Category: Diet

The diabetic diet plan

The rationale for recommending a 1,800-calorie diet is that it can initiate weight loss by making the patient maintain a calorie deficit. Based on Nam Nguyens health information, his weight is about 75 kg (Treas et al., 2017). As per a very rough estimate, he would need to consume around 2,200-2,300 calories daily to maintain this weight, given that he does not live a sedentary lifestyle. Apart from obesity treatment, the recommended calorie intake can be beneficial in terms of the mans knee osteoarthritis outcomes. If he needs surgical treatment for osteoarthritis, it will be much easier to implement after weight loss, and weight loss can also help to reduce knee pain by easing the pressure on the patients joints (Kulkarni et al., 2016).

The diagnosis of type II diabetes is the primary reason behind the selection of the diabetic diet plan. Dietary changes, such as reducing/excluding certain foods, are among the key lifestyle changes recommended to control blood sugar, so the diabetic diet plan would be helpful to prevent complications in Nam Nguyens case (Treas et al., 2017). Regarding the absence of added salt, this component is part of the standard approach to hypertension treatment and can lower the mans cardiovascular risks.

Patient education session

To streamline the instructions regarding the proposed diet, Zach might conduct a brief patient education session to explain the different components of the diet. To avoid confusion, he might introduce the components discussed above one by one and then explain that diabetic dietary guidelines and the requirement to avoid added salt are easily combined into one comprehensive plan (Treas et al., 2017). Also, it might be important to identify the family member that usually does cooking and grocery shopping and communicate information about the recommended dietary principles to this person. Due to visiting patient education events together with Nam, his relatives would manage to support him with implementing the diet. It is reasonable to involve his family since the Nguens would be supposed to make decisions regarding making separate meals for Nam and the rest of the family. To support Nam and reduce the time needed for cooking, the family might want to follow certain principles of Nams diet (more vegetables/fruits/whole-grain foods, etc.), thus making sure that the products recommended for him are always present at home.

Scales

In the absence of precise medical scales, Nam would be able to use bathroom scales at home and measure his weight every week. This method is not perfect since bathroom scales do not measure changes in body fat percentage accurately, but this approach is easy to implement at home. Moreover, Nam can measure his waist circumference at home to spot any progress. As for Zachs efforts to monitor Nams progress, he can use precise medical scales or find the providers of hydrostatic weighing services to keep track of Nams weight and fat percentage (Treas et al., 2017). Additionally, considering other diagnoses apart from obesity, Zach will monitor the clients progress by taking blood pressure and blood glucose measurements, as well as ordering lab tests if necessary (Treas et al., 2017).

The teaching tools

The teaching tools to be used in Nams case should come from professional and credible sources. The diabetes placemat by the American Diabetes Association (n.d.a) can be used to explain the basics of planning meals and determining the size of portions to Nam. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020) also provides meal planning guidelines for diabetics. To make sure that Nam distinguishes between appropriate and inappropriate products, it is possible to use the resources devoted to reading and understanding food labels (ADA, n.d.b.). Next, it is possible that Nam does not understand how to reduce his sodium consumption to a minimum. To help him, it is possible to use the cookbook by the American Heart Association (2018) that offers a range of low-salt recipes.

References

American Diabetes Association. (n.d.a). Diabetes placemat. Web.

American Diabetes Association. (n.d.b.). Reading food labels: Making sense of food labels. Web.

American Heart Association. (2018). Low-salt cookbook: A complete guide to reducing sodium and fat in your diet (4th ed.). Author. Web.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Diabetes meal planning. Web.

Kulkarni, K., Karssiens, T., Kumar, V., & Pandit, H. (2016). Obesity and osteoarthritis. Maturitas, 89, 22-28.

Musso, N., Conte, L., Carloni, B., Campana, C., Chiusano, M. C., & Giusti, M. (2018). Low-salt intake suggestions in hypertensive patients do not jeopardize urinary iodine excretion. Nutrients, 10(10), 1-8.

Treas, L. S., Wilkinson, J. M., Barnett, K. L., & Smith, M. H. (2017). Basic nursing: Thinking, doing, and caring (2nd ed.). F. A. Davis Company.

Nutrition is a critically important part of human lives as it guarantees that a person will acquire nutrients and elements such as vitamins and minerals. They are needed for the preservation of the desired level of health and high quality of lifestyles. Unfortunately, literacy in this sphere remains low, and most people are unaware of correct dietary habits and practices that will support their functioning. Thus, veganism is one of the popular approaches to nutrition today that can help individuals to remain healthy. However, its use depends on the proper observation of basic rules.

The importance of veganism is evidenced by benefits that are associated with this way of nutrition. First of all, it helps to lose weight, control the diet, and avoid unnecessary or harmful products (Karlsen et al., 2019). Second, the existing research states that veganism helps to reduce cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of multiple illnesses, including heart disease, which is vital regarding its high incidence (Rogerson, 2017). Moreover, recent findings prove the effectiveness of veganism in colon cancer prevention because of the consumption of healthy products that prevent the development of the disease (Karlsen et al., 2019). Finally, people with diabetes can manage their A1C levels by adhering to this dietary practice (Karlsen et al., 2019). In such a way, veganism can be a promising choice for people concerned with their lifestyles and health.

However, the benefits mentioned above can be achieved if a proper diet is used. Healthy eating as a vegan presupposes the monitoring of nutrients, elements, and minerals to ensure that the demanded balance is observed. It is critical to ensure that Vitamin D, A, B12, Omega-3, calcium, iron, and other elements are present in products included in the diet (Rogerson, 2017). This can be achieved by planning meals with a specialist and selecting products and alternatives containing the demanded nutrients. For instance, good sources of calcium include green vegetables, pulses, dried fruit, and sesame seeds (Karlsen et al., 2019). Breakfast cereals can serve as the source of vitamin B12 and iron (Rogerson, 2017). Some other alternatives should be taken into account while planning a diet.

