You’re Killing Me
Lifestyle Diseases: Lifestyle Diseases are killing people.
Whether it’s through choice, habit or ignorance, people are slowly dying everyday while their loving family & friends wonder, “How did this happen?”
Although sometimes these diseases are not related to lifestyles, many times, they are preventable, reversible or better managed by making informed decisions about daily choices, changing habits and learning more about the disease & its development.
Take some time to read how to optimize your lifestyle so that you don’t become one of the statistics listed below.
Death Stats in the USA (source CDC's FastStats & USAFacts):
Some causes of death can be prevented, reversed or better managed when risk factors are reduced. Improving lifestyle choices, habits & disease knowledge can help improve one’s changes of being healthier.
NOTE: Other than lifestyle risk factors, some other risk factors for developing one of the diseases below are:
1) genetics,
2) environmental exposure (air pollution, poor water quality, chemical/toxin exposure) &
3) social determinants (access to medical care, fresh foods, safe living conditions, social support & information).
Disease - Annual Deaths (% of Total Deaths), Approximate Deaths/Day, Some Diseases Associated with Lifestyle Risk Factors
Heart Disease - 695,547 deaths (21.1%), ~1,905/day
Coronary Artery Disease (clogged arteries), Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Atrial Fibrillation, Hypertensive Heart Disease
Cancer - 605,213 deaths (18.4%), ~1,658/day
Lung, Colorectal, Breast, Prostate, Stomach, Liver, Esophageal, Skin, Kidney
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases - 142,342 deaths (4.3%), ~390/day
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, Asthma, Interstitial Lung Disease
Stroke - 160,264 deaths (4.9%), ~439/day
Ischemic Stroke, Hemorrhagic Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack, Atherosclerosis of Cerebral Arteries , Cerebral Aneurysm
Alzheimer's Disease - 120,122 deaths (3.6%), ~329/day
Alzheimer’s Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Mixed Dementia
Diabetes - 101,209 deaths (3.1%), ~277/day
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Diabetic Nephropathy, Diabetic Retinopathy, Peripheral Neuropathy
Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis - 54,803 deaths (1.7%), ~150/day
Alcoholic Liver Disease, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Kidney Disease - 57,937 deaths (1.8%), ~159/day
Chronic Kidney Disease, Acute Kidney Injury, Diabetic Nephropathy, Polycystic Kidney Disease
Known Killers:
It’s rarely just one killer. Know your killers & be prepared to fight back to save your life.
And, if you have a family history of a known disease, be prepared to fight back even harder.
List of Known Killers:
Sub-optimal Nutrition: Saturated Fats (animal-food products), Packed/Processed Foods, Sugar, Refined Carbohydrates
Physical Inactivity: Sedentary Lifestyles
Overweight/Obesity: BMI Over 25/BMI Over 30; Waistline Greater than 40 inches (Male) &
High Blood Pressure
High Blood Sugar (Glucose)
Emotional, Social & Financial Stresses
Smoking: Cigarettes, Cigars, Pipes, Vapes
Alcohol Use: Daily Moderate to Excessive Amounts, Weekly Binge Drinking
Sun Exposure: Excessive & frequent sunburns
Driving Under the Influence or Driving Erratically: If you feel ‘funny’, you will drive ‘funny’.
Occupational / Environmental Air Quality: Soot, Dust, Asbestos
Overdosing / Accidental Poisoning: Misuse or Miscalculation of drugs; Mislabeled containers
Sleep quality: long periods of limited sleep duration or sleep cycles
Loneliness: Loss of social connections due to unwillingness to take action to connect or reconnect
Viral infections related to drug use: No precautions taken when using needles
Dehydration
No Magic Wand:
Although family history & other unknown causes can predispose a person to develop an illness, lifestyle changes, along with regular medical checkups, can help to better manage, prevent & reverse many lifestyle diseases.
Although there is no magic wand to prevent us from dying, there are Some Basic Lifestyle Tricks* that we can do that can significantly lower our risks for developing these diseases.
Some Basic Lifestyle Tricks:
Mind:
Read & learn about the causes of the disease & ways to prevent it
Develop habits & routines to optimize one’s health
Mindfullness, Journaling, Meditate
Body:
Meals: Eat whole food (mostly or all plants); Low/No Saturated Fats (Animal-Foods/Products); Eat Until You are 80% Full
Movement: Resistance, Aerobic/Cardio, Plyometrics, Flexibility
Spirit:
Stand in Awe, Connect with Nature
Self-Compassion, Compassion for Others, Gratitude
Religious Practices
Social:
Strengthen family & friend relationships
Join clubs/organizations
Volunteer
Finance:
Live within your means
Pay self first no matter how small the amount
Regularly review your expenses, income sources, tax rules, budget & financial goals
Work:
Follow your Life's Purpose
What activity brings joy to you & others?