In recent years, the health of US citizens has been especially alarming: obesity and heart disease top the list of the most common causes of death, and the situation needs to be changed radically. According to the American Heart Association, metabolic syndrome, a combination of abnormalities, such as obesity, hypertension, elevated blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, is becoming more common (About metabolic syndrome, 2021). Metabolic syndrome, which affects about 34% of American adults, significantly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The situation is becoming more alarming; to reduce risks and improve the general level of public health, it is necessary to raise public awareness about the dangers of obesity.
How the Information Assist Me in Taking Care of My Own Health
In my opinion, the easiest way to reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome is to lose weight and keep fit. I try to adhere to the second rule: control body weight and play sports. My main problem is nutrition control; after reading the article, I am going to change my diet. First of all, I should give up fast food and minimize my consumption of saturated fats and trans fats. To achieve the required level of fat per day, I will look at foods containing unsaturated fats, as they are more beneficial for health. I should prefer vegetable oils as they are also good sources of essential fatty acids.
How I Can Apply the Information when Working with Patients in a Health Care Setting
Since cardiovascular diseases have only been increasing in recent years, in my opinion, this problem requires special attention from medical staff. When working with patients, it is necessary to inform them about the risks of cardiovascular diseases and the development of metabolic syndrome. There are risk factors that cannot be controlled: age, gender, family history of illness, the presence of diabetes. However, along with these factors, some can reduce the risk by changing the standard of living. While counseling patients, I will strongly encourage them to do regular exercise that will help lower LDL levels and increase HDL levels. For overweight patients, I will give recommendations for healthy weight loss and inform them about the burden that excess weight and consumption of excess fat puts on the heart system.
As a preventive measure, especially if the patient already has risk factors, I recommend reviewing the daily diet by minimizing saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. To do this, patients should include fish and seafood in their diet, eat more plant foods and try not to consume more than 10% of saturated fats from total calories per day (Blake, 2020). I understand that it can be difficult for most patients to adopt new eating habits and lifestyle changes, despite the obvious risks. Therefore, I am against a radical change in nutrition and lifestyle; everything must be done gradually. I will advise patients to gradually reduce the number of unhealthy fats in their diet, for example, by switching from coffee with cream to coffee with skimmed milk. Patients can also replace their morning buttered toast with avocado or redfish toast, opt for yogurt instead of ice cream, and keep an eye on the fat content of dairy products. In this way, patients will gradually adapt to a healthier life without disturbing the usual order of things.
Thus, as a future physician, I must pay increased attention to the problem of obesity and the increased mortality from cardiovascular diseases. One of the main ways to protect the population can be preventive measures. Even minor changes in the habitual diet and a little time devoted to sports can prevent negative health consequences for each patient. As a physician, I must educate patients about the risks associated with the problem and help them change their habits to improve their health.
References
American Heart Association. (2021). About metabolic syndrome. Attack and Stroke Symptoms. Web.
Blake, J. S. (2020). Nutrition & You. Pearson Education, Incorporated.