Let’s just start with looking at our health problems recently & the statistics.  According to the “Mayo Clinic” in 2011 the top male and female problems vary a little.  The health problems that are similar to them are the ones we need to be more concerned about since the ones I will be presenting to you are brought on to many Americans cause of poor health habits (which includes diet with activity).  They state that cardiac disease is #1 killer for both men and women.  The American Heart Association in 2011  state cardiac disease, which does cause many heart attacks and strokes, with killing more people than all forms of cancer combined.

*****Two major factors that would decrease the amount in cardiac disease if people stop smoking and eat HEALTHIER=low fat, low sodium and occasional fast foods, if ever in their diet.   Fast foods frequently eaten just doesn’t cut healthy.        Another helpful key is routine exercise.*******

*2011  Lung cancer was the cancer that caused most deaths in both men and women.  Women are also greatly affected with breast cancer and colorectal cancer, according to the Mayo clinic 2011.  To help in decreasing the chance of cancer eat HEALTHY, wear sunscreen, don’t smoke, and get regular cancer screenings.

*COPD=Respiratory Diseases classified as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which includes  Emphysema or Bronchitis.  The National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute in 2011 recommended quit smoking to prevent COPD (esp. Emphysema which is the largest RISK factor in getting it).  When you smoke you expand the lung tissue and keep expanding it as you continue smoking.  It doesn’t reverse and after years you have difficulty exchanging oxygen (when inhaled) with carbon dioxide (when exhale-ed) at the lung base & this is because of stretching the lung tissue so bad.  The answer is either QUIT or NEVER smoke and band smoking.  The U.S. lung cancer census would go down markedly in a 5-10 years *Diabetes 2 is a diabetes that you are not born with but can get later in life.  It is also a leading killer for both men and women in the U.S.  A lot of cases seem to be due to unhealthy eating that goes into obesity that causes the individual to end up with diabetes.  This disease causes damage to many organs of the body in time.  Due to the high glucose levels (hyperglycemia) it damages the kidney causing for many to be put on hemodialysis 3x/wk usually, giving heart disease, neuropathy (down the legs usually), and retinopathy=blindness, in time.  To prevent this disease losing weight (with staying in a normal body mass index), doing routine exercise, and eating healthy will help a great deal, especially started young.  *In 2011 Alzheimer’s disease was the fifth leading cause of death in women and the tenth in men.  We really don’t know what the etiology is but there may be a link between this disease and heart disease, including head injuries.  What could help this prevent this?  One eating healthy, two routine exercise-as simple as walking regularly daily or 2 to 3 times a week and eating healthy to prevent cardiac disease. Also, drive safely with the seat belt on, no texting, no cell phone to prevent a MVA & hitting your head. *Kidney disease in 2011 the ninth leading cause of death for both males and females in the U.S.  It can be caused by high blood pressure or diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. The American Diabetes Association stressed the importance of keeping your blood sugar under control if you are a diabetic in order to prevent kidney disease if done soon enough.   To prevent this disease it is the same as cardiac and diabetes prevention (listed above) but the sooner started the better.

This ends part 1 and tomorrow I will provide information on what Americans can do in decreasing these diseases, in time.

“There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences.”

P. J. O’Rourke (American political satirist and author)

America if we don’t make the move to help our lives regarding health in our nations society we will without question take consequences, its already started.  Learn how we can make that move through the articles on striveforgoodhealth.com in decreasing disease in this country.

Heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes continue to be leading causes of death among older adults, based on the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (saving lives and protecting people…CDC).

They also provide the following:                                                                                      

Baby Boomers for the next 25 years equating to over 70 million people can live longer lives with them combining to double the population of older Americans in the next quarter of a century.  Baby Boomers can take steps to live long and healthy lives as opposed to a lot of their parents who died much younger.   Living healthier will play a positive impact on the health care system.  Starting a step towards prevention or treatment (Rx) of a present disease that you can improve is a mission we Americans owe to ourselves, our young ones, and to our nation’s future.

