Diet and digestion
The aim of this essay is to evaluate the way in which diet may be a contributory factor in illness or disease. Diet related diseases such as diabetes, Coronary heart disease, cancer, dental disease and osteoporosis are the most common cause of illnesses in the UK (www.tmbc.gov.uk 2010). For the purpose of this essay I will focus on diet in relation to Coronary heart disease (CHD). This essay will include statistics and a brief definition CHD. It will also include information regarding how the lack of specific nutrients contributes to CHD.
In order to consider diet in relation to illnesses, it is first necessary to identify the importance of a good balanced diet to keep you heart healthy. When using the word diet we do not mean crash diets to loose weight, but learning to adopt a healthy lifestyle with a balanced nutrition which is far more important and safer to our health. (Jackson 2009.) There are six major nutrients in food; Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Each nutrient plays a major roll for a good healthy body.
An unhealthy diet can increase the chances of individuals suffering from CHD or a heart attack. Dr Graham Jackson (2009 pg299) defines CHD as “Narrowing of the coronary arteries from fatty deposits.” According to the department of health (DOH 2010) statistics show that CHD kills more than 70,000 people a year and 110,000 people suffer a heart attack every year in England. Such statistics show that CHD is one of the major causes of deaths in the country. It is important to understand that many diet related diseases are preventable with lifestyle changes.
There are some factors in an individual’s life which can increase the risks of CHD. Some are unavoidable factors such as sex, family history and age. Others include those that can be avoided such as smoking obesity, lack of exercise, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. (Jackson 2009) CHD can be dramatically reduced with simple...