Within the United Kingdom (UK), most mainstream healthcare practitioners receive little or no nutrition education during their years of training. As a consequence, the understanding of nutrition amongst primary care practitioners such as general practitioners, pharmacists, midwives, and practice nurses is limited and is largely focused on energy consumption and obesity. There is little knowledge of the wealth of micronutrients that underpin health, nor of the ticking timebomb of insufficient intakes of those micronutrients amongst a significant proportion of the population in the UK.
The Building Blocks of Life: A Nutrition Foundation for Healthcare Professionals is a step towards redressing that balance. It sets out an informative and engaging narrative on how and why nutrition is the basis for good health. It discusses UK-specific issues with regards to diet and intakes of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and other micronutrients. It also raises concerns about the potential negative health implications of the generally poor UK diet and suggests ways that healthcare practitioners can support patients in improving their long-term health outlook.
Nutrition policy in the UK needs to be dragged into the 21st century and this book sets out evidence-based arguments which challenge current public health myths such as the idea that 10 micrograms of vitamin D is all anyone needs or the messaging around the consumption of saturated fat vs highly processed seed oils or that everyone can get all the nutrients they need from a varied and balanced diet.
Although The Building Blocks of Life: A Nutrition Foundation for Healthcare Professionals focuses on concerns around poor diet and the consequent micronutrient inadequacies in the UK, the nutritional detail is relevant no matter where you are in the world. Everyone eats, all the time. It is time that mainstream medicine looked towards food as both a cause and a solution to many of the chronic degenerative conditions that plague modern life.
Author(s): TC Callis
Edition: 1
Publisher: CRC Press
Year: 2023
Language: English
Commentary: TRUE PDF
Tags: Nutrition; Primary Health Care & Family Practice; Food Chemistry
Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Acknowledgements
Author
Introduction
References
1. Nutrition Basics
The basics
Macro- and micronutrients Are split up into smaller and more complex groups
Macronutrients
Fats
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Fibre
Water
Micronutrients
Vitamins
Minerals
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Phytonutrients
Deficiency or insufficiency
Nutrient intakes - terminology
National Diet and Nutrition Survey
Government guidelines
There Is nothing simple about nutrition
References
2. Malnutrition
What is malnutrition?
Definitions
Prevalence of malnutrition in the UK
The difference between macronutrient and micronutrient malnutrition
Undernutrition is part of malnutrition
Vitamin D
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
What are the health implications of these nutrient shortfalls?
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Folate (Folic Acid)
Calcium
Magnesium
Iron
Iodine
Selenium
Zinc
Omega-3
Real life
Other issues
Confusing public health messages
Solutions?
Education
Social prescribing
Clear messages
A quick fix?
References
3. Digestion
Digestion and Absorption
Fat Soluble Vitamins
Water Soluble Vitamins
Minerals
Immunity
The Microbiome
The Microbiome in the Mouth
The Microbiome in the Gut
Fibre
Short Chain Fatty Acids
Fermented Foods
The Second Brain
The Nervous Systems in the Gut
Neurotransmitters
Glutamate and GABA
The Centrality of the Gut to Health
References
4. Obesity
Obesity and poverty
Ultra-processed food
The glycaemic index
How our relationship with food impacts obesity
Insulin and carbohydrate
Hunger and appetite
Satiety value
Fat is not the enemy
Saturated fat - really not so bad
Trans fats and omega-3
Obesity and the microbiome
There is no single "best way" to lose weight
References
5. Immunity
Immunity requires both micronutrients and macronutrients
Nutrients Fund Immunity
Omega-3 and omega-6
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
The B Vitamins
Vitamin C
Minerals
Iron
Zinc
Selenium
Calcium
Other factors
β-glucans
Flavonoids and Polyphenols
The Microbiome and GALT
References
6. Vitamin D
Vitamin D from food
Vitamin D from sunlight
Safety
Situation in the UK
Vitamin D deficiency rates in the UK
Bones
Mental health
Immunity
Autoimmune disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Diabetes
Inflammatory GI Diseases
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Some cancers
Skin health
To test or not to test
Supplementing to protect
References
7. Conception, Pregnancy and Foetal Development
Mum and baby
Folic acid
Other Benefits of B Vitamins
Fats and oils
Trans Fats
Omega Fats
The microbiome
Energy intakes
Protein intake
Finally ... for mum and baby
Preconception for dad
References
8. Tired All the Time
Metabolism
Energy substrates
Energy production from glucose
Glycolysis
The Link Reaction
The Krebs Cycle
The Electron Transport Chain
It gets more complicated...
β-Oxidation of Fatty Acids
Protein Metabolism
Nutrients needed for energy production: Vitamins
Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
Folic Acid
Biotin
Choline
Vitamin C
Nutrients needed for energy production: Minerals
Calcium
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Phosphorus
Other nutrients needed for energy production
Coenzyme Q10
Vitamin D
Water
Nutritional management of fatigue
Always read the label
References
9. Different Ways of Eating
Mediterranean diet
The flexitarian diet
Vegetarianism and veganism
Junk Food Vegetarians
Potential Nutrient Shortfalls in Vegetarian Diets
Vitamin A
B Vitamins
Vitamin D
Omega-3
Iron
Calcium
Iodine
Selenium
Zinc
The keto diet
Intermittent fasting
The Palaeolithic (Paleo) diet
Detox diets
The Liver - Key to Detoxification
Raw food diet
Is there a "best" diet?
References
Conclusion
References
Nutrient "Cheat Sheets"
References
Index
