NUTRITION THE NATURAL MEDICINEA COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE APPROACH

Lola Lurch, BSHW

COURSE OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Categorize all foods into one of the five food groups on the “Choosemyplate” model.

Identify the nutrients derived from each of the five food groups.

Understand the health benefits from each of the five food groups.

Know how to read a Nutrition Facts label

Understand how nutrition can be a treatment modality.

Be able to create a personal nutrition profile and dietary plan.

BENEFITS OF DIET AND NUTRITION

Diet and nutrition play an integral role in health and wellness.

A wholesome diet is a cornerstone to good health Nourishes the body Energizes the body and stimulates the mind Aides in healing Contributes to disease prevention Maintain healthy body weight

Nutrition measures the contents of food and food supplements

Carbohydrates Proteins Fats Vitamins and Minerals Water

CARBOHYDRATES/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS

There are three main types of carbohydrates. Sugar (fructose, sucrose and lactose) Starch (complex carbs) Fiber (Complex carbs

Carbohydrates provide: Energy Protection against disease Weight control

Sources of Carbohydrates Fruits & Vegetables Milk Nuts Grains Seeds Legumes

Simple sugars/bad carbs

Complex carbs/good carbs

FATS/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS Fats are in two basic types

Solid (solid at room temperature)o Butter & stick margarine o Chicken fat & beef fato Pork fat (lard)o Partially hydrogenated oil

Liquid (liquid at room temperature)o Vegetable oilso Seed oilso Nut oils

MUFAs and PUFAs Source of Vitamin E Omega fatty acids

Health benefits Support Central Nervous System Essential to brain function Reduce the risks for heart disease, diabetes, some cancers,

dementia

UNHEALTHY FATS

MY PLATE FIVE FOOD GROUPS

The building blocks to a health diet are illustrated in five good groups:

Fruits

Vegetables

Grains

Protein Foods

Dairy

Other Considerations

Oils

Empty Calories

FRUITS/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS

• Fruits may be eaten raw or cooked: Fresh Canned Dried Whole, cut-up, or pureed

Nutrients: Potassium Dietary fiber Vitamin C Folate (folic acid)

Health Benefits: Reduce the risks for heart disease May reduce risks for certain cancers May lower blood pressure Reduce risks of developing kidney stones

VEGETABLES/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS

Vegetables are divided into five sub-groups. Dark-green vegetables Starchy vegetables Red and orange vegetables Beans & peas Other vegetables

Vegetables are an important source of: Potassium Dietary fiber Folate (folic acid) Vitamin A & Vitamin C

Health benefits of vegetables Reduce the risks for heart disease May reduce risks for certain cancers May lower blood pressure Help reduce bone loss Reduce risks of developing kidney stones

PROTEINS/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS

Nutrients found in protein foods: B Vitamins Iron EPA and DHA (omega 3 fatty acids) Magnesium Zinc

Proteins are building blocks for: Muscle, Bone, Cartilage, Skin & Blood Hormones, Enzymes, & Vitamins

Sources of protein: Meats, poultry, & seafood Dairy Eggs Nuts & seeds Legumes

GRAINS/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS Grains are divided into two sub-groups:

Whole grains Refined grains

Grains categories include: Wheat & Oats Rice & Barley Cornmeal

• Nutrient: B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate) Minerals (iron, magnesium, and selenium) Fiber

• Health Benefits: Weight management May reduce constipation Reduced risk of heart disease

Whole Food Processed Food

Brown rice White rice

Rolled oats Energy bar

Orange Orange drink

Peanuts Jiffy peanut butter

Sweet potato Sweet potato fries

Chicken breast Chicken fingers

Whole Foods vs. Refined Foods

DAIRY/NUTRIENTS/HEALTH BENEFITS

Dairy group contains: All liquid milk products Some food made from milk Calcium fortified soy beverage

Nutrients: Calcium Potassium Fortified Vitamin D

Health Benefits: Building bones and teeth Maintaining bone mass Reduce the risk of osteoporosis Lower blood pressure in adults Reduce risks for heart disease Reduce risks for type 2 diabetes

