Managing Illness and Disease

Chronic diseases are not genetically determined, but should rather be considered as  a mismatch between our genes, and environment and lifestyle.

What is labelled ‘disease’ is the outcome of an imbalance in one of our core physiological processes. Our aim at NutritionalMatters is to question what may be the root causes of those imbalances and then seek to rebalance the body system rather than focusing on simply treating the presenting symptoms. This can help us create a tailored treatment plan for disease management and lifestyle management.

For example, consider inflammation which is the underlying process of many chronic diseases. There are a wide range of modern medications that work to suppress the inflammatory response. A more sound approach is to question what may be causing the inflammation in the first place; it could be microbes, allergens, toxins, poor diet and stress. Targeting these root causes as part of inflammation treatment can often eliminate the need for the medication and help to resolve the symptoms.

So chronic illness is not the inevitable circumstance of old age or the predetermined outcome of our genetic history. Rather it occurs at the intersection of the information encoded in our genes and the messages sent to our genes from our environment and our behaviour. Clearly our health is potentially much more under our control than we may have previously assumed.

The information encoded in our genes doesn’t determine how we are going to get sick, but does help us better understand how we should live to maximise our health over a longer life span.

Chronic disease doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, and may have started at birth, or even in the womb. 

The process starts with an exposure or an accumulation of factors that are sufficient for the disease to commence. This triggers changes in the body often, without the host being aware of them. This stage is called the incubation period (for infectious diseases) and the latency period (for chronic diseases). This period where symptoms don’t show (asymptomatic), depends on the individual and their condition, but it can range from seconds to decades.

The onset of symptoms then follows and may then lead to a labelling or diagnosis. 

Understanding the process of disease can be helpful to start mapping the path back to optimal health.

The body is a constantly healing system. The ability to recover to a healthy state after disease is an active process involving distinct mechanisms of adaptation which is coordinated between all physiological systems in the body.

It is globally acknowledged that diet and lifestyle play crucial roles in the prevention and repair of illness and disease. A balanced diet and moderate physical activity are key for a long and healthy life. Areas of focus include:

• Eating a varied diet based on real food, mostly plants and not too much
• Moving your body regularly in ways that are appropriate for you
• Developing stress management techniques
• Having restful sleep which is sufficient in length and of good quality
• Having a supportive social network; connecting regularly with positive people
• Avoiding toxins such as cigarettes, alcohol, drugs and sugar