Wounds and Trauma from childhood influence your chronic disease risk in adulthood - and 60% of the population have high ACE scores!

I’m writing this on a plane flying home from British Columbia. I found the fountain of youth up in Hope, Canada. Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with health. I’m down with sweating at 200 degrees in my sauna, freezing at 37 degrees in my cold plunge, and eating as nutrient-dense foods as possible. Why? Because in our world today disease is chasing us like a tiger let loose in the jungle.

I’ve recently discovered another tool in the wellness toolbox - emotional health and its role in physical and mental disease.

I was sitting in a small group this past weekend talking to a woman who told me why she was at the Lifeapp 3-day event. (The greatest emotional health experience on earth)

First, I should tell you that the CDC helped develop the research on ACE Scores - Adverse Childhood Experiences and our disease risk once we reach adulthood. The results? The more traumatic things that happen to you as a kid - the greater chance you’re going to suffer from chronic disease. The promo video says our flight or response system was designed to help us run from a bear. But what happens when the bear comes home every night and does things to us that no bear should ever do?!!!!

I’ll tell you what happens - your body will do its best to survive for as long as it can until it breaks and chronic disease comes on us like a tidal wave.

So my new friend who we will call Jane says “I’m here because I want to live a long healthy life - but my ACE score is high and I want to find healing”.

The most STUPID thing I could have ever done at that moment was to tell her to exercise more, eat more greens, do some deep breathing, or take some medicine. Most experts treat our mental and emotional health issues with drugs or we take matters into our own hands and do whatever it takes to numb the pain.

For some of us, we medicate, or we overwork, and for others we repeat the same behavior.

Regardless, if you can’t say you have addressed all childhood trauma - its like having a leg that is broken and seeking to put a bandaid on it and keep going forward in life without addressing the real problem - that addressing would actually help it heal.

I’m working on a project 15 years in the making to help people find the best health of their lives and I’d be a fool to not address this delicate connection of our ACE scores and our chronic disease risk.

So I’d like to give you a gift - the following are a few details to help bring some light to this subject. If you’re looking to live a long healthy life - you need to make sure you are at peace with all the wounds you’ve experienced in life - if not - you have work to do - the hardest work you will ever do.

Our childhood experiences shape more than just memories—they mold your long-term physical and mental well-being. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study, conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, has laid a foundation for understanding how these early events correlate with adult health challenges. Here’s what you need to know:

Key Insights on ACE Scores and Health:

ACE Scores and Chronic Disease Risk: A higher ACE score is linked to an increased risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders. Research has shown that individuals with an ACE score of 4 or higher are twice as likely to develop heart disease and cancer compared to those with lower scores[^1].

Mental Health Implications: Elevated ACE scores are associated with a higher incidence of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Adults with an ACE score of 4 or more are at a 460% increased risk of developing depression[^2].

Stress and Hormonal Disruption: Childhood trauma disrupts the body’s stress response, leading to overactive cortisol production, which can weaken the immune system and cause long-term inflammation[^3].

Behavioral Health Risks: Individuals with higher ACE scores often engage in high-risk behaviors such as smoking, substance abuse, or overeating as coping mechanisms[^4].

Intergenerational Effects: Unresolved trauma can affect parenting styles and family dynamics, leading to cycles of stress and emotional strain[^5].

If you have ANY issues from childhood that you haven’t found perfect peace with - you need to put this at the top of your health priorities list.

Takeaways: How to Start Addressing ACE-Related Health

Seek Professional Guidance: Go to a Lifeapp event! If you’re interested reach out to me. Also, work with a therapist specializing in trauma to understand how childhood experiences may influence your health. Sometimes its not just Big Trauma. It can be small trauma added up. Maybe your dad didn’t sexually abuse you….but if he never said I love you over and over again it may have built up some pain.

Mindful Living: Practices such as meditation and journaling can help you process emotions in a structured way.

Physical Activities: Regular activities tailored to your comfort level, such as walking or deep breathing, has been shown to improve mental health by reducing cortisol levels[^6].

Healthy Boundaries: Create a home environment that promotes open communication and reduces stress.

Invest in Preventive Measures: The best one I can think of is building community.

The Path Forward:

Your well-being is an investment, and addressing the root causes of stress and trauma is essential. By taking gradual steps to acknowledge and manage the impact of childhood trauma, you’re not just improving your health; you’re setting an example for your family and strengthening generational resilience.

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I’d love to hear your ACE Score and if you have found help in your adult life. 👋

I’m always looking for feedback. What would you like for me to cover? Anything in the newsletter you like or want to see more or less of?

Here are a few topics I think you’ll love if you haven’t checked them out before:

How to Breathe for Better Health

How Self-Doubt Can Become Your Superpower 

How to Supercharge Your Sleep

The Power of the Sauna

Forgiveness May Be Your Missing Ingredient

-Jared

P.S. - This newsletter does not provide medical advice. The content, such as graphics, images, text, and all other materials, is provided for reference and educational purposes only. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any specific individual's medical condition.

[^1]: Felitti, V. J., et al. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245-258.

[^2]: Chapman, D. P., et al. (2004). Adverse childhood experiences and the risk of depressive disorders in adulthood. Journal of Affective Disorders, 82(2), 217-225.

[^3]: Shonkoff, J. P., et al. (2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), e232-e246.

[^4]: Dube, S. R., et al. (2003). Childhood abuse, household dysfunction, and the risk of attempted suicide throughout the life span: Findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. JAMA, 286(24), 3089-3096.

[^5]: Narayan, A. J., et al. (2017). Intergenerational transmission of childhood adversity: Integrating bioecological and developmental perspectives. Child Development, 88(2), 339-354.

[^6]: Salmon, P. (2001). Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: A unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review, 21(1), 33-61.