Diet Record Project Part VI

1. Hypertension
a. Genetics: I am likely to suffer from this condition since both of my parents have

hypertension.
b. Body Weight: My body weight is normal as of now, so that should not be a reason to

worry for the time being. I should be careful though, because an increased BMI index

is one of the leading causes of hypertension.

c. Alcohol: I do not consume alcohol.
d. Physical Activity: I engage in aerobic activities for at least 60 minutes everyday as

part of my training routine for rowing. This should significantly decrease the chance

of me getting hypertension.
e. Nutritional Intake: According to the DASH diet, I should be following a diet plan

rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk products, whole grains and nuts.
a. Fruits and Vegetables: While my diet does contain some fruit and vegetables

(fruit salad, cabbage, etc.) I do not meet the 4-5 daily servings for each group,

recommended by the DASH diet. I should increase my consumption of

vegetables, especially dark green ones which are rich in Potassium (lowers

blood pressure.) I currently have between 2 and 3 servings of fruit and

vegetables daily.
b. Fats: The DASH diet recommends 2-3 tsp of fat and oils per day, a quantity

which I exceeded liberally. For example, my salad alone contained 2 table

spoons of olive oil, and that does not account for the saturated fat I got from

eating beef steak or butter. I should significantly lower fat consumption in

order to avoid future problems related to hypertension. Furthermore, eating

red meat instead of lean meats such as chicken or fish is a know factor of

hypertension, mostly because they have high concentrations of saturated fats.

 My saturated fat intake is 43.15 grams, which is much more than the 6% of

daily calorie intake recommended by the DASH diet.

c. Sodium: The DASH diet recommends a 2300 mg of Sodium per day, which I

exceed by almost double the amount with an intake of 5922.31 mg. Sodium is

not a cause of hypertension, but a reduction of Sodium intake has been proven

to help lower blood pressure.

d. Sugars and Sweets: The DASH diet recommends that I have less than 5

servings a week. During the 3 days I recorder my diet I only had about 3

servings of sweets, which places me below the recommended amount,

assuming that I did not consume any more sweets for the rest of the week. (Of

course I had more sweets.) I should also reduce my intake of empty calories.
e. Ca/Mg intake: My calcium intake (1,741.03 mg) is within the recommended

margins, but most of it comes from whole milk and butter, both of which are

high in saturated fats. I should replace them with low-fat equivalents. My

magnesium intake is within the recommended range (408.91 mg.)

2. Diabetes:
a. Weight: I am not at risk, since diabetes is most prevalent among overweight

people whose cells become immune to the insulin produced by the pancreas.
b. Unacceptable Habits: I do not smoke, drink or take any kinds of drugs so I am

not at risk from this point of view either.

c. Physical activity: I get more than enough physical activity since I am an athlete.
d. Genetics: I am not at risk of developing genetics since I am not part of one of the

high risk populations (Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, Mexican

Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders.)

e. Carbohydrate Sources:
i. I tend to consume more empty calories than the recommended amount

(during one day I consumed 250 grams of sugar, which is 6.7 times more
 than the recommended intake for men.) I should decrease my sugar intake

and replace the sugars in my diet with foods that are rich in fiber.
f. Dietary fat:
i. As previously stated, my saturated fat intake exceeds the recommended

amount. While fat intake does not have a direct effect on diabetes, it is

important to avoid a fatty diet, because diabetes is commonly associated

with CVD, where saturated fats (LDL) play an important role.

g. Chromium:
i. I thought it would be interesting to add this micronutrient to my project

since it helps increase cell sensitivity to insulin. My diet report does not

specify what my Chromium intake is, but by doing a little bit of research I

found out that eggs, beef, oats, corn and broccoli are all good sources of

Chromium, so I think it is safe to make the assumption that my Chromium

intake is adequate.
3. Cancer:
a. Environmental Factors: I am at risk because I live in an urban setting where

there is a lot of pollution and carcinogenic factors.

b. Dietary Factors:
i. Red meat: My red meat intake exceeds the 18-ounce recommendation per

week. My hamburger and steak alone help me exceed the limit by almost

double the amount. Furthermore, I should also change the preparation

method, since cooking meats at high temperatures causes creatine and

amino acids to react and form carcinogens. I should eat more fish and

vegetables which are rich in Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids.

ii. Vegetables: As previously stated, I should increase my fruit and vegetable

intake. With regard to cancer prevention, I should place special emphasis

on cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) which are rich in

 phytochemicals. I should also opt for more fiber-rich foods, since fiber can

help protect against certain types of cancer (e.g. colon.)

iii. Vitamins C and E: antioxidant vitamins are known to play an important

role in cancer prevention since they help neutralize free radicals. My

vitamin C intake is adequate (148.01 mg,) but I should increase my

vitamin E intake by consuming more oils rich in that vitamin.

In conclusion, I think I have a moderate risk of developing each of the three chronic diseases that

I mentioned. I think however, that this risk can be mitigated if I replace some of the red meats in

my diet with fish and vegetables. I should consume more nuts and healthy oils and make sure I

decrease my sugar intake.