A lot of people confuse chronic conditions with incurable or inevitable diseases when they aren’t. In many cases, our dietary choices do not only reverse or relieve some of these conditions but they can be the reason why they manifested in the first place. This means that millions of Americans could prevent and even potentially reverse these symptoms just by watching their diet and making the proper adjustments. Let’s take a look at the role of diet in the management of chronic conditions.
Diet and Diabetes
Diabetes is probably one of the most common and well-known chronic diseases, and one that is directly linked to poor nutrition. People suffering from obesity are at a much higher risk of contracting diabetes later on in their lives. Limiting your consumption of trans and saturated fats is one of the best ways to reduce the chances of developing diabetes and to keep it under control. Making lifestyle changes by being more active is another way to prevent it.
Cardiac Disorders and Hypertension
Hypertension and cardiac disorders are closely related and afflict many Americans every year. People who suffer from hypertension could try the DASH diet, which was formulated specially to treat the condition.
The diet was developed by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association and has plenty of research to back it up. In one study, one group was fed was what meant to be a representation of the typical North American diet. The second group was given a diet similar, but a bit higher in fruit and vegetables, and the third group were given the DASH diet, which consists mainly of vegetables, low-fat dairy and fruits, and less cholesterol, saturated and total fat.
All the people on the DASH diet not only saw a drop in blood pressure but in cholesterol as well. In another study, those who were on a sodium restrictive DASH diet saw even greater benefits. So, this is definitely a proven method to reduce blood pressure and the risk of stroke.
Food and Inflammation
As you may or may not already know, most chronic diseases and conditions are either caused by or cause inflammation. So a diet that aims at reducing this inflammation will have a direct effect on the symptoms.
One example of a diet that aims to do just that is the AIP diet. The AIP diet was inspired by the paleo diet but is a bit more restrictive. The AIP is an elimination diet and aims at eliminating any food that might cause inflammation in the body. This includes things like refined sugars, grains, and nightshade vegetables. But the dietary restrictions go much deeper than this, therefore, it would be wise to check this guide on eating for the AIP diet, so you know exactly what foods to eat and avoid, and how to ease into your new diet as well.
Diet Can Prevent Age-Related Chronic Conditions
A lot of the chronic conditions that are said to be caused by age can also be prevented by adopting the right diet. As a matter of fact, it has been shown that eating right could reduce the chances of developing things like osteoporosis and even some sorts of cancer. Seniors are recommended to eat lots of fiber rich foods to keep their blood sugar balanced as well as high protein foods such as lean meats, fish, and tofu.
Conclusion
We are what we eat, and a large number of our diseases are caused by our dietary choices. This also means that our dietary choices can heal us, so it’s up to you to adopt a healing, or damaging diet and deal with the consequences.
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