There are more than 300 million people living in the United States today and nearly all of them could benefit from learning just a few nutritional secrets for a longer life with good health. The statistics are startling. America spends more money than any other nation on health, yet it ranks the lowest of all the major industrial nations of the world in terms of living a long life or overall life expectancy.
Contrary to what some may believe, genetics is not the strongest factor in the occurrence of most common diseases -- environmental exposure has a far greater impact. Many of the diseases seen today were relatively unknown a hundred years ago or have increased dramatically over that period of time.
The number of people getting cancer has increased from 1 in 33 in 1900 to 1 in 2.5 people today. And there is no sign of that pattern softening. It is estimated that 20 years from now that ratio will be 1 in 2 people diagnosed with cancer and half of them will die. This same frightening pattern is true for other conditions such as arteriolosclerosis, high blood pressure, and strokes.
Disease, illness, and aging are not things that are outside of our control. We are amazing Beings, capable of regulating and healing itself and living a long life when we supply it with some basic building blocks of good health. These building blocks include proper nutrition, clean air and drinking water, getting enough sleep and exercise, and balancing our emotional needs.
Certainly, our genes have not changed dramatically in the last 100 years to warrant the drastic increase in these diseases, but the environment we subject our bodies to has. Of all factors, diet is the largest contributor. Heeding a few nutritional secrets can help us to maintain optimal health and promote a long and happy life.Nearly 20 years ago Dr. C. Everett Koop who was Surgeon General at the time, stated the American diet was the cause of approximately two-thirds of the deaths due to disease. He went on to state that Americans are not starving from lack of food as people are in many foreign countries, but they are malnourished by simply not eating the proper food. Americans are eating food full of empty calories that make them fat.
The advent of processed sugars and refined foods and flour are the biggest contributors to a diet that is inadequate in properly nourishing our bodies. For our cells to function properly and maintain a clean internal environment, all the calories we eat must be nutrient-rich. The best food choices include vegetables, beans, fruits, grains, and nuts and seeds. One should avoid calorie-rich but nutrient-poor ingredients such as oil, sugar, and white flour, and refined foods.
Another contributing to premature aging is increased daily caloric intake. Europeans who lived a long life into their hundreds were unknowingly abiding by the nutritional secrets of consuming a plant-based diet consisting of fewer than 2000 calories per day.
In short, health is the result of healthful living. Taking care of ourselves, is the finest health care in the world. The ultimate goal is optimal health in all aspects - mentally, spiritually, and physically. Fortunately, by heeding a few easy-to-follow nutritional secrets we can create an environment for a long and healthy life, full of joy, vitality, and fun.
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