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Course Sample:
INTRODUCTION Nutrition is a big industry these days. We have TV ads showing people how to lose weight, and stop aging, or treat basic health conditions by changing their diet. As a Nurse Practitioner I have many clients who ask for advice about many of the different diet fads and supplement. Questions like, "are they safe, do they work, and what should I be doing?" The basic nutrition classes offered to me in nursing school certainly didn't cover these questions. I learned the basics: the four food groups, the calorie amounts, what a normal weight should be based on the life insurance statistics. Now I calculate BMI, and diets are more than NPO, clear liquids, or soft, and restricted. I went in search of the answers to the questions my patients were asking me and here is what I found and what I now recommend to my clients. There are a few things the body cannot live without, water, air, and oxygen, and nutrition which are more than just what we eat. Nutrition involves how foods are grown, and harvested, which affect the quality of the food sources. So, it is important to have knowledge regarding some of the basic life needs, which we cannot survive without. Water Water is a topic for discussion both medically and politically. It is important to understand the difference between types of water and the purity of it for drinking. Water, also, referred to as H2O consists of two parts' hydrogen and one part oxygen. One of the most important resources to humans and the most abused. The body is made up of 60% water, and water is needed for most of its functions. The goal is to keep balance at all times regulating electrolytes and water within the cells. "Approximately two thirds of the body fluid in adults exists in the intracellular space". The remaining one third is found in the extracellular space. (Smeltzer, Bare, 1992 p.308) Electrolytes in body fluids are chemicals that unite in a varying combination. This type of concentration is expressed in terms of milliequivalent (mEq) per liter, which is a measurement of chemical activity. The body continuously works to stay in a state of homeostasis, and organs such as kidneys, lungs, heart, adrenal glands and other glands assist with this process. The kidneys are vital to the regulation of fluid and electrolyte balance. They normally filter 170 liters of plasma a day in the normal adult and excrete only 1.5 liters of urine. The lungs remove approximately 300 ml of water daily through exhalation in the normal adult. Skin keeps a visible fluid electrolyte balance by perspiration. Actual losses of sweat can vary from 0-1000ml or more every hour, depending on environment. Water loss by evaporation is approximately 600ml/day and occurs through a nonvisable type of perspiration. With rates of water loss like this, one can understand the importance behind the need for pure clean water (Smeltzer, Bare, 1992). Tap Water
Pure water is no longer available to us naturally. Water varies in its mineral and nutrient content. Many pollutants are streamlined into lakes, rivers, and streams. Some of these contaminants are purposely placed into the water source and others are due solely to the progression of civilization. Even pure tap water has become a concern for many. Minimal research is available regarding the safety of city tap water. The research available has shown that the water contains high sodium levels, and additives, which are used for purifying bacteria, and in some areas of the country fluoride is added to avoid pipe corrosion (Haas, 1992). Basically tap water comes from the surface reservoirs, lakes, rivers, streams or groundwater supplies. The water passes through a treatment plant where it is undergoes a purification process. Some of the products used for purification are chlorine, soda, phosphate, and activated carbon. This process is not perfect, and does not eliminate all pollutants from the water source. Impurities like animal wastes; fertilizers, insecticides and air pollutants can still seep into the water systems, making the water contaminated, and not safe for drinking (Haas, 1992). Groundwater
Groundwater is commonly referred to as well water." The quality of water from this source varies in its mineral content. It can also, contain toxic heavy metals or agricultural pollutants. Water from this source should be tested for bacteria and mineral contents (Haas, 1992). Spring and Mineral water
Spring water, "natural water", is water found in an underground spring. Some companies bottle these naturally while other companies disinfect this water with chemicals, no longer making it "natural" water. Mineral content varies depending on the area from which it is retrieved. In the southeastern and northwestern areas the water tends to be low in minerals, however, in the Midwest mineral content is high. Mineral water is just that, water which contains minerals. "Natural sparkling water" usually has minerals and carbon dioxide (CO2). Seltzer water and club soda are forms of carbonated water; typically, this can be filtered tap water. These waters can be polluted through bottling however; carbonated water is free of microorganisms (Haas, 1992). Purification and filtration
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