Too many people live with allergies, low-level aches, auto-immune diseases, arthritis, pre-diabetic sugar levels, obesity, cancer, mental fog, and dementia.
Why?
Out of the top causes of death, most are related to diet and lifestyle choices.
Top causes of death, data source: cdc.gov
Please note that accidents account for only 9% of deaths.
My current career is dedicated to preventing injuries from automotive accidents, but as a fellow human, I cannot ignore the remaining 91%. I have a long-standing relationship with a healthy lifestyle, including helping develop the Vitality apps and my fitness application (now defunct).
This article analyzes who we are, where we come from, and what our ancestors adapted to. Understanding our roots is essential for living in optimal mental and physical health for the rest of our lives.
The right lifestyle and matching diet can prolong life and make life youthful till the end. Only by living right do we have a high probability of living well past 100. With advances in medical acute care, lifespan could extend to 120. Imagine giving yourself 30 more years of an active and happy life. Whether this life is illness-and-pain-free play with grandchildren, a sharp and productive scientific mind, challenging hikes in the mountains, or long strolls on the beach in retirement, it is all possible. But to achieve that, you must become an anthropologist, study the happiest and longest-living communities, and know yourself.
I am on purpose NOT starting with recommendations, I want us to build opinions and derive conclusions together.
Here are a few benefits, proven by generations of active centenarians, from the apparently trivial to profound:
-
Not having a heartburn.
-
Looking younger with better and brighter skin.
-
Getting a 6-pack
-
Not being hungry between meals.
-
Mental clarity.
-
Beautiful teeth.
-
General rejuvenation of all body cells.
-
Boosted immune system.
-
Being as fit at 50 as a 21-year-old U.S. Marine.
-
Being 100 and doing daily mountain hikes.
-
Cancer defense.
-
Reduced heart and autoimmune disease.
-
Mental resilience against dementia.
Preamble (food-for-thoughts)
We are all born out of a unique genetic lottery, some are luckier than others, but once we survive early childhood, there is an incredible power given to us via epigenetics.
Epigenetics is the ability to turn on and off the inherited genes. Studies show that genetically identical twins manifest different development when raised in different conditions.
Parents have an obligation to their children: fruit-loops, macaroni-and-cheese, or pasta-and-ketchup are easy to serve and often preferred by our kids, but we are their "parents", not their college "buddies". Obesity, insulin resistance, early maturation of young girls, and generally high levels of estrogen in children do lead to future problems.
We are constantly exposed to various external pathogens: bio-chemical, bacterial, and viral, our body continually develops many micro tumors and cancers. Yet, our body is almost always able to heal itself, given a chance.
If I have an illness and something is hurting, I ought to find the cause first. There is no reason to live with an illness, or pain at any, even very advanced, age.
Before I make any lifestyle and dietary choices, I need to understand who we are. Choosing what to eat is hard as there is a spectrum of recommendations ranging from vegans, vegetarians, high-carb, low-carb, high-fat, low-fat, CRON, paleo, keto, all the way to carnivores.
In this discourse, I am trying to explain WHY I choose to eat certain things.
The Hippocratic oath
I am not a medical doctor, government-accredited dietician, nor a medical practitioner, if I were, I would probably not give you any good advice.
Today’s medical establishment addresses symptoms, not the causes.
In my experience, it is very rare to find a local doctor who deeply cares about our diet, lifestyle, and immune system. I have been to numerous practitioners for sinuses, tightening esophagus, and joint pain, all caused by the auto-immune dietary response, and all doctors offered very invasive procedures, basically, scalpels, probes, and needles, and none offered any guidance. It was a crime what the doctor was doing to my sinuses when I was a child, in retrospect, I am a perfectly healthy person who was just fed the wrong things.
A nightmare memory of giant needles and sinus fluid pumping as a child.
It is literally a conflict of interest for doctors to provide preventive care.
Yet, they all made the oath of Hippocrates which can be translated to:
"I will apply dietetic lifestyle (Greek: διαιτήμασί) to help the sick to my best ability and judgment; I will protect them from harm and injustice."
There are a couple of messages here: a "diet regimen" that should be prescribed, and doctors should protect people from the harm occurring (in the future), not just treat the existing diseases.
I will list exceptions, specifically Dr. Gundry, M.D., top cardiologist, who turned from surgery to auto-immune practice to actually cure his patients. So far, I cannot find any fault in his teaching, and I am a devoted follower of his advice.
Dr. Gundry, M.D., Longevity Paradox
I would also give a shout-out to my brother, Dr. Konrad, who is quite a specimen of good physical health, and his healthy diet makes me envious.
The Audience
This post is NOT for you, at least statistically speaking, but if this discourse positively affects even a single person, then it will be definitely worth the time I spent writing (and constantly re-writing) it.
As with my other writings, I write to formulate my own thoughts. I use the pronoun "I" on purpose, as this is not meant to tell "you" what to do. My writing shows me where I am today, and reminds me of where I have been when I wrote in the past.
This particular post I write despite the knowledge that nearly nobody cares. To make the point:
I have a decent following on social media and when I post about anything inconsequential, I get plenty of likes. Yet, when I post about important topics such as health, academic topics, or financials, there is near silence, maybe some sarcasm, especially from family and "friends". I tested this repeatedly, it is unfortunately true.
The number of adults that are currently overweight tips at 75 percent. That is 3 out of 4 people! A century ago, this number was 1 out of 10. This is real statistical data and it is not getting any better.
Obesity is correlated with depression, low physical ability, and low activity, diabetes, heart disease, rheumatoid degeneration, auto-immune, and degenerative mind diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer. This does not mean you cannot get the auto-immune disease if you are skinny, it is very common, too. Most of these problems can be prevented and reversed with a diet. And, when I write "most" I really mean almost all of them.
To be continued...
Published initially on Medium.com Feb 12, 2021
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please be polite.