Part 1 of a 2-part article

It is an admirable goal that the President and Congress are debating various proposals known as “Health Care Reform.” Every American citizen should have insurance but something is missing.

Lost in the debate and headlines is the fact that having health insurance does not increase your chances of being healthy.  It gives immense peace of mind for catastrophic costs of illness, but another choice far more rewarding is getting healthy and remaining healthy.

Most insurances costs are for chronic and preventable illnesses related to lifestyle choices.  It is far wiser to create good health and by following my 4-step plan, you will produce your own personal Health Care Reform.

In this 2-part article, we’ll look at why foods and lifestyle choices lead to chronic illness and disease and how you can make simple changes.

Step No. 1 Eliminate Harmful Foods and Behaviors
The Surgeon General has kept us aware for the last several dozen years that cigarette smoking is harmful.  Today, 140,000 people die of lung cancer every year while 16 million Americans have diabetes, 57 million have pre-diabetes and an estimated 195,000 lose their lives annually to diabetes.  The diabetes numbers are staggering.

Sugars and Simple Carbohydrates
A common bad choice for millions of Americans is over-consumption of fast foods, foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates. We need warnings on these foods that are just as harmful as carcinogens in cigarettes.

If you question this, look no further than heart disease and diabetes.  Foods high in sugar and simple carbohydrates lead to elevated blood sugars that cause inflammation.  This is the root cause of heart disease and other vascular problems.

The inflammatory process from sugars and simple carbohydrates causes cholesterol in our blood (even in normal ranges) to enter the artery wall building plaque that eventually ruptures with disastrous consequences like a heart attack.  In the absence of inflammation, cholesterol would float freely in and out of the artery wall as intended.

In diabetes, inflammation in the vessels results in loss of kidneys, eyesight and limbs.   Diabetics ultimately losing their lives tragically, prematurely and needlessly.

Not very long ago sugar was a rare treat reserved for special occasions while simple carbohydrates were consumed at a bare minimum.  Today they have become a basic staple consumed in large quantities.

It is medically indisputable that a dramatic rise in inflammatory diseases such as diabetes and heart disease begins with higher intakes of sugar and simple carbohydrates.  Your favorite cereals contain as much as 14 grams of sugar per serving.

The CDC states 27% of US deaths annually are from heart disease while the AHA estimates 33%.

Omega-6, Fast and Processed Foods
The fear of saturated fat brought recommendations to use vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower and cottonseed.  We cook with these oils; they are liberally used in processed foods further compounded by fast food chains’ excessive use.

Omega-6 fatty acids in vegetable oils are a leading cause of excess inflammation in your body.   Omega-6s metabolize into pro-inflammatory chemicals which cause inflammation-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, obesity and heart disease.

The Surgeon General may not issues warnings, but you can do something now.

Be aware these foods create inflammation and eliminate them as much as possible from your diet.   We are not consuming these products occasionally; we are consuming them every day in massive quantities.

Return to eating real, whole, nutritious foods with lots of color — and if you must have sugar, make it a rare and special occasion.

These simple changes in foods you consume will have a dramatically positive affect upon elevated inflammation in your body.

Step No. 2 Exercise Reduces Inflammation
Before you moan and say yes, I know I need to join a gym or take up a sport, my step is good news and quite simple — just take a walk.  A dramatic case in point is my older brother diagnosed with high blood pressure who began taking medication. My advice to him was walk just 30 minutes a day.

After two weeks following my advice, he fainted arising from a chair because his blood pressure was too low.  His doctor stopped medication and as long as he continued walking, his blood pressure remained normal.

You’ve heard exercise advice for years but do you know why?

Only recently has research demonstrated that moderate exercise as simply as a brisk walk 15 to 30 minutes a day, substantially changes your risk profile and lowers inflammation.  While exercising, your muscles produce significant quantities of anti-inflammatory chemicals that lower inflammation in your body and arteries.

Surprisingly over time, how you feel from this simple step will propel you into exercising more; and of course, the more the better within the limits of your physical capabilities.

In Part 2 we’ll look at new science on inflammatory fat cells, losing weight and the right supplements to reduce inflammation.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Dwight Lundell is the past Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital, Mesa, AZ.  His private practice, Cardiac Care Center was in Mesa, AZ.  Recently Dr. Lundell left surgery to focus on the nutritional treatment of heart disease.  He is the founder of Healthy Humans Foundation that promotes human health with a focus on helping large corporations promote wellness. Dr. Lundell is the author of The Great Cholesterol Lie. Click here now to learn more.]

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