Malnutrition and the Essential Nutrients Needed to Avoid it

Malnutrition and the Essential Nutrients Needed to Avoid it
By Missy Bell
November 2, 2009

Malnutrition

I have always known that my diet was unhealthy. Diet, ha, if you want to call it that. It was a mesh of high fat and high sugar foods. I ate whatever I wanted and I have to say, that 99% of the time it was food that just tasted good. I never cared if it had nutritional value. Pizza, that has nutritional value, right? It has tomato-based sauce, from your fruit/veggie category, cheese from the dairy slice of the pyramid, the crust comes from the bread food group, and sausage or pepperoni, well, that’s obviously the meat category. So it must be good for me. If this is true, the same must apply to the cheese burger if it has tomato or catsup on it.

Let’s stop lying to ourselves. We lie to ourselves so that we may enjoy our favorite foods with less guilt. Even if our bodies do not show a gain, it will eventually show signs of malnutrition if we continue to consume high quantities of these foods on a regular basis.

What does malnutrition look like? When I asked myself that question, I immediately thought of a third world country where they do not get enough to eat daily, weekly, monthly, even on a yearly basis. It just didn’t occur to me that I could be malnourished. Why not? I guess I figured that with all the food I was putting into my body on a daily basis, I must be getting enough nutrients. Not true.

Malnutrition may not present itself in the form of symptoms. Therefore, you should be sure that you are getting enough of the “essential” vitamins and nutrients you need on a daily basis. For those who have had Gastric Bypass Surgery, it is VERY essential that you follow your nutritional guidelines for supplements, such as Calcium and Vitamin D, B12 and Iron as well as a multivitamin. The best form to consume is liquid or chewable since they both absorb quickly and more efficiently. Since the surgery, your body has less of a digestion tract. A good part of your intestines are bypassed, causing your food to travel through your body faster and have less time to deposit nutrients on it’s way through.

Malnutrition can occur from not getting enough of just one nutrient. It can also occur from not getting enough food. According to an online article, “Malnutrition, What to Look For,” at ,http://huntingtondisease.tripod.com/swallowing/id62.html, the following is what the doctor looks for when diagnosing malnutrition…“The doctor or clinic will weigh patients and measure their height and skin fold thickness. If these simple procedures identify an adult who is grossly underweight or stunted, a full physical examination should be performed. The doctor or nurse will check for signs of water retention, changes in skin and hair, liver enlargement and abdominal swelling. The doctor will also take a blood sample and request a number of biochemical tests to identify protein, vitamin and mineral deficiencies.” If you are concerned about malnutrition and need more information about the signs, please visit the site listed above for further information.

What nutrients are essential?

The most essential of nutrients for the human body include; water, protein, vitamins, minerals, oils, fats and carbohydrates.

Water: An adult’s body weight is basically made up of 60% water. Water has a great deal of benefits, especially for dieters. It assists in so many biochemical functions. It helps break down excess fat and assists in carrying waste out of the body, carrying nutrients through the body and regulating the body’s temperature, to name a few benefits. Not drinking enough water can cause you to be dehydrated, retain water, and weaken your bones. Drinking more water can also help you bust through a weight loss plateau and curb hunger that can actually be thirst disguising itself as hunger and boost your metabolism. Here’s one I didn’t know, it helps the skin to not sag as much after weight loss and helps the skin look younger and healthier.

If you are one who does not like to drink water, there are many ways to get it in. There are many ways to spruce up the taste of water, such as powders, Vitamin Waters, Gatorades, juices, etc. Did you know that if you consume fruit, most fruit contains a great percentage of water?

We have been told 8-10 glasses of water a day is about normal. But if you are overweight, you should be drinking 1 extra glass for every 25 pounds of excess fat you carry. The best way to get water in is to have it with you at all times. Drink at least 8 ounces every hour. If you are a gastric bypass patient, be sure not to drink 30 minutes before you plan to eat and not 30 minutes after. This will give your body enough room for other nutrients.

Protein: According to WebMD, “Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.”

The site also state that recommended servings are as follows: “Teenage boys and active men can get all the protein they need from three daily servings for a total of seven ounces. For children age 2 to 6, most women, and some older people, the government recommends two daily servings for a total of five ounces. For older children, teen girls, active women, and most men, the guidelines give the nod to two daily servings for a total of six ounces.” Any more than this is too much and it is a myth that eating more builds muscle. (For more information on the health risks of high protein diets, visit, http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/benefits-protein.)

