The terms chronic diseases and lifestyle diseases are often used interchangeably. Most lifestyle diseases are chronic diseases but not all chronic diseases are due to lifestyle. Some can be due to genetic causes or infections or certain medical interventions. Latrogenic diseases—conditions caused by medical treatments—are a leading cause of death in the U.S., underscoring vulnerabilities in the healthcare system. There are multiple definitions of chronic diseases. Here are a few:
“Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person. They are of long duration and generally slow progression.” (World Health Organization)
“A disease or condition that usually lasts for 3 months or longer and may get worse over time.” (US National Center for Health Statistics)
“Chronic diseases are defined broadly as conditions that last 1 year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.” (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a US national center for chronic disease prevention and health promotion. According to the CDC
- 6 in 10 adults have a chronic disease.
- 4 in 10 adults have two or more chronic diseases and
- 7 in 10 adults will die of a chronic disease.
The CDC reports that lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or adopting a healthier diet, can reduce the risk of chronic illness by up to 80%. However, our lifestyles are influenced by many external factors, making it challenging to consistently make the healthiest choices. For instance, research indicates that changing social norms around smoking has been one of the most effective ways to reduce tobacco use and improve health outcomes. In contrast, food advertisements and oversized portions in restaurants exert a subliminal influence on our eating habits.
Epidemiological transition
In times prior to the 20th century our biggest enemy was infectious diseases. By the 20th century, only 3 out of the top 10 global causes of death were infectious diseases; the majority were chronic diseases. This shift is known as the Epidemiological Transition.
Self healing
The human body is a self-healing organism. It inherently knows how to adapt to various conditions. However, we shape those conditions ourselves—through the foods we eat, our level of physical activity, the environment we live in, and the thoughts and emotions we carry.
Health exists on a continuum
As illustrated in the graph above, health exists on a continuum and we move up and down that continuum based on our diet and lifestyle. Acute diseases and lifestyle diseases are two different things. While medical doctors are highly effective at treating acute diseases, lifestyle diseases are a different challenge, and it’s not entirely their fault.
Lifestyle diseases don’t develop overnight. Instead, they build gradually. Initially, the body compensates for a poor diet, environment, and lifestyle, masking their impact. But once the body can no longer keep up, symptoms appear, leading us to seek medical help, and a diagnosis is made. By the time this happens, the condition has often been developing for years. The standard medical approach typically focuses on alleviating symptoms through medication, which can interfere with the body’s compensatory mechanisms and sometimes worsen the condition, creating a cycle of escalating treatments and declining health.
Blood Pressure: An example of the body’s compensation mechanism
Consider how blood pressure naturally increases with age. At birth, a baby’s blood pressure might be around 64/41 mmHg. By one month, it typically rises to around 95/58 mmHg. As the child transitions from breast milk to solid foods, inflammation may occur, and plaque begins to develop on blood vessel walls, reducing their effective opening and increasing friction. As a result, the heart has to pump harder, and blood pressure rises.
By age 10, blood pressure may be around 110/70 mmHg, and by ages 16–18, the average reaches 120/80 mmHg. Physical activities, meals, and stress also prompt natural increases in blood pressure as the body adjusts to meet its needs. This compensation should not be confused with hypertension, which results specifically from substantial plaque buildup within arteries.
Many doctors are starting to recognize these differences. Leaders in the plant-based, whole-food movement have highlighted this for over two decades, and recent meta-analyses have been eye-opening. Many studies reveal that aggressive symptom management through medication can be more harmful than milder control through diet. For instance, aggressive treatment often results in death from unrelated causes—a concept known as “all-cause mortality.” Diabetics might die from heart disease, while people with hypertension may die from strokes. This has led to more lenient guidelines, such as the JNC-8 recommendations for blood pressure in 2014 and the American College of Physicians’ 2018 guidelines for diabetic control. Yet, these guidelines have been resisted by some specialized medical groups, often due to economic concerns.
Leading causes of death
The following were the 10 leading causes of death in the US in 2022:
1. Heart disease (703,000) (48% adults)
2. Cancer (608,000); Lung, Breast/Prostate, Colorectal
3. Iatrogenic causes(200,000)
4. Covid (186,000)
5. Stroke and Cerebrovascular disease (165,000)
6. Chronic lower respiratory disease; COPD, Bronchitis, Emphysema & Asthma (147,000)
7. Alzheimer’s disease (120,000)
8. Diabetes (101,000)
9. Kidney disease (CKD) (58,000)
10. Liver disease (55,000)
Of the ten causes listed above eight are lifestyle diseases, one m from medical care and one from infectious diseases like Covid. The PBWF/IF/10K diet and lifestyle also helps there by building stronger immunity and avoiding visits to doctors offices and hospitals.
The spiral of death
Our bodies typically remain resilient during our reproductive years until about age 45-50. After that, the compensatory mechanisms start to falter, especially if we have led an unhealthy lifestyle. For example, if atherosclerosis has narrowed our arteries, the heart compensates by increasing blood pressure to keep blood flowing. While the body signals us through headaches or other symptoms, we often overlook these messages. Doctors may prescribe medications to lower blood pressure, which treats the symptom rather than addressing the cause—like killing the messenger. These medications have side effects which create more problems often leading to more medication.
This same pattern occurs with blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Modern medicine’s response is often to lower these symptoms through medication rather than correcting diet and lifestyle. Consequently, people end up on multiple medications over time, leading to side effects, adverse reactions, and a further decline in health. Eventually, people find themselves managing multiple serious conditions, like advanced heart, kidney, or liver failure—a pattern I call the “spiral of death.”
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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