Healthy Diets Can Manage Symptoms of Chronic Conditions

CHICAGOA carefully planned diet can have significant impacts on managing symptoms of  chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes and improve health, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As part of a public education campaign during National Nutrition Month®, the Academy is encouraging consumers to develop a healthy eating plan centered around personal health concerns and to "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day."

"While many people understand the role diet plays in overall health, you can actually prevent and manage specific diseases by eating healthfully, as well," said Angela Lemond, registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy spokesperson.

A healthy eating plan incorporates individual needs including personal nutrient requirements, food preferences, lifestyle and level of physical activity. Lemon's tips to "Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day" while preventing and managing common food-related medical conditions are as follows:

Hypertension and heart disease can be managed by balancing calorie intake with physical activity to manage weight and by increasing the variety of nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products and seafood. Also by consuming fewer foods with sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars and refined grains.

"To successfully manage diabetes, you need to understand how foods and nutrition affect your body," said Lemond. Having good health depends on eating a variety of foods with the right amounts of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water.

Diabetes management includes eating meals and snacks at regularly scheduled times and eating about the same amount of food at each meal or snack. Also, choose healthful foods that support a healthy weight and heart, like whole-grain breads, cereals, pastas and rice as well as vegetables, beans, fruits, lean meat, fish, poultry, tofu, low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese and yogurt and healthy fats like olive oil. Additionally, keep track of the amount of carbohydrates eaten to control blood sugar levels.

Manage food allergies and intolerances by learning about ingredients in foods. Food companies specify major allergens in foods on product labels. However, manufacturers may change ingredients of products without notice so reading labels each time, carefully is key.

Managing or preventing obesity can be accomplished by establishing a new balance between calories consumed and calories burned through physical activity, portion sizes, minimizing empty calories from added sugars and eating fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains that offer many vitamins and minerals and promote satiety.

The Academy's National Nutrition website contains helpful tips, games, promotional tools and nutrition education resources. The Academy's Eat Right TV YouTube channel offers video tips on eating right with health concerns in mind.