Will our Children Die Before Us?
Peter McGuire, a carpenter and labor union leader, was the person who came up with the idea for Labor Day. He thought American workers should be honored with their own day. He proposed his idea to New York's Central Labor Union early in 1882, and they thought the holiday was a good idea, too. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, and Labor Day become a federal holiday in 1894.
To finish up our “Let’s Make America Healthy Again” series, I’d like to expose our own health LABOR crisis happening right now and here in 2021.
The 2020 census results show that the U.S. population grew by just 7.4% between 2010 - 2020, which is the second slowest growth decade in American history. The U.S. population grew to 331.4 million in 2020 from roughly 308.7 million in 2010. Only the decade spanning the 1930’s - when the Great Depression occurred - had a slower growth rate.
Researchers note that the opioid epidemic and lower birth rates among millennials accelerated the decline. And to top this fact,
For the first time in two centuries, the current generation of children is projected to not live as long as their parents! This is some statistic, and is hard to swallow when thinking about America’s future…
In the past 200 years, innovations in medicine and general health education have extended the lifespan of the American population. Could the current generation of children really not live as long as their parents; will we live longer than our children or grandchildren?
While in school finishing up my doctorate studies, I learned that:
- Chronic disease rates in America have skyrocketed from 12% in the 1980’s, to over 50% of American children today.
- Of all developed countries, the United States has the highest infant mortality rate — one of the most important health markers of a society.
- Of the children surviving the one-year threshold, 54% are diagnosed with at least one of (20) chronic autoimmune or neurological disorders, and are at risk of obesity and developmental delays.
These statistics put me on a mission to find out how to keep this phenomenon from happening in my family, friends, patients and COMMUNITY. But first, what are the statistics, and where is the US having challenges?
The US ranks 33 out of 36 in Infant mortality of industrialized countries worldwide
… it’s safer to give birth to a child in the fields of Africa alone, with no doctor, than in our own American hospitals! Yes, it’s true, don’t shoot the messenger! (Read more HERE)
It has been widely reported that the United States has a relatively high infant mortality rate compared with other developed countries: Almost 6 out of every 1,000 live births in the US resulted in infant death, putting us on par with countries like Serbia and Malaysia. Most other developed countries -- as geographically diverse as Japan, Finland, Australia and Israel -- have lower rates, closer to 2 or 3 deaths out of every 1,000. Shocking, isn’t it?
Generally, especially compared to the worldwide statistics, American babies have good survival rates in their first few weeks of life. It is only after they reach one month of age that differences between the United States and other developed countries start to widen.
Why are babies dying at such an alarming rate in the U.S.?
The five leading causes of infant death in America are: Birth defects, SIDS, Preterm birth and low birth weight, and Maternal pregnancy complications.
It is important to implement a variety of strategies to reduce infant mortality. Key pre-natal and post-natal strategies include:
Reducing maternal obesity. Maternal obesity is associated with increased overall risk of infant death, mainly neonatal death (when a baby dies in the first 28 days after birth).
Reducing maternal smoking and alcohol consumption. Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of health problems for developing babies, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth defects of the mouth and lip. Smoking during and after pregnancy also increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Improving preconception health: For babies, preconception health means their parents took steps to get healthy before pregnancy. Such babies are less likely to be born early (preterm) or have a low birthweight. They are more likely to be born without birth defects or other disabling conditions. Preconception health gives babies the best gift of all―the best chance for a healthy start in life.
Improving sleep practices among infants and newborns: Injuries such as suffocation cause many infant deaths annually.
There are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among American babies each year.
22% of mothers reported not placing their baby on his or her back to sleep, as recommended.
39% of mothers reported using soft bedding (not recommended) when placing babies to sleep.
The CDC provides information on how to eliminate sleep hazards for your baby. (Read more HERE).
All of the above sound like our main principles of health:
Mindset
Nervous system
Nutrition
Exercise
Detox
I have found that mothers that adapt this strategy have the easiest, most pleasant, peaceful and joyous experience during pregnancy (no morning sickness, no fatigue, no pain, etc), as well as during labor and delivery. We practiced these strategies for the conception, pregnancy and birth of my daughter. We made sure to be healthy, stress free, eat right, weekly nutritional IVs, and rest; and when it came time to deliver, we followed our birth plan to a T! It doesnt always go smoothly and according to plan, but when you plan what you want, and work your plan, you win every time.
Are we raising a “sicker” America?
According to the USDA, 13.1 million children under 18 in the United States live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough nutritious food necessary for a healthy life.
America’s students are dealing with chronic illnesses at unprecedented rates. The CDC reports that Asthma, for example, has accounted for 10.5 million missed school days annually.
Instead of medical innovation being America’s source of great strength, it has become our greatest weakness. Most Americans look to experts to solve our health problems with pills, diets, vaccinations, and surgeries. As a nation, we are getting unhealthier and hoping that doctors will save us.
Is our current sick care model actually working? NO!
There has to be a fork in the road when we take a stand for our families health, and WORK hard for what we know. We, as Americans, work harder for a dollar than we do for our health. At the end of the day, you will spend money on your health now by eating right, inviting in exercise and detox; or later, when you get sick. Which do you prefer?
