Health Midterm 2021
Why is fat important to our bodies? What types of fats are beneficial/harmful? What are specific food sources?
-Fat is the main storage form of energy -Fat provides an energy resource to fight disease during illness -Fat provides padding and cushion to internal organs -Subcutaneous fat insulates the body from cold temperatures -Fat is needed for the transport of Vitamins A, D, E, and K. -Fats help us feel satiated when we eat, because they are more energy dense than carbs or protein, and take longer to digest. Types? Saturated fat, trans fat, and hydrogenated fat all contribute to the risk of heart disease. Sources: -Saturated fat: Bacon, butter, chocolate, lard, meat -Trans Fat: Commercially baked goods like cookies, cakes, or pies made with vegetable shortening. Fried food, especially those from fast-food restaurants. Good fats? The type of fats found in avocados and nuts are considered healthful fats. We're encouraged to eat more plant-based fats and omega-3s from fatty fish. -U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting saturated fats — the type of fat found in meat and other animal products — to less than 10 percent of your total daily calorie intake.
How can digestion be improved? Why is the gut considered to be the second brain? What is the connection of gut health to well-being?
Digestion can be improved through: -Consuming a suffient amount of Fiber. -Adding Healthy Fats to Your Diet. -Drinking water -Managing stress -Chew Your Food adequately -Daily Exercise The Gut helps the body to digest certain foods that the stomach and small intestine have not been able to digest. The gut-brain axis: The gut-brain axis is the biochemical signaling that takes place between the gastrointenstial tract and the Central Nervous System There are also bacteria that stimulate immune cells in the gut, and send signals to the brain. In turn, cells that help the brain recover from injuries are activated. -It helps with the production of some vitamins (B and K). -It plays an important role in the immune system, performing a barrier effect by maintaining the wholeness of the intestinal mucosa. -changes in the microbiome are associated with, or even cause illnesses -There is a strong association of microbiome function to mental well-being. - everyone's microbiome is unique, and our microbes can determine what food we crave. The more we eat healthy food, the more bacteria that like healthy food will breed. -Researchers found that patients diagnosed with mental conditions, including depression, have demonstrated gut microbiome dysbiosis, which is a microbial imbalance or maladaptation on or inside the body.
Tell me the benefits and drawbacks to our current food system. How can we make improvements to prevent chronic diseases? What are the details of those solutions?
Every food choice interacts with food politics, nutrition policy, and economic interests. Drawbacks: Food and agricultural industries put profits first, farm and food policies are designed to encourage consolidation and overproduction. There is a watered-down nutrition policy guidance. -Our current food system prioritizes ownership and profit. -Sustainability is low on our list. -Our food system is really not built with Earth's best interests in mind How can we make improvements to prevent chronic diseases? Details of those solutions? -The tenants of wellness can prevent chronic diseases. -The physical wellness tenant tells us to reduce the risk of many illnesses by increasing activity levels, getting restful sleep at night, choosing healthy foods, and exploring outdoors to reduce stress and increase energy levels. -The emotional wellness tenant says for us to listen to our feelings, express them to those we trust and maintain a positive outlook. -The social wellness tenant advises for us to seek a reliable support system during difficult times, make at least one social connection each day, and to seek advice from peers or support groups, while creating healthy friendships.
What are nutritional concerns that can happen during pregnancy? What are the benefits/drawbacks to breastfeeding and/or formula feeding? What are solutions to helping children prevent chronic diseases?
Gestational diabetes: insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance that increases blood glucose levels during pregnancy. The condition resolves after birth occurs. -Risk of delivering a large baby -Uncontrolled blood glucose -levels may lead to preeclampsia Preeclampsia: pregnancy-induced hypertension -Can be fatal if left untreated -Deficiencies in protein, vitamins C and E, calcium, and magnesium increase the risk -Treatment focuses on managing blood pressure and often includes bed rest -The only cure is childbirth Breastfeeding is the ideal method of infant feeding because of the nutritional quality and health benefits of breastmilk. *The benefits of breastfeeding include -High-quality nutrition -Protection from allergies and infections -Assisting the mother in weight loss -Suppressing ovulation -Opportunity for bonding -Convenient, cost-efficient What are the benefits/drawbacks to breastfeeding and/or formula feeding? -Formula-fed babies may also have the risk of developing an allergy to a particular formula. -The disadvantages of formulas are primarily their expense, the lack of maternal infection-fighting antibodies that are in breast milk, and the fact that no formula can exactly duplicate the ideal composition of breast milk. What are solutions to helping children prevent chronic diseases? -Peer influences and fast-paced lifestyle can lead adolescents to choose fast foods -Parents can act as role models and keep healthful food choices available -Adequate fruits, vegetables, and whole grains should be encouraged -Sufficient calcium is required to develop peak bone density -Adequate physical activity is very important in reducing obesity -Disordered eating and eating disorders can begin in these years
What are your opinions of solutions for food advertising and food labeling? What concerns do you have about labeling and advertising? How do both influence public health initiatives?
