Chronic diseases have become the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes kill 41 million people each year, accounting for 74% of all deaths worldwide.1 In the US, these conditions account for 8 of the 10 leading causes of death.2
The shift from infectious diseases to chronic, non-communicable diseases began in the early 1900s, driven by improvements in hygiene, nutrition and medical technology. However, this transition has come with its own challenges. As the population ages and lifestyles change, the prevalence of chronic diseases increases.
The cost to health systems is staggering—more than $1 trillion annually in the United States.3 Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to reduce your risk and prevent chronic diseases. Understanding effective preventative measures is essential to improving your overall health and well-being.
The big four: heart disease, cancer, diabetes and dementia
Among chronic diseases, four are particularly influential: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and dementia. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, closely followed by cancer, killing more than 600,000 people each year. Diabetes affects more than 37 million Americans, with millions more living with undiagnosed or pre-diabetes.4
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are rapidly growing concerns, with an estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older currently affected. These conditions not only affect your health and age, but also place a significant financial burden on individuals and health care systems.
The global cost of cancer between 2020 and 2050 is estimated to reach 25 trillion dollars, in five cancers – trachea, bronchial and lung; colon and direct; breast Liver and Leukemia – covers half of this cost.5 As these diseases become more common, prevention and early intervention are critical to maintaining your health and quality of life.
Most Americans suffer from chronic disease.
About 60% of American adults have at least one chronic disease. About 40% suffer from multiple chronic diseases.6 A recent study published in Frontiers in Public Health also predicts a sharp increase in chronic disease among adults age 50 and older.7
In the year By 2050, the number of Americans in this age group will rise by 61%, reaching 221 million. Additionally, 99.5 percent of those with at least one chronic disease are projected to increase from 71.5 million in 2020 to 142.7 million in 2050.8
Researchers looked at nine major chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and mental problems. These predictions emphasize the importance of taking proactive steps to manage your health, as the risk of developing chronic disease increases with age.
The Rise of Multimorbidity: A Growing Threat to Your Health
While the rise in single chronic conditions is alarming, the rise in polydiseases – those with two or more chronic conditions – is equally alarming. The study predicts a 91.1 percent increase in multimorbidity cases, from 7.8 million in 2020 to 14.9 million in 2050.9
Most individuals with chronic diseases or multimorbidity are between the ages of 60 and 79. However, the largest increase is projected for those aged 80 and over, with a dramatic increase of 244% in single chronic diseases and 202.7% in multimorbidity cases from 2020 to 2050.10
The study reveals interesting patterns in the distribution of chronic disease between genders and races. In the year By 2050, it is estimated that women will account for 53% of those with one chronic disease, while men will account for the majority (51%) of those with multi-diseases. Among racial groups, non-Hispanic whites are projected to see the largest increases in absolute numbers, but other racial groups also experience significant increases.
For example, the number of Hispanics with at least one chronic disease is expected to increase by 110 percent from 2020 to 2050.
Understanding your own risk factors based on your gender and race can help you take more effective steps to prevent chronic disease. However, taking a holistic approach to your health, addressing not just individual symptoms, but the causes of disease, is important for everyone, at all stages of life.
Geographic patterns of chronic disease
Your risk of chronic disease isn’t just a matter of individual circumstances – it’s also strongly linked to where you live. Research published in Chronic Disease Prevention has revealed geographic patterns in the prevalence of chronic disease across the US.11
The southeastern region of the country stands out as a hotbed, with high prevalence of chronic diseases. This pattern is not random; It reflects decades of social and economic policies that have created the conditions for poor health outcomes.
In contrast, areas of chronic disease are more dispersed and often clustered in major metropolitan areas. For example, in Texas, you’ll find pockets of low distribution around Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. Similarly, the Atlanta metropolitan area in Georgia shows lower rates of chronic disease compared to surrounding areas.
Areas with high rates of chronic disease often share common socioeconomic characteristics. If they live in these areas, they are more likely to have higher rates of disability, unemployment, and reliance on government assistance programs like SNAP. Educational attainment is also an important factor – areas with low prevalence of chronic diseases have the highest proportion of residents with secondary education.
The economic divide is stark: median incomes in areas with the lowest chronic disease prevalence are nearly double those in areas with the highest prevalence. House prices show dramatic variation, with average values in low-prevalence areas being three times higher than in high-prevalence areas.12
These differences highlight the significant impact of your local environment and community characteristics on your health. Still, remember that along with being aware of the risks associated with your environment, it’s also important to take proactive steps to address them.
