Download Nutritional Medicine - Harford Community College

Chapter 3
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Most degenerative diseases are caused, at least in part,
by our modern diet
About 60 million adults, or 30% of the adult population,
are now obese, which represents a doubling of the rate
since 1980
Over the past 20 years Americans are consuming twice
as much high-fat snack foods and three times as much
soft drinks.
Overweight and obesity are associated with heart
disease, certain types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke,
arthritis, breathing problems, and psychological
disorders, such as depression.
Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS, 1990, 1998, 2006
(*BMI 30, or about 30 lbs. overweight for 5’4” person)
1998
1990
2006
No Data
<10%
10%–14%
15%–19%
20%–24%
25%–29%
≥30%
 The cornerstone of holistic medicine
 Involves a diet of healthy foods matched to patients’
biochemical individuality
 Use of supplementation to maintain optimal physical
and psychological health
 Basic foundation is a diet comprised of whole grains,
fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans
 Avoid “junk food”, processed foods, foods high in
sugar and refined carbohydrates, foods high in
unhealthy fats, excess salt, and reduce caffeine and
alcohol intake
 Use of nutrition as medicine is centuries old
 Discoveries of certain elements/foods that were
missing or overabundant where documented as
causing disease
 Many treatments included the use of vitamins and
minerals
 It has taught us that nutrition is a chemical process
that is essential for homeostasis in the body
No single diet is ideally suited to everyone
1.
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Preference, Blood type, Heredity, Metabolism, Environment,
Stress, Food allergies and sensitivities
Eat Health-Promoting Foods
2.
1.
Wide variety of organically grown whole grains, fruits and
vegetables, legumes, nuts, and moderate amounts of low-fat
animal foods
Avoid Refined Carbohydrates
3.
1.
2.
Processing that reduces the nutrient value of the food and is
linked to many chronic disease
Refined sugar, corn syrup, refined flour, and white rice are
examples (all have reduced nutrient and fiber content)
Eliminate Unhealthy Fats
4.
1.
Fats are necessary (essential fats)
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Omega-3 (Linolenic Acid) and Omega-6 (Linoleic Acid)
Flaxseed, fish oils, sunflower, safflower, soybean
Avoid trans-fatty acids found in margarine and commercially
processed, hydrogenated vegetable oils
Minimize or Eliminate Caffeine
5.
1.
2.
Addictive and potentially toxic compound in many individuals
Acts as a CNS stimulant and continual presence has
substantial effects on chemical processes
Beware of Food Additives
6.
1.
2.
Additives to enhance look, taste or preserve food
Colorings, sulfites, sodium benzoate, artificial sweetners
amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol,
anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate,
butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate,
cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl
acetate, ethyl amyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl
methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate,
ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphrenyl-2-butanone
(10 percent solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl
anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil,
maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate,
methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine
carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate,
mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl
isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum
ether, y-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent.
Determine Food Allergies and Sensitivities
7.
1.
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3.
immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly
believes is harmful
Hard to detect but crucial to holistic nutritional medicine
Milk, egg, peanut, tree nut (walnut, cashew, etc), fish,
shellfish, soy, and wheat are the most common food allergens
Works both preventively and therapeutically to
ensure that adequate nutrients are supplied to meet
individual needs
Macronutrients – serve as body’s source of energy
 Carbohydrates (4 kcal per gram)
 Glucose
 Mouth and Small Intestine
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Protein (4 kcal per gram)
 Amino Acids
 Stomach
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Lipids (9 kcal per gram)
 Triglycerides
 Mouth, mostly Small Intestine
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Essential for the growth and maintenance of tissue
 Cell structures, enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, carriers
for substances in the bloodstream (osmotic pressure),
antibodies
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Of the 20+ Amino Acids eight are essential
 isoleucine, leucine, lysine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine,
histidine, valine and phenylalanine
In developed countries, adequate amounts of
protein are usually obtained
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 However, not all AA are consumed
 Contrary to popular belief, all may be obtained through plant
sources
 Meat products tend to be overused for protein sources
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Body’s primary source of energy
 Help regulate fat and protein metabolism
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Sugars
 Simple (monosaccharide), disaccharide
 Glucose, Fructose, and Galactose; Maltose, Sucrose, Lactose
 Avoid these carbs except when found in fresh fruit
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Starches
 Complex (polysaccharride)
 Create sustained energy and better blood sugar levels
 Best choices are found in root vegetables, potatoes, whole grains,
and corn
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Fiber
 Provides little caloric value but are important in maintaining
proper GI function and elimination
 Absorb water, binds toxins, and may reduce fat and cholesterol
absorption
 Cellulose found in skins and outer hulls of vegetables and fruits
and grains
 Other good sources include carrageen, guar gum, pectin and
agar and alginate
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Adipose Tissue
 Retains heat, supports & protects organs, energy reserve
Needed for cell membrane structure, transport roles
within the blood stream, myelin sheath production
 Triglycerides
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Form of fat that provides energy
95% of lipid content of food and easily stored
Saturated (mostly animal sources)
Unsaturated (plant sources)
 Monousaturated found in avocados and olive, almond, canola oils
 Polyunsaturated found in safflower, corn, sesame and soybean oils
EFA – linoleic and aracnidonic (omega-6) and linolenic
(omega-3)
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Phospholipids
 Vital part of cell membrane
 Help form myelin sheath around nerve cells
