National Nutrition Month

National Nutrition Month: All About Eating Healthy

March 12

March is National Nutrition Month, and all Americans are encouraged to take a look at

their eating habits and make any changes necessary in order to ensure that one is eating healthy. The theme of the observance encourages everyone to eat the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy.

One thing that National Nutrition Month may address is childhood obesity, something that has been described countless times as an epidemic in the United States.

Information and awareness on proper nutrition and eating habits may help today’s kids eat healthy while they are still young, a thought that Linda Minges, a North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consumer Science Agent, advocates.

Minges shared: “Develop healthy habits at an early age when children are a sponge… that prevention can go a long way with overall health.” She teaches a program to 4- and 5-year-old children called “Color Me Healthy,” which teaches children about healthy eating and being active through sight, touch, and sound.

Among its activities is getting to children to try new foods, one of the steps that they have to take in their journey towards a healthier lifestyle. Minges shares the following tips with parents who would like to get their children to eat healthy but still unfamiliar foods: start with smaller portion sizes, and add more fun to fruit and vegetable servings by adding herbs and spices. Minges also suggests encouraging children to engage in outside play, in order to stay active.

Testcountry.com

Homegrown beef with no hormones, antibiotics on sale

Mar 4, 2012

SALISBURY — Burleson Farms offers all-natural beef for sale in Rowan County.

Lanny Burleson started raising cattle naturally three years ago after retiring from East Rowan High School, where he taught agriculture for 24 years.

While his family has raised cattle on a Stanly County farm since the 1950s, Burleson said he decided to try raising all-natural cattle with no hormones or antibiotics.

He sells the beef at Variety Produce in Rockwell, as well as online at www.burlesonbeef.com.

Burleson cattle eat grasses and hay grown on the family farm, and all beef is homegrown from birth to harvest.

“Our cattle are well cared for as they grow, free from the growth-enhancing antibiotics, added hormones, preservatives and animal by-products commonly used in commercial feed lots,” Burleson said.

Their diet is supplemented with small amounts of grain prior to processing to enhance the beef’s marbling and flavor, he said.

he said.

Burleson Farms cattle are guaranteed to be at least 50 percent Angus, crossbred with European breeds to gain hybrid vigor and efficiency while maintaining the tenderness and flavor of Angus beef, Burleson said.

Beef is sold in eighths, quarters or half sides. An eighth side of beef weighs between 50 and 60 pounds ($5.75 per pound), a quarter side between 100 and 125 pounds ($5.50 per pound) and a half side about 250 pounds ($5 per pound). Two adults typically eat a quarter side of beef per year. The beef is packaged, vacuum sealed, weighed and labeled according to the type of cut.

Business Roundup

Immunonutrition in the surgical patient.

Mar 2012

Marik PE, Flemmer M.

Source

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care Nutrition, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA - marikpe@evms.edu.

Abstract

Both malnutrition and the physical injury related to trauma and surgery increase the expression of T-helper 2 (Th2) lymphocytes which cause impaired cell mediated immunity. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathoadrenal system with the release of cortisol and catecholamines drive the development of Th2 cells. Th2 cytokines result in the accumulation of arginase-1 expressing myeloid-derived suppressor cells in lymphoid tissue. The myeloid-derived suppressor cells cause an arginine deficient state resulting in impaired lymphocyte function. Prostaglandin-E2 released following trauma plays a synergetic role with cortisol and catecholamines in driving these pathways. There is now increasing evidence that immunomodulating enteral formulas supplemented with arginine and omega-3 fatty acids can reverse many of the immune mediated changes and decrease the number of adverse outcomes after major surgery and trauma. These immunomodulating enteral formulas should be strongly considered in surgical patients undergoing major surgery and following severe trauma.

Minerva Anesthesiologica

Nutritionally mediated programming of the developing immune system.

Sept 2011

Palmer AC.

Source

Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

Abstract

A growing body of evidence highlights the importance of a mother's nutrition from preconception through lactation in programming the emerging organ systems and homeostatic pathways of her offspring. The developing immune system may be particularly vulnerable. Indeed, examples of nutrition-mediated immune programming can be found in the literature on intra-uterine growth retardation, maternal micronutrient deficiencies, and infant feeding. Current models of immune ontogeny depict a "layered" expansion of increasingly complex defenses, which may be permanently altered by maternal malnutrition. One programming mechanism involves activation of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response tonutritional stress. Fetal or neonatal exposure to elevated stress hormones is linked in animal studies to permanent changes in neuroendocrine-immune interactions, with diverse manifestations such as an attenuated inflammatory response or reduced resistance to tumor colonization. Maternal malnutrition may also have a direct influence, as evidenced by nutrient-driven epigenetic changes to developing T regulatory cells and subsequent risk of allergy or asthma. A 3rd programming pathway involves placental or breast milk transfer of maternal immune factors with immunomodulatory functions (e.g. cytokines). Maternal malnutrition can directly affect transfer mechanisms or influence the quality or quantity of transferred factors. The public health implications of nutrition-mediated immune programming are of particular importance in the developing world, where prevalent maternal undernutrition is coupled with persistent infectious challenges. However, early alterations to the immune system, resulting from either nutritional deficiencies or excesses, have broad relevance forimmune-mediated diseases, such as asthma, and chronic inflammatory conditions like cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

How to Assess the Nutritional Status of my Patient How to Assess the Nutritional Status of my Patient How to Assess the Nutritional Status of my Pa

How to Assess the Nutritional Status of my Patient

Feb 2012

[Article in German]

Leuenberger MS, Joray ML, Kurmann S, Stanga Z.

Source

Poliklinik für Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Klinische Ernährung, Universitätsspital Bern.

Abstract

Protein-energy-malnutrition is a growing problem in industrialised countries. Many studies have found malnourishment in 20-60% of hospitalized medical or surgical patients, as well as out-patients. Malnutrition negatively influences patients' prognosis, immune system, muscle strength, and quality of life. As it is a largely treatable co-morbidity, systematic screening for malnutrition and effective management will improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Early diagnosis and assessment depends on a simple and standardised screening tool that identifies at-risk patients, allowing the medical team in charge to solve patients' nutritional problems with an interdisciplinary approach.

PubMed

Vitamin D: an essential component for skeletal health.

Dec 2011

Wimalawansa SJ.

Source

Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Nutrition, Department of Medicine, and UMDNJ, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Physiology and Integrative Biology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency is increasing worldwide. Ultraviolet rays are supposed to provide humans over 80% of our vitamin D requirement; the rest is received through diet and supplements. In addition to enhancing calcium absorption from the intestine and mineralization of the osteoid tissue, vitamin D has many other physiological effects, including neuromodulation, improving muscle strength and coordination, insulin release, immunity and prevention of infections, and curtailing cancer. Whether the increased incidence of vitamin D deficiency is related to increased incidences of nonskeletal disorders remains to be determined. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin [25(OH)D] above 30 ng/mL indicate vitamin D sufficiency. An additional 1,000 IU of vitamin D/day is sufficient for most lighter-skinned individuals, whereas an extra 2,000 IU/day is needed by the elderly and dark-skinned individuals to maintain normal 25(OH)D levels. Additional research is needed to clarify the relationship between vitamin D and the nonskeletal systems, nonclassic functions, and targets of vitamin D.

Wiley OnLine