New Health Rankings: Of 17 Nations U.S. is Dead Last!
By Evie Breedlove-Mangapora, ARNP & Deborah J. Post, ARNP
According to a recent health analysis by US Health in International Perspective, Americans come in dead last for life span in comparison to 17 other affluent nations. According to the report, Americans live in poor health and die earlier when compared to people living in other developed nations, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the U.K.
Of these affluent countries, the U.S. ranks near the bottom in 9 key areas of healthy well-being:
• Heart Disease
• Chronic Lung Disease
• Obesity & Diabetes
• Drug related deaths
• General Disability
• Injuries & Homicides
• Teen pregnancy & STD
• HIV & AIDS
• Low birth weight
At 75.6 years of age, American men have the lowest life expectancy among the countries reviewed and women rank second to last. Americans spend more than $9,086 per person per year on health care. Yet, since the mid-1990s, the number of Americans suffering from at least 3 chronic illnesses nearly doubled. For example, Type 2 Diabetes rates in the U.S. increased 176% between 1980 and 2010.
A convincing argument that one of the primary forces driving illness in America is the changing food supply. The American diet consists of processed foods, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), hydrogenated soybean oil, genetically modified foods, and meats loaded with antibiotics-all of which are well-known contributors to obesity and chronic disease.
Unfortunately, Americans do not seek care for their health until they experience at least 25% reduction in their physical capacity.
Food is by far the most powerful clinical intervention in chronic disease. Evaluation of your diet is an important way to start rebuilding and optimizing your health.
Low Glycemic Foods: Eating foods that are low in simple sugars will not raise your insulin levels and increase weight gain that may lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.
Healthy Fats: Healthy Omega-3 fats vs. bad Omega -6 fats. Eat foods low in saturated fats and without trans- fats or partially hydrogenated fats. Omegas 3 fatty acids are vital components for every cell in your body. They’re the first line of defense against inflammation and disease. Eat cold water fatty fish, such as Alaskan wild caught sockeye salmon, pacific herring, halibut, algae, krill, ground flax seed, hemp seeds and some nut oils.
Proteins: Look for healthy lean proteins, plant based or meat raised sustainably. Animals, fish, poultry accumulate pesticides and toxins in their fat and muscle tissue when fed food that are not natural to them, like grains. Look for grass raised organic beef, wild caught cold water fatty fish, and organic meats.
Dairy: Cow’s milk is the breast milk of a 400 lb animal, and has scores of allergens. Most non organic cows’ milk has herbicides, pesticides, dioxin, up to 52 powerful antibiotics, and up to 59 hormones (including GROWTH hormones) and they pass it all to you! Give almond milk, coconut milk, and Hemp milk a try.
Toxin Free Foods: 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides are sprayed per year in the U.S. to take poison the nervous system of insects. Buy Organic when possible.
Dirty Dozen –Only buy Organic:
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Celery
• Grapes
• Cherries
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Bell Pepper
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Cucumber
Avoid GMO: (Genetically Modified Organisms) Make sure none of the following are on your grocery list unless they are USDA certified organic: Soy, Cottonseed, Corn, Canola Oil, Hawaiian papaya, Alfalfa, Sugar from sugar beets, crookneck squash. The World Health Organization designated the herbicide Roundup, widely used on GMO crops as probable carcinogenic. YIKES!
Grains: GMO wheat of today has never really been tested for its effect on human consumption. So essentially, we have been the guinea pigs. The new modern wheat may look like wheat, but it’s different in 3 important ways that drive obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and more.
• Super Starch-Amylopectin A . . is super fattening
• Super Gluten . . is super inflammatory
• Super Drug . . .super addictive (makes you crave more)
Try older grains like quinoa (high protein) and brown rice or millet.
Change can be challenging but knowledge is power only if you do something with that new found knowledge.
Here is how we can help:
Within the shortened time frame that most western practitioners are allocated to spend with clients, often pharmaceuticals are the quickest answer to the two questions that functional medicine practitioners ask of clients:
“What Do They Need More Of?” and “What Do They Need To Get Rid Of?”
Functional Medicine focus on the causal relationship between life styles, genetic factors and risk for disease. We work to clean up your most important house. . . your body by addressing the 4 pillars of health.
• Supporting the body’s ability to detoxify
• Nutritional Support
• Balancing the endocrine system . . . your hormones
• Exercise
Seem daunting? Let us be your mentor and help you create a systemized and individualized wellness plan for you. No this will not be a diet. It will become a way of life because you will create the best health possible for you. Our focus is for you to become self-empowered, so you know how to manage your own health and rely less on crisis care medicine.
Call our office so that we can discuss how you can get your life back by attending one of our life changing presentations.
CALL NOW and reserve a seat.
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(239) 231-8354
Wednesday, February 15th at 6:30 p.m.
Bonita Springs
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