Posts Tagged tissue

Hidden Folic Acid Facts

Posted on August 24, 2011 | Healthy Nutrition.

There are a few hidden folic acid facts that might make you more interested in this vitamin. Folic acid is a B vitamin which is water soluble meaning that it dissolves in water and can leave the human body through urine, just like vitamin C. Fat soluble vitamins can be absorbed by someone’s fat and stored in their tissue. The bad news about fat soluble vitamins is that it’s easier to overdose on them since the vitamins remain in the fat tissue.

One hidden folic acid fact that you might not know is that this vitamin protects humans from DNA attacks on their cells. The DNA of a cell is sort of like a blueprint. The reason the dna of a cell is crucial is because cells are constantly recreating themselves and they need an accurate blueprint to copy itself correctly. If the DNA of a cell gets damaged in any way then it can lead to a changed cells which is big factor to the aging process, wrinkly skin, less energy and some ailments such as cancer.

Some people don’t know that this vitamin can protect someone against asthma and allergies. In one study with thousands of people they discovered a 16-30 percent higher risk of these two health problems if someone doesn’t consume enough folic acid. Another very important fact about this vitamin is that it can cut the chance of a pregnant woman to have a child with a neural tube defect by as high as 70%.

A neural tube defect is when part of a baby’s spine or brain is exposed to air which as you can imagine is not very healthy or pretty. The fact which may come to a surprise to some people is that a neural tube defect usually occurs in the very earliest stages of pregnancy before many women even know they are pregnant. This means that if a woman waits until she is pregnant to start taking folic acid it may be too late to receive the protection against this type of birth defect. The important lesson is that it’s a really good idea for any women that are sexually active to take folic acid just to be on the safe side of not having a miscarriage.

The really good news is that it’s actually fairly easy for someone to get folic acid. Many popular breakfast cereals have this vitamin, as well as pastas, breads, green vegetables, beans, fruits and eggs. Another very easy way someone can acquire folic acid is through a daily multi-vitamin. Unfortunately the industry can be about as confusing as learning chemistry which is why our group strongly recommends for more people to learn the basics before shopping. This way if you do go shopping for supplements you’re more likely to get more quality for less money.

Body Composition and Its Effects on Health

Posted on July 23, 2011 | Healthy Nutrition.

There is a correlation between body composition and health ranging from mortality and morbidity to immunity, longevity, high function and athletic performance. Body composition analysis is one of the tools used in preventative, therapeutic and research applications. In the human body, body composition analysis is the clinical assessment of tissue and fluid compartments. Fat Mass is the total amount of stored lipids (fat) in the body and consists of the following types of fat:

Subcutaneous fat located directly beneath the skin. This type of fat serves as an energy reserve and serves as insulation against environmental cold.

Visceral fat lies deeper within the body. It serves as an energy reserve and as cushion between the organs.

Fat Free Mass (FFM) also called Lean Body Mass (LBM) is the total amount of non-fat (Lean) part of the body. Fat free mass is approximately 73 per cent water, 20 per cent protein and 6 per cent mineral and 1 percent ash

Body Cell Mass (BC M) is the metabolically active tissues and is the living cells of the body including muscle cells, organ cells blood cells and immune cells. It is also includes the “living” portions of fat cells but not the stored fat lipids. The intracellular water (ICW) inside the living cells is also included in BCM. Potassium is the electrolyte of the intracellular water.

Extra cellular Mass (ECM) contains all of the metabolically inactive (non-living) parts of the body such as bone, minerals and blood plasma. Water contained outside of living cells is included in the extra cellular water. The main electrolyte in this compartment is sodium.

As mentioned before, body composition is used in preventative, therapeutic and research applications. The following can be determined through the use of body composition analysis:

  • Nutritional Assessment
  • Anti-aging Therapy
  • Physical performance Assessment
  • Weight management
  • Obesity
  • Fluid and Nutritional Assessment
  • Geriatrics
  • Lifestyles Assessment
  • Athletic performance
  • Clinical trials
  • Research Initiatives

What is body composition Analysis? Body composition analysis utilizes the mass and fluid compartments of the body when measurements are taken and the results are analyzed. The Bioimpedance (BIA) body composition analyzers measures body composition electronically. A qualified healthcare professional uses the result to diagnose disease, recommend treatment requirements or give treatment requirements.

The purpose of body composition analysis is to monitor and improve function. For healthy people the analysis of the Fat Free Mass and Body Cell Mass compartments can help maintain function, productivity, immunity, physical performance and longevity.

Patients/clients who are obese, the evidence has shown overwhelmingly, that obesity (excess storage of fat) has adverse effects on health and longevity.

The obesity epidemic continues to grow in the United States and has become a problem in other countries of the world. The diagnostic criteria for obesity is having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater or Fat Mass greater than 25 percent for males or greater than 30 percent for females.

Obesity has always been associated with health risks. Although the link to how it affects health are not fully known, recent research shows genes expression in fat tissue shown promise. The genes code for hormones is associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular plaques.

How to treat obesity for healthy body composition

The first step is weight reduction to relieve mechanical stress on body systems.

  • Prescribe a healthy diet
  • Measure Basal Metabolic Rate
  • Estimate total daily caloric expenditure
  • Set dietary intake to equal caloric expenditure and subtract 700 calories per day
  • Continue diet until BMI = 30
  • Hormonal Reduction

The second step is to decrease the ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass to reduce the incidence of fat related hormones.

  • Continue with a healthy diet
  • Add exercise
  • Measure basal metabolic rate and fat-free mass
  • Estimate caloric expenditure= BMR
  • Set dietary intake=caloric expenditure – 500 calories per day
  • Continue until percentage fat mass reaches optimal level.

What we can do to achieve healthy body composition? It is a known fact that a healthy diet and physical activity play a pivotal role in living healthy through out our life’s span. The task of maintaining healthy body weight appears to be a complex task involving many important lifestyle choices. Patients are bombarded with conflicting messages about what to eat, how much to eat, which diet is the right one, and the right exercises to do or which exercise machine to buy. In summary, you have the power to be informed and do what works best for you in achieving healthy body composition.