Therapeutic Value of Different Foods

Today awareness is increasing among consumers regarding foods and the importance of nutrients playing a role in therapeutic healing.
It is increasing fast. Americans according to survey, a good 33% of them are including some foods or components into their daily food intake to enhance and continue good health. The biggest faction of health conscious consumers in the country is the maturing and progressively more mindful of long life cohorts. The realization that several modern foods actually caused the diseases of society is intimidating our very existence. Some people are now detoxifying there minds from the delusional growth of todays technological and pharmacological developments are advancing the quality of our health life.
Nothing can be further from the truth. Thus this group of aging people takes it upon themselves to lead the awareness of health giving foods.Foods have different purposes. Some foods have taste, smell and sustentative importance. But in the course of recent years, purposeful foods have been classified. Now they are called in different names.
We have medical foods, foods for long life, designer foods, therapeutic foods and a host of others. Functional foods are what are now known as organic foods. Thought to improve health management. Their compounds and substances like lycopene in tomatoes, allicin in garlic and isoflavones in soybeans are eaten as enhancement when taken with whole foods. This way they become nutritious. These kinds of foods are said to be linked to the deterrence and cure of cancer, hypertension and heart diseases. As antioxidants, anticarcinogen and probiotic, functional foods supply help with ailments such as abnormal bowel functions, arthritis and osteoporosis. Whole foods such as nuts/seeds, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and others are considered to be health promoting foods. In the midst of thousands of various foods Mother Earth has supplied, the greater part comprises no less than the many nourishment our bodies require. Functional foods include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cranberries, fish, flax, garlic, ginseng, oats, red grapes/red wine, soybean, tomato and whole grains (oat, wheat, and barley). These are the healthiest foods because they contain the most nutrients. These foods are the resources of the vital nutritive values necessitated for good health. Whole foods are considered one of the healthiest because the level of natural endowment of nutritional values is high. They are the most common healthy eating foods that abound on planet earth. They are good to the taste, available without delay and reasonably priced.
These are the foods that encourage lively health and vigor to suit your personal requirements and lifestyle. The richest foods have all the nutritive components in the right proportion and balance. Researches are continuing regarding the health advantages of functional foods. The latest discovery and development of healthy foods are continuing. Even the soil they grow on and its fertility are being studied to make it consistent with the making of healthful and quality food. This is the first stage of a bigger endeavor to look forward for prospects to enhance farmers’ economic feasibility and the wellness of humanity.

Healthy Cooking

Healthy cooking consists of modification of the already existing cooking methods, and not the avoidance of all favorite foods.
A healthy way of cooking goes hand in hand with a healthy eating pattern. Cooking methods like pressure cooking, steaming, microwave or non-stick cookware are simple techniques for healthy cooking. These methods are easy to follow and call for lesser oil. Valuable nutrients are retained by these methods. Invisible fats are an important aspect to be considered while cooking and eating.
Dietary fats from foods, such as olives, soy, nuts, fish, avocado and seeds, are beneficial, as they also comprise of other vital nutrients. Limited usage of monounsaturated fats is preferred. Fat in cooking is essential, as it helps in the absorption of antioxidant phytochemicals and fat soluble vitamins. Preference for low fat cooking techniques commence at the time of raw material purchase. Food products having a low fat version, such as low fat milk or skimmed milk, skimmed yoghurt, low fat dressings are considered.
Lean cuts of meat and skinless chicken are preferred. Baking, braising and grilling are also effective and healthy cooking methods. Use of oil or butter is minimized by using non-stick cookware. Fresh vegetables and fruits are beneficial in providing many essential nutrients, with minimal or nil cooking. Add salt in the final stages of cooking and fishes, with the exception of high fat fishes are included in the diet, owing to the presence of omega 3 fatty acids. Avoid or minimize frying techniques, as a cooking procedure. Recipes calling for oil can be met with, by cooking sprays or brushing the cookware with oil. Use broth, vegetable stock, water or vinegar for cooking, as it retains the water soluble nutrients and thus prevents wastage. Low fat milk or skimmed yoghurt is preferred in recipes requiring cream. Creamy sauces or dips can be substituted by chutneys, salsa and vinegar. Oil absorption by vegetables, can be decreased by browning them and adding oil at a later stage. Microwave, followed by grilling helps vegetables by providing a browning effect. Scrubbing vegetables is a better option, rather than peeling them, as the nutrients, hidden, right under the skin is saved. Avoid over cooking or over boiling of vegetables, to retain nutrients. Use half the salt while cooking.
Try to replace salt with spices and herbs, such as parsley, oregano and basil leaves. Lemon juice is squeezed on salads, instead of salt. Tinned vegetables and fruits are replaced by fresh vegetables and fruits, as packaged foods are a storehouse of salt. Creating innovative cooking methods lies in the hands of the cooking individual and thus healthy cooking methods can be followed based on the capacity and knowledge of the individual.

Healthy Living

Healthy living depends on one’s own self.
Major life threatening diseases, such as cardiac problems, renal diseases, lung disease, injury and respiratory issues can be prevented by proper lifestyle, diet fitness and regular exercise. Lifestyle and behavioral changes involves the non-usage of tobacco. Excessive drinking affects the lungs and results in cancer of the throat and liver. Alcohol is fatal in situations, like psychological problems, car driving and so on.
A balanced diet and its nutrition comprises of maximum servings of cereals, ranging from 6 to 11. This group includes rice, pasta, bread, wheat and others. Three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruits are recommended. Vegetables and fruits provide all the essential nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber and antioxidants.
These nutrients help in fighting infection and boost the immunity levels. Antioxidants prove beneficial in swallowing the free radicals and protecting from degenerative diseases. Two to three serves of fish, poultry, meat or nuts are preferred. Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats are provided by this food category. Skimmed milk and fat-free milk products make up 2-3 servings, every day. Beware of saturated fats in the form of hydrogenated fats or animal fats, as there is increased possibility of cancer, gall bladder disease and cardiac diseases. Sodium levels are restricted, as they increase the blood pressure. Processed and packaged foods are rich in sodium. Healthy cooking is the foundation for healthy living.Overweight increases the incidence of diseases. The principle of diet for weight management involves a low fat and high fiber regimen. Enhanced with physical activity, diet and healthy cooking habits helps in weight loss and maintenance. Regular exercise for 30-60 minutes helps in keeping diseases and obesity at bay.
This prevents secondary complications, such as osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, stroke and so on. Skin cancer is commonly caused due to improper sun bathing. Go in for expert advice, before opting for one. Diabetes, heart diseases, certain kinds of cancer and stroke is hereditary to a particular extent and extra care is of help in preventing these, though at increased risk.Refer to a physician, for details regarding essential vaccines, such as tetanus-diphtheria booster. Breast cancer is common in post-menopausal women and regular check-ups are necessary for healthy living. Healthy living is the basis for disease prevention. Physical, physiological and psychological health are of great concern, when it comes to healthy living. Happy Living! Healthy Living!

Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically modified foods are inventions of biotechnology.
Genetic Engineering is the method used to amend the genetic material, by transferring specific genes from one organism to another. Selective breeding is the technique used to transfer genes. Certain crops have the capacity to develop immunity to viruses and insects. Soybean, potato, maize, canola oilseed, tomato, squash and chicory are some of the genetically modified plants that endure herbicides. Genetically modified corn is used as a fodder.
It is also incorporated in bread, corn chips and breakfast cereals. Cauliflower, beet, coffee and yeast are more GM products available commercially. Genes, that are modified might be available or absent in the final food product. Phytochemicals are gene products that aid in disease prevention. Organic foods are devoid of any genetically modified (GM) ingredients.
Benefits of GM foods are diversified. Genetic engineering is a vital method, used in crops, to enhance the quantity of nutrients, such as vitamins. Nutritional enhancement is a process, in vogue now. Research is underway in prevention of vitamin A and iron deficiency. Removal of allergic proteins from peanuts is being studied. Modification in genes results in increased yield with better quality and nutrients. Foods with enhanced antioxidants, such as carrots, that are cost effective and nutritious are produced. Increased shelf life and standing period results in long lasting vegetables, like tomatoes. Edible therapeutic bananas carrying rotavirus antigens or bacterial antigens are produced by genetic modification. Environmental degradation is prevented by genetic engineering. Genetically modified crops are at decreased risk to attacks by micro organisms and herbicides. This calls for a reduced usage of herbicides and fungicides, making these genetically modified crops, eco-friendly. Residual levels of these products in the environment are thereby, less. Risks of genetically modified foods include triggering of allergic reaction and toxicity. Stability of the transferred gene is questionable. Unintentional hidden effect of the inserted gene is to be assessed.
Genetically modified foods are compared with their respective counterparts, with respect to its safety levels and nutrient content. The intensity and effectiveness of antibiotics might be reduced, due to the consumption of genetically modified foods. Incidence of allergic reaction to the inserted gene is possible. Environmental degradation is also seen to a particular extent, based on the surrounding weeds. Genetically modified crops give rise to the production of specific toxin resistant insects. Effects on biodiversity are yet to be identified. Studies are underway, regarding the effect of genetic engineering on flora and fauna. Genetically engineered crops, for the production of medicines and others might pollute other food products.

Chocolate

Chocolate, also referred to as cacao is made from seeds of cacao (Theobroma cacao) tree.
The seeds are fermented and roasted, in order to remove the bitter taste. They are then powdered and the resultant product is termed as ‘Chocolate’. Chocolate contains both saturated and unsaturated fats and are recommended in small quantities. Some chocolates contain antioxidants, called flavanoids, which are heart-friendly. Chocolate bars with processed chocolate, nougat, caramel and groundnuts are better avoided, as they contain more fat.
Alkaloids, like phenethylamine and theobromine are present in chocolates, having therapeutic value. Research reveals that chocolates result in increased risk of acne, obesity and migraines. About 50% of chocolates comprise of sugar. Protein in chocolate helps in repair and regulation of cells. 30% of chocolates are fats, comprising of equal amounts of saturated and unsaturated fats.
Cocoa beans contain around 600 chemicals and some active ingredients or antioxidant phytochemicals, called flavanoids, necessary for combating degenerative diseases, cardiac problems and cancer. Chocolates contain iron and copper, essential for hemoglobin formation and nervous system functioning respectively. Copper is also necessary for melanin formation and iron metabolism. Minerals, such as, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in chocolates are essentials for strong teeth and bones. Vitamin E helps in cell integrity. Threobromine and caffeine in chocolates are nerve stimulants. Migraines are devastating and incapacitating. It is a kind of headache, caused by arterial spasms to the nervous system. Factors that stimulate a migraine headache are stress, fasting, fatigue, hormones, anger and others. Chocolates also stimulate headaches but are not the primary causes. Chocolates also intensify acne and other skin complications. Studies focus on the effect of a dietary regimen with increased refined foods consumption with a combination of high glycemic index foods, on pimples. Chocolate is an energy bundled food and regular or excessive eating results in weight gain. Little amounts of chocolates can be consumed by diabetics; nevertheless, guidance of physician is essential. Majority of the saturated fats in chocolates are stearic acid, which fail to have any negative effect on blood cholesterol levels.
Catechins in cocoa beans, also seen in vegetables and fruits, are helpful in prevention of degenerative diseases, such as cancer and cardiac problems. Dark chocolates are a good source of catechins and are supposed to prevent lipid oxidation and reduce blood coagulation. Drinking cocoa is preferred to eating chocolates, as it has a reduced fat content. Tea also has catechins, similar to cocoa and chocolates, but is devoid of fat.

