Prevention and Management of Chronic Diseases - Utilizing Naturopathic Nutrition

Defining Chronic Diseases

Do you remember the classic saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Considering how nutrient-dense apples are, it is not a far-fetched idea to see how food can be an ally in the fight against chronic disease. Let’s further define chronic diseases and later discuss how nutrition can be used in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Since we are already discussing apples, let’s focus on the core of the problem and discuss chronic disease. There is some variation in the medical community with the use of the term “chronic disease”; however, by definition, chronic is something that continuously occurs or returns consistently.^[1] A disease is a disorder in the body producing signs and symptoms indicative of dysfunction and the need for intervention, as indicated.^[2] Hence, a chronic disease is a constant or recurring dysfunction of the body. Chronic diseases are long-term and can have unfortunate fatal outcomes despite treatment or if a source of treatment is unavailable. Did you know not just physical but also mental health conditions can also be classified as chronic diseases? Some common examples of chronic diseases include the following:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Bipolar depression
• Cancer
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Obesity

How are chronic diseases caused? In order to treat chronic disease, the root of the problem needs to be addressed. Like the roots in an apple tree, the roots of chronic disease also dig deep. The good news is the causes of chronic disease are largely preventable! Tobacco and alcohol use, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition have been shown to be the most prevalent causes of chronic disease.^[3] Do you notice how all these behaviours stem from personal choices? Do you know what this means for you? This means you have the ability and power to try to prevent chronic disease! Does this seem too good to be true? Unfortunately, there are also unpreventable causes of chronic disease. Individuals predisposed to unpreventable causes of chronic disease include the female, elderly, poor, less educated, homeless, and genetically predisposed.^[3]

Appearances can be deceiving with chronic disease. Imagine you are picking apples in a beautiful orchard. As you decide which apple you will pick, you inspect the visible apples within reach and notice how some have visible imperfections on the outside and some of them do not. You choose an apple that looks smooth and shiny on the outside. After you have picked and washed the apple, you place it on a cutting board and slice through the middle. Gasp! How could your seemingly normal apple have wormholes and browning on the inside? Chronic disease is also deceptive, and not everyone exhibits outward signs of disease. People can exhibit outward and/ or inward signs with chronic disease.^[4] The morale of the story: We never know what health battles other people may be fighting.

Let’s head back to the same apple tree. Take a good look at the tree and notice the number of apples on the tree. In our fun analogy, the apples on the tree represent the general population. Imagine almost half of the apples on the tree having an outward and/or inward imperfection just as almost half of the population has a chronic disease. When most of the population has a chronic disease, this is a huge health concern for the wellbeing of society. Furthermore, having one chronic disease predisposes an individual to having another chronic disease. Chronic diseases have also been shown to be the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.^[5] With chronic disease being such a bad apple, let’s further discuss ways to prevent and manage it via nutrition.

Prevention of Chronic Disease

As previously mentioned, chronic diseases have both preventable and unpreventable factors. The preventable factors involve healthy choices, such as abstaining from tobacco and excessive alcohol use, increasing physical activity, and eating a nutritious diet. Your diet is the type of food you eat; however, nutrition refers to the food you eat compared to your body’s cellular (i.e. vitamins and minerals) and metabolic needs.^[6] Thus, the diet you consume will impact your nutritional status and overall health, either in helpful or harmful ways. Everyone will have different nutritional needs based upon their unique body composition. There are many nutritional plans out there, and each individual is charged with finding the right plan—individually or with the help of a qualified provider—for optimal health. A key point to remember is to not choose a trendy or quick-fix weight-loss program that has not been supported by credible literature.

In general, a clean diet full of fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy oils, and spices that is organic; grass-fed; locally sourced; and free of hormones, pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and allergens, as well as in congruence with one’s personal beliefs, is preferred in order to reduce one’s overall toxic burden and help to reduce the risk of chronic disease. When choosing fruits and vegetables, try to eat a variety of colours from the rainbow to ensure you receive a variety of vitamins and minerals in your healthy diet.^[7] Did you know eating inflammatory foods, such as trans fatty acids and sugar, is linked with an increased risk of cancer and other chronic diseases too? Try to remove the CRAP from your diet:

• C = Carbonated sodas
• R = Refined foods and sugars
• A = Artificial sweeteners and dyes
• P = Processed foods

Prevention starts with you and the choices you make at each meal. The next time you head to the pantry for the cheese puffs, perhaps make a detour to the fruit basket instead. An apple a day might help to keep the doctor away after all!

Management of Chronic Disease

If a chronic disease cannot be prevented, then the next step is management. A nutrientdense diet can help to both prevent and manage chronic disease. When an individual has a chronic disease, the management becomes specific to cater to that specific individual. The mainstays of modern chronic-disease management include medications, surgeries, and radiation therapies; however, these treatments often create unexpected and unwanted side effects.^[8] Conventional therapies require a risk-versus-benefit approach for choosing the appropriate therapies for each individual.

We previously discussed the importance of eating a diet full of clean and quality foods. Why might this be the case? Think of the human body as a factory made of different departments (organs) that are full of people (cells), who communicate between each department. This communication is what determines how well the factory works (metabolism and basic body functions). The human body is made of cells, which use chemical messengers to communicate with the body. Other chemicals that also can communicate with the human body include medications, GMOs, artificial food additives (dyes, sweeteners), and pesticides. These chemicals can be found in the environment, home and beauty products, and food and water supplies. Not all chemicals are created equal. Please choose the ones that will help, not harm, your body! Along with nutritional strategies to manage chronic disease, a myriad of other treatments can be recommended. Some chronic diseases have a fatal course regardless of treatment; however, symptoms can be relieved and palliated with supportive therapies, which may include amino acids, herbs, minerals, vitamins, and more. Medications may be required in some cases in order to meet each individual’s needs and can be administered via various routes, including intravenous vitamin therapies.^[9] Individuals will need to work with a qualified medical practitioner to find the right treatment balance while monitoring outcomes and titrating or tapering therapies as indicated.

In conclusion, chronic diseases are largely preventable, yet have some unpreventable causes too. The right balance of physical activity; avoidance of tobacco and excessive alcohol; and proper nutrition with a clean, quality, nutrient-dense diet is essential for prevention and management strategies. Management of chronic disease will include specific therapies that are tailored to fit each individual’s need. Given the right tools, the human body has the amazing ability to help itself!