1. NUTRITION: WHAT WE ALL SHOULD KNOW
Dr. Richard Sheerin
B.S. Nutritional Science – Cornell University
Doctor of Chiropractic – Texas Chiropractic College

2. Dairy
Meat/Fish
Fruits/Vegetables
Grains/Cereals

5. “New” Paradigm Macronutrients Micronutrients Water Carbohydrates
Protein
Lipids (Fats/Oils)
Micronutrients
Vitamins
Minerals
Enzymes
Water

6. Carbohydrates (CHO) Cereals/Grains Fruits/Vegetables Sugars Breads
Pasta
Fruits/Vegetables
Sugars
Monosaccharides
Glucose, Fructose, Galactose
Disaccharides
Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose
Polysaccharides
Large chains of monosaccharides

7. Protein Amino acids joined together in chains Animal Sources
Fish, Chicken, Lean Pork, Eggs, Beef
Plant Sources
Nuts
Seeds
Legumes
Soy
Tempeh
Seitan

8. Lipids Fats (solid at room temperature)
Oils (liquid at room temperature)
Fats and oils are made of Triglycerides

9. Fatty Acids
Those fatty acids with no carbon-carbon double bonds are called saturated. Those that have two or more double bonds are called polyunsaturated.  Monounsaturated have one double bond.
Unsaturated fats have a particular geometry that prevents the molecules from packing as efficiently as they do in saturated molecules. Thus they are EASIER to breakdown for energy and HARDER to store as fat.

10. Fatty Acids (cont.)
Saturated fats are typically solids and are derived from animals, while unsaturated fats are liquids and usually extracted from plants.
Your body converts any calories it doesn't need to use right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals.

11. Vitamins
A, D, E and K
Fat soluble vitamins
Inadequate dietary fat intake can result in deficiencies of these vitamins
Vitamin D is vital (more later)
B6, B12, Thiamine, Riboflavin, C, Folate, Niacin
Huge roles in CHO metabolism and other essential body functions

12. Enzymes
Essential for ALL chemical reactions in the body. Function by lowering the energy needed for chemical reaction and speeding up the reaction.
In short, Enzymes help the body perform the billions of chemical reactions it does each day EASIER (with less energy cost)

13. Food Preparation: Commercial and Domestic
Fats and Proteins (MACRO) as well as Vitamins and Enzymes (MICRO) are VERY sensitive to HEAT.
Pasteurization
No real control
Leaves higher % of carbs per unit volume
Cooking
Much more control

14. Water
ALL CHEMICAL REACTIONS in the body need to take place in or use water
CHO, Proteins and Fats all require huge amounts of water to break down
Death occurs in 5-7 days without water

15. MACRONUTRIENTS + MICRONUTRIENTS WATER CELLULAR ENERGY (ATP)

16. Digestion and Assimilation
The mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into progressively smaller and smaller pieces
Can be an issue with poor dental health, ulcers, esophageal disorders, etc.
Assimilation
The utilization (absorption into the bloodstream) of the nutrients in those small pieces for energy, growth and repair
Poor “gut” health is very common in the US

17. Carbohydrate Digestion and Assimilation
Begins in the mouth via our saliva, with help from an enzyme - salivary amylase
This only occurs with CHO – WHY?
The brain can only use CHO as an energy source
The brain “steals” up to 40% of CHO intake before the rest of the body gets a shot at them

18. Carbohydrate Digestion and Assimilation (cont.)
Digestive enzymes released by the pancreas into the small intestine (in response to eating carbohydrates) allows the absorption of carbs throughout the small intestine, but when eating refined sugars, the absorption occurs in the first part of the small intestine only (it happens too fast)– increasing the chances they’ll be stored as fat tissue.

19. Protein Digestion and Assimilation
Begins in the stomach. Ingested proteins are first split into smaller fragments by pepsin (enzyme) in the stomach or by trypsin or chymotrypsin (enzymes) from the pancreas. These proteins are then further broken down in the small intestine (middle 1/3) one amino acid at a time. The free amino acids released into the digestive system are then absorbed through the walls of the 2nd and 3rd parts of the small intestine into the blood stream where they are then resynthesized into new tissue proteins (muscle, skin, hair, nails, etc.) or are broken down for energy or for fragments for further tissue building.

