Transcript Disease prevention through a vegetarian or vegan diet

Disease prevention through a
vegetarian or vegan diet
Objective: learn how a well-balanced
vegetarian or vegan diet can help to
prevent certain chronic diseases
STARTER – Disease animation
• As a class, let’s explore this animation about
diet, disease and veggie health
http://www.teachvegetarian.com/diseaseprevention-diet-lifestyle.
• As you can see, a plant-based diet can be
packed full of nutrients, vitamins and minerals
to protect your health.
Sugar, Fat and Disease
Normal function of
sugar = provides us
with short-term energy.
Normal function of fats
= to provide certain
essential fatty acids
and vitamins plus act as
a secondary source of
energy.
Sugar and Tooth Decay
What is Tooth Decay
How excessive sugar
consumption causes
obesity
How a vegan diet can avoid
obesity
Tooth Decay (or Dental
Caries) is the disintegration
of the hard tissues of the
teeth (including the
enamel).
Bacteria/plaque feed on
the sugar to produce acid
which attacks the enamel
of the tooth.
Processed animal products
(especially dairy) often contain
higher levels of artificially
added sugar. A plant-based
diet rich in whole foods
contains a healthier level of
naturally occurring sugars
only.
Sugar, Fat and Obesity
What is obesity
How excessive sugar and How a vegan diet can avoid
fat consumption causes obesity
obesity
Obesity is a condition in
which an individual is very
overweight with a high level
of body fat.
Sugar that is not broken
down for energy is
instead stored as fat,
which can lead to
obesity.
1) As animal products
(especially meat and dairy
products such as hard
cheeses) are often high in
saturated fat, plant-based
diets are generally lower in
saturated fat, so
vegetarians and vegans are
less likely to become
obese.
2) Processed animal products
often contain higher levels
of artificially added sugar.
A plant-based diet rich in
whole foods contains a
healthier level of naturally
occurring sugars only.
Sugar, Fat and Diabetes
What is diabetes
How excessive sugar and How a vegan diet can avoid
fat consumption causes diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
Insulin is needed for
regulating carbohydrate
(including blood sugar
levels) and fat metabolism
in the body. For Type 2
diabetics, either the body
can still make some insulin
but not enough or the body
doesn’t react to insulin
properly.
Sugar that is not broken
down for energy is
instead stored as fat. Too
much fat leads to an
interference with the
body’s ability to react to
insulin correctly.
1) As animal products are
often high in saturated fat,
plant-based diets are
generally lower in
saturated fat.
2) Processed animal products
often contain higher levels
of artificially added sugar.
A plant-based diet rich in
whole foods contains a
healthier level of naturally
occurring sugars only.
Sugar, Fat and Coronary Heart Disease
(CHD)
What is coronary heart
disease
How excessive sugar and How a vegan diet can avoid
fat consumption causes coronary heart disease
coronary heart disease
CHD involves your heart's
blood supply being blocked
or interrupted by a build-up
of fatty substances in the
coronary arteries.
Too much saturated fat
causes ‘bad’ cholesterol
to be made which blocks
up the coronary arteries,
making it difficult for
blood to pump around
the body. This increases
the chance of a blood
clot, which can cause a
heart attack.
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RCA_atherosclerosis.jpg
1) As animal products are
often high in saturated fat,
plant-based diets are
generally lower in
saturated fat.
2) Processed animal products
often contain higher levels
of artificially added sugar.
A plant-based diet rich in
whole foods contains a
healthier level of naturally
occurring sugars only.
Salt and Diseases
Normal function of salt =
maintains water balance
within cells and is
involved in proper
functioning of both
nerve impulses and
muscles. Also aids blood
pressure regulation.
Diseases caused by excessive salt
consumption
• Too much salt is linked to high
blood pressure
• This can lead to strokes and
heart disease later in life
• Too much salt can also lead to
kidney disease and
demineralisation of bones
How can a plant-based diet avoid
these?
• Processed animal products
often contain higher levels of
artificially added salt. A plantbased diet rich in whole foods
contains a healthier level of
salt.
Fibre – it’s a very good thing!
Pictures of some sources
Examples of sources
Function
Fruit & Vegetables, Whole
Grains (Pasta, Rice, Oats,
Bread), Nuts, Beans, Peas,
Lentils. These are plentiful
in a vegetarian or vegan
diet.
• Keeps bowels healthy
and regular (an
important explanation
of how this works is on
the following slide)
• Slows sugar & fat
absorption
• Reduces cholesterol
Note – animal products
contain no fibre.
Fibre and the digestive system
• The body cannot digest fibre – it
forms the bulk to help bowel
movement
• It absorbs water – keeps the
faeces soft/prevents constipation
• Soft faeces easily pass through the
digestive system – so fibre helps
the flow in the digestive system
• Small hard faeces do not pass
easily through the colon, which
causes ruptures in the intestine.
The inner lining of the colon is
pushed and distorted, causing
diverticular disease
• Fibre helps to prevent various
bowel disorders/bowel
cancer/appendicitis/piles
Now show what you have learned…
…by answering this past paper exam question!
You will mark your partner’s answer at the end.
Check your knowledge - DISEASE
WORDSEARCH
• Find all the 9 terms associated with dietrelated disease
• At the bottom of the page write how each one
either a) can cause disease, b) prevents
disease or c) is a disease caused by excessive
consumption of one or more particular
nutrient