H for Health

The Impact of Diet on Health
We often overlook the profound influence our diet has on our health.
Many of us believe that simply being physically active can offset the effects of unhealthy eating habits. Exercise is undoubtedly a key component of a healthy lifestyle, and it can decrease our risk of developing chronic diseases. However, even with regular physical activity, an unhealthy diet can lead to the development of arteriosclerosis and elevate the risk for chronic diseases. Consequently, it’s possible to experience high blood pressure and heart-related issues despite being in good physical condition.
Our knowledge about cardiovascular diseases has exploded in recent decades. When Anne was in medical school in the 1990s, it was still the prevailing belief that cardiovascular diseases most often were a natural consequence of aging, including the idea that our blood pressure naturally rises with age. As part of her education, Anne conducted several autopsies and saw how our arterial walls can become so calcified that they are rock-hard, stiff, and crunch when opened with scissors. We now know that cardiovascular diseases do not have to be an inevitable result of increasing age. Instead, they may be prevented, and in some cases even reversed, with the right lifestyle changes.