There is a saying that 80% of all diseases start in the gut, that we are what we eat. This means it’s essential what food you are putting in your mouth. To stay healthy, we should eat more fresh, natural, whole foods, giving us all the necessary macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Unfortunately, because of busy lives or other factors, we tend to eat more processed, sugary, high-fat, and too salty foods. And this can lead us to certain diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, IBS and others. So, in this article, we will discuss what conditions can appear because of bad eating habits and how you can prevent them by improving your lifestyle and eating healthier. Let’s get started.
A high blood pressure.
The first topic we are going to speak about is high blood pressure. By statistics, high blood pressure or hypertension affects 1 in 4 adults in the UK. It rarely has noticeable symptoms; most people only discover they suffer from it when their GP tells them. You have to check your blood pressure at least three years. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and is recorded as two figures:
- Systolic blood pressure. Systolic pressure is the blood pressure when your heart beats to pump blood out.
- Diastolic blood pressure. Diastolic pressure is the blood pressure when your heart rests in between beats.
A blood pressure reading below 120/80mmHg is considered to be ideal. A reading over 140/90mmHg indicates high blood pressure. More about blood pressure you can read in my article: “All you need to know about blood pressure”. Several factors increase your risk of suffering from high blood pressure. These include being over 65, overweight, high salt intake, smoking, high alcohol consumption, low activity level, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and drinking too much coffee. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, or if you want to avoid developing it, you should increase fruit and vegetable intake, reduce salt intake to a maximum of 6 g per day, reduce alcohol consumption to no more than 14 units per week, lose excess weight and be more active.
Heart disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of death both in the UK and worldwide. About 1 in 6 men and 1 in 10 women die from CHD. In the UK, an estimated 2.3 million people live with CHD and around 2 million people are affected by angina (the most common symptom of coronary heart disease). Coronary heart disease is the term that describes what happens when your heart’s blood supply is partially or fully blocked by a build-up of fatty substances in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Over time, the walls of your arteries can become furred up with fatty deposits. This process is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can be caused by smoking, High cholesterol, High blood pressure (hypertension), and diabetes.
If your doctor feels you’re at risk of CHD, they may carry out a risk assessment. This involves measuring cholesterol levels and blood pressure and discovering your medical and family history. Further tests may be needed to confirm the diagnosis, including an ECG, which records the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart or a coronary angiography, which identifies how severely arteries are blocked. Coronary heart disease can’t be cured, but lifestyle changes, medication and surgery can help manage the symptoms and reduce the chances of problems such as heart attacks. You can reduce your risk of getting CHD by eating a healthy diet, giving up smoking, controlling blood cholesterol and sugar levels, and being physically active.
Osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is a common condition that affects around three million people in the UK. Osteoporosis weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. Although bones stop growing in length by age 18, they continue to increase in density until you’re in your late 20s. From the age of 35, bone density is lost. Although bone loss is a normal part of the ageing process for some people, it can lead to osteoporosis. Women are particularly at increased risk after menopause when falling estrogen levels can rapidly decrease bone density. Symptoms – There are usually no warnings you’ve developed osteoporosis, and it’s often only diagnosed when a bone is fractured. Because bones are weakened, even a minor fall can lead to a bone fracture. Wrist fractures, hip fractures, and fractures of the vertebrae (bones in the spine) are the most common types of breaks that affect people with osteoporosis.
Treatment for osteoporosis is based on treating and preventing fractures and using medication to strengthen bones. Osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood, as this is when bones are forming. Low calcium and vitamin D intake in childhood and adolescence may mean that bones do not achieve optimal bone density, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis as they age. In addition to calcium and vitamin D, regular exercises are essential for bone health, particularly weight-bearing exercises.
Diabetes.
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes – type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is often known as insulin-dependent diabetes. The pancreas stops producing insulin, and insulin injections are needed. It usually develops before age 40, often during the teenage years. Type 2 diabetes is where the body is no longer sensitive to insulin (insulin resistance). Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity and is more common in older people. A third type, gestational diabetes, occurs in pregnant women.
The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, produced by the pancreas. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. As no insulin is produced, glucose levels increase, which can seriously damage the body’s organs. A few factors contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. The primary risk factor is excess body fat. According to statistics, 3.9 million people live with diabetes in the UK. This figure has more than doubled since 1996 when there were 1.4 million. By 2025, it is estimated that five million people will have diabetes in the UK. Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2. Type 1 diabetes tends to develop very quickly. Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realizing that the symptoms are less severe. The main symptoms of diabetes are feeling very thirsty, urinating more frequently, feeling very tired, and weight loss.
Type 1 diabetes is managed by balancing carbohydrate intake with insulin injections. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels with a finger prick test is needed to ensure blood sugar levels remain within safe levels. Many type 2 diabetics can manage their condition through losing weight, eating healthier and becoming more active. Those who cannot control diabetes through diet and lifestyle changes will be prescribed medication such as Metformin.