DAILY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EACH FOOD GROUP

The amount of food you need to eat from each group depends on:

Age

Sex

Level of Physical Activity

EXAMPLE OF DAILY REQUIREMENTS

 Nutrients

Age Group andRDAs/DRIs

       

  Infant (7—month-old)

Children (5-year-old male)

Adolescent (15-year old male)

Adult (32-year-olds female)

Elder (62 year-old male) 

 Calories 676 1,742 3,152 2,312 2,637 

 

 Carbohydrates

95 g/d 130 g/d 130 g/d 130 g/d 130 g/d  

 Protein

11 g/d 19 g/d 52 g/d 46 g/d 56 g/d  

 Total Fat

30 g/d 25-35 *AMDR 25-35 *AMDR

20-35 *AMDR

20-35 *AMDR  

 Iron 11 mg/d 10 mg/d 11 mg/d 18 mg/d 8 mg/d 

 

 Calcium 260 mg/d 1,000 mg/d 1,300 mg/d 1,000 mg/d 1,000 mg/d 

 

 Vitamin D 400 IU/d 600 IU/d 600 IU/d 600 IU/d 600 IU/d

  

 Folic Acid 80 mcg/d 200 mcg/d 400 mcg/d 400 mcg/d 400 mcg/d

 

EXAMPLE OF NUTRITION THERAPY

Wound healing therapy

Food Group Number of servings What counts as 1 serving

Grains, using whole grain sources as much as possible

51 slice bread; 1/2 cup cooked cereal; 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta

Vegetables 21 cup raw or cooked vegetable or 100% vegetable juice; 2 cups raw leafy green vegetables

Fruits 21/2 cup canned fruit or 1/4 cup dried fruit

Milk 31 cup milk or yogurt; 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese; 2 ounces processed cheese (dairy or soy)

Meats and beans 5

1 ounce meat, fish, or poultry; 1/4 cup cooked beans; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon peanut butter; 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds; 1.5-2 ounces firm tofu

Oils, fats, and sugarGood source of calories, but these may be limited by prescribed diets

Vegetable oils (canola, olive oil), sauces, salad dressings, sugar, syrup, butter, margarine, jelly, jam, candy

NUTRITION FACTS LABELS

SUMMARY

Making healthier food choices is the first step to fighting disease and obesity.

Recommendations for caloric intake are based on gender, height, weight, life stage, and physical activity level.

Adapt the “Choosemyplate model” to create a healthy meal plan.

Master the art of smart shopping (e.g. read labels and analyze nutrition content of food product).

Adhere to portion size

Include foods from all five food groups, including fats and carbohydrates; they are essential to proper body function.

Food is therapeutic and the best natural medicine.

The key to a healthy diet is balance; and making it personal.

REFERENCESChoosemyplate.gov. (2011) Welcome to the five food groups. Retrieved from

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/

Choosemyplate.gov. (n. d.). Nutrition facts label. Retrieved from

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/NutritionFactsLabel.pdf

Cleveland Clinic. (2013. Nutrition guidelines to improve wound healing. Retrieved

from http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/healthy_living/hic_

What_We_Eat_Affects_How_We_Feel/hic_Keeping_

Your_Digestive_Tract_Healthy/hic_Nutrition_Guidelines_to_Improve_Wound_

Healing Food and Drug Administration. (2004). How to understand and use nutrition facts

Label. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackaging

Labeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm

REFERENCES….CONTINUED

Mayo Clinic. (2014). Nutrition and healthy eating. Retrieved from

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/

in-depth/carbohydrates/art-20045705?pg=2

Micozzi, M. S. (2011). Fundamentals of complementary and alternative medicine.

St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders Elsevier

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Centers for Disease Control and PreventionNutrition and Physical Activitywww.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash

U.S. Department of AgricultureNutrition Informationwww.nutrition.gov