Naturally. . . You is all about natural approaches to being healthy and feeling your best. While most people say they try to live a healthy lifestyle, facts show that in the United States, health problems related to lifestyle choices are on the rise and the life expectancy rate fell again last year. It is hard to believe that people are living shorter lives in a country rich in resources, personal wealth, and easy access to information on how to make better choices in diet, exercise, and lifestyle. The good news is that Naturally. . . You is here to help with knowledge, experience, products, and programs that will result in better health and most importantly, just feeling good. Here are some of the alarming trends in health and how to reverse them now.
Alarming Trends
Overall trends on the state of health in the US population are disturbing, especially when you take a look at conditions that are influenced by lifestyle choices. According to a report in the State of Obesity, in the past 10 years, obesity rates are now close to 40% of the population. That’s up 10% in just the last 10 years. The American Heart Association reports that 103 million Americans have high blood pressure which is nearly half of our entire population. Meanwhile, Population Health Metrics reports that by 2030, 14% of all Americans will suffer from Diabetes, up 5% from 2014.
Obesity and high blood pressure contribute to the number 1 cause of death in this country, heart disease. Stroke, the number 5 cause of death is linked directly to high blood pressure while diabetes ranks number 7 on a list of 10 ten causes of death in the US. These three conditions, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes directly contribute to three of the top 10 causes of death in America. They also contribute to cancer and kidney disease, two other top 10 causes of death in America. The state of health in this country is getting so bad, the Centers for Disease Control reported a decrease in life expectancy again last year. Now life expectancy is 76.1 years for men and 81.1 years for women.
It’s all Preventable
The good news is that the alarming trends in health related to obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are all preventable! And the best news is that all three can be effectively controlled with simple lifestyle choices everyone can make starting right now. Proper diet and consistent exercise will result in lower levels of all three conditions. In fact, according to Medical News Today, the combination of a healthy diet and consistent exercise are included in ways to prevent heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease.
Here’s How. . .
You can always take prescription drugs and will have no problem finding a doctor to help with that. The problem with prescription drugs is that all of them have some sort of side effect. For example, side effects associated with high blood pressure medications include headaches, vomiting, erectile dysfunction, skin rashes, and diarrhea. In some cases, side effects cause problems that require treatment by other prescription drugs. The next thing you know, you on a collection of drugs that work on things you never had before you took your first blood pressure pill. Unless you are very overweight, have very high blood pressure or blood sugar, a better way to manage your weight, pressure, and sugar is naturally, through better dietary choices and exercise programs. Always check with your health care provider before any diet or exercise program.
6 Keys to Optimal Health. . .
As far as I’m concerned, diet and exercise are so critical for optimal health, they are included in my list of Keys to Optimal Health and are considered non-negotiable. Here is my list. . .
- Diet. There are so many diets out there it’s incredible. I don’t think a restrictive diet is sustainable in the long run. If you think of diet in terms of percentages, a proper diet should be made up of 40% fibrous vegetables and fresh fruits, 30% lean proteins, 15% starches, and 15% fats. Another important part of the equation is portion control. For many people, portion control is out of control. It’s important to be aware of both what and how much you’re putting into your mouth.
- Exercise. Ideally, you should actively move your body every day. I like to hit the gym at least three days a week for cardio and weight training. If you can’t make it into the gym, take a brisk walk after dinner or ride a bike around your neighborhood. You will burn calories and the endorphin release will make you feel good.
- Renewal. Meditation and keeping a gratitude journal are examples of daily renewal. These renew your spirit and are keys to good mental health.
- Sleep. There is so much information about how sleep affects the body and impacts your physical and mental health that I could write several articles about this subject alone. I recommend no less than 8 hours per day, going to bed and waking up at the same time, every day.
- Supplementation. At Naturally…You, we work with our clients to create customized plans for supplements that address many healthcare issues. If you have an issue you’d like to try treating naturally, check with your healthcare provider and after getting the green light, give us a call to get started.
- Water. Take your body weight and divide it in half. That number is equal to the number of ounces you should drink in a day.
Overall, American’s health and wellness continue to decline. The alarming trends in health can be reversed now through with behavior modification, better diet choices, and consistent exercise. In future blogs, I will address my 6 Keys to Optimal Health in greater detail and show how my programs can restore your health and make you feel better than ever! To get started on your journey to better health call me at 813.505.9815. I look forward to speaking with you soon!