I hear it all the time. Women say, “I want to be healthy and eat well, but I don’t know what to eat. My doctor says eat less, my trainer says to eat more protein. My neighbor lost a bunch of weight fasting. I’ve tried it. None of it is working.”
Listen, you don’t have to sign up for some sort of psycho boot-camp and live on kale and goji berries to achieve good health. You really don’t. That is the gospel truth.
It’s possible to be healthy without being obsessed with your health or your weight because our bodies will default to a healthy state if we just give them half a chance. Also the gospel truth. You’re not broken
So what is a healthy person? A healthy person eats salads and lean meats, but she also eats cake. The real kind, not a sad diet cake made out of mulch and angel tears.
A healthy person is intentional about her health but understands that cake, cocktails, cheese, and chocolate all have a place in a healthy person’s lifestyle. She also understands that those foods are occasional houseguests and not live-in lovers.
A healthy person knows that you don’t have to join a gym or buy yoga pants or eat protein bars to be admitted to the Healthy People Club. And you don’t have to look like Giselle in your Lulus. We can all be in the club.
A healthy person knows health isn’t black and white. There are as many unhealthy skinny people as there are unhealthy people with a weight problem. And I’ve seen one too many exercise addicts have massive heart attacks to be convinced that running will trump lifestyle choices.
A healthy person doesn’t believe the lie that health is an elusive state, or that it is an exclusive club for the few with perfect diets and obsessive exercise regimens. Good health is a right that is certainly attainable, even if you don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on gyms, nutritionists, diet programs, etc.
Here’s the truth. Your body wants to be healthy, and it will default to a state of health if you’ll just give it a chance. Science tells us that if you weren’t born with a condition, you don’t have to die with one if you’ll make a few lifestyle changes. Just because you have diabetes now, does not mean you have to have diabetes 3 months from now. You can send that sister packing.
Autoimmune diseases can be put in remission. Heart disease can be reversed. Memories can be improved. Cellulite can go away. And you don’t need a nutritionist. I am one, and I will help you here; all you need to do is show up.
Hear me. Even if you are living with a life-long or chronic disease, there is a 100% chance that you can improve your health. Drastically.
The Healthy Southerner Educates You About
- Real food and pursuing long-term health, not a number on the scale.
- Making small but powerful lifestyle changes so you see results
- Being hospitable to yourself and your body
- Getting years of your life back and adding abundant life to your years.
So, whether you weigh 90 pounds or 500 pounds, you are our people. We’re going to start right where you are and get you moving back upstream. And we want you moving upstream, back to the healthy version of you. And yes, we’ll talk about weight, if you really want to know how your body gets rid of the excess.
Getting Healthy: Chronic Illness By the Numbers
Take a look at these numbers. Statistically, you will not escape a chronic illness if you aren’t actively preventing them through lifestyle choices.
Listen to me: Illness requires a doctor, but wellness requires a plan.
The most recent statistics for chronic illnesses in the United States are:
- Cancer: 165 million Americans are living with cancer. There have been 2 million new cases diagnosed since January 1, 2019. 1 in 3 Americans will have cancer in their lifetime. 45% of those Americans will die from their disease. Cancer costs in the United States were over $400 billion.
- Heart Disease: 125 million Americans are living with some type of cardiovascular disease. 750,000 Americans have heart attacks each year and 610,000 Americans die from heart disease each year. Health Care costs in 2015 were over $351 billion.
- Diabetes: 100 million Americans living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. 1 in 10 have diabetes; 1 in 4 have Pre-diabetes. Health care costs for diabetes care are $265 billion.
- Obesity: 93 million Americans are obese. Obesity health care costs in 2008 were $147 billion. Obesity is the leading cause for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
- Autoimmune Diseases: 50 million Americans living with an autoimmune disease. Health care costs for autoimmune diseases are $100 billion.
- Mood Disorders: 44 million Americans have been diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression. These numbers are misleading because many do not seek treatment for these diseases. 18% of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders. 6.9 million Americans suffer from clinical depression. $193.2 billion in lost earnings were reported last year because of anxiety and depression.
- Dementia/Alzheimer’s: 5.8 million Americans living with dementia and/or Alzheimer’s. It is now referred to as Type 3 Diabetes, with sugar intake and inflammation being the most prescriptive markers for the disease. There has been a 145% increase in deaths from these diseases in the last 15 years. Health care costs for dementia and Alzheimer’s was $245 billion in 2017.
Is There Any Hope?
- The short answer is YES! 95% of chronic diseases can be tamed, and in many cases eradicated with lifestyle changes. And no matter what the disease, 100% can see dramatic improvements in health and quality of life with lifestyle changes. 100%.
- Lifestyle changes are affordable. Health is available to everyone, regardless of economic status. What has been lacking is education and information. I’m going to give you that.
- You are in control, and no matter where you are right now, 90 days from now, you could see dramatic changes in your health and weight.
Where do I Start?
- Start here, with me. Sign up for the weekly digest on the sign-up form at the end of this post or on the sidebar to the right. You’ll get weekly tips that will help you get back to your old self.
- Don’t believe the diet hype. They all work for a while. Then they don’t. We’re going to focus on lifestyle changes.
- Eat real food.
- Move your body every day.
- Get your sleep in check.
- Learn to rest. I don’t mean nap, I mean rest. Read a book, paint, hike, do something you love that calms your brain. Learn to power down.
- Show up for yourself.