Live your life Well: Preventing and Managing Chronic Disease
According to the Centers for Disease Control, half of all Americans live with at least one chronic disease, like heart disease, cancer, stroke, or diabetes. Along with others such as obesity, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy and tooth decay, these are the leading causes of death and disability in America. Chronic diseases are conditions that require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both. Most chronic diseases are caused by choices we make such as: tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke, poor quality nutrition, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol use.
What we eat and how much we move, has a significant role in preventing and managing most chronic diseases. Eat MORE fruits and vegetables. Use “healthy” fats in moderation: such as nuts, avocadoes, olives and salmon and choose WHOLE grains in bread, cereal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, rye and barley. Decrease sugary beverages such as soda or juice. Senior Nutrition Programs such as Home Delivered is a great way to start eating better since they follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.