Wiser Choices, Healthier Life

 

“Awareness is the key, but we rarely question things that are deeply rooted in society and taught to be the truth throughout our lives.”

 

Life is not that mysterious, especially for those with critical thinking skills. I am sure those who watch the legacy media do not know what to believe as the narrative constantly changes. Let’s face it, war is upon us globally, some with bombs and guns but most are being fought with propaganda.  Climate change under One Health is the new fear factor, and of course, the only way we can seem to overcome is to follow Denmark and tax the farmers for their farting cows, pigs and sheep[1]—seems like added taxes are the solution for most political movements.

All cause mortality has risen globally in the past 3 years, death from unknown causes in every age sector, you would think that discovering the reason would be global priority yet surprising the cause seems buried, what is it that they do not want to investigate? Must be the little green aliens’ fault, since the ruling elite have everything under their control on earth.

As far as the medical system is concerned our bodies function because of their structure and by aging: our organs, glands, minerals, enzymes, vitamins, proteins, and healthy blood all housed within our microbiome, which is a collection of our microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes. Doctors are taught that everything works without intervention or prevention, until it fails to work and then surgery and drugs are given. How about we play the devil’s advocate? What if our lifestyle choices determined our state of health, placing the responsibility of our sickness and health within our own two hands, scary right?

Awareness is the key, but we rarely question things that are deeply rooted in society and taught to be the truth throughout our lives. Since COVID, more and more people have begun to question, for one the media reporting, but also the politicians, the Center for Disease Control, (CDC) the World Health Organization, (WHO),  and the pharmaceutical industry. The medical system has lost credibility, the science they claimed they were following has been revealed to be manipulated.

Thinking outside the box and making lifestyle choices takes work—sometimes your personal healthcare decisions need to question the system’s direction and control, it may mean getting a second opinion or visiting a naturopathic doctor. Many do not want to take on this responsibility because it is easier to follow the trend and let the system dictate than to question everything and take a stand when you feel the direction is not right. Nevertheless, even when this decision has been made, what you trust for maintaining your health becomes crucial. Within the sea of confusion, it may be best doing some house cleaning, beginning by elimination, start reading the labels, even the ones once trusted. The benchmark will be the ones closest to nature and if they do not pass the mark, they need to go. Depending on the stage you are in this may apply for almost everything: from the garden chemicals, to synthetic clothing, to highly processed packaged foods, to toxic seed oils, to your water source, to the Teflon forever chemical pots and pans and WIFI connections, especially where you sleep. If you are still buying your supplements in Walmart or Costco, and for that matter in most pharmacies and grocery stores and sadly many health food stores that dominated by single brands. Read the labels, look at the flow agents, magnesium stearate, steric acid and gelatin capsules and synthetic sourced ingredients, it is an illusion for they may be doing you more harm than good.

The Impact of Ultra-processed Food on Our Health

According to recent research from Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute over 73 percent of the United States food supply is ultra-processed. Many large-scale studies started to investigate the association between ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and cognitive decline. According to one of them, which analyzed data from more than 10,000 participants, “a higher percentage of daily energy consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with cognitive decline among adults from an ethnically diverse sample. These findings support current public health recommendations on limiting ultra-processed food consumption because of their potential harm to cognitive function.”[2]

According to the mentioned study, dementia cases are projected to rise significantly from 57 million in 2019 to 153 million by 2050 due to increased life expectancy. It is a leading cause of disability, particularly in high-income countries. Current treatments are limited, making prevention through lifestyle changes essential. Physical activity, a healthy diet rich in whole non-GMO grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts, wild caught fish, and smoking cessation are linked to reduced dementia risk and better brain health.

Not only cognitive function has been negatively impacted by the consumption of ultra-processed food. According to a dose-response meta-analysis, UPF increases the risk of  constipation, which affect one in four Canadians. This leads to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by 13 percent, for Crohn’s disease (CD) the relative risk is 1.19, indicating a 19 percent increased risk with high UPF intake.[3] In addition, the results showed a positive linear relation between UPF intake with CD risk (Pnonlinearity = 0.431; Pdose response = 0.049) Another study had the same results. “Higher intake of UPFs was associated with higher incidence of CD. In individuals with a pre-existing diagnosis of IBD, consumption of UPFs was significantly higher compared with controls, and was associated with an increased need for IBD-related surgery.”[4]

Besides the previously mentioned conditions, colorectal and pancreatic cancer has been also linked to the consumption of UPF in multiple other studies. With UPF being so prevalent is it any wonder that Canada has one of the highest rates of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the world, estimated to affect 18% of the population.

