WESTERN society has become obsessively interested in the "healthy lifestyle", and, in particular, in the "healthy diet". We hope that if we eat the right things we will avoid the chronic degenerative diseases of our times - heart disease and cancer.
Our interest in this matter was raised again this week by the reported remarks of the heart surgeon ("I am only a heart plumber") Mr Maurice Neligan and the response from Dr Risteard Mulcahy of the Irish Heart Foundation.
Basically, Mr Neligan believes that since heart disease is caused by so many factors, it is unwise to be too closely prescriptive when making dietary recommendations to the public. Dr Mulcahy seems to favour the more prescriptive approach to public dietary recommendations, i.e. more closely specifying the details of the healthy diet.
On dietary advice to the general public, I would favour Mr Ncligan's approach. However, for advice to people whose physical and medical circumstances arc known a more prescriptive approach is appropriate.
Tire are several dangers in being too prescriptive with dietary advice to the public. It leads many people to believe that choosing a healthy diet requires skill and knowledge and that serious mistakes can easily happen. This is not the case. The rules of healthy eating are well established and easy to follow.
A healthy diet is composed of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals, all in the right proportions and forms. Choosing a diet that will supply this requirement is very easy.
The first and most important rule of good nutrition is that one should eat a diet that is consistently varied across the four major food groups. Adults are advised to eat, every day, four servings from the fruits and vegetables group, four from the bread and cereal grains group, two of dairy products (i.e. milk and cheese etc.), and two from the meat and beans group (i.e. meat, fish, poultry or eggs; peas, beans or nuts are alternatives). The choices from each group should be varied from day to day.
THE second rule of healthy living is to maintain a healthy weight. This is done by consuming only enough food to balance the amount of energy expended. People who become overweight increase their chances of developing diabetes and hypertension, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
The third rule is to take moderate amounts of aerobic exercise. This will maintain cardiovascular fitness, tend to depress the appetite, keep you alert and reduce stress. Walking, running, swimming and cycling are all suitable.
For example, a daily brisk, three mile walk, done in 50 minutes, is sufficient to maintain a good level of fitness. If you are out of condition you will have to gradually work up to this.
Much is made nowadays about the connection between dietary fat and heart disease. There is evidence that large amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol in, the diet can lead to elevated levels of serum cholesterol, which can accumulate in artery walls and cause clogging. However, dietary cholesterol does not always raise serum cholesterol and other factors are associated with atherosclerosis, such as cigarette smoking, blood pressure and diabetes.
Eating a consistently varied diet - in moderation will ensure that disproportionate amounts of fat are not consumed. In my opinion, the average healthy person need be concerned no further than this about fat. If special individual circumstances apply, e.g. high levels of blood cholesterol, you should take specialised advice on diet from your doctor.
A SIMPLE minded formula has gained currency in recent years to the effect that some foods are "good" and others "bad". For example, fish and high fibre are said to be good, whereas red meat and butter are bad.
To single out individual foods as either good or bad is dangerous. It tends to make people over emphasise some foods and possibly cut out other foods altogether, even whole food groups. The result is an unbalanced diet which can, in extreme cases, lead to severe problems.
So, in summary, I believe the message that encapsulates both the scientific consensus and common sense is: don't smoke; eat a wide variety of foods in moderation (and savour them); watch your weight; and take plenty of aerobic exercise. Do these things and you can rest assured you are doing all you sensibly can. But remember that in this life, apart from death and taxes, there are no guarantees.