Another important aspect of veganism is the ability to rely on natural products such as green, grain, and vegetables instead of using supplements to preserve the balance. The research shows the correct planning of the menu can help to avoid the deficit of all minerals by using only products presupposed by veganism (Rogerson, 2017). It means that the given dietary practice acquires increased importance as a way to refuse from using chemicals or pills to lead a healthy lifestyle and avoid the emergence of serious health issues.

Finally, speaking about veganism, it is vital to consider the importance of daily food portions for weight management. In general, women need 2,000, and men 2,500 calories to maintain weight and remain healthy (Karlsen et al., 2019). To lose weight, this number should be reduced to 1,500 and 2,000 correspondingly (Karlsen et al., 2019). The daily food portion should be calculated considering these numbers and the amount of needed nutrients to avoid harming the body. It is possible to eat at least five portions of different fruit and vegetables per day to acquire the demanded amount of calories and manage weight effectively.

Altogether, veganism can be viewed as a beneficial dietary practice that helps to remain healthy and manage weight effectively. However, because of the shift towards fruits and vegetables, it is vital to plan diet to ensure that the appropriate amount of minerals and nutrients is consumed to avoid deterioration of the current state of individuals and use all advantages that are associated with this practice.

References

Karlsen, M., Rogers, G., Miki, A., Lichtenstein, A., Folta, S., Economos, C., Jacques, P., Linigston, K., & McKeown, N. (2019). Theoretical food and nutrient composition of whole-food plant-based and vegan diets compared to current dietary recommendations. Nutrients, 11(3), 625.

Rogerson, D. (2017). Vegan diets: Practical advice for athletes and exercisers. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 36.

Introduction

Human long-term health outcomes are particularly reliant on the daily nutrition choices and diet regimens one follows. Food is an essential element of human survival that is necessary on a daily basis. Being a source of nutrients, vitamins, fiber, and important elements, food helps human bodies generate power, resist harmful impacts on the environment, protect and improve the immune system, and enable healthy functioning. However, it is pivotal to keep to a well-balanced diet in order to facilitate the benefits of nutritious foods and ensure the prevention of illness and disease. This paper will explore the impact of a healthy and balanced diet on human physical and mental health to argue for the prioritization of nutritional education.

Discussion

Physical health improvement and prevention of morbidities are one of the direct outcomes of a healthy diet. Indeed, as stated by Alex (2020), regular consumption of nutritious products in a balanced diet allows for enabling healthy growth and development from childhood through adulthood. Apart from providing energy for sustaining life, tissue build up and repair mostly by macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) of the food have important roles in prevention and protection from diseases (Banerjee, 2021, p. 177). In this regard, the consumption of a required amount of macro- and micro-nutrients via a balanced diet is essential for minimizing disruptions in body functioning due to the deficiency of a particular element.

Indeed, when balancing ones diet, an individual should include their lifestyle and health status to adapt their eating habits for maximum health benefits. In this regard, the use of a healthy plate concept might be useful. The calculation of the norm of calories per day informs the quantity of food consumed (Banerjee, 2021). In addition, the inclusion of products rich in fiber, vitamins, and sufficient amounts of healthy fats, carbohydrates, and proteins will allow for strengthening the bodily functions, immune system, and protective capabilities of the organism to withstand illness and disease. The importance of a well-balanced diet becomes more evident when compared with the harmful impact of a non-healthy diet using fast food, processed food, and non-whole products (Alex, 2020). The containment of chemicals, cancerogenic elements, and the lack of nutrients essential for the body, such as diet choices, lead to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and other dangerous illnesses (Alex, 2020; Banerjee, 2021). Therefore, physical health is particularly reliant on a healthy diet, the importance of which should be prioritized and promoted among populations.

Importantly, a well-balanced diet has a beneficial impact on mental health, which is a significant factor in overall well-being. Indeed, research conducted by Miki et al. (2022) indicates that a healthy diet might help minimize depressive symptoms and prevent mental health issues in the long-term perspective. The results of this study indicate that the odds of depressive symptoms increased with decreasing frequency of balanced meal consumption (Miki et al., 2022, p. 109). Such results are justified by the implication that the consumption of vitamins and nutrients of proper quality and in necessary quantities on a regular basis facilitates healthy hormonal functioning and prevents disruptions in nervous and cognitive systems (Miki et al., 2022). Therefore, a well-balanced diet is essential for both physical and mental illness and disease prevention.

Conclusion

In summation, nutritious food consumption is an essential attribute of healthy living. The exploration of the topic has revealed that both mental and physical health benefits in terms of illness prevention might be observed if a well-balanced diet is followed consistently. Thus, health promotion initiatives should prioritize healthy eating habits to ensure systematic maintenance of well-being and stable health status of the populations to ensure the longevity of healthy societies.

References

Alex, M. (2020). Role of nutrition in maintaining health. International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health, 7(4), 279-280. Web.

Banerjee, N. (2021). Physical exercise and balanced diet for healthy body and mind. In P. K. Paul et al. (Eds.), Basic and applied sciences into next frontiers: The aspects of bio and physical sciences (pp. 173-183). New Delhi Publishers.

Miki, T., Yamamoto, S., Fukunaga, A., Inoue, Y., Ishiwari, H., Ishii, M., Miyo, K., Konishi, M., Ohmagari, N., & Mizoue, T. (2022). Association between eating balanced meals and depressive symptoms in Japanese hospital workers during the COVID19 pandemic. Neuropsychopharmacology Reports, 42(1), 109-113. Web.

I decided to choose the controversial topic (fad diets) due to the direct effect of such diets on the daily lives of thousands of Americans. As fad diets can be dangerous and cause dehydration, I believe people should understand their side effects and be aware of how such diets work. Furthermore, I was curious about the way fad diets work and whether their positive or negative outcomes can be supported by research. After eight weeks of researching, I am still interested in the subject as I have developed a solution to the problem, which would be beneficial to users and fans of such diets. I am interested in the psychological effects such diets have on individuals (e.g., do they improve self-esteem? Do they have a placebo effect? Why do people choose them despite knowing that they can have adverse side effects?).

