Preventive Nutrition

What is preventive nutrition?

Preventive nutrition is an effective tool to stop or reduce the appearance of diseases that appear as a response to a deficiency or bad eating habits. In this way, preventive nutrition serves to educate the individual to acquire a healthy way of eating, to take care of his or her body and to avoid the presence of unwanted diseases, closely related to ingestion.

Preventive nutrition re-educates the individual to acquire good eating habits.

Why is it done?

Preventive nutrition is performed to detect, study and correct errors in both the diet and eating habits of individuals. In this way they will be educated to acquire good habits and thus avoid diseases related to poor nutrition. In this regard, in recent years there has been an increase in coronary ischemia, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, cirrhosis, osteoporosis and obesity, which, in turn, are pathologies that occupy the first places in mortality in the western world. Scientific evidence has shown that saturated fats, sugar, salt and alcohol are substances that need to be moderated. Hence the need for population re-education in relation to eating habits and the improvement of public health.

What does it consist of?

Preventive nutrition consists of a series of food plans for children, young people and adults with the aim of teaching how to design a personalized diet suitable for each individual. In order to live and eat properly, and for the body to function optimally, we must provide the nutrients it needs. Thus, it is not only necessary to satisfy hunger with “things to eat or drink”, but food should be eaten according to needs and tastes, so that it provides the nutrients the body needs.

In addition, thanks to preventive nutrition, certain purposes can be achieved:

  • To solve digestive discomforts: acidity, bad digestion, flatulence, constipation, food intolerances, etc.
  • Prevent and correct blood problems such as anemia.
  • Delay bone pathologies, such as osteoporosis.
  • To be of help in degenerative diseases, since an adequate nutrition influences the organism as a whole.
  • To regulate and improve problems such as stress or anxiety.
  • Reduce insomnia problems.
  • Avoid other pathologies such as obesity and the appearance of diseases that derive from it such as diabetes, some cancers such as colon cancer, and cardiovascular pathologies such as cholesterol or hypertension.
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Preparation for preventive nutrition

It should be borne in mind that during the different stages of life nutritional needs will be different, so there is no definitive diet or pattern to be followed in a fixed way. Likewise, the diet varies according to the season of the year in which we find ourselves. There are no perfect foods either, so the specialist in Nutrition and Dietetics should study the patient’s symptoms and eating habits in order to also study possible intolerances or problems of the digestive system. It is always essential to visit the specialist beforehand to carry out any necessary test. No specific care is necessary after preventive nutrition. Moreover, a good nutritional education and food culture will accompany the patient throughout his life and will help him to make the right food choices, with the right nutritional properties for his body. Good nutrition, as well as reducing harmful habits, physical activity and proper rest will translate into good health.

Alternatives to this treatment

Some alternatives to preventive nutrition could be dietetics or weight control, as well as some types of specific diets for specific health problems: diabetes diet, menopause diet, post-digestive surgery diet, cholesterol diet, among others. However, these are not treatments that should exclude preventive nutrition, but perhaps can complement each other. The specialist in Nutrition and Dietetics will indicate it in each case.