How to prevent stroke in simple steps

How to Prevent Stroke can be the one you do from now on. Preventing the stroke attack is the important thing, without the good prevention everything is useless.

There are many things that you have to know in order to stay in shape. Many people are trying to do the healthy life to make the better condition. What is the disease or symptom that is frequently happened? Well, stroke can be the one that gives you goosebumps. Because no matter how good you are on taking care of your health, stroke can come anytime. 

How to prevent stroke attacks yourself? Well, there are many things to do, from the food you consume to the activity you do. 

 

Be happy and healthy. Image: drmagicsmile.com

It is not a simple thing to keep your self from the unhealthy food or unhealthy activity. The lifestyle changes from time to time. The changing lifestyle affects all parts of the body. Stroke not comes because no reason, it comes with the symptoms to alert people to do preventive actions. Have you ever heard tips on taking the care the body from stroke? It is the time to get to know more about the tips and steps on how to prevent stroke.

Steps on How to Prevent Stroke:

Stroke is the scariest part for everyone. It attacks people immediately and gives the worst aftermath. How to prevent stroke should be done earlier, start even when you are young. When you are young, sometimes you feel free to eat or drink anything without any restriction. That’s why the lifestyle is the may cause for people to get stroke. If you knew this problem, why don’t you change it now? Here are the lists to do on preventing the stroke.

-     Exercise Frequently

This simple step on going to the gym frequently might overcome the chance on getting stroke. The way on working out is not only happening in the gym, but also you can do it all at home. Exercising with lots of efforts can cause a good advantage in long time. What if you don’t have time to go the gym? You can do sit-up, push-up, or jogging every morning. At least you have to exercise three to four times a week.

-     Stay in Shape

What the meaning of staying in shape? It means you have to keep the ideal weight, not too heavy or not too small. Many problems in your body come because the overweight problem. You can overcome the situation by losing weight by keeping the good food or exercising a lot.

-      Stop Smoking

Smoking for a long time will surely harm your body. The parts of your body like lungs, hearts, and liver get the aftermath effect later on. For the better future, limit the amount of your smoke, or even stop smoking on how to prevent stroke.

-      Drink in a Limitation

Too much alcohol gives no good for your body. If you are an addict on alcohol, it is time to quit drinking too much and gives you bad feeling.

Stop the unhealthy way of living and get more benefits by doing healthy life. How to prevent stroke is not hard, the only thing you have to do is giving an effort. Your health is the most important thing overall.

Additional tips: 

Another simple thing you can do is start your day with a sincere smile, and laugh with family and friends, although for a simple joke. Remember the old adage, laughter is a panacea for a healthier lifestyle, where your nerves will be calmer and more flexible in the face of various pressures on around you.

Yoga class in Bali. Image: amazingbali-vacation.blogspot.com

Take time for a vacation whether alone or with your loved ones to a place of interest, so you get a new atmosphere that make your life more cheerful. If you have time to spare, do not just play your gadget, what if it started to move your body with basic yoga moves. You can get a yoga techniques from books or searching for information to Uncle Google or other search engines. Another clever way, join a yoga class in Bali, so you get a double benefit, namely the practice of yoga and once on vacation in Bali, a tropical island.

With tips and simple solution to the above, you would be free from the dangers of stroke, and can enjoy a healthier and happier life. 

Are you ready?

Special tips to prevent cancer

Excercise to prevent cancer. Image: wallpoper.com

Although everyone has been trying to implement a healthy lifestyle, but due to the disturbed environment due to air pollution, or other reasons, the threat of disease can sometimes come on without notice. 

In addition to heart attacks and high blood pressure, cancer is a disease that is feared because it is very deadly, and not everyone can survive or recover from cancer. But someone who has cancer does not mean always die. Because in some cases there are many patients can be cured and live longer.  

If you want to prevent cancer, the foods that contain antioxidants are believed to fight cancer. Antioxidants can be obtained from green tea, garlic, peppers, and fish. In addition, you also need to avoid harmful radiation, as is also believed to be an appropriate way to avoid cancer.

