Cancer, Heart Disease and Chronic Fatigue: It’s Not Worth The Risk

My 16 year old son just got his driver’s license about 2 weeks ago.  It’s a right of passage I guess, and I cried, just as I did when I dropped him off at kindergarten for the first time.

Call me a sentimental fool, and I will proudly wear the title.

He and I went out for dinner the other night.  It’s our best opportunity to spend time together. At home, it’s sometimes too busy for us to just sit down together and chat.

As he was driving home – and I was gripping the passenger side strap, working on my Heart Math breathing and appreciation – (I’m not the most relaxed passenger) he said words that are music to any parents ears.  He said “It’s not worth the risk”.

Out of context that statement doesn’t mean very much.  Yet in context, it set my mind at ease about the degree of  “recklessness” I could expect from my newly on the road teenager.

The reason I loved hearing those words is because what he felt was not worth the risk was a road rule that my husband  and I disagreed on and  Eric was doing it the way I suggested was correct…because it wasn’t worth the risk of getting in trouble for getting into the turn lane too soon.

What that told me is that he is ultra aware of the rules of the road and does not want to break any lest he get in trouble with the police.

What excited me about his comment was that this is such a minor thing…one we experienced drivers don’t even think about.  It helped me to feel confident that he was not going to risk the more dangerous driving behaviors that teen drivers often engage in.

Is it worth the risk ? is a great question to ask yourself when making lifestyle choices that affect your health.

What risks do you take on a regular basis?

Driving or being passenger without a seat belt? Riding a bicycle without a helmet? Going to bed without flossing your teeth?

Life is filled with risk / reward choices.  Are you clear  enough about your core values and goals that the choices are easy to make?

Here are 5 risks that most people take on a daily basis:

1.Eating heated oils.  The threshold temperature is slightly different for each oil, yet the result is similar.  Above the threshold, the heat causes oxidation of the fat , making it damaging to your immune system and antioxidant status.  This puts you at risk for cancer, heart disease and a host of degenerative ailments.  Poly-unsaturated oils like safflower, corn, sunflower and soybean are the most risky, and are generally oxidized in the bottle, before you even open them, due to exposure to light, heat and air.

2.Eating sugar.  Sugar not only contributes to poor dental health, it also feeds cancer cells, and its consumption dramatically increases your cancer risk.  Sugar also creates hormonal disruption, contributes to a condition called insulin resistance and its characteristic fat around the waist, and results in impaired energy metabolism and decreased immunity.  As if that’s not enough, sugar contributes to focus and concentration, heart disease, and dozens of other health maladies.

3.Exposure to pesticides, herbicides and chemicals in the air and water.  These tax your inborn detoxification systems, leading to toxic buildup, mental health issues and digestive disturbances.

4.Worrying.  Getting yourself in a tizzy about things that may happen, could happen and would be horrible if did happen is a sure fire way of putting yourself at risk for heart disease, cancer, stroke and chronic fatigue.  It puts your body into ‘fight/flight’ mode, creating a cascade of chemical reactions that impairs digestion and absorption of nutrients and can contribute to cancer.

5.Eating processed and refined cooked foods.   These are deficient in nutrients and usually contain harmful preservatives, additives and flavorings, which disrupt hormone pathways, drain your body of B-vitamins and other nutrients needed for energy metabolism and leave you exhausted, toxic and undernourished

Go through the list and determine how much you’re putting yourself at risk.  Then ask yourself when confronted with a food or lifestyle choice, “Is this worth the risk?  Is the momentary pleasure worth long-term disconnection from what really matters?

Making choices consistent with your higher good takes some effort on your part.  You’ll need to educate yourself,  learn  to make different foods and risk being “different” .

As one of my potluck participants said when asked about his food choices and whether he felt deprived, “Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.”

For more in-depth coverage of the food choice and health connection, particularly when it comes to cancer and other serious illnesses, join me and my very special guest speaker, Dr. Brian Clement, director of the world renowned  Hippocrates Institute.  He’ll be speaking in Austin and we’ll broadcast it over the internet.

www.drritamarie.com/cancertalk

Dr. Clement has been working with people with cancer and other serious illnesses for over 30 years, and he’s seen more than his share of miracles.

I hope you can join us.  Every time I hear Dr. Clement speak, I learn something new.  He’s charismatic, informative and  very inspiring.   And he walks his talk.  He’s a living example of the power of food to heal.

We are very fortunate that he’s taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to us.  He travels and speaks world-wide.

Those that show up live will receive a complementary copy of the Hippocrates Institute’s beautiful, full color glossy magazine “Healing Our World’.

Www.drritamarie.com/cancertalk
If you live in or near Austin, come on by to my house Saturday evening to share a meal and connect with some amazing health minded souls.

For information about the events, go to www.drritamarie.com/potluck and see for yourself by watching our video.  To sign-up for the meet-up and get all the details you need to participate, go to  www.drritamarie.com/meetup

Love, health and Joy to You!

Dr. Ritamarie

Creating Vibrant Health…One Bite at a Time.’