Discuss the nutritional recommendations across the lifespan – from pregnancy to childhood, and from adolescence to adulthood.

During pregnancy, your nutrition affects you and your unborn baby. A healthy balanced diet will consist of essential nutrients to help support the growth and development of the baby. Our bodies are tasked with maintaining the health of the ever-changing body during pregnancy as well as supporting the healthy development of the baby. Nutrition guidelines during this time include a diet rich in nutrients like carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat, vitamins and minerals. During pregnancy, your body needs folic acid and adequate iron intake in order produce healthy new red blood cells. Food alone may not provide enough iron therefore, iron supplements and or prenatal vitamins are essential.  Infants and children experience rapid growth periods, and rapid development of the nervous systems therefore, high nutrition intake is important. Nutritional guidelines include a diet rich of vitamin D in low fat milk, iron-fortified breads, cereals, and lean meats, fruits vegetables, and juices rich in vitamin C. Adults and adolescents nutritional guidelines involves eating iron rich foods, plenty of vitamin C rich foods, lean meats, poultry, red meats, and fish. Adolescence is a very important period for gaining calcium and for building up strong bones, especially in girls. The majority of bone formation occurs during adolescence, thus, it is important to ensure adequate calcium intake. Healthy nutritional habits can start at any time, any point in our lives. Taking small steps, making small changes is what will make the difference and help one to achieve healthy lifestyle changes that will last a lifetime. An active lifestyle, or working out promotes a healthy lifestyle at any age. The consequences of not doing so includes chronic health diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, some cancers, lack of energy, memory loss and fatigue.

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2011).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning

Discuss how fats, proteins, and carbs are digested and absorbed in the body, and describe the benefits from a dietary perspective. What are the good fats, bad fats, etc.? Why is fiber so beneficial?

With the digestion fat, it must initially be dissolved into the watery content of the intestine. The bile acids produced by the liver dissolve fat into tiny droplets and allow pancreatic and intestinal enzymes to break the large fat molecules into smaller ones. Some of these small molecules are fatty acids and cholesterol. The bile acids combine with the fatty acids and cholesterol and help these molecules move into the cells of the mucosa. In these cells the small molecules are formed back into large ones, most of which pass into vessels called lymphatics near the intestine. These small vessels carry the reformed fat to the veins of the chest, and the blood carries the fat to storage depots in different parts of the body.

Foods such as meat, eggs, and beans consist of giant molecules of protein that must be digested by enzymes before they can be used to build and repair body tissues. An enzyme in the juice of the stomach starts the digestion, then in the small intestine, several enzymes from the pancreatic juice and the lining of the intestine complete the breakdown of huge protein molecules into small molecules called amino acids. These small molecules can be absorbed through the small intestine into the blood and then be carried to all parts of the body to build the walls and other parts of cells.

Carbohydrates are broken into simpler molecules by enzymes in the saliva, in juice produced by the pancreas, and in the lining of the small intestine. Starch is digested in two steps. First, an enzyme in the saliva and pancreatic juice breaks the starch into molecules called maltose. Then an enzyme in the lining of the small intestine splits the maltose into glucose molecules that can be absorbed into the blood. Glucose is carried through the bloodstream to the liver, where it is stored or used to provide energy for the work of the body.

The good fats are monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats that you find in healthy lean meats, plants, nuts, and olive oil. The fats considered bad for your system are the saturated fats or transfats that are found in pastries, cheeses, butter, and whole milk. Trans-fatty acids are polyunsaturated oils hardened by hydrogenation and are in such foods as fried chicken, doughnuts, which are considered unhealthy for our systems. The trans-fatty acids in these foods raise our lipoprotein; our bad cholesterol levels and increases the risk of Cardiovascular Disease and stroke (Sizer & Whitney, 2011).

National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (2011).  Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney   

     Diseases, Retrieved Nov. 21, 2011 from: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseyrdases/pubs/d/

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2011).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage   

     Learning

Describe the role of diet in preventing underweight, overweight, and obesity.

