Chronic Diseases – Risk Factors & Prevention
Even though the United States is one of the most technologically and medically advanced nations in the world, and spends more on health care than any other developed country, chronic diseases and their related conditions are the leading causes of death. Nearly half of Americans suffer from a chronic disease.
The incidence of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, mental disorders, stroke, and heart disease have all increased at an alarming rate. Obesity, a clear risk factor for many chronic diseases, is now a major health crisis affecting not only two-thirds of adults in the U.S. but an increasing number of children and teenagers.
RISK FACTORS FOR CHRONIC DISEASES
What are the preventable factors that increase the risk of developing chronic diseases? The three behaviors that increase the risks of developing chronic diseases are:
1. poor diet & nutrition
2. lack of physical activity
3. smoking
Why has the incidence of chronic disease increased so dramatically? It has been known for many years that diet plays an important role as a risk factor for chronic diseases. The second half of the twentieth century saw a significant shift in diet trends.
Plant-based diets have been replaced by high sugar, high fat, animal-based foods. As fattening, overly processed food is more available and cheaper, people are not only increasing their caloric intake but eating more food with little or no nutritional value.
Leisure-time physical activities have been replaced by video games, movies, and the Internet. Instead of our children playing outside or riding their bicycles, they are in front of the computer or the television. Because most of us lead a very sedentary lifestyle, our risk for obesity increases greatly.
Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer, with lung cancer being the most prevalent. It is a major cause of heart disease, stroke and emphysema. Smoking is the most preventable cause of death.
PREVENTION OF CHRONIC DISEASES
What can we do to prevent and/or lower our risk of developing chronic diseases? Most chronic diseases are highly preventable. We must make changes in our diet and lifestyle, changes that can make the difference between good health and poor health.
1. HOW TO IMPROVE POOR DIET & NUTRITION:
The “yes” foods for healthy eating.
*VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it.
*WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber and can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
*LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, a good source of fiber, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer.
*LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein.
*LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis.
*GOOD FATS - Eat only monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados) and polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds).
*DRINK LOTS OF WATER, at least 8 glasses a day, instead of soda or other sweetened beverages. Water flushes out the system and eliminates harmful toxins. It forces the body to run more efficiently, speeds up metabolism, and makes it easier to lose weight and burn fat.
The “NO-NO” foods you should avoid as much as possible.
*SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar.
*ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of some chronic conditions.
*BAD FATS – Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake. Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods. Always check food labels before purchasing.
*TRANS FATTY ACIDS - They are the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease and are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine. They are found in commercially fried foods and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats.
2. HOW TO INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Physical activity helps you feel better and can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Any and all kinds of physical activity will help you stay healthy. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes every day. The more active you are, the healthier you will become.
Use some of the tips listed below:
*Walk! Every day, take a walk, inside or outside, alone or with a friend or family member. Breathe deeply. You will start to feel better almost immediately. Shoot for a mile a day. Try to increase it just a little each day. The more you walk, the easier it becomes and the more you will want to do it.
*If you work in an office, use the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car in the farthest parking space from the building. Get up and walk during your break instead of sitting down and eating a snack.
*If you have access to an indoor swimming pool, use it several times a week. Swimming, along with walking, is an excellent aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping and revs up your metabolism.
*Go bicycling with your kids. Bicycling is another aerobic exercise that provides fun, relaxation and quality time with your family.
*Ride your bike to work! If you cannot bicycle outside, try a stationary bike. Watch TV or listen to music while you pedal.
*Take up roller-skating (or ice-skating or roller-blading), another aerobic exercise that is so much fun. Bring your kids with you.
*Take a fitness class, a Yoga class or take dancing lessons. All are fun and provide great exercise.
3. HOW TO QUIT SMOKING:
Why do so many people still smoke? Because trying to quit is one of the most difficult things to do. If you smoke and have tried to quit, you know how difficult and painful it can be. What makes it so difficult is the fact that nicotine is an incredibly addictive drug, on the same level as cocaine or heroin.
*When you are ready to quit, follow the steps below.
*Set a quit date and stick to it. Period.
*Get rid of every ashtray you have, in your home, your car, your office, everywhere.
*Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home, ever.
*Change your behaviors. When you have the urge to smoke, participate in activities that will distract you like going for a long, leisurely walk with a friend, clean house, play with your kids, call a support person to talk you through the tough time.
*Change your routine. Drink hot tea instead of coffee, instead of eating in front of the TV, eat at the kitchen table with your family.