Coeliac disease.
Coeliac disease affects approximately 1 in every 100 people in the UK, although the actual figure may be higher as it is frequently misdiagnosed as other digestive conditions. The condition is more likely to affect women and can develop at any age. However, symptoms are most likely to present during early childhood, between 8 and 12 months old and in later adulthood, between the ages of 40 and 60. Coeliac disease isn’t an allergy or a gluten intolerance. It is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakes substances found inside gluten as a threat to the body and attacks them. This damages the surface of the intestines, disrupting the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food.
Precisely what causes the immune system to act this way is still unclear, although it is thought to be due to a combination of genetic makeup and the environment. If a person living with coeliac disease eats foods containing gluten, they can experience a range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, diarhoea, bloating and flatulence, weight loss, and tiredness. If a child has coeliac disease, they may suffer from slow growth. There is no cure for coeliac disease, but switching to a gluten-free diet will help control the symptoms and prevent complications of the disease, such as osteoporosis and anemia, which result from impaired nutrient absorption. An increase in the range of gluten-free foods available in recent years has made it easier for sufferers to have a varied gluten-free diet.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common, long-term condition of the digestive system which causes bouts of stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, and constipation. It affects up to one in five people at some point in their life, and it usually first develops when a person is in their 20s. It is more common in women than men. Symptoms include abdominal pain and discomfort, experiencing an urgent need to go to the toilet, diarrhoea, and constipation.
Sufferers often find that some of their symptoms improve after passing a stool. The symptoms of IBS and their severity will vary significantly from person to person. They tend to come and go from a few days to a few months. A flare-up of symptoms often occurs during stress or after eating certain foods. The exact cause of IBS is unknown. Most experts think it’s related to increased gut sensitivity to a particular food. Unlike inflammatory bowel conditions, IBS does not cause changes in bowel tissue. Psychological factors such as stress may also play a part in IBS. There is no cure for IBS, but the symptoms can often be managed by making diet and lifestyle changes. Keeping a detailed food diary that records symptoms and food intake can help identify trigger foods that should then be avoided. Regular exercise and reducing stress levels can also help. Medication is sometimes prescribed for people with IBS to treat the individual symptoms they experience.
A special diet called the low FODMAP diet is effective for IBS sufferers who experience frequent bloating. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These carbohydrates aren’t easily broken down and absorbed by the gut, leading to fermentation in the gut. The gases released during this process can lead to bloating. A low FODMAP diet involves restricting your intake of foods high in FODMAPs, such as onions, garlic, some fruits, beans and wheat. Following the low FODMAP diet involves eliminating and reintroducing a wide variety of food and should, therefore, only be undertaken under the guidance of a professional dietitian.
Food allergy and intolerance.
A food allergy is a rapid and potentially serious response to food by your immune system. Classic allergy symptoms include a rash, wheezing and itching. Adults’ most common food allergies include peanuts and tree nuts, shellfish, milk, and eggs. In comparison, children are mainly allergic to milk, eggs and peanuts. Food intolerance is much more common than food allergy. Unlike a food allergy, the immune system is not involved. The symptoms also develop much slower and may even be delayed for several hours after eating the offending food. Common symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea and vomiting, and skin conditions such as rashes and eczema. An example of a common food intolerance is lactose intolerance, which occurs when the body can’t digest lactose, the sugar found in dairy products.
If a food allergy is suspected, a GP will make a referral to a food allergy clinic for testing. Testing is usually in the form of a skin-prick or blood test. Sometimes, a food elimination and reintroduction diet is used to test for food allergies. This is when suspect foods are eliminated from the diet to see if symptoms disappear. After several weeks, foods are reintroduced one by one. If symptoms reappear, the diagnosis is confirmed. As the immune system is not involved in a food intolerance, a skin prick or blood test is not used. Keeping a detailed food and symptom diary can help identify problem foods. If this fails, a food elimination and reintroduction diet can be used. This should always be undertaken with help from a dietitian.
The primary treatment for food allergies and intolerances is avoiding problem foods. In the case of food allergies, this may mean 100% avoidance and will involve careful reading of food labels. People who suffer from severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis often carry an Epi-pen to inject epinephrine quickly if they feel allergy symptoms developing. In the case of food intolerance, sometimes a small amount of problem foods is tolerated, so complete avoidance is not always necessary.
Conclusion.
Now, you can see how nutrition and an active lifestyle are essential for our health. This article aims to show you the importance of healthy eating, what diseases you can develop if you are not eating correctly and how you can manage all these problems by improving your lifestyle and nutrition. I hope you found a lot of interesting information for yourself, which will motivate you to start eating healthier. Remember: “80% of all diseases start in your gut. You are what you eat”.
