Chronic Illness Running Rampant!

With the main focus in the news lately on infectious disease, H1N1, seasonal flu, pneumonia....And of course Breast Cancer all last month, (and the national health care debate) one truly serious health issue keeps getting pushed aside. Chronic Illness!

Chronic Degenerative Illness including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Celiac, Chron's, thyroid dysfunction, lupus, RA, Alzheimers, etc...... is the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. And virtually all of these diseases are preventable.

In the next ten years, one in three will be diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, two of three will be obese....before age 20! We are slowly killing our children.

All of these chronic illnesses have one thing in common--Inflammation.

Inflammation that can lead to advanced aging, degeneration, allergies, pain, heart disease, cancer and death.

Causes of inflammation include; acute illness, injuries, vaccines, diet and stress. The simplest way to reduce and eliminate inflammation is with diet changes. The SAD (Standard American Diet) is the biggest culprit in the rapid decline in our health. High in sugar (simple carbs), Omega 6 fats (vegetable oils), low in fiber and essential nutrients. Sugars (sucrose, fructose, HFCS) inhibit immune response, over tax insulin production and cause inflammation. The ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 oils should be 1:1 or 1:2. The SAD ratio is 1:20! This unbalanced ratio of fat types increases inflammation.

The inflammation over time degrades the digestive tract as well. This leads to leaky gut and eventually allergies and of course more inflammation. Nasty Cycle!

To reduce inflammation follow these steps:

1)Start Moving! Simple exercise on a regular basis reduces inflammation

2)cut out-ELIMINATE- sugars, grains and starches from your diet (corn is a grain)

3)eat more fish 3-4 times per week and take a quality Omega 3 supplement

4)eat more fresh vegetables (a pound per day)

5)eat 5 colors of fruits and vegetables per day (cup of blueberries per day is a great start)

6)get adjusted! Adding motion to the spinal joints reduces pain and inflammation

7)reduce stress-meditate

If you suffer from chronic illness or have family members suffering, get checked by someone familiar with Functional Medicine. Many chronic illnesses can be detected years before symptoms appear. But you have to know where to look.

Any questions, give me a call. And as always, please leave a comment.