As the years go by, major health concerns change. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with what's on the rise. In my opinion, the following 10 health issues are the major concerns for 2019:
1. Anxiety/Stress.
Complaints of anxiety are already on the rise these days, but we’re going to see even more people report symptoms of anxiety with all the uncertainty and instability in our world right now. Remember, poor sleep (e.g. insomnia) usually goes hand in hand with anxiety, so make sure you are practicing healthy sleep habits to minimize anxiety. To help you adapt to life’s stressors controlled and uncontrolled, make sure you incorporate a calming practice into your daily routine such as meditation, breathing, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, prayer, or anything else that is supportive to the nervous system.
2. Mold Illness
With all the hurricanes that we have been seeing, we will see an escalating number of people experience mold-related health issues. Whenever a home, business, or vehicle is flooded, mold can begin growing within 48 hours. See my article on mold toxicity to know if you are suffering with a mold related illness.
3. SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth)
As more gastroenterologists and primary care providers learn about SIBO, more people with IBS related symptoms will be tested for and diagnosed with SIBO. Check out my article on SIBO to learn more about what it is and how to treat it.
4. SIFO (Small Intestine Fungal Overgrowth)
SIFO is a relatively new term to describe fungal overgrowth of the small intestine. We’ve known for decades that fungus (e.g. candida) can overgrow in the large intestine, but now research has revealed that the small intestine is just as susceptible. If you’ve been treated for SIBO with little to no symptom resolution, think about SIFO as another cause for your digestive related symptoms.
5. Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
If you’ve ever heard Dr. David Perlmutter or Dr. Dale Bredeson speak, both prominent neurologists, you may be familiar with the epidemic of neurodegenerative diseases popping up today. We’re seeing a rise in dementia related conditions for many reasons including environmental toxicity, the SAD (standard American diet), lack of exercise, blood sugar dysfunction, hormone dysfunction, and poor health in general.
6. Infertility
We’re seeing a tremendous increase in infertility cases, and contrary to popular belief, men and women are both having troubles. Researches have reported that male sperm counts are decreasing every year, and in fact men are experiencing a 59% decline in total sperm count compared to 40 years ago. There are many factors responsible for rising infertility cases, but I believe an increase in toxicants in our environment is partly to blame as many pollutants are endocrine disruptors, which interfere with the body’s production and utilization of hormones.
7. Histamine Intolerance-Related Conditions like Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
MCAS as the name implies is a condition where mast cells release histamine, which causes allergy related symptoms like itchy skin, nasal congestion, brain fog, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flushing, headaches, low blood pressure, and anxiety. If you know someone suffering with atypical allergic like symptoms unresponsive to traditional medical therapies, histamine intolerance and/or MCAS may be an underlying cause.
8. Lyme Disease and Co-infections
We’ve already been seeing a steady increase in Lyme disease and co-infection related conditions, and will likely see more as global temperatures rise. If you get bit by a tick or suffer from a Lyme related condition, seek out medical help from someone who is trained in how to properly treat diagnose and treat Lyme disease.
9. Cancer
Unfortunately, the rates of cancer are rising even though billions of dollars have been spent trying to cure it. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 2 males and 1 in 3 women will develop cancer in his or her lifetime.
10. Autoimmune Disease
Autoimmunity is a term to describe when the immune system mistakenly attacks cells in the body. Many autoimmune-related illnesses are on the rise, and you’ll likely hear more about a condition called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid gland, is a major cause of hypothyroidism in our country.
Resources:
https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-lyme-disease
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2582486/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/has-climate-change-made-lyme-disease-worse/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28262205
