The Tribune

By Christine Carey

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, more than 75 per cent of chronic diseases are preventable, and often the same diseases are reversible. This is exciting if you are facing a disease right now or have a family history of disease.

Food that comes from the earth supplies the nutrients necessary for your body to heal itself and remain resistant to degenerative diseases. I encourage you to return to or begin eating a diet

comprised predominantly of whole foods eaten as close as possible to their original form, avoiding processing and chemicals. The more the food is processed, the more likely it is to lead to cellular damage and systemic disease. Avoid man-made foods and watch your health improve dramatically. I have so often heard people say that eating healthy is too expensive. Many of these people are taking multiple medications, seeing numerous physicians and undergoing regular medical tests and having frequent surgeries. The belief is that buying fruits and vegetables break the food budget.

There is truth in the statement that the government ought to substantially reduce and revise duty rates and taxes on healthy food items to make them accessible to all Bahamians. Our food and lifestyle choices are at the source of healing preventable diseases that are taxing our families and our health care system. This cannot be neglected if we are to create the possibility of ensuring a healthy nation.

The financial costs of illness can be overwhelming, but what about the cost of lost quality of life and opportunity? Simply being sick with the cold or flu affects your activities, service, family and

work. Chronic degenerative diseases have similar, but more prolonged and profound effects that can be devastating and life altering. The inherent value of the lost quality of life is not

measurable in economic terms, and most people facing chronic diseases would spend large amounts of money to regain their lost health. If you lose your health, you will not only suffer

financial loss, but a far more valuable loss of quality of life and the ability to go into your day unrestricted and unencumbered.

How can you avoid many of the costs of being sick? You know the answer – it’s investing in healthy diet and lifestyle. The return on your investment will be substantial.

Start today by clearly reflecting on how your body feels. What ailments are you dealing with? If they include inflammation, digestive issues, sleep disruption, depression, hypertension,

elevated blood sugar levels, headaches, stiffness and lack of energy then let’s connect and find a solution for you or your loved one.

• All health content in this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. Christine Carey is a certified holistic health and life coach (www.christine-carey.com), partner at Liquid Nutrition (www.liquidnutrition.com) and director of Corporate Wellness at 242 Consulting (www.242consulting.com). With over ten years of coaching experience, she works with individuals and groups to assess and define their diet and lifestyle goals. She focuses on increasing knowledge, implementing new habits and creating personalized tools for success.