A few simple things that you can make as tips to prevent cancer can be implemented as follows:

1. Reducing Sugar Intake

Need to know that my friend, the cancer cells are in the body of each person and the cancer cells need sugar to grow. Therefore dude needs to reduce the intake of sweets and starchy like potatoes, rice, and sugar.

2. Reducing red meat consumption.

Beef is one example of a delicious red meat, but red meat may trigger bowel cancer. because red meat contains saturated fat and bad cholesterol. Consume too much red meat can also lead to other diseases such as high blood pressure, and heart disease as a result of increased fat in your blood.

3. Stopping smoking

All smokers are at risk of developing cancer, let's see if the smoke mate in the pack has been given a warning that smoking can cause impotence and cancer. This is because smoking causes most of the body is poisoned. So for the smokers can attack the cancer is not just one part of the body ie the lungs, throat and mouth.

4. Drinking Green Tea

From various studies have shown that green tea can cut cancer risk if consumed regularly. This is because green tea has antioxidants that fight cancer. If you drink green tea, make sure you do not add sugar or milk in your tea.

5. Reduce drinking alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, especially for women. For women who frequently consume alcohol it will be more susceptible to breast cancer. Ok .. from now on avoid alcohol

6. Begin eating organic vegetables

Organic vegetables are very good to eat one of them is to avoid cancer. Organic vegetables do not contain pesticides that can help fight cancer. So from now on try to eat organic greens. Now you can buy rice, carrots, or fruit and other vegetables are produced organically and naturally.

7. Begin consuming more fish.

To prevent cancer, the fish is very good because they contain omega-3 fatty acids are very important role to protect against the growth of cancer cells. But do not cook the fish too mature because they contain nutrients can lead to being lost. Make sure you also buy fresh fish from the supermarket or fish market that can be trusted.

8. Reducing red meat consumption.

Beef is one example of a delicious red meat, but red meat may trigger bowel cancer. because red meat contains saturated fat and bad cholesterol. Consume too much red meat can also lead to other diseases such as high blood pressure, and heart disease as a result of increased fat in your blood.

 

                                           Healthy life style can prevent cancer. Image: healthyvore.com

                                          

9. Begin consuming more fish.

To prevent cancer, the fish is very good because they contain omega-3 fatty acids are very important role to protect against the growth of cancer cells. But do not cook the fish too mature because they contain nutrients can lead to being lost. Make sure you also buy fresh fish from the supermarket or fish market that you can trust because of the cleanliness and freshness of the fish that they sell.

10. Regular exercise

By moving and sweating can help eliminate toxins from the body. So to get a healthy sweat you must exercise regularly. Do not attempt strenuous exercise enough to walk or run on the treadmill on a regular basis is enough. 

11. Eating Garlic

Eating garlic very useful because garlic is able to fight cancer at the same time is able to increase the thickness of the body. Koreans and Chinese are known as a nation that likes to eat garlic, and many of the nation's two recipes using garlic as a seasoning. Garlic is also believed to be food to maintain stamina and physical fitness.

12.  Drinking Water

Drinking enough water can help remove toxins in the body. By drinking enough water each day then you can cleanse the body system. If you do not have a problem with kidney drink plenty of water every day, but you need to keep a proper distance when you drink water so your stomach is not bloated. Of course excessive drinking water is also not good for your kidneys and stomach.

Of course there are many other ways that you can carry out to prevent cancer, so you can have a better quality of life. Begin your search for references to maximize search engine such as Google or buy books on health, so that you can get the exact reference so that you are always healthy and happy. Positive mental attitude, smile and enjoy the humor is also a way that you have always believed to make more healthy and passionate, to live a life that is highly competitive.

Smart tips reduce stress without distress

Big problems and stress. Image: healthonabudget.com

Everyone has experienced the pressure and stress; even the happiest person also must have experienced it. Every person basically has been blessed with stress blocker feature in their brain.

