Nutrition

 A naturopaths we spend a good part of our time in consultation counselling our clients to the value of good nutrition. It is very rare to find someone who has the ‘perfect’ diet. 

 In today’s world where we are bombarded by the latest diet nearly every week (mostly to do with weight loss or anti-ageing) how can we negotiate our way with confidence?

 Generally in our practice we try to stick to a foundation principle. Common-sense tells that if we stick to a diet primarily made up of refined, processed, packaged, additive, preservative-laden, supermarket purchased foods then it won’t be long before we start to feel and manifest the signs of ill-health.  Namely, bad breath, bloating, itchy and red skin, tiredness, poor bowel function, fungal infections and increased weight-gain.

 Consider that what we have developed with our 21^st century diets is
malnutrition in a sea of plenty! 
We have evolved into people that consume (and crave) an abundance of fats and sugary foods which historically were very scarce in times when we could have used those extra calories. 
Now we can load up on calorie dense - nutritionally poor foods to our hearts content and crash diet when it all gets too much.

Longevity studies are showing that the best way to achieve longevity and lack of disease in later life may be achieved by under-eating and being slightly hungry more often that not.

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GOOD REASONS WHY YOU MAY NEED NUTRITIONAL
AND HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS 

POOR DIGESTION

Even when your food intake is good, inefficient digestion can limit your body’s uptake of vitamins and essential minerals.  Some common causes of inefficient digestion are not chewing well enough and eating too fast.  Both of these result in larger than normal food particle size, too large to allow complete action of digestive enzymes.  Many people with dentures are unable to chew as efficiently as those with a full set of original teeth.

HOT LIQUIDS

Habitual drinking of liquids that are too hot, or consuming an excess of irritants such as coffee, tea and too many pickled or spicy foods can cause inflammation of the digestive linings, resulting in a drop in secretion of digestive fluids and poorer extraction of vitamins and minerals from food. 

ALCOHOL

Drinking too much alcohol is known to damage the liver and pancreas which are vital to digestion and metabolism.  It can also damage the lining of the digestive tract and adversely affect the absorption of nutrients, leading to sub-clinical malnutrition.  Regular heavy use of alcohol increases the body’s need for the B-group vitamins, particularly thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine, folic acid and vitamins B12, A and C as well as the minerals zinc, magnesium and calcium.  Alcohol affects availability, absorption and metabolism of nutrients.

SMOKING

Smoking too much tobacco is also an irritant to the digestive tract and increases the metabolic requirements of Vitamin C, all else being equal, by at least thirty per cent more than the typical requirements of a non-smoker.  Vitamin C which is normally present in such foods as paw paws, oranges and capsicums, oxidises rapidly once these fruits are cut, juiced, cooked or stored in direct light or near heat.  Vitamin C is important for good immune function.

LAXATIVES

Overuse of laxatives can result in poor absorption of vitamins and minerals from food by hastening the intestinal transit time.  Paraffin and other mineral oils increase losses of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.  Other laxatives used to excess can cause large losses of minerals such as potassium, sodium and magnesium.

FAD DIETS

Bizarre diets that miss out on whole groups of food can be seriously lacking in vitamins. 
Low fat diets taken to extreme can be deficient in the fat soluble vitamins A, D and E. 
Vegetarian diets must be skilfully planned to avoid deficiencies especially B12 deficiencies
which can lead to anaemia.

OVERCOOKING

Lengthy overcooking or reheating of meat and vegetables can oxidise or destroy heat susceptible vitamins such as the B’s, C and E.  Boiling vegetables leaches the water soluble B-vitamins, C, and many minerals.  Light steaming is preferable.  Some vitamins such as B6 can also be destroyed by microwave cooking.

FOOD STORAGE & PRESERVING

Freezing food containing Vitamin E can significantly reduce its levels once defrosted.  Many common sources of vitamin E, such as bread and oils are nowadays highly processed so that the  vitamin E content is significantly reduced or missing totally, which increases storage life but can lower nutrient levels.  Vitamin E is an antioxidant which defensively inhibits oxidative damage to all tissues.  Other vitamin losses from food preserving can include Vitamin B1 and C.

CONVENIENCE FOODS

A diet overly dependent on highly refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, white flour and white rice places greater demand on additional sources of B group vitamins to process these carbohydrates.  An unbalanced diet contributes to such conditions as irritability, lethargy and sleep disorders.