The main research strategies I have developed during the preparation of this assignment are the importance of collecting quantitative and qualitative data that can either support or refute your point, the necessity to check sources credibility, and the need to use a critical approach to all information collected to structure and analyze it correctly. Some scientists also recommend using case studies, and the research itself should not only be credible but also transferable (Cronin, 2014). A critical approach to information is necessary because there are many untrustworthy researchers related to the issue, which can sabotage the fidelity of the research.

The feedback of my peers was useful, as they showed me why some of my decisions were incorrect. For example, I revised my paper after one of my classmates told me it had too many sentences where the point I had made earlier was repeated. Others also asked me to define my solution to the problem more clearly so that other researchers can test it as well when working with fad diets. Although one of the reviewers asked me to split the second section for the sake of readability, I decided not to since it would disrupt the integrity of the description.

When I reviewed the work of my classmates, I learned how others used and invented different approaches to their research. It was useful for me to find out that some used their primary issue and examined it in detail to get the bigger picture, while others did the absolute opposite. Both deductive and inductive approaches were used, and while I used to believe they were chosen depending on the subject, today I think that any topic can be approached from both sides.

When I reviewed the work of my classmates, I understood how important metacognition was. When students think about the way they compose their essay, when they revise and review it, proofread it and check if it makes sense, it is visible. The more the student learns and educates him/herself, the more advanced his/her metacognition and writing become (Stewart, Seifert, & Rolheiser, 2015). Some classmates suggested reading and rereading/rewriting the essay as the main strategies, while others insisted that creating a draft is more useful than revisions. I collected evidence that both strategies helped students produce far more quality and interesting works compared to those students who never revised their papers. Thus, reviewing the works of my classmates, I realized that it is essential for students to understand how they write down their thoughts and what affects them because these factors eventually affect the integrity of the essay as well.

References

Cronin, C. (2014). Using case study research as a rigorous form of inquiry. Nurse Researcher (2014), 21(5), 19-27.

Stewart, G., Seifert, T. A., & Rolheiser, C. (2015). Anxiety and self-efficacys relationship with undergraduate students perceptions of the use of metacognitive writing strategies. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(1), 4-17.

Introduction

Healthy diets are considered the backbone of well-being among individuals, although there are various ideologies regarding what entails nutritious food. Goldstein (1998) asserts that carbohydrates have the problem of being soluble in adipose and make people fat as opposed to the common notion that meat makes people fat. Likewise, DitchTheCarbs.com (n.d.) contends that carbohydrates contain unhealthy fat content which can enhance ill-health and weight gain. Essentially, the two papers all indicate that high consumption of carbs has negative implications on the health of an individual. However, there is more to being healthy than just managing the intake of carbs per meal.

Body

One of the major determinants of healthy living is a consistently balanced diet, which includes carbs, proteins, vitamins, and microelements provided in salts and other products. Although it is important to monitor the portion of each nutrient consumed, focusing on one item may not be beneficial in the end. Goldsteins assertion on the deficiency approach is indeed practical in striving to stay fit. There is a need to understand how each of the food components works in the body because it will help create a long-lasting menu. At the same time, a healthy diet without physical exercise may be impractical. Although many of the modern diseases are attributable to high-fat consumption as portrayed by DitchTheCarbs.com, a sedentary lifestyle has become a major problem in societies. Concurrently, keeping fit will require routine jogging and stretching to help the body break down the unhealthy fats from each component.

Conclusion

To conclude, a wholesome diet should necessarily include balancing all nutrients. At the same time, one needs to keep physical fitness to be healthy. Nonetheless, the debate on diet, carbs, and meat consumption has always depicted contradictory opinions from all sectors, including religion and the healthcare fraternity. In my view, maintaining the scorecard on wellness depends on balancing all components of food and health elements to ensure comprehensive approaches in societies.

References

How to start a low-carb diet?  9 things you need to know (n.d). DitchTheCarbs.com. Web.

Goldstein, M. (1998). The zero-carb diet. Owsley The Bear Stanley. Just Eat Meat. Web.

Adequate nutrition at an early age is one of the most important conditions that ensure harmonious growth, timely maturation of bone structures, and proper functions of various organs and tissues. It also influences optimal parameters of psychomotor and intellectual development, the bodys resistance to infections, and other adverse external factors (De Ridder, Kroese, Evers, Adriaanse, & Gillebaart, 2017). Poor nutrition is the cause of an array of different diseases. Nevertheless, malnutrition and inadequate diet are becoming increasingly common and severe problems.

Diet monitoring may seem like a burdensome task; however, it is capable of revealing gaps in the daily regimen that impact ones longevity and life quality. In my case, diet monitoring demonstrated a slight disproportion between the food groups consumed, with the balance tilting towards carbohydrates. One of the reasons for that is the consumption of sweetened beverages, which is somewhat easy to overlook (Wijayaratne, Reid, Westberg, Worsley, & Mavondo, 2018). My diet includes a comparatively high number of fruits  that fact also may have contributed to the result as bananas, for instance, are rich in organic compounds. In the course of monitoring, it was disclosed that dairy is the least consumed group of products, although my diet could profit from a higher amount of low-fat or no-fat dairy. Although my intake of processed food, trans and saturated fats is relatively not high, as my diet is more vegetables and fruits based, the assignment helped me to see the gaps in my nutrition.

The proper functioning of a body is deeply connected to nutrition. A well-balanced diet serves as the source of the cells growth and their continual renewal. Malnutrition is capable of harming the health of an individual at different stages of maturation and also in adult age. A poorly balanced diet may be manifested in a drop in the levels of physical and mental activity, incapacity to resist the effects of adverse environmental factors, reduced working capacity, and even shortened life expectancy.

References

De Ridder, D., Kroese, F., Evers, C., Adriaanse, M., & Gillebaart, M. (2017). Healthy diet: Health impact, prevalence, correlates, and interventions. Psychology & Health, 32(8), 907941.

Wijayaratne, S. P., Reid, M., Westberg, K., Worsley, A., & Mavondo, F. (2018). Food literacy, healthy eating barriers, and household diet. European Journal of Marketing, 52(12), 2449-2477.

