Lifestyle Diseases

Dear World

Are we aware that we create diseases that were not there but come from how we are living – our lifestyle?

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as Heart Disease, Cancer and Diabetes now account for 90% of deaths each year in the UK. These so-called ‘lifestyle’ conditions are a well-known problem in the west.

53% of deaths and disabilities in the developing world come from lifestyle diseases, which is 31 million lives each year. (1)

For the record – these diseases are NOT driven by infections or viruses but by behaviours such as Smoking, poor diet, lack of physical activity, Alcohol1 and Drugs.

This means our personal choices create diseases in our body and the rapid spread worldwide suggests it is ‘more a universal problem, correlating strongly with economic development and urbanisation’.

70% of deaths globally, which is 40 million are now attributed to these diseases (NCDs) with lower and middle income countries becoming increasingly impacted as their economies grow. (1)

“NCDs were killing more people earlier in developing countries than in the developed world –
80% of the 15 million NCD deaths that take place between age 30 – 69 are in low and middle income countries.

This is having a more severe impact on people’s lives and national economies. It is during these years that people are meant to be at their most productive, earning a living – bringing money home to their families and contributing to economic growth.”
Katie Dain – Chief Executive of the NCD Alliance (1)

Deaths from chronic diseases in low and middle-income countries are rising sharply.

In all regions of the world, except Africa, more people are dying today from these lifestyle diseases (NCDs) than from any other cause.

The World Health Organization predicts NCDs will be the biggest killers in Africa by 2030 and that means in this decade as chronic conditions continue to rise rapidly and up by 42% since 2000 across the continent. (1)

The risk factors for chronic diseases include Smoking, physical inactivity, high levels of Alcohol2 consumption and Obesity.

Obesity rates have rocketed worldwide in the last 4 decades.

“Obesity leads to cardiovascular problems and Diabetes and even many Cancers. It is both an entry point for what progresses into other diseases and is a disease state itself. Today Obesity is recognised as a driver for NCDs in the way Tobacco was around 15 years ago.”
Johanna Ralston – Chief Executive of the World Obesity Federation

While rates of Obesity have risen in every country of the world since 1975, the Obesity epidemic has hit hardest in the Middle East and the Pacific nations where high levels of imported foods have contributed to expanding waistlines.

Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar are seeing levels of Obesity comparable to the USA, with Diabetes and other weight-related conditions becoming a major public health concern.

More surprising perhaps, Obesity is also rising in countries that only a few decades ago were experiencing food shortages.

For example, in Ghana –
600% increase in Obesity since 1975 and now affects one in 11 adults.

Fast Food spending grew more in the United Arab Emirates from 2010-2015 than in any other country. They have also seen a rapid rise in non-communicable conditions. (1)

In the Gulf, change in diet with a hot climate, the people are discouraged from exercising outside and this has fuelled the region’s Obesity epidemic. (1)

Hello

Listen up Dear World – this is a 911.

We have heard this over and over again – Obesity leads to Diabetes and Heart problems and many Cancers. We go blind, deaf and become immune to these types of reminders. That has to stop as it is in our face and it is everywhere. Our health systems cannot cope. Fact.

What we may not yet be aware of is what the Chief Executive of the World Obesity Federation is saying.

Obesity is an ENTRY POINT for what progresses into other diseases and OBESITY IS A DISEASE STATE ITSELF. (1) 

Do we get that?

Seriously – are we taking note, paying attention to this wake up call NOW – not tomorrow, next week or next year?

THIS IS A 911

RATES OF OBESITY HAVE RISEN IN EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. (1)

We call ourselves Intelligent, in fact very Intelligent but yet our so-called Intelligence that we subscribe to and champion has missed something that is so huge – like the elephant in the room.

We have not yet worked out WHY someone becomes obese. What drives the body, the vehicle we could say, to consume food and beverages that the body is not designed to eat and drink.

In other words, what happens to that vehicle, that then alters the behaviours – the movements that follow, that gradually or rapidly increases the weight to the point where their organs are suffering, because so much fat is deposited around them and everywhere else in the body.

What is being fed, literally fed into the minds of those that make the movements to over eat or consume copious amounts of foods containing sugar and fat, that we all know contributes to eating “nothing”, as our body gets no nutrients?

