Shouichi Kuramitsu writes:
Mr. Tanaka is a 29-year-old computer specialist. He says he is
'health-conscious' and reads many difficult magazines and Internet
sites to stay current with the latest information about staying trim,
energetic and healthy. However, he is very busy with his business and
he's finding it difficult to follow all the recent information on good
eating and healthy lifestyle patterns. Because of that, there are many
problems with his knowledge of nutrients and his health.
First, he is
very confused about what would be the recommended daily amount (RDA)
of vitamins and minerals for a man his age. RDA of vitamins and
minerals for a man his age is that vitamin C is 50mg ; vitamin A is
1800--2000IU ; vitamin D is 100IU ; magnesium is 300mg ; calcium is
600mg; iron is 10--12mg, and so on. Also, he is confused about
difficult information he has been reading about protein and minerals.
For example, he dose'nt know what is the real difference between
carbohydrates and fats. The true that both are the body's primary
energy sources, but they are different macronutrients. Carbohydrates
include all starches and sugars. They are the body's main source of
energy. Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories. Most foods
contain carbohydrates. The main sugar in food is sucrose, which is
everyday white or brown sugar. Other sugars include lactose (found in
milk) and fructose (found in most fruits and many vegetables).
Starches are a more complex form of carbohydrate. They are more
filling and contain more nutrients than foods with lots of sugars,
fats, or oils. Foods containing starches include beans, breads,
cereals, pasta, and potatoes. On the other hand, Fats pack a lot of
energy. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories. There are three kinds of
fat: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Animal and dairy
fats, which remain solid at room temperature, are saturated fats.
Saturated fat is often called "bad" fat. Unsaturated fats include
vegetable fat and oils; they remain liquid at room temperature. He
should know this difference.
Second, there are some issues that may be
clinically relevant. Since he is busy six and sometimes seven days a
week, he doesn't have time to eat breakfast most mornings, and he
can't help taking fast food like humburgers, cheeseburgers, or udon
at lunch and dinner. This is bad for his health. If possible, he
should eat breakfast and stop fast foods. To make up for his lack of
nutrients, he relies on vitamin supplements in the morning and colas
in the afternoon. So, he think he gets good nutrients from vitamin
supplements he takes and he can eat a lot of meat like beef and pork
mostly. But there are some wrong with his way of thinking . Because
only vitamin supplements aren't enough, he should eat more vegetables
and reduce the amount of meat. It is important to eat a balanced diet.
AIso he knows he should be eating foods that are rich in fiber,
nevertheless he think he gets his fiber from eating udon and rice. But
it is not enough. Foods including fiber are fruits, vegetables,
legumes, nuts,and whole grains. A good daily dose of fiber is 25 to 30
grams. Fiber has been shown in studies to help reduce the rates of
some forms of cancer, namely colon and breast cancer. There are two
kind fo fiber : soluble and insoluble, especially only soluble fiber
appears to have the ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
Third, he has been feeling lots of pressure at work lately and he
finds it hard to relax even after work. If continues as he is, it is
bad for his health. So he should find some hobbies to relax like
reading, TV game. Also, since he is so busy, he exercise for only
about a half an hour once a week. Though he thinks a young man needs
to exercise to his weight down--that's the only reason he dose it, and
feels this is enough to keep him from becoming fat, it is wrong.
Current studies are showing that exercise may increase good
cholesterol levels (HDL ) in some individuals. He should do more
exercises to arise his HDL level.
Fourth, his medical records indicate
a few other issues. He has a risk of diabetes and heart disease
because his grand father and father have diabetes, and his mother is
currently ill with a critical heart condition, in addition, his LDL
levels is measured at 172. An LDL level of 160 or higher means you
have an increase risk for heart disease. So, he should reduce his LDL
level. For that, he should eat a lot of foods including rich fibers
like vegetables and fruits. Also, he may need to have his cholesterol
checked often. Mr. Tanaka should improve his diet and lifestyle. In
the point of diet, he should eat foods including rich fibers such as
fruits, vegetables and low cholesterol. Especially, he should stop
fast foods because they include high cholesterol.
On the point of
lifestyle, he should do more exercise to raise his HDL level. For
example, when he goes to work, he increases the time to walk. He needs
to have a chance to exercise like this. Also, because he tends to feel
stress, he should find his way to relax. Though it may be difficult
for him to improve that suddenly, he should try to make small change
for himself.
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