The World Health Organization’s (WHO) defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” I believe this definition brings out a couple of good points, but is missing something. Consider the latter portion of the definition, “Health is not merely the absence of disease”. Often times, people believe because they are not “sick” or do not have pain, they are healthy.
In other words, because there are no symptoms, there is health. Let’s look at the example of a heart attack. Frequently, what is the first symptom of a heart attack? The heart attack itself! Before the heart attack, a person “feels” fine and carries on like nothing is wrong. But we know, through science, that heart disease is a process and takes years to produce a heart attack.
So, health is more than the absence of sickness, symptoms and disease. Also note the WHO points out, health goes beyond – our physical body to include our mental and social body. However, I would expand their definition by adding spiritual and emotional to the list of physical, mental, and social. This now addresses the “whole” person. Do you think a person that is constantly sad (a very real emotion) or has no connection to the One above (spiritual) has complete health? I don’t think so. I am guessing that if asked, most people would want health in all these aspects of their lives.
Let’s look at another definition of health that I feel is more appropriate. Drs. Talsky and Holder define health as “a dynamic state of wholeness in which your body can accurately perceive its constantly changing needs, and respond appropriately in a timely manner.” In other words, the “whole” body has the ability to perceive and ADAPT. Appropriate adaptation is required for our whole body to achieve health. I would like to pose one final question. What system in our body is responsible for the control of adaption? The answer is the nerve system. The nerve system, which is composed of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, is responsible for the appropriate and timely adaptation of our “whole” body.
It is responsible for all the functions our bodies carry out on a daily basis.
If your nervous system is not working at 100%, your body has less than 100% ability to appropriately adapt and function. Chiropractic allows your nerve system to function at its highest capacity so that your body has the ability to appropriately adapt and achieve TRUE HEALTH. With the spine in alignment, the nervous system can function optimally; allowing you to live your life without unnecessary distractions and truly focus on what is important to you and your family.
The Documentary: ‘What the Health” critically examines the relationship between the food systems supervised by the government and corporations. It exposes the corruption and collusion that causes large segments of the population to remain unhealthy and costs trillions of dollars in healthcare. Kip Anderson reveals the key to preventing & reversing the chronic diseases that many people grapple with today.
The documentary looks at the reasons behind the reluctance of the prominent health organizations to inform and assist people in solving health problems. With cancer and heart disease still remaining the main causes of death in America, and cases of diabetes skyrocketing, it uncovers potentially the greatest health cover-up in the modern era.
The film depicts the conflicts of interest and the treacherous roles played by agribusiness, pharmaceuticals and animal food processing companies in undermining the health of the nation, particularly in the vulnerable sections of the society. It demonstrates the inspiring transformation and recovery of people who took matters in their own hands to fight back and correct their situation.
What the Health is a thought-provoking and powerful documentary about how special interest groups encourage unhealthy habits among consumers. It discusses environmental racism and how animal agriculture affects the health of the community. It calls on people to rethink everything they have been taught regarding the link between business and food, the effect of food on individual health and the inherent power of the human body to ward-off and reverse the diseases that are needlessly killing millions of people today.
“You Have CANCER.”
These may be THREE of the most devastating words that a person can hear in their lifetime. And while there is a lot of talk about how to treat cancer, what are you meant to do to prevent cancer? Or what are you meant to do post recovery in order to keep cancer from returning?
In a study of postmenopausal women who had been diagnosed with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, people with a healthy diet had a 45% lower risk of mortality from breast cancer or any other disease.
This kind of information also demonstrates the promising role of nutrition in reducing cancer risk. Read on to discover other key insights into staying healthy to prevent cancer, and how to look after yourself once you’ve faced cancer too.
1. Find Your Healthy, Comfortable Weight
Did you know that fat is a metabolically active tissue?
In fact, it has its very own blood supply and cellular activity. Fat cells are constantly active and can generate hormones, produce inflammatory factors and even play a role in regulating our appetite! The metabolic activity of our fat cells accounts for why body weight can influence our cancer risk. Intra-abdominal fat (the stuff in our mid-section that surrounds and even permeates our organs) has a particularly important role in our health. The fat in our body is not inert.