Calcium

Calcium is the most common mineral seen in the teeth and bones and thereby comprises 2% of an individual’s weight.
It monitors the contraction and relaxation functions of muscles. Calcium is required for nerve functions and coagulation of blood. It regulates the heart muscle. It also aids in enhancing enzyme function. Research reveals that 70 per cent of children and majority of women fail to achieve the requirement.
Decrease in blood calcium brings about a reduction in the urinary calcium levels. Lack of calcium absorption from the digestive tract puts forth the removal from bones or bone degeneration. In course of time, it leads to fragile or brittle bones. Osteoporosis is a common problem faced by such individuals, possessing weak bones. Sources of calcium include soymilk, dairy products, fortified breakfast cereals and so on.
Milk products, such as cheese, yoghurt, buttermilk and fortified milk provide a good amount of calcium. Green leafy vegetables possess a considerable amount of calcium, in spite of the high oxalate concentration. Sardines, salmon, almonds and sesame seeds are also good sources. Calcium needs vary from each individual, being high in adolescents and growing children. Calcium requirements depend on the stage of life cycle. Infants on mother’s milk require around 270 mg per day, whereas, babies who are bottle-fed have a higher requirement of 350 mg, due to the inefficient calcium absorption from artificial feeds. 500 mg of calcium is required by children aged between 1-3 years. Needs increase in growing children and falls at 700 mg in 4-8 years and an estimated 1 gm in 9-11 years. Adolescents require more calcium, owing to the onset of puberty and growth spurt and range around 1.3 gm per day. Osteoporosis and other bone complications can be avoided, by proper intake during adolescence and early adulthood. Bone mass increases, during this period. The requirement falls at 1 gm per day. A pregnant mother has an increased requirement, due to the growing fetus and is 1.3 gm per day, in the case of pregnant adolescent. In general, mother’s replace the deprived calcium, utilized by the growing fetus. Breastfeeding adolescents require 1,300 mg per day. Bone loss or degeneration is common in senescence. Menopause in women calls for a greater calcium requirement.
Compensating the bone losses is essential in both the genders, during the course of ageing process. Men above 70 years and women over 50 years require 1,300 mg per day. Calcium supplements are recommended as per the instructions on the bottle and are preferred, under the guidance of a physician. Requirement of supplements occur in those with increased risk of osteoporosis and those with a poor calcium diet.

Minerals

Minerals are inorganic substances and are not broken down into smaller substances.
Minerals comprise of single atoms. The degree of absorption of minerals or bioavailability varies from one mineral to the other. Antinutrients, as the name implies, are non-nutrient substances that are seen in most foods. It is one of the important factors that hinder the mineral absorption. The availability or deficiency of certain minerals affects the bioavailability of others.Minerals are absorbed in the small intestine and are broadly classified into two types, namely, major minerals and trace elements.
Major minerals are necessary in larger amounts by the body for its normal functioning. About 250 milligrams of these minerals are necessarily consumed on a daily basis, owing to its loss everyday. Trace elements are essential in minor amounts and lesser than 5 grams of these are maintained on a daily basis. Around 20 milligrams of a steady supply of these minerals are required. Major minerals include calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, and electrolytes, such as, chloride, sodium and potassium.
Calcium is essential for bone and teeth formation. It also aids in muscle contraction, regulating the fluid balance, coagulation of blood and conduction of nerve impulses. Magnesium helps in enzyme functioning for the various metabolic reactions in the body. Phosphorus is essential for teeth and bone formation. It forms a protective layer on the myelin sheath of the neurons. It also helps in maintenance of the body’s pH and aids in breakdown of carbohydrates. Sulfur is a part of proteins and is necessary for the synthesis of enzymes. Electrolytes help in nerve impulse transmission and monitoring the flow of fluids in the body, both inside and outside the cells. Potassium is vital for the proper functioning of the kidneys, digestive tract, nerves, muscles and heart. Cellular functions in the body necessitate the presence of potassium. Chloride helps in maintaining homeostasis. Sodium regulates the fluid balance and protects the body from dehydration. It helps in elimination of waste from the cells. Trace minerals include copper, chromium. Copper helps in iron absorption and is an antioxidant.
It helps in collagen synthesis and hastens wound healing. Chromium triggers insulin activity and helps in the breakdown of fat, protein and carbohydrate. Iron plays a vital role as an oxygen carrier in hemoglobin. Manganese boosts the immune system and selenium is a potent antioxidant. Zinc helps in cell growth and its division. Fluoride aids in remineralization or strengthening of teeth and iodine is helpful in the synthesis of T3 and T4 hormones. Persistence of deficiency calls for dietary supplements are considered under the guidance of a physician.

Carbohydrates

What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are energy suppliers for the vital organs of the body, such as, central nervous system, kidneys, heart and brain.
Fifty to sixty per cent of the daily calorie requirement is provided by carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are the three major macronutrients, essential for our daily lives. Carbohydrates are metabolized into simple sugars, such as glucose. Blood glucose is removed and pushed into the cells by insulin. Insulin is the hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas. Beating of the heart, respiratory pattern and digestion require the energy provided by carbohydrates.Based on the chemical structure, carbohydrates are classified into simple and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are broken down rapidly and include refined sugars. Fruit juices, sugar, molasses, milk, honey, fruits and yoghurt are simple carbohydrates. They are also referred to ‘bad carbohydrates’. Polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates are those that have a longer transit time. They are a bundle of vitamins, dietary fiber and minerals.
They are ‘good carbohydrates’. Complex carbohydrates comprise of elongated strands of simple sugars and take more time to break down. Three types of dietary fiber fall under the category of complex carbohydrates, namely, cellulose, hemicellulose and gums. They are provided by the legumes, fruits, vegetables, cereals and pasta in our diet. Both the types provide 4 calories per gram. Natural and unrefined carbohydrates are recommended, as they have a low glycemic index. High glycemic index foods increase the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance and hypertension. Low carbohydrate diets are recommended under a dietitian’s guidance. Such diets provide 60gm of carbohydrates per day, but are high in saturated fats. This diet decreases the intake of fruits and vegetables. Such diets recommend energy from fat and protein sources. Certain vegetables, cereals and fruits are restricted. Dairy products and meat in the diet are increased. Vegetables and fruits are a storehouse of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals. They are especially recommended in a weight loss diet.
Reduced incidence of heart diseases and degenerative diseases is seen in individuals on good carbohydrates. Five servings of fruits are advised. Whole grains, such as, rye, oats, whole wheat and others reduce the glycemic index. Potatoes provide a feeling of satiety, but are refined carbohydrates. The have a greater glycemic index. Fresh potatoes are preferred in addition to sweet potatoes. They are devoid of fat and comprise of potassium and vitamin C. Making them a part of the diet with other low glycemic index foods is preferred.

Whole Grain Foods

Whole grain foods are those that comprise of a variety of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals.
These encompass all the products manufactured with the bran and germ intact. Whole grains, whole wheat bread or muffins, bulgar, brown rice, wheat germ, popcorn, couscous, oatmeal and puffed whole grains fall under this category, whereas, white bread, waffles, pasta, cakes, white rice and biscuits are refined foods. Whole grain consists of the outer layer ‘bran’, main part ‘endosperm’ and smallest part ‘germ’. Wholegrain foods are a good source of B complex vitamins. They are also rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.
Whole grains are cholesterol free and reduced in saturated fat. It is a good source of polyunsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids. Carbohydrates are abundant in whole grains. A notable amount of protein and minerals, like copper, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus are present. Antioxidants and phytochemicals, namely phenolic compounds, lignans, saponins, oryzanol, phytic acid aiding in reducing cholesterol levels are also seen.
Phenolic compounds exhibit free radical scavenging property. Lignans slows cancer incidence. Saponins and oryzanol are helpful in decreasing the cholesterol levels. Phytic acid aids in regulating the blood glucose levels. Nutritional values are significantly met. The bran and germ is removed, during the process of polishing, thereby depriving them of 66 per cent of fiber. Approximately 99.8 per cent of phytochemicals are lost, due to refining. Fortification of nutrients is possible to a certain extent, though these grains remain deprived of phytochemicals. Whole grain cereals have a lower glycemic index, resulting in decreased risks of diabetes mellitus. Oats and psyllium are good sources of soluble fiber. Substitution of these whole grains proves beneficial against heart disease. A significant reduction in the cholesterol levels is seen. Reduced incidence of diverticulitis and constipation is seen in individuals consuming whole grain cereals. The fiber content adds bulk to the feces, resulting in softer and easier bowel movement. This causes a decrease in the harmful microbes, thereby eliminating the toxic substances.
Research reveals the decreased incidence of stomach, colon, breast, kidney, digestive tract and bladder cancer. Weight management therapy is benefited by intake of whole grains. Fiber provides a feeling of satiety, thereby decreasing the eating capacity. They also take a longer time to breakdown. Four to five servings of cereals are recommended per day. Whole grains should comprise half of this. Whole meal whole grain breads are also available, comprising of whole grains, in addition to the whole meal flour.

Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism means following a diet that is strictly vegetarian in nature, i.e.
there is no inclusion of meat, fish, poultry (except eggs) in the diet. Vegetarian diet does provide people with all the nutrition they require for proper functioning of their body. However, all vegetarians have to ensure that they eat food which ranges over a variety of foods.
Vegetarian food includes grains, vegetables, fruits, salads, nuts, dried beans and only those which grow on plants.There are different types of vegetarian diets. These can be classified mainly as vegan, lacto vegetarian, lacto ovo vegetarian and ovo vegetarian. All these diets follow some or the other pattern regarding inclusion of food.Vegan diet includes all vegetarian foods excluding dairy products as well as eggs.Lacto vegetarian diet includes all vegetarian foods and also dairy products but no eggs.Lacto ovo vegetarian diet includes vegetarian foods, dairy products and also eggs.Ovo vegetarian diet includes vegetarian foods and eggs but no dairy products.Nutrition is provided completely by vegetarian food, but it is important that every vegetarian eats a variety of food, so that each food can provide them with required nutrition.
Vegetarians do need to concentrate on getting proper amounts of proteins, iron calcium, zinc as well as Vitamin B12 in their diets. There are many advantages to vegetarian diet, firstly this diet is rich in fiber, which makes proper digestion of food possible. Most of the non-vegetarian dishes can be made with a little difference by vegetarian way and will taste as tasty, except that the vegetarian dish is likely to have lesser calories and saturated fats that its non vegetarian counterpart. Vegetarian food can be made in several different ways, therefore tastes as different each time. You can have as much fun barbecuing vegetarian food as you may have at your non-vegetarian barbecue. If you are interested in going vegetarian then you need not worry about eating out. There are many restaurants which have now opened up this new option of serving vegetarian food, you will find a varied vegetarian menu at Indian and Asian restaurants all over the world. If you want low calorie and low fat food, lentils and beans are ideal substitutes. Substituting cheese for meat however is not a good option because it is higher in fat.
For sautéing green vegetables you can use olive oil and spices in vegetarian food to provide it with extra taste and make interesting vegetarian dishes for all to enjoy. You can even make vegetarian pizzas and sandwiches, kebabs, lasagna, etc. So go vegetarian for a healthy low fat diet.

Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the inability of a person to digest sugar in milk called lactose.
There might be a limit up to what each person can digest lactose in milk. This happens due to shortage in an enzyme that helps digestion of lactose called lactase. Function of lactase is to break down lactose into sugar (glucose) and galactose, which goes directly into the blood stream. Each person has different lactose intolerance symptoms.
People might start reacting to lactose in milk after 30 minutes to 2 hours. Symptoms might include cramps, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, etc. Symptoms are not the same in each person; some might feel only a mild upset whereas someone might get severe cramps. Lactose tolerance also depends on the age, sex and ethnicity of a person.
Lactose intolerance is also dependant on the digestive system.For the purpose of lactose intolerance diagnosis, there are three types of tests taken. The first one is the Lactose Tolerance Test; this test involves drinking liquid containing lactose. For this the person has to fast before taking the test. Doctors then keep on taking blood samples over the period of next two hours. If the enzyme lactase has been able to break down all lactose and convert it into glucose, the glucose then will be transferred to liver which will then go in to the blood stream, thus there will be an increase in glucose level in blood. If there is no increase, it means the person has lactose intolerance. Another method is the Hydrogen Breath Test, this test involves measuring hydrogen in a person’s breath. The person is made to drink a lactose drink, then there is undigested lactose in stomach, the bacteria ferment it and it starts giving out gases, one of the gases is the hydrogen. Hydrogen then travels through the blood stream into lungs and then comes out of breath, thus measuring hydrogen tells whether or not the person is lactose intolerant.The third test is the stool acidity test, this test useful for infants. This measures the amount of acid in their stool. Undigested lactose when fermented by bacteria increase the level of acid in stomach, this increases the acid levels in stools. Undigested glucose also might be present in the stools.
This can show the level of lactose indigestion. Lactose intolerance can be treated, though there is no way to increase lactose in stomach, people can consume lactose in some other ways. For some people, a single glass of milk might not do any harm whereas two glasses of milk would, in such a case the person can limit his milk intake to a single glass, people can also have milk in several different ways like the yogurt or cheese, where the lactose is less likely to harm. Infants should not be fed with lactose rich food if they have allergy, there are chances that lactose intolerance would diminish as they grow.

