Nutrition in a Nutshell by Roslyn Ross
Most of us received our nutrition and health education via the mass media. This means the information we received was not geared toward promoting perfect health, but toward selling products and improving ratings. For example, most of us know that to fight off a cold we should eat Vitamin C, not because we read it in a school textbook but because a commercial was trying to sell us orange juice. Something else we might want to know about juice: it's a fantastic way to get a natural sugar rush and one of the healthiest ways to gain weight. So people who are in the market to gain weight should definitely get their vitamin C via OJ. But for people who want to know other, more balanced ways to get their Vitamin C (and every other vitamin the mass media hasn't told them how to get) this cookbook is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Depending on your age, sex, height, lifestyle and many other factors, your body requires a certain amount of nutrients each day to perform every function in your body - some examples include: repairing damage to your skin, growing your hair and nails, pumping your blood, breathing and fighting off the viruses that are attacking you every minute of every hour of every day. How you feel throughout each day is directly related to whether or not your body has the tools it needs to function at its very best.
Not to be too dramatic but... your body is life or death. Most Americans, 90% according to the USDA, have a deficiency of some nutrient or other. Most deficiencies won't kill you immediately. They will simply cause problems that, over the course of months and years, get worse and worse. You will become accustomed to them and you will blame the way you feel on your age... but you will be wrong. If you take good care of your body, it will take good care of you.
Here is the least you need to know: There are two types of nutrients your body needs - macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are nutrients your body needs in large amounts-water, carbohydrates (including fiber), fats and proteins. Micronutrients are nutrients your body needs in small amounts-vitamins and minerals.
For each nutrient there is a Recommended Daily Allowance-the amount (measured in milligrams, micrograms or international units) that, according to the World Health Organization, if you consume each day, will promote the health of your body, reduce disease and prevent deficiencies. The Percent Daily Value (% Daily Value) you see on nutrition labels is based on those allowances. My meals are based on meeting 100% of your daily values for every nutrient your body needs per 2000 calories.
Below is an analysis of the nutrition information for my Cowgirl Salad.
Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies
Below is some of what we know nutritional deficiencies can do to us right now. It's scary. What is far scarier, however, is imagining how many more problems nutritional deficiencies are causing us that we don't even know about yet. In my opinion, it's better to just not have any deficiencies.
Vitamin A: Acne, small red bumps on back of arms, slow wound healing, night blindness, poor growth, dry skin and hair, impaired immunity
Vitamin C: Bleeding gums, dark circles under eyes, slow wound healing, easy bruising, joint pains, loose teeth, scurvy
Vitamin D: Diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, osteoporosis, scalp sweating, rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults
Vitamin E: Dry hair, dry skin, small red bumps on back of arms, cold hands, easy bruising, hemolyzed red blood cells, nerve damage, poor reflexives
Vitamin K: Easy bruising, bleeding disorders
Thiamin: Confusion, constipation, digestive problems, loss of apetite, memory loss, numbness of hands and feet, beriberi
Riboflavin: Cracks at the corner of mouth, blurred vision, cataracts, numbness, sensitivity to light, sleepiness, seizures
Niacin: Cold hands, bad breath, canker sores, emotional instability, memory impairment, nausea, pellegra
Vitamin B6: Hair loss, dandruff, tooth decay, headache, facial oiliness
Folate: Hair loss, anemia, inflammation of the tongue, diarrhea, poor growth, neural tube defects
Vitamin B12: Cold hands, anemia, poor nerve function, headaches, low stomach acid, moodiness, spinal cord degeneration
Pantothenic Acid Hair loss, premature graying, eczema, fatigue, low blood pressure, muscle spasms
Calcium Tooth decay, brittle nails, cramps, delusions, depression, insomnia, irritability, osteoporosis, palpitations, rickets
Iron Pale tongue, anemia, brittle nails, confusion, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches
Magnesium Anxiety, confusion, heart attack, hyperactivity, insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, weakness
Phosphorus Weak bones and teeth, fatigue, joint stiffness and pain, susceptibility to infections
Potassium Constipation, edema, fatigue, glucose intolerance, high cholesterol levels, insomnia
Sodium Weakness, apathy, nausea, cramps in muscles of the extremities, shock
Zinc Acne, small red bumps on back of arms, slow wound healing, hang nails
Copper Anemia, arterial damage, depression, diarrhea, fatigue, fragile bones, hair loss, hyperthyroidism, weakness
Manganese Dizziness, elevated cholesterol, glucose intolerance, hearing loss, ringing in ears
Selenium Growth impairment, high cholesterol, incidence of pancreatic cancer, liver impairment, male sterility
Glossary of Terms
Carbohydrates: molecules containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the same proportions as in water - grains, breads, legumes, fruits, vegetables, milk and sugars.
Fiber: a specific kind of carbohydrate (nonstarch polysaccharides) that cannot be broken down by your body, essential for the health of your digestive system (to put it in a less elegant way-essential for regular, easy pooping.) Incidence of colon cancer is lowest in populations consuming high fiber diets.
Lipids (fats): molecules that do not dissolve in water - oils, butter, cream, nuts, avocados. Adequate fat in your diet is essential for the absorption of Vitamins A, D, E and K.
Proteins: molecules made up of amino acids with nitrogen in their structure - meat, dairy products, nuts, legumes.
