Since January, our disease-dodging series has taken us on a journey to discuss:

How you can reduce cholesterol without medication.

What if you could ditch your blood pressure medication for good?

Insomnia?  REAL food to the rescue!

We are providing these coaching tips to help keep our Eat REAL America community as healthy as possible!

Have you ever stopped to think...what does "health" really mean?

To many, health means the absence of disease or illness.  After all, if you are not having to deal with disease or illness, you are healthy, right?

And, what is the role of our "healthcare" system?  Is it primarily to take care of people with various illnesses and injuries?

What if we were to challenge the "typical" view of health in our society?

Wouldn't it be better to view health as living our lives thriving with energy, vitality and zest?!  And, maximizing the potential of which each of us are capable?

What if we viewed our healthcare system not just as treating and preventing illness, but preventing departure from full-out thriving and vitality for life?  How many of us would describe ourselves as healthy using this definition?  Hopefully, a lot!

If this was our view of health, would we think differently about our food choices?

• Would we view our relationship with food as a constant battle, with stress and anxiety about what we can and can't eat?
• Would we view it as acceptable to deprive ourselves and restrict certain categories of food - all in an effort to prevent weight gain?
• Would this allow us to meet our new definition of health?  These sure don't seem to go hand-in-hand with living our best lives.

Instead, what if we viewed our food as something to be enjoyed and savored - and to give us the energy to live each day to the fullest?

Would we shift our focus from constant worry about managing our blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars to simply enjoying the flavors nature created for us - and the people we are able to enjoy our meals with?  And, maybe we could even relax and let our worries disappear, knowing that these foods are providing the exact nutrients our bodies need.

Think about the 5 regions of the world that host the most centenarians, called the Blue Zones.  We would argue this is why these people live so much longer - and have low rates of chronic disease and high quality of life.  Their focus is approaching life with excitement and energy, not just trying to avoid and treat illness and disease.

How could this view of health affect our parenting approach?

Instead of teaching our kids how to order food online, how to navigate a drive-through or how to order a White Chocolate Frappuccino with Caramel and Whipped Cream (with its more than 16 tsp. of sugar!), maybe we would teach them how to prepare simple, delicious meals at home using REAL ingredients?

And teach them how to shop at the farmers' market!  (You would be amazed how many adults we encounter who say they are intimidated by the farmers' market.)  Instead of condoning energy drinks as the way to get an energy boost, we could help them understand how their food choices can provide a constant high level of energy throughout the day, combined with getting enough sleep, exercising and managing stress.  Isn't this the way to help our kids achieve this new definition of health?

Would we view our relationship with the environment differently?

Would we think differently about how our food is grown and produced and the potential impact of chemicals and pesticides?  And view our own health and the health of our environment going hand-in-hand?

"My energy level is crazy high and I feel wonderful!"

We hear from SO MANY people how much more energy they have once they focus their lifestyle on REAL food - and you can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voice!  They are thriving and full of energy, vitality and zest!

Plus, they are so excited about the world of foods that has opened up to them - that they would not have otherwise experienced!

"Even if I don't lose another pound, I feel so much better and healthier!"

How do you view health?  

Do we need to redefine what "health" really means and how our "healthcare" system can best help us achieve this?