In the United States, rising health care costs are a substantial problem. As a nation, we spend massive amounts of money to get the best health care available. With all of the money we are spending, it would seem that we should be the healthiest people in the world. Unfortunately this is not the case. As we continue to increase our health care spending, we are only getting sicker.
The primary causes for chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes are biochemical and physiological imbalances. These imbalances are mostly due to the unnatural, processed foods that we are putting in our bodies. As long as we continue to eat the wrong foods, it doesn't matter how much we spend on health care, we will still be getting sick.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. On a global scale, about 452 million people die each year from this condition. The sad fact behind these deaths is that they are mostly preventable. With the proper nutrition, this condition can not only be prevented, but reversed.
Exercise is often extolled as a preventative measure for heart disease. While exercise is very important to health and wellbeing, it is not the most critical factor. Many people who suffer from high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension and diabetes still have these conditions even when they are following a regular program of exercise. The benefits from exercise alone are not sufficient for preventing heart disease, diabetes and the long list of other chronic illnesses that afflict our society.
There has been much emphasis placed on nutrition and its role in prevention. The problem is that there is often a lack of understanding about what constitutes proper nutrition. Counting calories and monitoring fat, protein and carbohydrate intake is not going to prevent heart disease. It's not just the number of calories, carbohydrates or fat you're taking in that matter. It comes down to the nature and quality of the food.
A natural, whole foods, plant-based diet has been shown to prevent and reverse heart disease. Experts have written books with extensive scientific evidence showing how animal-based foods contribute to chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. There are many examples of patients who have cured themselves of heart disease simply by eliminating animal products and other unhealthy substances from their diet.
In addition to removing animal products from the diet, it is also important to cut out all unnatural substances. Artificial ingredients and processed foods have chemicals that do a significant amount of damage to the body. A food, such as an apple, that was originally healthy becomes unhealthy after it has been processed into some other product.
When you take out all processed foods and artificial ingredients and abstain from eating animal products, you are left with only the most nutritious foods in your diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables have a high concentration of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals. All of these substances work together harmoniously in ways that modern science still does not completely understand. Our technology cannot surpass the engineering of nature to provide us with the best possible nutrition.
When we as a society learn how to eat for optimal health, we will see drastic reductions in chronic illnesses and their related costs. We do not need to live in fear of heart disease. Once we change our lifestyle and eating habits and follow the proper guidelines for nutrition, we can eliminate this illness and enjoy far greater health.