Is that why we call it “Junk Foods” as it is like eating Junk – no value, no benefits and no quality?

WHY are we not digging deeper in our enquiry to get to the root cause of Obesity?

Now that we know it is “a disease state itself” we cannot move on with our Solution based ideas or fixes because they have not worked, will not work and that means we will never evolve from this disease.

What if the whole world started asking Questions, for example – Ask a mother – what happened, when did it happen and what was going on when they got the sense their child or teenager had starting using foods or drinks to push down what they were feeling, or reacting to something that happened that was significant?

How were they coping emotionally at that time or how were they supported or not supported with some incident or trauma or whatever?

It could be minor but for a super sensitive kid, it could be the start of not expressing and changing their behaviours that go un-noticed in a busy world, where no one bothers to sit and Talk and Express how they truly feel, as we just don’t go there or do that.

For those that give up Smoking and turn to food, then cannot stop the cravings and end up eating more and more and guess what, the weight piles on and they know the answer – get back to Smoking and it will stop the eating. Solution works. But in Truth it does nothing to remove the ill that was there in the first place that remains unattended to and that means unresolved, simply buried.

For others, the body image stuff comes in with a bucket load of comparison to others and before they know it, they put all their Focus on the look, what they see and what they want. While this is going on their body goes into some kind of auto mode and they make the ill movements of seeking foods and beverages that work against what they are demanding, which is a false image, as it is not truly them.

The ill is our issues, our deep hurts, our unresolved stuff, as we don’t want to go there and bring these up to Express. What do we do, how do we cope and how do we get out of this?
Simple – we park it to the side but have no idea what happens in that parking lot, so to speak.

Does it just sit there and hopefully it will go away or does it intensify because we have chosen to ignore it?

What if it is all recorded in our body and that means the parking lot is not outside but inside of us and our Solution to numb it all out, not feel the impact of what it is doing to us, is to EAT and keep EATING and wash it down with anything that contains the substances to stop us feeling. Sugar anyone?

Reminder Alcohol1 contains a lot of sugar too and not just the soda.

Have we considered that the empty foods that we crave, call it Junk Foods or Fast Foods are simply filling the ‘empty-ness’ we feel inside us?

We keep filling ourselves up but the void remains like a bottomless pit. No amount of eating these no nutritional value foods and drinks can fill up that hole inside that seems to get bigger and bigger.

Have we considered that those foods we go for contain a perfect combination of fat, salt and sugar, which are designed to keep us craving for more of the same?

We are not in control and it is not will power that can Change it and get us on track and off the ill road.

We become addicted because the very nature of the deliberate design of these foods does that to us and as we demand it, the suppliers are there to deliver and that is how they profit. Marketing is big when it comes to unhealthy foods that are nothing more than Junk for our body to consume. Billions of dollars are spent on advertising to the right audience at the right time and there are no laws to stop that, even if the World Obesity advocates want that to happen.

Nothing will ever Change until we as a world operate as one Business and that is PUT PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT.

Let us not Blame the suppliers. They are in it for Business and that means profit. We are making the demand first and then they supply. So, if we stop demanding foods that harm us then the food and drink industry have to Change what they supply or close down their business. Sounds way off and whacky but is it or are we just so far down the ill road that we cannot even consider this?

How that Change is for each and every one of us, starts with questioning things, being really Honest and taking Responsibility – a word most of us don’t like, as we love being Irresponsible.

If this is making sense then we have a chance to turn the tides. There are many, like the author of this article that are worth studying. There is Another Way1 when it comes to our weight issues and how this can be turned around, without emphasis or effort so we remain steady thereafter and that means a natural body size and weight.

Nothing else is working, so why not explore Another Way2 to look at this global epidemic that is now officially out of control.

Our health systems are simply not equipped to deal with lifestyle diseases and this is not just adults, as more and more children are now heading towards Obesity.

Dictionary Definition

Lifestyle Diseases – any medical disorder or condition thought to be produced or exacerbated by aspects of a person’s lifestyle, such as diet and level of physical activity. (2)

This means a dis-ease starts in the body BECAUSE of the way we are living.

ALL of us know that without Sleep we cannot function. Every other animal on this planet of ours does not fight sleep or ignores sleep or finds ways to NOT sleep. But we, those so-called most Intelligent species on earth do.

We continue to make Sleep a ‘no Priority’ regardless of how we feel when we Wake Up the next day and so it goes on and on until things get bad. We get Sick, something happens to our body and suddenly we want to just Sleep and keep sleeping.

OR we use foods that we know are not going to be anywhere near healthy but hey ho we want it, we can and so we do – Eat what we want, when we want, how we want and as much as we want. In fact, for some we just can’t stop eating and even go to food in the middle of the night to use it like some form of Sleep medicine.

On that noteWhat if Life was Medicine?
How much and what type of medicine are we taking in to live a life with maximum vitality levels which means we don’t have
Exhaustion underlying and masking the image we give to the world?

Our lifestyles are killing us and the evidence we keep seeking is there – time to open our Eyes and look at the daily commute on the buses, trains and at the airports or port harbours. We cannot escape it, the masses are way beyond Tired and again we only have to check the food outlets at these transport locations to see the volume of traffic and it’s all day, every day. Add to that the eat in and Fast Food outlets and we cannot but get to the conclusion that something is not right. There is an enormous demand which is on the rise when it comes to our daily quick fix foods and Caffeine beverages.

What if these types of food offer that so-called ‘energy boost’ only to slump soon after, so we go for more of the same? We call that cravings or addiction if we need more of it to get the same feeling we seek.

Is it raciness we need? Some kind of speed to rev us up and keep us moving? Do we convince ourselves that our Coffee makes us sharp and focused to do the job and we forget that Coffee breath is quite disgusting?

Do we let the world know we don’t do Coffee but we don’t let on that we are doing some other kind of stimulant that no one must ever find out about?

Do we have a nervous disposition and a jitter which seems to go away once the Caffeine hits the inside of our body?

Do we bother to Question that the rise in Cocaine seizures is telling us even more demand is now out there and that is just one Drug?

We all know Meth in all its forms is just normal and there does not seem to be a public outcry to find out how and why we have this infiltrating throughout the world.

Marijuana now legal in some countries and 22 states in the U.S. comes with consequences.

Anyone with common sense or who finds out the facts and Truth about the Drug also known as Cannabis, would be left in no doubt that the mind-altering substance is harm-full and has no health benefit to the human body but yet we subscribe, endorse and foster Marijuana because it is a “Lifestyle” choice. 

More and more evidence based research studies keep coming out giving us the ‘consequences’ of what Marijuana is doing to the human body and to society, but where is that going and who is listening when every single study says at the end “more research is needed in…” and so it goes on and we are here in the early 21st century with more “lifestyle diseases” than ever before.

For those that still Question the Truth about Marijuana, click the hyperlink and read the facts and the stats and answer the questions presented with a dose of Honesty. Then continue and read ALL the comments thereafter on our in depth article titled The Real Truth about Marijuana.

Next –

We have a bang up to date research study, published in April 2023 from Harvard School of Public Health titled – Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Linked with Increased Risk of Premature Death for People with Type 2 Diabetes (3)

If we read the first sentence from the study, we are informed that it is not just an elevated risk of premature death but also the incidence of CVD – Cardiovascular Disease.

We are consistently being told that Type 2 Diabetes comes from our Lifestyle Choices and what this study tells us is if we continue making those ill choices, like drinking high consumptions of sugary drinks then Heart disease or early death are the road we are heading on. Simple.

Do we care or are we of the attitude –

‘We only live once, it’s my body, I say what I do to it, so what, everyone else is doing it … blah blah.’

until the pain comes in or death is knocking at the door and we go into our ‘Why me?’ victim mode, like something happened and we have no say in it, when the Truth is – we created the whole thing with our ‘lifestyle’ and that means our choices, our behaviours, our movements.

Next –

We seem to have unhealthy habits – call it Lifestyle when it comes to being influenced or enamoured by the rich and famous and that includes our favourite Sports and movie stars. We get the image of the Perfect Life and choose to forget they have a private life and we may not know what goes on behind the scenes, but we seem to want what they have.

We know people that take an image of the ‘look’ they want from Social Media for the botox procedure of cosmetic surgery and our demands are getting worse and there is always a supplier. If we cannot get things chopped and changed at the cost we want – simple, find the ads that offer it and it happens to be a Holiday destination. Bingo! Great place to recover and make out it was just a Holiday and come back with the new you that may not be what you want when you look in the mirror back home. No problem, more is on offer and this is what we all know happens. Again, a lifestyle dis-ease that gets no mention, as it’s not directly affecting an organ in our body.

United Nations
LIFESTYLE DISEASES: An Economic Burden on the Health Services

Lifestyle diseases share risk factors similar to prolonged exposure to 3 modifiable lifestyle behaviours – Smoking, Unhealthy Diet and Physical Activity and result in the development of chronic diseases, specifically

These diseases used to be considered the diseases of industrialised countries, so-called “Western diseases” or “diseases of affluence”.

Chronic Diseases today are a major public health problem worldwide.

2005 – World Health Organization

61% of all deaths – 35 million.
49% of the global burden of disease were attributable to chronic diseases.

2030
70% – proportion of total global deaths due to chronic diseases expected to increase to.

56% – global burden of disease increase.

The greatest increase is anticipated in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

The World Health Assembly adopted a resolution in 2000 on the prevention and control of chronic diseases.

The combination of the following 4 healthy lifestyle factors seem to be associated with 80% reduction in the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases.

  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Exercising regularly
  • Following a healthy diet
  • Not Smoking

This reinforces the current public health recommendations for the observance of healthy lifestyle habits and because the roots of these habits often originate during the formative stages of life, it is especially important to start early in teaching important lessons concerning healthy living.

However, despite the well-known benefits of a healthy lifestyle, only a small proportion of adults follow such a routine, in fact the numbers are declining. There is very little public awareness of the association between health and lifestyle. Many are unaware that a change in lifestyle is an important factor in the emergence of chronic diseases as cases of increased morbidity and mortality.

Lifestyle is generally considered a personal issue.

Health professionals and the media now repeatedly carry the message that to remain healthy, people need to adopt healthy behaviours.

Physical activity, cessation of Tobacco consumption, eating a high-fibre, low-fat diet, controlling body weight and learning to cope with Stress reduce the risk of Cardiovascular disease, Cancer and premature mortality. (4)

The following in bold and highlight is repeated, so that we all pay attention and do not ignore what we have just read in the above text.

Despite the well-known benefits of a healthy lifestyle, only a small proportion of adults follow such a routine, in fact the numbers are declining. (4)

THERE IS VERY LITTLE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE (4)

Hello

It makes no sense that we are bombarded with Health issues and yet we as the general public, the masses, the majority of us are not aware that there is a link, a correlation, an association between our health and our Lifestyle.

WHY is this and WHY are we not asking Questions, joining the dots or using our innate common sense?

NIH
National Library of Medicine – December 2009

Occupational Lifestyle Diseases: An Emerging Issue

Lifestyle diseases characterise those diseases whose occurrence is primarily based on the daily habits of people and are a result of an inappropriate relationship of people with their environment.

The main factors contributing to lifestyle diseases include –

  • Bad Food Habits
  • Physical Inactivity
  • Wrong Body Posture
  • Disturbed Biological Clock

68% working women age 21 – 52 found to be afflicted with lifestyle ailments such as –

75% of working women suffer from Depression or general anxiety disorder when working long hours and working under strict deadlines.

Conclusions
The western lifestyle, characterised by convenience food, TV and PCs is taking its toll on children as well as adults and is producing increased numbers of overweight, passive youngsters with lifestyle diseases.

Kids spending too much time slouched in front of the TV or PCs, should be encouraged to find a physical Sport or activity they enjoy.

Kids who participate in Sport, especially at a high competitive level, can find the pressure to succeed very stressful. It is important for parents to watch out for signs of psychological strain, as well as physical fatigue from overtraining.

A diet of only Junk food, overeating and lack of physical activity are not only responsible for diseases related to nutrition but also Anorexia Nervosa, which involves many people starving themselves for maintaining their figure. This type of disease is more prevalent in the fashion and showbiz industry.

A healthy lifestyle must be adopted to combat these diseases with a proper balanced diet, physical activity and by giving due respect to the biological clock. To decrease the ailments caused by occupational postures, one should avoid long sitting hours and should take frequent breaks for stretching or for other works involving physical movements. (5)

The above article tells us that in 2009 our lifestyle diseases existed. So, what has changed in the last 14 years?

Our bad food habits have got worse and Obesity including childhood Obesity continues to rise.

Our lack of physical activity is clear. Sedentary lifestyles and a recent global lockdown due to a pandemic has ensured that many now prefer to work from home, or do very little when it comes to fitness and physical activity.

More and more have body posture issues. Any health system will confirm that pain management clinics have long waiting lists and medication to keep the pain away is reaching new levels. We never consider that our lack of movements and attitude towards life in all areas, could affect our body posture. How we approach and attend to daily tasks gives us an indication of how our body posture will be.

The majority are not adhering to the biological clock as Sleep issues are a global epidemic that is accelerating. We have a multi-billion dollar sleeping aids industry which confirms we demand Solutions to our Sleep problems and we want to be fixed, but never do we consider our lifestyle habits that are ingrained. For example, Late Nights are the norm and we then eat copious amounts of sugar during the day to fight the Tiredness, Exhaustion and lack of proper Sleep. For some, we need our Caffeine first thing to prop us up and without it, we simply cannot function.

Regardless of how old this study is, we can all wake up to the fact that not much, if anything has changed in terms of evolution. That means as a species we have not moved on from what is being exposed in this article.

Have our working women of today joined the dots that their lifestyle may be contributing to their Obesity, Depression, Chronic Backache, Diabetes and High Blood Pressure?

What are the statistics today for the working women population that work longer hours and under strict deadlines who as a result suffer from Depression or general anxiety disorder? Does this still exist or have we nailed it and moved on … hmm 🤔

Next –

This article is old – in fact we would call this very old but it makes the point loud and clear. There have been no changes to the emerging issue of Occupational Lifestyle Diseases, other than we do not say PCs now it is more ‘digital devices’ and our kids are spending excess time on Gaming and Social Media, not just TV. In other words, our habits have got worse and the kids are getting younger and younger when it comes to Screen Time.

It is well worth reading our article on Screen Time which presents a 911 wake up call for all of us. It is high time we got Honest and started to consider the impact of what digital devices are doing and that includes TV and computer screens, not just the smartphones and tablets.

AND Finally –

HOW WE LIVE EVERYDAY – OUR LIFESTYLE = AFFECTS OUR HEALTH

Dear World

What if the above one liner was on every single Social Media platform as a permanent front page, on every billboard and every newspaper and magazine for a month? What would happen?

Would it get us all Talking and would we end up finding websites like Simple Living Global that have a dedicated library on health and wellbeing?

We all deserve to live with the Wellness that is a standard – true vitality levels that are consistent because we are not harming our body or abusing it in any way. A world where we unite and realise that each of us are EQUAL, regardless of where we are in society.

 

References 

(1) Majid, A. (2018, March 29). Mapped: The Global Epidemic of ‘Lifestyle’ Disease in Charts. The Telegraph.  Retrieved April 25, 2023 from
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/mapped-global-epidemic-lifestyle-disease-charts/

(2) (n.d). Google. Retrieved April 26, 2023 from
https://www.google.com/search?q=lifestyle+diseases+meaning&oq=lifestyle+diseases+meaning

(3) (2023, April 19). Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Linked with Increased Risk of Premature Death for People with Type 2 Diabetes. Harvard T.H. Chan. Retrieved April 25, 2023 from
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/sugar-sweetened-beverages-linked-with-increased-risk-of-premature-death-for-people-with-type-2-diabetes/

(4) Al-Maskari, F. (n.d). LIFESTYLE DISEASES: An Economic Burden on the Health Services. UN Chronicle. Retrieved April 25, 2023 from
https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/lifestyle-diseases-economic-burden-health-services

(5) Sharma, M., & Majumdar, P.K. (2009, December). Occupational Lifestyle Diseases: An Emerging Issue. NCBI.  Retrieved April 25, 2023 from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862441/

 

 

 

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