23 May This epidemic is killing millions
Eleven million die from this epidemic every year. And it’s not the epidemic you think. This is the epidemic of chronic disease. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, every year 11 million people die from a chronic disease like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.
And it’s preventable. You don’t even have to buy a face mask.
This is why I became a health coach. I can’t stand the idea of people suffering or dying unnecessarily. This epidemic is largely preventable because chronic disease is mainly caused by lifestyle choices.
Many people with heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, or depression, blame their genetics. And genetics play a part but they’re not the whole story. Lifestyle is way more powerful. What you eat, how well you sleep, if you move, if you get outdoors, if you relax, and if you avoid toxins, are all contributors of good health. These are the building blocks of health. And when you don’t have good strong building blocks, you get disease. Which chronic disease you get is determined by your genetics. Some people say genetics load the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely difficult these days. Thus our epidemic of chronic disease. Part of the problem is that profits are made from unhealthy choices. The junk food industry is hugely profitable–and their commercials make junk food so desirable. The chemical industry is also profitable. I like chemicals, just not in my food. I’d rather see them making my car run better or making devices to make my life easier. I just don’t want them in or on my body. Beauty products are chock full of chemicals. Also cleaning products.
The other big cause of chronic disease is stress. We all tend to lead stressful lifestyles. We feel pressure to “do it all”, which usually results in disturbed sleep and worrisome thoughts. Our social media habits can cause feelings of jealousy or inadequacy, or distract us from more healthful pursuits. Chronic disease itself is a huge driver of stress, so it becomes a vicious cycle.
Lifestyle and disease
So the real question is how does lifestyle contribute to disease? It’s not as simple as–eat a plate of vegetables and you’re cured. Disease tends to begin in the gut. Junk food, chemicals, toxins, and stress all irritate the delicate gut lining. The gut normally lets well-digested food molecules through into the rest of the body to be used as fuel and information. The irritated gut will open up and allow through large particles of food that’s incompletely digested. Your body sees these large particles as invaders and attacks them. Inflammation is the mode of attack. And inflammation leads to belly fat, heart disease, dementia, stroke, autoimmune disease, and other chronic illnesses.
You might be thinking, yeah, yeah, I should care about chronic disease, but I have to focus on the novel vi rus right now. Actually, you might have noticed that some people have good outcomes and some have dire outcomes. What’s the difference? The people who suffer the most have diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity. These are chronic diseases. These are under your control. Get your chronic disease under control and raise your chances of coming through the latest epidemic more smoothly.
It’s hard to be healthy
This is not easy. I struggle every day of my life to have a healthy lifestyle. I’ve been on a health journey for a while. And I have made my health better through lifestyle. So I know what you’re going through. Sometimes it seems easier to rely on medicines to give you health. However, medical interventions account for only 10% of your health. Plus they tend to come with dangerous side effects. Yet there’s not much danger from eating carrots or going to bed early.
So let me help you. Behavior change is difficult. Knowing which behaviors to change and how is also difficult. But, I know how to make it easier. I help you break healthy habits into baby steps that are easy and fit in your own lifestyle. My coaching is personalized. I listen to you and I follow your lead and desires. I help you find the healthy food you want to eat and the exercise you want to do. It’s hard to go it alone and you don’t have to. I’m board certified, I’m an instructor of health coaching, and I co-host the New Orleans Functional Medicine Community Meetup. I’m qualified to be there for you. Contact me.
Comments: Is this epidemic affecting you?
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