Nutrition Reflection Paper

My family has its fair share of medical issues. My grandmother

on my dads side of the family is fairly healthy and is seventy-six years
old. She is slightly overweight and she has colitis and diabetes. My
grandpa on my dads side was seventy-seven when he died of lung
cancer. Besides lung cancer, he suffered from prostate cancer. He was
also overweight. My grandmother on my moms side of the family died
at the age of eighty-six from having fluid on her lungs. During her live
she was overweight up until the last few years of her life. While she
was alive she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, dementia,
osteoporosis, asthma and skin cancer. My papa on my mothers side
died at the age of eighty-four from also having fluid on his lungs. My
papa was always in good shape and never suffered from being
overweight. However he did suffer from dementia, heart disease,
Parkinsons disease, and high blood pressure. Besides my
grandparents, my parents also have some health issues. My dad has
asthma, COPD, and chronic sinus and allergy problems. Besides that he
is fairly healthy and maintains a healthy weight. My mom is a little
overweight and has fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and anxiety. Although
they have some health problems, they both are fairly healthy 50-some
year olds.
My Estimated Energy Requirement for my age, weight, height,
and activity level was about 1,700 kcalories per day. According to my
dietary log, my average kcalorie weekly intake was 1487. Comparing
the two, on average I do not consume enough calories per day. My
calculated BMI for my weight and height is 16.6. Looking at the chart
my BMI falls under the underweight section. But according to my age
my BMI should be between 18.5 and 25.9, which is a healthy weight.
Being underweight is a result from being only three pounds when I was
born and because I have Crohns disease. Besides Crohns disease, I
also have asthma.
Diabetes is a disease in which someone has high blood sugar.
Some of the symptoms of diabetes are frequent urination, increased
thirst, and increased hunger. Because of the increase in hunger,
maintaining your weight is very important for someone with diabetes.
Gaining weight can be an issue, but by following a diet plan can help
prevent weight gain. A diet high in nutrients, low in fat and with a
moderate amount of calories will help prevent weight gain. Diabetics
should also make wise food choices because eating too much of such
things as protein can cause insulin resistance. For someone who is
already overweight, losing 5-10% of their total body weight can lower
their blood sugar, their blood pressure, and their cholesterol.
Lung cancer is very serious disease but maintaining a healthy
nutrition can help make a person with lung cancer feel stronger and
better. Risk factors of lung cancer include smoking, alcohol, not

exercising enough, and being overweight. To prevent from becoming

overweight, someone with lung cancer should eat all the essential
nutrients and avoid foods that can worsen the side effects of cancer.
Having a healthy diet and eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can help
prevent lung cancer. Staying active can help to prevent the risk of
getting lung cancer. Overall, to prevent and help with lung cancer, you
should avoid smoking, stay physically active, and eat a healthy diet.
Prostate cancer is cancer that starts in the male gland-the
prostate. To avoid prostate cancer, men should exercise regularly, and
maintain a healthy diet. Eating foods rich in cruciferous vegetables
(such as cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage), soy, beans, other legumes,
fish, and omega-3 fatty acids can help lower the risk of getting the
cancer. Lowering the risk of getting prostate cancer can also come
from avoiding such things as high calcium intake and consuming a lot
of trans- fat, saturated fat, and carbs because they is some data that
these can increase the risk of getting the cancer. Some people might
find that eating a vegetarian diet can help as well with the prevention
of prostate cancer.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease (a disease that
results from the immune system attacks your own body tissues) in
which the joints become inflamed. This disease affects the joint linings
causing them to swell. This may result in bone erosion and joint
deformity. This is most common in women between forty and sixty
years old. There is not enough research to show any connection
between nutrition and preventing rheumatoid arthritis.
Dementia is a brain disease that causes the loss of cognitive
ability that is the ability to think and reason. This can affect how a
person functions daily. Dementia becomes more common with age.
There are several factors that increase the risk of dementia and they
are as follows: obesity, high alcohol consumption and non-fish meat
because of its high saturated fat content. Also, someone with dementia
should stay away from eating a lot of fish because mercury poisoning
has been seen to exacerbate the symptoms of a dementia patient.
There are several steps people can take in order to prevent dementia.
Vegetables can help prevent dementia because of their high amounts
of polyunsaturated fats. Niacin can also help prevent dementia
because it is involved in DNA synthesis and repair and neural cell
signaling which improves circulation. Lastly, estrogen can help with
preventing dementia because it increases cerebral blood flow. It is also
an anti-inflammatory agent, which helps to enhance the activity at the
neural synapses in the brain.
There are three different types of skin cancer: basil cell cancer
which is in the middle layer of the epidermis; squamous cell cancer in
the middle layer of the skin; and melanoma which occurs in the
pigment producing cells of the skin. There is not much you can do

