Health Risks According to Family Tree

 

          After creating my family tree and listing my relatives’ health issues, I can clearly see I have some risk factors I need to be aware of on both my mom and dad’s side of the family.  I have the risk of developing high cholesterol, hypertension, cancer–specifically breast, colon and bladder–, irritable bowel syndrome and diabetes.  Being overweight is also a trend seen amongst my relatives, which could impact my body mass index (BMI).  A high BMI could indicate more fat around my organs, specifically my stomach region, since that area has been known to be a problem in my family.  Having an increased amount of fat in this area includes many more health risks associated with it, called metabolic syndrome.  This syndrome includes hypertension, low blood high-density lipoprotein (HDL), high levels of triglycerides, which would promote plaque build up in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, and high levels of blood glucose.  Metabolic syndrome tremendously increases a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).

 

          In conjunction with being overweight, having high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol comes as a result of that.  High LDL cholesterol would affect my cardiovascular health, as well, by having plaque build up in my arteries.  The high level of LDL cholesterol would oxidize the LDL and attract immune systems to that region.  These immune cells would then transform into macrophages that cause fat cells to form.  These fat cells make plaque rupture likely to occur, which could cause a heart attack or stroke, which my grandfather has had.  My grandfather and other grandparents have such poor health partially due to an “atherogenic diet” including foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.  This type of diet may have also contributed to the diabetes in my family.  If I developed diabetes, by body would not make sufficient amounts of insulin in my blood to control my blood sugar, or may not even make insulin at all if I were to develop type 1 diabetes.  However, I do not eat an atherogenic diet, but I am very conscious of the foods I eat trying to make the most healthful, nutritious choices I can.  Moreover, I decrease my risk of contracting high cholesterol and diabetes by exercising and eating a diet low in saturated and trans fat.

 

          My grandparents may have also contributed to my health since my grandmothers were heavy smokers.  Smoking damages the heart directly with the carcinogens in the cigarette, but it also affects people around the smoker.  Both of my parents were around smoke constantly.  If my parents developed health issues related to second hand smoke, perhaps they could have passed those issues to me.  Some issues they may have, and possibly passed on to me, are high blood pressure and damaged lining of their blood vessels.  I have the susceptibility of contracting high blood pressure, which would strain my heart to work more than it needs to, shortening my heart’s life.  Eating a diet low in salt, saturated and trans fats, high in vitamins and minerals, and avoiding alcohol will help reduce my risk of obtaining hypertension.

 

          Another health issue that has been seen in my family is cancer.  Cancer may be in my genetics and cause certain cells, like in my breasts or bladder, to multiply uncontrollably and cause cancer to develop.  If this were to happen, the cells in my breast and bladder would not be able to function properly.  For example, perhaps I would not be able to produce milk in my breasts or be able to store urine properly.  Something else that would affect my excretion processes is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which I am at risk of having.  This digestive disorder affects my colon and its ability to excrete waste properly.  To try and combat the constipation and bloating I sometimes encounter, I eat soluble-fibrous foods, such as Brussels sprouts, drink plenty of water, and take a natural laxative to help relieve myself.

 

          As seen above with Brussels sprouts, nutrition can be a preventative measure in all of these health risks.  Brussels sprouts are high in soluble fiber, which helps pull bad cholesterol out of the bile in my liver and excretes it.  In general, I should try to avoid saturated fat and trans fats, which are both part of an “atherogenic diet.”  These foods would include anything fried, like shrimp tempura, shortening often used in baking, pies, and frosting, which are also high in sugar.  Avoiding these bad fats and sugary foods would decrease my risk of hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and having high LDL cholesterol; moreover, I would be decreasing my overall risk for CVD.  I should also try to consume my daily recommendation of fiber and complex carbohydrates to lower my risk of obesity.  Soluble fiber will digest slowly in my body, making me feel fuller for a long period of time, which would also reduce my risk of obesity by increasing my satiety and satiation.  Some foods to consume would be cooked black beans, oatmeal, apples, and chickpeas.  Additionally fibers can ward off my chance of getting colon cancer by binding to potential carcinogens in my digestive tract and allowing them to exit my body via excretion.  These fibers will also lower my risk for diabetes and hypertension by controlling my blood glucose levels and decreasing my LDL cholesterol (2013).   

