Purpose
Now that you have begun to consider the relationship between nutrient molecules, cellular structure and function, and health, let’s examine that in the context of a specific disease.
Choose a disease (or health condition) that is associated with diet. For instance, the DASH diet was developed as a Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension; the Ketogenic diet was developed to treat epilepsy in children; a variety of diets are promoted to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and some are criticized for increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Note that I am not talking about dieting to lose weight. A diet is simply the assortment of foods that one eats. Some diets (often called fad diets) have names, or specific conditions. More often, we talk about more general characteristics of an eating pattern, for example a diet high in fruits and vegetables, or a diet low in saturated fats. Your goal is to find out more about a disease or health condition that is associated with one of these characteristics, and how strong that connection is.
Once you have determined the disease/health condition, find out the biological basis. In other words, what type of cell in the human body is affected, and why? Remember, symptoms occur because a group of cells have been disrupted somehow. Often, that affects other nearby cells, and the symptoms get worse, or new symptoms develop. Briefly (8-10 sentences should be enough, but feel free to use more if needed) explain what is happening to the cells, and why that leads to the symptoms of that disease/health condition.
Once you have explained the biological basis, determine what it is about a dietary characteristic that improves (or worsens) the disease/health condition. Don’t just tell me that it’s “shown,” or “proven” to reduce the risk of blah blah blah. What nutrient molecule is involved, and what effect does it have on some cell in the body? If you have chosen liver disease, then there is something wrong with some group of cells in the liver. How does a specific nutrient make that better or worse?
Be sure to cite your sources. Is there any reputable evidence demonstrating the diet you have chosen to research promotes good health or a reduction in disease? In other words, can you find any studies that say the diet is healthier than other diets? Can you find any studies that say the diet can reduce cardiovascular disease, or cancer, or some other disease? Note again, I’m looking for actual research studies here, not just, “It’s proven that eating an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Proven by who? Published in what journal?
In brief:
Choose a disease/health condition associated with diet.
Summarize the biological basis for that disease in at least 8-10 sentences.
Explain how a nutrient affects the disease/health condition.
Cite your source/s of information. (MLA)
I have worked on this myself here is what I have so far:
The fad diet/disease that I researched was the relationship between the Wine Diet (source) and its claims to inflammation and inflammatory disease.
Choose a disease/health condition associated with diet.
Red Wine Diet reducing inflammation
Summarize the biological basis for that disease in at least 8-10 sentences.
Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals reducing the damage they can cause to the body. (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet)
Reduces inflammation in the body and reduces the risk of disease caused by inflammation such as Rheumatoid arthritis. (https://www.mainehealth.org/Services/Autoimmune-Diseases-Rheumatology/Inflammatory-Diseases#:~:text=Inflammation%20disease%20is%20when%20the,example%20of%20an%20inflammatory%20disease.)
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures.
Free radicals are waste substances produced by cells
Trusted Source
as the body processes food and reacts to the environment. If the body cannot process and remove free radicals efficiently, oxidative stress can result. This can harm cells and body function. Free radicals are also known as reactive oxygen species (ROS).
Explain how a nutrient affects the disease/health condition.
The specific nutrients that can neutralize free radicals and lead to less inflammation are the Antioxidants are found in certain foods and may prevent some of the damage caused by free radicals by neutralising them. These include the nutrient antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E, and the minerals copper, zinc and selenium.(https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/antioxidants)
Wine has trace amounts of vitamins A and C which are anti oxidants https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-red-grapes
Cite your source/s of information.
Red Wine Diet,
Summarizing the condition: Inflammatory disease is when the body starts to attack healthy tissues. This can lead to things such as arthritis
Free radicals are a waste product from produced by your cells (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/ )Oxidative stress is a result of an excessive amount of free radicals that haven’t . (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/301506)
Antioxidants neautralize the free radicals reducing the damage they can cause to the body. (https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet)
Reduces inflammation in the body and reducing the risk of disease caused by imlifation such as stroke.
Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures.
Free radicals are waste substances produced by cells
Trusted Source
as the body processes food and reacts to the environment. If the body cannot process and remove free radicals efficiently, oxidative stress can result. This can harm cells and body function. Free radicals are also known as reactive oxygen species (ROS).
(https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/301506)
Antioxidants protects tissues from damage against reactive oxygen species and other free radicals. Because antioxidants protect tissues from damage, they prevent unwanted inflammatory responses from occurring in the first place.
Vitamins A, C and E have antioxidant properties. This means they can override harmful molecules, known as free radicals, which are produced within your cells and which may cause tissue damage or disease.
(https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/types-of-complementary-treatments/vitamins-a-c-and-e/#:~:text=Vitamins%20A%2C%20C%20and%20E%20have%20antioxidant%20properties.,cause%20tissue%20damage%20or%20disease.)
Health Benifits of red grapes and their vitamins:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-red-grapes
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271156
Red wine diet
What is oxidation and anti oxidation?
What oxidation effects
Sources that need to be cited that I used:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-wine#benefits
https://www.livestrong.com/article/388422-what-vitamins-minerals-are-in-red-wine/
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/antioxidants
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/301506
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/antioxidants-fact-sheet
https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/complementary-and-alternative-treatments/types-of-complementary-treatments/vitamins-a-c-and-e/#:~:text=Vitamins%20A%2C%20C%20and%20E%20have%20antioxidant%20properties.,cause%20tissue%20damage%20or%20disease.
https://www.mainehealth.org/Services/Autoimmune-Diseases-Rheumatology/Inflammatory-Diseases#:~:text=Inflammation%20disease%20is%20when%20the,example%20of%20an%20inflammatory%20disease.
Red wine diet: https://www.rentonreporter.com/marketplace/the-red-wine-diet-reviews-legit-program-that-works-or-scam/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-red-grapes
If you can find any better sources, such as journal entries that would be great, if not that’s okay. Let me know if you have any questions.