Through healthy dieting and behaviors (Ex. activity, nutrition, staying in your therapeutic body mass index, controlling stress both physically and mentally, oral health and dealing with any disability reaching the optimal health level you can reach) you can reach a healthier way to living.  If the majority of our nation lives healthier, shows progress in promoting prevention, improving the health and well-being of older adults with reducing behaviors that contribute to premature death and disability will increase a healthier population in the U.S.

Baby boomers should do the following with diet and exercise:

Get Screened

Get screened including flu vaccine, pneumonia vaccine, colorectal cancer screening, and mammography for women.

Mammography is the best available method to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. Women aged 50 and over should get mammograms every two years.

Colorectal cancer screening tests can find precancerous polyps so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer. They can also detect colorectal cancer early, when treatment works best. Older adults should be screened for colorectal cancer by having a fecal occult blood test during the past year or a colonoscopy within 10 years.

Get Vaccinated

Flu and pneumonia is the seventh leading cause of death among adults 65 years or older, despite the availability of effective vaccines. Older adults should get the flu vaccine every year and get the pneumonia vaccine at least once.

Be Physically Active

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things older adults can do for their health. Physical activity can prevent many of the health problems that may come with age, including the risk of falls.

How Much Activity Do Older Adults Need?

2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) every week and muscle-strengthening activities for 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.   OR    1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., jogging or running) every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.   OR    An equivalent mix of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups.

Eat Fruits and Vegetables Daily

Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some cancers and chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Quit Smoking

Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. For help visit  www.smokefree.gov.

Take Medication for High Blood Pressure and Diabetes

High blood pressure & Diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, it’s one of the leading causes of illness and death among older adults. More than ½ of Americans don’t have their blood pressure under control.  Complianceis so essential in treating HTN, Diabetes or any disease including what your M.D. feels you need as a medication, if needed.  The only way to find out is by seeing your health care providers, such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, who can track their patient’s blood pressure, prescribe once-a-day medications, and give clear instructions on how to take blood pressure & diabetic medications.

Patients should take the initiative or responsibility to monitor their blood pressure and sugar levels (finger sticks) between medical visits and know what abnormal values to report to their MD.  Including taking their medications as prescribed, tell their doctor about any side effects, and make lifestyle changes, such as eating a low-sodium/low-calorie diet, exercising, and stopping smoking.

Do you want a better body, or a healthier society making our country America better overall?, than go no further and click onto healthy usa.tsfl.com. that will give you the direction to reaching both a better body and society if enough do it.   Healthyusa.tsfl.com provides you with information that you get to decide in choosing whether or not to use.  We provide through Dr. Anderson and his book “Dr. A’s healthy habits” and even provided your own private health coach me (an RN 25 years plus).  This is no donation site, no hacking website, just a site providing information on how to live a healthier life.  I hope you join me with many others who are striving for this goal.  Take a peek; )

You say HOW? They are high in vitamins, minerals, some with antitoxins (helping the immune system) and have anti-inflammatory effects that can help you build up to your optimal health. Some fruits have soluble fiber in them that slows down the breakdown of complex carbohydrates and helps reduce blood sugar. Fruit taken in proper portions (moderate amts.) can even help lower blood cholesterol. Soluble fiber is not just in rye, barley, oats, and vegetables but in fruits as well. Insoluble fiber can’t be absorbed or digested by the human body but can still provide the body with advantages like reducing hunger, stimulates regular bowel movements, and can be found in fruits as well as vegetables, seeds whole wheat bread and other foods. One of my healthy eating rules is know what the food’s makeup is before eating it; yes this includes calories, fat, sugars, carbs and sodium but knowing the energy density in the foods you eat is very important too. Foods with the lowest density are foods that help curb your appetite that can help you maintain or even lose weight. The lowest energy density food group contains healthy foods like most vegetables and fruits with based broth soups & skim milk. The highest density groups are cookies, chips, nuts, full-fat condiments, chocolate and butter (not the best nutritional foods to be eating regularly). Remember, if you’re trying to be healthy or even losing weight than know fruits are high glycemic foods. If you eat too much fruit at one time it will result in high glycemic amounts in your body at that one time putting you at risk for fat storage=weight gain. You see, digestion of the foods whether calories, carbohydrates, sugars, or some fats get broken down into simple or complex sugar molecules=glucose or fructose. One of the body’s major fuels for energy so we can function with working properly & survive is glucose (the same concept like fuel for a car=gas=it operates).