Introduction

Teaching children a healthy lifestyle begins in the family, and if parents and other close relatives neglect certain behavioral norms, a child adopts these patterns and imitates them. One of the significant aspects of upbringing is addressing a healthy diet as an activity that not only stimulates childrens normal physical development but also allows forming the right eating habits. In her topic on physical growth, Berk (2008) notes that the concept of proper nutrition should be promoted by parents in early childhood because, at this time, a child goes through the adaptation period and forms the basic taste preferences. This letter is addressed to parents and contains information about what interventions are necessary to instill proper eating habits in children and maintain a healthy diet at home.

Main body

Since the key responsibility for childrens life and health lies with adults, parents are key caregivers. According to Davis et al. (2016), within the family, one of the basic educational concepts is support. This means that for a child to have an idea of what a healthy diet should include, parents, need to instill specific eating patterns on an individual example. In case dietary intake principles are ignored, this is fraught with subsequent health problems in children. Davis et al. (2016) argue that youth obesity is a significant problem in the United States and note that about 32% of children are overweight (p. 228). At the same time, hereditary and other factors make up the smallest percentage of the causes of this issue since the key background of the problem is the wrong diet. In this regard, to help a child develop normally, parents should create an environment to stimulate healthy nutrition, and the optimal mechanism for implementing this task is to promote nutrition habits by themselves. Children do not learn to eat properly on their own, and parental support is crucial.

To be aware of the importance of a healthy diet, parents should pay attention to the concept of food insecurity. Knowles et al. (2016) analyze this term as a phenomenon that occurs in marginalized low-income families when adults are forced to compromise. This outcome, in turn, affects both the physical and moral health of a child negatively since stresses that adults experience are perceived by children as natural behavioral forms (Knowles et al., 2016). As a result, one can state that there is a direct correlation between healthy eating and income levels. Knowles et al. (2016) argue that, in the United States, the share of household food insecurity is about 20% (p. 26). These statistics are alarming and allow concluding that parents favorable financial background helps introduce healthy eating habits to their children. Thus, as a recommendation to parents, employment and maintaining a positive social status may be noted as crucial conditions for promoting a healthy diet in families.

Another valuable strategy that can help parents address a healthy diet is to eat together. When all family members gather for dinner, this contributes to not only rallying adults and children but also streamlining the meal regimen. Berk (2008) states that such a measure is one of the ways to prevent childhood obesity and subsequent eating disorders in adolescents. At the same time, the regimen of meals should be regular so that s child could understand the importance of a balanced and healthy diet.

One of the crucial concepts related to a healthy diet and its implication for the development of children is epigenesis. According to Berk (2008), this process is a continuous development of the functions of a childs body through hereditary factors and environmental influences. As an example, one can cite a situation in which parents teach a child to eat properly. As Berk (2008) remarks, those food products that nutritionists prescribe for young children stimulate brain growth and, therefore, activate neural connections. This means that, through the consumption of healthy and proper food, a child develops not only physical but also cognitive functions due to interaction with the environment, in particular, through nutrition. This principle of epigenesis may be applied to other processes that also influence the development of a childs body, but a healthy diet is one of the simplest and most frequent forms of increasing childrens mental and physical abilities. Therefore, maintaining a proper diet by parents plays a much more important role than many adults believe.

Conclusion

Finally, the concept of heredity is essential in teaching children eating habits. According to Berk (2008), if a child has a predisposition to diseases associated with malnutrition, such as diabetes, this is an additional driver for parents to plan a diet. In this case, adults should not only control the food that their children consume but also visit attending physicians periodically to monitor health indicators. The proposed measures are not complicated, but their implementation, in particular, changing a diet, can allow a child to develop both physically and mentally healthy and acquire important eating habits timely.

References

Berk, L. (2008). Child development (8^th ed.). Pearson.

Davis, A. M., Stough, C. O., Black, W. R., Dean, K., Sampilo, M., Simpson, S., & Landrum, Y. (2016). Outcomes of a weight management program conjointly addressing parent and child health. Childrens Health Care, 45(2), 227-240. Web.

Gregory, A., Clawson, K., Davis, A., & Gerewitz, J. (2016). The promise of restorative practices to transform teacher-student relationships and achieve equity in school discipline. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 26(4), 325-353. Web.

Gregory, A., & Fergus, E. (2017). Social and emotional learning and equity in school discipline. The Future of Children, 27(1), 117-136.

Knowles, M., Rabinowich, J., De Cuba, S. E., Cutts, D. B., & Chilton, M. (2016). Do you wanna breathe or eat?: Parent perspectives on child health consequences of food insecurity, trade-offs, and toxic stress. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 20(1), 25-32. Web.

Introduction

Despite living in the age of gastronomic abundance, we do not always make the right dietary choices.

This tendency is reflected in the ubiquitous nature of chronic disease. Harmful conditions that are at least partially related to nutrition are quite common nowadays.

This essay argues that people dealing with common health issues, such as diabetes and hypertension, can simply improve their health by keeping to a plant-based diet  a diet that is healthy, inexpensive, and contributes to the minimization of animal suffering.

Body

Proof that the Problem Exists

The epidemic nature of diabetes, hypertension, and poor nutrition is recognized by the U.S. health authorities.

In adult U.S. citizens, the prevalence of diabetes has increased drastically since 2004 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Diabetes Statistics 5). In 2018, hypertension contributed to almost 500.000 deaths in the U.S., and over 30 million adults have untreated hypertension (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion). Many chronic health issues are exacerbated due to poor nutrition  in the U.S., only 10% of adults eat enough vegetable food (CDC, Poor Nutrition 1).

Thus, chronic health issues and unhealthy nutrition remain prevalent.

Possible Solutions

The potential health improvement strategies include pharmaceutical treatment and plant-based diets.

Regular medication intake improves general well-being in chronically ill patients. However, medications have side effects and do not eliminate the effects of poor nutrition.

A plant-based diet can be perceived as the best solution.

