Nutrition And Diseases

Alexander Bruni
Author: Alexander Bruni Time for reading: ~4 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022
Nutrition And Diseases

The Chinese sages did not distinguish food from medicine - What is good for the body is both food and medicine. The ancient Chinese physician Sun Se Chao (6th century BC) believed that only

The Chinese sages did not distinguish food from medicine - "What is good for the body is both food and medicine." The ancient Chinese physician Sun Se Chao (6th century BC) believed that only if food did not give the desired results, then the doctor should prescribe medicine. Modern medicine considers a balanced diet as one of the main elements for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

An important condition for maintaining good health is the body's ability to adapt to external conditions, mitigating the effects of adverse factors. But the load on the body is constantly growing, its capabilities are often limited. Nutrition and health are inextricably linked, so to increase human reserves, its resistance to various negative factors is able to rationally balanced diet, rich in all necessary essential nutrients. Conversely, impaired nutrition sooner or later inevitably leads to impaired ability to adapt - reducing the body's non-specific resistance to the effects of adverse physical, biological and other environmental factors with subsequent development of disease.

In addition, even the intake of all necessary nutrients does not guarantee good health if the food contains dangerous biological, chemical or other factors that cause food poisoning and other disorders of the normal functioning of the body. Therefore, every person who cares about their health should have a general idea of ​​these factors.

A special role is played by special or curative nutrition in cases where the disease is already present. Properly selected menu allows to significantly reduce the severity of the disease and the risk of complications or even helps to cure.

Eating disorders are the result of an imbalance of nutrients in the menu, their insufficiency or vice versa - excessive intake.

We will look at some of the most important and common eating disorders and their consequences.

Protein

  • Insufficient protein in the menu leads to the breakdown of the body's own proteins, to a decrease in total body weight, as well as to that of individual internal organs, to disturbances in the catalytic activity of enzymes, to hormonal dysfunction, to damage to organs and systems. all of the hematopoietic and digestive), to reduce the body's resistance to the harmful effects of the environment.
  • Excessive amount of protein in the body is accompanied by an increased content in the body of toxic intermediate metabolic products, additional load on the urinary system, increased putrefactive processes in the intestine, increasing the risk of developing cancer.

Fat

  • Excessive fat restriction is most often accompanied by a deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins in the menu, essential unsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols. It is especially important to pay attention to the inclusion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in formula formulas for infants, because their deficiency can cause various abnormalities in the health of the baby (growth retardation and development, dermatitis, dyspepsia and etc.).
  • Increasing fat with food (especially saturated) leads to obesity, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Carbohydrates

  • Insufficient intake of carbohydrates from food leads to increased breakdown of fats and proteins, which in turn causes the accumulation of toxic products from their decomposition, the development of protein deficiency (cachexia, atrophic changes in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, etc.). .
  • Excessive carbohydrates lead to obesity and other metabolic disorders (for example, elevated blood sugar contributes to diabetes).

Dietary fiber

We will consider the role of dietary fiber separately .

  • Insufficient amount in the body is the cause of a number of diseases, which are listed below.
  • Excess fiber is also dangerous to health because the absorption of essential nutrients is reduced.
Diseases related to dietary fiber deficiency in the menu:
  • Diseases mainly affecting the colon - constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticula, appendix, plaque on the colon, neoplasms of the colon, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease.
  • Other gastrointestinal diseases - gallstone disease (cholesterol stones), irritable bowel syndrome, esophageal hernia.
  • Diseases of the circulatory system - varicose veins and thrombosis of the veins of the legs, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, hyperlipidemia.
  • Others - dental caries, obesity, diabetes.

In recent decades, the problem of nutrient deficiencies has become particularly acute:

  • Calcium deficiency - especially in the elderly, which leads to the development of osteoporosis and increased bone fragility;
  • Iron deficiency - especially in pregnant women and young children, is accompanied by the development of anemia;
  • Iodine deficiency - especially for children during the intensive development of the CNS, which leads to a significant loss of some intellectual abilities in adulthood.
  • Fluoride deficiency - the function of fluoride is directly related to the formation and health of teeth, as well as the musculoskeletal system;
  • Selenium deficiency - selenium is an important antioxidant that reduces the risk of developing cancer, without it the normal functioning of the human reproductive system and sexual activity is impossible;
  • Zinc deficiency - zinc is a mineral that is especially important for the generation and effective application of sexual functions. It has a direct bearing on the building of immunity, growth and development of the body, wound healing and more. According to some scientists, the insufficient amount of zinc in the diet of children and adolescents increases the risk of alcoholism and drug addiction.
More on the topic:
  • How people over the age of 50 should eat
  • What foods are good for people depending on their age and lifestyle
  • Tips for healthy eating
  • Food traffic light

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