The following are some key changes in our environment that affect our health:

Depletion of Nutrients in the Soil
Modern farming methods have severely depleted the mineral levels in the soil. If it is not in the soil, it is not in the plant, it is not in the animal and it is not available for us to ingest. Our bodies are not getting the minerals they need.

Dietary Choices
Human evolution has occurred over 5 million years. For much of that time, the diet remained relatively stable. Our bodily systems have evolved to a hunter and gatherers diet. In a short period of time, we have moved away from this, now consuming predominantly “dead” food, lacking in key nutrients, needed for bodily processes.

Absorption/Digestion
In many cases we are unable to properly digest our food and absorb nutrients, even if they are present in the food, due to low stomach acid, insufficient digestive enzymes or because of conditions like leaky gut syndrome.

Toxins
Our bodies are being bombarded with an ever increasing number of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, colourings, preservatives and other toxic substances. We put them on our face, in our mouth, on our clothes, in our houses and in our workplaces. One study found 287 toxic chemicals in umbilical cord blood (217 were known neurotoxins, 208 were known to cause birth defects and 180 were known carcinogens).

Channelopathy
What is this? This is what is happening at a cellular level in your body. Key nutrients are being stopped from entering the cells and the cells are starving.

Inflammation/Oxidative Stress
Inflammation can be caused by a wide range of factors, including underlying diseases, parasite buildup, oxidative stress, allergies, physical and mental stress and other body stressors. Some authorities think that inflammation is at the root of all disease. It is one of the prime causes of aging.

Immune Dysfunction
A compromised immune system cannot protect the body and allows diseases like cancer to gain a foothold. Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are examples of the immune system attacking the body that it is supposed to protect.

Sex Hormone Imbalance
Do we age because our sex hormones reduce, or do our sex hormones reduce because we age? Hormones are key messengers and protective agents. As they reduce, we lose drive and disease increases.

Gastro-intestinal (Digestive) Problems
It is said that disease begins in the gut and there is much evidence to support this. 80% of your immune system is in the gut. The bulk of your happy hormone is made there. A poorly functioning gut can lead to a variety of conditions, from allergic reactions to mental illness. Over 75% of people have gut issues.

Thyroid dysfunction
A prominent endocrinologist has suggested that up to 60 % of people have an underactive thyroid. This can give rise to weight issues, lack of energy, feeling the cold more and impact on other bodily functions.

Stress Response dysfunction
Humans have always had to deal with stress, but the nature of the stress has changed. Previously there were short periods of stress, now the stress is repetitive and prolonged. The body was not designed for ongoing stress, which can over time disturb sleep patterns, rob energy and cause disease.

The above factors play a major role in the diseases that our disabling and killing us. The body is willing and able to fight its way back to wellness, but only if it is allowed to. The body gives clear indicators that things are not well and it is heading to dis-ease. Generally we do not know what these signs are, how to look for them, or what to do about them. Here, at bewell, our programs are aimed at evaluating key health markers and determining their status. The results are used as a basis to fight dis-ease and attain wellness. We focus on underlying causes, not just the symptoms.