 

          High levels of salt intake can also spur hypertension, so instead of eating salted almonds I should consume unsalted almonds and other various, unsalted nuts.  In addition to these foods there are many other foods high in potassium, which can help ward off hypertension, specifically bananas, dark leafy greens, and fish.  Fish is very important to consume a couple times a week to provide healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.  This healthy fat reduces inflammation in the body, prevents the possibility of a thrombus to form, lowers triglycerides in the blood, and is a nutritional powerhouse!  Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids are wild salmon and tuna, which I try to consume at least twice a week.

 

          All of these diet modifications can be summed up in the DASH diet.  The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can not only help lower one’s risk of hypertension, but a slew of other health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and obesity.  This diet focuses on consuming whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.  These fresh, unprocessed foods monitors one’s salt and sugar intake by not having additives in the major foods recommended to eat.  Consuming these raw fruits and vegetables allows one to gain many antioxidants, specifically from berries.  Antioxidants protect cells from interacting with oxygen, which could possibly damage them; damaged cells could mutate or multiply causing cancer to develop.  Therefore, a diet rich in vitamins and minerals would ward off the potential of cancer from developing.  Vitamins C and E particularly help reduce one’s risk for obtaining breast cancer (Kaczor, 2011), which can be found in red bell peppers, broccoli and Swiss chard. 

 

          The DASH diet would also consist of soluble fibers from foods such as oatmeal, apples, and carrots, which would also help to lower blood cholesterol by binding to cholesterol containing compounds in bile in my gallbladder.  This doesn’t allow the fibers to be reabsorbed by the intestine, but rather allows them to be excreted with feces.  The soluble fibers would also promote a healthy digestive tract by keeping the colonic bacteria present necessary for colon health, which would help with my IBS and reduce my risk of contracting colon cancer.  Foods that would contain much soluble fibers are oranges, grapefruits, black beans, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, and psyllium seeds found in fiber-laxatives.

 

          If I do not take any preventative measure by modifying my diet discussed above, then I could run into some serious health issues.  For example, say I eat very salty foods and do not watch my sodium intake.  Salt increases a person’s blood pressure causing hypertension, which over time will work the heart more than it should, decreasing the lifespan of the heart, and ultimately the person.  In addition to salt, a diet high in saturated and trans fat will also strain the heart.  These fats cause plaque to accumulate in the arteries making them very rigid, and narrow the passageway for blood to flow freely through the body.  Saturated fat can be found in red meat, which if not avoided in a diet can lead to cancer, such as breast; lucky for my body, I do not eat any red meat.  Yet any meat is concerning since they are often cooked via grilling or broiling, which causes the fats from the meat to mix with the fire and create carcinogens, which then latch onto the meat.  Carcinogens are a cancer causing substance, so all meat, fish, and poultry should not be fried, grilled, blackened, or broiled, or eaten this way very seldom, in order to prevent cancer from developing in the body.  Therefore people do not just have to be cautious about the foods they eat, but also how they prepare them to assure they are protecting themselves against health risk factors.

 

 

References

(2013).  Food sources of soluble fiber.  Dieticians of Canada.  Retrieved from: http://www.dietitians.ca/getattachment/3bb6330f-0ab2-48fc-9d24-1303ad70003d/Factsheet-Food-Sources-of-Soluble-Fibre.pdf.aspx

 

Kaczor, T.  (2011).  Antioxidant use during treatment for breast cancer.  Natural Medicine Journal, 3 (7).  Retrieved from: http://naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2011-07/antioxidant-use-during-treatment-breast-cancer