Haruka Mitoma writes:
There are many critical problems (Risk Factors and Behavior Problems)
on Mr. Tanaka, so I'm going to list his problems as following:
Risk Factors
1. Both his grandfather and father have diabetes (family history of
diabetes); 2. his mother is currently ill with a critical heart
condition (family history of heart diseases); 3. his LDL level is
measured at 172; 4. poor nutrition caused by not having breakfast).
Behavior Problems
1. He does not have breakfast most mornings; 2. he eats red meat (and
he believes that it is good because it has lots of high protein); 3. he
intakes fast food like hamburgers, cheeseburgers or udon at lunch and
dinner; 4. he takes vitamin supplements with coffee and cola; 5. he
really hates most vegetables 6. he eats a lot of meat, beef and pork
mostly; 7. he believes he can get his fiber from eating udon and rice;
8. he feels lots of pressure at work lately, and most recently he
finds it hard to relax even after work; 9. he does not like to exercise
(he exercises for only about a half an hour once a week); 10. both his
grandfather and father have diabetes; 11. his mother is currently ill
with a critical heart condition; 12. his LDL level is measured at 172
13. he has misunderstood that a high level of LDL is caused by having
sweets.
And he has some questions about health: What's the real difference
between carbohydrates and fats? What would be the recommended daily
amounts (RDA) of vitamins and minerals for a man his age?
Now I'd like to advise him on his problems and to explain some health
issues.
1. He must eat breakfast every morning. Because not eating breakfast
could be a risk factor of poor nutrition.
2. He knows the importance of red meat, a good source of protein.
Proteins are essential to growth and maintenance. They are the body's
building materials; they make muscle, skin, bone, and hair. Also,
lots of proteins work as enzymes, which speed up chemical reactions in
the body. In addition, the body uses proteins to make antibodies, or
disease-fighting chemicals, and certain hormones. But he should
notice the other points that he should lower the level of cholesterol.
Red meat gives him too much cholesterol.
3. He must quit depending on fast foods. They are short of vitamins
and have lots of cholesterol and fat. And he has too much sodium from
the food.
Minerals are needed for growth and maintenance of body structures.
They also help to maintain digestive juices and the fluids found in
and around cells. Unlike vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins,
minerals are not made by plants and animals. Plants get minerals from
water or soil, and animals get minerals by eating plants or
plant-eating animals. The minerals the body needs in large amounts
include calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium,
and sulfur. Other minerals, called trace elements, are needed in much
smaller amounts. Trace elements include iron, copper, fluorine,
iodine, selenium, zinc, chromium, cobalt, manganese, and molybdenum.
Calcium: Dairy products, sardines (with bones), salmon, dark green
leafy vegetables -- Essential for building bones and teeth and
maintaining bone strength; important in muscle function.
Chromium: Whole grains, brewer's yeast, nuts, dried beans -- Works
with insulin to convert carbohydrates and fat into energy.
Copper: Whole grains, nuts, liver, oysters -- Essential for making
hemoglobin (oxygen carrying protein in red blood cells) and collagen
(a protein in connective tissue); essential for healthy functioning of
the heart; helps in energy production; helps in absorption of iron
from digestive tract. Iron: Meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, nuts,
dried fruits, whole-grain and enriched grain products -- Helps in
energy production; helps to carry oxygen in the bloodstream and to
transfer oxygen to muscles. Magnesium: Leafy green vegetables,
nuts, whole grains, dried peas and beans, dairy products, fish, meat,
poultry -- Essential for healthy nerve and muscle function and
bone formation; may help prevent premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Phosphorus: Meat, dairy products, poultry, fish, grain products
-- Essential for building strong bones and teeth; helps in
formation of genetic material; helps in energy production and storage.
Potassium: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds -- Essential
for maintaining balance of body fluids, transmitting nerve signals,
and producing energy. Selenium: Fish, meat, whole-grain breads and
cereals, milk -- Antioxidant; essential for healthy functioning of
the heart muscle. Sodium: Table salt, vegetables, animal foods,
some bottled waters - Essential for maintaining normal blood
pressure and balance of body fluids and for transmitting nerve
signals. Zinc: Meats, poultry, oysters, eggs, legumes, nuts, milk,
yogurt, whole-grain cereals -- Essential for cell reproduction,
normal growth and development in children, wound healing (tissue
repair and growth), and production of sperm and the male hormone
testosterone.
