The Clinical Pen

We have all been told the phrase "you are what you eat." What if there was a way to use your meal as your health plan? Since diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity are more common nowadays, the right food can actually help prevent them. Strategic consumption of a healthy diet can prevent illnesses. Diets rich in certain foods help fight inflammation, improve your immune system and might even overcome early signs of disease. Preventive Health Depends on Proper Nutrition A poor diet is often related to the emergence of chronic diseases today. A diet filled with processed items, excess sugar and saturated fats may force your body to deal with inflammation and oxidative stress, both major factors in chronic diseases. Still, much of these illnesses are manageable or even avoidable, mostly by eating the right foods. Nutrient-dense foods support your body in fighting off diseases. Foods That Give Protection Against Chronic Diseases Let’s find out about some regula...

When you turn 30, you face more demands in life and greater duties to keep yourself fit. At this time, your body becomes visibly affected by your way of living, stress levels, what you eat and sleep habits. Sometimes, diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and disorders of the thyroid appear with no obvious signs in middle age. For this reason, preventive health care matters now more than before. Taking part in health checkups makes it easier to detect sickness early, helps reduce health expenses over time and supports a healthy way of living. The message is to manage health earlier rather than only after noticing symptoms. 1. Annual appointment with the doctor This provides the basis for taking care of your health in advance. A yearly physical checkup helps your doctor see how healthy you are, check your usual habits, discover anything that could be a risk and recommend extra tests if wanted. You will get your blood pressure, heart rate, weight, BMI and family medical record checked....

Eat less salt in your meals. Want to clear fluid and lower blood pressure? Eat fewer prepared foods and watch your salt intake. Going with the DASH diet is good for keeping your heart healthy. Make sure that most of the time, your meals have fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. The goal of the DASH diet is to lower blood pressure. Exercise Regularly Walk or cycle at a faster pace for at least 30 minutes each day, most days. Lose Any Extra Body Weight As someone’s weight rises, their blood pressure tends to go up too. Small weight loss can cause your numbers to lower. Make Sure You Don’t Have Too Much Alcohol For women, stick to one drink each day and men can have up to two. Quit Smoking Taking a single puff of tobacco increases blood pressure and may even damage blood vessels over a long period. Manage Stress Make sure to do such things as deep breathing, meditation or yoga to keep stress under control and lower your blood pressure Keep an eye on your blood pressure at ho...

 1. Make sure your diet includes foods that have a low GI rating. Pick whole grains, legumes and vegetables instead of eating too much sugar. They make it so that your blood sugar rises gradually. 2. Don’t overdo it with how much food you eat. Even healthy foods can raise your blood sugar when you eat too much. Eat your food on smaller dishware, check what’s in the food you buy and don’t return for seconds. 3. Exercise Regularly Try to do at least 30 minutes of light running or walking five times a week. Practicing exercise allows your body to use glucose better. 4. Stay Hydrated Make sure you drink sufficient water all day long. If you don’t drink enough water, the drop in fluid may result in raised blood sugar levels and resistance to insulin. 5. Try not to drink sugary beverages. Soda, energy drinks and even non-sugary fruit juices can sometimes make your blood sugar go up. Limit yourself to water, tea or coffee. 6. Add More Fiber to Your Meals Fiber delays your body’s absorptio...