The 6 Pillars of Good Health Begin With Food

Nowadays, a myriad of studies commonly conclude that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are rooted in improper lifestyle choices and habits. Thus, Lifestyle Medicine is born; as a medical discipline that aims to adjust behaviors to prevent, improve or manage NCDs with evidence-based medicine.

Lifestyle medicine comprises 6 pillar concepts. This includes nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and social connection.

In this volume of our journal, the first pillar concept, which is nutrition, will be discussed. The most apparent issue that falls under this pillar concept is the issue of being overweight and obesity in both adolescents and adults. Obesity is the leading cause of a number of NCDs. Therefore, being able to lose and maintain an appropriate body weight may help increase one’s life expectancy by 10%.

                  Currently, ready-to-eat and processed food that are full of salt, oil, and sugar are in abundance and very accessible. These products provide an excessive amount of energy and are stored in the body as fat. The more processed the food, the more danger it presents to one’s health. Food products can be categorized into 4 groups:

• Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are food products that are not processed, such as edible parts of plants or animals. This included edible seaweed and mushrooms. Minimally processed foods have inedible parts removed so that they can be preserved for consumption. These processes may include grinding, toasting, pasteurization, cooling, and marination. However, these processes do not include any seasoning or additives.
  Examples: Ground peanuts, pasteurized milk, dried shiitake mushrooms, plain yogurt
• Processed culinary ingredients include products from the first group that are put through a process, such as pressing, extraction or distillation in order to become ingredients for cooking.
  Examples: Vegetable oil, butter, flour, and salt
• Processed foods are categorized by adding ingredients from the second group, like salt, oil or sugar, with food from the first group to become delectable. Processed foods may involve other procedures to preserve the finished products, such as canning.
  Examples: Canned fruits, salted meat, smoked salmon or seasoned legumes
• Ultra-processed foods are often manufactured in multi-procedure industrial productions to adjust each food’s composition. Additives are usually added, such as thickeners, foaming agents, glazing agents, and antimicrobial agents. These additives are added to preserve the quality and taste of products so that they are convenient for consumption, retain their acceptable taste, and extend their shelf life. Examples: Carbonated drinks, candies, cookies, hot dogs, meat nuggets, and ready-to-eat meals. 

                The American College of Lifestyle Medicine has proposed a diet named, “A Whole Food, Plant-Based Plate” to combat NCDs. This diet includes consuming food that are made from plants, fruits, unrefined cereals, nuts, and seeds that are most minimally processed. Despite food being plant-based, it may still be considered an unhealthy choice if undergone a number of processes.

Whilst being an uncommon diet to many, taking steps to gradual change to switch to such diet are recommended:

1.  Planning meals ahead of time. An organizing application or writing down a meal plan in a journal are sufficient. Portioning out ingredients to be suitable for each meal will also allow for easier and quicker preparation.
2. Strategically placing healthy choices of food in one’s line of sight so that they are the first to be seen or the easiest to reach. This helps create more opportunities for making better food choices.
3. Planning ahead when eating out. Pair up food items that make for a healthier meal or ask for substitutions with more vegetables, legumes and grains. If it was convenient, one could bring their own food.
4. Work as a family by nurturing preferences for vegetables and fruits. Allow young family members to make choices of new greens or fruits they want to try. Grow a garden and assign tending tasks to them.
5. Set food-related goals for each week and adhere to the SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). For example, set a goal to increase vegetable intake to 3 cups per day within 1 month.

               Adjusting one’s eating habits takes effort and consistency, but the result is guaranteed to be worthwhile. Nutrition is just one of the pillar concepts of lifestyle medicine. To maintain good health, other factors must be considered, such as being physically active, management of stress, sufficient sleep, avoiding risky substances, and maintaining social connections. Perpetual balance of the 6 pillar concepts will grant wellness for both the body and the mind.

Reference

1. Abe M, Abe H. Lifestyle medicine–An evidence based approach to nutrition, sleep, physical activity, and stress management on health and chronic illness. Personalized Medicine Universe. 2019 Jul 1;8:3-9.
2. Hauser ME, McMacken M, Lim A, Shetty P. Nutrition-An Evidence-Based, Practical Approach to Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment. The Journal of Family Practice. 2022 Jan 1;71(Suppl 1 Lifestyle):S5-16.
3. Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Levy RB, Moubarac JC, Louzada ML, Rauber F, Khandpur N, Cediel G, Neri D, Martinez-Steele E, Baraldi LG. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public health nutrition. 2019 Apr;22(5):936-41.