Dear Patient,

Happy New Year!

Today we are going to wrap up the review of Dr Mark Percival's excellent publication, The Importance of Optimal Nutrition.

Why do we eat?  We eat to nourish the body. And unfortunately it is rare that an individual can eat the foods necessary to preserve and maintain good health.  We see evidence of it from the cancer, heart disease and other chronic conditions rampant in our society.  1/2-1/3 people find themselves challenged by these conditions alone with the diabetes rate coming up fast and right behind.

Few people actually manage to eat a well balanced diet for a variety of reasons.  Our busy lifestyles, further entice us to succumb to eating highly processed fast food which tend to be high in fat and sugar and contain few of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need. 

Even those who frequent the fruit and vegetable aisles may be getting shortchanged when it comes to nutrient content.  Fruits and vegetables begin to lose nutrients from the moment they are picked.  After picking, shipping and storage can also negatively impact nutrient content due to time, temperature, and handling variables.  Blanching, cooking, boiling, cutting, and freezing can further reduce micronutrient content.

The milling of grain results in variable losses of vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and chromium-many of the nutrients needed to metabolize carbohydrates. 

According to the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES), the mean intake by Americans(all ages)of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, B2, B6, folate, B12, and vitamin E do not even meet the RDI's set by the govenment as minimum daily requirements. 

In a study of childbearing age, large segments of the population had very low nutrient intakes.  For example, intakes were estimated at only 142mcg folate, 6.7 mg zinc, and 433 mg of calcium(RDI's are 400mcg, 15mg, and 1,000mg respectively).

About 4,000 U.S. pregnancies are affected by birth defects of the spine and brain each year.  The CDC estimates that at least 2,000 of these defects could be prevented with adequate folic acid intake prior to and after conception.  Furthermore, an amimal study indicating that an inadequacy of zinc during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy results in depressed immunity in offspring through 6 months of age--despite a diet adequate in zinc after birth--exemplifies the lasting effects of temporary deficiency.  In fact, depressed immunity even manifested in the second and third filial generations despite being fed zinc-adequate diets.  Hm, something to consider regarding the rise of childhood diseases.

Older adults are at greater risk of nutrient insufficiencies than most of the population.  Due to their decreased caloric need, lower caloric intake, and the decreased digestive function that accompanies aging, the majority of older Americans fail to meet dietary standards.  Studies show that over 40% of men had intakes of vitamin A  and E, calcium, and zinc below 2/3s of the RDI, and over 40% of women had intakes of vitamin E, calcium, and zinc below 2/3rds.  It is apparent that good nutritional status is imperative to help today's rapidly growing population of older adults remain independent and maintain quality of life.

The data clearly indicates that nutrient deficiencies are a problem that spans all age groups, placing most people at risk for less than optimal health and possibly more chronic, serious maladies like osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer.

Dr T

Source:  The Importance of Optimal Nutrition-Dr Mark Percival