Selected Solution: Plant-Based Diet

Plan

Three simple steps are needed to implement the solution.

Firstly, one should divide the food they eat into two categories: recommended (vegetable food) and other products (processed foods, meat, dairy products). It can be done with the help of nutrition and diet apps and is needed to draft change. Then, to avoid too rapid changes, one should increase the consumption of the recommended food while cutting down the intake of other products. Finally, a person is to proceed with changing the diet to make sure that animal products are reduced to a minimum.

Due to the risks of stress, the solution is to be implemented gradually.

Why Plant-Based Diet Is the Best Solution

Plant-based diets lead to health improvement in those with chronic conditions and reduce the need for medications.

Due to their positive effects on BMI and the promotion of healthier eating patterns, plant-based diets are known to reduce the risks of complications in those with diabetes (McMacken and Shah 342). In hypertensive patients, plant-based diets lead to the normalization of blood pressure, thus reducing the drug burden (Najjar et al. 307).

Plant-based diets positive effects on health are well-documented.

Dealing with Costs

The selected solution involves certain costs.

Keeping to a plant-based diet might increase the amount of time spent on food preparation since popular ready-to-cook foods are not recommended. To deal with this issue, it is possible to eat more fresh vegetables. Also, those following plant-based diets sometimes suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency (Hever 96). To prevent this from happening, it can be recommended to take vitamin supplements and make sure that a person consumes enough calories.

Thus, the costs of choosing plant-based diets can be easily overcome.

Refutation of Alternative Arguments

Some argue that plant-based diets are harmful and cause nutritional deficiencies.

Actually, there is no evidence that iron-deficiency anemia specifically affects vegetarians (Hever 97). The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recognizes plant-based diets as nutritionally adequate choices (Hever 94).

Given that a persons caloric intake is adequate, plant-based diets do not promote deficiencies.

Conclusion

The health benefits of plant-based diets are abundant, including blood pressure normalization, the reduced need for drugs, and healthier BMIs. Based on evidence from research, diabetes and hypertension patients are highly recommended to adhere to them.

Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report. Web.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Poor Nutrition. 2020, Web.

Hever, Julieanna. Plant-Based Diets: A Physicians Guide. The Permanente Journal, vol. 20, no. 3, 2016, pp. 93-99.

McMacken, Michelle, and Sapana Shah. A Plant-Based Diet for the Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, vol. 14, no. 5, 2017, pp. 342-354.

Najjar, Rami, et al. A Defined, Plant-Based Diet Utilized in an Outpatient Cardiovascular Clinic Effectively Treats Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertension and Reduces Medications. Clinical Cardiology, vol. 41, no. 3, 2018, pp. 307-313.

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Facts about Hypertension. CDC, 2020, Web.

Abstract

Vegetarian diet s were sampled in winter (19) and summer (16) and evaluated to determine the concentrations of nitrate, 13 phytoestrogens, two glycoalkaloids, 12 trace elements and 3 furanocoumarins. Hydrolysed and non-hydrolysed assessment techniques were applied in Phytoestrogens. The average total isoflavone levels in diets, exclusive of hydrolysis, were 15 mg kgÉ1_1 in winter and 14 mg kg_1 in summer, equivalent to generally hydrolysed aglycone levels of 10 mg kgÉ1. The concentration of tin element was found to be 4.6 mg kgÉ1 in winter and 2.2 mg kgÉ1 summer. The nitrate level was higher in summer than in winter with 51 mg kgÉ1 and 45 mg kgÉ1. The xanthotoxin, furanocoumarins psoralen and bergapten had mean concentration of 0.07545 mg kgÉ1. Finally the concentration of glycoalkaloid a-chaconine was 14 mg kgÉ1 in one sample with limit of detection of 0.8 mg kgÉ1. There was a negligible compositional concentration difference between winter and summer diets. For isoflavones an average aglycone corresponding ingestion of 10.5 mg per day was computed, where we had 5.5 and 2.2 mg per day intake for winter and summer respectively. Nitrate consumption was 53mg per day.. Except for an amplified tin ingestion during winter, vegetarians contact with individual natural toxicants, phytoestrogens and inorganic trace-elements was similar to that of the common residents. All the concentration was below the required consumption concentration levels.

Introduction

According to up to date report on consumer eating habits in the UK, we see that 1% consist of Vegan, 5% of the public do not consume meat or fish and 7% are vegetarian person. While in USA we have approximately 26 million Soya consumers. Due to lacto-vegetarian dietary habits, there have been concerns about there contact with pollutants, nutrients and non-nutrients from foods as compared to other consumers which may lead to variety types of health risks. Vegans possibly have lesser dietary contact with matters which are more common in fish or meat. On the other hand they may perhaps have above average the portion of vegetables content and consequently have elevated levels dietary exposure to vegetable constituents. Furanocoumarins, glycoalkaloids, and phytoestrogens are some of Phytochemicals found in plants.

These Phytochemicals have advantageous properties particularly on cancer, coronary heart disease and hormone-related conditions. Phytoestrogens are not poisonous in human beings, although can lead to fertility disorders, particularly in sheep where extended contact results into permanent infertility. Moreover Phytoestrogens are non-essential nutrients since lacks of them in individuals diet do not cause any specific deficiency syndrome and they do not contribute to any important biological functions. Phytoestrogens demonstrates health enhancements characteristic at most favorable dietary concentration therefore is a non-nutrient health catalyst agent. Currently there is no daily set standards i.e. tolerable daily intake (TDI) or recommended daily intake (RDI) because there are out of scope to be categorized as essential nutrients, natural toxicants or pollutants (MAFF, 1998, p. 37).

In the UK, phytoestrogens are chiefly consumed in the form of daidzein, glycitein, and isoflavones genistein found in Soya and additional legumes principally as glucoside conjugates, hence increase in Soya intake in recent times. The bulk of fresh bakery foods, especially conventional family bread loaf, have Soya flour, which makes sure lasting freshness is maintained. Legumes are recurring vegetables, even though these can easily be frozen or dried during the year as Soya source as can Soya containing products. In 1999, the US FDA accepted a health allegation on the correlation between Soya protein consumption and decreased dangers o f coronary heart disease attacks as being associated with low fat diet. These may have resulted to continuous increase in quantity Soya intake both in Europe and the USA (MAFF, 1998, p. 38).

