It seems like wellness experts are always banging on about what you should and shouldn’t eat. Yes, you have to eat your five-a-day and avoid eating takeaways every night, but why? What’s the big deal about diet and nutrition? Well, evidence shows that at least two in three people whose wellbeing is affected with diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer, or who have suffered a stroke, could have avoided the potentially deadly ailments if they had led a healthy lifestyle.
According to Dr Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health, there is a direct link between what and how much you eat and these serious medical problems. For example, for every soft drink you consume a day, you increase your risk of diabetes by 25%. ‘A can of Coke has 10 teaspoons of sugar,’ said Dr Willett. ‘Nobody can eat that much sugar, but they can drink it right down. Drinking sugar in liquid form is becoming a global epidemic. The consequences will be huge.’
He added that another study from Shanghai found that women who eat a lot of white rice have a 60% greater risk of getting diabetes than those who consume little white rice, and, as such, Dr Willet recommended brown rice and other whole grains. If you’re obese, you’re also six times more likely to develop diabetes, a disease that can lead to kidney failure, blindness and limb amputation, and increasing your risk for other chronic problems such as heart disease and stroke.
Though type 1 or juvenile diabetes occurs when your pancreas simply won’t produce enough insulin, and isn’t caused by lifestyle factors, most cases of diabetes are actually of the type 2 variety, in which high levels of blood sugar cause your body to develop insufficient insulin, or not use it properly. ‘This is an almost entirely avoidable disease,’ said Dr Willet. ‘With the right dietary choices, physical activity and by not smoking, we can prevent over 90% of Type 2 diabetes.’
The Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health have outlined tips for healthier cooking, which can reduce your risk of chronic diseases. These include having fresh fruit and vegetables with every meal and as snacks (especially beans, lentils and other legumes when possible), cooking with healthy fats, choosing water over sugary or caffeinated beverages, reducing salt intake by cooking with fresh ingredients in place of processed foods, opting for wholegrain breads and cereals and choosing seafood and poultry over processed and red meats.
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