Fresh Produce Safety

Fresh produce too, requires as much care at the time of buying as much you would involve at the time of buying meat.
Fresh produce requires being stored in a proper manner to ensure that it remains uncontaminated and good to eat. Following are certain buying tips, which will help you ensure that the fresh produce you are buying is really fresh. First you require seeing that the fruits and vegetables you are buying are clean and not bruised or broken as this can lead breeding of harmful bacteria. While buying cut fruits like half watermelons, etc.
make sure that these have been packed and kept in ice immediately after cutting so that it does not become contaminated. Fruits like oranges, sweet lime, strawberries, etc. should be stored below 40°F so that these remain as fresh. After buying make sure that you are keeping vegetables separately from other fish and poultry items to avoid contamination.
Moreover, store eggs, meat and fish separately and vegetables and fruits separately. These storage tips will help you ensure that no contamination of fruits and vegetables taken place inside of home.There are also some rules to be followed at the time of preparation of this food. These are some preparation tips to help you cook safe food. It is necessary that you wash hands thoroughly before you start cooking, by washing hands means washing hands for at least 20 seconds under warm water with soap. This will ensure that all probable infections bacteria have been cleaned from your hands. The next step in preparation is washing the vegetables. Before washing it is of extreme importance that any bruised or damaged part is cut away from the vegetable. If any vegetable looks rotten it should be totally discarded. Vegetables should be washed thoroughly under running water until these have been ensured clean. It is important to scrub salads like cucumber, etc. even though you intend to peel these.Leafy vegetables too, should be washed thoroughly before eating. If you have bought packaged leafy vegetables where it is mentioned, ‘washed before packing’, it might be necessary to wash these, however, if you do it would be better still.Lastly, it is important that the sprouts are cooked well before eating, since there is a danger of bacteria causing food borne diseases, even the home grown sprouts are at a danger of being contaminated.
Therefore, cooking sprouts properly before using these is necessary.Proper hygiene should be maintained in the kitchen, it is necessary that all countertops, chopping material like chopping boards, knives, etc. are washed with a detergent before and after use. It is also necessary to use separate knives for vegetables and separate ones for meat.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are essential for the prevention of oxidative damage in the body, which in turn, results in membrane and tissue damage.
Oxygen interaction with certain molecules results in a group of atoms. They have an odd paired electron. This damage causes cell death or malfunctioning. Metabolism of oxygen results in free radicals.
These free radicals embezzle some electrons, thereby resulting in cell injury. Excessive free radicals cause liver and cardiac problems and are also carcinogenic. Factors, such as smoking, sunlight, stress, pollution and alcohol aggravate free radical formation. Free radicals blind vision, by resulting in degradation of the lens. The damaged DNA stimulates a carcinogenic effect, causing cancer.
Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease is a result of the damage of the brain’s nerve cells, by the free radicals. Ageing is hastened, thereby causing wrinkles. Risk of cardiovascular diseases is increased, due to the adherence of (LDL) ‘bad cholesterol’ to the arterial walls. What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are those, which have the capacity to resist and nullify the effect of free radicals. They also decrease the effect caused by oxidative damage. In other terms, they scavenge the free radicals. Vitamins and minerals are the major antioxidants, with potent activity, seen in food. Minerals, such as selenium, copper and zinc and Vitamins E, C and A are some of them. Phytochemicals or non-nutrient antioxidants in plants have a much potent antioxidant activity, than these nutrients. Anthocyanins in cranberries and lycopene in tomatoes are suitable examples for non-nutrient antioxidants. Antioxidants are also referred to as the disease fighting antioxidants, due to their efficacy in curtailing many diseases. Research reveals the non-existence of prostate cancer in men consuming tomatoes (lycopene). Reduced risk of degradation of eye lens and blindness is seen in old age people, consuming corn and spinach (lutein). Catechin, which is a flavanoid present in green tea, reduces the risk of cardiac problems. Good sources of antioxidants include a big list of varied food stuffs.
Foods containing beta carotene, lignans, sulphur, indoles, polyphenols, copper, isoflavanoids, catechins, manganese, cryptoxanthins, zinc, lutein, selenium, Vitamins A,C and E are good sources. A serving comprises of half a cup of vegetables (cooked) or a medium fruit. Five servings are recommended. Artificial supplements are better avoided. Athletes find these antioxidants helpful, due to improved performance and endurance behavior. Food isolated forms of antioxidants, such as beta carotene have decreased effects. Antioxidants act as pro-oxidants, at levels much higher than the recommended intake.

Reading Food Labels

Reading food labels is the primary duty of a consumer.
Food labels contain information regarding the manufacturer’s name and address, serving size, common name of the product, ingredients list, nutrients list and measure or weight of the product. Nutrient content, in terms of, ‘fat-rich’, ‘high fiber’ or ‘high protein’ food is mentioned. Food labels are simple, distinct and easy to understand, enabling the consumers to make healthy choices in their diet. The amount of fat, with respect to saturated fat and cholesterol is provided.Nutrition information, in the form of health concerned nutrients, such as dietary fiber and other nutrients are obtainable.
A nutrient reference value which is beneficial to the customers in the way it fits into a diet is also available, as percentage daily value. Details regarding the percentage or quantity of juice in a drink are given. The nutrition facts label provides an insight about the inherent nutrients in the food. It is seen on the outside of the packed foods and is easy to trace. Fresh foods also provide this information to a certain extent.
Nutrients are expressed in terms of grams (g). Few of them are denoted as milligrams (mg). Percentage (%) is another way of expressing nutrients. Serving size is mentioned in numbers or cup sizes. This enables people to keep a check on their eating quantity. The number of servings per container is also mentioned, showing the duration of the contents. Percent daily values of potassium, sodium, other minerals and vitamins, protein, fat and carbohydrates are available. Fat is available as unsaturated fat, trans fat, monounsaturated fat and saturated fat. Cholesterol and sodium are expressed in terms of milligrams and proves helpful for those on a fat or sodium restricted diet respectively. 'Light' or 'Lite' foods are those that are reduced in calories, sodium and fat to a significant extent. Such products assure fat content decreased by 50%, one-third of the calories are reduced or reduction in sodium content by around 50%.
Other confusing terms are 'Low fat'- Equal to or less than 3 grams of total fat (with respect to a reference quantity)'Fat-free'- With a reduction of 0.5 grams of total fat (with respect to a reference quantity)'Reduced sugar'- About 25% less sugar with respect to reference food'Sugar-free'- provides less than 0.5 grams per serving'No added sugar'- Neither sugar nor are substitutes present'Low-cholesterol'- Equal to or less than 20 mg of cholesterol (with respect to a reference quantity)'Cholesterol-free'- Less than 2 mg of cholesterol (with respect to a reference quantity)'Calorie-free'- A reduced amount of 5 calories per serving'High fiber'- Equal to or greater than 5 gm per servingThe shelf life of the product is indicated by the expiry or ‘best before’ date.
This information is especially essential for perishable foods. The date of manufacture is also indispensable. When made proper use of, food labels are very informative, providing knowledge to the consumers.

Infant feeding and Nutrition

Infant feeding and Nutrition

Breast feeding is an important and initial aspect of infant feeding.
Infants are first put on mother’s milk, especially colostrums, the first milk. It is a natural phenomenon, initially unknown to the infant. Perseverance and patience from the mother's side is essential, for the baby to benefit. The position and the attitude during a feed enhances the bonding established between the mother and child. Suckling results in the 'let down' reflex, triggering milk production.
Colostrum is a yellowish, thick, sticky substance secreted, prior to milk production. It is rich in antibodies, helping to ward off infection. It is also a concentrated source of minerals and proteins.Advice is available from everybody around, for a new born infant. A physician’s guidance is more recommended and reliable, though age old techniques might help, at times.
Nipple chewing is an indication of the child wanting solid foods. Weaning foods are commenced from the fourth month. This is because of its inability to digest solid foods, prior to this. This also decreases the risk of food allergies. In addition to the mother’s milk, these foods aim at targeting the other necessities of a growing infant, such as, improving muscle tone and coordination. Weaning foods, such as mashed fruits, soft double-cooked cereals, cooked potatoes and yoghurt are recommended. Iron fortified nutrition is essential for the formation of hemoglobin, and thereby enhancing the oxygen and nutrients carrying capacity. Finger foods (apple slices, peas, carrot slices) are introduced in the eighth month, to enable their eye-hand coordination. Foods like spinach, fish, berries, corn and wheat might result in allergic reactions. These are made a part of the meal, after 9 months, when they are comfortable.Take your time to adjust with the child’s varying requirements. Introduce one food at a time to improve infant nutrition. Mash them properly and sieve them for bigger pieces.
Carbohydrates are needed to compensate for the energy breakdown. Proteins and amino acids are essential for growth and infant development. They are also required for connective tissue growth. Breast feeding poses the advantage of easily available, cost effective and sterile milk, possessing all the essential nutrients, in comparison. It also saves the mother from a variety of diseases, such as, colon cancer. Infant formula available commercially in the market is of different features. They are not affordable by every part of the community. Proper sterilization of bottles is required, in the case of artificial feeds. Measuring feeds is another issue, in the case of bottle feeds.

Breast Feeding

Breast feeding is an important aspect of a child’s development.
Breastfeeding by women who are devoid of illnesses is preferable, as it is beneficial, both to the infant and the mother. Breast milk is rich in a series of nutrients striking a balance, keeping the baby fit and healthy. It helps in protecting the infant from some diseases. Lactating mothers are at decreased risk for cancer. Mothers suffering from tuberculosis or HIV infection or those on alcohol or certain drugs should abstain from breast feeding.
Feeding of a child from a mother’s / woman’s breasts is referred to as breast feeding. Suckling reflex helps in sucking the milk from its mother’s breasts and drinking them. It is a wholesome source of nutrients. An infant is breast fed either from the breasts or by expressing the milk and feeding in a bottle. It is beneficial for infant development.
The quantity of water, fat, protein and sugar in mother’s milk is in right proportion, and is apt for the infant’s growth and development. They are easily digestible, being safe for the digestive system and comprises of antibodies that helps to ward off infection by invading the bacteria and virus. When drunk from breasts, it is sterile. Breast milk is available at the right temperature and is readily available. Infant nutrition paves way for further development. Breast-fed infants have a reduced probability of SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other diseases. Teeth growth and speech development is improvised by breastfeeding. It has a proper balance of nutrients and sleep apnea is also prevented by breast milk. The ordeal of mixing and measuring artificial feeds is prevented. Physical contact improves the bonding between the mother and infant and provides a feeling of warmth. Improper sterilization of bottles causing infection is avoided. The extra weight gained during pregnancy is shed, as lactation uses up some amount of energy. The size of the uterus is regained and lessens bleeding, if any. The probability of ovarian and breast cancers are reduced.Proper overall development takes place. Premature breast fed infants also fare well, when compared to those fed on artificial feed.
Breast fed infants have a better I.Q than those fed on formula. Immediate attention is provided by a lactating mother. Reduced risk of osteoporosis and pelvic fractures is seen to occur on those women who breast fed. It helps the child feel at ease, providing all the comfort. Breast feeding improves the self-confidence and increases the bonding with the child. Breast feeding is also beneficial to the society, as it reduces the infection and thereby the hospitalization and prescription. A productive workforce occurs, as, children are healthy, devoid of infection.

