According to the Center for Disease Control, “six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease, like heart disease and stroke, cancer, or diabetes. These and other chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in America, and they are also a leading driver of health care costs”.

Regardless of the current state of your health, no one is free from the risk of developing a chronic illness at some point in their life. Nutrition of course, is undisputed as a vital aspect of disease prevention and symptom management. We’ve laid out some reasons why chronic disease management calls for a unique nutrition plan.

It can be difficult to eat these nutrients.

Many chronic conditions can cause symptoms such as nausea, decreased appetite, and malabsorption. Given these issues, food does not always suffice as a single source of all the nutrition the body requires. Working with a healthcare provider to identify your nutritional gaps and find supplements that work for you is a great way to develop a personal nutrition plan.

Energy is important for all.

Constantly feeling unwell is more than tiring, it's battling exhaustion. Unfortunately, lack of vital nutrition can further exacerbate low energy. Nutritional supplements such as omega-3 can support the brain as it works overtime to battle a brain fog slump. Remember, your brain is a complex organ that needs quality fuel to function. Don’t deprive it!

Many treatments call for diet changes.

Have you ever been instructed to avoid eating grapefruit while taking certain medications? You were probably thinking that sounded silly, but it’s quite the opposite. Diet can have an enormous impact on how your body metabolizes medication. If you must entirely avoid certain foods for safety reasons, you may be missing out on key nutrients. Hint hint, supplementation is your best friend!

Prevention, prevention, prevention.

You may have heard someone say “prevention is always cheaper than treatment”, and oftentimes there is truth in that statement. Not all chronic conditions are curable, but caring for our bodies as they battle goes a long way. Remember that you are worth it, and you deserve to be your healthiest self.

Your doctor will thank you!

Does that yearly physical and bloodwork fill you with dread? Making sure you are receiving adequate nutrition can help put both you and the doc at ease. Health professionals across many different disciplines continuously speak on the power of nutrition, especially when it comes to a diet rich in omega-3. 

Don’t just take our word for it, listen to what the pros have to say. Experts at The Mesothelioma Center state that "Omega-3 fatty acids are the silent heroes in the nutritional journey of mesothelioma patients, as they offer not just nourishment, but also the potential for hope and healing. These little heroes have your back, helping to fortify your health one bite at a time."