Workload, financial problem, and personal issues or family problems can be triggers of stress. Even though everyone is trying to avoid the pressure coming, but not everyone is able to cope with their problems.

 If the pressure was coming too often, then you need to take certain actions, so that stress does not attack your immune system. Reducing the stress in your life will take a lot of reflection and action, but it will be worth it.

There are some smart steps you can take so that you can reduce the stress in your life, so that you can be passionate to perform all of your activities. Please continue reading and get tips and solutions as mentioned below:

1.    Before you can move forward, you need to be able to identify the causes of your stress. Take some time to be alone, get out a notepad, and list all of the things that are making you stressed.

2.    Relaxation can help to relieve the symptoms of stress. It can help you calm down and take a step back from a stressful situation.

3.    If you're feeling overwhelmed by a stressful situation, try taking a break and listening to relaxing classical music or “easy listening music”. Generally music has a positive effect on the brain and body, can lower blood pressure, and reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress.

Yoga in Bali. Image: mobile.ayanaresort.com

4.    Share your feeling with others. You don't have to deal with your stress alone. You'll feel much better if you open up to a friend, family member, or even a professional about how stressed you're feeling. You will get some helpful feedback as well as a fresh perspective on your problems.

5.    A few minutes of meditation per day can help ease anxiety. Robbie Maller Hartman, PhD, a Chicago health and wellness coach said that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways. Give yourself a 5-minute break from whatever is bothering you and focus instead on your breathing. Yogaalso a smart choice to make your feeling, your mind and your body more calm and relax. Yoga helps bring peace through the unity of body and mind. 

6.    You are also advised to change of your eating habits. Stress levels and a proper diet are closely related. Tuna sandwich, fruits and vegetables are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress.

7.    Take time to talk to yourself, might seem a bit crazy, and just tell yourself why you're stressed out, what you have to do to complete the task at hand, and most importantly, that everything will be fine.

8.    If lately you always in a hurry to carry out activities such as lunch, dinner, or when you will make an appointment to complete the agenda, so now it is time to slow down.

9.    Laughter is the most inexpensive therapy and is the best thing that can be done every person. Laugh with your friends who are good at comedy, or you can watch the event on television stand-up comedy. You can also buy a funny movie and watch it at home with your family or your friends. Laughter releases endorphins that improve mood and decrease levels of the stress-causing hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

10.  Moderate exercise such as walking in the morning or evening alone or with family and friends can also be a panacea for lowering stress levels. Go to the park near you house and socialize with neighbors also an inexpensive way to reduce the pressure that you are facing. Perhaps you'll meet neighbors that could actually make you laugh out loud. Atmosphere of lush gardens, green and enlivened by the people who play and relax is also a unique therapy to make you more calm and relaxed.

 

                                          Holiday in Bali. Image: indosurflife.com

Additional advice: If your stress level is severe, then you should consult with a physician or mental health professional so you will get a more professional handling, but you have to have a stronger motivation to change your life with a few tips as mentioned above. You are the greatest motivator to overcome you problem. By doing a careful and you can control your emotions, then you will get way out faster than you estimate.

Moreover, you certainly need a vacation and do a little adventure to new places. Those activities also very good treatment for you release from the pressures that have bound you today. Let's keep the spirit and move forward.

Tips to have a slim and healthy stomach

Are you comfortable with the size and girth of your belly (abdomen)? Do you feel more fat than a year ago? Many men and women who want to have a lean belly and healthy, so it can look nice and comfortable. Indeed, having a slim belly is the dream of every person, and your dreams can come true with a few simple tips.

It is true that with increasing waist size with age makes us less confident. Doing sports activities and exercise is a solution to dislodge fat deposits in the abdominal area, but you should choose the type and proper exercise techniques and in accordance with the condition of the body or type of exercise that makes you happy. You also need to have the time to exercise alone or with friends and family.

