Have you ever scrolled through you Facebook and found a common thread of illness and heartache now being posted almost virally between friends and family you know and their re-posts? As our world connection is virtually delivered, we are able to see that chronic disease has now touched more of our lives than ever before. Although previously our news consisted of subjects like crime, epidemics, and natural disasters, there is now a newer problem that has surpassed these topics and has connected us to the top worldwide killer on the planet – chronic disease.
A Declared Threat
This threat of chronic diseases is no longer a threat but now declared by the World Health Organization as the number one killer on the planet. Chronic disease is now the cause of over fifty percent of deaths worldwide. Furthermore, the death toll currently caused by chronic disease continues to increase steadily.
Alarming Facts Stated By the World Health Organization:
- Chronic diseases are now the major cause of death and disability worldwide.
- Noncommunicable conditions, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diabetes, obesity, cancer and respiratory diseases, now account for 59% of the 57 million deaths annually and 46% of the global burden of disease.
- High-risk factors – high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, and alcohol – cause the majority of the chronic disease burden.
- A change in dietary habits, physical activity, and tobacco control, have a major impact on reducing the rates of these chronic diseases, often in a relatively short time.
- Heart attacks and strokes kill about 12 million people every year; another 3.9 million die from hypertensive and other heart conditions.
- More than one billion adults worldwide are overweight; at least 300 million of them are clinically obese.
- About 75% of CVD can be attributed to the majority risks: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, low fruit and vegetable intake, inactive lifestyle and tobacco.
- Sustained behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing population risk factors.
21st Century Lifestyles to Blame
Chronic diseases include things like heart disease and strokes, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and dementia, and many others. These diseases are widely understood to be the result of our modern lifestyle choices. Over the past several decades, research has shown that these chronic illnesses are preventable in large part if we learn to make different choices. In other words, if we live differently.
Unfortunately, today people worldwide are consuming more foods that are energy-dense – high in sugar and/or saturated fats – or excessively salty. This nutritional shift to fast and processed foods in combination with our sedentary behavior is occurring at an alarming rate.
Predictions for the future are that this chronic illness crisis, as bad as it is today, will get much worse. Cancer rates have been predicted to go up by 50% by the year 2020. One in three children born in the USA today will develop diabetes. And research continues to show our toxic modern lifestyle is the cause.
Prevention is Still the Best Cure
As you know prevention is the best cure. With today’s knowledge of identifying the cause, our expert team is here to help you change and build for a healthier future. We want to help you build a better lifestyle which includes what you think, what you eat, and how you use your body.
If you are currently suffering from a chronic disease please do not hesitate to call us. We are here to help and look forward to posting your new lease on life success story! SHARE!!
For Your Health,
Dr. Wendy Lanser D.C.