Good News About Health

Ray Buser, R.Ph

Introduction | Gastro Intestinal Health | Drink Water | Diet | Exercise | Emotional Balance

Introduction

We are bringing you good news about health and disease prevention!

Many people believe that their development of chronic disease is "hard-wired" into their genes. For the most part, this is incorrect. The truth is that individual genetic inheritance is the model upon which one builds his/her own life experience. The good news is that an individual can change the way that many genes are expressed and avoid diminishing health. By understanding this good news and following a few guidelines, one can influence the way genes work in the body (this is called genetic expression).

Diet, lifestyle, and environment have a great effect on genetic expression and, therefore, on health during aging. Many of the common long-term chronic diseases present in our society can be less severe, not happen as soon, or not happen at all if wise decisions are made about diet, lifestyle, and environment. The beliefs about the five keys to good health, that we are sharing here, have been developed through study and application of the writings and teachings of thousands of scientists and health professionals.

Gastro Intestinal Health

We believe there are several keys to good health, healthy aging, and absence of chronic disease. The first and one of the most important keys is the proper function of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract has many important jobs, including the digestion of food and the absorption of all necessary nutrients into the blood stream from the digested food. It also serves as a barrier to prevent absorption of toxins (poisons and pollutants) and other undesirable elements from what we eat and drink, and eliminates toxins in the stool. This is called detoxification.

In addition, the GI tract plays a major role as part of the immune system. Trillions of microorganisms, especially bacteria, live in the intestines. Some of these bacteria are beneficial; some are harmful. The human body needs a large portion of the beneficial microorganisms to do the following things:

  1. Aid digestion and nutrient absorption.
  2. Prevent damage from the harmful microorganisms.
  3. Lubricate and protect the cells that line the intestines.
  4. Aid in control of our immune system.

Health researchers continue to develop their knowledge of the relationship between health and the GI tract and the importance of beneficial bacteria.

Unfortunately, many American diets and lifestyles do not result in enough beneficial microorganisms. This imbalance and poor function can affect the entire body and cause decreased nutrition, malfunction of the immune system, and absorption of toxins into the blood stream. This can affect our overall health and decrease the quality of our lives. Although fermented dairy products such as yogurt are sources of beneficial bacteria, they usually do not provide enough of the beneficial bacteria to maintain optimal health.

The function of the GI tract and overall health can be improved by increasing the number of beneficial microorganisms living in the GI tract through the use of a probiotic supplement. The term "probiotic" can be defined as a preparation containing living microorganisms, in sufficient number, which alter the gastrointestinal tract microflora to an extent that exerts beneficial health effects. Advance Health provides Advance-Probiotic which contains two billion colony-forming units (CFU) of a mixture of 14 different beneficial microorganisms in each two-capsule serving size. Advance-Probiotic also contains enhanced colostrum to provide improved immune function. Advance-Probiotic is available at Advance Health.

Drink Water

The second, and possibly the most important key to good health, is to drink sufficient amounts of good quality water. At least 75% (three fourths) of the body is water. It serves the body in many important ways. It is the solvent in which most of the body's thousands of chemicals are dissolved and is the transport vehicle for these body chemicals. Water also transports energy sources such as glucose, cellular nutrients, and the waste material of cellular function. Drinking a large amount of good water could be described as a necessary and natural medical treatment for a variety of health conditions.

Although the body can tolerate short periods of reduced water intake, it will suffer extensively if not enough water is consumed over long periods of time. A general rule for good health is to drink an amount of water in ounces that is equal to one half of the body's weight in pounds, daily. For example, a person weighing 150 pounds should drink 75 ounces of plain water per day. This amount of water should be consumed as water only and not in the form of other beverages that contain water, such as coffee, tea, sodas and juices. Drink water in place of these other beverages to develop an improved taste for this much needed water. The amount of water each person should drink daily may vary considerably from the general rule stated above based on his/her health, and vary from day-to-day based on the amount of exercise/activity as well as the temperature in which the person is exposed to during a particular day.

It is very important to use quality, filtered water for drinking versus non-filtered city water straight from the faucet. There are acceptable home water-filtering devices available to improve the quality and healthfulness of city water supplies. These include filters that fit on a faucet, filters that are present in some refrigerators with drinking water supply features, and whole house water filtering systems (can be costly). Another choice is to drink bottled water, most of which is filtered to remove harmful substances.

Diet

The third key to good health is to supply the body with nutrients through proper diet and nutritional supplements. There are many important concepts behind a high quality, healthful diet. Five of these concepts are:

  1. Eat only small amounts of foods that contain large amounts of simple carbohydrates (sugar, sucrose, and fructose) such as candy, desserts and sweet snack foods.
  2. Eat multiple servings of vegetables and one or two servings of fruit each day, especially in their fresh uncooked forms.
  3. Eat whole grain products for a good source of fiber and healthy carbohydrates.
  4. Eating bad fats (trans fats) is very harmful.
  5. Eating good fats is essential.

Fat is one of the three macronutrients in the diet that provides the energy (calories) for cellular function and life. The quality of fat is the key to its beneficial effects. It is well accepted that good fats are those found in deep sea fish, olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, nuts and nut butter spreads. These good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Contrary to what we have been led to believe, saturated animal fat found in fresh meat, whole milk, and butter is also good for our health and wellness. All of these good fats play a role in building healthy cell membranes, production of hormones and various other functions throughout the body. The body can recognize and use these molecules to benefit our health. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that is essential to the diet for good health and are described later in this article.

