Proper Diet Plan Can Be A Cure To Patients With Metabolic Issues
Shilpa Joshi: One of the world's oldest medical texts, the Ebers Papyrus, is a compilation of medical treatments written around 1500 BCE. It states that plants can be used to treat specific diseases, and more than 811 methods have been described for their preparation.
The need for the right diet for a long life is also mentioned in many other ancient texts including traditional Chinese, Mediterranean and Ayurvedic medicine. It has been told that the solution to metabolic problems lies in good nutrition.
However, the modern health system does not rely much on food as a way of treating or preventing diseases. In turn, food is often cited as the underlying cause of various health problems. The saying, 'You be what you eat,' is truer than ever! A healthy diet can not only ward off health problems but can also be quite helpful in the management of diseases.
Metabolic Issues Are Rising
Today there is an alarming increase in metabolic problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems. It is important for us to understand how the right nutrition can have a profound effect on our health and the metabolic disorders associated with diet. Dietary habits are the cornerstone of the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.
Inclusion of food and nutrition in the health system should begin with the definition of 'food as medicine'. Although poor diet or inadequate nutrition is one of the leading causes of deteriorating health globally, their impact is largely ignored in healthcare forums and discussions.
Today, technologies such as digital therapeutics are making it possible to use food in ways that can change the course of treatment for people living with metabolic-related diseases by planning their meals according to their needs. Diet plan for metabolic diseases revolves around two strategies: prophylactic and therapeutic. The prophylactic aspect is also concerned with weight management.
Most metabolism-related problems can be prevented by controlling weight, or their onset can be avoided in people with a family history of these conditions.
Diet Plan Can Control Various Illness
After research it was found that diet plans matched with the needs of diabetic patients can cut their hospitalisation need by almost half. Even their healthcare costs can come down by up to 16 per cent. For example, a healthy diet plan for diabetic patients can be helpful in controlling post-meal sugar levels. Diet plan designed for dyslipidemia (lipid imbalance) can help in managing triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels.
It is estimated that most of the deaths due to diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes are due to the wrong diet alone.
While healthcare advice has traditionally centered around limiting or avoiding spoiled foods, there is recently increasing consensus on how to improve access to nutrient-rich foods to stay healthy.
Many companies around the world, including progressive startups, are using technology to rethink our approach to food and diet. From using food as a precautionary tool against diseases to understanding the aspects of diet planning, there is a lot of research going on. From what has been discovered so far, it is clear that food has immense potential to provide health and wellness, and over time we will have to shift from the current 'cure after illness' approach to 'prevent illness'.
