Ten Commandments of Good Health Part 2

Commandment Six
You Shall not Self-destruct:
How You Think Can Keep You Healthy

At times we can be our own worst enemy. Just as it is vital to know what to do, it is almost as important to know what not to do. Seven of the top ten causes of death are accurately described as lifestyle illnesses. This means they are largely triggered by actions and choices. In terms of our health, genetics loads the gun, but behavior pulls the trigger. The top offenders are cigarettes and alcohol, yet more insidious behaviors such as sexual promiscuity and the spread of life threatening sexually transmitted diseases have to be brought into the forefront of the discussion. For the first time in history, our daughters, in particular, are faced with behavioral based diseases that can result in cancer and death at an early age. The epidemic of such STDs as Human Papilloma Virus is no longer simply an embarrassment or inconvenience; it can kill. Choose to avoid behaviors that can significantly increase your risk of illness. This should be appreciated not as restrictions but as opportunities to make wise choices that can have lasting benefits.

Commandment Seven
You Shall Not Fear Cancer:
Simple Steps to Reduce Your Risk

The word itself, cancer, creates a blanket of fear that can smother the most stoic and strong. In particular, breast and ovarian cancer concerns dominate the thoughts of women especially those saddled with a strong family history of either disease. The good news is that seven of the top ten risk factors for these cancers are controllable. There are steps that every woman can take to reduce their risks up to 50-60% of ever hearing the words, “You have cancer.” In the end, we all are at some risk of an aberrant cell forgetting how to stop growing, but it seems only logical that anything we can do to reduce the risk is a good thing. It is, indeed, a good thing to lower chances, especially if doing so also leads to looking better, feeling better, and acting better.

Commandment Eight
You Shall be Heart Healthy:
Just Say No to Heart Attacks and Strokes

Heart disease and stroke combined are the leading killers of women over the age of fifty. Cutting edge research is shedding new light on factors that influence heart heath specifically in women. For decades studies on heart disease and stroke looked almost exclusively at males, assessing risks and treatments. Only in the past decade has medical researchers acknowledge that women are different when it comes to their characteristics and proclivity towards cardiovascular disease. Hormones (both intrinsic and extrinsic), diet, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure are a few of the areas of special note in designing a specific plan for heart health.

Commandment Nine
You Shall Drink…Water:
The Real Fountain of Youth

The human body is anywhere from 55% to 78% water, and virtually all body systems rely on adequate hydration for proper functioning. A leading cause of morbidity is moderate, chronic, inadequate fluid intake. Myths abound regarding the safety and contamination of tap water supplies. The “six to eight glasses of water” mantra we all know and never do is nevertheless true. Our bodies enjoy a well designed, miraculous constitution, but it is our responsibility to be good stewards of this gift by filling it with the “elixir of health”: water.

Commandment Ten
You Shall Worship:
God Wants You to be Healthy

Studies have shown that regardless of your religious affiliation, folks who worship God in whatever fashion are healthier. This basic act of obedience not only fulfills one of our inherent purposes, but also has been shown to be good for our health. Cutting edge research from such institutions as Duke University and Harvard Medical School show the surprising health benefits of worship. Obviously this is not the purpose of worship, and it has been shown that those who practice false religious piety don’t exhibit the same benefits as those who display intrinsic religiosity. Praise and adoration is an end in itself, but it is characteristic of God to add a wonderful “side effect” to worship like improved health. Worship in its many iterations ties together many of the other nine commandments and creates an environment for health and healing. There is no right or wrong way to worship; no template for healing. It is shown that any heart felt act of praise and obedience can result in a harmony of wholeness.

In this turbulent time of change, one thing remains constant; your health is largely a choice. More importantly the health of your family is a legacy that will either bless or afflict those for generations to come. With the full understanding that new resolutions are kept for an average of 36.4 seconds, I challenge you to make 2016 the year of the health nut. Be abnormal! Get healthy!