Question from Regina
Hi Debra,
Just wanted to send you this article about a new study from the Mayo Clinic. They found that less than 3 percent of Americans meet the basic qualifications for a “healthy lifestyle.”
The authors of the study defined a “healthy lifestyle” as one that met these four qualifications:
- Moderate or vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes a week
- A diet score in the top 40 percent on the Healthy Eating Index
- A body fat percentage under 20 percent (for men) or 30 percent (for women)
- Not smoking
No mention of toxic exposures as a factor of health.
You’ve done extraordinary work that’s helped so many of us. And we still have a long way to go in reaching the masses.
THE ATLANTIC: Less Than 3 Percent of Americans Live a ‘Healthy Lifestyle’
Debra’s Answer
Yes, diet and exercise are the major keystones for what is considered a “healthy lifestyle.”
The problem is, you could follow the standard guidelines for food and exercise all you want and still not be healthy if you are not eliminating toxic chemicals from your home and work environment.
Eating the proper number of servings of foods with pesticides is not going to create health, and neither is exercising 150 minutes a week in a toxic gym.
Yes, we do need to exercise, outdoors in clean air.
Yes we do need to eat whole organic foods.
We do need to control body fat.
And we need to not smoke.
But there is so much more to a healthy lifestyle. And so many more people who need to be reached.
