Nutritionist

Nutritionist

Introduction

As our discussion starts into the wide array of health and nutrition, our first focus will be to select a right person or professionals or personnel concerning with nutritional science which is a mainstay for achieving good health and help us in protecting ourselves from various diseases. These diseases are most often associated with inappropriate lifestyle like diabetes, hypertension etc. The main focus of these professionals is to reveal facts about the type of nutrition or diet depending on our body,  nature of occupation or work, deportment and other factor concerned with our daily routine work. The main factor under consideration is the type of food that one is habituated with. Now good nutrition and proper diet is one of the important consideration for achieving good health along with other factors like our daily routine physical activity, our behavior and many more. These are the persons or professionals who advices and guide us so that we can take care of our nutrition and health in a right and appropriate manner and continue it by ourselves.  The main focus of these professionals or person is to unfold the mystery of nutrition and help us in reaching up a magic of good nutrition and throwing off the bad nutrition from our diet chart in order to attain good health. These professional or persons are named as nutritionist or dietitians or diet experts.. At the end of this write up  one will clearly establishes the roles and functions of dietitians or nutritionists as well as the importance of taking balance diet combining with regular exercises in our life and preventing ourselves from various diseases.What is nutrition Science?

Before we move further in our journey of nutritionist it is important to realize that you should have a brief knowledge of nutritional sciences under which these professionals gets training to guide or instruct us regarding consuming proper diet and other element concerned with this. Thus the nutritional science are elucidated as  

“Nutritional Science is the study of the effects of food components on the metabolism, health, performance and disease resistance of human and animals. It also includes the study of human behaviors related to food choices.”Today, we define. Nutritional science is the investigation of how an organism is nourished, and incorporates the study of how nourishment affects personal health, population health, and planetary health. Nutritional science covers a wide spectrum of disciplines. As a result, nutritional scientists can specialize in particular aspects of nutrition such as biology, physiology, immunology, biochemistry, education, psychology, sustainability, and sociology Now emphasizing on the word food components which is a cornerstone of our overall health and behavior. Food components are the ingredients that we include in our daily diet. These components are termed as nutrients. Nutrients are well connected with nutrition. The word nutrition first appeared in 1551 and comes from the Latin word nutrire, meaning “to nourish.”Nutrition is defined as a consumption of food, pondered in relation to the body’s dietary needs. Nutrition can also be defined “as the sum of all processes involved in how organisms obtain nutrients, metabolize them, and use them to support all of life’s processes.” Amongest nutrients there are good and bad nutrients Now what does a good and bad nutrition mean. Good nutrition are the nutrients that provide strength to fight against diseases prevailing in nearby habitat or to enhance our psychological as well as physical function. Whereas bad nutrients have an undesirable and harmful effect on the body. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development and reduced productivity.  This is a brief description about good and bad health but as proper definition is concern the meaning of good nutrition varies from person to person. According to some less sugary food is considered as good nutrition while for others food having rich source of fruits and vegetables are included under good nutrition. But actually a good nutrition is defined as “an adequate, well balanced diet combined with regular physical activity” as per described by the nutritionist. Good health can also be enumerated as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” as formulated by WHO in 1948. So

 Major Food Components

Major Food Components comprises of carbohydrate, proteins, Vitamins, Fat, minerals and some trace elements. As these components are indispensible part of our life i.e we cant survive without these ingredients that we called as balanced diet. so it is again essential that one should have an clear brief idea regarding their functions or role in  normal daily body functioning like movement, growth and many others and how they help us in protecting against diseases. Particular diseases with distinguishable signs and symptoms are seen with person suffering from deficiency of any of that respective food components mentioned above. Therefore, It is also equally essential to have a bit knowledge about these particular deficiency diseases.

Carbohydrate – One of the major food component widely distributed in our body having an important structural and metabolic roles. Glucose the most important dietary carbohydrate are a main source of energy as it is easily absorbed in bloodstream and provide energy in the form of ATP. Maltose, fructose, sucrose, glycogen (important role in plants) are other forms of carbohydrate having specific role in our body. Diseases associated with carbohydrate due to abnormal metabolism can be summarized as:

§  Diabetes Mellitus ( Most common disease causes due to abnormal or high sugar level I.e glucose)

§  Galactosemia

§  Various glycogen storage diseases

Lactose intolerance

Proteins – Proteins are the physically and functionally complex macromolecule containing nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and small amount of sulphur and has a wide role in our body. The main function of protein in our body is to provide support,  maintaining structural integrity fo the body, helps in providing oxygen to cell in the form of hemoglobin, constitute enzymes which catalyze or control various desirable reaction required for normal digestion in our body. Normal requirement of protein is 1gm for each kg of body weight. In conditions like pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood requires increased quantity of protein.

