Lesson 13: Nutrition

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Nutrition

Nutrition plays an important role in the human body. Nutrition

is how the body uses food to maintain health. Food provides

nutrients, which is something that is found in food that provides

energy, promotes growth, and health and helps regulate

metabolism. The Fiber plays a big role when it comes to

nutrition. Fiber is a part of certain foods such as fruits,

vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes that the body cannot

digest. Fiber is necessary for bowel elimination.

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The Importance of Proper Nutrition

The complex carbohydrates are carbohydrates

that are broken down by the body into simple

sugars for energy. They are found in foods such

as bread, cereal, potatoes, rice, pasta,

vegetables, and fruits. Simple carbohydrates are

carbohydrates that are found in foods such as

sugars, sweets, syrups, and jellies and have little

nutritional value.

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The Six Basic Nutrients

are:

Water is known to be the most essential nutrient of life and helps with

digestion, absorption of food, elimination of wastes, and maintaining

normal body temperature.

Carbohydrates provide energy and extra protein and fiber. Simple

carbohydrates can be found in foods such as sugars, jellies and sweets.

Complex carbohydrates can be found in foods such as cereal, bread,

vegetables, rice, fruits and pasta.

Protein are part of every body cell and are important for tissue repair and

growth. Protein provides a supply of energy for the body as well. Protein is

found in foods such as seafood, poultry, meat, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts, nut

butters, peas, dried beans or legumes, and soy products.

Fats helps the body store energy. It has four categories which are

saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Some fats are

butter, beef, pork, fowl, fish, and dairy products and plant sources include

olives, nuts, or seeds.

Vitamins are essential to body functions. It has Fat-soluble vitamins are A,

D, E, and K Water-soluble vitamins are B and C.

Minerals forms and maintain body functions. Which includes zinc, Iron,

sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus

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(Table THAT SHOWS TYPES OF

VITAMINS, SOURCE OR WHAT FOODS

CONTAIN EACH VITAMIN AND THE

FUNCTION OF EACH VITAMIN)

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(TABLE THAT SHOWS TYPES OF

MINERALS, SOURCE OR WHAT FOODS

CONTAIN EACH MINERAL AND THE

FUNCTIONS OF EACH MINERALS)

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The Importance of Hydration

HHAs should always ensure that clients are drinking enough healthy fluids throughout the day to avoid

dehydration (a serious condition in which a person does not have enough fluid in the body).

Here are a few ways to prevent dehydration and encourage fluid intake

Report observations and warning signs to supervisor immediately

Encourage clients to drink every time you see them

Offer fresh water or other fluids often

Record fluid intake and output

Ice chips, frozen flavored ice sticks, and gelatin are also forms of liquids

If appropriate, offer sips of liquid between bites of food at meals and snacks

Make sure a pitcher and cup are near enough and light enough for a client to lift

Offer assistance with drinking

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Signs of Dehydration That HHAS Should Observe and Report

Client drinks less than six 8-ounce glasses of liquid per day

Client drinks little or no fluids at meals

Client needs help drinking from a cup

Client has trouble swallowing liquids

Client experiences frequent vomiting, diarrhea, or fever

Client is easily confused or tired

Dry mouth

Cracked lips

Sunken eyes

Dark urine

Strong-smelling urine

Weight loss

Complaints of abdominal pain

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HHAS Should Know These Points About Food Groups:

Vegetables and fruits

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

• Dark green, red, and orange vegetables

have the best nutritional content

• Vegetables are low in fat, calories, and

have no cholesterol.

• Vegetables provide fiber and vitamins

• Fruits are low in fat, sodium, calories, and

have no cholesterol

• Fruits provide vitamins and fiber

Dairy • Provides protein, vitamins,

and minerals • Includes all of the foods made

from milk that retain their calcium content, such as yogurt and cheese

• Most dairy group choices should be fat-free (0%) or low-fat (1%)

• Choose fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt more often than cheese

• Soy products enriched with calcium are an alternative to dairy foods

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HHAS Should Know These Points About Food Groups