The Mental Health Crisis: A Hidden Epidemic in a Chronic Illness Epidemic
With physical chronic diseases at the forefront of health discussions, mental health disorders are rapidly becoming a major component of the global disease burden. Mental health issues account for 20% of the global burden of disease.13 Playing major roles in addiction, mood disorders and anxiety.
There is often a delay in getting treatment for these conditions. For example, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the 10 leading causes of disability in the developed world, typically goes untreated for 10 years. Similarly, individuals with a gambling problem wait around nine years before seeking help.
These delays greatly increase the burden of disease. Because mental and physical health are intertwined, recognizing the importance of mental health to overall well-being is critical to your health journey.
Addressing the four E’s to prevent those who die prematurely from chronic diseases
Promoting mitochondrial health is the single most important step you can take to achieve active, sustainable health and avoid chronic disease, as impaired mitochondrial function is at the heart of most chronic diseases.
There are about 100,000 trillion mitochondria in your body.14 Each of the hundreds of electronic transport chains. A surprising number of them show how important they are to your cellular function and, in turn, to your overall well-being. Your mitochondria produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is essential for every function in your body. Without energy, your cells cannot repair and renew themselves.
The root cause of most chronic disease is that your cells are not producing enough energy. There are four main factors that reduce your cellular energy production—the four E’s:
1. Essential Fats (Seed Oils) – Excessive consumption of processed vegetable oils, which are commonly found in modern foods, especially processed foods, poses serious health risks. These oils are rich Linoleic acid (LA), severely impairs your mitochondrial function.
2. Estrogen – Estrogen increases intracellular calcium levels and decreases mitochondrial function. In fact, estrogen dominance is just as dangerous as excessive LA intake when it comes to destroying your mitochondrial function.
It is important to reduce exposure to synthetic estrogens found in hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives. Xenoestrogens found in everyday things Like plastic, they are another source of widespread exposure.
3. Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) – A third significant threat to cellular health comes from Growing exposure to EMFs Due to the proliferation of wireless technologies. EMFs increase calcium ion concentrations in cells, resulting in the formation of harmful free radicals.
4. Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) EDCs represent a broad category of substances, including PlasticsThey interfere with hormone function and are linked to a variety of health issues, including reproductive problems, developmental disorders, and some cancers.
These chemicals work primarily by activating estrogen receptors in your cells, which is how EMFs activate voltage-gated calcium channels. This activation causes an increase in calcium influx into cells, and intracellular calcium significantly increases superoxide and nitric oxide. These quickly combine to form peroxynitrite, which is an extremely powerful oxidative stress. This leads to severe oxidative stress and cellular damage.
Remove mitochondrial toxins to increase cellular health
These and other mitochondrial toxins lead to disruptions in the oxygen balance in your gut, creating an environment conducive to the proliferation of harmful, oxygen-resistant microbes and inhibiting the growth of beneficial oxygen-intolerant microbes that are critical to gut health. Mucin acts as a binding agent to your colon epithelium and forms a critical barrier to colonocytes.
When this barrier is breached, health gradually declines, accelerating the aging process.
Addressing the underlying causes of colonitis and restoring proper oxygenation is important to restore the population of oxygen-resistant microbes. The relationship between mitochondria and your gut microbiome is critical, but when oxygen-resistant pathogens are present in abundance, they crowd out beneficial bacteria and prevent the production of health-promoting metabolites.
Until excess oxygen is removed from your gut, even the most beneficial lifestyle changes like exercise, sleep, diet and supplements won’t lead to significant improvements. Simply introducing probiotics is not an effective solution, because the probiotics on the market are often not effective in the intestinal environment. These may provide postbiotic benefits but may not serve as true “seeds” to reestablish the proper microbial community.
Just as seeds need the right conditions to grow, your gut environment needs to be healthy for oxygen-resistant microbes to thrive. As mentioned above, eliminating mitochondrial toxins is key to creating this favorable environment and maintaining gut health and microbial balance, ultimately preventing chronic disease.
My new book, “Your Guide to Cellular Health: Unlocking the Science of Longevity and Happiness,” explains in detail how to improve your mitochondrial function for increased cellular energy. Addressing energy production could prevent the majority of premature deaths from chronic diseases worldwide.