nutritionally to help with skin caner. The best form of prevention is

sunscreen and not going to tanning beds.
Parkinsons disease is a disease of the brain that cause shaking
and difficulty with waking, moving, and coordination. To protect against
getting Parkinsons take such antioxidants as vitamin C and D. Also
caffeine can help protect against Parkinsons. So drinking coffee can be
beneficial if you have a family history of Parkinsons disease.
High blood pressure is a chronic condition characterized by
elevated blood pressure in the arteries. To control/ prevent high blood
pressure you should maintain a normal and healthy body weight and
engage in regular aerobic activity. Nutritionally, you should avoid
consuming a lot of sodium, limit the amount of alcohol you drink, and
eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is poor airflow to
the lungs. The best form of prevention is decrease smoke
exposure/smoking and improving air quality. Nutritionally there is not
much you can do to help and prevent COPD.
Osteoporosis is a progressive bone disease in which the bone
mass and density decreases which can lead to an increased risk of
fractures. Drinking a lot of alcohol can increase the chance of fractures
in osteoporosis patients. Also diets high in animal proteins can lead to
fractures. Osteoporosis can be caused by a number of things. Low
protein diets and bone remodeling due to physical stress can lead to
bone loss and poor bone health causing osteoporosis. Also those who
do not get enough calcium and those who are unable to absorb
calcium and vitamin D can also develop osteoporosis. Smoking tobacco
can also lead to osteoporosis because it inhibits osteoblast activity. You
are at a risk of developing osteoporosis if you are low in calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, boron, iron, fluoride, copper, and
vitamins A, E, C, and K. An imbalance of the omega polyunsaturated
fats can also increase the risk of osteoporosis. High protein diets can
help with/prevent osteoporosis by increasing the absorption of calcium,
which causes higher bone density. Osteoporosis has a lower risk for
those who are overweight.
Anxiety is the feeling of fear, unease, and worry. Amino acids and
proteins and carbohydrates have a positive affect on the production
and rate of neurotransmitters (chemical signals). Therefore consuming
enough of these can help produce neurotransmitters. Not consuming
enough can bring about anxiety. Caffeine and alcohol can also have a
negative affect on the nervous system bring about anxiety. Because
depression is associated with low levels of long chain omega 3 fatty
acids, consuming more foods with this fatty acid can prevent
depression. Also, losing weight can improve your mood, decreasing
anxiety.
Fibromyalgia is a condition in which a person has long-term,
body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and

