Make everyday a ‘Watch What You Eat’ Day.
While most of us watch what we eat only to count calories (and sometimes for the sake of nutrition), there’s a sinister side to the story. We don’t count the number of food related illnesses that the food we eat can cause. Here are the top 5 food related maladies that you need to be aware of:
Mall-Nutrition
That’s a new term coined by doctors at AIIMS to sum up the condition that most of us ignore. Mall-nutrition often leaves most of us mal-nourished. Studies over the last decade have shown that Delhi school students are prone to prediabetes.
4% Delhi kids suffer from high blood pressure – the ailment which is known to be a precursor to heart problems, heart attacks and strokes. Now striking even five year olds. Childhood obesity is a real threat. But adults are probably worse off. Just go chat with an emergency medic doctor over a cup of coffee. He will tell you most of his patients being wheeled into emergency for heart attack are in their 30s, some in their 20s. Fertility related issues are on the rise, all thanks to junk food. (Show me one young couple who hasn’t had to worry about it recently!).
Onslaught of Lesser Known, but Very Serious Diseases
Most of us don’t know if we suffer from celiac, gluten intolerance or other food allergies. WHO says 2 million people globally are exposed to the risk of dying due of food allergies every year.
Gluten is in your wheat, barley and other cereals. Some doctors say 5 out of every 100 kids in India suffer from gluten intolerance. Most kids suffering from food allergies in India and do not get diagnosed early enough.
Often children end up with delayed growth issues and nutritional deficiencies, which could later lead to stunting and hormonal issues. How many of us know what a gluten-free diet looks like?
Pesticides in Foods
It’s an evergreen news story! Every year Delhi authorities conduct a so-called ‘raid’ on Delhi fruit and vegetable markets, pick a few samples and tell journos that pesticides levels are very high. Every year, journalists rush with their cameras to the subzi mandis for a story. And every year, we give up eating a few of the veggies shown on TV news channels, temporarily.
Frankly, I haven’t cracked the solution yet, except for washing your fruits and veggies thoroughly before consumption, pre-soaking them in water or avoiding some of them altogether. If you have the monies, you could buy from organic markets too. But I don’t see either of the two as sustainable. It’s a consumer rights issue and we as consumers need to put our foot down. Make food safety a political agenda like paani, bijli, school, aspataal and roads. Meanwhile, don’t forget to wash your veggies thoroughly.
Sugar and Salt
As commonplace as these sound, these still remain invisible ingredients that kill. And no, I’m not exaggerating. We use so much salt and sugar everyday, that we just can’t think of rationing it. You may have given up your cakes and samosas, but a little less salt in the subzi at dinner, and most will find it difficult to swallow. How many of you know that raw veggies themselves contain a lot of sodium, enough for your body.
And it is not just the cheeni – it is also the kind of sugar used in our processed foods. Nutritionists will tell you that most processed foods use glucose that quickly dissolves in your blood, which is not healthy. The result, in the long term, is heart ailments, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol levels, high glucose levels and hormonal issues.
And Lastly, Food Related Infections
Most of us probably know what they are like. The simple art of avoiding street food, especially in rainy seasons and weather changes, hasn’t been mastered by many. It’s even more important now – with weakened immunities and extra strong and drug resistant bacteria, a typhoid could lead you to an ICU. A Salmonella and E.coli infection can do that too. And the recovery is much more difficult than it used to be a decade ago. Point being, watch what you eat and where you eat.
And the only true piece of advice folks, is to build your immunity. If you are falling sick often, check for vitamin deficiencies. Get regular blood tests done and know your body. Don’t go to your doctor for sickness. Go chat with him or her for health. Over a cup of coffee. Without sugar.
The author has been a health journalist with CNN-IBN and extensively reported on public health issues for 9 years. At present, she is working with the Immunization Program of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Public Health Foundation of India.
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Related Links:
Before you Bite Into That Carrot, Read This
Junk the Junk Food: Why it’s Important To Say No
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