WEEKS 1&2

Question 1

7 major changes in western diet (Cordain articles)

Answer 1

• GI load
• Acid/Base balance
• Na+/K+ ratio
• Fibre
• Macronutrient Density
• Micronutrient Density
• Fatty Acid composition

Question 2

What is Phase 1 detoxification? What is required?

Answer 2

Phase one is when fat soluble toxins enter the liver and are converted to more polar, highly reactive intermediates

Involves: oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and hydration

Requires: B2, B3, B6, B12

Question 3

What is Phase 2 detoxification? What is required?

Answer 3

Phase two is when intermediates are converted to soluble waste products for excretion

Involves: sulfination, glucoronidation, glutathione conjugation, acetylation, amino acid conjugation

Requires: magnesium, vitamin C, folic acid, taurine

Question 4

What is the theory behind the acid/base diet?

Answer 4

• That the ideal state is low grade alkalosis
• Modern diet is Na>K and so always in low grade acidosis
• Theory was that acidosis causes osteoporosis as calcium is leached from bones to act as a buffer
• Has now been found that biggest problem with acidosis is enzymes not within their optimal functioning range

Question 5

How are foods qualified as acid/base forming?

Which foods are which?

Answer 5

By burning the foods and testing the ash formed.

Acid forming foods: phosphorus, iodine, sulfur
(meat and dairy)

Base forming foods: calcium, magnesium, potassium
(fruit and vegetables)

Question 6

What is orthomolecular nutrition?

Answer 6

Functional nutrition therapy where very high dose (well above NRVs) of a particular micronutrient is used as a form of treatment

Question 7

Explain the Triage Theory

Answer 7

When the body is in a situation of micronutrient deficiency the body will prioritise the distribution of nutrients to the functions of survival and reproduction

Question 8

What are the 3 categories of bioactive food constituents?

Answer 8

• Phytochemicals
• Zoochemicals
• Fungochemicals
• Bacteriochemicals

Question 9

Give an example of a phytochemical

Answer 9

Carotenoids

Question 10

Give an example of a zoochemical

Answer 10

omega 3 fatty acids

Question 11

Give an example of a fungochemical

Answer 11

beta glucans

Question 12

Give an example of a bacteriochemical

Answer 12

butyrate

Question 13

What are the 5 ADGs?

Answer 13

• Maintain healthy weight and be physically active
• Eat a variety of foods from all foods groups + water
• Limit sat fat, sugar, salt, alcohol
• Promote breastfeeding
• Care for and store food safely

Question 14

What is EAR?

Answer 14

The Estimated Average Requirement

Is when 50% of the healthy general population shows no signs of deficiency

Based on biomarkers of deficiencies in old studies

Question 15

What is RDI?

Answer 15

Recommended Dietary Intake

Two standard deviations above the EAR so that 98% of general populations needs should be met

Question 16

What is AI?

Answer 16

Adequate Intake

Is what is OBSERVED to be sufficient to meet the needs of the healthy population

The median of all the means within the population

Question 17

Criticism of the Cordain paper

Answer 17

Makes many assumptions of the diet of pre-industrial diets which are not actually known

Question 18

What are functional foods?

Answer 18

Foods that have either new nutrients added or more of the already existing nutrients, or a combination of both

Question 19

What is a ‘superfood’ ?

Answer 19

Foods in their natural state which stand our for their high concentrations of a particular micronutrient or bioactive constituent

Question 20

Define nutritionist

Answer 20

A reductionist approach to food selection which focuses on individual nutrients, ‘good’ and ‘bad’ nutrients, rather than looking at the whole food matrix

Stemmed from the discovery of vitamins and their essentiality

Has lead to the creation of functional foods.

Question 21

What is hormesis

Answer 21

Refers to the J curve in which there is an optimal dose
Too little is not optimal, too much is dangerous

e.g. vitamin A

Question 22

What does pharmacokinetics refer to?

Answer 22

the way a compound acts from the moment it is ingested (half life)

Question 23

What does pharmacodynamics refer to?

Answer 23

the efficacy of a certain compound

Question 24

What is xenohormesis?

Answer 24

The theory that plants can produce chemicals which act as inbuilt stress defence mechanisms (bc they’re stationary)

When humans ingest the plants they transfer these protective benefits

Question 25

Why do bioactive constituents do not behave in humans like they do in vitro?

Answer 25

Parent compounds often are metabolised too quickly to effect

e.g. circumin is pharmacodynamically fierce but pharmacokinetically weak

Question 26

What is CYP450?

Answer 26

An enzyme system which is used in phase 1 detoxification which is in the liver and enterocytes

Question 27

What are drug/nutrient interactions? Outcomes?

Answer 27

When a drug/medication inhibits/stimulates/interacts with a nutrient. Results in altered nutrition status

Question 28

What are nutrient/drug interactions? Outcomes?

Answer 28

When a nutrient effects the efficacy of a drug. Results in treatment failure or drug toxicity

Question 29

What compound in grapefruit interacts with drugs and what is the outcomes?

Answer 29

Furanocumarins blocks enzymes in the enterocytes which limits the metabolism so their is a higher level of parent compound of the drug which can build up (overdose)

Can also block some transporters used for carrying medicines so there is decreased absorption (reduced dose)