Synopses & Reviews
Chapter One
"Nutrition and Good Health"
Americans are preoccupied with both food and dieting, and these two preoccupations are often at odds. What we need is a balanced approach to nutritional needs and gastronomical pleasures so that food becomes a healthy and joyful part of daily life.
The word diet, originally from the Greek for "a way of life," has become synonymous with suffering for many Americans. But whether we refer to what we eat as our diet, our daily fare, or our nutritional program, the only way to solve the riddle of maintaining a desirable weight and meeting our nutritional needs is to eat a variety of healthy foods in moderation every day.
How we view food and diet has changed dramatically in this century. Less than 100 years ago, malnutrition was a major medical problem in the United States. Many people did not get the proper nutrients from food and suffered from scurvy, goiter, rickets, and stunted growth. Minor illnesses would often lead to death in people weakened by malnutrition.
In the affluent period following World War II, food was enjoyed as one of the rewards of prosperity. The American diet became richer in calories and fat, and included meals such as eggs and bacon, and steak and potatoes. Fast food and manufactured snack foods became plentiful; at the same time technological advances in the workplace and at home made life more sedentary. As a result, most Americans began to put on extra pounds. Today, even though many families live below the poverty line, obesity in children and adults is our biggest nutritional problem, and a contributing factor in a host of chronic medical conditions.
We may not be what we eat, but our health irrevocablydepends on what we eat. A healthy, balanced diet is truly the staff of life. All the pills in the world do not have the power that fresh vegetables and fruits, lean proteins, and the right amount of essential fatty acids and complex carbohydrates have for ensuring good health. This chapter provides the information you need to construct a diet that is an essential part of your overall program of good health.
Children and Nutrition
The nutritional needs of children are different from those of adults. Be careful to take the special needs of growing children into account as you create a nutritional plan for the improved health of your entire family.
There is almost universal agreement that children under the age of two should not be put on a fat-restricted diet. At this age, the fat a child consumes is essential to growth and develop ment. When your child reaches age two, you may want to talk with your pediatrician about beginning to substitute I or 2 percent milk or whole milk and increasing your child', consumption of low-fat foods.
As your child grows, the best way to ensure that he is getting the necessary nutrients without becoming overweight is to help him establish healthy eating habits. This includes having healthy snacks in the house, including fresh fruit, whole wheat crackers and bread, and low-fat alternatives to snack foods. If your child is overweight, speak with your doctor about ways of changing eating habits gradually and subtly. Never force an overweight child to lose weight; such a plan is neither healthy nor effective. Instead, implement lifestyle changes that will allow your child to "grow" into his weight. Exercise should be encouraged and noneducational TVviewing should probably be limited. Keep high-calorie snacks the out of thy house and do not use food as a reward. For further information on nutrition in children, see Chapter 9.
What Is A Healthful Diet?
Although nutritional requirements vary depending on age, physique, gender, and individual health profile, all of us need varying amounts of the basic components of a healthy diet: protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and water. Only the three macronutrients -- protein, carbohydrate, and fat-provide the calories that the body needs for energy. However, the micronutrients-vitamins and minerals-are just as essential for growth, development, and overall good health. Although fiber is not a nutrient, it is important for good health and disease prevention. Water is essential for sustaining life.
"Protein" After water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. It is essential for growth and repair of body tissues, including internal organs, blood, muscles, and skin, as well as for the formation of antibodies, hormones, and enzymes. Protein is a source of energy and heat, as well as an important component in the elimination of waste. Proteins are composed of amino acids; 22 amino acids are known to be vital for health. Of these 22, 14 are synthesized by the adult body. The remaining 8, called the essential amino acids, can only be obtained from the food we eat.
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and other foods contain some protein; however, meat, eggs, and cheese and other foods from animal sources contain complete proteins, which means they provide adequate amounts of all eight essential amino acids. Your daily diet must include enough protein to replenish thebody's supply of essential amino acids because the body cannot synthesize them. If you do not eat foods from animal sources, you will need to eat a variety of plant protein sources in combination to ensure that you obtain sufficient amounts of all the essential amino acids.
How much protein people need to consume on a daily basis varies. Some research has indicated that Americans consume too much protein. However, recent emphasis on consuming more complex carbohydrates, or "carbo-loading," for better athletic performance, and on the health benefits of a vegetarian diet has caused many Americans to consume smaller and smaller amounts of complete protein. As you construct your nutrition plan, remember that adequate daily amounts of complete protein are essential for your health. The US Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs recommends that approximately 12 percent of your total daily calories come from protein. This means that normal, healthy adults should consume roughly 40 to 70 g of protein every day.
Synopsis
America's #1 Medical Authority on Call at your Fingertips
When you need the absolute best in health care, John Hopkins is the institute ranked #1 year after year. And when you want answers fast, turn to the Johns Hopkins Family Health Book for the knowledge you need from a name you know. Developed in consultation with an advisory board of more than 100 Johns Hopkins physicians, nurses, and health professionals, this indispensable home and medical resource covers a broad range of family health issues and focuses on maintaining good health and preventing diseases.
Read "How to Use this Book" first to learn how the book is organized and to find out where to look for information you need, whether you are trying to interpret symptoms, wish to know more about a medication, or are looking for general health and nutrition facts.
Part 1. Staying Healthy provides the underpinnings of a healthy lifestyle, including recommendations on nutrition, exercise, everyday safety, smoking, alcohol, and addiction.
Part 2. Health Over the Life Course details what you need to know about genetics and your family health history, and the special health concerns of pregnancy and childbirth, infancy, the preschool to preteen years, the teen years, adulthood, and the senior years.
Part 3. First Aid and Emergency Care gives you the tools to evaluate health emergencies, from everyday cuts and bruises to life-threatening crises.
Part 4. Body Systems and Disorders describes the functions of the body systems from head to toe and the most common problems related to them. You will learn what your symptoms mean, what signs a doctor looks for and the tests used during diagnosis, how a problem develops, and what can be done to treat or prevent it. Each chapter also discusses self-care measures and advises you on when to call a doctor.
Part 5. Becoming a Partner in Your Health Care offers strategies for negotiating today's difficult health care environment, including finding the right doctor and health care plan.
The Appendices include a comprehensive directory of the 80 most prescribed medications; glossary; growth chart; living wills and advance directives; measurement conversions and laboratory tests. Designed for instant access, the index highlights symptoms in red and primary entries in bold. A 48-page full-color insert of anatomy, disorders, and diseases, over 500 black-and-white and two-color illustrations, and endpapers featuring emergency first aid procedures--prepared by Johns Hopkins' renowned Art as Applied to Medicine department--complete this invaluable family reference.
About the Author
The John Hopkins Family Health Book is a joint effort of the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine, Hygiene and Public Health, and Nursing. Founded in 1876, The Johns Hopkins University was the first college in the country founded on the model of the European research institution, where research and the advancement of knowledge were integrally linked to teaching. It served as a paradigm for all future academic medical institutions. The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been ranked #1 in the country by U.S. News &World Reportfor eight consecutive years. With breakthrough research in genetics, AIDS, heart disease, and cancer, and with the development of new surgical techniques, it continues to offer renowned centers of excellence inn health care.