Heart disease may not keep you up at night but it haunts a lot of Canadian’s because of their family history.
Not quite as scary as cancer, but it’s up there. It’s in the back of people’s minds.
Few families have escaped the rising epidemic of heart disease.
Saying “get some exercise and avoid stress” is not cutting it.
We need real strategies.
Even more than that, we need strategies that are solid scientifically, that will get you real, lasting results.
Genetics don’t have the final say.
This really hit close to home a few years ago when my dad had a heart attack and required quad bypass surgery.
My family history is definitely slanted towards heart disease BUT I’VE NEVER BELIEVED it had to be the final chapter of the story for any of us.
With that hear attack that belief was stretched to the max. But now that we’re on the other side of this family trauma, I still believe genetics can be overcome.
[ctt tweet=”Genetics can be overcome.” coverup=”2B6U_”]That’s why I’ve crafted the “5 concepts” that will completely crush cardiovascular disease.
But before we can get into these 5 keys, we need to deal with the elephant in the room. Genetics.
Aren’t my genetic’s out of my control?
Many are of the opinion that genetics are unbendable and so they have resolved to just do the best they can and accept their fate.
In my dad’s family, my grandfather had his first heart attack in his early 50’s then proceeded to have 2 more, until finally he passed away in his 60’s.
Grandpa was a businessman, so no doubt he had his fair share of stress and although they ate from “scratch”, it wasn’t always healthy.
In fact, if you looked at his diet compared to what the Canada Food Guide recommends, it wouldn’t be too far off.
He went to his family doctor religiously, followed the standard recommendation; watch your stress, take your medications, stay away from salt and fat and keep on keeping on. The underlying message? Your fate is set, it’s in your genes. Try your best but it still won’t work out for you in the end.
I’m making some assumptions about my grandfather, but I would imagine he knew where his cholesterol was and didn’t eat eggs and butter; you know, all the things that kill you.
But in the end, he died far too young. The last 20 years of his life, my memory as a kid was, it didn’t take much for grandpa to get winded.
The Next Generation
Fast forward to my dad. 71 years of age, playing hockey with his buddies 2-3x per week, he’s training for the BC seniors games. Heart attack on the ice half way through the game. You can watch his story here.
Genetics in action, right?
Mom and dad eat responsibly (but they’re not obsessive about nutrition).
Lots of home cooking, a bit more eating out than the previous generation, not excessive though.
He’s been getting adjusted regularly for as long as I’ve been a chiropractor, going on 20 years now. He takes vitamins (some seasons of life more than others).
So for the last 20 years mom and dad have been doing really well. They exercise a lot and look far younger than their 70+ years.
So if genetics is not set in stone, why would my very own father get hit with a massive heart attack?
Consequences do catch up to us.
It’s only been the last 2 decades of his life that he’s really worked on his health. I mean for real and with a plan. And the biggest change has been the neurological support today’s chiropractic has given him.
For the first 50 years of my dad’s life, my parents thought their “fate” was in their genetics. Their nutrition was really no different than most other “home cooking” Canadians, they never got adjusted other than a few times for pain and exercised occasionally.
Dad exercised just enough to get in shape for the hockey season.
It makes perfect sense if your genetics are the final chapter. Why bother?
Other than staying out of pain, why work on your health? Especially, if the outcome isn’t going to be any different than working your “hind end” off for years and years?
50 years of Canadian lifestyle will set in motion a fairly predictable outcome.
Where has this left us?
1 out of 2 Canadians will die of heart disease and 1 out of 3 will die from cancer. In fact researchers are saying that our Canadian lifestyle is responsible for upwards of 80% of the current disease we are struggling with. See the research here.
So following the “healthy” recommendations of mainstream nutritionist’s, doctor’s and personal trainers will not get you the life you deserve.
100+Living is not about repeating recommendations you get in popular media or from Health Canada. 100+Living is about looking at our desired outcome and working backwards.
So what’s our desired outcome? Our goal is simply 100+Living.
Living to 100 years, possibly even beyond 100 in great health.
But not just physical health; 100+living is also about loving relationships, incredible attitude and a joy filled, rewarding life.
The 5 Myths we are destroying in the next few blogs are;
1. & 2. We are completely off the mark when it comes to blaming dietary cholesterol (Myth #1) and saturated fat (Myth #2) for heart disease.
3. Third Myth of Cardiovascular Disease; it’s all about Your Cardiovascular System.
4. Myth #4 is that we’re all physical.
5. Myth #5 is that I can do it alone, the Marlboro Man lives again. . . .
And for each of these blogs I would love to get your input on what you think about these concepts. I believe they can radically transform your life if you implement them. I’d love to hear when and how you are putting them in your lifestyle.
And to learn even more, take the time to register and attend our latest 100+Living Workshop called “Natural Strategies to Build a Healthy Heart; Beat Your Genetics Before They Beat You”.
You can register here.
We’d love to have you join us. We’re always glad to meet another 100+Living enthusiast.