     Overweight and obesity are largely preventable by making healthier choices of foods and regular physical activities. The appropriate diet for prevention is an increase consumption of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains, and nuts also limiting sugar and salt intake. A balanced diet of lean meats and carbs are also beneficial to keeping body fat under control. These guidelines are beneficial for preventing underweight overweight, and      obesity. The main cause for obesity is due to an imbalance between the calories one consumes and the amount of physical activity. A consumption of high calories, high sugar, and high in fat foods that are low in vitamins all contributes to obesity and overweight. This in combination with decreased physical activity, and living a sedentary lifestyle increases the chances of chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2011).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning

Explain the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and discuss the recommendations for meeting those guidelines.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides nutrition information and advice for Americans aged 2 and older. These guidelines serve as the basis for Federal food and nutrition education programs in order to help individuals and families make better food choices. These recommendations advise us how we should eat based on gender, age, weight, and height and also instructs us on what food groups are required for healthy living. The food groups essential per Dietary guidelines are plenty of fruits and vegetables,  dairy products such as low fat milk and cheese, as well as whole grains and fiber rich foods. Fats, and sodium in your diet are necessary, however fat should be in moderation. Potassium is important to the diet and we should make an effort to increase our intake of potassium-rich foods.

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (2011) Retrieved November 20, 2011 from: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm

Describe the social, psychological, philosophical, and physical factors that drive our food choices.

     The food choices we select, crave, and eat are driven by psychological, philosophical, social, and physical choices factors. Psychological factors include our mood, stress levels, and whether we are dieting or eating freely. Social factors are based on our culture, eating habits, family, and meal patterns. Growing up, our food choices were merely based on a vegan diet, absolutely no sugar, and only water and tea for beverage. During that time, what we ate and the way we ate was not given a second thought. My extended family on the other hand, shared and prepared meals for every occasion. It was tradition, to explore our ethnicity in the foods prepared, shared, and eaten. Sizer & Whitney points out, “sharing ethnic food can be symbolic: people offering foods are expressing a willingness to share cherished values with others" (2011). Socio-economic status is also a determinant of food choice. Low-income families have a tendency to consume high cholesterol high sugar foods and snacks, as well as a lower intake of fruits and vegetables.

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2011).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning

                                                    

Examine the characteristics of a healthy diet, and the challenge associated with choosing the “right” foods.

     The characteristics consist of eating all the right foods that consists of a wide variety. Eating a healthy diet consists of a balanced meal with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, complex carbohydrates, fiber, low fat dairy products, lean meat, fish, poultry, vitamins, and mineral. Cooking in healthy oils such as olive oils would also be a healthy choice. Plenty of physical activity, rest and exercise is also important. The challenge associated with choosing the right foods, staying on track and eating healthy is discipline. Our fast-paced society is bombarded with food choices that are quick, fast, and therefore convenient for our busy lifestyles. It has truly become second nature to grab a quick snack on the go, or at the office. These convenient stops or food cravings are not always the right choice, nor are good healthy choices always provided. It takes discipline and commitment on our behalf to make the right choices throughout our lives.

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2011).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning

Discuss the connection between nutrition and disease. Be sure to include information on chronic diseases, as well as malnutrition and other leading causes of death.

The connection between diet and nutrition are so interwoven that one drastically influences the other. Chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, dental disease, and osteoporosis- can all be prevented by our diet. Early on in infancy, breastfeeding may help prevent obesity and some of the above-mentioned chronic diseases. The risk for developing these chronic diseases can be reduced by learning to eat healthily, maintaining the weight and by physical activity and exercise. A sedentary lifestyle as well as genetic factors can increase these risk factors and make one more susceptible to chronic health conditions. Learning and developing new eating habits as well as taking little steps to incorporate physical activity on a daily basis will help to decrease this risk.  Malnutrition is basically due to ‘lack of nutrition’. It is due to a lack of the essential nutrients such as protein, energy, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins that are needed to sustain adequate health. Malnutrition weakens the organs, and immune system thus making one susceptible to many diseases and frequent infections. Our diet; our eating habits, and malnutrition both sides of the spectrum can ultimately lead to death.

Greenfacts (2003) Scientific Facts on Diet and Nutrition Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Retrieved November 19, 2011 from: http://www.greenfacts.org/en/diet-nutrition/index.htm#3