The Power of Nutrition

Nutrition has always been a foundational part of health. It is an ancient science embedded within the practice of Eastern, Alternative, and Preventative Medicine. From the time we are conceived in our Mothers' wombs up until the day we die, Nutrition plays an integral role in our lives. Many of us understand Nutrition as something related to Food and diet. However, as somebody learned in this field, I am here to tell you that Nutrition is far more than your stereotypical vegan or keto-obsessed diet, inconsistent meal preps, or visiting a fitness trainer for the sake of only losing weight.

Do not get me wrong; we need those mentioned above. However, we need them in ways that are seemingly empowering rather than another FAD diet mindlessly conquered or done in vain. Understanding nutrition can give you the power to make informed health choices rather than unthinkingly follow trends.

Food is our body's fuel- our energy source, biochemical support, and the medium in which nutrients can function. However, nutritional medicine is far more than the word food, diet, meal prep, or weight loss. It is an emerging and fast-growing science field

predominantly classified as how the nutrients found within our Food supply work in our bodies to promote cell and tissue growth alongside the correlation between diet & disease.

By definition, Scientific or Medical Nutrition is the science that interprets Food's nutrients and other substances regarding an organism's growth, reproduction, health, and disease. It includes ingestion, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism, and excretion, helping

Maintain a healthy weight, increased energy, improved skin health, and immune system support. Furthermore, it may also test for nutritional and herbal supplements. At the same time, integrated (interchangeably called preventive) medicine is a holistic medical discipline that considers the patient's lifestyle. Sometimes called holistic or natural Nutrition, it is an overall approach in health care that incorporates consuming natural, alive, and proper quality foods. Rest, recovery, stress management, and physical, mental, and emotional wellness are considered when working with patients in this practice scope. In most cases, with integrative medicine, you work with a Specialized Holistic Doctor ( be it a herbalist, naturopath, dietician, nutritionist, or MD); these board-certified professionals source out the root cause of your ailment to treat the entirety of your being (i.e., the whole person) rather than just the illness or disease.

An antidote for many of today's most pressing health concerns, Nutrition at heart, is fundamental in preventative healthcare. The foods we consume are essential because they can either help build and fuel us or tear down and destroy us. The choices we make regarding our foods don't affect just one part of our bodies. They affect several. There are many defining factors to consider, as often, our stomachs are affected, and our skin, heart, and brain are affected. Many health conditions result from nutritional deficiencies and are severely affected by our Food source. Some can be directly caused by allergens in foods or contaminated Foods, resulting in Food poisoning and bacterial infection. The comprehensive study of Nutrition takes a more in-depth look at individuals' dietary behaviours, habits, patterns, food supply, and lifestyle to identify their specific issue(s) of concern and restore sound health through nutritional counselling and therapy. Good Nutrition often helps reduce the risk of some diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis. The significant risk factor for disease or life years lost is a low diet, resulting in lacking minerals and essential nutrients. Concepts of Nutrition and its relationship to health and disease do not get the individual attention they deserve in Western medical education in comparison to Eastern medicine (Ex, Ayurveda or Traditional Chinese Medicine.) Doctors in the West are only taught so much about the power of Nutrition. However, as the years have passed, The application of Nutrition in Western medicine is rising. We are starting to witness more people than before opting for a more wholesome approach toward preserving their health as they awaken to a new and vital interest in Nutrition. This shift involves an emerging sphere of Holistic and Natural Nutrition that encompasses the characteristics of Food and explores the quality of the person's food source and holism.

To preserve our health, we need to replace the nutrients in our bodies with new supplies every day. Eight essential nutrients are dependent significantly on a sufficient intake.

These essential nutrients are housed in two groups, known as macro and micronutrients. These two groups hold the eight essential nutrients needed to sustain our biophysical makeup and encompass Nutrition's science, integration, and validity in health. (Think of Nutrition as the fundamental building blocks of life).

