Live longer, better, and happier!

Everyone wants to know the secret: “How do I live a longer life, filled with better health, and greater happiness than the average person?”

The answer has been sought by people all over the world and across generations. Our Founding Fathers even sought fit to include these desires in the US Declaration of Independence, in which they described “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as “unalienable rights.”

In our most primitive period of human history, the focus was simple: survival.

As early humans transitioned from hunter-gatherer groups to farming communities many of those early threats reduced. Infectious disease, injury and infection became the most common causes of early death and disability.

Now, with our move to safer living and working environments, increased understanding of the human body, and development of modern medicine, that has changed.

Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability, particularly in high-income countries.
Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease

More than 70% of deaths globally are due to chronic diseases.

Chronic diseases are the cause of more than 87% of American adult deaths. This exceeds the global average meaning it’s past time to make some changes!

This is significant, because approximately half of American adults had at least one chronic disease as of 2012. And 1 in 4 adults had two or more chronic health conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO), expects rates of chronic diseases and conditions to continue to grow…

So what IS a chronic disease?

I’m glad you asked!

Chronic diseases are noncontagious, ongoing illnesses or conditions. They include heart disease, arthritis, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, dental cavities, asthma, obesity, depression, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias among many other conditions.

How to save money on healthcare expenses.

These diseases are often preventable and frequently manageable through early detection, improved diet, exercise, and treatment therapy.

Not sure these issues really affect you?

Check out these stats…

Are you at risk for heart disease?

1 in 4 American adult deaths each year are from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women.
Centers for disease control and prevention

Nearly half of Americans have at least 1 of the 3 risk factors for heart disease.

Do you have any of these top risk factors?

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Smoking

Other lifestyle factors and preventable chronic diseases that can increase your risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and other potentially fatal health problems include:

Diabetes
Obesity
Unhealthy diet high in trans fats, saturated fats, and/or salt
Lack of physical activity
Drinking too much alcohol
Too little or too much sleep (7-9 hours is ideal for nearly all adults)

If you are concerned about heart health, chronic disease prevention, or simply want to sleep better, join my Healthy Family Course. These classes discuss the lifestyle choices and commonly missed health conditions that affect your health, as well as how to resolve them.

Being overweight or obese raises your health risks.

More than 2 in 3 adults and about 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are overweight or obese.
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013-14

Shame, guilt, and frustration are feelings my clients struggling with resistant weight loss frequently share. Fad diets, calorie restriction, and yo-yo weight changes can leave anyone feeling hopeless.

No one chooses to be overweight.

Generally, a lack of nutrition education, chronic stress, and/or not knowing how to break free from unhealthy habits are to blame.

Layered Living is here to help! Schedule your Free Consultation to learn how Health Coaching can help you achieve your wellness goals.

Can I afford a Health Coach?

Rates of diabetes are growing.

Approximately 1 in 11 adults have diabetes in the US.
diabetes daily

And, right now, 25% of them do not know they have diabetes. Rates of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing globally.

Type 2 diabetes, which is largely preventable through lifestyle choices, accounts for about 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults.

Of even greater concern, more than 1 in 3 adults have prediabetes. 90% of them do not know they have prediabetes – yikes!

That means people in this large and growing group have no idea they are sitting on the tipping point. Not only that, but the day-to-day decisions we are making are having a huge and lasting impact on our long term health and potential longevity.

Type 2 diabetes used to be known as a disease of adulthood. Unfortunately, that has changed.

1 in 3 American children born since 2000 are expected to develop type 2 diabetes over the course of their lifetime, based on current trends. Furthermore, when diabetes starts in childhood it progresses faster and is harder to treat than in adults.

Did you know, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and often linked to celiac disease? Ask me why routine celiac disease testing is recommended.

Everyday choices may prevent cancer.

More than 1 in 3 men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lives.
national cancer institute

The WHO estimates that 20% of all cancers diagnosed in the US are preventable through healthier diet and lifestyle choices alone.

Besides quitting smoking, some of the most important things you can do to help reduce your cancer risk are:

Get to and stay at a healthy weight throughout life.
Be physically active on a regular basis.
Make healthy food choices with a focus on plant-based foods.

Cavities are more than a cosmetic problem.

Dental cavities are the most common chronic disease of American children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.
centers for disease control and prevention

In fact, cavities are about five times as common as asthma and seven times as common as hay fever.

Oral health is sometimes forgotten as a major health concern. In reality, poor oral health contributes to or may even cause numerous other internal health problems including heart disease, dementia, respiratory infections, diabetes, and more.

Are you or your kids affected by any of these conditions?

Research shows that unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices are the leading cause of chronic disease.

Layered Living has Health Coaching programs, educational Wellness Classes, and more to support your needs.

Health Coaches employ a holistic approach to wellness. While the food on our plate is foundational (and can be transformational to our life!), far more than diet contributes to good health and longevity.

Together, we will explore each layer that contributes to your health and happiness. We seek to identify sources of stress and discover the root causes of chronic stress and ill health.

“This program not only helped me to learn about nutrition, but as the name implies, it helped me to gain balance in ALL layers of my life– from nutrition to finances, personal relationships to physical activity.”
Nicole J.

My intentions for all my coaching programs and educational classes are simple:

Alleviate stress
Reduce healthcare spending
Increase family harmony
Enjoy delicious food
Have fun!

Are you ready to discover whole life wellness? Find the right Services to support your goals.

Citations

American Public Health Association. (2012, June). The Prevention and Public Health Fund: A critical investment in our nation’s physical and fiscal health. Retrieved from https://www.apha.org/~/media/files/pdf/factsheets/apha_prevfundbrief_june2012.ashx.

Benjamin, R. M. (2010). Oral health: The Silent Epidemic. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821841/

Caffrey, C., Sengupta, M., & Park-Lee, E. (2012, August 10). QuickStats: Ten Most Common Chronic Conditions* Among Persons Living in Residential Care Facilities – National Survey of Residential Care Facilities, United States, 2010. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6131a6.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, September 22). Hygiene-related Diseases: Dental Caries (Tooth Decay). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/disease/dental_caries.html.

Diabetes Daily Staff. (2016, April 18). How Many People Have Diabetes? Retrieved from https://www.diabetesdaily.com/learn-about-diabetes/what-is-diabetes/how-many-people-have-diabetes/

Division of Diabetes Translation. (2014). National Diabetes Statistics Report from 2014. Retrieved from http://templatelab.com/national-diabetes-report-2014/.

Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. (2017, August 23). Heart Disease Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_disease.htm.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2019, February 6). Behaviors That Increase Risk for Heart Disease. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/behavior.htm

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2019, July 30). About Chronic Diseases. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm

National Cancer Institute. (2018, April 27). Cancer Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017, August). Overweight & Obesity Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity?dkrd=hispt0880

Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease. (2016 January 12). The Growing Crisis of Chronic Disease in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.fightchronicdisease.org/sites/default/files/docs/GrowingCrisisofChronicDiseaseintheUSfactsheet_81009.pdf.

Santos-Longhurst, A. (2017, February 27). Type 2 Diabetes Statistics and Facts. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/statistics#1

Schmidt, H. (2016, April 13). Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK435779/

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. (2019, July 26). Declaration of Independence: A Transcription. Retrieved from https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This blog post is general information only and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Healthy Living