While medicine is often considered the primary and best solution to an illness, for many communities in rural India it may not always be accessible or of high quality. For these individuals, one of the most overlooked solutions, proper nutrition, can play a vital role in prevention.
The National Institutes of Health states that appropriate nutrition at a young age "lays the foundation for lifelong prevention of chronic diseases". The organization conducted a study for leading causes of deaths in rural India, the findings of the study show chronic diseases at the forefront of the 1,354 deaths recorded within 45 villages. However, awareness about the cruciality of nutrition in preventing these conditions is limited. In a world where medicine prices are on the rise, nutrition can be the core of health. Understanding the components of a healthy diet is hence essential.
What is Included in a Healthy Diet?
The World Health Organization explains that a healthy diet should consist of carbohydrates, fats, protein, sodium, potassium and micronutrients. Additionally, while sugars are necessary for energy, the glucose can be derived from carbohydrates, hence added sugars should be minimized. These components work hand in hand to create nutritious meals.
Carbohydrates:
(The primary energy source)
Carbohydrates should largely come from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and pulses, such as wheat, brown rice and lentils.
Fats:
(Necessary for the function of cells and linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid)
Unsaturated fats found in fish, avocado, and nuts are the preferred form of fat intake. Saturated (butter ghee, fatty meat) and trans (industry-produced) should be avoided. Fat intake from saturated and trans fats can be reduced by boiling/steaming over frying for example.
Protein:
(The building blocks for muscle as well as hormones and enzymes)
Comes from most animals such as chicken or seafood. For vegetarians, plant-based sources include lentils, tofu, and almonds to name a few.
Sodium and Potassium:
(Necessary minerals)
Salt (Sodium) is traced back to processed food or food consumed in large amounts like bread. Excess salt can raise blood pressure, and although it is necessary, you can mitigate excess consumption by reducing intake of condiments. Potassium helps regulate blood pressure and supports heart health, and is usually attained by consuming fresh produce.
Micronutrients:
(Essential vitamins and minerals needed for proper growth)
Micronutrient-dense foods can include foods like beans to support iron intake; dark‑green leafy vegetables to improve vitamin A; or iodized salt to avoid iodine deficiency.
Every meal should hold the ideal to contain these components in order to ensure proper nutrient consumption. Additionally, beyond what is considered a healthy diet, it is also equally crucial to know how to implement it in daily life as it ultimately mitigates the need for medicine which often puts a strain on families.
How to Achieve Proper Nutrition
Apart from maintaining and improving health by fighting chronic illnesses, nutrition can aid families in numerous other forms. Proper nutrition, according to the World Health Organization, also assists in increasing energy levels, improving digestion and weight management. Hence, nutrition is critical for overall health and families in rural India can follow multiple steps to make their diet more nutritious.
In order to eat healthy, families should begin with their most consumed food, carbohydrates. Individuals should adopt wholegrain varieties as they contain more fiber and keep the body full for a longer duration. Next, maximizing fruit, vegetable and fish intake is crucial, health guidelines recommend 5 varieties of produce a day and 2 portions of fish a week. Lastly, families should cut down on intake of sugar and salt. To avoid excess of salt and sugar, cutting back on processed, salty and high added-sugar foods is most beneficial.
The Impact of Nutrition on Children Mortality
Around 59% of children in rural India have suffered from at least one type of malnutrition. While malnutrition does endanger factors such as growth, educational comprehension and their long-term role in the economy, the National Institute of health states that it is also the predominant underlying cause of child mortality.
Lack of Nutrition → Weaker Immune System → Increased Vulnerability to Infections
To lower child mortality, parents should nourish their child appropriately from a young age. A kids meal should contain 7 components:
- Vegetables (avoid potatoes due to the negative impact on blood sugar)
- Fruits
- Whole Grains (safer for blood sugar than refined grains)
- Healthy Protein (limit red and processed meat)
- Healthy Oils (mainly source from plants and avoid butter)
- Milk and Dairy Products (optimal for calcium and vitamin D)
- Water (avoid sugary or processed drinks)
These 7 components ensure that children are nourished and avoid child mortality. While some families may not have the ability to attain all 7, the list sets a goal towards how children need to be fed.
Chronic diseases are highly prevalent in rural India and pose immense concerns for families. Nutrition is a simple yet effective way to minimize the impact and scale of these illnesses and mitigate the stress that comes along with them. For families and individuals that are burdened by living in such an environment where chronic illnesses are a plague, nutrition becomes a necessity.