ANTIBIOTICS

Some antibiotics although valuable in fighting infection, also kill off friendly bacterial in the gut, which would normally be producing B group vitamins to be absorbed through the intestinal wall.  Such deficiencies can result in a variety of nervous conditions, therefore it may be advisable to supplement with B group vitamins when on a lengthy course of broad spectrum antibiotics and/or use practitioner recommended lactobacillus powders.

FOOD ALLERGIES

The omission of whole food groups from the diet, as in the case of individuals allergic to gluten or lactose can mean the loss of significant dietary sources of nutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin or calcium.

CROP NUTRIENT LOSSE 

Some agricultural soils are deficient in trace elements.  Decades of intensive agriculture can overwork and deplete soil nutrients, including trace elements are regularly replaced.  In one US Government survey, levels of essential minerals in crops were found to have declined by up to 68% over a four year period in the 1970’s.

ACCIDENTS AND ILLNESSES 

 Burns lead to a loss of protein and essential trace nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.  Surgery increases the need for zinc, vitamin E and other nutrients involved in the cellular repair mechanism.  The repair of broken bones will be retarded by an inadequate supply of calcium and vitamin C and conversely enhanced by a full dietary supply.  The challenge of infection places high demand on the nutritional resources of zinc, magnesium and vitamins B5, B6.

STRESS

 Chemical, physical and emotional stresses can increase the body’s requirements for vitamins B2, B5, B6, Zinc and C.  Air pollution increases the requirements for Vitamin E and other antioxidants.

TEENAGERS

Rapid growth spurts such as in the teenage years, particularly in girls, place high demands on nutritional resources to underwrite the accelerated physical, biochemical and emotional development in this age group.  Data from the USA Ten State Nutrition Survey (in 1968-70 covering a total of 24,000 families and 86,000 individuals) showed that between 30-50 per cent of adolescent aged 12 to 16 had dietary intakes below two-thirds of the recommended daily averages for vitamin A C, calcium and iron. 

PREGNANT WOMEN 

Pregnancy creates higher than average demands for nutrients, to ensure healthy growth of the baby and comfortable confinement for the mother.  Nutrients which typically require increase during pregnancy are the B-vitamins, especially B1, B2, B3, B6, folic acid and B12, A, D, E and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus.  The Ten State Nutrition Survey in the USA in 1968-70 showed that as many as 80% of the pregnant women surveyed had dietary intakes below two thirds of the recommended daily allowances.  Professional assessment of nutrient requirements during pregnancy should be sought. 

ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES 

Oral contraceptives can decrease absorption of folic acid and increase the need for B6, B12, zinc and B2.  Approximately 22% of Australian women aged 15 to 44 are believed to be on ‘the pill’ at any one time. 

THE ELDERLY 

The aged have been shown to have a low intake of vitamins and minerals, particularly iron, calcium and zinc.  Folic acid deficiency is often found, in conjunction with Vitamin C deficiency.  Fibre intake is often low.  B2 and B6 deficiencies have also been observed.  Possible causes include impaired sense of taste and smell, reduced secretion of digestive enzymes, chronic disease and in often, physical impairment.

LACK OF SUNLIGHT 

Invalids, shift-workers and people whose exposure to sunlight may be minimal can suffer from insufficient amounts of Vitamin D, which is required for calcium metabolism.  Ultraviolet light is the stimulus to Vitamin D formation in the skin.  It is blocked by cloud, fog, smog, smoke, ordinary window glass, curtains and clothing.  The maximum recommended daily supplemental intake of Vitamin D is 400iu.

BIO-INDIVIDUALITY

Wide fluctuations in individual nutrient requirements from the official recommended average vitamin and mineral intakes are common, particularly for those in high physical demand vocations, such as athletes and manual labourers, taking into account body weight and physical type.  Protein intake influences the need for vitamin B6 and B1 is linked to kilojoule intake.

LOW BODY RESERVES

Although the body is able to store reserves of certain vitamins such as A and E, Canadian autopsy data has shown that up to 30% of the population have reserves of vitamin A so low as to be judged “at risk”.  Vitamin A is important for health skin and mucous membranes (including the sinus and lungs) and eyesight.

ATHLETES

Athletes consume large amounts of food and experience considerable stress.  These factors affect their needs for B group vitamins, vitamin C and iron in particular.  Tests on Australian Olympic athletes and A-grade football players, for example, have shown wide ranging vitamin deficiencies.

 

(This information has been extracted from an article by Nutrition Care)