Nutrition, Disease, and Death - Oh My!

Simply put, a person's nutrition may lead to diseases, and these may in turn lead to their untimely and possibly painful death. Now this may seem a bit extreme, but when you consider that of the top ten reasons for death in the United States, 5 of them are related to nutrition, including alcohol and tobacco consumption, then it puts it all into a little better perspective. The following chart shows the top ten reasons for death, and of them all heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, and accidents (some of which are related to alcohol) are directly related to nutrition. The worse part about this all is that most of these causes of death are preventable to a degree by choosing a healthy diet and lifestyle (Sizer & Whitney, 2014). Heart disease is the number one leading cause of death in the United States, and by changing their diet, a person can prevent becoming another statistic to this cause of death, and by practicing dietary tips a person can easily accomplish this.
1. Control your portion size - this directly affects how many calories as well as how much fat and cholesterol is consumed not just at one meal, but during the course of a day.
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables - they are rich in vitamins and minerals the body needs, as well as fiber, while being low in calories.
3. Select whole grains - they are rich in fiber and minerals which will help regulate blood pressure and cholesterol.
4. Limit unhealthy fats and cholesterol - limiting how much saturated fat and trans fat you consume will help reduce cholesterol and your chances at having coronary artery disease.
5. Choose low-fat protein sources - these will help keep your body healthy as well as provide minerals such as omega fatty acids that your brain need.
6. Reduce the sodium in your diet - reducing sodium can reduce your blood pressure, as well as your risk for cardiovascular disease.
(Mayo Clinic, 2014)
While heart disease is the only one I have laid out a plan to show how it can be prevented, to a large degree the other diseases discussed and listed among the top causes for death can also be greatly impacted by having a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle.
Furthermore, there can be a lack of nutrition that can cause health complications which can be avoided with proper diet and healthy lifestyle. While most people when they hear the term malnourished think about a person who is starved and emancipated, this is not always the case. Malnourishment is when a person is lacking a vital vitamin or mineral from their diet or have too much of a mineral or vitamin; either way is not healthy and can cause to serious health complications.

References

Mayo Clinic (2014). Heart-healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease. Diseases and Conditions Heart disease, Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/heart-healthy-diet/art-20047702

NCSL. (Producer). (2012, October ). Leading Causes of Death, 2009 [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/chronic-disease-prevention-and-health-promotion.aspx 

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2014). Nutrition - concepts and controversies. (pp. 81-95). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

(NCSL, Leading Causes of Death, 2009)