Your body does not carry a store of protein so it needs to be replaced daily. It is recommended that you stay away from processed meats such as sausage, hot dogs or deli meats. Consuming these over long periods of time may cause health risks. The best types to focus on would be fish, poultry, beans, nuts, soy, legumes and whole grains.

Essential Vitamins and Minerals: There is a great deal to cover under this category. It is important that you educate yourself on what each of the vitamins and minerals benefit. You may have a certain health issue that you were unaware was related to a deficiency. A great article to review for this information can be found at http://www.crnusa.org/benpdfs/CRN012benefits_recs.pdf. Be sure if you are on any kind of special diet that excludes certain kinds of foods, that you notify your doctor to find out what you should be replacing in your diet. It is important to check with a doctor because it is possible to overdose on some. Fat soluble vitamins and minerals can cause health issues if your intake is too high.


Oils: There are four types of fats; saturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The two that are better for you are the unsaturated fats.

When cooking, it is better for you to replace corn oil with olive oil for example. Olive oil may help with ulcers and prevent colon cancer.

Flaxseed oils is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It is also a great source of protein, potassium and beta carotene. It should be used cold, not heated and is said to be good on salads.

Nut oils are low in saturated fats as well.

Fats: Believe it or not, fat is an essential source of nutrition for the body. Fat has several benefits. It helps fill you and it insulates your body, providing support and cushion for the organs. Anything more than 30% of your total daily calories in fat is too much. Foods that are sources of good fats include, milk, eggs, nuts, meat, poultry and fish. Within that 30%, no more than 10% should be from trans fats and saturated fats as these fats can contribute to risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Fats tend to stick with you longer and a moderate amount daily could assist in weight loss. It takes longer for your body to digest fats, leaving less room in your stomach over a longer period of time.

Carbohydrates: Many people have gravitated toward a low carb diet over the past few years. Too much can cause weight gain. But, like other foods we think are bad for us, they are good in moderation, even necessary.

There are many benefits of carbohydrates. Carbs provide the body with easily obtained energy from the glucose, which is released much faster than the glucose in protein, The brain relies on the glucose from carbs in order to function properly. Diets that are low in this nutrient can cause delayed brain function over a period of time.

When the body needs energy, it looks to glucose first from carbs. If there isn’t any, it will look for protein’s glucose, then it will burn protein from the tissue in your muscles. You don’t want to lose muscle tissue.

High GI (glycemic index) carbs can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. This is not good for diabetics and can also cause more food cravings and appetite swings. Having fiber can slow down this breakdown and level off your sugar levels. Choose those with a low GI index. These types can even improve diabetes management and blood cholesterol levels. According to the Official Website of the Glycemic Index and GI Database at http://www.glycemicindex.com/, the following changes in your diet can make a world of difference in your health:

1. Change your breakfast cereals to those which include oats, barley and bran.
2. Use breads with whole grains, stone ground flour and sour dough.
3. Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat.
4. Enjoy all other types of fruits and vegetables.
5. Use Basmati or Doongara rice.
6. Enjoy pasta, noodles, quinoa.
7. Eat plenty of salad vegetables with a vinaigrette dressing.

Remember the importance of nutrients daily in order to stay healthy. I encourage you to research more about which vitamins are best and what each vitamin does. Consult your doctor before taking a lot of vitamins. Too much of just about anything is not good for you.

Stay hydrated and well nourished. Your body will thank you. If you want to research further, please use the links below.

Credits and References:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060923132835AAmEq6Q
http://www.livingnutrition.com
http://www.linksnorth.com/nutrition/nutrients.html
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/benefits-protein
http://www.crnusa.org/benpdfs/CRN012benefits_recs.pdf
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/vitamins_minerals.html#
http://nurse-practitioners.advanceweb.com/sharedresources/advancefornp/resources/DownloadableResources/NP110105_p18Handout.pdf
http://weightloss.about.com/od/nutrition/a/blfatfacts.htm
http://weightloss.about.com/od/nutrition/a/aa043007a.htm
http://www.carbs-information.com/carbohydrates-benefits.htm
http://www.glycemicindex.com/