Nitrate occurs naturally in drinking water and some foods and this possibly due fertilizer use and food additives. This chemical compound is of concern due to its valuable and harmful health effects. On the dark side of nitrates, we have possible carcinogenic N-nitrosamines and in situ teratogen. Furthermore when this nitrate is reduced to nitrite it then is oxidizes Fe2+ ion in the oxyhaemoglobin to the Fe3+ oxidation state causing blue baby syndrome and methaemoglobinaenia.On the contrary, under stomach acidic conditions it causes nitric oxide formation which is linked to protection against pathogenic microorganisms. Due to human activities, trace elements and metals such as arsenic, cadmium, tin which are harmful to human beings exist in food. I further elements for example zinc, selenium and copper are vital for health but dangerous at higher levels of concentration.

Prolonged exposure to these elements is risk for example organic mercury compounds are neurotoxins, high concentrations of tin in food causes stomach disorders and consumption of lead is dangerous to neuropsychological development. Cadmium and mercury negatively have affect on renal function while inorganic arsenic is cancer causing agent. Arsenic and mercury concentration are higher in fish than in other foods while those nuts found in Brazil have selenium. Based on this data we predict that vegans have greater selenium and aluminium concentration and lesser mercury and arsenic ingestion. The a-chaconine and glycoalkaloids a-solanine are available in Solanum species for example potatoes and levels of these chemical greater than 200 mg kg_1 in potatoes are toxic. Furanocoumarins for instance, xanthotoxin, psoralen and bergapten are contained in vegetables, citrus fruit and levels of 30 mg kg_1 are taken as normal. We draw conclusion than lacto- vegetarians are projected to have consumption of essential and risk food constituents that vary from universal population of omnivores. The objective of this research was to make available first hand data on dietary consumption of inorganic trace elements, glycoalkaloids, phytoestrogens, nitrate and furanocoumarins for vegans in UK during winter and summer seasons (Clarke et al, 2002, p. 153).

Materials and methods

Sample collection

First there was recruitment of 400 vegans who had participated in past dietary research. Only non-smoker and non-consumer of meat/fish participated. Participants were to eat alternative protein for example, textured vegetable protein tofu etc. Participants gathered an accurate copy of every solid foodstuff consumed in 1-week duration. Soya milk; soup and herbal tea were sampled as they have phytoestrogens. Any dietary supplements and medicines used by participants were recorded in a food diary which was supervised to make sure subjects upholded a lacto-vegetarian diet. There was regular evaluation and tabulation of subjects weights and health status and confirmatory visits on second day of data collection to make sure dietary compliance the sum mass of the gathered was weighed against the log record as a concluding check. We had sample collection during summer period (26 August to 1 September 1997) and winter season (915 February 1998). Sample diets were kept in freezers and refrigerators before being conveyed to the IFR laboratory (Institute of Food Research, UK) for laboratory analysis. Data collected by British Market Research Bureau International Limited, UK which is a Food Standards Agency (Clarke et al, 2002, p. 153).

Sample treatment and storage

Every duplicate vegan diets were measured and normalized by a food processor after that, diets were subdivided for examination. Homogenization of diets sample was enhanced by adding water. A fraction of furanocoumarin analysis, phytoestrogen, elemental and glycoalkaloids analysis were dried by freezing method. Then all fractions kept at 18 _C awaiting analysis (Clarke et al, 2002, p. 153).

Dietary assessment

To be able to establish if the diets stood for typical food consumption, the mean every day energy intake (EI) was approximated via application of the Comp-Eat 5 computer programme (Nutrition Systems, London, UK) by the South Bank University, London under a FSA contract. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) was approximated from regular equations integrating age, gender and weight operators. Where achievable, the values gotten were then weighed against compositional values for the mean UK diet and acceptable safe exposure concentrations. When computing every days consumption values a figure corresponding to the limit of detection for diets was applied. The study assumed 60kg bodyweight (Clarke et al, 2002, p. 153).

Phytoestrogen analysis

Extraction

Isotope dilution LC-MS method of analysis was used where the Phytoestrogens gauged without and with acid hydrolysis. 0.5 g of the sample was extracted using aqueous methanol (5.0 ml, 80%) at 60 _C for a period of 1 hour under constant stirring. followed by centrifugation of 8000 g sample for 5 min and then air passed through the supernatant and final repetition of extraction process. The extracts were washed with hexane (4 x10 ml) and the residue dissolved in 5ml of 50% aqueous methanol and then a half of this product underwent hydrolysis. The remaining portion was evaluated directly after filtration. Hydrolysis was performed as follows: Hydrolyzed isoflavone aglycones was extracted into 3×5 ml of ether and dried, liquefied in 5ml of 50%aqueous methanol and filtered with 0.45 µm filter paper before analysis (Clarke et al, 2002, p. 155).

Results and discussion

Dietary assessment

Duplicate diet research studies should give a direct description of the utilization and total dietary contact of persons to contaminants and food components. Subjects were directed to collects same fractions of every foodstuff they consume for analysis. Thirty-five 7-day vegan duplicate diets were examined. 7.83 kg mean diet stands for a food solids ingestion of 1.12 kg day_1. The standard body mass Of 69.2 kg scrutinized in this research study is 15% greater than the 60 kg standard presumed when accounting UK ingestion figures. The greater part of subjects guzzled bigger amount of cereal-based foodstuff items, instead of eating a bigger percentage of vegetables or vegetable protein alternatives and fresh fruit as projected by general publics point of view off vegetarianism (Argonne National Laboratory 2005).