other soft tissues. To help with fibromyalgia, patients should limit the
amount of sugar, caffeine, and alcohol they consume because they can
irritate the muscles and puts stress on the body systems involved.
Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when the cells in the
lining of the uterus grow in other areas of the body. Drinking alcohol
can increase the risk of getting endometriosis because alcohol has a
tendency to increase the estrogen levels and oxidative stress. Besides
alcohol, high fiber and plant based diets, and eating a lot of red meat
and ham can also increase of endometriosis. Eating fruits and
vegetables can help protect and prevent against endometriosis.
Frequent exercise can also lower the risk of endometriosis.
Asthma is inflammation of the airways. Asthma brought on by
food is most commonly caused by such foods as peanuts, milk, eggs,
tree nuts, soy, wheat, legumes, beans, and turkey. Therefore someone
with food-induced asthma will find it beneficial to stay away from these
foods. For someone with exercise-induced asthma, taking
supplemental antioxidants in the form of carotenoids or vitamin E and
K, will help improve and control their symptoms. Eating a vegetarian,
vegan, or low salt diet can also help an asthma patients symptoms.
These types of diets help to improve the lung function. Eating more
fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of developing asthma. On the
contrary, higher body weight and eating a lot of foods with omega 6
fatty acids can increase the risk of developing asthma.
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease is a disease that affects
the cardiovascular system. For some one with heart disease there are
several things they can do to improve their symptoms. Doing to DASH
diet can help. The DASH diet is high in nuts, fruits, fish, vegetables,
and low in sweets, red meat, and fats. This diet helps lower blood
pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Also, reducing
saturated fats can help. To prevent heart disease eat a low-fat highfiber diet that includes whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables; do
not smoke or drink alcohol; reduce the amount of sugar you consume;
increase the amount you exercise; and lower you blood pressure and
BMI. Also eating a Mediterranean diet has been proven to help prevent
heart disease. A Mediterranean diet consists of olive oil, legumes,
fruits, vegetables, a lot of fish, and a moderate amount of meat, wine
and dairy. You also want to stay away from saturated fats, trans fatty
acids, and high salt consumption because these are risk factors of
heart disease.
Crohns disease and colitis are inflammatory bowl diseases.
Crohns is characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract,
while colitis is only the inflammation of the colon. Although diet does
not cause the disease, watching what you eat can help because some
foods can aggravate the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases.
With these diseases you are prone to malnourishment due to the loss
of appetite, which is one of the symptoms. Therefore maintaining good

nutrition and a well-balanced healthy diet can help to avoid becoming

malnourished. This healthy diet should consist of enough calories,
proteins, and essential nutrients. Drinking enough water is essential
because kidney function can be affected which can lead to dehydration
and salt loss. This loss in salt and water can cause you to become
weak. A specific carb diet has also been seen to help with Crohns and
colitis patients symptoms. Decreasing the carbs that are not digested
easily can decreases the symptoms such as gas, bloating, cramps, and
diarrhea. Eating smaller meals, reducing greasy and fried foods,
reducing milk consumption, and reducing high fiber foods such as nuts,
seed and popcorn can also help with IBD symptoms.
Based on my family history, I have a high risk of developing
several diseases. Taking into account everything I have learned about
nutrition, I definitely need to improve my diet in order to decrease my
chances of developing any other diseases.
I need to include more foods with vitamins and minerals and I need to
eliminate foods that are high in fat.
My energy intake is low according to my dietary log. Overall I do
not think I consume enough energy yielding foods. According to my
BMI I am in the underweight section. This is partly due to having
Crohns disease because my small intestine does not absorb enough
nutrients. But besides that I do not eat enough protein and other
nutrient rich foods. I am not really satisfied with my weekly average
calorie intake. My energy level is low just like my physical activity level.
Eating more foods that are healthy and not skipping meals paired with
exercise is something I should try to do since I am not satisfied with my
current energy level.
A big lifestyle change for me would be to exercise. Exercising and
maintaining a healthy lifestyle can prevent a lot of diseases. Also just
eating a balanced diet and getting enough nutrients in my diet can
help to reduce my risk of the diseases that are in my family. For my
disease watching what I eat is something that could really benefit and
help with my symptoms. Also drinking more water will help with my
symptoms as well as with feeling weak. For my family and I, taking out
foods that are not as healthy and trying to buy foods that are healthier
is something that could really benefit our health. I would like to say
that I could and will be successful in making these lifestyle changes,
but I will not know unless I try. Something that I am going to push
myself to do is to drink more water and exercise. That alone can make
all the difference.