FOOD for THOUGHT

A chronic disease is a long-lasting health condition such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis or diabetes. Some of the major risk factors you can control are what you eat, how much energy (or kilojoules) you consume and the amount of exercise and activity you do.

Well, what about genetics, you might ask. You can’t control that! Studies have shown that genetics does play a role in chronic disease, but only by around 20 to 30 per cent in terms of longevity, and that, in fact, factors such as nutrition and other lifestyle measures may play a more powerful role in determining your lifespan.

Today, we’re gathering more and more knowledge and developing greater understanding than ever about food and nutrition, and their relationship to health and wellbeing. We’re able to be more specific and more prescriptive when it comes to nutritional medicine.

Many people have micronutrient deficiencies because they have a limited dietary repertoire. One common example is when a member of a ‘meat and three veg’ family decides they want to be vegetarian or vegan. This