Norihiro Shinkawa writes:
Mr.Tanaka says he is "health-conscious", but his lifestyle and
medical records are unhealthy. He has many risk factors for coronary
heart disease.
First, I'll think about his lifestyle. He doesn't have time to
eat breakfast most morning because he is busy. When we don't eat
breakfast, blood sugar level is low and brain doesn't work rightly. He
often eats fast foods at lunch and dinner. Fast foods are convenient
but they contain food additive. I think his worst eating habit is his
confusion by many information. For example, he says "I should be
eating foods that are rich in fiber like most Japanese, I get my fiber
from udon and rice". He relies on vitamin supplements which he takes
with four or five of cups of coffee in the morning and colas in the
afternoon. This is overconsumption of caffeine. And, in taking vitamins this way, some vitamins may
be broken before they absorbed in the stomach. Japanese foods are
rich in fiber but rice and udon are not enough. Intaking vitamin from just supplements with
coffee and cola is wrong. We should intake fiber and vitamin from
vegetables, fruits, milk and so on.
A second problem is in his medical
records. Both his grandfather and father have diabetes. His mother is
currently ill with a critical heart condition. To Think genetically,
may have diabetes. Diabetes and family history of heart disease may be
risk factors for coronary heart disease. His high blood cholesterol
and being a male are also risk factors for coronary heart disease.
He doesn't eat sweet foods -- this is good but he should do more exercise.
I have to advise him. At lunch and dinner, he may be busy and relies
on fast foods. So he should eat breakfast which contains carbohydrates
like rice or bread, vitamin in vegetables or fruits, protein in eggs
or milk. And broiled or grilled fish and skinless chicken and less
fried meats. Eating broiled or grilled meats helps lower cholesterol levels. I think he
has to pay attention to his intake of fats, because he often eat
fast foods and he lacks exercise.
He asks " What's the real
difference between carbohydrates and fats?" Both carbohydrates and
fats are source of energy, carbohydrates are contained in rice, bread
etc, fats are contained in animal oil, vegetable oil etc.
Carbohydrates are used as energy after eating right away. Too much
energies for a body will be changed for fats and saved in the body.
Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories. Fats are saved in the
body and used when we exercise hard or when we are very hungry. Each
gram of fats provides 9 calories. He is very confused about what be
the recommended daily amounts(RDA) of vitamins and minerals for a man
his age. Fruits are rich sources of vitamins for example one orange,
1/2 cup of chopped fruit and a cup of fruit juice. Minerals like
calcium are contained in milk products. Other foods which contain
vitamins, are eggs ( vitamin A,B-2,B-6,), fish oil (vitamin D), grains
(vitamin B-1). We should eat one cup of yogurt and one ounces of
cheese. We eat them and small amount of others a day.
Mr. Tanaka does
not like to exercise. He exercises for only about a half an hour once
a week and yet he feels this is enough to keep him from becoming fat.
He should more exercise because keeping his weight down results in
reducing his LDL. For example, he will go to the office by bicycle. He
surprised by his LDL level since he doesn't eat sweet foods since he
believes only sweet foods affect LDL level. But blood cholesterol
levels are influenced by family history, weight age, smoking, physical
activity and eating habits. So eating a well-balanced nutritional breakfast,
not relying on fast foods, and doing more exercise may lower his LDL. And he
feels pressure at work. He also can't relax even after work. He
should find a hobby that helps him to relax.
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