Adults need to focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or nonfat dairy. Furthermore, they should reduce consumption of sweetened beverages, salty foods and red/processed meats.
Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that diet quality improvements lead to better chronic disease outcomes and reduced medical expenses, with microsimulation models showing 30-year impacts varying depending on sociodemographic group membership.
Stress
Stress is a natural physical response to perceived threats or danger, prompting our bodies to release hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine that prepare us to either face down the threat or flee from it. Sometimes this response can be beneficial; such as when keeping you alert during presentations at work or prompting us to avoid accidents by using brakes more strictly than normal.
Long-term stress, however, can have negative consequences such as digestive problems, headaches, sleep issues and an impaired immune system. Stress also inhibits prefrontal cortex activity which compromises decision making and self-control processes resulting in more frequent indulgence of junk food and increased weight gain risk.
Supplementation with antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, selenium and glutathione may help alleviate stress levels. A German study of physicians discovered that taking antioxidant supplements alongside stress-relief techniques such as yoga or cognitive behavioral therapy significantly decreased burnout scores and oxidative stress markers [185]. [186]
Immune System
The immune system serves to recognize and defend against disease-causing germs that enter our bodies, with multiple structures and cells making up its framework. It can be divided into innate and adaptive forms.
As soon as a foreign organism enters our bodies, epithelial cells act as physical barriers to prevent submucosal penetration and produce danger signals known as damage or pathogen-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs/PAMPs). These molecules recognize conserved patterns on pathogen surfaces and interact with specific receptors on immune system cells to activate noninfectious inflammatory responses that won’t spread infection further.
White blood cells called leukocytes (LOO-kuh-sistoy) are recruited to the site of infection to ingest and destroy any harmful invaders, while some produce antibodies which attach themselves to pathogens by binding to antigens on their surface to trigger phagocytosis, lysis, and release of inflammatory mediators. Functional foods have also been demonstrated to stimulate and strengthen immunity; research into their molecular mechanisms continues apace.
