We all possess an immune system. There are things you can do to support your immune system and things you can do to damage it. Regardless of pandemics, we should be doing what we can to support our immune system before asking the health care system for help.
The leading cause of death in America is heart disease according to the CDC. You can check out the stats at the CDC website HERE. While some will argue that they know someone who exercised regularly, ate broccoli like it was going out of style, and was a Zen master, but still had a heart attack, the fact is dietary and lifestyle choices can alter your risk for heart disease.
A quick Google search for ‘risk factors for heart disease,’ can give you an idea of what the most common causes are for heart disease. In my field, fitness, there is much debate about the role of fats in heart disease and whether saturated fat is good, neutral, or bad for your heart. What is not debatable is that smoking, alcohol use, inactivity and stress are factors you should take seriously and can put you at greater risk.
The great thing about these factors we know are bad for your heart is that they are controllable and that’s really the point here. We don’t have control over our genetics, or family history, but we do have control over what we put in our mouth and what we do with our body on a daily basis.
Rather than placing blame on an obviously dysfunctional medical system, we should be taking care of ourselves. The system was overloaded before COVID-19 ever arrived. By being a healthier individual we can provide a positive impact on this ongoing dire situation in America by being the first line of defense in our own health care.
There are always going to be people who are less fortunate for various reasons. These people will need health care resources. The less we use, those of us who have a choice, the more will be available for those in need.