Cow’s Milk for Infants

Nutritionally the first year of life is very critical for a baby and they deserve the best available food options.
Exclusive breast feeding should be the primary option as it forms the basis of an ideal nutrition and is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for the first six months after birth. Cow’s milk is not considered appropriate for infants below one year and American Academy of pediatrics recommends iron-fortified infant formulas over cow’s milk for infants weaned before 12 months of age.
Although cow’s milk forms the basis of nutrition for older children and adults, but due to the following reasons it is not considered appropriate for infants.
Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency among infants, cow’ milk is a very poor source of iron.
Moreover iron present in breast milk is 100% absorbed by the baby compared to cow’s milk.
Ordinary cow’s milk that lacks heat processing required for infant formula can lead to intestinal blood loss in infants.
Besides iron, cow’s milk is also a poor source of vitamin C, vitamin E, essential fatty acids and copper. This can cause vitamin C deficiency in infants fed solely on cow’s milk.
Young infants can not digest the fat present in cow’s milk as it is in very different form then that of breast milk or infant formula. For overweight babies, low fat milk is not the answer.
Also the sodium level in cow’s milk is high, that exceeds the normal daily requirement of sodium of an infant. The potassium levels in cow’s milk are also high that together becomes difficult for an infants system to handle.
Proteins in cow’s milk are approximately 2-3 times higher than that of breast milk or an infant formula.
Cow’s milk allergy among infants is common than an adult. The immune system of an infant sees the high protein level in the cow’s milk as dangerous unconsciously and tries to fight it off. In the process an infant can become irritable and fussy and can get a stomach upset. Milk allergy should not be confused with lactose intolerance as it is very different form milk allergy. (In lactose intolerance the enzymes to digest the milk sugar lactose are lacking and it is rare in infants).It is very important to achieve optimal nutrition in an infant by selecting an appropriate milk source and eventually introducing solid foods to the infant.

Formula Feeding

Formula feeding is becoming popular increasingly today and since babies are the sweetest gift from god, they deserve the best of everything that can be proffered to them.
First year in a baby’s life is the most critical especially from a nutritional point of view for amazing changes take place in its body throughout the year and it experiences the speediest growth and development period in its lifetime. These changes are not only external but internal within its vital organs like brain, heart, kidneys, digestive system etc.
And that is why, it becomes exceedingly important for parents to understand the unique nutritional requirements of infants to keep them healthy, after all it is their first and foremost responsibility.Commonly, a baby receives all nutrients from a single food source or a limited number of sources and, since its nutritional needs are unique and different, careful selection of baby formula is extremely important and it is essential that the balanced and proper nutrients at the right levels are present in that source or sources.Deciding on a method for feeding a baby is ultimately the parent's decision, nonetheless, in making this decision, parents should rely on the advice of the health professionals like physicians and nutritionists as they are extensively trained and can provide sound counseling matching their unique physiologic and metabolic demands of a baby.Breastfeeding is certainly a preferred and suggested method of nourishing a baby as it endows it with proper and balanced nutrients required for growth and development; it does not strain a baby's developing digestive system, kidneys, heart & brain; it’s free from germs & microbes and therefore, keeps baby unaffected; and it involves emotional growth of child as well. However, at the same time, the diet of a breastfeeding mother affects not only her own health and well-being, but that of her child, and therefore she should be healthy and should eat an adequate and nutritious diet to ensure the quality and quantity of her milk supply.
Strict dieting, indulging in sweets and any consumption of alcoholic beverages are all prohibited for breastfeeding women as a breast-fed baby receive a portion of everything consumed by the mother.With the advancement in the ingredients of baby formula, the parents can very easily supplement the breastfeeding with it. Baby formula is certainly a good supplement to breastfeeding provided it has proper amount of iron, protein and carbohydrates. Iron is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in babies. Requirement of protein can be met with cow's milk or soy. Both these sources support infant growth and development. Please note that the most of baby formula contain lactose as the carbohydrate source though it is not very much desirable as it is probable that some children recovering from gastroenteritis temporarily cannot tolerate the sugar lactose.
Therefore, the babies should not consume lactose.

Solid Foods for Infants

Introducing solid foods in a baby’s diet would determine the overall health and life long eating habit of a baby.
It is very important to start solid foods at the right time when the baby is ready for it. Don’t be in a rush to start solid foods as breast milk and infant formulas take care of the infant nutrition for the first 4-6 months. Starting a solid food at this stage might cause the baby to develop food allergies or diarrhea as an infant intestinal track is not as fully developed in the first few months.
The baby in this stage is also unable to express the feeling of fullness and this might in turn lead to unintentional overfeeding. At his stage of life the baby is still learning to swallow foods, thus introducing solid foods can be a potential cause for choking. To detect if the baby is allergic to a particular food, feed one type of food for several days.
Avoid egg whites, cow’s milk or honey till the baby is at least 12 months old. Following are the general guidelines to start solid foods as the baby grows older. Remember that the type and amount of food will vary on daily basis.
4-5 months – Till 6 months of age an infant should be exclusively breast fed. But in case breast feeding is a problem than cereal based iron fortified infant formulas could be started. Introduce these gradually in small amounts to familiarize your baby with solid foods.
6-7 months – Along with breast milk, the cereal based iron fortified nutrition could be given (up to 4 tablespoons). Other baby foods or well-cooked strained and mashed vegetable can also be introduced.
7-8 months – Along with 3-4 feedings of breast milk and formulas, canned, peeled, mashed and cooked fruits can be introduced. Fruit juice diluted with water (1:2 proportions) can also be given.
Mild cheese, egg yolks (no whites as it may cause allergic reaction), soft bite size pieces of foods, finger foods, salted crackers or pastas can also be given.
10-12 months – Along with 3-4 feedings of breast milk and formulas, a baby’s diet will start resembling that of an adults diet with 3 meals and 3 snacks daily. To inculcate good eating habits encourage the baby to eat by himself with other family members. Breastfeed your baby at least till he turns one. There is no specific age when he should be weaned. Wean your child gradually by reducing the amounts of breast feeds when he gives an indication by drinking from a cup. Start cow’s milk only after 12 months of age.

Soy Based and Special Formulas for Infants

An infant’s healthy nutritional status purely lies in the hands of the parents based on the food choices they make for their little one.
Soy protein based formulas are used for more than 100 years and around 25% of the United State infants receive these formulas. Soy based formulas are used by parents seeking a vegetarian diet for their infants. These formulas are a good choice for infants having cow’s milk protein allergy, galactosemia, lactose intolerance or hereditary lactase deficiency as these formulas are free from cow’s milk protein and lactose.
Infants who experience colic, irritability or emesis are often switched to soy protein based formulas in hope of relieving the symptoms (diarrhea and visible blood in the stool are the major symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy). But if a true cow’s milk protein allergy is not present then this change is not likely to be successful. Moreover infants with cow’s milk protein intolerance are likely to be sensitive to soy milk as well, as soy itself is an allergen.
Soy based infant formula meets the nutritional requirement of an infant in terms of proteins, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes. Infants receiving soy based formulas have shown adequate growth status when compared to those fed on cow’s milk formula. Also serum phosphorus and calcium levels and bone mineralization in infants fed on soy based formulas is similar to that of infants fed cow’s milk protein formula. Soy protein formulas are fortified with additional calcium, phosphorus, iron and zinc as they contain 1.5% phytates that interfere with the absorption of these compounds. Studies show that serum phosphorus levels in pre-term infants fed on soy based formula are lower and can lead to osteopenia in these infants, thus soy based formulas are not advisable for pre-term infants. Although soy based formulas are a good choice, lot of concern has been raised regarding its safety due to the presence of phytoestrogens in the form of isoflavones. Isoflavones are phytochemicals with plant estrogenic activity that can interfere with the endocrine and reproductive development of an infant. Only soy milk formulas used routinely have not shown to have value in preventing illnesses and diseases. Thus to minimize unnecessary exposure to any possible unknown risk, use soy protein based formulas when a child cannot tolerate cow’s milk or in the absence of breast milk.
Other special formulas include ready to use formulas, liquid concentrate formulas and powdered formulas which can be lactose free, iron-enriched, extensively hydrolyzed, formulas for pre-mature and low-birth weight babies, human milk fortified or metabolic formulas. Depending on the infants tolerance and need a specialist will recommend a formula for the infant.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders is a common phenomenon in adolescents and this is attributed to the reduced respect for the self.

Such individuals need to have a command over their emotions and environment and organize themselves. Anorexia nervosa is a wrong way of managing this situation. It is the circumstance and the genes which help in stimulating a negative attitude. It is a combination of anxiety, sorrow, stress and distress. The individuals feel unwanted, possessing no control over the reins of life.
An anorexic is perceived as a sensitive, dieting person. The individual has his own perception of being fat. A fear of lack of control over food exists. They are obsessed about dieting, and restrain themselves from any kind of joy, which includes eating. A psychological feeling of not liked by any is common.
Anorexia occurs as two episodes. Binge eating is one type, wherein the individual induces vomiting or laxative or diuretic abuse is possible. Restricting type of anorexia involves the non-indulgence in diuretic misuse or vomiting. People who eat a great amount in a shot span and indulge in self-induced vomiting, as a method of punishment suffers from Bulimia nervosa. They are snowed under, unable to manage their emotions and mental health. This behavior reflects the way they perceive themselves. Bulimia involves binging and purging to bring out frustration, anger, stress and depression. Environment and genes do play a role in some cases. Isolation and wearing large sized clothes to mask the body shape is common. Visit to the bathroom is regular after meals. Laxative abuse, feeling of guilt post food consumption and formulating strict diet schedules are some of the behavioral pattern of individuals suffering from bulimia. They buy cookery books to discuss about recipes and food-related tissues. They are conscious about a positive body image. The main principle of bulimic individuals is the repetitive cycle of binging and purging. Weight fluctuation is common, due to the storage of food for later periods. Diet supplements are consumed to reduce binging habit.

Compulsive overeating is in simpler terms referred to as ‘Food addiction’. It is an easy way to manage stress, conceal emotions and cope with an inner emptiness. They are obese and have increased probability to develop renal diseases, cardiac problems, bone degeneration and hypercholesterolemia. They try to shy away from social gatherings, due to their low self-esteem. Eating is a technique to manage their emotional behavior and thereby increases their weight. Love and feeling of wanted ness is necessary to bring them to normalcy.

Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is a disease, accompanied by self-starvation and is lethal if not treated.

Generally, anorexia occurs in individuals around the puberty age. Symptom detection is the primary step in treatment. It is an eating disorder associated with dieting to reduce weight. It occurs, especially in teenagers and is a technique followed, as a result of fear. It is a condition of eating in a restricted manner, to control the body.

An anorexic individual is obsessed with the fear of getting fat. Typical symptoms include excessive exercise, refusal to eat meals, following a strict dietary regimen, dissatisfaction about the stature, incorporating low calorie foods, social withdrawal, concealing foods, menstrual problems and fear of weight gain. It is seen in people of the elite class, especially of those involved in dancing and athletics. They are skinny and around 15% below the normalcy is seen, with respect to their weights. Anorexics follow this method and perceive it as a laborious technique.
They have no respect for themselves. These people view this as an achievement and fail to understand it as a disorder. A pessimistic attitude is common. They frequently weigh themselves, to note the slightest weight change. They establish rigid rules on their eating habits and count the calories before they eat for weight loss. Anorexic exercise on a regular basis, avoid food and always have a fear for food. Self-hatred and progression of suicidal tendencies are common. They have crisis about their feelings and are negative about their perception about their body shapes. Purgatives are used constantly and in course of time, the bowel muscles lose their function. Laxatives also contain rough chemicals that are resorbed and harm the body.Anorexics determine their body shapes to be distorted. They are perfectionists. Their cognitive abilities are decreased due to improper eating and the resulting malnourishment. A low sense of self-esteem is seen in anorexic individuals. They have raised action of chemicals in a particular part of the brain, which manages incentive and remuneration. Weight loss fails to bring any happiness to such people.

Dopamine is a chemical compound, associated with pleasure. Over activity of dopamine receptors in basal ganglia is the reason behind. Typical symptoms include fatigue, menstrual irregularities, refusal to eat, brittle skin, breathlessness and inclusion of low calorie foods. Medical risks involve tachycardia, osteoporosis, improper growth, bulimia and mineral loss. Support from parents and peers are essential. Psychiatrist therapy is helpful as an intervention program. Hospitalization in serious cases is essential, especially for those possessing suicidal tendencies.

Signs and Symptoms of Anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder, characterized by withdrawal from food and society.

In course of time, binge eating becomes habitual. No respect for the self is seen. Anorexia is a common eating problem encountered by adolescents. Anorexia involves sociological, neurological, psychological and physiological aspects. It is a complex disorder which exhibits different symptoms in different individuals and they refuse to eat with the family.