 

                                 Slim and healthy belly. Image: womenshealthmag.com

If you want the focus to form a flat stomach and slender, then you could be some follow the tips below:

1. Begin by burning fat

Prior to forming exercise abdominal muscles, start with cardio exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, and swimming. Effective cardio exercise improves the body's metabolism so that calories and burn fat faster. Wasted if you directly exercise belly muscles because the muscles forming the flab hiding under. Perform cardio exercise is fairly easy three or four times a week with a duration of about 30 minutes.

2. Continue to build muscle in your belly.

When the belly fat has shrunk characterized by a reduced waist size, you can begin to train your abdominal muscles. Besides sit ups, you can do yoga and Pilates movements that form the focus of the lower and upper belly muscles. Perform this exercise 3 or 4 times a week.

3. Do exercises with interval

 

Exercise to create a healthy stomach. Image: asianetindia.com

To obtain optimum results while reducing the risk of injury, do the above exercise intensity with intervals. Start by heating, proceed at high speed, and end with low speed. For example, when doing jogging, pleae start with a slow movement for five minutes to warm up. Then jog for ten to fifteen minutes with increasing speed. Then, do a quick run for two minutes. After that, reduce speed to a jog for five minutes back.

Before and after the exercise, make sure you consume enough water to avoid dehydration. Better results will be obtained if you apply a good diet. Adjust your diet and avoid foods that contain calories, salt, sugar and high-fiber foods and multiply.

Belly dance or yoga

If you have courage, you can also follow the activities of belly dance in my spare time, certainly very enjoyable. Many places or belly dance club whose purpose is to health or physical fitness, is certainly very suitable for women, especially if you want to get health , fitness and a sense of happiness because you dance accompanied by music with a beat that will make your body sway.

 

Yoga in Bali.Image: lembahspa.com

You can also practice yoga in Bali while vacation on this beautiful island. Yoga is a unique sport derived from ancient Indian culture. Many yoga movements that can help you to have a slim body and belly and healthy, and besides you will be taught meditation, so you get the inspiration to focus (konsestrasi). So, quickly find a yoga center in your city or practice yoga in Bali, then you open a yoga class in your town after returning from Bali.

 Slim stomach is a positive sign for the beginning of a healthier life. If you can manage your diet, lifestyle and exercise with proper portions, then you are guaranteed a fit and healthy life. If you live a healthy lifestyle, then you are not susceptible to certain diseases such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and other dangerous diseases .

 Make sure you also enjoy a social life by the flurry you as an employee , entrepreneur or an artist , entertainer or other professions .

Most of the article is cited from www.fitday.com and other realiable sources.

Return to the Source Parkour Camp

For those who are interested in natural movement training, this summer my friend Rafe Kelley will be hosting an interesting three-day event near Bellingham, WA called "Return to the Source".  Rafe is skilled in a variety of movement disciplines and is the co-founder of the Seattle parkour gym Parkour Visions.  Parkour is a very fun sport that hones our natural ability to skillfully navigate physical obstacles, but it's usually done in an urban context.

The camp will take place from August 23-25.  Here's a description from the Parkour Visions site:

"This summer, return to the source of human movement with Parkour Visions as we explore the natural environment in and around Bellingham, WA. Rafe Kelley will introduce you to the benefits of training and playing in nature. You will learn how to adapt your technique and movement to moving effectively through woods, over rocks, and in trees during this unique, 3-day experience."

Watch this video if you want to see what you're in for.

Knowing Rafe, it will be fun and productive.  You can sign up through this page.

Simple tips for a healthy life naturally

Modern life in the digital age makes most people very rarely to enjoy natural food. Everything is fast-paced, instant food that was chosen. This fact is usually the case in large cities. In general, more and more people leaving natural healthy way of life, and has given rise to several new diseases that have never been seen before. Various life threatening diseases you could have been avoided if you do a variety of healthier living habits naturally. This habit does not require a lot of money, and of course, safe and easy to do.

