The role of diet in chronic diseases

On this World Health Day 2022 we tell you how it is possible to manage chronic ailments through preventive nutrition.

Mexico faces the Covid-19 epidemic with a population that presents high prevalences of chronic diseases (75% of adults are overweight or obese, 49.2% have hypertension, and 14% have diabetes).

FOOD: Managing Chronic Conditions Through a Preventive Care Approach

feeding healthy and consciousaccompanied by physical exercise and a good rest, help prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the diseases Non-communicable diseases, including cancer, obesity, diabetes and hypertension, kill 41 million people a year. However, these pathologies They can be prevented through changes in habits such as stopping tobacco and alcohol use, engaging in daily physical activity, and following a healthy diet.

Next, we will give you a basic guide to recommendations and food to prevent some chronic non-communicable diseases.

Diet and cardiovascular diseases

In the case of hypertension, it is important to maintain a Lifestyle accompanied by a healthy diet, physical exercise and mental health care. Experts recommend “Limit the consumption of salt and alcohol, get the right weight, perform aerobic exercises, encourage the consumption of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.”

Regarding dyslipidemia, which means an excessive increase in cholesterol and fats in the blood, experts recommend:

1. Avoid eating foods high in cholesterol, such as chicharrón and whole milk.
2. Likewise, avoid fried foods and prepare steamed foodcooked or roasted.
3. Avoid sugar consumption.
4. Eating foods rich in omega 3, such as fish and avocado, and antioxidants present in vitamins A, C and E, and in selenium.
5. Eat foods that contain vitamins complex b and folic acid, such as nuts and seeds.

Strategies to control obesity and diabetes

Facing obesity, nutrition is a key factor to avoid it. In this sense, it is important to take into account the following recommendations:

1. Maintain a balance between the energy we consume and spend, performing physical activity daily.
2. Have the personalized advice of a nutritionist.
3. Sleep eight hours a day. If we do not rest properly, we can produce in excess some hormones such as ghrelin, responsible for regulating appetite.

Regarding diabetes, you can follow the following tips to prevent or control it:

1. avoid the sugar consumption and its derivatives, such as honey, bakery products or soft drinks.
2. sweeten your beverages or preparations with artificial sweeteners.
3. Avoid consumption of Saturated fatslike pork rinds and butter.
4. increase the consumption of high-fiber foods.

In both cases, it is important to combine a healthy and conscious diet with a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity daily.

Nutrients to prevent cancer

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) indicates that between 30 and 40% of all cancer cases in the world can be prevented through healthy diets

Some of those phytonutrients are as follows:

1. Lycopene: present in fruits and vegetables red like tomato, pink guava, watermelon and paprika. Helps prevent prostate, breast and colon cancer.
2. Fibers such as lignan and inulin: help to combat the effect of radicals free in the body, helping to prevent colon cancer. They are found in some seeds such as sesame and rye, in garlic, onions and bananas.
3. Sulforaphane: You can find it in green fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, kiwi and avocado. Have anticancer propertiesas it inhibits the growth of tumors, preventing the appearance of cancers such as skin, ovarian and prostate.
4. Beta carotene: present in yellow and orange foods such as carrots, pumpkins and mangoes. Decrease the cancer risk of breast and ovaries while supporting heart health.

We see, then, that the prevention of these diseases starts with a conscious diet and good habits. In this sense, not only sports and daily rest are important: it is also important to take care of mental health and understand that our well-being depends, to a large extent, on the ability we have to make healthy decisions.

Related Notes:

Suffering from extreme exhaustion? Warning signs and prevention tips

Anger management: What to do when people make you angry?

History of the stethoscope, do you know the real origin of this medical tool?