Modern science has improved so much with the aid of improved sanitation, vaccination, antibiotics and medical attention that it has reduced the threat of death and even eliminated from most infectious diseases. This would only imply that death from lifestyle diseases are now the primary causes of death. Everybody, undoubtedly, has to naturally die one day but Lifestyle Diseases cause untimely deaths. Lifestyle Diseases, as the title suggests is slowly becoming a menace that is taking away a lot of lives in and around our communities. This term loosely may refer to any disease/diseases which are provoked by the unhealthy behavior and choices people make in their lives. These diseases stem from the kind of lifestyle that one lives in their everyday habits and way of eating hence they are called LIFESTYLE DISEASES. These are preventable diseases and are on many levels, self-inflicted as they are caused by our own careless lifestyle. In the past few decades, we have been witnessing a rapid transformation in the lifestyle of people, particularly those of us who are living in towns and cities. With urban culture gaining popularity, economic growth progressing and social expansion, the lifestyle of many of us has become very static. With the changes in eating habits and the on-growing trend of a sedentary lifestyle, we see a rapid rise of Lifestyle Diseases. Incidentally, the WHO (2005) has given a very futuristic graph projection which predicts that by 2020, 7 million Indians may die of lifestyle diseases and the way we Nagas live, with no cap to our Epicurean lifestyle, it will be not surprising if we form a bulk of that graph.
So what are the risk factors that trigger Lifestyle Diseases? Lack of exercise, smoking, drinking alcohol, stress, frustration related to studies and career, unhealthy competition, prolonged engagement with computer and TV, inadequate sleep, over eating, and other bad food habits like imbalanced diet, wrong dietary habits(In the case of us, Nagas, too much of starch-packed white rice and red meat in our diet), excessive use of packed and junk food, lack of essential nutrients in our meals, etc are some, to name a few. These bad lifestyle habits are not limited only to adults but seen even in children, so much so that they would prefer to play games on the computer or video games, or play indoor games, or spend time chatting on mobile phone/facebook/whatsapp, etc rather than to go out and play, as was the usual once upon a time. These bad lifestyle habits build up like a slow and latent volcano, waiting to erupt at any point of time. Its onset is insidious. They take years to develop and once encountered are very difficult to cure. But there is hope yet. The good news is that these are diseases that potentially can be prevented or controlled, by changes in diet, environment and lifestyle.
So now, let’s briefly look at the most common diseases which are caused by these bad lifestyle moves/habits and ways to prevent it.
1. Central Obesity(Obesity around waist)
2. Heart disease
3. High Blood Pressure
4. Diabetes
5. Chronic Kidney Disease
6. Chronic Liver Disease
7. Breast Cancer
8. Depression
9. Cervical Cancer
10. Arthritis
Prevention:
1. Weight control.
2. Daily physical exercise. Eg: Brisk walking for 30-45 mins, at least 5 days in a week.
3. Moderate intake of alcohol, salt, junk food and sweets.
4. Avoiding Gutka, Tobacco, etc.
5. Include high fiber diet such as green vegetables and fruits in meals.
6. Cut down on use of oil, ghee, butter, fats, red meat and carbohydrates.
7. Keep a check on tension, anger and depression.
8. Monitor your Blood Pressure at regular intervals.
9. Have a routine check up every year for blood sugar and cholesterol, Kidney function test and Liver Function Test.
10. Especially for women; once they attain 30 years of age, it’s advised that they do a regular breast check up and Pap Smear.
It is time to act now from an early age and adopt a healthy lifestyle in the families to combat these diseases by following the above preventive measures and to have a long and happy and healthy life. Regular health checks combined with lifestyle changes can go a long way in prevention, early detection and cure of Lifestyle Diseases. These are wise investments for a better life. Live long, live happy.
DR. L. Pangerlemba Walling
MBBS, PGDEM(RCGP), PGDD(JHUSM)
IIT Delhi Hospital
