Positive Changes for Your Health

As you address your modifiable risk factors, each positive change you make will ripple out to improve the health of your organs and systems in your body.

Your Endocrine System

Your endocrine system manages your hormones, which operate like an intricately choreographed dance in your body. When they work together, the dance is beautiful. But when they fail to show up or don’t do their part, the results for your health can be awful—lost sleep, low energy, stress, anxiety, sexual dysfunction and more. You can have a powerful effect on this system through nutrition, exercise and other choices.

Your Immune System

The immune system is your body’s friend and protector and also your body’s foe—depending on whether an immune system response arrives and leaves (as it does with acute inflammation) or lingers indefinitely (as it does with chronic inflammation). Many scientists now believe that chronic inflammation in the brain contributes to harmful changes that accompany Alzheimer’s. By taking steps to decrease chronic inflammation, you can make a critical difference in your cognitive health and in any chronic diseases you may have.

Your Detoxifying Organs

Toxic chemicals enter your body through your skin, lungs, food and water. If they get past your defenses and into your body, they do damage. In the brain, for example, they can cause decreased mental speed, poor focus, brain fatigue, foggy thinking and decreased memory. Through your lifestyle choices, you can stop many of these toxins from entering your body. You can also protect your body by strengthening the organs that work against toxins that attack your body, specifically your skin, lungs, gut, kidney, liver, and lymphatic systems.

Your Mitochondria

Mitochondria are small structures that produce energy in every cell in your body, so your life depends on them. This is especially true for your brain, which has only 2% of your body weight but uses 20% of your energy. Oxidation, which contributes to aging throughout your body, can do a lot of damage to your mitochondria. You can help your mitochondria—and improve your energy—by eating foods rich in anti-oxidants, exercising, getting plenty of sleep and decreasing stress.

Your Digestive System and Gut

The gut’s mix of microbes, which includes bacteria, fungi, and viruses, is called your microbiome. These microbes are your friends. They break down food for your body, attack harmful bacteria, and help to balance your hormones. The also help out your weight, sex drive, stress and sleep. Your gut is especially important to your brain because of the express freeway of nerves that connect your gut and brain. What happens in your gut strongly influences what happens in your brain. Keep your gut healthy so your brain can thrive.

Your Lungs, Heart, and Musculoskeletal Systems

As you improve your lifestyle choices, especially nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress, your lungs will more efficiently provide oxygen to your cells and remove carbon dioxide from your body. Your heart will deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells throughout your body more effectively. Your muscles and bones will provide better support and movement for your body and fulfill their other important functions better. The following videos explain these benefits in greater detail.