Understanding nutrition - the science concerned with the function and bodily assimilation of food is essential to ensure health and productive lives for ourselves and our families. Every facet of life involves nutrition.  If affects our mental and spiritual development as well as our physical health.  It is often associated with the quality of our social activities and creates many satisfying experiences.

    Foods provide “nutrients,” the building blocks for muscles, bones, and other tissues and the source of energy for work and play.  Everyone needs the same nutrients -- proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals -- but in different amounts depending on age, sex, size, health, and level of activity.

    Nutritional programs consist of two main categories -- “Preventive” and “Therapeutic.” The “Preventive” nutritional plan is targeted toward those individuals who show fewer signs or symptoms of degenerative disease. Its name describes it well.  It is to “prevent” these diseases in the future.

    

Dietary Goals:               Preventive Diet Fat            =     20 - 30% of calories                        No free Fats                        Natural fats only, ie: nuts, olives, avocadoes Dietary Cholestrol               =  0% Protein                              =   10 - 15% Carbohydrates (complex)      =   55 - 70%

    The “Therapeutic” nutritional plan is targeted toward those individuals who show advanced signs and symptoms of degenerative disease.

    

Dietary Goals:               Therapeutic Diet Fat            =     10 - 15% of calories                        Minimal natural fats Dietary Cholestrol               =  0% Protein                              =   10 - 12% Carbohydrates (complex)      =   75 - 80%

    Both nutritional plans have a preventive and therapeutic effect. The emphasis is merely adjusted where fat intake is a more critical concern.

Is This New?

In 1913 two university researchers discovered a substance in milk and egg yolk that was essential to the growth of laboratory rats. They had found the first vitamin: Vitamin A.

At the same time, Russian scientists discovered that rabbits fed these fwo foods developed atherosclerosis.

The finding of the Russian scientists went virtually unnoticed by nutritionists. Instead, nutrition science became captive to nutrients, studying the beneficial elements in food, with little consideration to the possibilities of harm by isolated nutrients.

Research focused on food analysis, estimating daily needs of nutrients, and synthesizing them where possible. Meat, milk products, and eggs -- all rich sources of nutrients, became the nutritionists’ prized foods.  Sugar, with no nutrients, was branded the worst food.

At the turn of the century, a heart attack or stroke was rare, and few people lived long enough to experience it. In addition to infectious diseases,tens of thousands of Americans were suffering from nutrition deficiency diseases, such as beri-beri, pellagra, scurvy, and rickets.

It is not surprising that science took an in-depth look at nutrients, while ignoring the research linking the fat of meat, milk, and eggs with atherosclerosis. Vaccines and improved sanitary conditions also prolonged life, which allowed time for degenerative symptoms to become evident.

With deficiency diseases greatly decreased, nutrition science is now focusing on some of these harmful effects of fat, etc. With atherosclerosis being the precursor in the development of many degenerative diseases, evidence is fast building to tell the “whole” story -- the story about not only the importance of balanced nutrients, but also which foods are the best source of these nutrients without causing harm.