This type of fat releases inflammatory chemicals and growth factors that can cause chronic disease (such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions) and accelerate the growth of cancer. https://www.health.com/breast-cancer/obesity-overweight-cancer
Please note: The recommendation to find a healthy weight is generally advised also as prevention or after your cancer has cleared. Weight loss is not recommended during many cancers, when your body needs optimal nutrition and fuel to heal.
2. Eat Organic … At Least, As Much As You Can!
Many pesticides, herbicides and fungicides have carcinogenic qualities. Therefore, to reduce your risk of future cancer, it makes good sense to minimize your exposure to chemicals that are cancer-promoting.
Furthermore, research indicates that organic produce has a higher nutrient content. Our bodies need to be well–nourished and receive a plentiful supply of antioxidants to combat cancer cells and support the immune system. So eating organic has the twofold benefit of giving your body less of the harmful stuff and more cancer-fighting, health-enhancing goodness!
Although eating organic does carry a perception of being more expensive, you can read our cost-saving tips for shopping organically here and here. As a starting point, you may also like to initially avoid eating the top ‘dirty dozen’ most heavily sprayed produce items.
3. Eat Plenty Of Alkalizing, Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Inflammation is bad news for our health and contributes to many diseases, including cancer. By reducing inflammation, we can keep our body working in top condition and lower our risk of developing cancer.
As a general rule of thumb, most plant-based foods have a more alkalizing effect within the body. On the other hand, many dairy products, meat, sugar and refined foods tend to be more acidifying.
Research has found that a more alkaline, plant-based diet and lower intake of meat products can significantly lower the risk of many cancers. Read these easy five steps to a more alkaline diet and learn more about how acid-alkaline balance works within your body here.
Eat mostly foods of plant origin.
Advised the international panel of cancer experts: Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and eat relatively unprocessed whole grains and/or legumes (beans) with every meal. “These, and not foods of animal origin, are the recommended center for everyday meals.” All these foods contain “substantial amounts of dietary fiber and a variety of micronutrients, and are low or relatively low in calorie density.”
4. Drink Juice
Freshly squeezed, vegetable-based juices are one of the fastest ways to flood your cells with the nutrients needed for your body to function optimally. Additionally, juices are alkalizing, which as discussed, can also assist in reducing cancer risk. Plant foods also contain antioxidants and Vitamins A, C and E, which fight free-radical damage. Many phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables prevent cancer development.
Boost your daily intake of these nourishing, cancer-fighting goodies with a cold-pressed, vegetable-based juice!
For extra benefit, consider including anti-inflammatory ingredients such as ginger and turmeric into your daily juices. Numerous studies have shown that turmeric, in particular, may have anticancer properties. Weird tip? Add a little pepper into any juice containing turmeric; a bioactive component in pepper called piperine increases the bioavailability of curcumin. Piperine is the active ingredient found in black pepper & is responsible for its distinct taste. It is sometimes referred to as pepperine or bioperine black pepper extract. Piperine is an organic compound categorized as either a lipid or an alkaloid.
5. Reduce The ‘Rubbish’ In Your Food!!!
Did you know that many preservatives, colors and flavors in common foods are believed to be carcinogenic? (Check out some of the worst offenders here!)
While these artificial additives have been given “safety levels” that the average American diet shouldn’t exceed, the scary thing is that little is known about how these chemicals interact with each other, or what the accumulative side-effects may be.
Furthermore, foods containing artificial additives tend to have lower nutritional value than fresh, organic, whole foods. Therefore, by sticking to natural foods, you can give your body a boost of superior nutrients and avoid potentially carcinogenic ingredients.
6. Move Your Body Regularly
Research suggests that regular exercise may reduce the risk of developing cancer or experiencing a recurrence. Exercise can also be vital in relieving – fatigue and reducing the stress that is common after cancer. Optimally, the report advised, aim for moderate activity, brisk walking, which essentially means walking as though you have somewhere to go (and you’re running a little late).
