Patients come to me with the assumption that their health is doomed because of their family’s poor health history. When we start working through the disease and disorders that plagued their parents, grandparents, etc it is clear that many of them were caused by lifestyle factors.
Nongenetic factors like diet can account for 80-90% of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, stroke, and lung disease cases to name a few.
Migration studies have proven this, disease rates within single generations, and identical twin studies have also proven this.
Migration studies: when people move from low risk areas to high risk areas, their disease risk nearly always matches the new setting. (1)
Disease rates within single generations: Colon cancer in Japan was less than 1/5 of the United States in the 1950s; however, colon cancer rates in Japan are now as bad as the United States in part due to the fivefold increase in meat consumption. (2)
Identical twin studies: American Heart Association-funded study compared lifestyles and arteries of nearly 500 identical twins. It found that lifestyle factors clearly trumped genes. (3)
So why do some people automatically assume we are destined for poor health because of their family’s health history?
For some, I believe it gives them a “pass” to eat poorly. They choose not to believe the clear correlation between diet and health. This will ultimately lead to their demise and continue the poor health trend in their family.
Why eat vegetables and exercise if I’m destined to have a heart attack? Right? WRONG.
I’ll say it again. For MOST of our leading killers, non genetic factors like diet can account for at least 80 or 90 percent of cases. (4)
That means, you’re only 10-20% likely to die of a disease due to your DNA.
The odds of good health are in your favor. You have tremendous control over your medical destiny.
Questions? Just ask!
Want to work with me 1:1 to create the perfect diet for you and/or your family? Contact me today at dana@thrivekin.com.
Sources:
1. Kono S. Secular trend of colon cancer incidence and mortality in relation to fat and meat intake in Japan. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2004;13(2):127-32
3. Kono S. Secular trend of colon cancer incidence and mortality in relation to fat and meat intake in Japan. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2004;13(2):127-32
4. Kulshreshtha A, Goyal A, Veledar E, et al. Association between ideal cardiovascular health and Carotid Intima-media thickness: twin study. J Am Heart Association. 2014;3(1):e000282.
5. Gregor, Dr. Michael. How Not to Die. New York: Flatiron Books, 2015. Print.