healthy diet?

A healthy diet is boring, as says my husband. Many Americans, especially men, would agree with him. In this muscular football country, most men have difficulty imagining eating green leafy vegetables like a rabbit. Why leafy green vegetables? It is a common agreement within the medical community that a healthy diet includes more leafy green vegetables and fruits, unprocessed raw food, and plenty of water. However, depending on the individual's conditions, there are more to consider in that framework.

Now, Americans realize the importance of a healthy diet is one thing, but accepting the scientific facts and creating a healthy eating culture are other things. We have heard that many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, are preventable by changing eating habits and exercising more. CDC reported that undiagnosed diabetes and pre-diabetes are almost 1/3 of the US population. It sounds like nearly every other person has diabetes condition, whether type 1 and 2 or pre-diabetes. The more common it is, the more difficult it is to change the culture. Of course, change comes with resistance, which means you feel odd when you try something new and healthy.

It might be more significant for your heart health in different health data. You have metabolic syndrome if you have two or more out of high blood glucose, high cholesterol, low HDL (high-density lipoprotein <50), high blood pressure, and BMI over 25. Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes because these conditions clog blood vessels over time. One day, you will be in an ambulance if you don't do anything about it.

Ultimately, it is up to you. You can follow the cultural norm, but if you want a healthier future, you must find your why. Why do you want to be healthier?

In the end, my husband says a healthy diet does not have to be boring.

References

Fehér, A., Gazdecki, M., Véha, M., Szakály, M., & Szakály, Z. (2020). A Comprehensive Review of the Benefits of and the Barriers to the Switch to a Plant-Based Diet. Sustainability, 12(10), 4136. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12104136Healthy

Taking care of your mental health

How to prevent mental illness

There are so many factors disrupting our peaceful mind these days. Living in the 21st century is a daily struggle between the inner and outer worlds to keep a quiet balance. When the balance is lost, our minds lose grip of reality and find an escape. So then, how we manage everyday struggles is critical to keeping our mental health. Without it, we will have difficulty focusing on any task as a first warning sign.

The thing is that it is not as simple as it sounds. There is no one treatment or secret for mental health. Everyone is different in many aspects, such as upbringing, strengths, weaknesses, education, belief system, and physical circumstances. Therefore, your way of keeping peace is unique to you.

Let's not forget that mental health is the foundation of your physical health. That is not only because your mind and body are connected but also because whatever choices you make consciously or habitually will impact your overall health in the long run. Therefore, it is essential to care about the mind for overall health. Now, the question becomes how.

We face daily challenges, like spilling coffee, missing an appointment, unintentional miscommunications, overcoming low self-esteem, and cultural barriers. The list is endless. Are you aware of those challenges, or do you let those frustrations ruin your day? That is the clue.

Keeping your conscious mind to focus on what is more important. Keep your eyes on the bigger picture. What are you trying to accomplish today for the future? A class to attend, meeting with your doctor, building a relationship, or proving yourself at work, but is overcoming social-cultural barriers in the way?

There are many ways to recover your inner peace, such as mindful exercise and meditation. Practicing those every day will help you be more conscious about your choices. Hopefully, it will be a healthy one. Keeping the inner world peaceful is one thing, but sociocultural barriers are not something that a person can easily change.

Cultural change can happen through our efforts. Each of us must be conscious of our decisions and learn from them to move forward because no one is perfect. Respecting our decision is a way to accept the reality. In the end, let remembering a thousand miles start a step guide your way starting today.

Do you know your metabolic health?

Obesity and Health Risks

Obesity is a precursor to an array of health risks, especially heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II. The national obesity crisis is not a new concern, and it's widely accepted that maintaining a healthy weight can lower your risk of illness. Excess fatty tissues easily trigger an inflammatory response in the body, so the chances of getting sick are higher than in the normal weight range. It makes sense.

Obesity is prevalent, and so are chronic diseases such as type II diabetes over the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2020), Diabetes affects nearly 34.2 million people in the United States. Estimates are that another 88 million people have pre-diabetes, and the total cost of Diabetes in the United States was $347 billion per CDC report (2021, May 21).

Will Maintaining a Healthy Weight Keep You Safe?

Surprisingly, having a healthy weight is not a guarantee of health. Did you know that people within the normal weight range who suffer from metabolic syndrome have the highest mortality rate? Shi, Wang, and Natarajan (2020) reported that metabolic syndrome in healthy-weight people is much higher in mortality from their rigorous decades of follow-up studies. Metabolic syndrome includes any combination of two or more conditions: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, low HDL (the "good" cholesterol), elevated blood sugar (pre-diabetes is blood glucose number between 100 and 125 after fasting 8 hours), or excess abdominal fat (defined as a waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women).

This revelation challenges the widely held belief that staying within a healthy weight range alone is enough to ensure good health. Most people only know they have a metabolic syndrome if the blood work is done and the doctor alarms it. Even after the lab report, many people have not changed their habits. Approximately 1 in 3 Americans have pre-diabetes right now. When people start having problems, medical intervention is usually required. So, why do we ignore those unhealthy habits causing abnormal metabolic health?

Asking the Why behind Unhealthy Habits

Culture plays a significant role in shaping our habits. People often feel pressured to drink socially because it's the norm in their environment. I remember starting to drink in college simply because it was tradition. Similarly, our food choices are often rooted in cultural customs. Take the classic American breakfast: bacon, eggs, and toast. If I chose fruits and vegetables as healthy choices, that would be a difficult menu for breakfast, but also very strange at the moment. The same applies to smoking—many young people start because it helps them fit into their social circle.

The truth is that not all cultural practices are good for our health. More and more people are beginning to realize that our unhealthy habits come at a steep price, a tax we pay with our health. Staying in the same habits is comfortable, but it is time to face the reality that change is necessary. Ask yourself which direction you are heading in the long run from your choice now. Are you willing to continue paying the "health tax" for poor habits, or are you ready to invest in a healthier future?

Reference

Shi, T. H., Wang, B., & Natarajan, S. (2020). The influence of metabolic syndrome in predicting mortality risk among U.S. adults: Importance of metabolic syndrome even in adults with normal weight. Preventing Chronic Disease, 17. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200020