The Importance of a Healthy Lifestyle
July 6, 2017
By Don Scarborough, MS, PA-C
Every food, drink, stress, cigarette, physical activity, or lack thereof, leads each of us toward health or disease. Often, we put highly addictive, processed food in our mouth that looks and acts nothing like the food of our ancestors. The food of our ancestors was whole food, grown and raised on a farm or in the back yard, it came from the earth and was the majority of calories consumed. They would expend many calories to grow food, hunt, gather, and prepare their food daily and were thus extremely physically active.
Our society is now dependent on large amounts of highly concentrated foods with added sugar, sodium, fat and flour in most items found in grocery stores. The average American‘s sugar consumption has tripled over the last 50 years. At the same time, the CDC estimates that nearly 80% of adult Americans do not get the recommended amount of exercise of 2.5 hours each week. This combination of highly addictive food with minimal to no physical activity is leading to an epidemic of obesity, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and strokes, which are among the leading causes of death in the USA.
For example, we can go through a drive-up window, expend approximately 7 calories to hand over money to grab 1,500 to 2,000 calories in high sodium, high sugar and high fat food. So that’s 1,493 to 1,993 calories in excess filling our fat stores or raising our blood sugar. Compare that amount of processed food with minimal fiber entering our body and blood stream vs whole food loaded with high octane nutrition that releases slowly into our system while adding fluid, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Therefore, if we are going to impact our health it is going to have to be through proper diet, dealing with food addiction, physical exercise, spending time outside and coping with daily stressors.
“If someone wishes for good health, one must first ask oneself if he/she is ready to do away with the reasons for his/her illness. Only then is it possible to help them.” Hippocrates approximately 300 BC
Strada Healthcare providers will help you navigate through the stress, nutrition and exercise routines to give you optimum health for disease prevention. We have time to visit with you, establish a plan and make you a happier, healthier you.