The Psychology of Eating: From Healthy to Disordered Behavior

Healthy Eating 13

Thrombosis
A blood clot is caused by an increase in the coagulation factors in the blood
including Factor VIII, fibrinogen, and platelets. Under normal healthy
conditions a blood clot is essential to stop unwanted bleeding. If there is
already a degree of narrowing of the arteries this can cause a coronary event.
Thrombosis is influenced by diet in the following ways: A fatty meal can
increase Factor VIII, smoking and obesity are associated with increased
fibrinogen, alcohol is associated with decreased fibrinogen, and fish oil
(found in sardines, herring, mackerel, or salmon) has been shown to reduce
platelet aggregation (Truswell, 1999).

The state of the myocardium
The general healthiness of the myocardium may determine how an indi-
vidual responds to having a thrombosis. An overall healthy diet consisting
of a balance between the five food groups is associated with the health of
the myocardium.

Diet and blood pressure

Essential hypertension (raised blood pressure) is one of the main risk
factors for coronary heart disease and is linked with heart attacks, angina,
and strokes. It is more common in older people and is related to diet in
the following ways.

Salt
Salt is the component of diet best known to affect blood pressure, and the
Intersalt study (Intersalt Cooperative Research Group, 1988) explored the
relationship between salt and blood pressure in 10,000 people from 52
different communities in 30 countries around the world. The results showed
a correlation between 24-hour urinary sodium and the rise in blood pressure
with age. However, correlations between salt intake and blood pressure are
difficult to confirm due to methodological problems such as the variation
in daily salt intake and differences in individual sensitivity to salt. As a means
to reduce hypertension, health regulatory bodies recommend a salt intake
of less than 6 g per day, which is much less than that currently consumed
by most people. Avoiding salt is difficult, however, as most of the salt con-
sumed is not that added at the table (9 percent) or in cooking (6 percent)
but used in the processing of food (58.7 percent). For example, salted peanuts
contain less salt than bread per 100 g. Furthermore, many canned foods