Hemofarm - Blog - Pollution and Poor Nutrition

All the things that fortify, nourish, nurture, strengthen, refine, increase the satisfaction of living, are good for human health. Unfortunately, the modern way of life usually does the opposite. Insufficient physical activity, fast food, energy drinks, fast paced life, stress, daily exposure to electromagnetic radiation through constant use of mobile phones and hours spent in front of the computer, and if we add smoking, obesity or increased alcohol consumption, the path to good health becomes ever longer.

- Inadequate diet, first and foremost eating too much bread, sugar, fat, increases the risk from cardiovascular diseases and can seriously undermine health. In contrast, low fat values as the result of various popular and aggressive diets also impair health. In the long run, inadequate nutrition inevitably leads to health problems and lack of nutrients necessary for strong immunity and proper functioning of the body - warns Dr. Predrag Marinković from Hemofarm.

Zagađenje i loša ishrana ozbiljno ugrožavaju zdravlje

Zagađenje i loša ishrana ozbiljno ugrožavaju zdravlje

Health statistics in Serbia are alarming. More than 50,000 people die of cardiovascular diseases each year, another 20,000 die from cancer, the number of people suffering from diabetes is close to one million, and according to epidemiological forecasts, 44% of men and 31% of women will be obese in coming years. What should we do to change the statistics?

- We should invest in prevention and health education of citizens, but this is also the question of responsibility of each individual. Regular doctor’s examinations are an important preventive measure because they enable timely detection of diseases. Even when you don’t have any health problems, make sure to visit your chosen doctor once a year. The examination will provide results of basic laboratory analyses, blood pressure value, heart and lung check-up, blood vessel condition, while high blood sugar or some other negative changes may be observed on time. Your doctor will explain why it's important to be more physically active, and how to eat properly - advises Dr. Predrag Marinkovic.

The quality of the general environment has altered substantially. There is a rapid increase in pollution of air, water, land, whereas food quality is not the same as it used to be. Due to the use of NPK fertilizers, the soil has become lean, so that pesticides and herbicides are necessary for better yields. According to the research conducted in the United States, white wheat flour nowadays has three and a half times less zinc, six times less vitamin E, three and a half times less iron, seven times less vitamin B3, and two and a half times less calcium than the flour people had been eating 60 years ago. And the level of nutrients in fruits and vegetables has dropped significantly over the last three decades.

- The precondition for preserving good health is proper and varied diet. For a strong immune system and normal metabolic processes, our body needs 47 ingredients, including 13 vitamins, 6 minerals, 14 oligo-elements, 2 unsaturated fatty acids and 8 amino acids. An accelerated pace of life has, however, caused most people to eat poorly, skip meals, insufficiently eat fruit and vegetables, while eating too much bakery products or fatty and fried protein foods. The body is thus left without important vitamins and minerals that are needed for the preservation of health. That's why it is becoming more and more necessary to take dietary supplements - says our interlocutor.

Dietary or food supplements are products that contribute to the strengthening of natural functions of the body with their active ingredients and they are an addition to inadequate and poor nutrition. Supplementation with vitamin and mineral complexes is widespread and generally accepted all over the world.

- It has been established that intake of appropriate nutrients can prevent the onset of many diseases. With sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D, for example, strong bones are built in childhood. It is also known that iron is essential for growth and development of children, but it is equally important for pregnant and breast-feeding women. Intake of prescribed amount of magnesium enables proper functioning of the cardiac muscle, maintains a normal tonus of blood vessels, and lowers blood pressure. Therefore, food supplements are a great aid to people of all age and they can help patients to recover more quickly, children in their development, elderly people in improving their health, as well as athletes whose needs for vitamins and minerals are significantly increased - says Dr. Predrag Marinković from Hemofarm.