The body utilizes glucose after digestion takes place in the stomach where the foods break down into simple and complex sugars than transferred into our bloodstream as our active fuel for energy (like our car’s tank sending gas to the engine to be able to run). Our fuel, being the glucose, then gets sent to all our tissues and into our cells but only for the amount they need at that time (sort of like the car in filling the gas tank to full). When our body reaches full for all energy needed to all areas of the body at that time if there is extra un-needed glucose in the bloodstream it has to go somewhere and the body stores it=fat storage=weight gain. Take the car, the storage reservoir is the gas tank it only stores in the tank, but if the tank reaches full with gas (its energy) it would just overflow as opposed to the human body with extra glucose in the bloodstream=our extra fuel which doesn’t overflow by leaving our body somehow but gets stored in our body as fat storage. Thus, when it’s needed (glucose) it will be released back in the bloodstream. If you more frequently have in your body more overflow of glucose versus the need for it you’ll have more fat storage occuring as opposed to energy utilized by the body. This causes you to be at a higher risk of becoming overweight to obese (that’s the logic in eating 6 small low glycemic meals a day which prevents this from happening). To prevent a high risk of becoming overweight to obese stay off of 3 large meals/day and high sugar snacks during the day. Also, don’t have constant healthy frequent high glycemic meals day in and day out especially with no activity/exercise other than your regular activities of daily living, which doesn’t count as exercise.

Remember, eat fruits in moderation not in excess; including the size of your meals (don’t allow the size of the plate greater than 9″ including NO second helpings). The key to eating healthy is to include all 4 food groups (Meats/Fishes, Vegetables, Fruits, and Dairy) and eat your first meal for the day within 30 minutes. If you want to learn more information about this to begin eating healthier with the 4 food groups and in the proper portion sizes than go no further. My website can give you the information in knowing how to eat so that it affects your metabolism and weight distribution in the body therapeutically. You can also learn exercise that fits into your lifestyle (ranging from walking fast 30 minutes for 2 to 3 times a week to daily workouts) with knowing healthy habits to add in your life to stay or get within your ideal weight. The ending result is you feel better, look better, and have higher odds you’ll live a longer life that allows more excitement in it due to being in better shape. Let Dr. Anderson through his book and myself, being your health coach, give you direction onto the pathway you need until you get yourself on the right track of health independently. Before going to my website here is also information on how sugar affects the body on disease and illness.

“Every citizen who stops smoking, or loses a few pounds, or starts managing his chronic disease with real diligence, is caulking a crack for the benefit of us all.”

Mitch Daniels (born April 7, 1949) is an American politician who is the president of Purdue University and former Governor of Indiana. A member of the Republican Party, he served two terms as governor from 2005 to 2013.)

The crisis is clear. Chronic diseases are crushing healthcare.

Our healthcare system is good at treating short-term problems, such as broken bones and infections. Medical advances are helping people live longer. But obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. The population is aging. We need to do a much better job managing chronic diseases.

Chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and Alzheimer’s disease take a heavy toll on health. Chronic conditions also cost vast amounts of money. The trends are going in the wrong direction:

• Obesity increases the risk of developing conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. The rate of obesity in adults has doubled in the last 20 years. It has almost tripled in kids ages 2-11. It has more than tripled in children ages 12-19.²
• Without big changes, 1 in 3 babies born today will develop diabetes in their lifetime.³
• Average healthcare costs for someone who has one or more chronic conditions is 5 times greater than for someone without any chronic conditions.⁴
• Chronic diseases account for $3 of every $4 spent on healthcare. That’s nearly $7,900 for every American with a chronic disease.¹

These chronic diseases drive healthcare costs at an alarming annual rate:

• Heart Disease and Stroke: $432 billion/year.⁵
• Diabetes: $174 billion/year.⁶
• Lung Disease: $154 billion/year.⁸
• Alzheimer’s Disease: $148 billion/year.⁷

The Human Cost

The human cost of chronic diseases cannot be ignored:

• Chronic diseases cause 7 out of every 10 deaths.¹
• Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease are the leading causes of disability and death in the US.
• About 25% of people with chronic diseases have some type of activity limitation. This includes difficulty or needing help with personal tasks such as dressing or bathing. It may also mean being restricted from work or attending school.⁹
• Today, Americans suffering from chronic diseases face rising healthcare costs. They also receive lower quality care and have fewer options.
• Health insurance co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses continue to rise. In many cases, choices and care are limited.
• The disabling and long-term symptoms that often come with chronic diseases add to extended pain and suffering. This decreases the overall quality of life.

We must face the epidemic of chronic diseases. If we don’t, the human costs will continue to soar. We might even face a lack of available or affordable care when it is needed most.

The financial and human costs of chronic diseases can no longer be ignored.

There is a way we can prevent this and it would be keeping your weight ideal for your height within the therapeutic body mass index range (calculate it for free online).  If you need to lose weight you’ve come to the right blog.  Do it through diet, exercise balanced with rest and practicing routine healthy habits that prone you to having a healthy body overall which prevents disease.  So many diseases are due to these factors not practiced daily =  good diet with exercise, healthy habits and a therapeutic weight for your height.  If we had most of American citizens living this way certain diseases would be decreased terribly helping our country out with this economy of ours with the health care system.  If you need assistance in reaching these healthy practices   Do you want a better fit body or even an overall
healthier family including grandchildren to even our country than take the
action NOW.  For your goal in playing a part in living healthier and spreading the good news would benefit you and all around us.  Also, for the next decade & generation to
be healthier will help Americans holistically in their lives all around (including our health care showing a spread of disease in lower percentage due to healthier dieting and activity choices by our people, who are so important in helping to decide where the health of the present and future of the US citizens lies.  Should it take our government to make a move (finally after so many years)?   I know I wouldn’t want them making the last move in our society and if you want to take part in joining me (at almost 50 y/o) than go to healthyusa.tsfl.com and be a part of making our home a healthy USA.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Disease Overview: Costs of Chronic Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/overview.htm. Accessed July 24, 2007.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight and Obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/index.htm. Accessed July 24, 2007.
3. American Diabetes Association. The Dangerous Toll of Diabetes. American Diabetes Association Web site. Available at http://diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/dangerous-toll.jsp. Accessed May 18, 2007.
4. Partnership for Solutions. Chronic Conditions: Making the Case for Ongoing Care, September 2004 Update. Partnership for Solutions Web site. Available at http://www.partnershipforsolutions.org/DMS/files/ chronicbook2004.pdf. Accessed July 24, 2007.
5. Mensah G, Brown D. An overview of cardiovascular disease burden in the United States. Health Aff 2007; 26:38-48.
6. American Diabetes Association. Direct and Indirect Costs of Diabetes in the United States. American Diabetes Association Web site. Available at http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/ cost-of-diabetes-in-us.jsp. Accessed September 20, 2007.
7. Alzheimer’s Association. Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures 2007. Alzheimer’s Association Web site. Available at http://www.alz.org/national/documents/Report_2007FactsAndFigures.pdf. Accessed April 10, 2007.
8. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Morbidity and Mortality: 2004 Chart Book on Cardiovascular, Lung, and Blood Diseases. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, 2004.
9. Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. The Implications for Individuals. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Web site. Available at http://www.fightchronicdisease.org/implications/you.cfm. Accessed July 24, 2007

“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.”

