Brian is an aspiring writer that seeks to inform and educate the public through informative and educational pieces from various categories.
The human race has come a long way since and the effects and benefits of evolution can be seen in many aspects of our everyday lives. Most of it is in a positive light, but there are also instances when the advancement does not necessarily mean that our quality of life is improving.
For instance, compared to the early day, there seem to be more cases of health issues and diseases nowadays that are affecting the general population like a plague. The present rise in non-communicable diseases is hugely attributed to lifestyle changes. The world today has adapted to a system of consumption of food that has in certain ways inflict several adverse effects on human health.
The food that we consume plays a major role in providing our bodies with the necessary nutrients it requires to function properly. In another way, it may also be the cause of the many forms of diseases that are present in society these days.
Back in the early days, our folks lead a simple and moderate life that revolves around hard work and mostly nature-based food. The food supply system is so straightforward that it is mainly from source to the table with minimal preservatives. Even if there were preservation methods employed, it does not alter the taste and composition of the food to the extent of it being detrimental to health.
In addition to that, people engage in more laborious vocation before the revolution period whereby works are mostly accomplished by manual labor. It is the total opposite these days where the lifestyle is more sedentary and our foods are diversified and altered to suit our evolving taste buds. We tend to go overboard with making things taste and look good for commercial purposes instead of placing emphasis on their nutritional value.
The booming of the fast-food industry also plays a great influence on the way we see food as a means to satisfy our cravings instead of feeding on foods that will provide proper nutrition. We sometimes also make our food choices based on convenience instead of eating the right foods.
The change in the dynamics of our lifestyle has greatly contributed to the emergence of modern-day diseases, which affect the overall quality of life. Some of the diseases prevalent in the modern-day are obesity, fatty liver, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body that impairs health. In a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018, the findings unraveled that more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight and over 650 million were obese.
Obesity is a condition whereby there is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and the calories burnt. If one were to consume high-calorie foods but is more active and engage in intense physical exercises, then this would not be an issue. However, due to the lifestyle changes of modern times, the tendency to indulge in richer fat-laden foods with minimal physical movements has led to the rise of obesity cases.
This disease comes with several detrimental consequences and side effects on the human body. The first signs would be an unhealthy reading of our body mass index (BMI), which will be a precursor to many health-related diseases if no preventive actions are taken.
Failure to address obesity issues by changing lifestyle habits may cause cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke. Because obesity means an increase in body weight that is beyond the normal recommended for the respective body types, it may also cause musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, since the joints are in much duress to support the body weight.
There are ways to curb obesity, and it is certainly preventable. The first step would be to make healthier life choices in terms of food and making a conscious effort to be active. In terms of food, try to come up with a properly balanced diet plan and limit intake of fats and sugars.
Instead, increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts, which will provide energy, and the fiber content in these foods will keep you satiated longer. Exercise is as important as diet plans, and it is recommended to engage in regular physical activity, ideally 60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes spread through the week for adults.
Fatty liver disease is becoming an increasingly common form of disease in many parts of the world. Based on the study in the global epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, fatty liver is a disease that affects about 25% of people globally.
A person can get the fatty liver disease when there is too much fat build up in the liver cells, usually, if more than 5% of it is covered in fats. Fatty liver involves the accumulation of a great amount of fat leading to inflammation of the liver causing damage to liver cells.
An obese person will have a higher chance of contracting a fatty liver disease and this would lead to other strings of disease like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obesity causes fatty liver as it involves low-grade inflammation in the liver promoting fat storage.
Even those that may not seem like they are obese, but carry too much fat around the waist also have a high tendency of developing fatty liver. Other disorders characterized by insulin resistance have also been shown to increase liver fat storage in people with Type 2 diabetes. Dietary-wise, a high intake of refined carbohydrates and sugary foods will promote the storage of fat in the liver.
There are preventive measures to avoid and even get rid of fatty liver. The most effective way would be to lose weight and cut back on carbohydrates. Weight loss either through a change in eating habits or exercise has been proven to promote loss of fat in the liver. Going on a diet that is low in refined carbohydrates is not only good to promote weight loss but also helps reduce fat in the liver.
As fatty liver has got to do a lot with one’s diet, it would be helpful to include foods that promote loss of liver fat. Ironically, one of the ways to lose liver fat is to increase the consumption of foods high in monounsaturated fats like olive oil, avocados, and nuts to promote liver fat loss. This method is closely related to the concept of consuming good fats to burn fats, which is appropriated by the Keto diet plan.
Type 2 diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to produce or respond to the hormone insulin effectively. This will result in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and cause elevated levels of glucose in the blood. In the initial stages, the body’s defense mechanism will be tipped off and the pancreas will try to produce extra insulin to compensate.
However, over time the body will be unable to cope and this will cause the blood glucose level to rise. Unlike Type 1 diabetes that is usually due to genes and is hereditary, Type 2 diabetes is more influenced by environmental factors such as being overweight and leading an unhealthy lifestyle.
Type 2 diabetes is an ongoing disease with no cure yet, which means once you are diagnosed with the disease it is a condition that is with you for life. However, there is a possible way to reverse the situation, which is through diet changes and weight loss.
As a result of this, your body will adapt and may be able to reach and maintain a normal blood sugar level without medication. However, it does not mean that the disease is cured; it just means that it is temporarily under control.
All hope is not lost, and there are ways to lower the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes. First and foremost, you should start integrating a healthier diet by practicing mindful eating. Try to manage your portions and integrate foods that are less in fat and sugar, as a way to reduce calories.
Subsequently, include more movements and try to lead an active lifestyle. Exercise is crucial to help our body process and burn excess fat and energy. Exercising and staying active will help you to lose weight. Losing weight and keeping it off is one of the ways to prevent or delay diabetes from taking over your life.
For weight loss to have an effect on the prevention of diabetes, it is best to lose five to seven percent of your starting weight. It is best to get professional health care advice about other changes that can help prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular disease is identified as the number one cause of death globally, and it is estimated that by 2030, there will be about 23.6 million deaths caused by it. Cardiovascular disease is the name for a group of disorders that affects the heart and blood vessels.
The disease is sparked off when a blood vessel that carries blood to the heart becomes hard and narrow due to the accumulation of fats surrounding the blood vessels. As a result, the heart will be deprived of the blood supply it needs and affects the ability of the heart to function properly.
The onset of cardiovascular disease will have inadvertent effects on the body leading to hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and several other complications. Stroke especially is like a ticking time bomb, and it happens when blood flow to part of the brain is restricted, causing brain cells to die.
It goes to show the extreme extent and implication cardiovascular disease can have on the human body. Some cases of heart diseases are hereditary and may be caused by defects of the organ at birth, but cases such as this are rare and contribute a small number of deaths reported. Most of the time though, heart diseases that spike up the death toll are caused by unhealthy eating patterns and lifestyle habits.
One of the ways to reduce the chances of getting cardiovascular disease is by keeping your weight in check and being watchful of the food you eat. Monitoring eating habits and being mindful of the types of food you eat is a good start.
It is best to reduce the consumption of overly fatty foods, and integrating exercise in the mix is a good way to keep your heart healthy. Exercise is important to strengthen the heart muscle and boost its performance. A combination of good eating habits and a balanced diet with sufficient exercise is key to keep cardiovascular disease at bay.