The
land of the free and home of the brave is having some health issues! I read
some pretty depressing stats about this fact during the month. Rather than dwell on the sad news, I
decided to share this information with a positive twist!
Below are excerpts from
5 recent articles along with my comments. These commentaries are meant to spur some hope on how lifestyle choices can support you to avoid becoming part of these dreary statistics.
1. The
Global Burden of Cancer
In
2013 there were 14.9 million incident cancer cases, 8.2 million deaths, and
196.3 million DALYs. Prostate cancer was the leading cause for cancer incidence
(1.4 million) for men and breast cancer for women (1.8 million). Tracheal,
bronchus, and lung (TBL) cancer was the leading cause for cancer death in men
and women, with 1.6 million deaths. For men, TBL cancer was the leading cause
of DALYs (24.9 million) (JAMA Oncol. May 28, 2015.
doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.0735)
Positive
Spin:
A
few days ago, a Working Group of 26 experts
from 13 countries convened and classified the insecticide lindane as carcinogenic
to humans (Group 1) due to sufficient carcinogenicity evidence in humans for non-Hodgkin
lymphoma (NHL). Furthermore, the insecticide DDT was classified as probably carcinogenic
to humans (Group 2A) and the herbicide 2,4-D was classified as possibly carcinogenic
to humans (Group 2B). (IARC, June 23, 2015).
How is this good news!!??
We have measures to reduce our exposures and turn on our genes to prevent disease progression. For example, we can choose foods that are organic
to prevent exposure to pesticides and herbicides and high in phytonutrients that protect our cells from toxins. (See my blog here for more tools: http://dr-lobisco.com/toxic-stats-protective-facts/)
2. The
Global Burden of Disease
MONDAY,
June 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A new
global tally of health finds that only about 4 percent of people worldwide had
no health problems in 2013, while a third — about 2.3 billion people — had
more than five health problems.
And
the situation is getting worse, not better: Worldwide, the proportion of years
of healthy life people lost because of illness (rather than simply dying
earlier) rose from 21 percent in 1990 to 31 percent in 2013, according to the
Global Burden of Disease study.
Positive
Spin:
We
may be living longer, but maybe not happier lives! Skim through some of the topics on
this webpage and here to see how modulating lifestyle and diet and modulate your
health!
3. Save
the Children- State of Health in US
Editor’s
Note:
Save the Children recently released its 2015 State of the World’s Mothers
report, [1] which
examines the relative health of women and young children in countries around
the world. This year’s report focused on the impact of rapid urbanization on
the poorest women and children.
Despite
the overall wealth of the United States, the country as a whole performed
poorly, slipping two places to number 33 out of 179 countries surveyed. The US
capital–Washington, DC–was highlighted as having the highest infant mortality
rate of all the world’s richest capitals; 6.6 babies die per 1000 live births
in Washington, in comparison with 1.6 infant deaths per 1000 live births in the
Czech capital Prague, which topped the charity’s index measuring child survival
in the world’s wealthiest capitals. The United States also had the highest
maternal death rates in the developed world: American women face a 1 in 1800
risk for maternal death compared with less than 1 in 19,000 in Poland. (Medscape, June 2, 2015)
Positive Spin:
Phew, this is big! Factors include the societal issue of
access to health care, proper nutrition and supplementation in moms, and education for healthy pregnancy and postnatal care. Fortunately,
if you are reading this, you are probably amongst the fortunate with access to
education via internet and resources. I wrote more about solutions for helping
moms-to-be and their children here: http://dr-lobisco.com/a-focus-on-kids-how-parents-can-optimize-childrens-genetic-health-naturally/
4. Obesity
On the Rise
Fewer
than one-third of Americans are currently at a healthy weight, with the rest of
the population either overweight or obese, a new report finds. About 35 percent
of men and 37 percent of women are obese. Another 40 percent of men and 30
percent of women are overweight, researchers said in the June 22 issue of JAMA
Internal Medicine. (HealthDay, June 23, 2015)
Positive
Spin:
Studies
have shown that lifestyle interventions such as diet, exercise, avoiding sugar, and
decreasing toxic burden all can affect obesity. One big roadblock is junk food can be addictive! So,
eat real foods to avoid the temptations and use organic and natural personal and cleaning products.
5. Air
Pollution and Mortality Rates
A new
study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that
death rates among people over 65 are higher in zip codes with more fine
particulate air pollution (PM2.5) than in those with lower levels of PM2.5. It
is the first study to examine the effect of soot particles in the air in the
entire population of a region, including rural areas. The harmful effects from
the particles were observed even in areas where concentrations were less than a
third of the current standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
(Medical Xpress, June 3, 2015)
Positive
Spin:
Consider
plants, diffusing non-toxic, organic essential oils, and HEPA filters!
Here’s to a long happy, healthy, empowered life!
Additional
Sources:
GBD
2013 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators. Global, regional, and
national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes
of death, 1990-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease
Study 2013. Lancet.
2015;385(9963):117-171. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61682-2.
Prevention
and treatment of obesity with lifestyle interventions: review and meta-analysis. Int J Public Health.
2007;52(6):348-59.
Why You Should Be Fed Up with the Lies on Dieting
& What You Need to Know About Weight Loss. http://dr-lobisco.com/why-you-should-be-fed-up-with-the-lies-on-dieting-what-you-need-to-know-about-weight-loss/
(see reference section)
Persistent
organic pollutants and obesity: are they potential mechanisms for breast cancer
promotion? Endocr Relat Cancer. 2015
Apr;22(2):R69-86. doi: 10.1530/ERC-14-0411. Epub 2015 Jan 26.
Pottorff,
L. Plants “Clean” Air Inside Our Homes. Colorado State University
& Denver County Extension Master
Gardener. 2010.
Wolverton,
B. C., et al. Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement:
final report. NASA. September, 1989. pp 11-12.
American
Society for Horticultural Science. Indoor plants can reduce formaldehyde
levels. ScienceDaily. February 20, 2009.