THE DOCTOR IS IN
OP / ED BY DR. ADIL MANZOOR
Let me ask you a question, and I need you to try and answer it as best as you can: What do you consider healthy living? I need you to be specific, so think of three factors you know of that are associated with a healthy life. I’m far from a mind reader, but your answers are likely to revolve around your diet and your lifestyle.
More precisely, you may say things in the tune of eating healthier (like cutting away junk food and eating more veggies), not smoking, not drinking (at least no binge drinking), sleeping well, and of course, staying fit and active. For decades, public health campaigns have centered around these factors for living a healthy life. Yes, there will be more, I know, but healthcare providers seem to have devoted the bulk of their time trying to emphasize these factors. Yet, they haven’t spent nearly enough time on them.
Really, for all you have heard about eating well and living a healthy lifestyle, there is still a lot you don’t know. The health implications of not eating well and having an unhealthy lifestyle far supersede what you may imagine. For instance, when we say poor diet (consisting of junk and ultra-processed foods), the health consequence that readily springs to mind is obesity and maybe cardiovascular problems.
However, did you know poor diet can increase your risk of cancer and liver disease? Did you know not working out does more than just keep you out of shape and can increase your risk of cancer, depression, and stroke? I could go on and on, especially talking about the several dangerous effects of smoking and drinking.
In case it was not clear before, studies have confirmed the strong relationship between poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles and chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are conditions that last at least a year and require ongoing medical attention. Typically, people with chronic diseases have a significant portion of their lives interrupted. Unlike regular flu colds or bacterial infections, chronic diseases are notoriously difficult to treat. In some cases, they aren’t even curable, and the person has to manage these conditions for the rest of their life.
The CDC says 6 in 10 Americans have a chronic disease right now, and 4 in 10 have multiple chronic diseases. Examples include cancer, diabetes, heart disease, COPD, arthritis, and stroke. The economic impact of these chronic diseases is a whopping $4.5 trillion, and many patients with these diseases spend a significant portion of their income on managing them. These figures are why it becomes more important to examine the relationship between chronic diseases and diet or lifestyle changes. As dangerous as chronic diseases are, they are often very preventable with the right diet choices and lifestyle habits. It’s really that simple most times. This leads me to the question: what are the right dietary and lifestyle changes to make?
For starters, avoid smoking and tobacco use. Please. Smoking is associated with several health problems, ranging from cancers to airway inflammation to cardiovascular problems. It also doesn’t matter how long you have been smoking; there will always be a benefit to quitting as early as possible. I understand that addiction can make quitting difficult, and if you fall into that category, you should talk to your healthcare provider immediately to get you the help you need.
You should also limit your alcohol intake. Look, I am not saying to cut off alcohol completely, but drink very responsibly if you must. Consider limiting yourself to one standard drink a day if you are a woman and two standard drinks if you are a man. But think about it, can you really limit yourself to just one or two drinks a day? I recommend not drink at all. If you have preexisting heart and liver problems, you may need to cut off drinking completely. Speak to your healthcare provider for more information.
Another lifestyle change to make is maintaining a healthy weight. Experts generally define health weight as a BMI (Body Mass Index) below 25 and above 18.5. You can calculate your BMI yourself by getting your weight in kilograms and dividing it by the square of your height in meters. Some online calculators can easily help you out with this. Remember, it is not only about losing weight; how you lose weight also matters. The natural ways to lose weight are increasing your physical activity and adopting a healthier diet that contains more greens and less fatty foods. However, some people consider the medication route, using Ozempic and similar medications. While these medications work, remember that you need to get permission from your healthcare provider before using them and that medications cannot and should not replace the role of a healthy diet and physical activity in losing weight.
Then, to diet. Cut off foods high in saturated and trans fat, and replace them with foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids. So, cut off fatty chunks of meat, processed meats (like sausages), fried foods, and margarine, and replace them with fatty fish (like salmons and sardines), nuts and seeds, and vegetable oils. Also, consider fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains (barley, millet, quinoa, brown rice) and high-fiber foods (apples, almonds, pears, legumes, nuts) in your diet. Limit sugar and sugar-containing beverages and overly salty foods in your diet.
Making these diet and lifestyle changes will go a long way in reducing your risk of chronic diseases and protecting your overall health. Stay safe.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor, DO, a Board-Certified Internist; Board certified Pediatrician who works as a Hospitalist and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice, Mobile Medicine NJ; House Call Doctors. He is also currently pursuing an Executive MBA and a Master’s of Science in Healthcare Leadership at Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
References
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10650398/#:~:text=A%20healthy%20diet%2C%20moderate%20and,diseases%20%5B9%2C10%5D.
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11795/
- https://www.revistanutricion.org/articles/the-impact-of-balanced-diets-on-disease-prevention-and-management-106819.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html
