Therapeutic Diets, Metabolism, and Nutritional Health

Vocabulary flashcards covering therapeutic diets, consistency modifications, water metrics, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, and nutritional health factors.

NPO

An abbreviation for 'nothing per os', indicating a therapeutic diet where the patient receives nothing by mouth.

Clear Liquid Diet

A diet modified by consistency consisting of clear liquids that leave minimal residue.

Full Liquid Diet

A diet modified by consistency that includes smooth-textured dairy products and clear liquids.

Mechanical Soft Diet

A diet modified by consistency featuring foods altered in texture, such as chopped or ground foods, for patients who have difficulty chewing.

Pureed Diet

A diet modified by consistency in which foods are blended or strained into a smooth texture.

Diets Modified for Disease

Therapeutic diets tailored for health conditions, including diabetic, calorie-restricted, sodium-restricted, fat-restricted, fiber-restricted, renal, protein-restricted, and high calorie, high protein diets.

Diets Modified by Preference

Diets adjusted based on patient choice or lifestyle, specifically gluten-free and vegan diets.

Nursing Responsibilities for Dietary Care

Clinical duties including monitoring diet type, percentage eaten, whether the meal was tolerated, and determining when to advance the patient's diet.

Anti-inflammatory Foods

Foods that help lower inflammation, including berries, tomatoes, vegetables, olive oil, coffee, tea, and cooked tomatoes.

Antioxidants

Cell-protecting substances found in foods such as berries, cauliflower, and broccoli.

High-Sodium Foods

Dietary items rich in sodium, such as buttermilk, canned soup, ham, and processed cheese.

Soluble Fiber

A type of dietary fiber sourced from oat bran, beans, rice bran, oatmeal, apples, strawberries, oranges, pears, and blueberries.

Insoluble Fiber

A type of dietary fiber sourced from brown rice, whole wheat, bran, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, cucumbers, cabbage, and tomatoes.

ATP

The energy currency produced along with carbon dioxide, water, and heat during the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Food Desert

An area lacking access to fresh produce and grocery stores, illustrated as having the next grocery store $10\text{ miles}$ away and fresh produce $15\text{ miles}$ away.

Water ($H_2O$)

The most critical component to sustain life next to oxygen, comprising $50\%$ to $70\%$ of total body weight and $80\%$ to $83\%$ of blood, with an average adult requirement of $1.5$ to $2\text{ liters}$ ($6\text{ to }8\text{ glasses}$) daily.

Functions of Water

Physiological processes including maintaining body temperature, transporting minerals, vitamins, and electrolytes, cushioning the brain and spinal cord, lubricating joints, transporting toxins and wastes out of the body, and moisturizing/lubricating the GI tract.

Simple Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates consisting of single or double sugar units, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, and maltose.

Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates composed of long chains of three or more sugar molecules that take longer to digest, absorb, and produce energy.

Enzymes of Carbohydrate Digestion

Enzymes responsible for breaking down carbohydrates, including salivary amylase in the mouth as well as amylase and maltase in the small intestine.

Ketosis

A metabolic condition where the body burns stored fat for energy as a result of carbohydrate deficiency.

Lipid Digestion Enzymes

Enzymes involved in fat breakdown, including lingual lipase, gastric lipase, and pancreatic lipase.

Recommended Fat Intake

A dietary standard stating that fat consumption should comprise no more than $25\%$ to $35\%$ of total daily calorie intake.

Fiber Functions

Physiological benefits including decreasing LDL cholesterol to lower coronary artery disease risk, promoting normal bowel function, increasing mineral absorption, lowering colon pH to discourage pathogen/cancer cell growth, supporting GI normal flora, and promoting weight loss.

Health Inequities in Nutrition

Disparities in nutritional health driven by economic, education, access, environment, and social context factors.