Starvation in anorexia is associated with ventricle enlargement of the brain. Decreased flow of blood to the temporal lobes is seen to occur. Clinical depression is common. They avoid eating heavy full meals and restrain from eating publicly. They have a reduced appetite.

Behavioral changes include suicidal tendencies and depression. Frequent weighing to ensure reduced weight is seen. Symptoms of anorexia include use of condiments, guilt feeling, postponement of meals, denial of hunger, establishing hard and fast rules related to food, reduction of food quantity and being deceptive about eating. Psychological symptoms includes apprehension about appearance and physique, dissatisfaction regarding the figure or negative body image, misconception about image, low self-respect, yearning for self change, pangs of depression, classifying foods as good and bad foods, exhibiting moodiness and depression, sensitive to criticism, not being flexible, depressive outlook and extremities in thinking. Social withdrawal, failing to attend social functions is common.Anorexia is an eating disorder and other symptoms include over exercising, repeated weighing, staying isolated, wearing loose clothes to hide the figure, intolerant to others, restraining from revealing illness and withdrawal from social gatherings. Hair loss, white body hair, yellowish palms, dry and pale skin, bloated stomach, weight loss and amenorrhea are also seen. They are mostly underweight. Starvation results in a series of complications. Tryptophan and steroid hormone metabolism is reduced due to starvation, thereby decreasing the serotonin levels.Constipation and discomfort in the abdomen is common, due to dieting. Organ damage, as a result of changes in enzyme configuration happens. Elimination process is disrupted due to the improper use of laxatives. Hypotension and bradycardia occurs. Renal function is profoundly inhibited by anorexia. Menstrual irregularities are seen, resulting in infertility. Liver functioning is not impaired. Bone density in women is affected.

Starvation also hinders with the functioning of the heart. Food absorption pace is affected. The chemical processes of life are also hindered. Laxative abuse results in a weak electrolyte balance. Anemia is a common symptom and lack of immunity, resulting in increased susceptibility to infections occurs. They are irritable and fail to interact. Lack of sleep leading to fatigue, malnutrition, brittle nails, erosion of dental enamel, lack of concentration are few more to contribute.

Compulsive Eating Disorder

Compulsive eating is seen in people, who eat in uncontrollable amounts when they are not hungry.
An individual who eats in excessive amounts, for a variety of reasons, is termed as a Compulsive eater. Binge eating or snacking through the day is a common phenomenon. Irrespective of their size and shape, they eat more. They are unable to stop this behavior and feel that they are uncontrollable. They are unable to analyze the reason behind this eating pattern.
Difficult, uncontrollable emotions and mental health are controlled by food. Day to day issues and emotional problems are overcome by eating. They do understand the existence of such a problem in them, but fail to identify the reason behind. The reasons attributed by compulsive eaters vary. Sorrow, guilt, fear, boredom, anger, depression, disappointment, and shame are the common ones.
Temporary relief to the problem is addressed by this technique. Excessive hunger is also a causative factor in increasing food intake. Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa occur as a result of low self esteem. These individuals are ashamed of their actions and fail to eat publicly. The beginning years of eating paves way for compulsive overeating. Inability to cope up with problems and stress leads to compulsive overeating. Being fat also ahs a protective function, according to them. They are not harassed and sexually battered. Compulsive overeating is followed subsequently by weight gain. Male percentages of compulsive overeaters are greater, compared to individuals suffering from anorexia and bulimia. Dieting, followed by overeating results in a binge, and this in turn, results in guilt, frustration and shame. Emotional dissatisfaction can result in a series of dieting and bingeing, thereby yielding no results. Though this technique is camouflaged, it is a life-threatening problem. Medical, nutritional and psychiatric guidance is essential. Typical symptoms of compulsive overeating include, depression, social withdrawal, self depreciating, following irregular diet pattern, professional failure, complete focus on weight reduction, tormented by the eating pattern, binge eating, crash dieting and eating lesser quantities in public.
Medical complications involve embolism, arthritis, weight gain, sciatica, arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, insomnia, breathlessness and finally lead to cardiac arrest. Dieting should be stopped, as it is difficult to recover later from the diet and binge cycle. Research reveals the lack of correlation between long term dieting and weight reduction. Intervention is slow and requires a lot of self-support. The inherent behavior takes a while to change, by analyzing the issue.

Eating Disorders in Athletes

Eating disorders in athletes is increasing, as the profession calls for thin people.
Gymnastics, dancing, synchronized swimming, and skating have individuals suffering from eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Incidents reveal the fact, that eating disorders can be life threatening and lead to cardiac arrest and organ failure. Imbalance in electrolytes cardiac arrhythmias are the common offspring of eating disorders in athletes. The primary causative factor is the thought, that the performance is enhanced with a thinner body.
Arduous exercises and practices, puts a lot of stress and pressure on athletes. Body building is opted by weight loss. Laxatives for weight loss are a common feature in athletes, in addition to the use of diuretics. Knowledge about the consequences of these eating disorders is essential, as it helps them from refraining the athletes in activities, such as vomiting after meals, laxative abuse and so on.
Athletes are obsessed with the desire to reduce weight, in order to achieve success. Nutritionists play an important role in such cases, helping them with proper and healthy eating. Counselors have a significant role in helping them out. A positive outlook of the disorder is necessary for them to open up. Male athletes suffer more, as failures in competitions are unacceptable. Children in such field need special attention, to prevent further problems. Eating disorders is attributed to lack of respect for the self or denial of acceptance by the family. Anorexia nervosa is the result of excessive eating and vomiting induced at a later stage. Laxative or drug abuse also contributes to this condition. Bulimia nervosa is a condition involving bingeing and vomiting or purging, as a cyclic process. Oscillation of weight is seen, due to the hiding of food and eating them later. Supplements are taken to substitute for the unconsumed food or nutrients.
Non-indulgence in foods aggravates the condition. Compulsive eaters are those who eat to combat stress and emotions.Physical and mental health of athletes need an optimistic approach to protect themselves from such disorders, and help them achieve success, devoid of practices, like, laxative or drug abuse, use of diuretics and so on. Requirement of praise from the coach or instructor or achievement of a medal leads athletes to lose weight. Lack of knowledge or the spirits to win in athletes tempt them to opt such techniques to lose weight and move forward in life. Loss in a competition also leads to depression or anxiety, thereby causing weight loss.

Eating Disorders in Males

Eating disorders in males is similar to female eating disorder.
They also get anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Few of them engage themselves in bingeing and compulsive eating. Research reveals that males suffering from anorexia are in the ratio of 1:4 to females and 1:8 males suffer from bulimia nervosa, with respect to females. But, unlike females, males are devoid of guilt or anxiety after bingeing.
Males with eating disorders are unwilling to open up to psychiatrists or counselors. Anorexia is an eating disorder, associated with a perception of excessive weight. Bulimia nervosa is a cyclic process involving purging and bingeing. The risk of eating disorders in males is affected by excessive weight during childhood. Dieting in any phase of life is an essential aspect contributing to eating disorders.
Individuals in a field requiring thinness or body image, such as sports, modeling, athletes and acting force them to lose weight, thereby resulting in anorexia or bulimia. Research reveals that men in the gay community are more prone to eating disorders. Males undergo occupational hazards, such as those acting as models and actors and try to act as role models for other men, which force them to follow this, resulting in anorexia or bulimia nervosa. Dieting and eating disorders are associated with females. Males require special help in treating this disorder, and the outcome is beneficial. A physician and mental therapist are required. The latter is required to assess the psychological reason behind the problem. Media messages also play a crucial role in these eating disorders. The pace, at which the intervention begins, is critical in its treatment. Lack of treatment centers and their reluctance to attend female therapy centers is a hindrance in their treatment program. Problems in their personal lives or family is a primary cause in the occurrence of these disorders. The risk of men suffering from eating disorder, to suffer from drug abuse or alcoholism is greater. The anxiety for sex is greater in men, who suffer from anorexia or bulimia.
Studies also reveal the existence of correlation between Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders. Anxiety, multi-personality syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, stress, depression and others are the primordial reasons for anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Lack of self respect is the causative factor of eating disorders in both males and females. Non acceptance by family or peers and inability to cope with stress and emotions trigger anorexia or bulimia.

Pregnancy and Eating Disorders

Pregnancy and eating disorders might prove life threatening for the child.
Increased risk of complications and miscarriages are seen in the case of anorexic or bulimic individuals. Mother’s death or defective infants are also possible. Conception is difficult in the case of individuals suffering from menstrual irregularities, which is a common symptom of women with anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating. Limiting food intake is a characteristic feature of anorexic and this deprives the baby of all nourishments. Low birth weight and premature birth is associated with pregnant women with prior eating disorders. Cerebral palsy and low I.Q is seen in such children.
The risk of the baby to thrive is reduced by the first year. Still birth and caesarean delivery is possible. Eating disorders in pregnant women puts a lot of stress on the baby and the mother. Lack of supplementation of calcium during pregnancy depletes the mother of her calcium stores. Kidney, heart and liver problems are common among mother with eating disorders. Physical and emotional health of the pregnant mother is disturbed.
Depression is an offspring of eating disorder. Newborn care is reduced by mothers, suffering from postpartum depression. The stress of managing an infant is high. Treatment of the eating disorder, prior to conception is recommended, thereby protecting the child to-be-born. Providing a complete knowledge to the gynecologist, regarding the eating disorder, is helpful in further care. Pregnancy demands 300 additional calories and 60 grams of protein. Calcium recommendation is one gram per day and is essential for the fetus and the mother. 30 mg of iron per day is recommended during pregnancy, owing to the raise in the blood volume. Folic acid is essential for the formation of the major organs of the fetus and the prevention of neural tube defects in infants. Birth defects are seen in infants, with mothers suffering from anorexia, bulimia or compulsive eating. The duration of the disorder affects the probability of conception. Pregnant women with eating disorders suffer from dehydration, deficiencies in vitamins, imbalance in electrolytes and malnutrition, thereby proving lethal to the growing infant. Cleft palate or cleft lips are common birth anomalies. Growth of the fetus is deferred. Respiratory suffocation and death is possible. Excessive use of laxatives by anorexics is harmful to the baby. They also deprive the infant of fluids and other essential nutrients, thereby leading to abnormalities in birth. Bulimics suffer from weight gain, increasing the risk of high blood pressure.
A pre-conception guidance from a gynecologist is necessary. Regular prenatal check-ups prove helpful. Healthy balance of weight is essential, during pregnancy. Normal weight gain helps and reduces the probability of complications. Counseling is essential to overcome depression. Both physical and emotional health is enhanced. A nutritionist’s help is beneficial in planning healthy diet plans. Seek the help of your friends and peers, especially after child birth. Guidance from a lactation consultant is necessary for breast feeding.

Eating Disorder Treatment

Eating disorder treatment encompasses a variety of procedures.
Eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia and compulsive eating affect an individual’s physical and mental health. Frequent worrying over weight gain is substituted by proper dietary regimen and exercise. Fanatical attitudes about food and physical image can also cause eating disorder, though low self respect is identified to be the primordial cause. Depriving the body of food at the required time, self induced vomiting or eating less are typical features of a person suffering from eating disorder. Intervention relies upon the cooperation rendered by the patient and the physician.
A multifaceted treatment schedule or therapy proves beneficial. A psychotherapist, physician and dietitians constitute the squad of experts required. Psychotherapy comprising of individual therapy is helpful, wherein an interpersonal relationship is established by the psychotherapist with the individual. All problems, such as lack of self confidence, low self respect, depression, negative body image and anxiety are addressed. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy highlights on the past of the individual.
Interpersonal therapy is opted for dealing with troubled relationships. Cognitive behavioral therapy is used for focusing the correlation between thoughts and feelings. Individual counseling technique also helps. Eating disorders can be treated by support group, in the form of cooperative friends. Support groups enable individual’s visit at a convenient time on a regular basis. Experienced people showcase these support groups and not professionals. They are either past cases of eating disorder or had a close entity suffer from the same. Online support is also available. This involves, the exchange of problems through mails ad queries in relevant sites. Family therapy is another technique, wherein a close entity of the individual suffering from eating disorder, supports in the form of incentive and encouragement. Success of this technique, lies in the hands of the family member. Group therapy is a concept, wherein many individuals who suffer from this disorder get together to help each other for a specific period of time. Unattended eating disorders are harmful and life threatening. When healthy eating is concentrated upon, resulting in a proper weight gain, physical health is treated. Antidepressants, are regularly used in addition to other medications.
But, the patient requires the psychotherapy treatment for a wholesome cure. Nutrition consultant plays a vital role, as improvising the diet helps in hastening recovery. The myth and fears regarding food is identified. Nutrition education is one more important tool in understanding and rectifying this disorder. Alternative treatment goes hand in hand with the medical and psychological intervention, though it is not considered as the initial or crucial treatment process. It includes aromatherapy, homeopathy, naturopathy, meditation and acupuncture.

