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Healthy diet

Okinawa Diet

The inhabitants of the Japanese island Okinawa lived longer and healthier than anyone else in the world. Their diet and eating habits are therefore of great interest. The Okinawa diet is:

• Virtually fat free
• Includes large quantities of fruit and vegetables
• Is rich in fish (particularly oily fish such as tuna, mackerel and salmon), green tea and plenty of water.
• High in Soya based foods, especially tofu, beans and whole grains.
• The Okinawa diet is almost completely free of any processed foods.

It is interesting to note that, with the arrival of fast food etc. this is now changing and the Okinawans are beginning to have similar health problems to those in Western countries.

What are the benefits of a healthy diet?

Having a healthy diet is one of the most important ways you can maintain an active lifestyle and protect against health problems. Eating well also increases energy, improves the way the body functions, strengthens your immune system and prevents weight problems.

A healthy diet helps you:

• Meet your nutritional needs - A varied, balanced diet provides the nutrients you need to avoid nutritional deficiencies. Non-nutrients, such as fibre, also are a part of your dietary needs as these help to regulate your system.
• Prevent and treat certain diseases - Your diet can prevent the risk of developing certain diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It is also helpful in treating diabetes and high blood pressure. Following a special diet can reduce symptoms and may help you better manage a disease.
• Enjoy life - Food is an important part of social and cultural events. Not only does it provide nutrition, but also can facilitate connections between people. Cooking fresh, healthy meals can also be an enjoyable way to spend time, either on your own or with others.
• Feel energetic and manage your weight - A healthy diet can also make you feel better, provide you with more energy, and help you fight stress.

A healthy diet can also lower the risk of:

• Heart Disease - Significant risk factors for heart disease include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity or excess weight. All of these risk factors relate to diet and healthy eating habits can dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Cancer - The link between nutrition and cancer prevention is not as clearly defined as the link between nutrition and heart disease, but healthy eating habits can help. Diet has long been thought to influence development of prostate (and other) cancers that are common in Western countries and rare in Asia. When Asian men migrate to Western countries and adopt a Western lifestyle, the protection begins to disappear within one generation. Fibre (which can be found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates and legumes) may help protect you from colon and rectal cancer by aiding digestion and moving harmful substances through your body more quickly. A diet low in fat may reduce the likelihood of breast, colon and prostate cancers. Higher amounts of saturated fat (often found in animal fats and highly processed foods) are linked with high cholesterol, heart disease and the cancers listed above. Anti-oxidants, such as vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin E and selenium, are mainly found in fruits and vegetables and they help the body protect cells from damage. As cancer is a result of mutated cells, keeping the cells healthy is very important. Fruits and vegetables contain many anti-oxidants as well as other valuable vitamins and phytochemicals, which might be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer.
• Stroke - Eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce your risk of stroke. Eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day.
• Osteoporosis - Having enough calcium in your diet throughout your life can greatly reduce your risk for osteoporosis (which is a weakening of the bone structure). The majority of calcium in your body (99%) is stored in the bones so that it is available when the body needs it. Replenishing the calcium in your bones is essential for keeping the bones strong and preventing them from becoming brittle and weak.

A healthy diet is important for preventing disease, but it is also important because the effects of an unhealthy diet can also cause certain medical conditions. Being obese or overweight can cause significant health problems and lead to an increased risk for many diseases.

Health conditions related to weight include:

• High Blood Pressure (hypertension) - Overweight people are 2 to 3 times more likely to be at risk for high blood pressure than those who maintain a healthy weight. Also, a healthy diet has been shown to help reduce blood pressure.
• Cardiovascular Disease (including coronary artery disease and stroke) - Overweight women have twice the risk of heart disease than women who maintain a healthy weight. Overweight men have one and a half times the risk.
• Type 2 Diabetes - Overweight men have four times the risk of diabetes than men who maintain a healthy weight. Overweight women have eight times the risk of diabetes than women who maintain a healthy weight.
• Gallbladder Disease (gallstones) - Overweight people are two to three times greater at risk for Gallbladder disease than those who maintain a healthy weight.
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep Apnoea and respiratory problems
• Cancers - Such as cancer of the colon, breast, prostrate, uterus, cervix, ovary, gallbladder

Guidelines for a healthy diet

Enjoy your food

Eating is an important part of everyone's lives. Food should be enjoyable as well as providing a good balance of nutrients as uneaten food will provide no nourishment at all. All foods provide some nutrients and contribute to the taste, smell, colour, texture and enjoyment of a meal.

Making time to relax while eating and to share a meal with friends and family is an important part of enjoying meals.

