The factors that affect the nutritional requirements of an individual are the quality and quantity of the food they eat, the efficiency of their digestive system in absorbing and utilizing eaten food and biochemical availability.
The quality of food that we eat can vary depending on the soil and growing conditions of that food. Soil that has been overworked and chemicals added and also drugs and antibiotics that have been given to livestock and crops to aid growth are all factors that affect nutrition in our food and can affect our own body's biochemistry. Nutritional quality of our food can be affected by the manufacturing process, storage and preparation of our food.
The quantity of food that we eat also influences our nutritional status. In developing countries malnutrition is a huge problem but in developed countries under nutrition can occur due to dependency on heavy refined processed foods.
The efficiency of our digestive system affects our nutritional status. Bad condition of our intestines will reduce the absorption of digested foods into our blood stream. Metabolic faults, sensitivity to certain food and the presence of substances like tea and coffee can affect the absorption rate of certain nutrients.
Biochemical availability is the optimum range of intake of a person essential nutritional requirement. This nutritional requirement is influenced by age, growth, sex, pregnancy and breastfeeding, illness, psychological and emotional stress, activity level and other factors like smoking and drinking.
Nutritional requirements change as a person gets older, because the elderly use a lot of medication their absorption, excretion and utilization of nutrients can be affected. Growing children have different nutritional needs to that of adults. For example, a growing infant requires a higher intake of essential fatty acids than that of an adult. In the same way there are different nutrition requirements for young and old there are also very different requirements between the sexes. For example, a woman's nutritional requirements can vary throughout her menstrual cycle, also a woman who is pregnant or breastfeeding has different nutritional requirement to that of one who is not. Nutritional requirement vary depending on whether someone is healthy or ill. As diseases are unique so are the nutritional requirements needed whilst that person is ill. The same applies to psychological and emotional stress. When people are affected by stress their appetite is affected, this results in less intake of food which in turn results in less nutrients being absorbed.
A person activity level will affect their nutritional requirement. An athlete will need a different nutritional requirement to that of an office worker. Exercise improves metabolic efficiency in some people and increases nutrient requirement.
People may find that certain nutritional requirements are increase within their family. Genetics can play a part in an extra need for certain nutrients. Other factors such as using recreational drugs, smoking and drinking can affect nutrient requirements. Even beverages like Tea and Coffee can affect nutrient requirements; they both inhibit the absorption of Iron and Zinc.
Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip NutTh
Bespoke consultations for a healthier natural life
website: http://www.newbeingnutrition.com Get a free initial nutritional therapy diagnosis now...
recurring cleaning service Wilmette ..Better sleep = better metabolism. I have been saying it... Read More
Olive oil is a healthy choice over other fats such... Read More
I would like to raise a question: Is Rejuvenation possible... Read More
Water is a vitally important component of any valuable and... Read More
Making simple changes to your food diet can help remedy... Read More
You are what you eat is a simple, time tested... Read More
The story of creation begins with water. Water is an... Read More
You've heard that old saying: True beauty comes from within.... Read More
How did we cure ourselves of many aches pains and... Read More
Post nasal drip is a sensation of mucous build up... Read More
The best weight training and cardio workouts will do very... Read More
Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our... Read More
Acid Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common disease which... Read More
What is the Atkins diet and how can it help... Read More
Just what is the "New Biology of Health?" And who's... Read More
Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More
Magnesium is an important mineral that serves numerous essential functions... Read More
To many people, this may seem a simplistic answer to... Read More
We know we need to eat a minimum of 5... Read More
You would probably think that I was writing a lot... Read More
"The physician who knows only medicine, knows not even medicine."... Read More
What ancient tribes and people of the Amazon have known... Read More
Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
Salt does Not Cause High Blood Pressure. Some things you... Read More
reliable maid service Morton Grove ..Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple... Read More
The nutritional support in critically ill patients can be explained... Read More
According to the Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis... Read More
Carbohydrates have gotten a lot of bad press in the... Read More
Hi Readers,My message today is simple short and perhaps blunt... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
Each and every person living in the UK is... Read More
There seems to be fairly poor tracking by any formal... Read More
Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything... Read More
The latest tallies show that over three million people in... Read More
As any student of chemistry will assure you, acids and... Read More
If you are like most people, you don't enjoy the... Read More
If you're suffering from constipation, you are no doubt looking... Read More
It is amazing to be able to say I am... Read More
Our bodies need cholesterol. We use cholesterol to produce vitamin... Read More
I don't understand people sometimes. You know, there is a... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
What Ever Happened to the Basic FourThe USDA was originally... Read More
The most incredible thing you can do for yourself is... Read More
You really are what you eat. You are also very... Read More
Step 1: Eat five to ten servings per day of... Read More
While there are many effective ways to get more energy... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes many new bodybuilders make is... Read More
The wonders of modern science continue to amaze us with... Read More
DIETARY SOURCES OF GLUTATHIONE: Glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant and... Read More
Nutrition |