I prefer making the sacrifice, NOW. I teach my family how important proactive health is, daily! It’s not easy, but it is right and just. For example, we went to a birthday party for my daughter, and they had an ice cream truck there. My daughter of course wanted to do what the other kids were doing; however, I educate my daughter daily and allow her to make her own adult decisions in regards of her health. She asked the gentleman behind the window if the ice cream had sugar in it, and he said yes. She asked for non-sugar, dairy-free ice cream, and he didn’t have any. So, my daughter CHOSE not to get anything. She said to me, “I didnt want to have a stomach ache later”. We make excuses all the time and say, well its a party, let them live. I do let her live, I packed a “treat” for her that was doughnuts made from almond flour, sugar free and she loved it. Did it require more work for ME? Yes! Did it take more planning, more prep? Yes! But aren’t our children worth it? Our children are the most precious asset we have in this world. My job, as a parent, is to not make my life easy, but to raise a leader in this world. Let’s not buy into the lifestyle that is trying to make us sicker, lazier and more unhealthy daily. This is one battle I will not lose! (I cant afford it).
We can’t give away our health to any one. Our health is our responsibility, to preserve and protect.
Wellness promotes active awareness and participation in measures that preserve health, both as an individual and in our communities. Maintaining wellness and optimal health is a lifelong, daily personal commitment.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There is not one fix to increase our children’s life expectancy. Now is the time to be smarter, pioneering and more enterprising in solving our children’s preventable health challenges. We have a chance to do some transformative work to protect our children so we can help them secure a healthy future, and live longer!
Our families need to BE healthy, to STAY healthy, if we want to LIVE as long, or longer, than our parents did.
And, we need to improve the Health of Americans, NOW!
It’s an absolute horror that 54% of our American youth are diagnosed with at least one of (20) chronic autoimmune or neurological disorders, AND are at risk of obesity and developmental delays.
We need to approach our national health as a whole, rather than as a series of separate factors. Wellness is the continuous state of enhanced well-being. Maintaining wellness and optimal health is a lifelong, daily commitment by each of us, every parent, and every caregiver in our nation.
The best way to maintain health is to preserve it through a healthful lifestyle rather than waiting until sickness or to address health problems. How do we live a healthy lifestyle here in the U.S.?
A Healthy Lifestyle is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease. Wellness for EVERYONE in America must include:
eating a balanced, nutritious diet from as many natural organic sources as possible
engaging in at least (150) minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise each week
screening for diseases that may present a risk
learning to manage stress effectively
engaging in activities that provide purpose
connecting with and caring for other people
maintaining a positive outlook on life
defining a value system and putting it into action
Remember, it’s a lifestyle choice, the sooner we get it right, the healthier we’ll be!
I hope you have enjoyed our “Make America Healthy Again” series, and have learned some helpful information for yourself, your family and loved ones. We explored in detail the most glaring health statistics facing each of us as American’s, and the positive healing that can be realized by implementing some (often times) simple solutions. If you missed our kick-off newsletter read it HERE. To access each blog of our “Make America Healthy Again” series, they are as follows:
Food Addiction to Processed Foods (read it HERE)
FACT: 75% of America’s diseases are preventable with Exercise (read it HERE)
Nutrition and Exercise go hand-in-hand to keep Obesity Rates in check! (read it HERE)
What do salami, tortillas and Mountain Dew all have in common? (read it HERE)
Did you LOSE your mind during the Pandemic? (read it HERE)
The MOST unrecognized cause of Weight Gain? (read it HERE)
Diabetes, do you get “hangry” or does your stomach growl? (read it HERE)
Are you FULLY vaccinated? (read it HERE)
From “Preventable chronic diseases accounting for 75% of our nation’s health care spending” to “Obesity rates in children tripling over the last three decades”, it will be impossible to turn these trends around without getting Americans to pay attention to our National Health.
Remember,
We can’t give away our health to any one. Our health is OUR responsibility, to preserve and protect.
Wellness promotes active awareness and participation in measures that preserve health, both as an individual and in our communities. Maintaining wellness and optimal health is a lifelong, daily personal commitment.
If you, or your family, are concerned about any chronic disease, we can help you personalize the best approach for your health. Make sure to let us know by calling or telling us when you visit the office, and we will get you help.
Our families need to BE healthy, to STAY healthy, if we want to LIVE as long, or longer, than our parents did.
As you dedicate yourself to educating this generation, you can affect positive health impacts, by helping to prevent a multitude of chronic illness, including PREVENTABLE diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Thank you for joining me in making a huge difference in our children’s future and Making America HEALTHY again!
Please remember the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers…
MINDSET
NERVE SUPPLY
NUTRITION
EXERCISE
MINIMIZING TOXINS
and thank you for following along with me over the past few weeks, to discover what we can do for our children, families and communities to Make America Healthy Again!
Helping you find your personal, natural health and wellness plan for a Long Healthy Life is my priority. IT IS possible to live in harmony with your in-born wealth of health. Your built-in power is not only reassuring, but also worth preserving for years to come.