The advice that we’re getting from the medical community over the last decade or so aimed at helping us prevent some of the worst killer diseases like heart attacks, cancer and diabetes has fallen short. When you examine these issues closer and consider some the most recent research, you start to see that myths — like the impact of cholesterol in causing heart disease — are starting to fall away in the face of statistical evidence.
This much is true: heart attacks, cancer and diabetes are indeed responsible for most of the deaths in our society. It’s simply a fact.
The causes of these conditions, however, aren’t being accurately represented by some in the medical community. Whether for their own gain or as the result of mistaken thinking, some medical professionals aren’t giving their patients the real story.
Research indicates that the following important reasons are the real culprits of the current disease epidemic:
– the extremely high consumption of sugar and other refined carbohydrates
– the extremely high consumption of bad Omega 6 fatty acids, which some suggest is at ten times the optimal ratio or more in today’s diet
– the extremely high consumption of processed foods, and
– the increasingly sedentary and isolated lifestyle.
But change for the better is possible. We can make specific adjustments that can help protect our health and the health of our families for years to come.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that the top two adjustments we can make are to avoid smoking and to get some exercise. For many people, making these two adjustments can make a significant positive difference that will reap rewards and benefits for many years.
But there are others important things you can do too, including:
1. Reduce or eliminate sugars and refined carbohydrates from your diet. Consuming these things results in high levels of inflammation and organ degeneration, and these things in turn lead to life-threatening diseases that can be avoided with a change in the diet.
2. Eliminate unbalanced consumption of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fatty acids. One specific way to make a big difference immediately is to avoid fried foods. When cooking at home, season with liberal amounts of uncooked flaxseed oil. This oil is most effective for health when purchased in small quantities and refrigerated to keep it from going rancid. When cooking, use clarified butter — called ghee in some cultures — and keep the heat low to prevent burning.
3. Incorporate more raw, uncooked and unprocessed fermented foods into your diet. This includes kefir, kambucha, pickles, kimchi, sour kraut and similar foods. These promote good bacteria in the gut. (It’s also important to avoid taking antibiotics unless absolutely necessary to prevent destroying this good bacteria.)
4. Swap in fresh fruits, vegetables and protein sources for packaged, processed and refined sources whenever you can. Refined foods have much of their nutrition removed and often have undesirable substances added in, including a lot of sugar.
5. Take some time to contemplate or meditate to order your thoughts. Develop a practice of gratitude and kindness toward yourself and others. Then, also take time to be around those you love and care about. There are untold benefits to an ordered mind and a relaxed and happy body.
When you put aside the misinformation often provided by unthinking doctors who don’t understand the whole picture and you instead consider your body and the world holistically, you can begin to see that a narrow view of medicine and health is an unnecessarily restricted one. And when you implement simple suggestions like these, you can begin to feel better than you ever thought possible.
Those interested in a free consultation with Dr. Vinograd, call (619) 630-7174
