According to a study by the Ministry of Health and the Duke-NUS Medical School Centre for Ageing Research and Education, the number of adults with three or more chronic conditions in Singapore has doubled from 2009 to 2017.
The Singapore Health Promotion Board attributes the increase of chronic diseases to an ageing population and unhealthy lifestyles. Examples of these poor health practices include a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking, excess alcohol consumption and a poor diet.
Whilst Singapore’s ageing population presents a significant dilemma, the same cannot be said for unhealthy lifestyle choices. For instance, simply adopting a healthier diet can significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
What are Chronic Diseases?
Chronic diseases, broadly defined, are diseases that last more than a year or so, significantly affecting quality of life. They include both physical and mental health conditions, and often require ongoing treatment to manage symptoms and side effects.
Today, chronic conditions stand as one of the leading causes of death. Here are some examples of common chronic diseases:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Hypertension (High blood pressure)
- Lipid disorder (High blood cholesterol)
- Stroke
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Kidney diseases (Nephrosis/Nephritis)
- Osteoporosis
- Psoriasis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Why Is Preventing Obesity Important
With the number of obese and overweight individuals increasing rapidly, obesity is a worldwide problem that increases the risk of many chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular issues as well as various cancers.
At ReCulture, our oil-free meals provided along with our programmes add up to 800 calories per day, which will help manage weight, mitigate and prevent obesity.
Mitigate the Risk of Chronic Diseases With a Healthy Diet
Unhealthy diets have long been established as a contributing factor to the development of several chronic diseases. They are often rich in refined sugars, salt, oils, and excess calories; not to mention highly processed foods.
On the other hand, a healthy diet is one that is rich in fresh vegetables and fruits, and includes adequately fulfilling your body’s daily nutritional and caloric needs. Here are a few tips to ensure a healthy diet that will keep chronic illnesses at bay.
Reduce Intake of Unhealthy Trans Fats and Saturated Fats
Unhealthy processed foods are often cooked with oils containing trans and saturated fats. Restaurants and fast-food outlets often use oils with trans fats because they not only impart a desirable taste to foods, but they are also cheap, last a long time, and can be used many times.
Saturated fats, meanwhile, are often found in animal sources and tropical oils, such as palm oil. Consuming these fats will increase the levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in your bloodstream, which, in turn, increases the risk of a variety of chronic diseases, such as stroke and coronary artery disease.
Replacing these oils with unsaturated fats (including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) which pose minimal risks to blood vessels may help to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Choose heart-healthy oils such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil and sesame oil. Additionally, consuming more fresh fish which are rich in unsaturated fats has also proven beneficial in reducing the risk of myocardial infarctions (heart attacks).
Decrease Excess Salt Intake
High blood pressure causes several uncomfortable symptoms, but it is the complications that arise from it that are concerning. Long-term high blood pressure can lead to various heart conditions, vision loss, and even stroke. One contributing factor to high blood pressure is the overconsumption of salt.
Surveys have shown that about 90% of Singaporeans consume 9 grams of salt per day, which is significantly higher than the recommended 5 grams per day. This can be attributed to the fast paced lifestyle of many Singaporeans that results in the increased consumption of pre-prepared and processed foods, such as cured meats, canned goods and frozen foods.
A healthy diet with more fruits, vegetables, fresh meats and fresh seafood will help control salt intake and bring down the risk of developing chronic conditions.
Control Sugar Consumption
Refined sugars have significantly permeated modern lifestyles. Much of our packaged and processed foods contain high amounts of sugar, especially soft drinks and desserts.
Uncontrolled sugar consumption increases the risk of conditions like type II diabetes and obesity. A healthy diet, such as those provided by our ReCulture Programmes, contain no sugar and refined carbohydrates. This will help decrease the risk of chronic diseases.
Choose Whole Grains Over Refined Grains
Whole grain foods have more fibre which slows down carbohydrate absorption and helps to maintain your blood sugar level. They also have plenty of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties that help to keep your gut healthy and promote digestion and metabolism.
Eating whole grains also prevents overeating as they make us feel fuller which helps with weight management.
Consume 5 Portions of Fruit and Vegetables a Day
Fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients such as fibre, magnesium, potassium and polyphenols. Eat green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, and fruits and vegetables rich in cancer-fighting anti-oxidants, vitamin C and beta carotene. Citrus fruit, berries, tomatoes, carrots and pumpkin are beneficial.
Use Healthier Cooking Methods
How you cook your food can affect your health as different cooking methods may increase the amount of toxic compounds formed. Instead of grilling, frying, deep-frying your food, try broiling, baking, poaching, steaming, slow cooking and stewing.
Mindful Eating
Eating mindfully allows us to enjoy the flavours, aroma and textures of food which cultivates a sense of gratitude, a healthy relationship with food and heightens our eating experience.
Knowing how to discern physical and emotional hunger is another benefit of mindful eating. By taking time to identify the reason behind emotional eating and learning to handle our emotions in a better way will prevent unhealthy binge eating and help us opt for foods that are nourishing to our bodies.
By encouraging us to slow down, mindful eating allows us to chew our food thoroughly which promotes better digestion and gives us a better understanding of hunger and fullness.