NUTRITIONFeel better today. Stay healthy for tomorrow.

GERALDO SILVA

WORCESTER STATE UNIVERSITY

2012

WHAT IS NUTRITION?• The study of how your

body uses the food that you eat.

WHAT IS A NUTRIENT?• A nutrient is a chemical

substance in food that helps maintain the body. Some provide energy. All help build cells and tissues, regulate bodily processes such as breathing. No single food supplies all the nutrients the body needs to function.

The six Classifications of Nutrients

VITAMINSMINERALSWATERPROTEINCARBOHYDRATES (SUGARS AND

STARCHES )FATS

CALORIES definition: A UNIT OF MEASURE FOR ENERGY IN FOOD

• Nutrients that have calories

ProteinsCarbohydratesFats

• Calories per gram

Protein 1 gram = 4 calories Carbohydrates 1 gram = 4 calories Fat 1 gram = 9 calories

• Variables which affect nutrient needs

• 1. Age

• 2. Gender

• 3. Activity Level

• 4. Climate

• 5. Health

• 6. State of nutrition

The health eating pyramid and guidelines• Aim for a health weight• Be physically active each day• Let the pyramid guide your choices• Choose a variety of grains daily, especially

whole grains• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables

daily• Keep food safe to eat• Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat

and cholesterol and moderate in total fat• Choose beverages and foods to moderate

your intake of sugars• Choose and prepare food with less salt• If you drink alcoholic beverages do so in

moderation

WEIGHT AND HEALTH

Approximately 61% of American adults are considered overweight or obese.

CAUSES:

• Sedentary life style• Abundance of junk food

and fast-food• Higher incidence in people with

low socioeconomic status• Higher incidence of African-American

and Latin-American women.• High price of fruits, vegetables

and Organic whole foods.

DIETING...“I’ve been dieting for a month and all I’ve lost is 31

days!”• Low-Calorie diet – The most well know and most practiced of all the diets. It is

also the most unhealthy. Drastic weight loss in the beginning followed by a weight again afterwards.

• High-Carbohydrate, Low-Fat Diets - Eating without caloric restriction. It should come from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains primarily.

• High Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diets - It will promote weight loss without calorie restriction.

TIPS: • Every and any diet needs to include lots of fruits and vegetables to be healthy.• Drink plenty of fluid such as water or natural juices.• Avoid sugars.• Avoid refined and processed foods.

So What Works?Guidelines For Success...

• Eat a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet

• Eat breakfast every day• Monitor progress• Get high levels of

physical activity, about an hour a day

• Eat five times/day• Burn an average of

2,800 calories/week; 400 calories/day

• Maintaining weight loss is more difficult than losing it.

• Limit intake of certain foods

• The key to weight management is to establish eating and activity patterns that can be sustained

NUTRITON-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES • ANOREXIA NERVOSA Characterized

by the incessant pursuit of thinness, and intense fear of gaining weight.

• BULIMIA NERVOSA Consists of episodes of binge eating and

purging.

• BINGE-EATING DISORDER (BED)

Is a more recently described disorder that comprises binging similar to Bulimia, but without the purging behavior

• POSSIBLE SIGNS OF EATING DISORDER:

• Change in personality or behavior such as more withdrawn, depressed or irritable.

• Unusual eating habits such as stopping eating with family or friends, engages in vomiting or uses laxatives, diet pills, diuretics or rigorous dieting.

• Physical symptoms: failure to gain weight, extreme weight change, fine, downy hair growth, skin rash and dry skin chronic fatigue and inability to think clearly.

I AM A WOMANUsing nutrition to address our health issues

Top diet and nutrition tips for women

• Focus on whole, plant-based foods. Fill most of your plate with fruits and leafy green vegetables. Also include a variety of whole grains, beans, and legumes to give you filling fiber and keep you going throughout the day. Try to find minimally-processed or locally-grown foods whenever possible and make these foods the mainstay of your diet. Fiber will also help with the digestive system.

• Bone up on calcium. Women are at a greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis, so it’s important to get plenty of calcium to support your bone health. While dairy products are high in calcium, their animal fat and protein can accelerate bone loss. So also consider plant-based sources of calcium like beans, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and collard greens.

• Don’t eat too much protein. Protein is an essential part of any healthy diet, but eating too much animal-based protein—such as the levels recommended in many low-carb, high-protein diets—is particularly dangerous for women. Eating lots of protein causes calcium loss. Over time, this could lead to a decrease in bone density and osteoporosis.

• Make sure you get enough iron. Many women don’t get enough iron in their diet. On top of that, women lose a lot of this important mineral during menstruation. Boost your intake by eating iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, dark poultry, lentils, spinach, almonds, and iron-fortified cereals.

• Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Women who have more than two alcoholic drinks a day are at higher risk of osteoporosis. Caffeine consumption interferes with hormone levels and also increases the loss of calcium. Try to limit alcohol consumption to one glass a day and caffeine to one cup a day.

CONCLUSION:

NUTRITION IS SO IMPORT TO PREVENT HEALTH ISSUES AND LIVE A BETER LIFE.

WHY WOMEN CONTINUE TO IGNORE IT?