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Tribune News Network
Doha
The best way to prevent chronic diseases is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid factors that might lead to these “silent” ailments, according to Dr Abdullah Abdul Rahman Alnaama, head of Rawdat Alkhail Health Centre and senior Family Medicine Consultant at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).
Detecting chronic illness at an early stage can also help to manage the illness better, he noted.
Dr Alnaama said, “The key to protecting ourselves from chronic diseases include health awareness and education, good eating habits, physical activity and a responsible lifestyle. These silent ailments develop over a period of time and patients are unaware of the issues until after suffering symptoms.”
Change in eating patterns and a lack of physical activity have contributed to a rise in the number of people suffering from chronic diseases worldwide.
Dr Alnaama defined chronic diseases as “non-contagious diseases”, as they are not passed from one person to another, but typically take a long time to develop as part of a relatively slow process.
Chronic diseases are divided into four broad categories - heart diseases such as heart and brain strokes and high blood pressure; cancers of all types; chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and diabetes.
Chronic disease constitutes a challenge to health and medical practitioners and decision makers worldwide as it means a lifetime of treatment, instead of treatment over a specific period of time.
Dr Alnaama warned that the major risk with chronic ailments is patients’ failure to follow their physician’s advice and recommendations.
Common behaviour includes smoking, shisha; chewing tobacco; non-adherence to the treatment plan or medicine doses; failure to visit the doctor when required, lack of regular exercise and healthy eating habits; and a patient becoming restless over long treatment periods, which might result in them abandoning the treatment.
In line with its commitment to providing preventative care to the community, PHCC assigns a dietitian to provide healthy food guidance tailored to each patient, and a health educator to inform and discuss issues with the patients.
Patients are also referred to necessary medical specialties at PHCC’s health centres, including ophthalmology; dermatology; ENT; early detection of colon and breast cancer; and mental support, which is integral to the treatment plan received by patients.
“It is crucial for every patient to follow a balanced healthy diet, exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, and for those with a family history of a certain chronic ailment, such as diabetes, to take measures to ensure they are not at risk or to help detect a chronic disease early,” Dr Alnaama advised.
Doha
The best way to prevent chronic diseases is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and avoid factors that might lead to these “silent” ailments, according to Dr Abdullah Abdul Rahman Alnaama, head of Rawdat Alkhail Health Centre and senior Family Medicine Consultant at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC).
Detecting chronic illness at an early stage can also help to manage the illness better, he noted.
Dr Alnaama said, “The key to protecting ourselves from chronic diseases include health awareness and education, good eating habits, physical activity and a responsible lifestyle. These silent ailments develop over a period of time and patients are unaware of the issues until after suffering symptoms.”
Change in eating patterns and a lack of physical activity have contributed to a rise in the number of people suffering from chronic diseases worldwide.
Dr Alnaama defined chronic diseases as “non-contagious diseases”, as they are not passed from one person to another, but typically take a long time to develop as part of a relatively slow process.
Chronic diseases are divided into four broad categories - heart diseases such as heart and brain strokes and high blood pressure; cancers of all types; chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and diabetes.
Chronic disease constitutes a challenge to health and medical practitioners and decision makers worldwide as it means a lifetime of treatment, instead of treatment over a specific period of time.
Dr Alnaama warned that the major risk with chronic ailments is patients’ failure to follow their physician’s advice and recommendations.
Common behaviour includes smoking, shisha; chewing tobacco; non-adherence to the treatment plan or medicine doses; failure to visit the doctor when required, lack of regular exercise and healthy eating habits; and a patient becoming restless over long treatment periods, which might result in them abandoning the treatment.
In line with its commitment to providing preventative care to the community, PHCC assigns a dietitian to provide healthy food guidance tailored to each patient, and a health educator to inform and discuss issues with the patients.
Patients are also referred to necessary medical specialties at PHCC’s health centres, including ophthalmology; dermatology; ENT; early detection of colon and breast cancer; and mental support, which is integral to the treatment plan received by patients.
“It is crucial for every patient to follow a balanced healthy diet, exercise regularly for at least 30 minutes a day, and for those with a family history of a certain chronic ailment, such as diabetes, to take measures to ensure they are not at risk or to help detect a chronic disease early,” Dr Alnaama advised.