Eat a variety of different foods

No single food provides all the nutrients required for the body to stay healthy. A mixture of different foods needs to be eaten throughout life. Choosing foods for a healthy diet doesn't mean having to give up favourite foods. Variety is important as well as making fruit and vegetables, also foods like bread, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes the main part of the meal. Snacks as well as meals count towards the balance.

Eat the right amount to be a healthy weight

Food provides the energy (calories) used to keep the body active and functioning properly. Each person needs a different amount of energy and therefore each individual differs in the amount of food they should eat. However much people need, the proportions of food from the five groups in the Balance of Good Health remain the same. Energy needs are affected by gender, age, body size and activity level: Women tend to need less energy than men Older adults tend to need less energy than adolescents and young adults The more active a person, the greater their energy needs. A healthy weight is best achieved and maintained by both being physically active and by not eating more calories than are used up. Not eating enough for the body's needs could lead to underweight and ill health. Overeating can cause overweight, which can lead to ill health including heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.

Eat plenty of foods rich in starch and fibre

Foods like bread, other cereals and potatoes are rich in starch and can be good sources of fibre. Starch and fibre are names for groups of carbohydrates. There are different sorts of starch and fibre and these are found only in plants or foods made from plants.

Most people do not eat enough of the starchy, fibre-rich foods like bread, potatoes, rice and pasta and need to eat about half as much again. Wholegrain cereal foods are particularly rich in insoluble fibre, which helps to prevent constipation. Soluble fibre in fruit, pulses (beans, lentils and chickpeas) and vegetables can help to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Starch provides less than half the calories of the same weight of fat. However, adding concentrated sources of calories, such as cooking potatoes in oil or fat and adding a thick spread of butter or margarine to bread, greatly increases their calorie content.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

There is good evidence that diets rich in fruit and vegetables reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease and possibly some cancers, in later life. Most people would benefit from increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables to twice the amount they currently eat.

Fruit and vegetables make good snack foods. A balanced diet contains at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and should include a wide variety to get a range of their protective substances. Fruit and vegetables may be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or 100% juice (juice counts only once a day as a portion)

Don't eat too many foods that contain a lot of fat

A completely fat free diet does not support life, as certain fats are essential to health, some contain vitamins, and fats also help to make foods pleasant to eat. However, many people eat far more fat than they need, and a diet high in fat, especially saturated fat, in common with other factors including smoking and lack of exercise, can increase the risk of heart disease.

Fat is high in calories and eating too much can contribute to overweight. Visible fat, like the fat on meats or in fat spreads is easy to spot, but there is also a lot of fat hidden in foods like pies, pastries, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and some meat products like sausages and burgers and their vegetarian alternatives. Checking the labels and choosing lower fat versions whenever possible is a good way to reduce fat in the diet.

Don't have sugary foods and drinks too often

Frequent consumption of acidic drinks (fruit squashes, fruit juices, fizzy drinks and colas) may cause tooth erosion which is when the surface of the teeth dissolves gradually. Water and milk will not erode teeth, and acidic drinks are best kept to meal times.

Because sugars contain calories and no other nutrients, it is sensible for people who are overweight to cut down on their intake of sugar and sugary foods and drinks. Sugar alternatives are available in most supermarkets and health food shops.

Don't eat too many foods high in salt, and cut down on amount of salt added in cooking and at the table

The average intake of salt is about 9g per day (about two teaspoons). Eating too much sodium, most of which comes from salt, can lead to high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Some salt is needed in the diet but this 6g can easily be met by the salt which occurs naturally in foods. On average it is recommended to reduce salt intake by a third. The amount of salt added in cooking and at the table should be cut down. Herbs and spices can be useful as substitutes.

As about two thirds of the salt in the diet comes from manufactured foods like soups, sauces, ready meals and meat products, choosing fewer of these foods or looking for lower salt versions will help to reduce the salt intake.

Don't drink tea with your meals

Tea contains substances that inhibit the absorption of iron and even though we only need a small amount of iron in the body, iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world. Anemia causes a low red blood cell count. Its symptoms include the following:

• difficulty concentrating
• fatigue
• headache
• shortness of breath
• irritability

Only drink tea at least one hour before and after meals to ensure the body absorbs enough iron. Vitamin C improves iron absorption so a drink of orange juice, for example, with your meal will help.

Further advice on diet and weight control can be obtained by asking your GP for a referral to the Dietetic Service at your local hospital.

For further information on the Waltham Forest Healthy Ageing Programme Age Concern Waltham Forest 020 8539 8356.