to minimize the amount that you consume to lessen the possibility of diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s which are epidemic in our society.
You got to keep your body moving as well. More than 10,000 studies now show that prolonged sitting is devastating to your health. The human body was designed to be active all day long. When you stop moving and sit still for extended periods of time, your body shuts down. For example, within 90 seconds of standing up, the muscular and cellular systems that process blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol—which are mediated by insulin—are activated. All of these molecular effects are activated simply by carrying your bodyweight upon your legs. These cellular mechanisms are also responsible for pushing fuels into your cells and, if done regularly, will radically decrease your risk of diabetes and obesity.
Consider walking more, in addition to your exercise regimen. Rest is supposed to break up activity, not the other way around. Walking is foundational for optimal health, and if you’re currently inactive, this is the place to start.
Health is actually not as complicated to obtain and maintain, it’s really about distilling it down to the basics. We live in a stressful environment that is not often enough health promoting. Look around you, open your ears and you can witness the effects of the Standard American Diet (SAD) and its healthcare. Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease are in epidemic proportions. We are not a healthy nation and the amount money we pay for a healthcare system (which really is a sick care system) illustrates my point.
The Basics…..If you want your life to be healthy and well….lessening your chances of cancer, diabetes, dementia, and other chronic diseases you have to take control by:
- Choosing a balance of foods that will give your body the chemical resources it needs to have a healthy immune system, ward off the chemical poisons prevalent in our environment, and maintain a strong pain free structure. Minimize and eliminate sugars including high fructose corn syrup. Snack on protein, seeds and raw nuts. Choose gluten free foods, organic, raw, and GMO free foods whenever possible. Take your vitamins! Though food is always more important than pills, your multivitamin, extra vitamin D, and cod liver oil are considered essential components of good health.
- Stop sitting and get moving. Get up in the morning, shower and stretch to get ready for your day. When possible, take the steps instead of the escalator or elevator. Rest is supposed to break up activity, not the other way around.
The body is made to be healthy well and vibrant. But you have to give it the resources it needs to stay well, otherwise you will get sick. It isn’t that hard, it’s about choice and balance. And you can do it!
The next newsletter I will discuss more about essential fitness routines that you can simply add to your day to keep strong health and well.
Best to you!
Dr. Terebelo
Source:Mercola