There is a wide range of physical conditions that may be related to and affected by nutrition. This analysis looks at three: food allergies, diabetes and IBD. The purpose is to evaluate diets based on the special medical needs of individuals.
The Special Needs Dietary Comparison
For each medical condition this comparison discussion looks at the following:
- the physical conditions affected by the diet
- the foods to be avoided
- the preferred foods
- the nutrients and other substances in food that are involved
- any other factors affecting the choice of foods
Condition #1: Food Allergies
The Reader's Digest, in Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal, claims that while "one in four North Americans suffer from allergies," food allergies "make up only a small percentage."
According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), “a food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks a food protein.” For those with food allergies the diet can contribute to a “tingling sensation in the mouth, swelling of the tongue and the throat, difficulty breathing, hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, and even death.” This is often caused by nuts, eggs, milk, soy products, wheat and fish. Of course the preferred food depends on the individual. A key problem is that some foods are used as ingredients in many food combinations.
More specifically, in some people, severe reactions including asthma are triggered by an allergic reaction to food. Reaction to a food can cause an itchy throat, nausea, vomiting and tightness in the chest. It is essential to identify and avoid any foods to which a person is allergic. Avoiding specific foods can be difficult, especially when you're eating out in restaurants or other people's homes. People with severe food allergies must learn to read all labels carefully and ask specific, insistent questions before eating or buying unlabeled foods of any kind. The Reader's Digest suggests that "some foods such as sweet potatoes, apples, pears, carrots, turkey, pork and rice seldom if ever set off allergic reactions."
Condition #2: Diabetes
According to the world's preeminent diabetes research and clinical care organization, the Joslin Diabetes Center, “diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to properly use and store glucose (a form of sugar). Glucose backs up in the bloodstream — causing one’s blood glucose (sometimes referred to as blood sugar) to rise too high.” For those with diabetes the diet affects this sugar in the blood. One needn’t avoid any foods, however, as long as everything is eaten in balance and, according to The Reader's Digest in Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal, "without any abrupt changes in diet and exercise." And, of course, in this light no foods are particularly preferred. What will affect the choice of foods are more the caloric requirements and the insulin levels.
More specifically, the body needs the chemical insulin to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. When glucose enters a cell it mixes with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy. The energy is used to do work while the carbon dioxide and water are eliminated through the lungs and kidneys. Diabetes occurs when the body does not manufacture enough insulin or when the body's insulin does not work efficiently. As a result, the body cells cannot take sugar out of the bloodstream and use it for fuel. This causes an increase in the level of sugar in the blood. Diets for diabetics are intended to keep the blood sugar level normal while maintaining a consistent distribution of nutrients. The diet must also be balanced with the average energy requirements of the person (calories). The new food choice system or what was previously called the exchange system was designed to accomplish this.
Within each exchange (milk, protein, starch, fruits and vegetables, extra vegetables, fats and oils) the calories are approximately equal as are the amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Diabetics must make choices when buying food and when eating. Evaluating food labels is a particularly difficult task. Usually a nutritionist has provided the diabetic with a suggested diet. The diabetic then watches the types and quantities of food eaten, plus the times when food must be eaten.
Condition #3: Irritable Bowel Disease
For those with IBD- typically either Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease- the diet depends on the tolerances for absorption by the intestines. One generally should avoid foods containing refined carbohydrates and instead eat fruits, honey and certain vegetables and nuts. Proteins are generally well tolerated.
The distressing and weakening intestinal problems experienced by IBD sufferers today have existed for centuries. The methods of diagnosis and treatment have, of course, changed over the years but there has always been a strong underlying belief that diet is a very important factor to consider in the treatment and cure.
As reported in an article at scribd.com, entitled Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Dr. Christian Herter, a physician and professor at Columbia University noted that “in every case where children were wasting away with diarrhea, proteins were well tolerated, fats were handled moderately well but carbohydrates (sugars & starches) were badly tolerated.” It was further noted that “milk was the least suitable food during intestinal problems and that high starch foods (rice, potatoes, grains) were unfit. The removal of lactose from the diets of patients with Crohn's Disease resulted in remarkable improvement.”
The article in scribd.com also reports that “remissions have been brought about in patients with Crohn's Disease by omitting foods and beverages containing refined carbohydrates, in particular sucrose and starch.”
There are two types of sugars, single and double. Single sugars require no further splitting in order to be transported from intestine to bloodstream. Single sugars are glucose (found in honey, fruits and some vegetables), and galactose (found in milk and yogurt). Double sugars require splitting by intestinal cell enzymes. There are four main double sugars, namely lactose, sucrose, maltose and isomaltose.
Unlike sucrose, lactose and starch, however, glucose requires no digestion and is therefore more likely to be absorbed by the cells of the small intestine. Glucose in honey and fruits is not beyond the power of disturbed digestive systems to absorb.
So what is the common denominator in this discussion? It might be as suggested in Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal: "Nutritionists and physicians agree that choosing the right foods is often the best way to prevent disease-- just as ending harmful dietary habits may be your best cure."
Sources:
- The Reader's Digest Association. Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal. Reader's Digest Association Ltd. London, 1996
- Food Allergy.org
- Joslin Diabetes Center
- Scribd
James Gibson - James Gibson is a retired teacher and small business owner. He is a published writer and has a wide spectrum of interests.
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