"Do you have high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol all at once? Why so many?"... What is the worst eating habit?

My mother has all three of these diseases...

I'm glad that your eating habits are truly healthy.

Furthermore, you are also making an effort to exercise regularly...

I hope you stay healthy without any heart or cerebrovascular diseases.

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Hypertension, Diabetes, Hyperlipidemia: The Starting Point of Heart and Cerebrovascular Diseases

건강 유지에는 음식 조절과 금연이 가장 중요하다. 운동은 그 다음이다. 담배부터 끊고 고열량-고지방-고탄수화물 식습관을 바꿔야 한다. [사진=게티이미지뱅크]

Maintaining health primarily depends on controlling diet and quitting smoking. Exercise comes next. You should quit smoking first and change your high-calorie, high-fat, high-carbohydrate eating habits. [Photo = Getty Images Bank]

According to data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, the number of patients receiving treatment for hypertension last year exceeded 7.47 million. About 3.82 million are men, and about 3.65 million are women. There are quite a few female patients. Among them, approximately 3.14 million have hyperlipidemia as well, and about 870,000 suffer from diabetes concurrently. These are the leading diseases that damage the heart and cerebrovascular system. Why are these numbers continually increasing?

Heart and cerebrovascular damage and increased risk of dementia... The starting point is hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia

According to the 'Cause of Death Statistics' (2022) by the Korea National Statistical Office, the leading causes of death in our country are cancer (1st), followed by heart disease (2nd), cerebrovascular disease (5th), diabetes (8th), and hypertensive disease (9th). In particular, strokes caused by damaged cerebral blood vessels (ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke) can leave significant aftereffects such as paralysis, speech and vision impairments, even if they save lives. Vascular dementia also has about a 30% rate of post-stroke sequelae. The starting point of these deadly diseases is hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.

If you have even one of hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia... "Start by changing your eating habits."

Maintaining health primarily involves controlling diet and quitting smoking. Exercise comes next. You should first quit smoking and change your high-calorie, high-fat, high-carbohydrate eating habits. These contribute to increased triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in the blood, which can narrow and completely block blood vessels.

Avoid excessive saturated fats (meat fat, snacks), refined carbohydrates (white flour, white rice) and instead focus on a diet centered on whole grains, legumes, fish, and vegetables. According to the Disease Control and Prevention Agency's guidelines for cardiovascular disease prevention and management, whole grains and legumes are beneficial. To manage blood pressure, reduce salty foods, and to prevent and control diabetes, limit high-calorie and sweet foods.

You need to burn enough calories from your food... "Move after meals."

Physical activity is also important. There is no need to insist on formal exercise. By sufficiently burning the energy (calories) consumed after a meal to prevent fat accumulation, you can achieve this. Avoid sitting for long periods after eating and move your body, which helps to gradually lower blood sugar levels and is beneficial for diabetes prevention and management. Aerobic exercises such as walking help lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and increase HDL cholesterol, which benefits vascular health. They also have a blood pressure-lowering effect, contributing to the prevention and management of hypertension.

Regularly monitor blood pressure and blood sugar levels... "Be mindful of your heart and brain blood vessels too"

High blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia can lead to heart disease (angina pectoris - myocardial infarction) and stroke (ischemic stroke - cerebral hemorrhage), which initially have no symptoms. When chest pain or headaches appear, the condition is already quite advanced. Since symptoms can worsen without warning, regular check-ups are important. It is necessary to monitor blood pressure and blood sugar levels regularly while checking the heart and brain vessels. Especially for middle-aged women, decreased estrogen (female hormone) worsens blood pressure and blood vessels. Do not become complacent thinking that high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia are "common illnesses." You should manage your body with the mindset of completely eliminating these conditions at their root.

Kim Yong ecok@kormedi.com

Health/Fitness

"Do you have high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol all at once? Why so many?"... What is the worst eating habit?