1 Cause of Disease and Dysfunction...Defiencies

Reposted for Health by YEVO.us

Dr. Ben Kim, Guest
Waking TimesDeficiency


Link to Waking Times Full Article

Disease and dysfunction are accelerated when we are deficient in any of the following:

• Nutrients
• Physical and Emotional Rest
• Sunlight and Fresh Air
• Love and Life Purpose

Nutrients
To be optimally healthy, our cells need enough energy (calories) to carry out everyday metabolic activities – these calories are obtained by burning one or more of the following macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Our cells also require a steady supply of the following micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. And to be optimally healthy, we require adequate intake of water, fiber, and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are organic components of plants that are not essential to health, but are needed to experience optimal health; examples of phytonutrients include flavonoids (found in citrus and acerola cherries), carotenoids (found in carrots and spinach), and indoles (found in Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower).
The best way to ensure optimal nourishment of our cells is to eat nutrient-dense foods – these are foods that are highly concentrated in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytochemicals. Nutrient-rich foods include fresh vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Organic eggs and wild fish are also healthy, micronutrient-rich foods that are well tolerated by many people.
A good way to become deficient in the micronutrients that we need to prevent disease and premature aging is to eat highly processed foods that fill us up but don’t provide us with substantial amounts of natural micronutrients – soda and foods that are made with white flour belong in this category.
If we regularly eat micronutrient-rich foods but want extra insurance against developing nutritional deficiencies, we can include nutritional supplements made with whole foods in our diets.
Physical and Emotional Rest
Adequate physical rest is critical to preventing premature disease and dysfunction, as the endocrine system relies heavily on restful sleep to function properly.
Adequate emotional rest goes hand in hand with the section above on emotional trauma. Taking time to rest the mind and nervous system via meditation, prayer, journaling, or any other activities that help us feel calm can promote optimal autonomic nervous system tone, which is an essential requirement for getting and staying well.
Sunlight and Fresh Air
Promoting optimal vitamin D status by exposing skin to sunlight without getting burned has been receiving tremendous support from the research community over the past several years. Vitamin D supports several major organ systems, including our nervous, immune, and skeletal, and cardiovascular systems.
Optimal health also requires optimally oxygenated blood, which is only possible when we have regular access to fresh air. We must not overlook the importance of sleeping in the presence of fresh air.
Love and Life Purpose
Consistently feeling loved and cared about is essential to preventing disease and dysfunction as we age. If you can’t accept this without a long list of footnotes of studies that support this notion, have a look at Dean Ornish’s book, Love and Survival.
As discussed in the section on emotional trauma, making healthy choices is easiest when we have a foundation of good emotional health, which includes a sense of purpose for our lives. Our unique life purposes don’t have to involve anything on a global level, or even a small rural town level; the idea is to feel content with our daily efforts to be kind and helpful people.

Where do our genes fit into our risk of developing disease and dysfunctional cells? Like our emotional health status, our genetics serve as a type of foundation that all of our daily choices build upon or tear down. In the vast majority of cases, genetic predispositions for specific health challenges like breast cancer, endometriosis, prostate cancer, colo-rectal cancer, and other conditions that are often described as having strong genetic components can stay dormant if we minimize our exposure to the major causes of disease discussed in this article, and if we consistently make health-promoting choices.
So now that you know the major causes of disease and dysfunction, how about some guidelines for making positive choices? This part is simple. Regularly include the foods mentioned in the Full Body Cleanse Diet in your daily regimen, and adopt some or all of the lifestyle suggestions found here: Full Body Cleanse Lifestyle.
Not all of us may make it to 120 years of age, but by understanding the main causes of disease and dysfunction, working on staying emotionally balanced, and making sensible choices each day, we can have peace of mind in knowing that we are maximizing our health potential.