Macronutrients, which include fats, lipids, proteins, water, and carbohydrates, are the main components of our diets. They are needed in larger quantities throughout life to facilitate various physiological functions with vitality and growth. On the other hand, micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, are needed in smaller portions. These are essential for our body's immune function, growth, bone health, fluid balance, and several other processes.

Moreover, we get these essential nutrients by consuming whole foods (i.e., whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables).

Let's take carbohydrates as an example. They are macronutrients, and one of their primary functions is replenishing our bodies with energy. For instance, spaghetti with wheat germ provides energy for our muscles, nervous system, and red blood cells. Whole grains, another source of carbohydrates, also provide dietary fibre. This fibre promotes digestive health, helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and aids in weight management.

Another example would be Fatty acids (EFAs). These are natural components of fats and oils. Their chemical structure can be differentiated into 'saturated,' 'mono-unsaturated,' and 'poly-unsaturated' fatty acids.

Saturated fatty acids (fats) are mainly found in animal foods, such as (fatty) meat, lard, sausage, butter, cheese, and coconut oil used for frying. Most unsaturated fatty acids (fats) are of plant and fatty fish origin. Foods containing unsaturated fatty acids include avocado, nuts, vegetable oils (corn, soy, and algal), and salmon. Meat products contain both saturated and unsaturated fats. They fulfill both functions of supplying energy and cell communication and stabilization of moods by quickly travelling through the brain cell membrane and interacting with mood-related molecules. Nevertheless, our food supply grants us the nutrients we require and the vitamins and minerals that operate as cofactors for our body to operate precisely.

In conclusion, the composition of the foods we consume is powerful because they strongly influence our bodily functions and have the potential to help combat the majority of our most constraining health concerns.

A diversified, balanced, healthy diet will vary depending on age, gender, lifestyle, degree of physical activity, cultural context, locally available foods, and customs. Nevertheless, combined with physical activity, your diet can help you reach optimum health as you strive to cultivate balance in your health matters.

Fast Food is often available everywhere and advertised left and right, making it difficult for many people to know what they eat. Nevertheless, when guided and conditioned about good Nutrition, we are more informed and willing to make the appropriate and healthful choices we need to facilitate and promote our health. It becomes apparent that people need to continue educating themselves on the power of Nutrition, exercise, and stress management to overcome roadblocks in their health, especially during this pandemic. The power of Nutrition alongside other integrative modes of health is indeed something that needs to be respected. However, there is still much to learn about Nutrition and its relation to illness and health. With how far we have come to understand its importance in this day and age, we are further advanced than former studies in science, trying to help back up research and entice the need to act upon that knowledge.

If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading.

Until next time, please take care, stay informed, and utilize the power of Nutrition to your advantage during this year.

Citations

Nutrition | Nurturemed. https://nurturemed.ph/expertise/nutrition

(2021). The Role of Nutritional Factors in Asthma: Challenges and Opportunities for Epidemiological Research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 3013.

Nutrition and Healthcare - WHITEPADMAWELLNESS. https://www.holisticmommabear.com/blog/nutrition-and-healthcare

Easy Vegan Pasta - Dinner in 20 Minutes! - EatPlant-Based. https://eatplant-based.com/artichoke-marinara-spaghetti-dinner-in-20-minutes/

Essential Fatty Acids. https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/items/essential-fatty-acids/essential-fatty-acids.html

Essential Fatty Acids. https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/items/essential-fatty-acids/essential-fatty-acids.html

Essential Fatty Acids. https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/items/essential-fatty-acids/essential-fatty-acids.html

Essential Fatty Acids. https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/items/essential-fatty-acids/essential-fatty-acids.html

Nunes da Cunha, I., Autry, E., Bennara, K., Van Boven, J., Fearn, A., Garcia-Cardenas, V., Kahlon, A., Moranta, F., Nduva Sammy, R., Paulino, E., Williams, S., & Zheng Kang, L. (2022). Chronic respiratory diseases: A handbook for pharmacists. https://core.ac.uk/download/56219042