WHAT TRIGGERS WESTERN DISEASE?
As modern society advances, so does an onset of diseases that were once considered rare. Cancer, diabetes, and obesity are on the rise and becoming an epdemic. Our ancestors did not suffer from these ailments at such a startling rate, but why is that and where does this slew of illness come from? Let’s take a look at these prevalent problems in our modern world and find the origins of its manifestation. In putting a light on the darkness we can move beyond the problem and become solution oriented.
HEALTH CRISIS UNCOVERED
Disease like cancer were once a rare illness to acquire. Why is it that as technology and medicine have advanced, we see a rise in cancerous cells? There is no simple answer but it takes investigative questions to better understand its bleak beginnings. We are alive in a time where processed food is commonplace and video games are in place of playtime. Our children are growing up in a time that is very far from our primal roots. Could it be that distancing ourselves from that which is natural is hugely responsible for this health crisis? Here are some ways that we are flooding our bodies with toxins that insight disease and solutions to combat them with:
Personal Care Products
You are what you eat, but you are also what you place on your face. Illness can begin with our skin. Today, most mainstream products are ladened with lead and prevalent in parabens. This toxic duo is a disaster for our immune system and can lead to on overload of unnatural substances in our bodies. Deodorants, for example, commonly have aluminum and other toxins. When applied to the underarm area (which is particularly vulnerable and a gateway to our lymphatic system) these poisons enter our blood stream. Couple that with a constrictive wire bra, and sadly it is no wonder that there is a rise in breast cancer as the breast tissue becomes a cesspool of parabens.
Solution: Look at the labels before you buy a product. Stay as close to natural as possible and try things like coconut oil for body moisturizer or hair conditioner. There are many wonderful brands that abide by natural principles. Check out companies like Primal Life Organics or Living Libations: their ingredient lists are good enough to eat!
The Standard American Diet
Our fast-paced lives are often times filled with fast foods. We simply do not make the time to sit at the dining room table and have a thoughtful meal. This is a lost art form that has in turn lead to absent breakfasts and hurried lunches. Eating good food and actually sitting down to savor it are equally important. Just as looking at the labels of our beauty products is important, so are the investigations of the labels of foods we choose to ingest. Many Americans have a diet drenched in sugar and loaded with carbs. That overload is taxing on our adrenals and liver along with many other systems and can trigger diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
Solution: Keep it simple. Eat real food, mostly plants, and not too much. Stay as local as possible and grow your own fruits and vegetables if you have the availability to do that. Making time to sit down and enjoy a meal is also very important. Keeping a sense of community will hold us accountable to one another and create a wonderful tribe of conscious consumers.
Physical Movement in Modern Society
Looking back to our past can help us realize how far we have come and as well as ways to improve. Our ancestors were constantly on the run (literally, there were lions to worry about). This sedentary lifestyle coupled with a toxic diet is completely unnatural to our primal beginnings and leads to a number of ailments, some of the most common being obesity and heart issues.
Solution: Getting up and moving around is a must. Even if it means parking further away from the store so that your walk is a little longer to the car. Baby steps are necessary to solve the problem. Take the dog for a walk, play ball with your kids, or practice yoga. They key is to find something that you enjoy and make it a habit. Get outside and get some fresh air and sunshine. Staying in alignment with our ancestry is essential in healing the wounds of modern disease.
Seeking knowledge and applying it to our lives will shed the light on the darkness. Look at your labels, eat real food, get some sunshine, and live a wonderful life.
Sources for this article:
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/harmful-chemicals-in-personal-care-products/
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/toxic-chemicals-sodium-lauryl-sulfate-1288.html
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/may/21/children-weaker-computers-replace-activity
