There is no doubting that most of us know somebody who has been affected by chronic disease.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines chronic diseases as “diseases of long duration and generally slow progression” and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both. They include heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases.

Chronic diseases make up 80% of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. In 2019 all noncommunicable diseases (chronic diseases) together accounted for 74% of deaths globally.

Genetics

You share 50% of your genes with each of your parents. So if a parent dies of heart disease, you know you've inherited some of that susceptibility. In my case, I am susceptible to the gene for cancer as it seems to run in the family (which is a major reason for why I do what I do).

However, genetic factors are NOT the major causes of chronic disease. Even if you're born with high-risk genes, you have a lot of control over whether those genes actually express themselves. Your genetics account for 5 – 15% of your health outcomes.

This means you have so much more control over your health than you think. So put the genetics factor aside and keep reading.  

 

Lifestyle

According to the World Health Organisation's Global Status Report on Noncommunicable Diseases, the four primary causes of these diseases are:

• Poor nutrition

• Lack of physical

• Tobacco use

• Excessive alcohol use

This means that most premature deaths globally are self-inflicted and largely preventable. I know it can be hard to hear that, especially if you know loved ones who have suffered or died from these devastating illnesses.

Unfortunately, it’s our health service that lets us down.

Did you know that doctors get less than 20 hours of nutrition education during their entire medical school training? The average consultation time with a doctor is approximately 10 minutes – 10 minutes to diagnose your health problem and give you treatment. For those with complex health needs, this is too short.   

Reflecting on the primary causes of chronic disease - poor nutrition, lack of physical exercise, tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption, – ask yourself if your doctor has ever asked you about your diet? Aside from smoking and alcohol, has your doctor ever asked you about your lifestyle? By lifestyle I mean your stress levels, sleep habits and exercise routine.

If not, unfortunately, you’re in the majority.

It breaks my heart that our health service can let us down this much when it comes to our health. You deserve to be educated. You deserve to know what you can do to help our health. I am aware that not everyone wants to change their diet and lifestyle, but if you’ve gotten this far reading this blog post, you know there is more you can do for your health already.

Pharmaceutical drugs may provide a solution in the short term however they also come with side effects in the long term. We want to do our best to reduce our reliance on pharmaceuticals by engaging in self-care every day. Even if you are currently taking medication, it’s still so important to care for yourself by engaging in healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.  

I want you to know that the food you eat and how you live day to day matter so much more than your genetics. Whatever genes you have inherited, know that you still have so much control over your health. What you eat can really affect how those genes impact your health.

 

Nutrition

In 1990 WHO Diet, Nutrition & the Prevention of Chronic Diseases, singled out two food categories as being largely responsible for the epidemic of diet-induced chronic disease:

• Energy-dense animal foods

• Processed food (added sugar, salt, and fat)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), red meat has positive associations with developing colorectal cancer (also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer) and there is convincing evidence that processed meat, such as sausages, ham and hot dogs, causes colorectal cancer.

If there is convincing evidence that processed meat causes cancer or red meat ‘probably’ causing cancer, wouldn’t you like to know that? Especially if you’re someone that has had cancer in the family. Like cigarettes, I think there needs to be health cautions on food labels so that we can make informed decisions. You deserve to know what impact the food you are eating has on your health.

Whole plant foods

The foods that are most strongly linked to a reduced risk of disease are whole plant foods such as

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Wholegrain cereals

• Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)

Evidence supporting the benefits of plant-based diets continues to build every year.

Plant-based diets have been associated with lowering chronic disease risk, supporting sustainable weight management, reducing medication needs, decreasing the incidence of high-risk conditions, including obesity, hypertension and hyperglycaemia, and in some cases possibly reversing coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.

Whole plant foods come closest to meeting the international and national nutrition recommendations for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, trans-fatty acids, and fibre than other foods. In addition to being low in saturated fat, high in fibre and cholesterol-free, whole plant-based foods provide an abundance of antioxidants and protective phytochemicals.

Again, if a plant-based diet can prevent chronic disease shouldn’t this all be communicated to you by your GP and other medical professionals? 

The world's leading killer: cardiovascular disease (CVD)

CVD is responsible for 16% of total deaths worldwide. Major risk factors for CVD including elevated blood cholesterol levels are linked to saturated fat, trans-fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol.

The most effective cholesterol-lowering foods include fibre, plant protein, plant sterols, polyunsaturated fat and phytochemicals which are all found exclusively or predominantly in plant foods.

 

To summarise:

Although chronic disease may run in your family genes, you have tremendous control over the expression of those genes and your health. To give yourself the best chance at minimizing your risk of illness, when it comes to the food you put on your plate, ensure the majority is made up of whole plant foods - fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, and legumes. If you eat animal foods, make them the side dish instead of the main meal. 

And make sure to get regular health checks done by your GP.