The 8Fs to

Wellness
UCAS Salud
Union Centroamericana Sur
May 29, 2015

Ernie Medina, Jr., DrPH, CHFS

Executive Director & Assistant Professor
Center for Nutrition, Healthy Lifestyles, & Disease Prevention
4-20-15 Loma Linda Univ. School of Public Health
 Learning Objectives

Learn the 2 main underlying causes of NCDs

Learn 8 factors that increase the these 2

causes
Learn at least 3 things practical behaviors
to reduce the risk of these factors
The Router
to
heaven
 Death rates due to
NCDs:

68% (80%) (1)

87%
(2)

(1) http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/mortality_morbidity/ncd_total_text/en/
(2) http://www.who.int/nmh/countries/usa_en.pdf
 Can our current
healthcare system fix
this?
 Costa Rica

http://www.who.int/countries/cri/en/
http://gamapserver.who.int/gho/interactive_charts/ncd/mortality/total/atlas.html
Actual Causes of Death in the U

Source: J.M. McGinnis and W.H. Foege (1993). Actual Causes of Death in the United States.
Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol 270.
Root Cause

Insulin Chronic low grade

resistance Inflammation

Chronic Disease
There are good and
bad genes

Good
 epigenes

gene

gene epigenes

In close physical proximity to a given gene are small

markers called epigenes.
Turns OFF Turns ON
Good genes Bad genes?
 8Fs to Wellness:
Food

Finger
Feet

Fumigation

Fight-or-Flight Fatigue Faith

1. Food
Processed, high fat, high sugar, high sodium
Plant-based diet best
 Adventist Health Studies ARHS
2006
U.S.A. 1958-present 10,000
AMS 1958- SDA
1988 AHS-2
2001 2002
1985
1966 1974 7,000 97,000+
23,000 SDA overlap SDA
25+ years 30+ years
California USA &
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000Canada
2010

Adventist Air Pollution

Study
1976-2000
12,000 6,328 SDA 25+ years
overlap
Californi
AHS-1 1974-a
1988
34,192 SDA
25+ years
California
4
 Why study Seventh-day
Adventists?
Interested in health

Church recommends vegetarian diet.

Adherence varies resulting in wide
range of dietary habits
Church proscribes use of cigarette smoke
and alcohol consumption.
Results in increased power due to
limited confounding by these behaviors
2002
1
 AHS-2 Dietary Patterns
Dietary pattern Number (%)
Vegan 7,727 (8.0)
(animal & dairy products <1/mo)
Lacto-ovo vegetarian 27,239 (28.2)
(dairy/eggs 1/mo but no fish or
meat)
Pesco-vegetarian 9,563 (9.9)
(fish 1/mo and dairy/eggs but no
meat)
Semi-vegetarian 5,409 (5.6)
(dairy, eggs, meat 1/mo and
<1/wk)
Non-vegetarian 46,654 (48.3)
(meat, fish, eggs, dairy >1/wk)
 Summary

Overall reduced mortality risk from all

causes and IHD among pesco-
vegetarians
Most effects stronger in men
Strong reduction of mortality risk from
all causes, IHD and CVD among vegan
men
No effect on cancer mortality
Reduction of mortality risk from IHD in
pesco-vegetarian women
 Summary

Lower odds of metabolic syndrome,

hypertension, diabetes, and
hypothyroidism in vegetarians
compared to non-vegetarians
Lower odds of metabolic syndrome and
obesity in high tree nut compared to low
tree nut consumers
 Summary
American Adventists follow a wide
range of dietary habits .
Vegetarian dietary patterns had
moderate to large increases in
consumption of a wide spectrum of
foods of plant origin rather than a few
food groups
May result in higher intakes of a
wide variety of phytochemicals
 Summary (cont)

Reduced consumption of fats such as solid

fats and butter in the vegetarian dietary
patterns
Likely to reduce CVD risk, rather than
liquid fats which may have neutral or
protective effect on CVD.
 Summary (cont)

Reduced consumption of sweets and

caloric beverages in the vegetarian
patterns
May be protective against obesity
May be responsible for some of the
favorable associations for vegetarians
with BMI, reduced MetS and incident
diabetes
 Conclusions

Factors that contribute to lower

disease risk in Adventists.
Tending toward plant-based diet
Reduced meat consumption
Consumption of nuts, vegetables &
fruits
Reduced consumption of added
fats and sugary foods
These contribute to life expectancy.
 2. Feet

Exercise Rx
The Other 15
hours
If we could give every
individual the right amount
of nourishment and
exercise, not too little and
not too much, we would have
found the safest way to
health."