Older People and Eating Distress

Eating disorder is a common teenage problem.
But, research reveals the incidence in middle age and senescence. The body image attitude of women in the late 60s is the same as that of teenage girls. Some of them develop these disorders in their old age. The primary reasons or causative factors include sorrow, financial insecurity, depression and poor appetite due to dentures. Elders deny their appetite and put a ceiling on their eating pattern.
The self portrayal of body image is negative, meaning ‘thin’. They deny suffering from depression and having suicidal tendencies. Cardiac arrest and emaciation are common, leading to death. Though, bingeing and purging is not a characteristic phenomenon in elderly, laxative abuse, might contribute to weight loss. Disorders of appetite, malfunctioned taste and reduced olfactory sensitivity or the sense of smell results in decreased eating behavior. Physical and psychological distress results in eating disorders.
Dysguesia or reduced pleasure of eating is caused by zinc deficiency. Trauma in the form of death of the spouse or loved person, fatal disease or personal issues, such as divorce stimulates eating disorders. Lack of financial independence and insecurity from children also trigger the situation. Ageing results in shape distortion, due to menopause in women. Self confidence and self esteem decreases, due to absence of job and idle sitting. Ageing also results in bowel problems. The muscles of the rectum fail to function in a normal manner and the improper eating pattern also results in problems in bowel movement. Psychological problems such as loneliness void feeling, increased stress, reduced intimacy with the spouse, body dissatisfaction calls for immediate help. ‘Empty nest’ syndrome is common in senescence, wherein the responsibility of the parents towards children are completed, leaving them to themselves. This in turn, might result in drug addiction, excessive exercise, anxiety and depression in the older people. Intervention depends on the removal of the underlying problem. Treatment should commence as soon as the problem and the causative factor are identified. Physiological treatments, such as plastic surgery and others call for medical guidance, as the power to resist the pain and healing process is at a lower pace, as you age. Psychological moral support from existing family members in the form of siblings or children proves beneficial. Analysis of medications taken is essential, as certain medicines, result in weight loss.
Proper dentures are required for proper mastication and enjoyment. Underlying illnesses, if any, should be treated initially. Alcoholism, poverty, memory loss, antidepressants usage and lack of enthusiasm are related factors, calling for attention.

Bulimia

Bulimia nervosa is one of the eating disorders affecting the adolescents.
A cyclic process of bingeing followed by purging is a common symptom. Excessive intake is compensated by purging. This process is repeated on a weekly or daily basis. This is especially done to prevent weight gain. It is a psychological condition involving lack of control. Problems and issues of life are concealed by this improper eating disorder.
Extreme concern about body image and weight, depression, anxiety and others are the common causes. Purging involves laxative misuse, vomiting, excessive exercise, use of diuretics or enemas and medication abuse for weight loss. It stimulates some chemicals that aid in keeping the individual in high spirits. Dehydration and imbalance in electrolyte levels are common in bulimics. Bulimia is derived from a Latin word meaning ‘ravenous hunger’. Research reveals the correlation between low estrogen levels, high testosterone levels and bulimia.
It is a devastating, life threatening disorder, being an offspring of low self esteem. They hoard the food and eat at a period, when stressed or worried. Bulimics keep away from the society and refrain from eating in public. They are either normal, under weight or over weight. Rarely, the binge eating process is absent. Some bulimics are the purging type and the others are the non-purging type. The former kind of individuals practices usage of diuretics, tapeworms and enema. Laxatives for weight loss are also a method to reduce body weight. A combination of these methods is also possible. The second category is not a widespread type to reduce weight gain. Fasting and excessive exercising are typical features, following a binge.Bulimics suffer from a pessimistic attitude, resulting in a negative body image. It results in voice damage, low serum sodium, malnutrition, dental cavities, ulcer, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance. Swelling of the salivary gland is seen. Esophageal disruption is seen, resulting in inflammation. Muscle atrophy and face and cheek swelling occurs. Contradictory studies reveal the role of a chemical synthesized by the brain, in bulimia. Suicidal intentions arise, as a result of depression.As this disease goes unnoticeable, intervention occurs at a later phase. Hospitalization is essential in most cases.
The causative factor is identified for easy and effective treatment. Recurrence after discharge is possible. Psychiatric counseling proves beneficial. Cognitive behavioral therapy or psychotherapy forms the base of treatment. Bulimia in schizophrenics worsens the situation, as they perceive concepts in a completely different manner. Anti-psychotics and anti-depressants are used, as a form of therapy.

Who are at Risks?

Compulsive eating is one among the various eating disorders and a form of food addiction.
Frequent periods of uncontrollable bingeing result in compulsive overeating. The pace at which they eat is rapid. Feelings of depression and guilt are high after food consumption. They are not on laxatives or enemas, but eat typically, when not hungry. All obese people are not compulsive eaters, but compulsive eating mostly results in weight increase.
When the primary technique of compulsive overeating is through bingeing, it is referred to as binge eating disorder and these eating disorders are common in teenagers. Lack of bingeing and rapid overeating is compulsive overeating. It is more commonly seen in females. They also experience a grazing behavior, wherein, they return many a times to pick up the same food. This results in a calorific rise, irrespective of the quantity.
Delayed treatments result in conditions, such as, cardiac disease, hypercholesterolemia, depression, diabetes and hypertension. Side effects staying for a long time are arthritis, degeneration of bone, stroke and renal issues. The pangs of hunger do not set in, in compulsive overeaters. Compulsive overeaters have a low self esteem. They lack respect and love for themselves. They eat in private, to avoid the embarrassment. They are preoccupied with the thoughts of weight loss, but contradictorily gain some. Mood swings, weight vacillation, knowledge of the improper eating pattern, social withdrawal, isolation, secretive eating behavior, breathlessness, loss of sexual desire, concept of friendship with food, history of failed diets, joint pain, perspiration and weight gain are the signs of a compulsive overeater. They are highly obese, though their intake in public is less. In course of time, compulsive overeaters, develop a fear of controlling their eating. Media and women being thin is analogous to the fact, that these compulsive eaters have a feeling of inferiority, as thin women are more preferred by men. This is also an underlying cause for compulsive overeating. They make self defeating statements, after food, as a result of their guilt. They hide food in a number of places, like cupboards, beds and suitcases. They blame the society for their not attending to the problem.
Fatigue and poor sleeping habits result in insomnia. Opting for promiscuous relations is seen to occur in compulsive eaters, as a result of sexual desire. Depression is a common offspring of eating disorders and calls for immediate physical, physiological and psychological treatment. Intervention requires a team of experts comprising of a psychotherapist, a physician and a dietitian. Combating depression is the greatest ordeal and anti depressants prove beneficial. Overcoming the feeling of void ness in life is necessary, as food remains their sole companion. The presence of a loving and cooperative kith and kin can be a hindrance in treatment, as these eaters fail to feel the necessity of losing weight, as they are accepted by everybody, irrespective of their weight.

Sport Nutrition

Nutrition requirements of sports persons are different than that of normal people.
In most cases nutrition of the sports persons depends on the type of sport they are involved in. each sport has uses different parts of the body and requires different levels of physical fitness and energy requirement. This is reason why sports nutrition is a science which requires proper study based on scientifically collected data.
Most of the sports persons have sports nutritionists who guide sports persons what are the immediate foods they should have after exercising as well as after their sports events. These foods generally are aimed at replenishing the lost energy to muscles.Most of the times the above are carbohydrate foods which are absorbed immediately by the body and the body can maintain its energy levels. Sports nutritionists are available to guide all sports persons to educate them regarding what they should eat so that they can enhance their performance as well as maintain require fitness level.
For people who train in muscle building and physical fitness, sports nutrition is readily available in the market, this nutrition addresses their requirement for daily dose of required nutrients so that they can build muscle power along with getting adequate amount of energy and strength.These sports nutrients have the power of nourishing and building muscle power with low fats and high calorie intake. These nutrients are available in the form of powders and bars. With powders you will require to mix these with water and drink after exercises and bars you can have them like any other chocolate bar. These are highly packed with nutrition.Since these products are mixed with nutrients, these might not be liked by all; therefore, the companies have also taken care to make these nutrients in different flavoring. So sports persons should not have any difficulty in drinking or eating these nutrients. Sports nutrition packs are made from several different types of raw materials like whey, oats, gram, etc. these materials provide nutrition as well as muscle building power. Sports nutrition packages are created by doctors’ consultation, several nutritionists decide compositions required by sports persons.Sports nutrition should include proteins, carbohydrates, iron, and vitamins. Not just that these should also include adequate fiber and other nutritional elements that are required for a healthy body.
Sports nutrition also includes eating proper balanced diet so that nutrients normally required by the body are provided to the body.


During Exercise

Consuming carbohydrates during an event helps to extend endurance performance in an athlete.
It is important to replace both fluids as well as carbohydrates for energy that sustain till the end and improves performance. This will largely depend on the type of exercise, intensity and duration.
Carbohydrates during exerciseCarbohydrate replacement is beneficial in both high intensity short duration exercises and events lasting for more than 1-2 hours.
But in the latter type which includes continuous long lasting events like swimming, running, cycling and other sport it is more important. Carbohydrate replacement during an activity will help to increase time and intensity an athlete and is able to carry out before feeling exhausted. Carbohydrates supplied during an exercise supplies additional fuel for the working muscles thus preventing fatigue and maintaining blood glucose levels.
Approximately 30-80 g of carbohydrates is recommended during an event to prevent blood glucose levels to drop and delay fatigue or 0.7 g/kg body weight per hour is recommended to extend endurance performance. This can be obtained from sport drinks, bananas or dried fruits. Some athletes may even prefer diluted fruit juices or suck on hard candies, animal crackers or energy bars that can be easily chewed and digested. Although mixtures of glucose and fructose may seem to be effective, glucose should be the primary fuel yielded from the carbohydrates consumed as fructose seems to be less effective and may cause diarrhea.
Fluid recommendationsEven partial dehydration tends to compromise a performance, thus it is necessary to drink enough fluid and maintain fluid balance. Drink enough fluids (avoid dairy) or in other words water consumption should be around 17 ounces two hours before an exercise and additional 10-15 ounces within 15-30 minutes of an event. Through out competition it is important to remain hydrated, thus drink 6-10 ounces of water or diluted sports drink every 10-20 minutes. Electrolyte replacement drinks can be consumed after one hour of exercising. For intense activity lasting longer than an hour, beverages containing carbohydrates in the concentration of 4-8 % are recommended.
Although plain water is considered appropriate for activities lasting less than an hour, 4-8% carbohydrate beverages are also suitable. It is important to replace the electrolytes lost in perspiration, 0.5-0.7 g/l of sodium is recommended for activity lasting longer than an hour. This will also help to increase the palatability of sports drinks and in turn increase fluid consumption. Athletes susceptible to hyponatremia also benefit from added sodium in the fluid replacement beverages. Adequate fluid consumption will also help the body to maintain temperature, blood circulation and proper muscle function.


