| Lifestyle As Medicine Over the ages, humans have been challenged to adapt to advances in technology. The Stone Age, Bronze Age, Nuclear Age, and Industrial Age each brought unique challenges. Perhaps these periods are called ages because it took ages to assimilate them. With over 2.5 million years to sort it out, Stone Age technology seems to be something we have worked through. Adapting to the Industrial Age has the look of a work in progress. Similarly, the effects of multiple evolving technologies on health are also a work in progress. With luck we will get through today’s evolving technologies in less time than it took to get the Stone Age resolved. Today’s evolving technologies challenge us with uncountable labor saving devices that encourage sedentary behavior. Tempting low quality foods are in abundance from fast-food restaurants, vending machines, and grocery stores featuring over 50,000 different products. Unfortunately, most of these foods are processed beyond recognition from refined sugar, refined grains, and refined oils with dismally few complex micronutrients surviving. Just when we didn’t need more temptation, there is now talk of pizza delivery by drones. The excess weight in most children and adults suggests that faster food isn’t the answer. Of course, food and exercise are not the only issues. Add in the stress of adapting to changes in the workplace, sleep pattern changes, and communicable diseases from the global community. Added up, we have an environment that creates historic levels of chronic disease, lowers the quality of life, and each year drives healthcare cost ever higher. A few statistics bring into focus the effects of not understanding how to use our new technologies wisely. • Heart disease, cancer, and stroke account for more than half of all deaths each year. • 130 million suffer from chronic diseases • 86% of healthcare cost is attributable to chronic diseases resulting from poor diet and insufficient exercise • 70 Million people have hypertension (high blood pressure) • 100 million are projected to have diabetes by 2050 • 70% are overweight While the national debate focuses on the cost of healthcare and insurance in particular, the root cause of escalating cost is a society that is physically inactive and eats the wrong kinds of food. It doesn’t help that Government subsidies the foods most responsible for the problem nor does it help that advances in food science make foods more desirable and addictive. To a lesser degree workplace safety, smoking, alcohol, drugs, and automobile accidents factor into the overall cost of healthcare. Fortunately, there is a consensus for healthcare solutions arising from the din of confusion and fake news. My goal is to help you hear this message of health over the voices promoting self interest. The good news is that you can look forward to the advantages of both lifestyle medicines from wisdom of the ages and the best of evidence based medical technology. Despite the gloomy forecast, humans have a history of facing challenges with creativity. Knowledge is the key that opens the door to solutions. As individuals, families and as a country our choice is clear. Either we learn and educate ourselves and others about the fundamentals of how to live healthier or the next generation inherits a world where chronic disease, lower quality of life, and premature death increasingly become the norm. There is a better way. That belief is what motivates me to share messages like this in hope they will serve as sustaining reminders. Granted, it’ s confusing when experts seem to offer different advice. Fortunately, the evolving common understanding from dedicated researchers is usually quite similar differing only on minor points. Sadly, this perspective is rarely communicated accurately in the popular press. From decades of research, the evidence points to six core principles for healthy living that can add years and quality of life to those years. • Principle 1 – A good diet exerts positive effects on the body and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. We need a diet comprised mostly of minimally processed foods that are predominantly from plants and in balanced combinations. • Principle 2 – We need routine physical activity at moderate intensity. Physical activity helps us manage weight, reduced inflammation, enhanced immune function, and reduced cancer risk. • Principle 3 – We need to avoid toxins, particularly tobacco, drugs and excess alcohol • Principle 4 – We need meaningful, supportive relationships and strong social bonds. Those with strong caring relationships are less vulnerable to chronic disease and death. • Principle 5 – We need sleep that is adequate in quality and quantity. The quality and quantity of sleep has strong effects on our immunology, neurology, and mental well being. • Principle 6 –Undue stress can contribute to hormonal imbalances and inflammation that propagates cancer. Good health depends on reducing psychological stress. At some point, the national healthcare debate needs to change from how to provide insurance to pay for more healthcare providers and facilities to root causes. Unfortunately, focusing on supplying more care delivery for an ever expanding demand is no better than looking to more fire fighters and fire stations as the best way of reducing house fires. What minimizes house fires is building codes, use of fire resistant materials, education, smoke alarms, etc. Like fire fighters, the supply of doctors is part of the solution not the root cause of the problem. To learn more about what has caused poor health in our country and what can be done about it read the article “Want to Fix America’s Health Care? First, Focus on Food.” You don’t have to wait for the Government to solve the healthcare dilemmas in our country. For more about what you can do for yourself, I encourage watching the video “How Not to Die: The Role of Diet in Preventing, Arresting, & Reversing Our Top 15 Killers” by Dr. Michael Greger. Almost forgot to mention, taking a walk is a great way get exercise. Why not join me for an invigorating way to begin Saturday? Even better, bring along your special furry friends. They also need exercise. Nancy Neighbors, MD Huntsville, Alabama |