Our modern lifestyles may be making impacts in ways we might not be aware of.
The habit of consuming fast food, a lack of exercise and high levels of stress have made urban dwellers suffer from certain diseases at a younger age.
Where previously high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes usually attacked those over 50 years, the past decade has seen many people in their 30s suffer from these illnesses.
Preventative action is required to reduce the risk of becoming ill: One way to do this is by paying serious attention to what you might have ignored up until this point in time -- taking more exercise and eating healthier foods.
According to a book titled Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal, published by Reader's Digest International, there are certain types of foods that can offer patients better health conditions and prevent diseases from worsening.
According to Dr. Reno Gustaviani, a specialist at the endocrinology of Cipto Mangunkusomo General Hospital in Central Jakarta, it is not only people with high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease who should pay attention to what they eat, but every person who wants to be healthy.
He said in the case of people with allergies, a series of tests could be conducted to identify the allergen triggers before a proper diet could be established.
Certain foods should be replaced or reduced in accordance with the particular disease, he said.
For example, people with heart disease or diabetes should try to replace their intake of white rice with other complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, pasta and wheat bread. These types of carbohydrates have more fiber and the body takes more time to digest and absorb them.
He said people with diabetes are recommended to consume foods with a low Glycemic Index (GI), such as wheat bread or red rice, as the body takes longer to digest these foods thereby maintaining stable blood-sugar levels. It is also suggested that people wishing to lose weight eat foods with a low GI also.
Most people think that those suffering from diabetes should avoid sweet foods entirely. This is actually incorrect.
Reno said diabetes patients can still have sweet foods in limited amounts, to avoid hypoglycemia -- or a drastic drop in blood-sugar levels -- which is as dangerous as high sugar levels in the blood.
People with diabetes who suffer from hypoglycemia may become unconscious, threatening their lives. Controlled consumption of sugar can help diabetes patients avoid liver damage.
"The consumption of cane sugar should be limited, but once in a while it's okay to have a piece of cake," he said.
Ultimately, diabetes patients should be able to enjoy the same quality of life as other people. Just as the title of the book suggests, some foods can be useful but at the same time harmful to our bodies, depending on how we consume them. -- JP/Juliana Harsianti