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Sterols
 Cholesterol, phytosterols, and steroid hormones
 Cholesterol is naturally produced in the body and is important
for Vit D production, cell membrane function, and formation of
some androgens
20 to 30% of the diet should be comprised of lipids and
15% of that should come from essential fats
 total caloric requirement worksheet
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RDA – Recommended Daily Allowances
 Since 1940, the U.S. government provided suggested intake of
certain nutrients
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RDI - Reference Daily Intakes
 In 1993, the FDA took over
 Nutrient intake based on a 2000 calories diet, no age, gender
differences
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SONA – Suggested Optimal Nutrient Allowance
 Formulated by holistic physicians because some RDIs were not
sufficient enough
 Still take into account individual differences
Essential for proper regulation of metabolic
reactions and biochemical processes
 Most cannot be synthesized in the body
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Fat soluble – A, D, E, K, and Carotenoids
 Can be stored in the body and in excess can be toxic
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Water soluble – All B vitamins, C, and bioflavonoids
 Needs to be replenished daily because they are broken down
easily and the body does not store them
 No storage capacity makes them less likely to be toxic
Vitamin A
 Retinal and Retinol found in animal liver, whole milk,
and some fortified foods
 Carotenoids are precursors to vit A and are found in
orange fruits and green, leafy and yellow veggies
 Important for healthy teeth and skin, bone growth
and tissue repair
 Retinal is important specifically for low light vision and
development of mucus membranes
 Carotenoids act mainly as antioxidants offsetting free radicals
Vitamin A
 Stores diminished by stress and illness and alcohol
consumption which also interferes with absorption
 Deficiencies result in
 night blindness
 Retinol inflammation
 Impaired immune response
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Toxicity (hypervitaminosis) includes
 Sickness – blurred vision, nausea, headache
 Birth defects and brain swelling in infants and children
 Skin discoloration to a yellow orange
Vitamin D
 Comes in various forms, most importantly D2 & D3
 Found in Dairy products
 all milk in the U.S. is fortified with vitamin D
 Fish , Oysters
 Fortified cereals
Also manufactured in the skin from UV light
Essential for absorption of Ca+ and regulating Ca+
and P in the bloodstream
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 Which also has secondary affects on the nervous system and
muscular system
Vitamin D
 Deficiencies include
 In children – Rickets; In adults – osteomalacia
 Tetany and osteoporosis
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Too Much vit D
 Causes increased absorption of Ca+ which leads to
hypercalcemia
 Leads to calcium deposits, kidney stones, and irregular muscle and
nerve activity
Vitamin E (tocopherols)
 antioxidant that protects body tissue from damage
caused by unstable substances called free radicals
 Vitamin E is also important in the formation of red
blood cells and helps the body to use vits A and K
 At lower levels, vitamin E may help protect the
heart.
 Found in
 Seed and vegetable oils (safflower oils)
 Wheat germ, whole grains, nuts
 Green leafy veggies
Vitamin E (tocopherols)
 Excreted more easily than other fat soluble vits,
however deficiencies are less obvious
 Form of anemia from RBC wall damage
November, 2004, the American Heart Association
stated that high amounts of vitamin E can be harmful.
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 Taking 400 IU per day, or higher, may increase the risk of death.
Vitamin K
 Vitamin K is found in
 cabbage, cauliflower, spinach and other green leafy vegetables,
cereals, soybeans, and other vegetables.
Over half of vit K is also made by the bacteria that
line the gastrointestinal tract (large intestine)
 Important for the production of proteins involved in
the clotting process
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Vitamin K
 Deficiencies are rare because the body produces a
portion of the required amount
 Abnormal bleeding or hemorrhaging may result
May be compounded by overuse of antibiotics, use
of blood thinners (coumarin), impaired intestinal
absorption, or liver disease
 Not toxic if taken orally even in large doses
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Carotenoids
 Over 500 substances that occur in fruits and
vegetables
 50 of these are precursors to Vitamin A
 Beta carotene and Lycopene are two of the most
known
 Have tremendous antioxidant properties
 Also support immune system products
Deficiencies include free radical damage,
precancerous conditions, CV damage, and lowered
immune function
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Water soluble – All B vitamins, C, and bioflavonoids
 Needs to be replenished daily because they are broken down
easily and the body does not store them
 No storage capacity makes them less likely to be toxic
 Refer to handout
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Minerals are required for many vital processes
 Macrominerals comprise at least .01 % of bodyweight
 Ca, Cl, Mg, P, K, and Na
 Microminerals (trace) comprise less than .01 % of bodyweight
 Cr, Co, Cu, I, Fe, Mn, Mo, Se, S, Zn
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Eat Healthy
 Supplementation cannot overcome a poor diet
 Follow nutritional guidelines discussed earlier
 Avoid overcooking food
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Know the product
 Read labels and understand the dosage
 Look for unnecessary fillers, binders, additives
 Safe additives include: alginic acid, cellulose, calcium stearate,
dicalcium phosphate, gum acacia, and silica
 All ingredients should be listed
 Contact info provided for further information
 Additive basics
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Know when and how to take it
 Generally required with or near a meal for the best chance of
breakdown and absorption
 Usually taken with the first meal of the day but high dosages
should be spread throughout the day
 Some supplements, such as AA’s, should be taken with juice an
hour after a meal
 B vitamins are best taken as or with a complex for best
assimilation
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Beware of ‘Megadosing”
 Some vitamins have toxicity levels
 Your holistic practitioner should guide you with any high
dosages
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Pay attention to your body after
 Be conscious of your body after taking your supplement
 Usually symptoms are associated to high dosages
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Don’t mix supplementation unless advised
 Some create undesired reactions and are contraindicated
 Consult a nutritionally oriented holistic physician
 Naturaldatabase.com
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Be Consistent
 Nutritional benefits accrue over time
 There is no magic pill