Lifestyle

When building a healthy lifestyle we often forget the simple, traditional foods that have supported people’s health for centuries. Sauerkraut is one such ancient treasure — not only delicious but also a true vitamin and nutrient powerhouse. In this article I will explain in detail why you should regularly include this fermented wonder in your diet.

Staying healthy for life, preventing diseases. This is such an important goal that younger generations should take up as their banner — learning from their parents' mistakes. If you are Hungarian, you can expect to have at least one chronic disease by the age of 55–60. As a consequence, you will spend the last 20–30 years of your life struggling with illness and suffering from complaints. You will not enjoy your old age while ill. Disease will hinder you at work, leading to impoverishment, and because of your complaints you will rely on others' help. Sounds awful? It is! You should prevent all of this! Only you can act in your own interest.

Chronic inflammation is one of the most common conditions of our time. Its causes are diverse but are largely found in lifestyle. Let's look at the most important things to know.

Regular physical activity is an indispensable part of a healthy lifestyle. It not only helps shape your body but also offers numerous health benefits that contribute to a longer, disease-free life.

As a professional, I often encounter that the health of our teeth does not get much attention until a more serious problem appears – for example pain, inflammation, or allergic reactions. I remember my parents often telling me to take care of my eyes, my face, my heart, my joints, but that I should also look after my teeth — that somehow never came up. Of course, they always tried to make sure I brushed at night and that I didn't eat so many sweets, but somehow it never felt like a very big issue.

More and more people are questioning today's medical practice — specifically that almost every problem is expected to be "fixed" with medication. For most chronic patients, lifelong drug therapy produces little better results than doing nothing. A medicine does not move your muscles or joints. It does not change what you eat, or which harmful habit is destroying you. Public thinking about healing is outdated and overdue for renewal. Everything calls out for a change of approach. Lifestyle medicine is a new movement that may offer better solutions for today's most common diseases than what can be expected from pills and surgeries.

Nowadays one of the main “bogeymen” is high cholesterol. Public opinion holds that it causes atherosclerosis and forms especially because of eating fatty foods. It has now been proven that this is not the case! Cholesterol is a vital substance in your body. It becomes a problem when so‑called oxidative stress damages it, because in that oxidized form it harms the blood vessel walls. So the issue is not with healthy cholesterol itself, but with cholesterol that has been damaged by something. This damaging process is oxidative stress, which is driven by excessive carbohydrate consumption (sugary drinks, baked goods, frequent snacking, sweets without restraint). The consequence is fluctuating insulin levels, the development of insulin resistance and increased free radical production in mitochondria. This initiates cholesterol damage and the process of atherosclerosis.

Chronic inflammation is closely linked to nutrition, metabolism and the processes of energy production. If you understand why mitochondrial health is so important, then by paying attention to the composition of your food and the timing of your meals, you can prevent a large portion of chronic diseases and counter excess weight without extreme effort or self-denial.

Recently I heard a song by Emir Kusturica titled “Upside down”. It brought a few thoughts to mind. A highlight from the lyrics: “Life is just a simple game between up and down…What is down should go up. What is up must go down”. In other words (not a literal translation but rather an interpretation) it means: Life is a simple game between up and down… Those who are down may rise. Those who are up can only go down.

I take "x" or "y" vitamin in high doses to strengthen my immune system. Am I doing the right thing? – I am often asked such questions seeking confirmation. My answer varies, because there are situations when the intake of a single specific substance is really necessary. Other times it is completely pointless, and sometimes even harmful. I will explain.

I do not recommend running for people struggling with overweight! Even though running is proven to burn the most fat in a given time — in other words it is the most powerful fat-burning exercise — why am I so “stupid” to advise against it? I'll explain that now.