Diseases of protein are

·         Marasmas (Due to protein deficiency in adults especially in febrile illness, massive burn etc)

·         Kwashiorkor (Due to protein deficiency in children especially child taking low protein diet)

·         Amyloidosis (Due to deposit of abnormal proteinaceous deposit)

Vitamins – Vitamins are the organic substance not synthesized by the body and also essential for survival and normal growth. They are either fat or water soluble.

Fat soluble Vitamins are enumerated as -

·         Vitamin A – Vitamin A is necessary for normal eye vision. Its deficiency causes night blindness, xerophthalmia, keratomalacia

·         Vitamin D – Vitamin D is essential for normal growth and function of bone. Its deficiency causes rickets (causing deformity of bone in children), osteomalacia (Adult rickets)

·         Vitamin E  - These are known for its antioxidant properties and thus helps in preventing ageing of skin. Dietary vitamin E deficiency does not occur. Thus its deficiency is only seen in severe and chronic diseases like celiac disease, after resection of small intestine.

Water Soluble Vitamins are briefed as –

·         Vitamin K  or Koagulation vitamin - As the name suggest it helps in regulation of level of factor VII, IX, X and therefore actively involved in extrinsic and intrinsic coagulation. Its deficiency causes hypoprothombinemia

·         Vitamin C - Vitamin C is an important ingredient in our foodstuff as it act as an antioxidant, facilitates iron uptake in intestinal tract and in number of metabolic process. Its deficiency results in disease scurvy

·         Vitamin B Complex – Vitamin B complex comprises of many well characterized vitamin like thiamine (vitamin B1), Niacin, Riboflavin (vitamin B2). They are needed for normal functioning of almost all the cells. Their deficiency causes glossitis in tongue, pellagra (characterized by rough skin) .

Fat or Lipid – Fat or lipids are concerned with assimilation, utilization, replacement and synthesis of fatty acids. Their deficiency causes gaucher’s disease (lysosomal storage disorder).

Minerals - Minerals include calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. They play a important role in formation of bone teeth, maintenance of skeletal structure etc. Their deficiency causes osteoporosis (deficiency of calcium), tetany etc.

Trace Elements – It include iodine, copper, iron, zinc etc. They help in formation of thyroid hormone (Iodine), normal erythropoiesis and many more. Their deficiency leads to goiter (deficiency of iodine), anemia (copper deficiency) etc.

Who is nutritionist

After enumerating the list included in major food components and its diseases. it should also be realised that the the requirement of these major component vary from individual to individual.  It is also appropriate to know What is good nutrition and what is bad that has to be excluded from the diet. How good and bad nutrition affect and influences physical and mental well being of humans. Now all these dubiety are answered well by only one concerned person that is Nutritionist. or Dietitians or Diet Experts. Thus nutritionist is defined as “registered nutritionist is the qualified health professionals or personnel that analyze, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems at both individual and public health level.”  They work on both healthy and sick person. Many person find it difficult to choose the right person to seek help and advice concerning with diet. Also, many nutritionists claim to be experts in nutrition although having a very limited knowledge and offer minimal or no protection to the public and individual. This leaflet helps in clearing the droughts at individual as well as mass public level.

Basic Qualification of Nutritionist

They belong to the voluntary self regulated professional register, UKVRN, held at present by the AfN and entitled as “Registered Nutritionist.”

Although their title is not protected by law yet their role in preventing various ailments cannot be denied.

From where their organization are regulated

These voluntary regulation are regulated by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). This is self-regulated and not independently regulated.

How can you check that nutritionist hired by you is registered or not

Nutritional are not eligible to register in either UK Voluntary Register of Nutritionists (UKVRN) or the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). Nutritional therapists or nutritionist are registered in the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council. This may be checked at www.cnhc.org.uk/pages/index.cfm.

What actually these registered nutritionist does in healthy persons

In healthy person they are meant to guide to modify the diet that is appropriate for respective person so as to balance their biochemical imbalance. It also helps in assessing and preventing the risk of particular disease at a very initial level due to their bad lifestyle.

What treatment they offer in sick patients

In sick patient they first analyze the root cause of disease by proper history taking regarding their habitual diet, their nature of job as well as their daily routine etc. Based on these, their ailment can be diagnosed and should plan their treatment accordingly. Follow up are also equally important in these patients.

They offer treatment like high dose vitamins, detox, and food avoidance etc depending on type of ailment and

Where do they work

They visit individuals on private basis who wants to opt for alternative/complementary medicine.

At the end of this article now we realize the importance of these professionals. Nutrition is a common term which almost everyone is familiar with. But what actually the nutrition and what is considered as good nutrition is a bit complicated or confusing for many. Here lies a importance of these nutritionist who analyze, diagnose and treat the concerned disease. Although this article dealt with all the required information still it is advisable to be careful in hiring or considering advice from nutritionist. Also it is advisable to go through the concerned person you are considering to take advice from about their background and should have desired appropriate qualification. Once you are satisfied with all these issues and confirmed that they are eligible for being your consultant then go ahead. After all good health should be our priority and fundamental right also.