My kid brother suffered his third heart attack since the Year 2000 and his 2nd in the last 3 years. He keeps saying there’s nothing he could have done about it and instead, blaming his genes. Sure, my father passed away early in his life back in 1983 and yet, my brother is following the same path. Next month he turns 53 and at this rate, he is swiftly giving in.
I realize that we are going to die eventually. Whether it’s early or later it’s up to us (for the most part). We pretty much have control of our genes and to blame them completely for preventable diseases, such as heart disease is simply living in ignorance.
My father smoked his whole life and ate plenty of junk food. In fact, after he passed away, I found packages of Sneaker’s Bars and cigarettes hidden under the seat of his 1982 Datsun pickup truck. I’m pretty sure that this was just one of his stashes. He lived an unhealthy life and paid for it. My brother lived an unhealthy life and has paid for it. Each one of them chose their health path, not their genes. And I have pretty much the same genes as my brother.
Each one of you make choices that will affect your health every single day. Those choices will have either a positive or negative effect. Here are seven ways that the choices you make regarding your lifestyle may affect your health…
- The amount and type of calories you take in will either lead you to get fat or provide the proper nutrition for optimal health.
- Not moving can also lead to obesity as well as more injuries, heart disease and even back pain. Moving more increases energy, muscular strength and even a smarter brain.
- Not getting enough water can lead to brain fog, affect your cells negatively and increase obesity. Proper hydration helps every part of your body to fully function in the best way. It also delivers vital nutrients to the cells.
- Eating too many foods with Omega 6 fatty acids creates an imbalance of the 3-6 ratio and leads to increased inflammation. A balanced 3-6 ratio leads to less inflammation and better health.
- Consuming processed sugars and especially high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) leads to multiple ways of developing silent inflammation throughout the body. One of them is increased obesity levels, which leads to FatFlammation (as coined by Dr. Lori Shemek). Too much sugar leads to inflammation in the skin as well (think wrinkled skin as a by-product).
- Eating too many processed foods versus foods closest to Mother Nature increased a myriad of diseases. I love foods that more wild in nature. Go to your local farmer’s markets and make sure that they are local.
- Smoking versus breathing clean air can lead to cancer, heart disease and so forth. It also ages the heck out of you.
Each moment start being more mindful if you want to live a longer and higher quality life. In addition to those choices above, there are many other choices you will make each day that will have a consequence. It is up you what that is, positive or negative.
I wish you a long and prosperous life…
