Here's a question to think about...

How can we have this:

...and this:

 

...in the same world?

What is the connection between nutrition and chronic diseases & malnutrition?

What is the connection between nutrition and disease: malnutrition, chronic diseases and other leading causes of death?     

          Proper & sound nutrition affects our body’s at the most cellular level. You must have heard at some point that “you are what you eat”, and though you don’t actually become an apple if you eat one, it is pretty much an accurate statement. What you consume today will affect you in one way or another. “Nutrients interact with body tissues, adding little or subtracting a little, day by day, and this changes the very foundation upon which the health of the body is built on” (Sizer, 2011). The six foundational aspects of nutrition are water, fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients ultimately support the growth, maintenance and repair of our bodies. A healthy, balanced diet will then properly care for our bodies and the everyday needs that it requires. Every day we consume things that will affect our body’s either negatively or positively in the future. A lifetime of unhealthy choices can lead to malnutrition or chronic diseases when you get older, or a lifetime of healthy choices can aid in the prevention of chronic diseases. “As people age, their bodies accumulate the effects of a lifetime of choices, and in the later years these impacts can make the difference between a life of health, or one of chronic disability” (Sizer, 2011). But, this does not mean that just because one aspect of sound nutrition is beneficial for our bodies to only eat or partake of that item. For example, iron is vital mineral in our everyday diet, but in small quantities. Too much iron can be toxic and detrimental to our health if consumed in excess. In addition to poor eating habits other disease risk factors include genetics, behavioral choices, environmental surroundings and activities, and social aspects.

 

          One of the leading causes of death in America is cardiovascular disease (CVD), with cancer coming in close behind. Both of these are largely caused by poor diet, but are also correlated with other poor lifestyle choices (such as not exercising, smoking and drinking in excess). Other chronic diseases, largely caused by poor nutritional choices, include diabetes mellitus, obesity, aids, hypertension and stroke (WHO, 2003). As mentioned early, poor lifestyle choices build upon each other that lend to poor health in the future. Likewise, “these diseases cannot be prevented by a good diet alone; they are to some extent determined by a person’s genetic constitution, activities, and lifestyles” (Sizer, 2011). In addition to contributing to chronic diseases, and even premature death, an unhealthy diet can also lead to malnutrition, which can cause a whole slew of physical issues and defects. Malnutrition develops when the body does not receive enough of the appropriate nutrients (PubMed Health, 2011). This may occur when not enough healthy foods are available, an imbalanced diet, problems with digestion, or even certain medical conditions. Malnutrition can develop even if a single vitamin is lacking in the diet. The six vital nutrients all interact and rely upon each other in one way or another to properly feed all of the body’s functions. An imbalance in even one thing can begin to affect the absorption or function of other nutrients. A properly balanced diet of fat, carbs, protein, water, vitamins and minerals is imperative for proper functioning, health promotion and disease prevention.

Resources

Sizer, F., & Whitney, E. (2011). Nutrition concepts and controversies (12^th ed.). Belmont, CA:            Wadsworth learning.

PubMed Health (2011). Malnutrition. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from             http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001441/

WHO (2003). Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. World Health Organization.    Retrieved from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/trs/who_trs_916.pdf

Nutrition’s Role in Health & Wellness

       Whole person wellness is not a new concept, but it is an important one. The concept of wellness addresses every area of one’s life, and encompasses an individual’s state of health. Every person has a great responsibility of taking care of their own body, and also considering how personal changes and actions can affect other people. Good health is provided by sound nutrition, efficient exercise, getting enough sleep, controlling risk factors and making other positive and preventative lifestyle choices. Lifestyle choices have been found to be an important factor in health and wellness, and so it is important to “take charge” of your daily life and to set healthy lifestyle goals. The secret is not medical care, but consistent self-care addressing the spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, environmental, intellectual/vocational, and social aspects of our lives. Wellness is a positive approach to living – an approach that emphasizes the whole person. Being “well” is a proactive, preventive approach to achieving optimum levels of health, and social and emotional functioning. A wellness-oriented lifestyles encourages one to adopt habits and behaviors that promote better health and an improved quality of life, along with the recognition that you have physical, psychological, social and spiritual areas that need to be attended to. It is the integration of the body, mind, and spirit; and the appreciation that everything you do, think, feel, and believe has an impact on your state of health.

        One vital aspect to whole person wellness is nutrition, as it truly affects every aspect of our body. My personal journey to better health has been a complicated and interesting, but not unique by any means. Nutrition affects many areas of our lives, and deficiencies in certain nutrients can cause major problems in our functioning, whether it be physically, emotionally, mentally, etc. All of the aspects of wellness are interconnected to make the whole person. When one part suffers, most likely all parts will suffer. Likewise, if one aspect of proper nutrition’s requirements is out of sorts, most likely other areas of our life will become imbalanced. A prime example, which is a personal one for me, is a food allergy. I have Celiac Disease, which is an autoimmune disorder where my body cannot process gluten (a protein found in a variety of grains but most notably in wheat). Long story short, my body reacts to the gluten in such a way as an immune reaction to a unwanted foreign substance. Gluten can be found not only in a variety of foods, but also in many everyday products such as medicines, vitamins and even lip balm. “Celiac disease is also known as celiac sprue, nontropical sprue, and gluten-sensitive enteropathy. Celiac disease is genetic, meaning it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered—or becomes active for the first time—after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress” (NDDIC, 2008). Basically over the course of my life I developed several vitamin/mineral deficiencies, asthma and other health related issues that are believed to have developing from the underlining condition of a gluten sensitivity. Now that I have adjusted my diet, along with several other health lifestyle adaptations, I have seen obvious changes in my health. Even though I was technically well-nourished growing up, I was also deficient in several areas, thus affecting my overall health. Nutrition is a vital part of my overall well-being and a large portion of physical wellness.

References:

NDDIC (2008). Celiac Disease. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Retrieved from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/#what

Welcome to Nutritional Concepts

I would like to welcome you to Nutritional Concepts: my personal journey of weeding through all of the issues, ideas and confusion of "healthy" nutrition and getting back to the basics of healthy eating. I have changed my diet quite a bit over the years, and have flip-flopped back and forth from various health trends and unproven, but appealing, diet options. Over the years I have spent a lot of money on flashy foods and promising supplements, but have never found a quite fix or that "get healthy and stay healthy" button that I have been looking for. All in all it comes down to a simply basic, yet ultimately complex, solution to achieving good health: Eat right, exercise and stay physically active , get enough sleep, make time to relax, and learn to deal with stress in a healthy manner (on top of everything else I have going on). Sound simple? Of course not, but that does not mean that good health cannot be achieved. Simple and small changes can be made every day to improve and maintain good health, and amongst these changes need to be steps for eating right. This actually does not have to be daunting, but it is important and it can be fun to. Eating right can add a little color to your life, and it will most definitely improve it. Join me on my journey through nutrition, living a healthy lifestyle, and maintaining wellness. This is Nutritional Concepts.