20. Protein Digestion and Assimilation
BOTTOM LINE:
The process of breaking down and using protein requires:
Lots of water
Lots of time
A healthy gut and pancreas to produce proper enzymes

21. Lipid Digestion and Assimilation
Very unique process. Just putting fat into your mouth triggers the release of salivary lipase – an enzyme that signals the brain and body that fat is coming.
This is due to the high energy value of fats
CHO = 4 calories/gram
Protein = 4 calories/gram
Fats = 9 calories/gram

22. Lipid Digestion and Assimilation
Fat digestion doesn’t begin until the first part of the small intestine when the liver/gall bladder release bile salts that emulsify or breakdown fat into smaller and smaller pieces. These smaller pieces can then be dissolved into triglycerides by enzymes released from the pancreas (pancreatic lipase). THIS PROCESS REQUIRES A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER OR IT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE PROPERLY.

23. Why Do We Need to Know This?
The body’s cells energy/nutrient needs are diverse at different times
Giving the body only one Macronutrient at a time “feeds” some cells while it “starves” others
In an effort to “get to the next Macro” which is needed, the body increases the speed at which the food moves through the GI tract
Fast digestion results in poor assimilation

24. Why Do We Need to Know This?
Fast digestion results in sharp rise in blood sugar
As a result, Insulin levels rise quickly to high levels
When insulin levels are high the body goes into “storage mode” – you store calories present as fat rather than using them as energy

26. Macronutrient Eating
By combining all 3 Macronutrients at EVERY meal and snack the following can occur:
Increased food mixing with water
leads to greater amount of successful chemical reactions
Slower progression of food through the GI tract
ensures the body has enough time to breakdown these foods and extract every last bit of nutrition from them

27. Greater stretching of the GI tract
“Fuller” longer – less prone to overeat
Increases ease of nutrient assimilation
Reduced colorectal cancer risk
Stabilizes blood sugar and insulin levels
Less fat storage
Improves utilization of both CHO and Fats
Allows us to access these nutrients for longer periods of time (when they are needed during the day).

28. Some Important Concepts We Should All Be Aware Of
Glycemic Index of Foods
Types of Dietary Fats and Their Effect on Cholesterols
Vitamin D

29. Glycemic Index (GI)
Refers to how quickly blood sugar levels rise in response to eating a particular food
Scale of with pure glucose at the top of the list
Eating foods lower (below 50) on the GI prevents spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels
Combing fat and protein with carbs has same effect

30. Understanding Cholesterol
Cholesterol is ESSENTIAL
Backbone of ALL Hormones in the body
Cell membrane integrity
Cellular communication
2 main types
Exogenous – dietary (what we eat)
Endogenous – what our body produces
Lots of bad information out there

31. Understanding Cholesterol LDL vs. HDL
LDL – Low Density Lipoprotein
A molecule made of fat and protein
Fat is less dense than protein
Large molecules that can “clog up” blood vessels
Function to deliver fats to our cells
Too many can be detrimental
HDL – High-density Lipoprotein
More protein than fat
Smaller molecules
Remove unused fat from blood and brings it back to the liver

32. Understanding Cholesterol
Total Cholesterol # can be unimportant if there are 2 or less risk factors for CVD present
Diabetes
Obesity
Smoking
Family history of CVD
Alcohol consumption
Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio is the key factor in determining CVD risk
Optimal is 3.5 or below

33. Understanding Cholesterol
Exercise and consuming Mono-unsaturated (Omega-3) fats INCREASE HDL levels
Consuming saturated (Omega-9) and poly- unsaturated (Omega-6) fats can INCREASE LDL levels

34. Vitamin D
Recent research has shown that Vitamin D’s importance goes well beyond teeth and bones
“Usher” of fats and Carbs from blood into cells
Too few ushers = increased levels of fat and sugar in the blood
Elevated blood pressure
Increased risk of diabetes and many types of cardiovascular disease

35. Parting Thoughts Food ain’t what it used to be
Farming practices
Food safety protocols
Synthetic ingredients
Macronutrient intake at every meal and snack
Maximizes the efficiency of your GI tract
Regulates insulin levels
Helps inhibit overeating

36. Thank you for your time.
Be sure to write down any questions you may have, along with your address, and I will answer them to the best of my ability.