4. There may be a little vitamin we should take in by the
supplements, but most vitamins are supplied in a varied, balanced
diet; rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Some vitamins are
antioxidants, the chemicals that prevent damaging changes in cells and
may help protect against cancer, heart disease, and aging. It's
necessary to take vitamins with ingesting food. (Of course, they
should not be taken with coffee or cola, which contains caffeine like
tea, chocolate, and some pain relievers. ) I would recommend him to
intake below three cups of coffee a day. Because caffeine is a drug
that stimulates the central nervous system, so it can make you feel
more energetic. For example, it causes restlessness, sleeplessness,
palpitations, and diarrhea. So he should not drink coffee and cola
for quenching thirst.
5. He should have vegetables, good source of vitamins. Because
vitamins can help the body turn food into energy and tissues. Now 13
vitamins are well known: vitamin A; the vitamin B complex, which
includes thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin
B12 pantothenic acid, and biotin; and vitamins C, D, E, and K. Most
vegetables have vitamin A (necessary for growth and repair) and
vitamin B-2 (supports metabolism and information of antibodies and red
blood cell). In addition, I would recommend him to take fruits and
vegetables because they are good sources of water. Water just may be
the most important nutrient; the body is more than half water, so we
can't live without water. Also, water work for maintaining body
temperature, transporting nutrients throughout the body, keeping
joints moist, digesting food, ridding the body of waste products, and
cooling the body. He should consume about 2 quarts of water a day;
other beverages, such as fruit juices, milk, and noncaffeinated drinks
are O.K.
6. I'd like to recommend him to keep cholesterol consumption to no
more than 100 mg for every 1,000 calories he eats. Meat, beef and
pork - they are have a lot of animal fat and cholesterol. It's very
dangerous to eat them too much, because they increase the amount of
cholesterol in his bloodstream, and then make hardening arteries.
7. He cannot get his fiber only from eating udon and rice to get a
good daily dose (25 to 30 grams) of fiber. A lot of fruits,
vegetables, and grains give fiber, so you should eat oatmeal, bran
cereal, whole grain bread, vegetables, fruits, and beans. Especially
beans provide about two times more fiber than grains. Fiber could help
reduce the rates of colon and breast cancer. Certain kinds of fiber
could lower levels of cholesterol in the blood. Soluble fiber have
the ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Apples, oats,
guar gum, dried beans, and green vegetables contain soluble water.
8. Feeling lots of pressure; sometimes O.K, but anytime bad. If he
develops the depression, he should go to counsellors or psychiatrists.
9. He must exercise because if he get more physical activity you, you
won the higher your good (HDL) cholesterol levels and the lower your
bad (LDL) cholesterol levels. Physical inactivity leads to high LDL
cholesterol levels.
10. Both his grandfather and father have diabetes, so he should be
careful of the amount of carbohydrates in order to prevent diabetes.
11. There is a possibility that he also has genetic risk factor of
heart disease, so he should care about it. What should he do?
Cutting out cholesterol is one of the answer. Saturated fat also
affects his cholesterol level. It's necessary to keep his saturated
fat intake under 10 percent of your calories each day. It's also
important to lower cholesterol levels. Too much cholesterol in the
blood can make the form of a thick, fatty substance called plaque. The
buildup of plaque narrows the arteries, atherosclerosis.
12. His LDL level is measured at 172. A desirable LDL cholesterol
level is below 130 milligrams per deciliter, so his figure is too
high. He must reduce taking cholesterol.
13. Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy, while fats are
storage of energy. So if he has carbohydrates too much, the rest of
the need are changed into fats and stored in adipose tissue. (Finally,
he will become overweight.)
14. What would be the recommended daily amounts (RDA) of vitamins and
minerals for a man his age? The RDA of iron for older men than 19
years is 10 mg. He needs 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, a rich source
of vitamin E. Animal foods are excellent sources of protein, iron,
zinc, and B vitamins. Tofu (made from soybeans) and white beans
supply calcium. 5-8 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish are
needed a day. Some seeds such as almonds and nuts, good sources of
vitamin E, are essential for 4-6 tablespoons. Milk products are
sources of calcium, protein and vitamin B12. He should have 2-3 cup
of milk or yogurt, or 2-3 ounces of cheese. Fruits are rich sources of
vitamins, most notably vitamin C. He needs 2-3 medium apple, banana,
or orange and 3/2 - 9/4 cup fruit juice. Vegetables are needed; 3-5
cup raw leafy greens; 1 - 3/2 cup other vegetables chopped; 3/2- 9/4
cup vegetable juice.
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