Energy Levels for Athletes

When it comes to gaining energy for exercise several factors should be considered before planning a meal as it is the first nutrition priority for athletes.
For optimal athletic performance achieving energy balance is essential as it helps to maintain lean tissue mass, immune and reproductive function. Energy intake refers to energy gained in totality from food, fluids and supplement products and energy expenditure refers to the total energy expended in basal metabolism, thermal effect of food and any physical activity.
Energy intake should equal energy expenditure to achieve an energy balance. Any imbalance will interfere with the athlete’s performance.
High energy intake and low expenditure can lead excess weight gain and low energy intake and high energy expenditure can lead to loss of muscle mass, strength and endurance. In the latter situation fat and lean body mass are used as fuel for energy, moreover chronically low energy intake can precipitate many micronutrient deficiencies. The energy intake of an athlete would vary according to sex, age, body-size, fat-free mass, lifestyle, physical activity and type of sport a person is in. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for men and women that are involved in light-moderate activity between the ages of 19-50 years are 2,900 and 2,200 respectively. The energy intake of an athlete is calculated on the basis of the intensity, duration and frequency of an exercise, also energy needed for normal daily activity and energy expenditure while performing an exercise are taken in to account. How much ever precise numeric energy intake guidelines are recommended, it is important to keep in mind to consume enough energy to maintain appropriate body weight and composition.
Low energy intakes are a strict no-no for athletes as they would not even feel deprived or over hungry with 10-20% lower energy intake but on the contrary lose weight. Emphasis in the diet should be laid on starch intake or complex carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and cereals; proteins in the form of fish, lean meat, eggs, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts, and fruits and vegetables for vital nutrients and fiber. Fat intake should not be decreased below 15% of the caloric intake and focus should be on quality fats. Saturated fats and trans fats can be substituted with more healthy fats like polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Healthy dietary changes should be inculcated in life for life time; one should keep in mind that short term diet would definitely fade off some day.


Dehydration with High Protein

DietsHigh protein diets are taken by athletes with the intension to increase the muscle mass in the body or lose weight.
But some are unknown with the fact that a high protein diet can cause silent dehydration in endurance athletes who are trained adapt greater degree of dehydration compared to an average individual. As the amount of proteins is increased in the diet it influences the hydration indices. Degree of hydration in the body is inversely proportional to the amount of protein consumed in the diet.
High-protein low carbohydrate diets followed for weight loss only work for few weeks, after which the lost weight is regained. High protein diets mainly emphasize on foods rich in proteins like eggs, meat, chicken, fish, most of which are also high in saturated fats. Also foods rich in carbohydrates are restricted like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and non fat milk products which provide other vital nutrients and fiber.
This can lead to nutritional deficiencies that are rarely for short period. A low carbohydrate diet can in turn cause loss of body fluid, incomplete fat burning and formation of ketone bodies. Follow a thumb rule - Higher the protein in the diet higher should be the water consumption.Kidney plays a very important role in filtering not only the toxins from the body but also regulating the blood pressure and the number of red blood cells in the body. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is one of the tests used to determine the kidney function. When high amount of proteins are consumed in an athletes diet, abnormal BUN levels are found in the tests. This can be explained as increased protein intake can caused nitrogen build up in the body. This nitrogen precipitates in the kidney in the form of urea that has to be eliminated from the blood via urine. This process leads to increased urination that may ultimately cause dehydration. High protein diets may have a negative impact on the kidneys posing a load on them to produce concentrated urine.
Moreover dehydration forces the kidneys to work harder to clean the waste materials from the blood. Thus whether you feel the desire to drink water or not, to is wise to increase the water intake with high protein diets to avoid dehydration. Even 2% decrease in body fluids can affect the performance of an athlete in an event and may also increase cardiovascular risks. Following a balanced diet along with regular exercise regime is the best way to stay fit and enhance performance of an athlete in an event.


Eating Guide for Vegetarian Athletes

Vegetarianism may be followed by some athletes due to various reasons.
An athlete can be vegan, ovo-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian or fruitarian. Vegetarian diet can be followed by an athlete for religious beliefs, ethical, economical or health reasons. Some female athletes may switch to a vegetarian diet with the aim of decreasing calories and weight that is required for some sports like gymnastics.
When an athlete becomes vegetarian his diet should be monitored carefully as occasionally this habit may develop in to an eating disorder. Although following vegetarian diets would not affect the performance of an athlete, proper planning of the diet in terms of energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and other micronutrients should be done. Body weight and composition should be monitored to determine if energy needs are satisfied.
Protein intakes of vegetarian athletes are often complained to be low. Animal proteins are well digested than plant based protein even though the protein quality of vegetarian diet is adequate. To compensate this incomplete digestion a 10% increase in the protein intake is recommended, in other words 1.3 to 1.8 g protein per kg body weight is recommended for vegetarian athletes. Choose proteins wisely and emphasize on the good quality proteins. This could be achieved by including plenty of low-fat dairy products, eggs and protein rich plant sources like soy. Also extra care of micronutrients like vitamin 12, vitamin D, iron, calcium, zinc and riboflavin should be taken to avoid vitamin deficiency as these nutrients are particularly high in animal products. Even though iron intakes of a vegetarian athlete is similar or higher than the omnivorous, bio-availability of iron in plant based products is low (as heam iron present in animal sources is readily absorbed by the body), thus the iron stores in a vegetarian athlete are generally low. Moreover iron requirement is increased with increase in exercise, thus possibility of low iron stores in the body is high in vegetarian athletes, especially women. Iron levels should be monitored periodically to avoid low body stores and anemia in women athletes.
Include whole-grain cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, kidney beans, rice flakes, lentils, figs and some dry fruits to get non-heam iron in the diet. Additional vitamin C should be consumed with non-heam iron to facilitate its absorption in the body. Animal products are the primary source for vitamin B12, which is one of the most common vitamins very low in the diets of vegetarian athletes. Vitamin B12 can be derived from eggs, yeast, fermented products, cheese, milk, yoghurt or vitamin B12 fortified cereals or soy milk.Registered dieticians specialized in sports nutrition are an important resource for vegetarian athletes. They can help them to plan a well balanced diet and avoid any nutritional deficiencies.


Hydration for Athletes

Maintaining an appropriate fluid balance is very important for optimal performance, as a performance in an event is often impaired with progressive dehydration.
Keeping oneself hydrated during an event is just not enough, before and after exercise hydration also plays an important role. Dehydration during an event can cause serious problems like heat stroke, head injury or even loss of coordination affecting the performance of an athlete. There are heavy water and electrolytes losses while performing an exercise via sweat and urine.
To replenish these losses becomes very important as our body can not synthesize or store water that is important for almost all body functions.
Fluids and electrolyte balanceEven partial dehydration tends to compromise a performance, thus it is necessary to drink enough fluid and maintain fluid balance. Drink enough fluids (avoid dairy) or in other words water consumption should be around 17 ounces two hours before an exercise and additional 10-15 ounces within 15-30 minutes of an event.
Through out competition it is important to remain hydrated, thus drink 6-10 ounces of water or diluted sports drink every 10-20 minutes. Electrolyte replacement drinks can be consumed after one hour of exercising. For intense activity lasting longer than an hour, beverages containing carbohydrates in the concentration of 4-8 % are recommended. Although plain water is considered appropriate for activities lasting less than an hour, 4-8% carbohydrate beverages are also suitable. It is important to replace the electrolytes lost in perspiration, 0.5-0.7 g/l of sodium is recommended for activity lasting longer than an hour. This will also help to increase the palatability of sports drinks and in turn increase fluid consumption. Hyponatremia occurs when large amounts of water are consumed that leads to comparatively low levels of sodium in the blood. Athletes susceptible to hyponatremia also benefit from added sodium in the fluid replacement beverages. Adequate fluid consumption will also help the body to maintain temperature, blood circulation and proper muscle function.
Some athletes may experience mild dehydration as the fluid intake post event is often forgotten. Adding sodium in the drink can be beneficial in 2 ways, maintains osmolarity and thus desire to drink and reduce diuresis that can occur when only plain water is ingested. Fluid consumption can be up to 150% of the weight lost during an exercise. Fluid and electrolyte disturbances in an athlete can precipitate in the form of dehydration, hypohydration or hyponatremia, all of which can pose a life threat in their most severe forms. Although athletes experience dehydration more often than hypo hydration or hyponatremia, the latter two are not uncommon.


What is hyponatremia?

Excessive amounts of plain water may disturb the fluid and electrolyte levels in the body leading to hyponatremia.
Overhydration when combined with prolonged endurance exercise can develop dangerously low sodium levels in the blood, less than 135 millimoles per liter (normal plasma sodium concentration is 136-142 millimoles per liter). Osmotic balance across the blood brain barrier is disturbed due to the continuous fall of sodium concentration leading to rapid entry of water into the brain. This can lead to serious list of complications like cerebral edema, serious neurological responses like seizures, confusion or coma and even death due to ruptured brain stem.
Decrease in serum sodium concentration is directly proportional to the speed and degree – more rapid and higher fall, higher the risk of severe consequences of hyponatremia.
Symptoms of hyponatremia Early symptoms of hyponatremia include headache, puffiness, muscle cramps, slurred speech, nausea and vomiting, these are experienced when plasma sodium levels fall below 130 millimoles per liter. With increased severity, sodium concentration below 125 millimoles per liter cerebral edema, altered mental status like confusion, disorientation, seizures, respiratory distress due to pulmonary edema, coma or even death can occur.
Sodium levels should be checked when an athlete complains acute symptoms of hyponatremia and the athlete should not be rehydrated even on claims of thirst as this might worsen the situation.
Causes of hyponatremia During a high intensity long duration exercise, sodium is lost in sweat. Moreover drinking too much water can cause water retention, further diluting the sodium levels in the body. Hyponatremia is primarily caused when the water intake exceeds the amount of sweat and urinary losses. It is very important to prevent hyponatremia as it is more often self-induced. Hyponatremia has no association with low sodium diet or any nutritional deficiency; it is purely due to excessive intake of water combined with high intensity long duration exercises.
Preventing hyponatremia It is prudent to avoid over consumption of fluids and have sports drink or other salty foods rather than just emphasizing on plain water.

-Salt intake can be increased several days prior to an event, provided you are not suffering from hypertension.
-To prevent loss of sodium before an event, an athlete should avoid overhydration.
Maintain a high degree of self-discipline and learn not to exceed water consumption more than the sweat loss.
-Follow a thumb rule for high intensity long duration exercises - 1 cup fluid for every 20 minutes.


Nutrition for Winter Athletes

Some athletes may get cold weather on their nerves but some might accept this change happily considering it as a change from exercising in summer’s heat.
Exercise should be done with the help of proper nutrition and layers of dry clothing to chase away the winter chills. Metabolism in the body is increased 7 to 10 times than the resting levels while performing an aerobic exercise that is a body temperature can be raised from 98.6° to 140° F. In summer this heat is dissipated as sweat but in winter this heat helps to keep the body temperature warm.
To generate this amount of heat in the body, fuel is required that is provided by the food. The way one fuels his body in cold will help to perform better and remain safe and comfortable in cold. Proper nutrition helps to fuel the muscle tissue and regulate the body core temperature that normally drops in winter.It is important to learn the basic cold weather exercise safety, avoid frostbite and hypothermia, and dress well for cold weather exercise.
Although water is not lost via sweat in winters, significant amounts of water is lost during respiration. It becomes important to humidify the cold air while breathing, in this process water is lost. Thus to avoid dehydration it is important for winter athletes to consciously increase the water consumption. Replacing fluids in winter becomes more important as the thirst mechanism is reduced in the cold weather causing decreased desire to drink water. Temperature of foods should be considered in winters, warm foods are prudent choice than cold foods. Although in summer cold foods are best (as they give a cool feeling and help during exercise) but in winters they can chill the body. A balanced meal with high carbohydrate intake is preferable in winters. To replace the carbohydrate stores that are used to keep the body warm and in exercising, it is important to eat continually to avoid fatigue or chills. Children are especially more prone to get fatigue and tired, thus keep handy foods ready like chocolate bars, energy bars, bananas, sandwiches, or trail mix.

Important points to keep in mind

-Avoid alcohol completely as it tends to dilate the blood vessels thereby increasing heat loss.
-Decrease caffeine consumption. Although a stimulant, it acts as a diuretic thereby further decreasing the water from the body.
-Drink plenty of water consciously.
-Eat warm or hot foods to stay warmer every 30-40 minutes (100-200 calories).
-Include foods high in complex carbohydrate.