Image: vemale.com

Basically everyone wants to live healthy from an early age to old age. Different ways you can do such a positive activity exercise regularly and enjoy food and drink nutritious and fibrous. You can implement healthy 
living tips as mentioned below:

1. Get used to wake up early and do not sleep in the morning.

Your health could be compromised if at 6 and 11 o'clock in the morning you are still sleeping. Bad habits have been studied previously by experts. If possible, the afternoon is an excellent time to sleep, even at night you are not getting enough sleep. You have to get used to always sleep enough each day, so your body is not tired, then it is highly recommended not to sleep late at night and try to keep enough sleep each day.

2. Avoid all bad habits.

Bad habits are actually a lot of people do like to consume beverages that can increase stamina, alcohol and soft drinks, smoking etc. There are factors that can actually worsen a person's health. Slowly but sure the cells of your body will be damaged if you are still smoking and drink too much alcohol. 

Image: monatalina.wordpress.com

3. Avoid negative prejudices and stress.

Your health could be affected by both. Refreshing a way that can be done so sick and tired of feeling can be lost. Various activities can be done such as talking with friends - friends, watching movies to theaters, roads - roads, reading books and so forth.

4. Stretch before bed.

Stretching the body or muscle will help you in your sleep so soundly, and fit when you wake up. The movement of the stretch there are various such few seconds you hold the straightened leg position, and kissed the knee. You can do it while sitting on the bed or on the floor. Yoga and meditation can be a very good choice before bed.

5. Maintain cleanliness.

A very easy thing to do is to maintain personal hygiene and the environment. You can do things - things that are easy to do on a regular basis as in change clothes and shower. Remember, germs that cause a variety of diseases and viruses that can harm you prevent by keeping sanitation in the environment around us.

6. Regular exercise

If it is needed you can come to the gym or fitness center. But do you know if those that exercise can be done without having to spend money, for example, perform gymnastic movements while jogging. Your body will be healthy and fit when you are jogging or exercise at least half an hour each day.

7. Reduce consumption of oily and fatty foods

Reduce to consume a variety of foods such as fried foods, red meat and food soupy coconut milk. Do not consume these foods every day.

8. Drinking milk high in calcium

Bone loss will not be easy and it will become stronger if the routine consumption of high calcium milk. Besides drink 8 glasses of water a day.

 

9. Start with yourself healthy life every day.

In this case, healthy living very closely linked to foods and beverages every day into our bodies. Nutritional quality of the diet plays an important role in one's health. You can always eat foods with rich nutrients such as fruits and vegetables.

In general, people always see the number of calories in food. From now on, consider also what kind of colors contained in one serving. What kinds of vegetables are eaten in a single day? Do not let the food consumed too 'doughy' there are no colorful veggies in it. The more colors of vegetables consumed, the better, as a sign of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber that consumed even more also.

Enough fiber at breakfast will make your stomach full until lunch time. This can be overcome by eating cereal or oatmeal combined with a piece of fruit such as bananas and strawberries. If you cannot eat cereal, bread could be his successor. Choose breads made from wheat flour, and mix with peanut butter or fruit jam.

Living healthy is actually very simple and easy. Start today with good habits and healthy so you can enjoy a comfortable and happy life.

How to Prevent a Stroke

Information from Your Family Doctor

How to Prevent a Stroke

What is a stroke?

A stroke happens when there is a problem with the blood supply to a part of the brain. The area of the brain that does not get enough blood becomes damaged.
A stroke can happen when a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain. A stroke also can happen when the wall of an artery bursts.


Depending on which part of the brain has poor blood supply, a stroke can be mild to severe. Here are some problems strokes can cause:

• Problems with moving (including paralysis)
• Problems with feeling
• Loss of vision
• Problems with thinking, understanding, or communicating (that is, problems with speaking, reading, or writing)
• Changes in emotion or behavior


What increases my risk of having a stroke?

