Biblical Foundations for Wellness

For those of you who don't know I am a student at Liberty University. This semester I decided to take another life coaching class that concentrates on health and wellness coaching. This will help me to be a better life coach to those that I help, this information is from my first lesson. 

The Health Crisis in America

Statistics & Findings--

Obesity: 

• Americans today are fatter and less active than ever before
• 2/3 are overweight or obese
• fewer than 1/3 exercise at least three times a week.

Today we are either cold or numb to the fact that we have an issue. In order to fix things we must admit what we have done wrong or what we are doing wrong to make changes in our lives.

Diabetes:

• Children today have a 1 chance in 3 of getting diabetes
• 24 million people have diabetes
• 57 million are pre-diabetic

Type One diabetes---is a genetic problem; irreversible; insulin dependent

Type Two diabetes---weight related; reversible; body produces too much insulin

Heart Disease and Cancer:

• Heart disease and cancer are the top two killers in America.
• Every year its estimated that 900,000 people die from avoidable causes--roughly 40% of U.S. deaths---because they failed to maintain a healthy weight, eat nutritiously, and exercise; or they smoked or drank excessively.

Obesity in Children:

• Obesity rates in children have doubled in the last 30 years

Economic Impact:

US Spending---

• USDA (2008) 57% of sugar purchased by the United States is bought by the Food and Beverage Industry making sugar their #1 ingredient or food additive.
• US spent more than $2 trillion on healthcare in 2007.
• Caring for people with chronic medical conditions, many which are preventable, accounts for 75% of medical spending nationwide.