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  an American author best known for his inspirational book, Life’s Little Instruction Book, which was a New York Timesbestseller (1991=1994)

There is many of us in this world with knowing how our activity/exercise, eating, and habits could be better for health but do little action if any on our own to change it, which is a large part for certain diseases being so high in America (diabetes, stroke, cardiac diseases=high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis to CHF and more).  If people were more healthier and more active regarding these diseases alone it would decrease in population creating a positive impact on how our health system with insurance presently (a disaster) with our economy for many could get better.  A healthy heart can pump to all parts of the body in a few seconds which is good cardiac output from the organ but when it gets hard for the heart to keep up with its regular routine it first compensates to eventually it decompensates causing ischemia (lack of oxygen to the heart tissue).  It’s like any tissue in the body, lack of oxygen=lack of nutrients to the body tissue=STARVATION and with lack of oxygen will come PAIN eventually to death if not treated.  Take the heart, if it isn’t getting enough oxygen it can go into angina.  That is reversible since it is heart pain due to not enough oxygen to the heart tissue=no damage but if left untreated what will occur is a heart attack=myocardial infarction (MI) and is permanent damage because scarring to the heart tissue takes place. 

 Let’s understand what the heart can develop over time with an unhealthy heart due to bad health habits.  If you are eating too much for too long foods high in sodium your vessels will narrow in size.  By allowing this you increase the pressure in the vessels that increases your blood pressure called hypertension.  If you are also inactive you are at risk of obesity which puts stress on the heart and in time causing high B/P.  Constantly be in a high B/P and this could cause the vessel to rupture (at the heart=possible heart attack, at the brain=possible stroke, also called CVA with both on high occurrences in our population of the US.).   With bad habits (especially poor diet, inactive, and smoking) you can cause over time atherosclerosis=a blockage in the artery with the resolution surgery (from a cardiac catheterization up your groin or having difficulty in the arm to the heart where an angiogram to an angioplasty with possibly a stent is performed or if the blockage to blockages is so bad a CABG=coronary artery bypass=a 6hr plus operation where diversion of a vein from your leg (donor graft site) around the blockage is done.  Smoking can lead to this but it also can cause your vessels to become brittle=arteriosclerosis.  Healthy Habits would impact a positive result for all people who have had this diagnosis before but most important be a great PREVENTATIVE measure for people not diagnosed with cardiac disease.    There are 4 things you have no control over heredity, age, sex, and race but healthy habits are sure to benefit you by keeping the odds down of you inheriting, help your age factor, and race a lot can be associated with eating cultural habits. 

If you make the decision to live a life that’s healthy for your heart through proper eating, doing healthy habits and doing some exercise or activity with balancing rest in your busy schedule and would like direction or want to expand your diet/exercise/healthy habits then you came to the right blog.  Go to my website for no fee, no charge, no hacking, just letting you check us out to look further in understanding how to take a healthier shape for your life with Dr. Anderson and even myself as your health coach in helping you learn what healthier habits or changes you feel you need and want for a healthier way of living. It allows you to make all the decisions in what you want to do regarding your health.  Includes what to eat (diet), what exercise/activity, and what healthy habits you want to add in your life.  We just provide the information and healthy foods in your diet through information to broaden your knowledge even a catalog on diet foods, if you so choose to do so.  You make all the choices.  Wouldn’t you want less heart disease or obesity or diabetes for yourself and for others throughout the nation including the future generations?  Than join me and others.  Thank you for taking the time to read my article in how we can help you with others gets healthier you including a healthier USA.  Click onto heathyusa.tsfl.com and I hope to hear from you soon.  If you like what you see spread the good cheer.   Let’s build a stronger foundation regarding HEALTH in America.