*Try some soothing stress reducers like taking a long hot bath, starting an exercise regimen, or reading a good book.
*You will have a better chance of success, if you enlist the support of others. Tell everyone you know, your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and ask for their support.
*Once you quit, DO NOT TAKE ANOTHER PUFF, EVER! Keep yourself away from as much temptation as possible.
In summary, the incidence of chronic diseases and their related conditions, including obesity, is increasing at an alarming rate. However, the risk factors for most chronic conditions are preventable. If you want to increase the quality of your life, make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle. The rewards are, without question, more than worth it.
Thank You For Visiting Our Blog, FEEL BETTER AND LIVE LONGER!
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
The purpose of our blog is to share what we have learned about nutrition, weight loss, fitness, and health, in order to help you find ways to feel better and live longer. It is amazing how much our diet and lifestyle affect our health and well-being.
Did you know that you can reduce your risk and even prevent many diseases and health conditions simply by making some changes to your diet? Check back often for valuable tips and information.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF:
For the first time in my life I have found weight loss success. During my adult life I have tried dozens and dozens of so-called "diets" and none of them worked over the long-haul. Oh, I was able to lose weight with some of them, but once I went off of the "diet" I quickly gained back all of my weight (plus some).
I have finally learned that losing weight has to be a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. Crash diets and all the other crazy diets will not only cause you to fail, they are harmful to your health. To lose weight and keep it off you must NOT go on a "diet." What? Why? Because we all consider a "diet" a temporary thing. For example, how many times have you said, "Oh, I will go on this low-fat diet until I lose 20 pounds." Okay, what happens after you lose the 20 pounds? Or you simply give up? You go back to your old habits and gain that 20 pounds back.
The only way you will ever be successful at losing weight, with the added benefit of improving your health, is to make healthy changes that you can live with for the rest of your life. Period. Not for a week, a month or 3 months, but for life. For me, my initial goal was to lower my cholesterol level. I had to have a blood test for my insurance coverage and my cholesterol level had to be lower than the previous year's levels or I would have to pay a much higher premium. Well, that was a pretty good incentive for me make some positive changes.
I sat down and figured out what I needed to do. I knew I had to change the way I ate and I knew I had to exercise in some form or other every day. So, I made a list and I stuck to it. It was difficult at first. To make matters worse, I am a compulsive eater. However, as the days went by, it became much easier because my body stopped craving sweets and processed foods. For the first time in my life, I was never tempted to binge because I never felt deprived.
Use the list below and make whatever changes you need to make in order for it to work for you. FYI, my cholesterol level dropped 65 points after 7 weeks, and my triglycerides dropped 70 points! Another benefit that I hadn't planned on was that after being an insomniac since my teen-age years, I now sleep like a baby every night!
MY LIST FOR WEIGHT LOSS SUCESS:
1. Avoid "white" Foods & Processed Foods. These foods have no nutritional value and are "empty" calories. Sweets, anything made with white flour,and anything that comes in a package with a long list of ingredients. Always read the food labels. Stay away from those long lists of ingredients. The longer the list, the more chemicals and additives are present. These are extremely toxic to your body.
2. Drink Lots of Water. Water keeps your body's organs hydrated and flushes out unhealthy toxins. It helps to fill you up and reduces your urge to over-eat.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast. Instead of coffee and donuts, try fruit, yogurt, grains like oatmeal or whole grain toast, and lean protein. NEVER skip breakfast. By eating a large, healthy meal when you get up in the morning, your metabolism will "rev up" and you will not be hungry by mid-morning. If you skip breakfast, your body will go into starvation mode and store calories in your body as FAT, yes FAT! So do yourself a big favor and eat breakfast.
4. Reduce Your Stress Level. So many of us live with too much stress. Stress lowers your immune system, making it easier to get sick. It also makes us lethargic, tired, and depressed. There are a lot of simple things you can do and a lot of ways to feel better about yourself and your life. Take a long, hot bath, read a book, listen to music, get a massage. Do something nice for yourself. Giving yourself something to look forward to is a tremendous mental incentive.
5. Move! Oh my gosh! There are so many ways to incorporate movement into your day, even at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour and walk around your floor, your hallway or your desk. Park your car in the farthest space from where you need to be. Walk or bike to work. Skate, dance, golf, jump rope, clean house, play tag. The best exercise you can do is to walk. Try to take a walk every day! The more you move, the more your metabolism will be your friend. (I walk 3 miles every day whether it is raining, snowing or freezing.)
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