Unhealthy lifestyle choices such as a lack of exercise, poor diet, and inadequate stress tempering techniques to relieve chronic stress can all lead to the development of chronic disease or increase the progression of it. Yes, it is true that the chronic diseases that truly plague our society are in fact mostly ‘man-made’. But there is great news. With new healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors, many chronic diseases are preventable! Even people with a genetic predisposition to certain chronic health conditions can learn to maintain healthy lifestyle choices and reduce their risk, defer the onset or at least better manage these chronic health conditions.
As much as we pride ourselves in innovative medicine and lifesaving procedures, as a country we fail when it comes to our overall state of health. While we spend more on health care than any other country, as a country we have a very poor health status. We don’t even rank in the top 100 in overall health. Why? Our prevalence of the chronic disease is off the charts including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. And all fingers point in the direction of lifestyle.
In the early 2000s, great attention was paid to the mapping of the genome. Our hope was that it would shed major light on the DNA mapping of these diseases and hence very specific and targeted treatment. It didn’t really go that way. We did learn however that the genetic tendencies a person has towards any given disease could in large part be influenced by their environment and lifestyle. In so much, this has healthcare providers, who are truly committed to bringing their patients to greater health, focused on patient education, therapeutic lifestyle choices and integrative therapies that support the person’s own genetic expression of health.
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We all could start with the basics of these lifestyle choices:
- Eating cleaner, much less junk, sugar, and artificial things, more fibrous fruits and vegetables, pure water, and less processed foods and meats.
- Moving our bodies more, at least with moderate exercise at first and then with some rigor once we are in shape.
- Making adequate time daily for stress tempering exercises and thinking along with adequate time for rest and sleep to rejuvenate the body and mind.
These fundamentals practiced with, as this is a major key, unwavering commitment, and consistency will go a long way for many of us to prevent or at least manage any health condition we may encounter in our lifetime.
While many people understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, they lack the skills and dedication needed to sustain these good habits. At Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation (NMR) our doctors provide appropriate interventions and encourage healthful behaviors by educating our patients with nutritional counseling, physical reconditioning and stress tempering techniques to start and maintain these healthy lifestyle habits to ensure a healthier lifespan and increased quality of life. NMR’s foundation has always been lifestyle based steeped in the concept of the Triad of Health which looks at what we eat, think and do. Probably more than any other conditions, the NMR Triad of Health applies to chronic disease that our country, unfortunately, knows all too well.
To learn more, take advantage of our complimentary consultation by calling 908-252-0242.
Dr. Sferra is board certified in Chiropractic Medicine and Chiropractic Neurology, a Certified Clinical Nutritionist and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association. He is the founder and Clinic Director of Natural Medicine & Rehabilitation. For more information visit www.NMRNJ.com, or call 908-252-0242.