Health Occupations

1. Health Occupations Nutrition

2. Fundamentals of Nutrition • Good food = Good nutrition • Most people are unaware of what nutrients are needed & why • Unable to make good choices to promote optimal health • Nutrition • Includes all body processes relating to food • Includes digestion, absorption, metabolism, circulation, & elimination • Use food for energy, maintaining health, & growth

3. Nutritional Status • State or condition of one’s nutrition • Goal = good nutrition • Must choose foods needed, NOT the foods that just taste good

4. Role of Nutrition • Determines ht, wt, & strength • Develops bones & muscles • Increases physical agility • Increases disease resistance • Improves appetite, posture, complexion • Aids mental ability • Improves emotional & psychological health

5. Immediate effects of good nutrition • Healthy appearance • Good attitude • Proper sleep & bowel habits • High energy level • Enthusiasm & freedom from anxiety

6. Diseases caused by poor nutrition • HTN • Can be caused by excess fat or salt • Leads to heart, blood vessel, or kidney disease • Atherosclerosis • Arteries narrow by accumulation of fatty substances on inner surfaces • Caused by diet containing large amount of saturated fats & cholesterol • Can lead to heart attack or stroke • Osteoporosis • Bones become porous & easily break • Common cause is long-term deficiency in Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium

7. Malnutrition • State of poor nutrition • May be caused by poor diet or illness • Symptoms – fatigue • Depression • Poor posture • Overweight/underweight • Poor complexion • Lifeless hair • irritability

8. Malnutrition • Causes deficiency diseases, poor bone & muscle development, decreased mental ability, & death • Affects patients in extreme poverty, drug therapy, & psychological diseases- ALL AGE GROUPS • Obesity is a form of malnutrition – excess food

9. Essential nutrients • Chemical elements found in food • Used by body to perform different functions • As body uses elements, they are replaced by food eaten

10. Carbohydrates • 1 of 6 essential nutrients • Major source of readily usable human energy • Commonly called starches or sugars • Cheaper source of energy than proteins or fats, produced mainly by plants • Easily digested, grow well in most climates, keep well without refrigeration • Made of carbon, hydrogen, & oxygen

11. Carbohydrates • Main sources • Bread, grains • Cereal • Noodles • Pasta • Crackers • Potatoes • Corn • Peas • Beans • Fruits, sugars • Syrups

12. Carbohydrates • Cellulose • Fibrous indigestible form of plant CHO providing bulk in digestive tract • Causes regular BMs • Best sources • Bran • Whole grains • Fibrous fruits & vegetables

13. Lipids – fats & oils • Organic compounds • 3 of most common lipids are found in both food & body • Triglycerides – fats, fatty acids • Phospholipids – ex. Lecithin • Sterols – ex. cholesterol • Made of carbon, hydrogen, & oxygen, but has more oxygen than CHO • Most concentrated form of energy • More expensive source of energy than CHO

14. Lipids • Other functions • Maintains body temp by providing insulation • Cushions organs & bones • Aids in absorption of fat-soluble vitamins • Provides flavor • Sources • Butter, margarine • Oils, cream • Cheese, fatty meats • Egg yolks

15. Lipids • Classified as saturated or polyunsaturated • Saturated fats – solid at room temp • Meats, eggs, whole milk, cream, butter, cheese • Polyunsaturated fats – usually soft & oily • Veggie oils, margarine, products made from vegetable oil, fish peanuts • Cholesterol • Sterol lipid found in body cells & animal products • Used in production of steroid hormones, vitamin D & bile acids • Component of body cells • Sources – egg yolk, fatty meats, shellfish, butter, cream, cheese, whole milk, organ meats

16. Lipids • Also synthesized by liver • Transported in bloodstream by 2 carrier molecules called lipoproteins • HDL – high density lipoproteins • Good cholesterol • Transports cholesterol back to liver • Prevents plaque from accumulating in arteries • LDL – low density lipoproteins • Bad cholesterol • Contributes to plaque build-up • Important to limit foods containing fats from animal sources

17. Proteins • Basic component of all body cells • Function • Builds & repairs tissues • Regulates body functions • Provides energy & heat • Made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, may contain sulfur, phosphorus, iron, & iodine • Made up of 22 building blocks called amino acids

18. Proteins • 2 types • Complete proteins • 9 essential amino acids • Sources – animal foods like meats, fish, milk, cheese, eggs • Incomplete proteins • Contain any of the remaining 13 amino acids & some, not all of the 9 essentials • Sources – vegetable foods, cereals, soybeans, dry beans, peas, corn, peanuts • Choose plant foods carefully • Can provide a mixture of amino acids from incomplete proteins that contain all essential amino acids • Important for vegetarians to select foods wisely

19. Vitamins • Organic compounds essential to life • Important for metabolism, building tissue, & regulating body processes • Allows body to use energy provided by CHO & proteins • Well-balanced diet will usually provide required vitamins • Excess OR deficiency can cause poor health

20. Vitamins • Antioxidants • Organic molecules that help to protect body from harmful substances called free radicals • Oxygen used during metabolism causes free radicals to form • These damage tissues, cells, & genes (like oxygen causes apples to turn brown or metal to rust) • Can lead to the development of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, arthritis • Found mostly in fruits & vegies • Deactivate free radicals • Prevents damage to skin • Main antioxidants vitamins – A,C,E

21. Vitamins • Classified • Water soluble • Dissolve in water • Are not normally stored by body • Easily destroyed by cooking, air, light • Niacin, Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, Vit C, Folic acid • Fat soluble • Dissolve in fat • Can be stored in body • Not easily destroyed by cooking, air, light • Vitamin A, D, E, K

