Every January most people are looking for a real diet plan that will finally make us thin and healthy. After all the holiday season leads us down the wrong path as far as food choices go. I prefer a plant based food plan. When I indulge in the foods that are so often served during the holiday season, I feel very bloated and uncomfortable for many days afterwards. I thought I’d explain how nutrition is the best medicine we can take in to heal our health and weight.
HEALTHY EATING PREVENTS DISEASE
Our food choices impact our health in so many ways. While our concentration seems to be on what tastes good, we should be thinking about what foods can heal us. I wonder how many people think about how food improves our health? Not just our weight. Why does food prevent certain life-threatening illnesses like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and osteoporosis?
Healthy eating prevents obesity – the number one nutritional reason for disease.
Certain nutrients affect certain parts of the body. Without enough calcium, your bones can become unhealthy, brittle and weak. The same holds true with saturated fat and cardiovascular disease. Too much saturated fat in your diet can lead to high cholesterol and high blood pressure, two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Healthy eating improves the mood, which in turn boosts physical activity. If you are happy, you are more likely to be active. Eating the right foods can help you be happier. Since regular physical activity is a necessity for disease prevention, healthy eating therefore helps in the equation.
Healthy diets boost “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) and decrease unhealthy triglycerides. This directly impacts risk of heart disease, stroke, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and high blood pressure by helping your blood flow smoothly. The more healthy foods you eat, the better your “good” cholesterol levels will be, helping to prevent disease.
Having too much sugar, salt or bad fats in your diet can raise your risk for certain diseases. Healthy eating can lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other health conditions. A healthy eating plan emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grain, and fat-free or low-fat diary products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and limits saturated and trans fats, sodium and added sugars.
The major cardiometabolic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, pose substantial health and economic burdens on society. To better understand how different dietary components affect the risk of dying from these diseases, a research team led by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of Tufts University analyzed data from CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHAMES) and national disease-specific mortality data. The study was supported in part by NIH’s national Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLB1). Results appeared on march 7, 2017, in the Journal of the America Medical Association.
The researchers investigated the relationship of 10 different foods and nutrients with deaths related to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. they also compared data on participants’ age, sex, ethnicity, and education. They found that nearly half of all the deaths in the United States in 2012 that were caused by cardiometabolic diseases were associated with suboptimal eating habits. Of 702,308 adult deaths due to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, 318,656 (45%) were associated with inadequate consumption of certain foods and nutrients widely considered vital for healthy living, and overconsumption of other foods that are not.
The highest percentage of cardiometabolic disease-related death (9.5%) was related to excess consumption of sodium. Not eating enough nuts and seeds (8.5%), seafood omea-3 fats (7.8%), vegetables (7.6%), fruits (7.5%), whole grains (5.9%), or polyunsaturated fats (2.3%) also increased risk of death compared with people who had an optimal intake of these foods/nutrients. Eating too much processed meat (8.2%), sugar-sweetened beverages (7.4%), and unprocessed red meat (0.4%) also raised the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes-related deaths.
The study showed that the proportion of deaths associated with suboptimal diet varied across demographic groups. For instance, the proportion was higher among men than women; among blacks and Hispanics compared to whites; and among those with lower education levels.
“This study establishes the number of cardiometabolic deaths that can be linked to Americans’ eating habits, and the number is large,” explains Dr. David Goff, director of the NHLBI Division of Cardiovascular Sciences. “Second, it shows how recent reduction in those deaths relate to improvements in diet, and this relationship is strong. There is much work to be done in preventing heart disease, but we also know that better dietary can improve our health quickly, and we can act on that knowledge by making and building on small changes that add up over time.”
These findings are based on averages across the population and aren’t specific to any one person’s individual risk. Many other factors contribute to personal disease risk, including genetic factors and levels of physical activity. Individuals should consult with a health care professional about their particular dietary needs.
AMINO ACIDS AND IMMUNE FUNCTION
A deficiency of dietary protein or amino acids has long been known to impair immune function and increase the susceptibility of animals and humans to infectious disease. However, only in the past 15 years have the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms begun to unfold. Protein malnutrition reduces concentrations of most amino acids in plasma. Finding from recent studies indicate an important role of amino acids in immune responses by regulating (1) the activation of T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells and macrophages; (2) cellular redox state, gene expression and lymphocyte proliferation, and (3) the production of antibodies, cytokines and other cytotoxic substances. Increasing evidence shows that dietary supplementation of specific amino acids to animals and humans with malnutrition and infectious disease enhances the immune status. Thereby reducing morbidity and mortality. Arginine, glutamine and cysteine precursors are the best prototypes. Because of a negative impact of imbalance and antagonism among amino acids on nutrient intake and utilization, care should be exercised in developing effective strategies of enteral or parenteral provision for maximum health benefits. Such measures should be based on knowledge about the biochemistry and physiology of amino acids, their roles in immune responses, nutritional and pathological states of individuals and expected treatment outcomes. New knowledge about the metabolism of amino acids in leucocytes is critical for the development of effective means to prevent and treat immunodeficient diseases. These nutrients hold great promise in improving health and preventing infectious diseases in animals and humans. This information was provided by Pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
ARE HIGH-PROTEIN FOODS GOOD FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM?
While I am not a fan of KETO diets, we need protein in a healthy proportion as part of our overall nutritional food plan. Protein is vital to build and repair body tissue and fight viral and bacterial infections. Immune system powerhouses such as antibodies and immune system cells rely on protein. Too little protein in the diet may lead to symptoms of weakness, fatigue, apathy, and poor immunity. Choose lean sources of protein such as skinless chicken, lean beef and turkey, beans and soy.
Avoid high heat cooking. Such as bar-b-que. These are generally cooks over high heat, which creates cancer causing chemicals to develop. This is very evident in the black crusty appearance on the meat, chicken or whatever is cooked on a grill. See my articles on my website on high heat cooking. www.hormoneshealthandfitness.com.
Nutrient deficiencies or disease can be the result of poor-nutritional intake, chronic health conditions, acute health conditions, medications, altered nutrient metabolism, or a combination of these factors, and can impact the levels of both macronutrients in the body. They can lead to alterations in energy metabolism, immune functions, cognitive function, bone formation, and/or muscle function, as well as growth and development if the deficiency is present during fetal development and early childhood.