It is most important to avoid consumption of the worst fats (hydrogenated or trans fats). These fats are commonly found in most commercial vegetable oils and margarines and in fried foods available in restaurants and fast food establishments (French fries, onion rings, fried chicken, etc.). Items such as donuts, high fat desserts and prepackaged snack foods often contain these bad hydrogenated fats. Real butter from dairy fat that is high in saturated fats is a much better alternative to margarines that contain hydrogenated fats. Nut butters that do not contain hydrogenated trans fats are also a good choice for spreads. For cooking, use virgin olive oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, real butter, or fresh lard. A healthful diet can include between 20 and 40 percent of its average daily calories in good fat. Therefore, for most people it is not necessary to carefully control the amount of fats eaten, but rather carefully control the quality of fats eaten. It is very important, however, to be aware that fats contain a high amount of calories and that consuming more calories than are burned (used for energy) each day will lead to weight gain and, therefore, to health problems.

Carbohydrates are the second type of macronutrient essential as a source of energy for our bodies. Although the quantity of carbohydrates consumed in our diets is important, the type (or quality) may be more important for most Americans. Eating the right kinds of carbohydrates found in unprocessed grains and vegetables is comparable to maintaining an appropriate weight and eating the right kind of fats in the foundation of a healthy diet.

Carbohydrates can be described in three main categories: sugars, starches, and fiber. Sugars provide us with energy (calories) in a manner that causes a rapid and sizeable increase in our blood sugar level. Our body responds by releasing a large amount of insulin to lower the elevated blood sugar level. These large fluctuations in blood sugar levels often lead to weight gain and are a contributor to the disease diabetes, which causes many harmful effects on various parts and systems of the body.

Starches are more complex carbohydrates found in vegetables and grains that the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) breaks down over time and which provide sugars that are more slowly absorbed into the blood stream to be used for energy. This slower provision of sugar does not cause the rapid and substantial changes in blood sugar level that is caused by eating sugars and thus avoids much of the associated insulin level fluctuations, diabetes tendencies, and other health complications.

The third type of carbohydrate, fiber, is a complex form of carbohydrate that is present in varying types and amounts in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. The GI tract does not use fiber to produce sugar and energy, but uses it to provide bulk and consistency to the stool as part of the body's method of eliminating toxins and waste products of food digestion.

Therefore, it is best for our health to reduce the amount of foods eaten that are high in sugars and simple carbohydrates such as candy, sweets, fruit juices, and highly processed foods such as white bread, white flour, most snack foods and premixed baked goods. Carbohydrate calories should be provided by foods that are higher in complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits.

The third and final macronutrient that is needed in our diet is protein. The foods that provide protein are meat, fish, eggs, whole grains, dairy foods (milk and cheese), beans, and nuts. Protein is needed in the diet so that it can be digested into the building blocks (amino acids) needed for the body to build its own set of thousands of different proteins. The body builds these proteins to provide the essential components of hair, skin, muscles, blood hemoglobin, and many required enzymes. Protein should provide 15% to 25% of the calories in our diet. Higher protein diets should be avoided by people with poor liver, kidney, or digestive function and may also lead to calcium loss from bones (osteoporosis).

To summarize the important concepts of a healthy diet, it is not nearly as important to count calories and the quantity of fats, carbohydrates, and protein as it is to consider the quality of these macronutrients that are eaten. The avoidance of low quality or harmful foods and the consumption of a wide variety of good foods are the important dietary concepts that most people need to be concerned about to assist in good health. It is, however, important to realize that becoming overweight is harmful to health and requires the reduction of total calories consumed and/or the increase of calories burned through physical activity or exercise. We have included the following summary of important food advice entitled "Helpful Tips for Healthy Eating".

Exercise

The fourth key to good health and disease prevention is exercise. There are many ways that exercise contributes to good health. It improves the function of the lungs, heart, and circulatory system. Exercise increases levels of endoR.Phins that improve brain and nervous system function. Weight-bearing aerobic exercise, such as walking or jogging, that increases the heart rate for sustained periods of time, is the most valuable exercise for health. This is followed in value by non-weight bearing aerobic exercise such as swimming and cycling, followed in value by anaerobic exercise such as weight lifting. Ask your physician about guidance in exercise programs if any heart-related health conditions exist. It is important when starting or advancing an exercise routine to do so gradually to reduce injury and discomfort.

Emotional Balance

The fifth key to overall good health is emotional balance. This includes emotional stress reduction, relaxation, and spirituality. Mental stress can have a detrimental, sometimes dramatic, effect on health. It can affect our nutritional and functional balance, which can affect overall health. Two preferred methods of relaxation and emotional stress reduction are music therapy and deep breathing exercises. Devoting several minutes each day to these two activities can have a very positive impact on health and sense of wellbeing. Advance Health provides multiple sources of music therapy including the Laurel Tree products, which can combine music therapy and deep breathing exercise.

We hope that you will utilize the good news we have provided here along with the products available at Advance Health and on this Web site to improve your health. Thank you for sharing our good news.

The information presented in this document and the associated Web site is not meant to be used in place of more specific personal advice from a healthcare professional. In addition, please note that this information has been simplified and summarized for ease of understanding.