The Skin and Our Choices

Beauty experts have observed that Gen Z is aging more rapidly than Millennials. Social media debates have highlighted differences in skincare routines, lifestyle, and Botox usage, with professionals noting similar trends. Millennials (born 1980-1997) typically maintain healthier diets, smoke less, have better skincare knowledge, use less makeup, and undergo less plastic surgery than Gen Z (born 1998-2012). Dr. Rasha Rakhshani-Moghadam suggests that overuse of fillers and toxins by Gen Z may prematurely age them. Millennials emphasize preventive skincare and holistic well-being, incorporating balanced diets and skincare practices. “Vaping, smoking, drinking excess alcohol, eating a poor diet, not wearing a high SPF all affect your skin, so if you are starting to develop bad lifestyle choices from a younger age, it makes sense that you are not going to age well into your thirties and above.”[5]

Other Factors Affecting Health

Besides ultra-processed food or skincare choices, the world of unhealthy or even dangerous alternatives seem to have no end. The list could go on with gene-silencing RNAi pesticides that are meant to target one insect. Scientists are concerned though that “a pesticide designed for one insect could end up harming beneficial pollinators, soil microbes, or even humans.”[6]

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” are another factor having a negative impact on our health. They have been linked to multiple health issues including cancer and to negative effects on immune function and reproduction. Besides furniture, fabric and other household items these chemicals are present in ultra processed foods, processed meats, tap water, straws and also food packaging materials. Research suggests that “fast food may provide higher PFAS exposures, which could be from grease-resistant food packaging containing PFAS” and that “public monitoring of food and beverage products could aid in identifying and eliminating the source of contamination.”[7]

Nutritional Supplements

It is crucial to understand nutritional supplements before using them. While vitamins and minerals are intended to be vital for health, confusion arises from the many synthetic options on the market. These often contain harmful additives and are poorly absorbed by the body, potentially causing health issues. It is important to distinguish between genuine food-based supplements and synthetic imitations. Most vitamins sold are synthetic and from feed grade raw materials, they are less effective than natural food-based vitamins, which are much greater absorbed to the cells and retained by the body. Unfortunately, there are not many good options. “More than 95% of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that you can buy at “health food” stores and close to 100% of those sold in other stores are now made by the same few pharmaceutical and chemical companies who supply them to most of the vitamin and mineral companies. They are no longer the nutritional supplements they once were but are, more accurately, (pharmaceutical) “nutraceuticals”.[8] Always choose supplements listing USP grade raw materials and methylated vitamins and minerals, actual foods as ingredients and free of harmful additives for optimal health benefits. In the meantime, remember that science cannot create life, only life can. True healing requires a foundation of diet, exercise, detoxification, and mental/emotional health. Supplements, especially for prevention and maintenance or during acute needs, can help but they should be food-based and USP grade, avoid feed grade and food grade.

We are sharing this information as our way to help you be prepared; there is a lot of noise, it is a jungle out there and prevention is the key, especially when situations arise from what is deemed as being normal. Dispel fear and walk by faith, keeping a sound mind with a positive attitude from a position of strength. Live in the moment with the focus on a brighter tomorrow and always leave room for the unexpected.

Additional Reading:

 

References:

 

 

[1] https://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/climate-and-environment/gassy-cows-and-pigs-will-face-a-carbon-tax-in-denmark-a-world-first-1.6941379?cache=jicarybufmeeb/7.580469

[2] Gomes Gonçalves, Natalia et al. 2022.

[3] Babaei, Atefeh et al. 2023.

[4] Chen, Jie et al. 2023.

[5] Hodgson, Jen. 2024.

[6] Ji, Sayer. 2024.

[7] Athrappully, Naveen. 2024.

[8] Nikolic, Goran and Markovic, Dragana. 2015.