Strokes can happen in anyone, but they tend to be more common in older men, black people, and Asian people. Although we cannot change our age, gender, or race, we can control the following risk factors for stroke:

• Tobacco use
• High cholesterol levels
• Inactive lifestyle
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heavy alcohol use
• Atrial fibrillation, which is an unsteady heart rhythm (say: ay-tree-all fib-rill-ay-shun)

What can I do to lower my risk of having a stroke?

Here are some things everyone can do to lower their chances of having a stroke—these things will also lower your risk of having a heart attack:
• Get your blood pressure checked regularly and get treatment if it is high. High blood pressure is a “silent” illness with no warning signs.
• If you smoke—stop! Ask your family doctor for ways to help you quit.
• Eat low-fat foods, and have your cholesterol levels checked by your family doctor.
• Exercise regularly—for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
• Keep your weight under control. If you are overweight, lose weight.
• If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar levels. Controlling your diabetes will help your heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain.

Can medicine help lower my risk of stroke?

Medicines can help prevent strokes in some people. If you need one of these medicines, your family doctor will prescribe it for you.

If you have high blood pressure, and diet, exercise, and weight loss do not control it, you may need to take medicine to lower your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure in people who have hypertension is the most important way to prevent stroke.
If your cholesterol level is high and exercise and diet do not lower it, you may need to take a cholesterol-lowering medicine.

If you have atrial fibrillation, you may need to take a blood thinner such as warfarin (brand name: Coumadin).

Aspirin can lower the risk of stroke in some people. However, aspirin is not for everyone. There are risks associated with taking aspirin every day.

Please visit: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/1215/p2389.html for more information about how to prevent stroke and health information.

PS: Please consult with your doctor for more information.

The Seat of Power

Have you ever wondered why the buttocks is one of the most attractive parts of the body on both sexes?

The shape of the buttocks comes mostly from the gluteal muscles (maximus and medius), superimposed by a layer of fat. The 'glutes' are some of the strongest muscles in the body, due to their large size and efficient leverage. Thrusting doesn't even come close to tapping into the glutes' tremendous power. What does? Heavy lifting. Sprints. Jumps. In short, some of the most functional full-body movements we perform as humans.

In any full-body movement, the hips are the central source of power. The strongest muscles surround the hips, and muscle strength diminishes progressively as you move further from them. A shapely buttocks is typically a strong buttocks, and a strong buttocks generally means a strong person. So if you want to decide at a glance whether a person is capable of sprinting and jumping after large prey, and then carrying it home, the buttocks is a good place to look.

The buttocks is also a storage area for fat. Humans tend to store a disproportionate amount of fat near their center of gravity: in the abdominal cavity, on the hips and on the buttocks. The right amount of fat indicates a healthy individual. A shapely buttocks is typically attached to someone who is strong and well-nourished. It's not so hard to imagine why we find it attractive.

Exercise Didn't Keep Us From Getting Fat

One of the surprising things I noticed when I was poring over data from the NHANES survey (US CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) from 1975 to 2006 is that the number of inactive people has diminished in that same time period from 50% to 24%. This is shocking to most people. We have this romanticized idea that in the 1970s people were more active, as if everyone chopped wood and walked 15 miles to work in the morning. The reality is, there were office jobs, housewives and cars without the large numbers of runners and gym-goers we have today.

Granted, NHANES data are self-reported and should be taken with a grain of salt. However, Chris at Conditioning Research pointed me to a study looking at changes in energy expenditure from the 1980s to the present in North America and Europe. It doesn't suffer from the same biases because it's based on direct measurement rather than self-reporting. Here's the executive summary: we're expending slightly more energy than we used to, partly because we exercise more and partly because it takes more energy to move our heavier bodies around.

I'm certainly not blaming the obesity problem on an increase in physical activity, but I do think we can safely rule out inactivity as the reason we've gotten fatter. In my mind, this only leaves one major possible cause for the obesity epidemic: changes in diet. Don't get me wrong, I think exercise is good. It has numerous positive effects on physical and mental health. But it's not as powerful of a tool for fat loss and general health as diet.