Phytoestrogens

Isoflavones were observed in 31 out of 35 diets. Out of twelve, ten of person genistein, gluco-conjugates, glycitein and daidzeinaglycones supposed from Soya foods were seen in the diets (Table 2).The small phytoestrogens; biochanin A coumestrol and formononetin were observed in any diet test samples neither before nor after hydrolysis. The isoflavone composition of diets was equal to 43 mg kg_1 of genistein, 21 mg kg_1 of daidzein, and 3 mg kg_1 of glycitein correspondents (MAFF, 1998, p. 38).

The mean levels were: 3.1 mg kg_1 of daidzein, 0.6 mg kg_1 of glycitein and 6.1 mg kg_1 of genistein equivalents. The average combined aglycone daily intake figure was 10.5 mg day_1 (Table 3). We note negligible differences in the consumption of whichever of the aglycone equivalents, 12 entity isoflavones and entire isoflavones between winter and summer diets. Parent aglycone plus three glucose conjugates matched with the sum measured hydrolyzed daidzein level concentration. Conformity between the total hydrolyzed genistein and genistein equivalent concentration total concentration differed as a few hydrolyzed samples were detected to have noteworthy more genistein than expected. The allocation of genistein gluco-conjugates, for instance a hydrolysable genistein constituent that is not acetylgenistin genistin, or malonylgenistin and an lack of glycitein, daidzein, and their conjugates indicates a greater concentration non-Soya supply of genistein. Mass spectral research on such diets samples showed extra non-soya genistein conjugates for example genistein- 40-glucoside (sophoricoside) (Walker, 1990, p. 153).

The average conjugation outline was ; malonylglucose-conjugates 21%, acetylglucose-conjugates 5% , glucose- conjugates 61% and aglycones 13% with mean ratio27:3:62:6 in winter and 15:5:62:18 in summer diets. These outlines need to be observed against the development detected in primary soya products, in which conjugation ratios of 6:77:2:15 for Soya milk ,1:52:9:38 for full fat soya flour, and 26:41:22:11 for a textured soya protein food were evaluated to help out in conjugation pattern identification. Results also indicates that a noteworthy fraction of the isoflavone composition of vegan diets may be from greatly processed second generation soya foods, in which key soya products for example soya milk ,soya flour, and textured vegetable protein are employed as components in complex foods that are put through further processing. The leading decile of the lacto-vegetarian diets in this research were as good as in isoflavone composition to the mean Asian diet. We have approximated the mean UK ingestion of the daidzein, glycitein, isoflavones genistein, as 3mg per day (Walker, 1990, p. 164).

Metals

Individual metal concentration is shown in table 5. we look at individual metal concentration

Aluminium

The mean aluminium dietary ingestion was 3.3 mg per day and is analogous to the contact of the mean UK population, 3.4 mg per day. We see 11 mg per day concentration in diet as the greatest and was inside the 60 mg per day

Arsenic

For this element we had ingestion 0.018 mg per day dietary and is less than the 0.065 mg per day consumption of the average consumer. Again food with highest concentration of 0.089 mg per day falls within 0.12 mg per day limit. This maximum value is for the more poisonous inorganic arsenic element, and greater part of the arsenic traces in food is occurs in less lethal organic forms. Note total arsenic concentration has been recorded since it is not easy to distinguish it analytically. Main arsenic source is fish and lack of it in these diets explains low figure for its concentration.

Cadmium

The food with the highest concentrations gave 0.025 mg per day which falls within acceptable levels limit of 0.06 mg day Cadmium concentration is present at small levels in most foods in especially potatoes and bread

Chromium

The mean chromium dietary ingestion was 0.11 mg per day and comparable to that of the typical consumer with.10 mg per day. The highest concentration diet showed an ingestion of 0.26 mg per day. No set limit or standard for chromium but 0.025 mg per day is advisable and no concern over its toxicity.

Cobalt

The average cobalt dietary ingestion was 0.011 mg per day and is same as that of the mean UK population with 0.012 mg per day. The diet with the greatest concentrations gave an ingestion of 0.025 mg per day. An ingestion of 0.0015 mg per day for is advised. The concentrations in the vegan diets are same as those of the previous research and also no worry as far as deficiency or toxicity is concerned.

Copper

The mean copper dietary consumption was 1.4 mg per day, comparable to that of the average consumer with 1.2 mg per day.Highly concentrated diet gave an contact of 2.7 mg per day. Copper is an necessary nutrient that can be poisonous at high concentrations. We have a limit of 30 mg per day intake and no diets surpassed the maximum limit.

Lead

The average lead dietary consumption indicated 0.016 mg per day less than one average consumer, 0.026 mg per day. The highest concentration was 0.07 mg per day compared to days limit of21 mg per day. Drinking water and some beverages were major contributors. Recommend minimum exposure.

Mercury

The element was not detected.

Nickel

The mean nickel dietary ingestion was 0.18 mg per day and is alike with average consumer of 0.13 mg per day. Exposure to nickel can leads dermatitis in some person but no toxicity worries in general.

Selenium

The average consumption was 0.029 mg while average consumer was 0.039 mg per day and highest with is 0.050 mg per day. All diets are less than the maximum Contact of 0.45 mg per day. Selenium is a vital trace element and common found in great concentrations in nuts, offal and fish. Meat products, bread and fish contribute to a great deal of selenium in vegans (Zanders et al, 1999, p. 45).

Tin

The mean tin dietary ingestion was 3.9 mg per day and greater than that of average consumers with 1.8 mg per day. The diet with the greatest concentration of 16 mg per day less than highest recommended contact with higher being in winter.

Zinc

For zinc element we had ingestion was 7.87 mg per day as the highest comparable to 8.4 mg per day for average consumer. The highest gave 17.7mg per day and 60 mg per day contact is allowed. In general the concentration of these elements was harmless to vegans.

Glycoalkaloids and furanocoumarins

Glycoalkaloids were observed in only one diet, where a-chaconine was indicated 14 mg per kg in 12 diets. Potatoes in general contain a higher concentration of a-chaconine as compared to a-solanine concentration and complies with dietary record which registered the intake of 3 baked potatoes which had up to 50 mg per kg of a-chaconine. a-solanine was not present in other diets. Alkaloids are common concentrated on the skin of potato. Furanocoumarins were present in 15 out of 35 diets as shown in table 8. Finally xanthotoxin, psoralen, and bergapten combined level was same in winter and summer diets with average levels of 75mg per kg (Walker, 1990, p. 164).

