I met up with a friends and when I see her she looks terrible. Her skin is shallow, her eyes are bloodshot and a bit yellow, and her hair seems to be falling out. She seems frail, thin, and fragile. Her movements are shaky. she is tired all the time, and she has stopped having normal menses. About a year ago, she changed her habits and adopted a “super healthy” lifestyle based on celebrity diets and websites she found online. she is now a vegan and only eats foods that are organic and raw. She even drinks “raw” water. She consumes no meat or animal products including milk, eggs, or dairy. She eats no gluten, processed foods, or cooked foods. She avoids GMOs, though she is not sure what that means.She tells you she takes a high-dose multivitamin daily, so she is sure she is getting what she needs
Upstream Causes
Raw Food Diet: Relying only on raw fruits and veggies may not give enough calories or nutrients. Cooking can make certain nutrients easier for the body to absorb. Some foods are even more nutritious when cooked.
Exclusion of Cooked Foods: By avoiding cooked foods, she might miss out on nutrients like lycopene in tomatoes or beta-carotene in carrots, which are more available when cooked. Cooking also helps break down anti-nutrients in some raw foods.
Extreme Dietary restrictions: Cutting out entire food groups like meat and animal products can lead to deficiencies in important nutrients like protein, iron, and vitamin B12. This can cause fatigue, weakness, and other health problems.
Consumption of Raw Water: Drinking untreated water can be risky because it may have harmful bacteria or parasites. Tap water is treated to remove these dangers.
Overreliance on high-dose multivitamin: Multivitamins can help, but relying solely on them means missing out on the benefits of whole foods. Too many supplements can also be harmful.
Lack of Understanding about GMOs: Avoiding GMOs without knowing why can lead to unnecessary worry. While some choose to avoid them, there's no solid evidence they're bad for health. It's important to focus on overall diet quality rather than just one aspect like GMOs.
Downstream Effects
Upstream Cause Effects:
Weekend Immune System: Drinking untreated water can make you sick because it might have germs in it. This can make your immune system weaker and you might get sick more often.
Hair, Skin, and Nail Problems: If you don't get enough vitamins and minerals from your food, your hair might fall out, your skin could become dry, and your nails might break easily.
Digestive Problems: Eating only raw fruits and veggies might upset your stomach and make you feel bloated or gassy, especially if you have a sensitive stomach. Cooking food can make it easier to digest.
Hormonal Imbalances: Eating an imbalanced diet can mess with your monthly period, making it irregular or even stopping it. This can also cause mood swings and low energy.
Nutrient Deficiencies: If you only eat raw foods and avoid meat and animal products, you might not get enough protein, iron, vitamin B12, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. This can make you feel tired, weak, and even cause problems with your hair and thinking.
Potential Long-term Health Risks: If you keep up with these unhealthy habits, you might have bigger health problems later on, like heart disease or weak bones. It's important to eat a balanced diet and make healthy choices now to avoid these risks.
Consider the positive feedback that occurs as deficiencies affect organs and systems which can continue to affect other organs and system: When one part of the body isn't working well due to deficiencies, it can affect other parts too, creating a cycle of problems. For example, if you're not getting enough nutrients, your immune system might weaken, making you more prone to getting sick. This can then put extra strain on other organs like your liver and kidneys. So, it's important to fix any deficiencies to stop this cycle.
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Nutrients:
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vitamins: Essential for various bodily functions, such as immune function, energy production, and bone health. Found in fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and fortified foods.
minerals: Necessary for maintaining proper bodily functions, including bone health, nerve function, and fluid balance. Found in foods like meat, dairy products, nuts, and whole grains.
water: Vital for hydration, temperature regulation, and transporting nutrients and waste products throughout the body. Found in water itself, as well as in fruits, vegetables, and other beverages.
RDA for a Healthy Diet: The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is a guideline that tells us how much of each nutrient we should aim to eat every day for good health. It's based on scientific research and takes into account factors like age, sex, and overall health
Why? Following the RDA helps ensure we get enough nutrients to support our body's needs and prevent deficiencies and health problems.
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