The World Health Organization warns that cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions, which already kill more than 24 million people a year, will impose increasing burdens of suffering and disability on hundreds of millions of others.

Health Enemy #1: Heart Disease

Coronary artery disease is the number one killer in industrialized nations today—accounting
for more than 7.2 million deaths a year.

Heart disease is an inflammatory disease of the arteries—not a disease of cholesterol. Over half of the patients who suffer a heart attack have normal cholesterol levels. One of the underlying causes of inflammation of the artery is “oxidized” LDL cholesterol and homocysteine, along with excessive
free radicals caused by hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, fatty meals, and elevated insulin levels. The more of these risk factors a person has, the greater the likelihood of becoming ill.The underlying risk factors like heredity, gender, and age cannot be modified, but the others can be influenced and improved by an individual’s behavior and lifestyle.

Health Enemy #2: Cancer

8.6 million people die of cancer yearly.

In spite of the great advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the eventual outcome is too often a very difficult and painful death. Medical literature increasingly supports the fact that cancer develops from damage to the DNA of the cells by unstable molecules over the course of 10 to 20 years.

Health Enemy #3: Stroke

5.5 million people die from stroke every year.

Stroke occurs suddenly and usually without warning. Dr. Meir Stampfer reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that 15 percent of all strokes could be related to elevated homocys-teine, a by-product of protein metabolism that is elevated in individuals who have low levels of folic
acid and vitamins B6 and B12.

Health Enemy #4: Diabetes

194 million people suffer from diabetes, and that figure is expected to rise to 300 million by the year 2025.

The overwhelming number of new cases of diabetes in the world today is the result of insulin resistance. Physicians are busy treating blood sugars rather than the underlying problem, which is insulin resistance. A low-glycemic diet, exercise, and nutritional supplementation can help people maintain normal sensitivity to their own insulin and assist in decreasing some of the risk factors for diabetes.

Health Enemy #5: Osteoporosis

25 million North Americans suffer from osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and bone health depend not only on estrogen and calcium, but on a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins B6, C, D, and K, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and copper. Failure to meet one or more of these nutrient needs could result in accelerated osteopo-rosis. Maintaining strong and healthy bones should begin early.

Health Enemy #6: Arthritis

More than 165 million people have some form of arthritis.

More than 70 to 80 percent of the population over the age of 50 suffers from degenerative arthritis. Glucosamine sulfate along with other key nutrients can help maintain healthy joints and help maintain healthy cartilage. There is currently no cure for arthritis, doctors can only control pain and educate patients on proper activity and a healthy diet with proper supplementation to help maintain joint cartilage.

Health Enemy #7: Alzheimer’s

An estimated 29 million people suffer from dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative illness of the brain that causes gradual loss of memory, judgment, and ability to function. Alzheimer’s disease has no known cause or cure, but one promising line of research suggests that strategies for overall healthy aging may help keep the brain healthy and may even offer some protection against the disease. These measures include exercising both body and mind, eating a healthy diet, and proper supplementation.

Health Enemy #8: Obesity

Obesity has reached global epidemic proportions, with more than 1 billion adults overweight and at least 300 million of them clinically obese.

Obesity is now a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. Resea-rchers are beginning to realize that one of the main causes of obesity is insulin resistance. Eating diets that are low glycemic to not spike your blood sugar, modest exercise, and nutritional sup-plements all help maintain normal insulin sensitivity. This triad of healthy lifestyles has a side effect of fat loss.