Anecdotally, I do know several people who lose fat when they exercise regularly. I also know some who don't lose fat when they exercise. Exercise and a healthy diet converge on some of the same metabolic pathways, such as sensitivity to insulin. But diet changes are far more effective than exercise at correcting metabolic problems. The reason is simple: the problems a person corrects with a good diet are caused by a poor diet to begin with.

Lessons From the Pima Indians

At 38% and climbing in 2006, the Pima indians (Akimel O'odham) of Arizona have the highest rate of diabetes of any population in the world. They also have staggering rates of obesity (~70%) and hypertension.

Things were very different for them before 1539, when the Spanish first made contact. They lived on an agricultural diet of beans, corn and squash, with wild fish, game meat and plants. As with most native people, they were thin and healthy while on their traditional diet.

In 1859, the Pima were restricted to a small fraction of their original land along the Gila river, the Pima Reservation. In 1866, settlers began arriving in the region and diverting the Gila river upstream of the reservation for their own agriculture. In 1869, the river went dry for the first time. 1886 was the last year any water flowed to the Pima Reservation in the Gila river.

The Pima had no way to obtain water, and no way to grow crops. Their once productive subsistence economy ground to a halt. Famine ensued for 40 desperate years. The Pima cut down their extensive mesquite forests to sell for food and water. Eventually, after public outcry, uncle Sam stepped in.

The government provided the Pima with subsidized "food": white flour, sugar, partially hydrogenated lard, and canned goods. They promptly became diabetic and overweight, and have remained that way ever since.

The Pima are poster children for mainstream nutrition researchers in the US for several reasons. First of all, their pre-contact diet was probably fairly low in fat, and researchers love to point out that they now eat more fat (comparable to the average American diet). Another reason is that there's another group of Pima in Mexico who still live on a relatively traditional diet and are much healthier. They are genetically very similar, supporting the idea that it's the lifestyle of the American Pima that's causing their problems. The third reason is that the Mexican Pima exercise more than the Arizona Pima and eat a bit less.

I of course agree with the conclusion that their lifestyle is behind their problems; that's pretty obvious. I think most Pima know it too. If they got their water back, maybe things would be different for them.

However, the focus on macronutrients sometimes obscures the fact that the modern Pima diet is pure crap. It's mostly processed food with a low nutrient density. It also contains the two biggest destroyers of indigenous health: white flour and sugar. There are numerous examples of cultures going from a high-fat diet to a lower-fat "reservation food" diet and suffering the same fate: the Inuit of Alaska, the Maasai and Samburu of Kenya, tribes in the Pacific Northwestern US and Canada, certain Aboriginal groups, and more. What do they all have in common? White flour, sugar and other processed food.

The exercise thing is somewhat questionable as well. True, Mexican Pima exercise 2.5 times more than Arizona Pima, but the Arizona Pima still exercise much more than the average American! Women clock in at 3.1 hours a week, while men come in at a whopping 12.1 hours a week! I am a bike commuter and weight lifter, and even I don't exercise that much. So forgive me if I'm a little skeptical of the idea that they aren't exercising enough to keep the weight off. 

The history of the Pima is a heart-wrenching story that has been repeated hundreds, perhaps thousands of times all over the world. Europeans bring in white flour, sugar and other processed food, it destroys a native populations' health, and then researchers either act like they don't understand why it happened, or give unsatisfying explanations for it.

The Pima are canaries in the coal mine, and we can learn a lot from them. Their health problems resemble those of other poor Americans (and wealthier ones also, to a lesser extent). This is because they are both eating similar types of things. The problem is creeping into society at large, however, as we rely more and more on processed wheat, corn, soy and sugar, and less on wholesome food. Obesity in the US has doubled in the past 30 years, and childhood obesity has tripled. Diabetes is following suit. Life expectancy has begun to diminish in some (poor) parts of the country. Meanwhile, our diet is looking increasingly like Pima reservation food. It's time to learn a lesson from their tragedy.