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11/1/2008 - Nutrient Triage - and How It May Affect Our Long Term Health- Vicki Saunders, MS, RD We know that nutrients are needed for all types of bodily functions and that deficiencies can take a toll on the body. Some researchers now even believe that certain nutrient deficiencies may actually have quite serious consequences. A paper published by Bruce Ames, of the Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Children's Hospital of Oakland Research Institute, hypothesizes that inadequate intake of key vitamins and minerals may potentially disrupt our metabolism for the long term. In his paper presented at the National Academy of Sciences, Ames reports that there is mounting evidence that shows that when you don’t get enough of the necessary nutrients, your body goes into a “triage mode” deciding where the available nutrients should go – and causing serious deficiencies in other areas. A good example is what happens when our calcium intake is not sufficient; the blood gets it first and the bones suffer. Ames hypothesizes that some deficiencies can actually cause DNA damage, such as chromosome breaks. The micronutrientdeficiencies that trigger this triage response would then likely cause an acceleration of degenerative diseases such ascancer, aging, and neural decay (progressive impairment of the nervous system). And why our body has a tendency to react this way may be a result of a mechanism developed during evolution to cope with intermittent nutrient shortages. Natural selection is known to favor short-term survival at the expense of long-term health when they are in conflict. So getting your daily dose of the right vitamins and minerals is not only important, but we now know it is absolutely necessary in order to maximize a healthy lifespan. A daily multivitamin is a good start but won’t provide everything you need. You need real fruits and vegetables for all their nutrients and for their fiber. And you need a good calcium source such as dairy. Be mindful of your food choices, eat well and enjoy a long and healthful life! For the full article, see: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/47/17589?eaf Source: One -The Napa Valley Executive Personal Health Experience (One Life Newsletter) < Back |