"The saying 'illness enters through the mouth' has taken on a new meaning: over half of the cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and multiple organ diseases in patients, as well as cancer, are caused by diet. This is a conclusion reached by Professor Sun Shuzhi of the Department of Nutrition at the First Affiliated Hospital after years of clinical investigation.
The high incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the north is related to patients' preference for high-salt, high-fat, and high-cholesterol foods; over half of Alzheimer's patients have a diet preference for vermicelli, noodles, and beer. The aluminum in these foods is one of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease. The fatty liver disease, with an incidence rate of about 40% in men aged 30 to 40 in our city, is also diet-related. The fat and cholesterol intake of these patients is several times higher than that of healthy people. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in patients with pancreatitis, gallstones, gastric perforation, and gastric bleeding, mostly caused by overeating or irregular eating habits. Even cancer, which people fear, is induced by improper diet in half of the cases.
Although so many health problems can be caused by diet, it has not received enough attention. Professor Sun introduced that at the First Affiliated Hospital, other specialist clinics are always crowded, while the nutrition clinic, which has several provincial-level experts, is deserted. She said, "Most people's concepts are still stuck on 'eating well,' but few can think about 'eating scientifically' and 'eating for health.' She reminded the public not to be picky eaters and should reasonably intake various nutrients. Especially for residents in northern regions, they should avoid excessive intake of high-salt, high-fat, and sugary foods."