Many experts recommend exercising for 60 minutes or more of moderate activity – or for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, at the highest intensity that you can safely do. This can be distributed over the day, so no need to sweat it out all in one go if this amount sounds daunting! Have you or someone you love recovered their health and vitality after cancer? Share how they did it in the comments below!
7. Spice Up Your Life
Herbs and spices have been traditionally used for their flavor-enhancing and medicinal properties. The increasing prevalence of cancer in the world also has prompted increased interest among researchers and the public in the potential of foods to reduce cancer risk and fight tumor growth.
8. Sugar Feeds Cancer.
Avoid calorie-rich, sugar-rich drinks, too. One in every five calories in our American diet now comes from beverages (all those grand lattes are adding up), and that’s a big problem because, as the cancer report states, “Sugary drinks provide calories but do not seem to induce satiety or compensatory reduction in subsequent calorie intake.”
Translated: Whether you drink a diet coke or a regular coke, you’ll likely eat the same burger and fries. And you’ll get hungry about the same number of hours later. Regular coke, in short, is simply adding more calories to your day, which can all too easily add more pounds on you.
9. Limit intake of red meat and avoid processed meat.
According to the WCRF/AICR report, red meat, including beef, pork, and lamb, as well as processed meats like sausage, bacon, hot dogs, salami, and ham “are convincing or probable causes of some cancers,” including also cancers of the colon, esophagus, lung, stomach, and prostate. Moreover, “diets with high levels of animal fats are often relatively high in calories, increasing the risk of weight gain.”
The cancer experts recommend that the population average consumption of red meat be no more than 11 ounces a week, very little if any of which is processed. Instead of red meat, the experts advised, select white meat poultry and seafood. “Also Flesh from wild animals, birds, and fish, whose nutritional profiles are different from those of domesticated and industrially reared creatures, is also preferred.”
For optimal protection against cardiovascular disease, the Pritikin Program recommends no more than 3.5 to 4 ounces (cooked) of animal protein each day. Your optimal choice is seafood, except for some of the higher-in-cholesterol selections like eel, conch, and squid. Once a week, you may opt for skinless white poultry or grass-fed, or free-range wild game such as buffalo, elk, and venison. Try to limit other red meat choices to once a month – or not at all. Bottomline: IGF-1 doesn’t cause cancer, though it may allow cancerous cells that already exist to grow faster. We must be leary of the hormones being put into meat today :'(
10. Limit alcoholic drinks and salt consumption.
Though the WCRF/ACIR panel took into account the evidence that modest amounts of alcoholic drinks are likely to protect against coronary heart disease, the data on cancer indicate that “even small amounts of alcoholic drinks should be avoided.” Also Alcoholic drinks are linked to mouth, larynx, and colorectal cancer and may also cause liver cancer. If you consume alcoholic drinks, the cancer report advises you limit consumption to no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.
“Salt is necessary for human health and life itself, but at levels very much lower than those typically consumed in most parts of the world,” stated the cancer report. Salt and salt-preserved foods are a probable cause of some cancers, particularly stomach cancer.
To avoid not only cancer but also cardiovascular-related diseases like hypertension and heart attacks, the Pritikin Program, in line with the Institute of Medicine, advises that adult Americans limit their consumption of sodium to 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day, depending on age. People age 19 to 50 should consume 1,500 mg or less of sodium/day. Those 51 to 70 should cut sodium to1,300 mg or less, and those over 70 should aim for 1,200 mg or less.
That’s no small task when you live in a country like the U.S. where one restaurant plate of pasta marinara can tally up a whopping 3,000 mg of sodium, and, calorie for calorie, corn flakes and most breads pack in about twice as much sodium as potato chips.
And do we ever pay the price. High blood pressure in America is at an all-time high. Our lifetime chance of getting high blood pressure is now over 90%. It’s a huge problem because hypertension (persistent high blood pressure) increases the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease three-fold.
The good news: blood pressure can fall dramatically, studies on the Pritikin Program have found. In a meta-analysis of 1,117 hypertensives – at the Pritikin Longevity Center, 55% of those on hypertension drugs lowered blood pressure to normal, medication-free levels. After just three weeks, they returned home free of their anti-hypertensive drugs.