How many times have you gone to the doctor about an ailment and left with a drug prescription? In my case, probably 80% of the time. I can get whatever I want because of my medical history…yet I don’t ask for it. We really need to determine and treat the cause and not effects, but our current medical system in the U.S. is not set up that way.

So much information is out there about diet and lifestyle and it can be overwhelming. But the “system” is slowly changing for the better and many people are realizing the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, most notably food choices. You really are what you eat and do. A major lifestyle change or intervention is sometimes needed. It must be stressed that patience (not patients) is required for any lifestyle change (and breaking bad habits) to make a positive effect.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar does not cause heart disease or diabetes. It’s our lifestyle and environment that cause it — it’s what we eat, do we exercise or not, stress, or environmental toxins. This is emphasized a lot with my family. They can testify that I am the real deal as a veggie pusher.

The past five years have been an interesting journey for me. I enjoy learning new things, so I started this blog because of a desire to help others, hoping that people can learn from my lifestyle change experiences. Lead the way and set an example.

Dr. Mark Hyman regularly updates his blog and his post from yesterday pretty much sums it up. “Lifestyle medicine is not just about preventing chronic diseases but also about treating them. It is often more effective and less expensive than relying exclusively on drugs and surgery.” I encourage you to check out his site and see what changes you can make for yourself and your family. http://drhyman.com/