Post Game Meal

After an event a post game meal or snack is often forgotten, but this meal plays importance in an athlete’s diet.
Carbohydrates that are stored in the body in the form of glycogen are depleted soon after an event. Human body has a limited capacity to store carbohydrates, after an activity the enzymes responsible for taking in fuel and storing it in liver and muscles are at their highest level within first 30-45 minutes. It is wise to take advantage of this period and have a nutritious post game meal.
1.5 g carbohydrate per kg body weigh at the interval of 2 hours is often recommended. For example when this amount is consumed immediately after exercise it increases the glycogen stores 6 hours post exercise compared to delayed ingestion of a post exercise meal for 2 hours. The composition and timing of a post exercise meal will largely depend on the duration, length and intensity of the exercise as this will determine the amount of glycogen depleted from the body.
For maximum benefits it is often recommended to feed 0.4 g carbohydrates per kg body weight every 15 minutes for 4 hours after a glycogen depleted state (remember this can lead to high energy load). However the time of carbohydrate intake does not affect the glycogen stores for an athlete who takes one or more days between intense training sessions. The recovery of muscle protein is also important, addition of protein along with sufficient carbohydrate in a post game meal will not only help to recover the muscle fibers but will also aid the storage of carbohydrates and promote a more anabolic hormonal profile. Carbohydrate to protein ratio is also of importance, a commonly recognized ratio is of 3:1 respectively, in other words 75 g of carbohydrates and 25 g protein from a post game meal will help an athlete to recover after an event. Glucose and sucrose have almost similar effects when consumed at the rate of 1.5 g per kg body weight for 2 hours, but fructose is less effective. 24 hours after an exercise, muscle glycogen stores are higher when high glycemic index foods are consumed than compared to low glycemic index foods. However the emphasis should be laid on an overall healthy post game meal for an athlete. Some athletes may experience mild dehydration as the fluid intake post event is often forgotten. Adding sodium in the drink can be beneficial in 2 ways, maintains osmolarity and thus desire to drink and reduce diuresis that can occur when only plain water is ingested.
Fluid consumption can be up to 150% of the weight lost during an exercise.


Pre Game Meal

A diet you consume several days before an event will affect your performance.
A pre-game meal is one of the most important meals for both endurance and power athletes that will determine whether or not an athlete will achieve his maximum potential during an event. A per-game meal allows an athlete to achieve increased muscle strength, better endurance and increased energy to perform their best. During an event the body primarily relies on the pre-existing glycogen and fat stores.
This can be achieved if a pre-game meal is consumed at proper time. A pre-game meal will help to load the body with glycogen stores and maximize strength and energy that will help optimize performance.
Carbohydrate loading – carbohydrate is the main fuel used as a source for energy during an exercise. It is important to reserve adequate carbohydrate stores in the body for an event. For this, first exercise to exhaustion should be done to deplete the carbohydrate stores from the right muscles that will be used in the event. Follow this by eating a carbohydrate rich diet (60-70% of the energy should be gained from carbohydrates) and combine this with depletion exercise 3 days before an event. Now these muscles which are loaded with used glycogen will be available for longer periods of time during an event. This process gives the right kind of energy and fiber from carbohydrates for workouts and saves amino acids for muscle building and recovery.
Following points should be kept in mind while planning a per-game meal

-Timing of a meal can make a difference, for exercise longer than 30 minutes, a per-workout snack one hour before the event or practice can be beneficial.
-Eat a meal 2-4 hours before an event this will give the body time to digest and also include good quality protein for staying in power.
-Liquid meals are emptied from the stomach more rapidly, so eating them prior to workout would help as they will provide energy as well as hydration to the body.
-Choose simple carbohydrates before an event as they are easily digested and will provide instant energy without causing any gastrointestinal distress.
-It is important to replace the fluids lost through perspiration during an exercise.
Drink enough fluids (avoid dairy) or around 17 ounces of fluid intake two hours before an exercise and additional 10-15 ounces within 15-30 minutes of an event. Through out competition it is important to remain hydrated, thus drink 3-6 ounce of water or sports drink every 10-20 minutes. Electrolyte replacement drinks can be consumed after one hour of exercising.
-An athlete’s metabolism is generally higher than a normal individual, so use fluids with high simple sugar content with caution to avoid sudden drop and maintain blood glucose levels. A per-game meal should never be under rated as it is a very important component that will determine an athlete’s power and performance in an event.


Suggestions for Food Intake for Athletes

In order to have an optimal health and performance it is important for athletes to eat well and keep themselves hydrated.
The type of foods athletes consume has a lot of influence on the way they practice and compete. Good nutrition is required for strong body to build muscle mass and to store energy for endurance activities. In the process of gaining optimal workout and recovery, often many athletes give less time and attention to eat nutrient rich food cleverly.
Eating a balanced meal should be emphasized to gain sufficient energy and a wide range of vitamins and minerals and other important chemicals like phytochemicals occurring naturally in foods. Fad diets are becoming increasingly popular, but one should keep in mind that these often restrict consumption of certain foods and is not for life time. So try to include all the food groups in your diet in a balanced form to avoid any nutritional deficiencies and follow them regularly.
Following are some suggestions for food intake for athletes which would help them to make wiser choices.

-Carbohydrates should form the basis of energy; 55-60% of energy should be derived from carbohydrates. Include whole grains, cereals, fiber rich cereals, brown rice, whole wheat and its products, whole meal pastas and breads in your diet.
-Have at least 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Select a wide range so that they suffice the nutritional needs of vitamins, minerals and fiber in the diet. Fruits are healthy choices and makes excellent snacks especially in between training sessions. Make a meal appealing by including different colored vegetables, include salads in the meals and load your sandwiches with different vegetables.
-Include healthy proteins in the diet in the form of eggs, milk, lean meats, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts. 12-15% energy should be gained from proteins. Calcium intake is necessary along with vitamin D and phosphorus to maintain healthy bones of an athlete.
-Fat consumption should not exceed beyond 20-25% of the total calories. Often when athlete’s fat consumption is increased they tend to gain weight with less lean muscle mass and compromised immune function that ultimately interferes with their performance. Reduce fat consumption and focus on healthy fats; replace saturated fats and trans fats with healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Avoid fatty, oily foods, meat or chicken loaded with fat.
-Keep yourself hydrated as it is very important to replenish the water lost during an exercise. Sports drinks rich in simple carbohydrates can be selected to keep the carbohydrates in the body leveled. Have a balanced meal and include variety of foods in the diet, this will eliminate the need of taking any extra vitamins and minerals in the form of food supplements.

The Training Diet

To get categorized as an elite athlete not only requires good genes or good training and conditioning, but also requires the foundation of a balanced nutritional diet.
A good nutrition plays a very important role in optimizing and enhancing an athlete’s performance. A balanced training diet is required daily, and not just one or two days before an event. Along with other factors like age, sex and built the daily energy recommendations for a healthy individual are based on the activity level of a person.
As athletes are involved in extensive physical activity, they require additional energy to fuel the physical activity. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for men and women that are involved in light-moderate activity between the ages of 19-50 years are 2,900 and 2,200 respectively.A diet should comprise 60-70% of carbohydrates which includes whole cereals, whole wheat and wheat products, pastas, breads, rice, fruits and vegetables. Consume at least 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
The intake of refined flour and sugars should be minimal. To stay energized and perform at your best use a carbohydrate strategy. High protein foods in the form of eggs, milk, lean meats, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts are required by the body to build new tissues and perform other functions. Proteins should comprise 12-15% of the total caloric intake. Fats should comprise not more than 20-25% of the total calories. Including too much fat is associated with extra weight gain, heart diseases, cancer and more importantly not getting enough carbohydrates in the diet leading to poor performance. The need of vitamins and mineral and other nutrients will depend on the energy levels, the need would increase in high caloric diet and decrease in a moderate-low calorie diet. The main fundamental difference between a healthy individual’s diet and an athlete diet is the requirement of additional fluids. Fluid loss is extensive in athletes in the form of sweat and urine, to replace these fluids and avoid dehydration it is important to maintain a normal fluid and electrolyte balance.
The timing of meals and snacks are important in an athlete’s diet and are largely individualized according to the intensity, duration, frequency of a work out and his gastrointestinal conditions. Besides these lifelong healthy dietary habits, it is very important to consume appropriate meals and fluid before, during and after exercise. Fad diets are becoming increasingly popular, but one should keep in mind that these often restrict consumption of certain foods and is not for life time. So try to include all the food groups in your diet in a balanced form to avoid any nutritional deficiencies.

Vitamins and Minerals for Athletes

Vitamins and minerals requirement would largely depend on the daily caloric intake and exercise levels of an athlete.
These micronutrients play vital roles in the body like involved in hemoglobin synthesis (iron, folate, and vitamin B12), energy production (thiamin, riboflavin and niacin), maintaining adequate immune function, bone health and protection of body tissues by scavenging the free radicals and preventing oxidative damage (antioxidant vitamins like vitamin A, E, C, beta carotene, selenium, zinc and glutathione). Stress caused due to exercise may interfere with many metabolic pathways in which these micronutrients are involved. The turnover of the micronutrients is also increased due to exercise leading to the losses of vitamins and minerals from the body.
Thus the need of vitamins and minerals would be higher for an athlete involved in strenuous exercise.Foods rich in carbohydrates and proteins when consumed suffice the current Recommended Dietary Allowances for all the vitamins and minerals. However when athletes who restrict energy intake for weight loss are at greater risk for micronutrient deficiencies and might require multivitamin and mineral supplements. But this practice is discouraged unless a genuine medical or nutritional health reason is present.
Unlike fat soluble vitamins, water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. Riboflavin, calcium, iron and zinc are the common vitamins and minerals found low in the diets of female athletes. This can be attributed to avoidance of non-vegetarian diet, dairy products and restricting caloric intake. As female athletes are also more prone to low mineral density, stress fractures and menstrual dysfunction, calcium intake along with vitamin D and phosphorus becomes utmost important. Poor energy intake is also associated with high incidence of iron depletion from the body. Female athletes involved in high intensity and duration exercise should be screened periodically to check the iron status in the body. Often amenorrhea is present in female athletes to preserve the body iron stores. Chronic low iron levels will ultimately lead to low-iron stores, low-iron transport in the body and then anemia. To avoid this situation it is better to consume iron rich foods before iron depletion state is developed.
Some athletes may experience a transient depletion of serum ferritin with initiation of a training program; this can be explained due to increase in the plasma volume causing hemodilution. This effect however does not appear to affect performance. 70 % zinc is mainly derived from animal proteins and approximately 81 % women and 90 % men have zinc deficiency. It is wise to assess zinc levels in diets of the athletes as it plays important role in building and repair of muscle tissue and energy production.

Weight Change in Athletes

To meet demands of a sport, it is common for an athlete to lose or gain weight.
Irrespective of the reason, this weight change should be gradual and should be accomplished at the beginning of the season or off season before an event as weight and body composition are the two major factors that influence the performance of an athlete. By incorporating additional energy in the diet in combination with strength training (to promote growth of desired muscle mass) weight gain can be accomplished. But this will largely depend on an athlete’s genetic makeup and his dedication and inclination to do so.
Weight gain would also depend on degree of positive energy balance, type of exercise done in a training program and number of rest and recovery days per week. Weight loss however should be done only when necessary under the guidance of a registered dietician trained in the field of sports nutrition, as decreased energy intake can compromise nutrient intakes and hinder performance with decrease with both muscle mass and body fat. If weight loss is necessary, it should be done slowly, approximately 1-2 lbs pre week and no fad diets should be followed.
The aim should be to maintain healthful body weight that is based on genetic, social, sport, physiologic and psychological factors. A realistic goal should be set keeping in mind that a healthful weigh should be maintained with minimum risks of illness and injuries and allows positive advances in sport performance. Weight loss and weight gain should be done carefully as a failure might result in boycott from the team, restricted participation or elimination from the competition. These changes will affect the athletes psychologically and might result in chronic dieting or binging to lose or gain weight. This can ultimately lead to eating disorders, other health consequences and low nutrient profile in an athlete. This cycle is primarily due to the pressure on athletes to achieve a weight goal. Especially weight loss can be problematic in female athletes than male counterparts because of the small stature and lower energy needs. Hormonal changes are reported in females who have low energy intake and high energy output. There are alteration in the secretion of luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone (pituitary gonadotropins) that leads to changes in the secretion of ovarian hormones causing amenorrhea.
This in turn leads to loss of bone mass in young female athletes. Energy availability to maintain the vital body functions is decreased and this negative energy balance due to chronic dieting with heavy exercise leads to ‘energy drain’ which affects the health and performance of an athlete. Having a balanced diet will suffice the nutritional and energy need of an athlete and help then to improve the over all nutritional and reproductive function.