Nitrates

Nitrate

The average nitrate level was found out to be s 48 mg per kg in diets The periodical nitrate levels were 51mg per kg summer and 45 mg per kg winter. Nitrate levels in vegetables are well-known to show Seasonal fluctuations. Low concentrations were indicated in spinach, carrot, lettuce, potatoes, onions and cauliflower planted in the UK in the summer period in contrast to those planted during winter. Leafy vegetable plants planted winter in greenhouses devoid of artificial light showed highest nitrate concentrations hence increased contact in winter seasons

Conclusion

Apart from tin, there were no noteworthy dissimilarity winter and summer dietary ingestion values and all individual vegan diet samples went beyond recommended toxicological limits. Ingestion of isoflavones was less in contrast to Asian diet but thrice greater than the mean UK consumers. Dietary ingestion of nitrogen dioxide for lacto-vegetarian is same as other users and well below limit. Vegan intakes of cadmium, aluminium, cobalt, chromium, copper, zinc and nickel is same to those other UK general population. Selenium, Lead, and arsenic dietary contact are less and tin concentration double for vegans as compared to the general population. All diet indicated low concentration of furanocoumarin or glycoalkaloid natural toxicants.

Reference List

Argonne National Laboratory EVS (2005). Nitrate and Nitrite: Human Health Fact Sheet, 1-2.

Cemek, M., Levent, A., Yavuz, O., Kamil, S., Sait, B., Muhsin, K. (2006). Nitrate and Nitrite levels and natural mineral waters marketed in western Turkey: Journal of Food Composition and Analysis , 20, 238-240.

Clarke, B., Karen, A. , Laurence, C., Martin, R., Lesley A., Malcolm, J., Keith R., DuPont, M. (2002). Levels of phytoestrogens, inorganic trace-elements, natural toxicants and nitrate in vegetarian duplicate diets: Food Chemistry, 81, 287-300.

MAFF. (1998). Total diet studynitrate and nitrite, Food Surveillance Information Sheet 163. London, UK: UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, HMSO.

Walker, R. (1990). Nitrates, nitrites and N-nitrosocompounds: a review of the occurrence in food and diet and the toxicological implications. Food Additives and Contaminants, 7(6), 717768.

Zanders, J. M., Hedley, M. J., Pakmer, A. S., Tillman, R. W., & Lee, J. (1999). The source and distribution of cadmium in soils on a regularly fertilised hill-country farm. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 37(4), 667678.

Multivitamins are a formulation consisting of micronutrients such as elements and vitamins aimed at compensating for normal diet deficiencies. The target group for the multivitamins is people who face dietary imbalances. The human body requires vitamins and minerals on a daily basis for optimal functionality. Deficiency in vitamins and minerals manifests in various symptoms. These nutrients are abundant in nature but, at times, may call for supplementation if there is an indication of not meeting the daily requirements.

Classification of vitamins is centered on their solubility in water or oil. This solubility determines their storage in the body as well as their absorption and excretion. The pathways determine the effect excess of vitamins will cause. The B complex and C vitamins are soluble in water. Vitamins A, D, E, and K, on the other hand, require an oil medium for extraction and absorption (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2006).

The multivitamins provide enough of the nutrients per tablet, meeting the daily recommendation for some while exceeding in others. The multivitamin complex supplies Vitamins D, E, B6, B12, and pantothenic acid to meet the Daily Recommended Intake and exceed. The recommended intake for vitamin C is 160mg. The supplement succeeds in providing 78% of the daily requirement. Vitamin C is abundant in a normal, balanced diet that includes citrus fruits such as oranges and pineapple.

If such are taken daily, the consumption is higher than the recommended intake level. Vitamin C and B complex vitamins form a solution in water and cannot be stored in the body. Amounts exceeding the recommended allowance leave the body through the excretory system. They require daily replenishment in the body through the requirement is minute. The supplement supplies 70% of recommended daily intake of Vitamin A, 150% of vitamin D, 150% vitamin E and 75% of Vitamin K. These vitamins are oil soluble.

The excess is stored inside the body in the liver fat. For this reason, the four vitamins are not required on a daily basis and take time before deficiency systems manifest. The supplement has minerals such as selenium manganese in excess of recommended daily allowance while it meets the demand for Iodine.

The pill, however, provides the trace elements that are hard to obtain in a normal, healthy diet. These include Boron, Tin, and Nickel. Other benefits include compensation for vitamins lost during food storage and preparation. Vitamins such as B complex and Ascorbic acid are lost largely during food preparation (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2006).

For people taking a healthy diet, the daily requirements for minerals and vitamins are reached. Supplements should only be admitted under prescription. The green leafy vegetables might be supplying enough Calcium regardless of not taking milk. Whole grains are rich in Thiamin and may not require supplementing. The upper limit for vitamins and minerals forms the optimal position that, when exceeded, intoxication may manifest. Taking the multivitamin with organ meats may cause Copper toxicity. The daily allowance for Copper is 0.9mg, which the supplement supplies in full.

The tolerable upper limit for Copper is 2mg. This may lead to liver damage. One pill also satisfies the daily requirement for Iodine. The pill may elevate Iodine to toxic levels if taking iodized salt. Excess Iodine has long-term repercussions as it causes the development of goiter. The upper allowable limit for Iodine is 1.1mg. Vitamin A exceeding 14000mcg causes adverse effects affecting the liver, nervous system, and bones. Excess of Vitamin D causes calcification of soft tissues and renal disorders.

Vitamin E causes elevated chances of hemorrhage. Iron levels above 45mg can cause liver damage, while manganese can cause neurotoxicity at levels above 11mg. Multivitamins have absolute benefits, but they should be taken under prescription following a medical evaluation (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2006).

Reference

Grosvenor, M. B. & Smolin, L. A. (2006). Nutrition: Everyday choices. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc.