The ABC's of Wellness
Transcript of The ABC's of Wellness
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Achieving Optimal Health
How to Achieve Wellnessthrough Simple ABC’s of a Balanced Lifestyle
March, 2003 2
What is Optimal Health? “the ability to
function optimally on every level - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - in relation to other people and the environment”
not just about passing annual physicals
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The Problem with Healthcare Most are not sick enough to be
‘horizontal,’ but are only functional enough to be ‘vertically sick’
Current medical system waits for ‘vertically sick’ to become ‘horizontally sick’ before they are carted into hospitals & institutions
Majority of Canadians (62%) rated their health as being excellent or very good
Most are not sick enough to be horizontal, only ‘healthy’enough to be ‘vertically sick’
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Healthcare Costs health care spendings in
1975 was $12B and in 1994 was $72B, which represents a 600% increase in healthcare costs
population only increased by 28% in that same period
yet cancer rates has gone up by 8%, respiratory diseases by 2.5%, HIV rates by 7.2%Colombo, J, The Canadian Global Almanac 1997, McMillan, ON, 1996.
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BUT…Wealth is NOT Health
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US spent 13.2% GDP on health in 1993, yet its infant mortality was higher than Canadians
Japan has some of best health indicators, but only spent 6.8% GDP
rising costs due to aging population, expensive technology, rising consumer expectationsCanada Year Book 1997. Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada, 1996.
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What are the Facts? Natural causes do not include
suicides and car accidents Adverse Drug Reactions from
medical treatments – listed as number 3 leading cause of death in the United States (FDA)
ADR represents number of fatal ADR’s from hospitals only…did not include errors in drug administration, over-dose, non-compliance, drug abuse, therapeutic failures, and other possible ADR’s from GP’sStatistics Canada, Health Report, Vol. 11, No. 3, 1997Journal of the American Medical Association, 279(15):1200-1205, 1998
DEATHS DUE TO TOP 10 NATURAL CAUSES, CANADA
NUMBER
1 Heart Attacks and Strokes 73,468
2 Cancer 58,417
3 Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) ??
4 Pulmonary Disease 9,618
5 Unintentional Injuries (fractures) 8,626
6 Hospital Infections >8,000?
7 Pneumonia, Influenza 8,032
8 Diabetes 5,699
9 Central Nervous System Diseases 5,049
10 Arterial & Capillary Diseases 4,767
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“Healthy” Lifespan
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if you are 45 or older, your life expectation today is not much different than 100 years ago, ie. increase of only 6 years
increase in lifespan resulted from better public health care for babies but has not curbed the mortality rate of adults dying from heart and degenerative conditionsMcDougall, JA, MD, et al, The McDougall Plan. New Century, NJ, 1983.
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Okinawa Centenarians The Okinawans have the
highest documented number of centenarians – 34 per 100,000 compared to 5-10 in North America
Average life span is 88 years compared to 78
80% fewer heart diseases and cancers
50% fewer chronic diseases
Assessments reveal… Young arteries Low risk for cancers Strong bones Sharp minds Slim and fit bodies Natural menopause Healthy levels of
hormones Low stress levels Excellent psychospiritual
health
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Causes of Heart Disease deaths from heart disease
account for about 40% of North America deaths (now closer to 33%)
caused by meat and fat consumption…also excess dairy intake, smoking, lack of dietary fiber, exercise, etc...Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 51: 6, 1973; Foreign Agriculture Circular - Livestock and Meat, USDA, Washington, DC, 1976.
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Causes of Bowel Cancer
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bowel cancer deaths represent the second most common cancer (next to lung cancer)
caused by meat, fat consumption…also dairy intake, lack of fiber, bowel irregularity and toxemia, etc...
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 51:6, 1973; Foreign Agriculture Circular - Livestock and Meat, USDA, Washington, DC, 1976.
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Drugs as Cause
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in 1994, 77% of adult Canadians had used at least one prescription or over-the-counter meds
more than 200 million meds were prescribed - 13% for CVD, 12% for infections, 10% for psychotherapeutics
Canada Year Book 1997, Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada, 1996
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Chemical Dependency “In 1994, overall
2,216,000 hospitalized patients had serious ADRs and 106,000 had fatal ADRs, making these reactions between the 3rd and 5th leading cause of death”
Dr. Pomeranz, April 1998 Journal of the American Medical Association, 279: 1200-5
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Pesticide Exposure as Cause pesticide bio-accumulate
in moving up trophic levels from plants to herbivores, then to carnivores
increasing pesticide use linked to degenerative conditions and immune deficiency diseases such as cancer, etc...
Cornelussen, PE, Pesticide Residues in Total Diet, Pesticide Monitoring Journal, 2:140-152, 1969.
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Negative Stress as Cause Negative stress
releases the wrong neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitter = “nerve cell chemicals which enables communication between brain cells, spinal cord cells and other nerve cells”
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Nutrient Deficiencies as Cause Nutrients such as
vitamins, minerals, enzymes, essential fatty acids, and amino acids provide the raw materials for optimal cell function
While most of us are overfed, we are also undernourished
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Genes as Cause: Nature vs. Nurture“Research shows that genetics accounts for only a third of physical health…the other two thirds of physical aging relate to lifestyle, our engagement with life, what we eat, the way we manage stress, our social connections, and sense of personal power. It’s not all in our genes.” Dr. John Rowe, MD, President of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, who heads the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Aging.
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Healthy Lifestyle is the Way!Study of 1,741 Alumni of the University of Pennsylvania found that middle-aged people who adopted a healthy lifestyle were found to …
1. Live longer 2. Experienced fewer years
of ill health and remained free of even minor disabilities for up to 7 years longer
But individuals with the worst lifestyles were 50% more likely to die by age 75 and twice as likely to be disabledR.G. Cutler, “Evolution of Human Longevity: A Critical Overview.” Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 9:3-4, 1979
H. Markowe, “Health Trends in the Last 75 Years.” Health Trends 26:98-105, 1994
Manton, and J. W. Vaupel, “Survival After the Age of 80 in the US, Sweden, France, England and Japan.” New England Journal of Medicine, 333:1232-1235, 1995
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How to be Well?
The AB C 's of Optim al H ealth
AerobicBreathing
BasicDrinking
CleanEating
Detoxify ing Exercising Faith & Love
AwarenessCom m itm entExploration
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Problem: Ineffective Breathing function of breathing is
gaseous exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between cells and outer environment
oxygen reach alveoli then diffuses into blood
300 million alveoli form endings of terminal branches of bronchial tree forming 100 sq. m
total ventilation of 7.5 liters per minute is necessary to draw in 0.3 l/min of oxygen and rid 0.25 l/min of carbon dioxide
mucus is produced 10-100 ml/day dependant upon local irritants
diaphragm used as a bellow to draw in air
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Solution: Aerobic Breathing oxygen is the most
important nutrient old pattern of restricted
and shallow breathing new pattern of active and
deep inhaling using diaphragm as a bellow, pause, allow relaxed exhaling, pause, etc.
Hendler, SS, MD, PhD. The Oxygen Break-through:. William Morrow, New York, 1989
tracheabrochus
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Active Inhaling
(airsacs)
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Problem: Dehydration water is essential in all
functions of the body …yet many are dehydrated
the Extra-cellular Fluid or ECF surrounding the cell determines the efficiency of transport of nutrients into the cell and the elimination of toxins outside of cells
an acidic ECF can slow the transport of nutrients and toxins
whereas a basic or alkaline ECF can increase the carrying capacity and transport of water, nutrients... and improve cleansing and elimination
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Solution: Basic Drinking water is the second most
important nutrient (makes up 70% of body)
tap water is toxic purified water is acidic drink pH-balanced purified
water to remineralize, rehydrate and rebalance pH in the body (spring, mineral, glacial waters)Batmanghelidj, F, MD. Your Body’s man Cries for Water. Global Health Sollutions, VA, 1996
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Problem: Toxic Foods food represents not only
nutrients to the body, but also fulfills cultural, emotional and social needs
cravings for certain foods may be caused by infection, toxicities not just from nutrient deficiencies
foods can affect moods, cravings, concentration, allergies, infections, pH balance, bowel regularity, bone density, aches and pains, hormones, muscular function, coordination, etc.
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Solution: Clean Eating China Diet and Health
Study: China-Oxford-Cornell study by Colin Campbell, PhD and his colleagues looked at the role of diet on disease rates over a period of 8 years, with over 100,000 Chinese in over 65 provinces
so far, it showed that the closer one approaches a total plant food diet, the greater the health benefit, ie. there is no threshold level with levels of vegetable or meat intakeGood Medicine. The China Health Study Today. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Vol 3, No 3, 1994
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Solution: Clean Eating good quality food is
essential for fuel, repair, and maintenance
organic plant-based foods to derive highest nutritional value and less agrichemicals
variety, moderation, live-food, chewing, supplementation, etc.Robbins, J. Diet For A New America. Stillpoint Publishing, 1987
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The Ideal Okinawan Diet- Lots of fresh organic
vegetables (7-13x/d)- Lots of natural whole
grains (7-13x/d)- Some flavonoid foods
like soy (2-4x/d)- Some calcium foods
like seaweed or dairy (2-4x/d)
- Some fruit (2-4x/d)- Little animal protein
(0-2x/d)- Chew foods well, eat
small portions, eat regularly, eat slowly
* Note – each serving is approx. ½ cup
Wilcox, Wilcox, Susuki, 2001. “The Okinawan Program” Clarkson Potter Publishers, NY
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Problem: Toxic World we live in a toxic world
with chemicals from factories and trucks to pesticides and oral drugs
In 1989, a total of 5.7 Billion pounds of pollutants were released into the environment in just 1 year in North America which may be breathed, ingested and lived in
More than 1 Billion pounds of chemicals were released into the ground, contaminating soil and water table
Over 188 Million pounds of chemicals were discharged into waters
More than 2.4 Billion pounds of chemical emissions were pumped into the airEPA, Dec 1992 Did You Know Our Toxic Times, Vol 3 (12): 5
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Solution: Detoxifying as cars require regular
maintenance work, so our bodies also require cleansing and tuning
exotoxins as xenobiotics from the polluted environment
endotoxins as residues from daily metabolism
needs to be medically supervised and gradual
Joe’s Auto Detox Center
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Problem: Sedentary Lifestyle The “couch potato”
syndrome is something that affects many
Only 21% of Canadians were classified as active, 23% were moderately active and over half were inactive1996-97 National Population Health Survey
Trend worsened in 1998 with 63% being inactive1998 Physical Activity Monitor
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Solution: Exercising important for toning up
muscles, circulation, and cleansing
increase heart rate by 10 to 25% for 15 to 30 minutes 3 times a week
examples include brisk walking, hiking, biking, swimming, and sports
important to have fun!
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Problem: Lack of Faith & Love Negative stress Negative attitudes Negative behavioural
patterns Emotional trauma Emotional baggage
Lack of focus, purpose, passion
Lack of faith Lack of love Lack of fun Etc.
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Research in Faith Healing Masked, double blind study of 219 women age 26 to 46
were undergoing in vitro fertilization embryo transfer Those assigned to intercessory prayer experienced a
pregnancy rate of 50% vs. 26% in no-prayer controls Note the subjects lived in Seoul Korea, while the prayers
were delivered in US, Canada and Australia
Cha, KY, et al, 2001. Does Prayer Influence the Success of in vitro fertilization – Embryo Transfer? Report of a Masked, Randomized Trial. J Reprod Med 46(9):781-7
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Solution: Faith & Love Meditation or prayer Clear up past
emotional clutter Positive attitude More joy Companionship /
relationship building Community
involvement
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Reality: Unhealthy Lifestyle Exercise – over 50% have
sedentary lifestyle Smoking - dropped from 50% in
1965 to only 33% in 1986, then leveled off; only 31% in 1994
Alcohol - almost 75% of adult drank in 1993, highest rates of drinkers in BC and Quebec
Nutrition - past 20 years, reduced red meat, eggs, butter; now eat more poultry, fish, low-fat milk, cheese, yogurt, vegetables
Canada Year Book 1997, Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada, 1996.
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The Ideal Okinawan Lifestyle Diet – mostly vegetables
& complex carbs Exercises – martial arts,
dance, garden, walk Psychospiritual – stress
management, faith in humanity, personal/ group responsibility, meditation, prayer
Medicine – integration of Eastern and Western medicine
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Dr. Kenneth Pelletier Says…“Without any significant attempt to prevent disease, it is certain that the aging of our global society will soon overwhelm our ability to respond.”Author of “Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer: A Holistic Approach to Preventing Stress Disorders” 1977, Dell Publishing Co, New York
“Healthy People in Unhealthy Places: Stress and Fitness at Work” 1984, Dell Publishing Co, New York