Proteins

• Meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs are animal

sources of proteins. Beans, peas, soy products,

vegetarian meat substitutes, nuts, and seeds

are plant sources of proteins

• Eat seafood twice a week in place of meat or

poultry

• Choose lean meat and poultry. Include eggs

and egg whites on a regular basis

• Eat plant-based protein foods more often

• Some nuts and seeds (flax, walnuts) are

excellent sources of essential fatty acids

Grains

• At least half of all grains consumed should

be whole grains

• Whole grains contain bran and germ, as

well as the endosperm. Refined grains

retain only the endosperm

• Grains are found in cereal, bread, rice, and

pasta

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Here Are Tips on Making

Healthy Food Choices:

Balance calories

Enjoy your food, but eat less

Avoid oversized portions

Foods to eat more often are vegetables, fruits, whole grains,

and fat-free or 1% milk and low-fat dairy products

Foods to eat less often are foods high in solid fats, added

sugars, and salt. These foods include fatty meats, like bacon

and hot dogs, cheese, fried foods, ice cream, and cookies

Compare sodium in foods. Select canned foods that are

labeled sodium free, very low sodium, low sodium, or reduced

sodium

Drink water instead of sugary drinks

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(INSERT A PHOTO OF USDA’S MYPLATE)

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FDA-Required Nutrition Facts Labels:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

requires that all packaged foods contain

a standardized nutrition label, called

Nutrition Facts. This label contains

information about the nutritional content

of food. Because the label is in the same

format on all foods, it is easy to compare

different products.

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The Important Information that is listed on the FDA-

Required Nutrition Facts

Labels are:

Serving size and number of servings

per container

Calories per serving

Total fat, cholesterol, sodium, total

carbohydrate, and protein

Percentages for vitamin D, calcium,

iron, and potassium (may be others)

Percent daily value for items listed

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(PHOTO OF THE NURTRION FACTS

)

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Nutrition and Diabetes

Nutrition plays an important part of a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. Along with

other benefits, following a healthy meal plan and can help keep your blood glucose level

In order to manage blood glucose, you need to balance what you eat and drink with

physical activity and diabetes medicine, if you take any. What you choose to eat, how much

you eat, and when you eat are all important in keeping your blood glucose level in the

range that your health care team recommends.

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Meal Planning, Shopping, Preparation, and Storage ( P H O T O S T H A T C O M B I N E S A L L F O U R

T H I N G S )The Prop

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What is a Meal Plan?

A meal plan is known to be any strategy used to

map out what you're going to eat. This term may refer

to following a specific diet, or it may just indicate the

process of thinking through what you plan to eat

beforehand. Remember a meal plan should include

snacks not just meals

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An HHA should consider these factors when

planning a client’s weekly meal plan:

Dietary restrictions

Food preferences

Number of persons at meals

Client’s budget

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Examples of nutritious snacks

Low-salt pretzels and low-sodium tomato

juice

Celery with peanut butter and milk

Graham crackers and milk

Rice cakes with peanut butter and milk

Cereal and milk

Yogurt

Baked tortilla chips with salsa

Carrot or celery sticks with hummus

Crackers and cheese

Gelatin with fruit

Bran muffin and milk

Raisins, dates, figs, prunes, or dried

apricots

Trail mix

Smoothies made with yogurt, milk, and

fruit blended together

Fresh fruit

Apple with peanut butter

Apple with cheese

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(PHOTO OF A SAMPLE MEAL)

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It Is Important To Know

Food-borne illnesses affect up to 100 million

people each year. Elderly people are at

increased risk partly because they may not see,

smell, or taste that food is spoiled. They also

may not have the energy to prepare and store

food safely. For people who have weakened

immune systems because of AIDS or cancer, a

food-borne illness can be deadly

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Safe Food Preparation

• Wash hands frequently

• Keep hair tied back or covered

• Wear clean clothes or clean apron

• Wear gloves when you have a cut on your hands

• Avoid coughing or sneezing, and wash hands

immediately if you cough or sneeze

• Keep countertops and surfaces clean/disinfected

• Handle raw meat, poultry, and fish carefully

• Do not use cutting boards or knives used to cut meat

until they have been washed in hot, soapy water. Use

separate cutting boards for produce and bread and

raw meat, poultry, and seafood

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