Nutrition & Disease

Food as Medicine?

     Yes, what we put in our mouths either helps us or hurts us. Eating a well balanced diet is key, making sure to get all essential nutrients of protein, carbs, fats, vitamins and minerals. But too much of one or many or the wrong foods is not a good thing. There are several common diseases today that are contributed to either too much or too little. Let's explore this, shall we?

Diabetes: Yes, we've all heard of diabetes. Some people are genetically predispositioned for this, but can delay the onset by how good they eat and exercise. Diabetes is too much sugar in the blood and is usually caused from eating too many foods containing too many unnatural sugars like sodas, refined flours, chips, cakes and processed foods. Eating leafy greens, lean proteins and whole grain foods will help control the onset of this disease. However, should you have diabetes, your doctor will prescribe insulin for you.

Dehydration: This occurs when you don't consume enough water and your body starts taking it from your organs. Starting with drinking 64 ounces of water per day is a good way to prevent this. 

Anemia: This is lack of iron in the blood, which is used for clotting. A simple prick of the needle on the finger or blood test can test for anemia and your doctor may prescribe iron pills for you.

Vitamin D Deficiency: This is becoming more prevalent as more Americans are sitting in offices and not outdoors enough to get the Vitamin D from sun exposure. The added complication to this is that many people now wear sunscreen which further prohibits Vitamin D absorption. Having your blood checked by your doctor and taking the necessary supplement will help. 

Obesity: This is a huge one (no pun intended). Eating too many of the wrong foods causes many illnesses associated with obesity and can be serious. Hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol both lead to heart disease, heart attack, stroke and even death. Autoimmune disorders are associated with being overweight or obese as well as metabolic syndrome. The more weight you carry, the harder your body has to work in it's every day functions, putting tremendous strain on them. The best way to combat this is to change your diet and get some exercise. This is one of the most preventable diseases! The choice is yours in this one.

References:

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning