We live in the age of massive technological innovation. In the past few decades, we’ve seen the introduction of computers, the internet, cell phones, the iPad, smart watches, gaming consoles, virtual reality, self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence, and groundbreaking medical advancements – yet we are sicker and more overweight than at any time in human history.
We have seen exploding rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and auto-immune disorders – not to mention an epidemic in disorders of mental and emotional health. All of this causes untold pain and suffering, and places an incredible financial burden on families, our communities, and society as a whole.
In the United States alone, almost 40 percent of adults are obese, and nearly 60 percent of the entire population would be classified as overweight. In addition to this:
- More than 30 million adults have been diagnosed with heart disease.
- More than 40 million adults have diabetes, and an additional 60 million are pre-diabetic.
- Nearly 35 percent of adults have high blood pressure.
- Over 50 million people suffer from some type of auto-immune disease.
- Cases of Alzheimer’s (sometimes referred to as “type 3 diabetes”) are growing rapidly as our population ages – with some estimates as high as 7 million.
- Overall, nearly 60 percent of the entire population lives with some form of chronic illness.
The statistics are staggering! Chances are that you, or someone close to you, suffers from one or more of these conditions.
So what happened?
Throughout most of history, humans lived mostly free of the modern day illnesses that plague today’s society. Paleontological and archaeological findings have discovered that chronic disease is a relatively modern condition – something humans just didn’t suffer from throughout most of our history.
In fact, evidence from studying modern day hunter gather societies – those who continue to live like our ancestors did – show they don’t generally develop the common chronic conditions that we see in more advanced, industrialized societies.
Sure, we are living longer than our ancestors did, but that is mainly due to medical advancements and pharmaceuticals that keep us alive when we otherwise may fall ill and die.
So why is our health so different than our ancestors? How did we go from being naturally lean and fit, and relatively free from chronic disease – to overweight and sick?
Ironically, it is those same wonderful technological advancements that are actually killing us. Just slower – and with a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering along the way.
The fact is this – there is a mismatch between our genes and the modern environment we’re living in. No matter how amazing today’s world has become. Our physiology and biology just hasn’t had the time to adapt to all the changes. Biologically speaking, we are still the same as our hunter-gatherer ancestors.
But in today’s world, we no longer eat the same food, move around nearly as much, get as much quality sleep, or allow our circadian rhythm to flow naturally. This disruption to our natural rhythm tends to affect our hormones (including the stress hormone – cortisol) and our body’s ability to handle stress – and recover fully from that stress.
All of this tends to create a low-grade, chronic inflammatory response in our body. And it is this chronic inflammation that is truly the root cause of modern day illness. Everything from heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune disorders, and even cancer have been shown to be exacerbated by chronic inflammation.
What can we do about it?
The best way to recover our natural health and wellness is to return to a way of eating, moving, sleeping, and living that more closely matches what our genetic blueprint calls for.
This website will give you all the tools needed to help you learn what to do and start making any changes you decide to make – and begin the journey to reclaiming your “natural” health and vitality.
I focus on what I like to call the “six main components of optimal wellness” – which include:
- Eating like our ancestors would have eaten – focusing on natural, whole foods (sometimes referred to as the “paleo/primal” way of eating) and avoiding processed, industrial food sources. These include organic, pasture raised meats and eggs, poultry, and wild-caught fish as sources of protein. Grass-fed butter, extra virgin coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil as your healthy fats. Plenty of non-starchy vegetables and low-sugar fruits (berries are the best). Tree nuts and seeds. And avoiding all sources of white, refined carbohydrates (think white rice, white flour, bread, pasta, sugar) – instead focusing on fiber rich starches (smart starch) such as sweet potato, other root vegetables, and squashes. Always try to choose foods that are local, organic, and in season when possible.
- Getting regular exercise – such as walking, biking, aerobics, swimming, and running. Even just a brisk walk will do wonders for our body and our mood. Incorporating stretching, yoga and other relaxing movements help keep us flexible and also reduce stress and potential for injury. And last, but not least, doing regular “resistance training” such as lifting weights, push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, and core exercises. Resistance exercise helps build and tone muscle, and does wonders for increasing our metabolism.
- Getting plenty of good-quality sleep – A lack of quality sleep is one of the biggest problems our modern society faces today. Not only are we busier than ever, we are also surrounded by florescent lighting and electronics that emit “blue” light that tell our body to “stay awake” – this reduces our production of melatonin and doesn’t allow us to fall quickly into restful, deep sleep. When we get at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night, our natural circadian rhythm is allowed to flow and our body’s ability to repair, recover, and reset is dramatically enhanced.
- Getting plenty of sunlight – This is vitally important for our health and well-being. Not only do the sun’s rays help increase our serotonin level (feel good hormone) but they also help our body make Vitamin D. It is estimated that almost 75 percent of all adults are deficient in Vitamin D. This vital nutrient is responsible for calcium absorption and transport to the proper tissues, strong bones and teeth, reducing symptoms of depression, improving our mood, and helping to speed up our metabolism.
- Connecting to nature and the outdoors – Getting outside each day, even if just for a short time or a brief walk, does wonders for our soul. Modern society has lost this inherent connection to nature that our ancestors had all through history. We spend far too much time indoors, siting in a chair, watching tv or our tablet/phone and not nearly enough time exploring the beauty that surrounds us outside our windows. Take a moment each day to explore the beauty of nature and watch the difference it makes in your mood and well-being.
- Practicing “mindfulness” as often as we can – Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Mindfulness also involves acceptance of our thoughts and feelings without judging them as right or wrong – just allowing them to flow. With regular practice, we can learn to be “present” in the given moment instead of focusing on the past or worrying about the future. With time and dedication to these practices, we can replace negative thinking patterns with thoughts that encourage positivity, comfort, and overall happiness.
So to sum things up – It is becoming increasingly clear that the fastest way to regain our health and wellness is to return to a way of eating, moving, sleeping, and living that more closely resembles that which our ancestors lived. Our genes and biology are designed for it!
We already have the genetic blueprint for optimal health, wellness and disease prevention. We just need to follow it the best we possibly can – each of us, in our own way, to the best of our ability.
Maybe, in time, things will change – and our body will adapt to the modern world in which we currently live. But that will take ten’s of thousands of years at least – and I doubt any of us will be around to see it. So let’s focus on today and get started on our journey to optimal health and well-being!