Preface

This course is intended to cover the basics of nutrition from both a clinical and non-clinical standpoint. The study of nutrition starts with a discussion of the gastrointestinal tract and how it functions. It goes on to cover topics of nutrition as they relate to physical and mental health. All of these topics are discussed in this course as they relate to the nutrition of healthy and unhealthy human hosts. The first chapter of the course will include a discussion of the gastrointestinal tract and its basic anatomy. The anatomy is closely linked to the functions of digestion and absorption—both things that are necessary for food to make it from the mouth to the cells of the body. The second chapter of the course will cover the basic macronutrients, which include carbohydrates, protein, and fat. All food consumed comes from a combination of each of these types of food groups and each is necessary for better health and development. Vitamins and mineral will be the discussion of the third chapter of the course. There are numerous vitamins and about twenty minerals that are essential to eat in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body and must be gotten through eating health foods. Chapter four will include a discussion of dietary recommendations for healthy adults. In order to proceed through adulthood and into a healthy old age, people need to follow certain health recommendations from the number of calories to be consumed to the type of food each person should eat.

The topic of chapter five will involve the biochemistry of satiety and hunger. Both of these sensations are highly biochemically-mediated in the body and are less under psychological control than most people think. Chapter six of the course is intended to be a discussion of body weight and nutrition. While obesity is the more common of the extremes in body weight, low body weight can also impact a person and this will be discussed in this chapter. The discussion in chapter seven of the course will be on pediatric nutrition. Children and babies have special nutritional needs that will be discussed as they apply mainly to healthy children who need excellent nutrition for growth and development. Chapter eight will be devoted to discussing nutrition in pregnancy. Women in pregnancy have certain nutritional needs that must be satisfied to have the birth of a healthy baby. Eating in pregnancy is more than just “eating for two” and this will be discussed in this chapter. The focus of the discussion in chapter nine of the course will be on nutrition and the various common disease states in humans. The special nutritional needs in cancer patients, patient with high blood pressure, patients with diabetes, and patients with heart disease will be covered in this chapter. Chapter ten will be a discussion on performance and exercise nutrition. There are special nutritional needs for the exercising person and especially for the person who is an endurance athlete that will be covered in this chapter. The focus of discussion in chapter eleven will be nutritional deficiencies and nutritional disorders. Things like malnutrition, anorexia nervosa, and celiac disease will be covered as these are common nutritional disorders seen in humans.

The twelfth and final chapter of the course will include a brief discussion on food safety and food technology. There are specific ways to store and cook food that will help ensure food safety. There are also advances in food technology that have made for a wider variety and selection of foods eaten by humans.