NUTRITION AND A CHILD WITH DS PART-4

When I opened today to write my next blog

 'THE MIXED BAG FOR FESTIVE SEASON'

 I realized that I forgot to write about 

WATER,MICRO-NUTRIENTS, ANTIOXIDANTS & DETOX FOOD.

LAST PART ON NUTRITION

WATER : 

Water is a carrier, distributing essential nutrients to cells, such as minerals, vitamins and glucose. Water removes waste products including toxins that the organs' cells reject, and removes them through urine and stool. 

It is required to convert food (and body fat) into energy.

Energy obtained from the metabolic nutrients is utilized for various growth and other maintenance processes. 

Water is the medium for various enzymatic & chemical reactions in the body. 

It moves nutrients, hormones, antibodies and oxygen through the blood stream and lymphatic system.

Water is the best & easily available natural DETOX agent.

As we have discussed many times, drinking plenty of water helps to get rid of constipation & hard stools.

We have a habit to drink 4 glasses of water in the morning before brushing. The bacteria grown in oral cavity overnight are friendly bacteria(provided you brush your teeth before going to bed). We need to take them in our gut so that the digestive system gets the benefit of the loading dose of these friendly bacteria.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER...!!!

MICRO-NUTRIENTS: 
Micro-nutrients refers to vitamins & minerals.Vitamins and minerals do not provide calories. However, they do help the body to use the energy from food.
VITAMINS:
Vitamins are complex chemical substances contained mainly in food. They enable the body to break down and use the basic elements of food, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Certain vitamins are also involved in producing blood cells, hormones, genetic material and chemicals in your nervous system. 
Most vitamins cannot be made in your body, so they must be acquired from food. One exception is vitamin D, which is made in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Bacteria present in the gut can also make some vitamins. 
  
Vitamins A,D,E & K are fat soluble vitamins. Fat soluble vitamins are found in fatty foods and as their name suggests, they can be dissolved in fat.  Excess of these vitamins are harmful. Unless advised by your doctor don't supplement them.

Vitamin A (Retinol)
Vitamin A is needed for healthy vision, bone growth, reproduction and the immune system. 
It is found in dark green, orange and yellow vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, broccoli, cantaloupe, mangoes, apricots, vegetable soup and tomato juice.
It is also found in meat and dairy products such as liver, beef, chicken, whole milk and eggs.

Vitamin D (Calciferol)
Vitamin D controls the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are essential for bone growth and development. 
Sources of vitamin D include fatty fish such as pilchards, sardines and tuna, liver, egg yolks, and fortified foods such as margarine, some breakfast cereals and vitamin D-fortified milk. 

Vitamin D can also be made when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
Vitamin E protects red blood cells and is important in reproduction. 
It also acts as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage by neutralising so-called ‘free radicals’.
Dietary sources of vitamin E include vegetable oils, vegetables, cereals, wheat germ, whole-grain products, avocados and nuts.

Vitamin K
Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting and dark green leafy vegetables, pork, liver and other meats are the main source in the diet.

 Vitamin-C & B-complex are water soluble.
Water soluble vitamins can be dissolved in water and are found in non-fatty, water-based food such as fruit and vegetables.

Vitamin C  is also known as Ascorbic acid.

Vitamin C helps to maintain skin integrity, absorb iron from the gut and heal wounds.

It is important for immune system to function. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruit and juices, tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, berries, green and red peppers, and broccoli.

Vitamin-C easily gets destroyed by heat and light, so vitamin C-rich food should be stored in a cool, dark place, and prepared and cooked as quickly as possible.

B-complex vitamins:

Folate (Vitamin B9)
Folate (folic acid), also called vitamin B9 is essential for the normal formation of the red blood cells, protein metabolism, growth and cell division. Food sources include liver, yeast extract, citrus juices and fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, liver, dark green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Thiamine helps to break down carbohydrate, fat and alcohol. Dietary sources include fortified cereals and bread, pork, nuts, and legumes (peas and beans).

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Your body needs vitamin B2 to extract energy from fat, protein and carbohydrate in food. It is found in dairy products, meat, fish, asparagus, broccoli, poultry and spinach.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Pyridoxine is essential for breaking down protein and metabolising haemoglobin (the oxygen carrying red pigment in your blood). It is also essential for energy production and normal brain function.

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
Vitamin B12 is involved in the production of red blood cells, in cell metabolism and in nerve function. Foods derived from animals (including meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs and dairy products) and some fortified breakfast cereals are a good source of vitamin B12.

MINERALS:

Minerals are chemical elements that are involved in various processes in your body. They help to regulate cell function and to serve as building blocks for your cells and organs. A varied diet should supply all the minerals you need. Major contribution to several functions come from Iron, calcium, iodine & zinc.
Diet deficient in Iron results in Iron deficiency anemia with low Hemoglobin values.

Poor intake of Calcium leads to Vitamin D deficiency.

If you want to avoid dairy to get your daily requirement of calcium these are some non-dairy sources of calcium.

Iodine is not available in specific food but food & water takes in iodine from soil. Iodine fortified salt that we use is the definite source of Iodine.
Zinc is an important mineral, the deficiency of which is linked with growth retardation & impaired immune functions.

 

  

ANTIOXIDANTS:

WHY A CHILD WITH DS NEEDS ANTIOXIDANTS? Ranjanji has explained this very well. Go to his post on;
asianparentsgroup.icyboards.net/showthread.php?tid=956&pid=4847#pid4847 

Antioxidants are nature's way of protecting the body and cells from damaging free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are generated by an extra chromosome(to understand refer to the link) that is there in our children, sun exposure, stress and as part of the natural aging process. 
Free radicals damage cells, DNA and collagen. 
Antioxidants in certain foods -- green tea, olive oil, blueberries, salmon or sunflower seeds -- act like superhero nutrients in the body. 

They extinguish toxic oxygen molecules known as free radicals.

DETOX FOOD:

Detoxification or cleansing, is a process that requires the circulation of detoxifying liquids through the body, so that the organs which are responsible for these functions (like the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin) can fulfill their tasks more easily without being overloaded.

In order to help the organs eliminate the toxins present in the body, it is possible to make use of detox diets, juices or shakes.

During this process, it is essential to drink a lot of water – one of nature’s best detox agent. Consume a lot of  nutritionally rich foods that provide amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in a totally natural manner.

We make detox water regularly and consume during the first half of the day.

I have a 3.5 liter glass jar with a tap. I make detox water with whatever available at home. Usually it is a sliced cucumber, a sliced lemon, a piece of ginger-grated, pinch of cinnamon, pinch of green tea, 12-15 leaves of mint. But one can combine anything.

This is my jar. 

I do prepare using (1) lemon & ginger (2) apple & cinnamon (3) pieces of papaya (4) pieces of watermelon (5) pieces of strawberries etc. This is to be prepared at night & to be kept in refrigerator overnight(in hot days otherwise you can keep it outside at room temperature). Take it out in the morning & drink. It tastes very good & keeps you healthy.  

Certain food like garlic & onions are Immunomodulators and helps to improve immunity.
Certain food acts as Metabolism booster

Tomorrow is Sunday. Take few hours and go through all four blogs on NUTRITION. Don't try too much to understand the mechanism & scientific details. Just make a list of good food/bad food, sources of micronutrients, sources of antioxidants, sources of detox food, sources of metabolism boosters. You will see that it is not as difficult as we think. You will see that a BALANCED HOMEMADE & NATURAL INDIAN DIET provides everything a human body needs.

See you soon with

A MIXED BAG FOR FESTIVE SEASON