22. Minerals • Inorganic elements found in all body tissue • Regulate body fluids, assist in various functions, contribute to growth, aid in tissue building • Antioxidants – Selenium, zinc, copper, manganese • Other minerals – calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, iodine, fluoride

23. Water • Found in all body tissues • Functions • Essential for digestion or breakdown of food • Makes up most of blood plasma & cell cytoplasm • Helps body tissues absorb nutrients • Helps move waste material through body • Found in almost all foods • Average person should drink 6 – 8 glasses of water each day

24. Utilization of nutrients • Includes process of digestion, absorption, & metabolism • Digestion – process by which body breaks food down into smaller parts, changes the food chemically, & moves the food through the digestive system • Mechanical digestion – food broken up by teeth • Moved through digestive tract by peristalsis • Chemical digestion – food is mixed with digestive juices secreted by mouth, stomach, small intestine, liver, gall bladder, & pancreas • Juices contain enzymes that break down food chemically

25. Absorption • Process by which blood or lymph capillaries pick up digested nutrients • Nutrients carried by circulation to every body cell • Most absorption takes place in small intestine • Large intestine absorbs water, salts, & few vitamins

26. Metabolism • Process in which nutrients are used by cells for building tissue, providing energy, & regulating various functions • Nutrients are combined with oxygen, energy & heat are released • Energy is required for voluntary & involuntary processes • BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate- rate at which body uses energy just for maintaining own tissue without doing any work • Body needs energy constantly – can store for future use

27. Measuring food energy • Foods vary in amounts of energy they contains • When body metabolizes nutrients to produce energy, heat is released • Measurement of heat produced during metabolism is the way the energy content of food is measured • Kilocalorie or calorie • Number of calories in a certain food – caloric value • CHO & protein = 4 cal/g • Fat = 9 cal/g • Vitamins, minerals, & water = 0 cal

28. Individual’s calorie requirement • Number of calories needed by body during a 24 hour period • Varies from person to person depending on activity, age, size, gender, physical condition, & climate • Usually amount of physical activity is main factor because energy used must be replaced • Lose weight = decrease cal, increase exercise • Gain weight = increase cal, decrease exercise • Weight gain or loss of 1-2 lbs per week is safe

29. www.mypyramid.gov

30. 7 guidelines for good eating habits • Eat a variety of foods – food groups, adjust portion size & number, vary nutrients • Maintain healthy weight • Diet low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol • Use salt & sodium in moderation • If alcohol is consumed, do so in moderation • Choose a diet with plenty of veggies, fruits, & grains • Use sugar in moderation

31. Therapeutic diets • Modifications of normal diet used to improve specific health conditions • Normally prescribed by dr. & planned by dietician • May change nutrients, calorie count, or texture • May be strange or unpleasant to pt – anorexia, weakness, illness, depression • Use patience & tact to convince to eat • Understand purpose of diet & provide pt with explanations

32. Regular or Standard diet • Balanced diet used for ambulatory pts, may be reduced calories • Rich desserts, creams, salad dressings, & fried food may be eliminated • Otherwise, no restrictions

33. Liquid diets • Foods must be liquid at body temp • Nutritionally inadequate, can only use for short time periods • Clear liquids • Mostly CHO & water • Apple/grape juice, broths, gelatin, fruit ice, ginger ale, tea, coffee • Full liquids • Strained soups & cereals, fruit & veggie juices, yogurt, hot cocoa, custard, ice cream, pudding, sherbet, eggnog

34. Soft diet • Similar to regular, but foods must require little chewing & must be easily digestible • Avoid meat & shellfish with tough connective tissue, rich desserts, coarse cereals, spicy food, fried food, raw fruit/veggies, nuts, coconuts • Uses – postop, pts withy infections, digestive disorders or chewing problems

35. Diabetic diet - ADA • Used for pts with diabetes – body doesn’t produce enough insulin to metabolize CHO, pts freq take insulin • Diet has exchange lists • Group foods according to type, nutrients, calories • Pts are allowed a certain number of items from each exchange • Avoid sugary foods – candy, sodas, desserts, cookies, syrup, honey, condensed milk, gum, jam, jelly

36. Calorie Controlled diet • Can be either low or high calorie • Low calorie • Used for overweight pts • Avoid or limit high calorie foods • High calorie • Used for underweight pts, hyperthyroid, cancer • Includes extra protein & CHO • Avoid high bulk food – green salads, watermelon, fibrous fruits & high fat foods

37. Low Cholesterol diet • Restricts cholesterol containing foods • Used for patients with heart disease

38. Fat restricted diet • Used for patients with gall bladder disease, liver disease, obesity, heart disease • Restricts fat

39. Sodium restricted diets • Can use diabetic exchange lists • No added salt, no smoked meats, processed foods, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, processed cheese • Used for HTN, CHF, kidney disease, edema

40. Protein diet • Includes low protein & high protein • Low protein • Kidney disease, allergies • High protein • Children, adolescent, pregnant, lactating, preop, postop, burns, fevers, infections

41. Bland diet • Consists of easily digested foods that do not irritate digestive tract • Avoid – coarse foods, fried foods, highly seasoned foods, pastries, candy, raw fruit & veggies, alcohol, carbonated beverages, smoked/salted meats, nuts, olives, avocados, coconut, whole grain breads & cereals, coffee, tea • Used for pts with ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, diarrhea