Chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes — the diseases that are causing the most suffering, are actually called lifestyle diseases.
The statistics are frightening: 1 in 10 are depressed, 1 in 3 obese, and autism now impacts 1 in 88 children. 1,500 Americans die from cancer every single day.
Every chronic disease state has many causes, with every one being sub-optimal lifestyle over a long time frame.
The same causes manifest in different diseases depending on the personal interplay of genetics and causes. Some of these are:
- Consumption of vegetables oils high in omega-6. The combination of polyunsaturated fats with sugar is very damaging e.g. fries and coke.
- Not enough omega-3.
- Excess carbohydrates.
- Excess calories.
- Sugar and white flour.
- Mineral deficiencies, particularly low levels of protective magnesium and iodine.
- Vitamin deficiencies — vitamin C, needed for the integrity of the blood vessel walls, and of antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E, which protect us from free radicals. Vitamins A, B12 and K2 are deficient in most people.
- Lack of antimicrobial fats from animal fats and tropical oils.
- Toxins from food and chemicals in our environment.
- Not enough sunshine causing vitamin D deficiency.
- Not enough exercise.
- Stress.
- Anti-nutrients especially in grains cause gut inflammation and damage villi which means poor nutrient absorption. This is a key cause of autoimmune diseases.
- Food deplete of its natural nutrition because of industrial agriculture.
If chronic disease is caused by these factors and more over a long time frame, it’s very clear to see that drugs cannot heal, cannot correct these causes.
Cause and effect
If we stick our hand in the fire it burns, the cause and effect is obvious. But the damage from sub-optimal lifestyle is delayed and unclear. By the time we get sick, it can be hard to connect the dots.
And the human body is amazingly resilient, for example, liver function can be reduced to a small amount of its optimal and you wouldn’t have any symptoms. And often the first appearance of heart problems is a fatal heart attack.
Beware your own vitality
I know that sounds very strange — to beware of vitality, the very thing we want. But your own vitality can very easily lead you into a false sense of security. Your own vitality can make you think you’re fine when really, your current lifestyle could be chipping away at your health bit by bit.
Being chronically ill is a nightmare on so many levels. Please don’t go there. By being proactive you can keep your health bank account topped up and give your body what it naturally needs. It’s a lot simpler than you might imagine once you get into the right habits.
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Michael Kinnaird is the author of Happy Guide, the result of a 20 year exploration into what works for health and happiness.
Read Chapter 1 “The Happiness Secret”
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