Walking is mans best

medicine.

Let food be thy medicine,

and medicine be thy food.

Hippocrates
Father of modern medicine
 We were created
for MOVEMENT
and ACTIVITY!

Nutrition
Vs
Physical Activity?
Action is a law of our beingthe tendency of
disuse is toward decay and death. p.237

Inactivty is a fruitful cause of disease. p. 238

Ministers, teachers, students, and other brain

workers often suffer from illness as a the result of
severe mental taxation, unrelieved by physical
exercise. What these persons need is a more active
life.and would give power of endurance to all brain
workers. p. 238 Ellen G. White
Ministry of Healing
Those whose habits are sedentary should, when 1905
the weather permits, exercise in the open air every
day, summer or winter. Walking is preferable to riding
or driving. Such exercise would in many cases
be better for health than medicine. p. 240
 Telomere
s

Epigenes

BDNF
 Exercise Rx
3 times per week
4 6 times per week

Most days per week

 October, 2008

Rear Admiral Penelope Royall

http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/
Physical Activity
defined
PA/Exercise

F - Frequency
I - Intensity
T Time

Anaerobic T - Type
Aerobic Flexibility
Aerobic - Adults
150 minutes per week
moderate intensity
Aerobic - Kids
60 minutes daily
Do something!
Daily
10 minute blocks
Moderate intensity
10,000 steps a day!
 Steps/day?
!!
a y!
s / d
t e p
0 s
0 0
3,
 / d a y! ! !
, 5 0 0 s t eps
1
Anaerobic:
2-3x/wk
2 sets
10-15 reps/set
Strength training - Kids
3 days per week
Builds muscle AND bone!
Stretching: minimum 3x/wk, 10+ minutes
Sitting Disease
1 hour vs the other 15+ hours
 April 25, 2004
LLU Possibilities
Triathlon

Summer (6) and

Paige (8) before
the start of the
kids tri race.
I cant do it!
Loma Linda, CA April 28, 2013
3-mile run/walk/ride
10-mile bike ride
150-yard (6 laps) swim
Team Lolo
 3. Fingers

User vs Addict
Ongoing support is key!
 al
gi c

Ha
ol o

bit
h
yc

Addiction
Ps

Physical (physiological)
4.
Fumigatio
n
 5.
Fatigue
Need 7-8 hrs of quality sleep!
Avoid stimulants like caffeine before bed
Have a pre-bedtime routine
Complete darkness

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5294/everything-you-need-to-know-about-rest/
 Sleep cleans toxins from the brain

Glymphatic system, managed by brains glial cells

http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/october2013/10282013clear.htm
Sleep
recommendations:
Stick to a sleep schedule, even on weekends

Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual

Exercise daily

Evaluate your bedroom temp, sound, light

Sleep on a comfortable bed

Beware of hidden sleep stealers (alcohol,

caffeine)
Turn off electronics before bed

http://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
 Other kinds of rest

Vacations
Weekly rest
Blue
Zones

http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/5294/everything-you-need-to-know-about-rest/
http://www.bluezones.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Nat_Geo_Longevity.pdf
 6. Fight-or-
Flight

http://www.rlcure.com/how-stress-can-increase-inflammation.html
 7. Faith

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/surprising-links-between-faith-and-health
Blue Zone Loma
Linda/SDA
Harold Koenig, MD
haroldgkoenig.com
 Biopsychosocial Religion and Health Study (BRHS)

Dr. Kelly Morton: Taking advantage of the Sabbath rest,

exercising more, working toward more loving and supportive
relationships, and seeking treatment for depressionwhen
neededare ways to reduce the allostatic load, leading to
better health.
Allostatic Load: Wear and tear on the body, from repeated chronic stress
8. Family &
Friends
 Loneliness negative impact on mental,
emotional, physical well-being

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/spc3.12087/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false
Blue Zone
http://www.connectedthebook.com/
 Direct & Indirect effects of social networks
developing obesity & DM2.

3 degs

Nichoals Christakis and James Fowler

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0093860#pone-0093860-t005
Spend quality time

I wish I had spent

more time in the
office.
The 8Fs for Wellness
Summary
Eat right types and amounts of food

Get both formal exercise and active lifestyle

thru day
Dont smoke (or quit)

Reduce exposure to toxins

Manage your stress levels

Get all 4 aspects of rest

Build your faith!

Enjoy & cherish your family & friends

Thank you!!!

To contact:
emedina@llu.edu