Health claims on food packages can be considered inherently misleading by some, but helpful by others. I think food labels are important and we should continue to educate people on how to read them, as well as how to see past deceptive labels. I support health policies that aim to make people shift towards wholesome dietary patterns, also encouraging the use of food-labels to choose healthier products. Apart from the dietary health benefits of labeling and making healthier choices, food labels also keep people safe and prevent unnecessary sickness. labels also allow consumers to detect ingredients that could cause them harm, such as those with food allergies to peanuts, soybeans, milk, eggs, fish, etc. -Labels can stop people from throwing out food that is still okay to eat. Date marking on food labels lets you know for how long a product is safe to eat. -This is important to avoid getting sick from expired food. -However, it is also true that confusing "best before" and "use by" dates can lead to more food waste." However, The word "natural" has NO legal definition, therefore it can mean anything the marketer wants it to mean. This tactic is often used in misleading advertising.
What concerns do you have with a diet too high in protein? What are solutions? How does this relate to our food system and public health?
Problems: -Animal protein may significantly increase the risk of premature mortality from all causes, among them cardiovascular disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. -Low-carb, high-animal-protein diets promote heart disease -Arterial blockages may be caused by animal-protein-induced elevations in free fatty acids and insulin levels -Egg yolks and red meat appear to significantly increase the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer Solutions: - An optimal diet for preventing disease is a whole-foods, plant-based diet that is naturally low in animal protein, harmful fats and refined carbohydrates. -In practice, this means little or no red meat; mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and soy products in their natural forms -This also means consuming very few simple and refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour; and s -Eat a sufficient amount of "good fats" such as fish oil or flax oil, seeds and nuts. -A healthful diet should be low in "bad fats," meaning trans fats, saturated fats, and hydrogenated fats. How does this relate to the food system and public health? -Livestock production causes more disruption of the climate than all forms of transportation combined. -It takes 10 times more grain to produce the same amount of calories through livestock as through direct grain consumption, so eating a plant-based diet could free up resources for the hungry.
What are the differences between carbohydrates and what role they play in the body? What are the pro's and con's of each?
Simple carbs—which are made of one or two sugar molecules—are often stripped of their fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Complex carbohydrates, found mostly in whole plant foods, maintain their natural fiber and fuel your body with energy. -Simple carbs, like white bread and crackers are more easily digested, and release glucose into the blood at a faster rate. -Simple carbs have a high glycemic index, which determines how much a particular food raises the sugar level in your blood. -Complex carbs, like those found in whole grains and fruit, the fiber in those foods slows the release of glucose into your blood, meaning they have a lower glycemic index. -Complex carbs have three or more simple sugars linked together -Eggs cheese and meats have the lowest glycemic indexes *Consuming a lot of carbohydrates can lead to insulin resistance, which can lead to something called metabolic syndrome. The symptoms of that are increased weight gain, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. This, then, increases the risk of developing cardio vascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
1. What are the two types of fiber we discussed? What does fiber do in the body? Where can we find it (specifics). What are the concerns with having too little/too much?
Two types: soluble and insoluble. -Soluble Fiber: Gelatinous texture, has demulcent properties that protect the stomach, helps to treat constipation -Insoluble fiber: dry texture, satisfies the appetite, reduces cholesterol, and has a laxative effect. What does it do? - Fiber helps prevent hemorrhoids, constipation, and other intestinal problems by keeping our stools moist and soft - May reduce the risk of colon cancer. -May reduce the risk of heart disease by delaying or blocking the absorption of dietary cholesterol into the bloodstream - May lower the risk for type 2 diabetes. I - May enhance weight loss, as eating a high-fiber diet causes a person to feel more full. Too much/too little? - Excessive fiber consumption can lead to problems such as intestinal gas, bloating, and constipation. -Fiber causes the body to eliminate more water in the feces, a very-high-fiber diet could result in dehydration. -Fiber also binds certain vitamins and minerals: a diet with too much fiber can reduce our absorption of iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D. -Fiber helps to eliminate stools and toxins from your body which means your colon is working efficiently. If you are constipated this means your fiber intake is too low. Where to find it: -Soluble fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and seaweed -Insoluble fiber is found in seeds, whole grains, and nuts
How can using food as medicine philosophies contribute to prevention? What are the strengths and barriers to applying these applications within our current food system?
Using food as medicine, or utilizing lifestyle medicine is essentially committing to daily habits and actions that better one's quality of life. -There is substantial evidence that daily physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight, refraining from tobacco use, and following appropriate dietary health practices can positively impact a person's health. -Those who do practice healthy lifestyle habits are less at risk for getting heart disease than those who do not. Barriers/What needs to be addressed? -It is a well-known fact that cigarette smoking has proven to increase the risk of several chronic diseases like stroke, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, yet people still smoke despite these risks. -It would seem that the majority of the county's population do not practice any positive habits on a daily basis, despite the clear benefits they could reap from doing so. -Our text tells us that "...only 5% of the adult population of the United States practices all of the positive lifestyle measures known to significantly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease," and roughly 15% of people still smoke cigarettes. -Thus, I think society needs to address these aforementioned statements. Perhaps the public needs to be made more aware of the risks that their current habits pose, or something needs to happen where people are inclined to care about themselves and their health in the long-term.
What can you share about the gut-microbiome? What systems are impacted? How can it be improved? What is the relationship to chronic diseases?
What is the gut micro-biome? -The complex community of microorganisms that live in digestive tracts -Up to 10% of an individual's daily energy needs can be derived from the byproducts of bacterial fermentation - There are also bacteria that stimulate immune cells in the gut, and send signals to the brain. In turn, cells that help the brain recover from injuries are activated. -It helps to produce some neurotransmitters associated with mental health. -everyone's microbiome is unique, and our microbes can determine what food we crave. The more we eat healthy food, the more bacteria that like healthy food will breed.