Nutrition is essential to human life because it provides resources and supports respiratory, cognitive, cardiovascular, motor, and other functions. Nutrition can positively and negatively affect health, so approaches to nutritional counseling and diet formulation have now been developed (FAO, 2022). In addition, ways to process foods and make them safer have been identified. This paper examines some aspects of nutrition that can directly affect health.
The GALIDRAA Approach to Counseling
The GALIDRAA approach is a particular way of interpersonal communication to organize nutrition. It is based on listening, defining, and discussing nutritional characteristics, allowing a specific culture to emerge. The approach is used as a counseling tool by which staff gathers information and then refers to health care organizations. They expand the idea of how therapeutic support for individuals with digestive problems should be conducted. Cunningham et al. (2019) points out that behavioral transformation is an essential outcome. The authors suggest being more responsible in implementing the GALIDRAA approach.
GALIDRAA consists of eight components: greet, ask, listen, identify, discuss, recommend, agree, and appoint. Each is a small step toward changing behavioral patterns and following healthier eating practices. Its use is more difficult for the lower and middle classes, but the effectiveness is almost uniform (Cunningham et al., 2019). It should be noted that the approach should be implemented as part of clinical programs for treatment and prevention. Its use significantly improves the condition of individuals exposed to unhealthy eating habits.
Food Processing Methods
There are simple and complex food processing methods, which have different effects on their condition. Table 1 shows the standard complex and simple processing methods used.
Table 1. Standard complex and simple processing methods
In general, food processing technologies focus on four primary areas. Now scientists concentrate on preservation, preventing spoilage and foodborne illnesses (Knorr and Watzke, 2019). In times of famine, pasteurization and the ability to preserve meals for long periods saved many lives. In addition, canning made trade possible and expanded the influence of the various producers of dried and preserved foods. Processing methods improved palatability through biological and chemical techniques: pesticide treatments, herbicides, and multiple operations to enhance seed germination (Amit et al., 2017). Improved growth and development conditions lengthen the shelf life of the finished product and, consequently, increase transportability (Knorr and Watzke, 2019). The focus of food processing is now shifted to completely removing harmful elements (such as polyunsaturated fatty acids or palm oil), which significantly improve the taste of the food. It becomes healthier and more satiating than the same meals but contains potentially harmful substances. The new food processing methods are shown in Table 1.
Table 2. New food processing technologies
Consequently, a variety of processing methods aim to improve the quality of food by removing harmful or potentially harmful elements from the product or its surface.
Food Adulteration
The method of food adulteration is a way of lowering the quality of a product by removing practical elements or adding harmful impurities. Usually, impurities are the elements of adulteration that significantly affect the product’s quality, appearance, taste, and shape. Although they are perceived as unnecessary and even harmful ingredients in the food, they allow it to retain its appearance and texture for a long time. In this case, the product does not meet standards because it loses its original qualities. One example of adulteration is the addition of meat meals to canned foods to lengthen shelf life and increase the final weight.
The Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are not transmitted from person to person. They have a long duration and are usually slow in progression. The four main types of NCDs are cardiovascular disease (such as heart attack and stroke), cancer, chronic respiratory disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), and diabetes (Peters et al., 2019). These diseases develop gradually but have broadly the same background.
Many non-communicable diseases share common risk factors to which all population segments are vulnerable. These include excess body weight, smoking, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. In addition, high blood pressure and psychoactive substance use are frequent predictors of the development of non-infectious chronic diseases. These dangerous behaviors lead to four metabolic/physiological changes that increase the risk of NCDs, such as high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia.
Current research indicates that diet is one of the most critical factors leading to disease development or progression. It has been noted that diets for children that meet not only average caloric intake but contain foods without elevated levels of chemicals keep them from becoming diabetic (Budreviciute et al., 2020). Consequently, attention must be paid to nutrition because it helps to regulate the communication between all organs and systems of the body.
Neurological Disorders and MNT (Medical Nutrition Therapy)
The relationship between nutrition and other systems can be seen in the development of neurological disorders. They are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system expressed by specific symptoms. These usually include headaches, behavioral and cognitive changes, and sleep and memory problems. They are very dangerous because they can cause irreparable damage to the nervous system, which makes it challenging for a person to recover. Their development is closely related to the function of the nervous system. It has been proved that the levels of produced digestive enzymes directly depend on the activity of the nerve centers and vice versa (Burgos et al., 2018). The food consumed irritates the walls of the stomach and intestines, sending signals to the brain. The brain perceives and processes it; a disturbance can occur when harmful or wrong signals are found.
Clinical nutrition or medical nutrition therapy (MNT) provides adequate nutrition to the person that targets critical elements of digestive-related health. It is a therapeutic approach to reducing the symptoms of specific conditions and preventing further health complications by following an individualized diet and nutrition plan (Burgos et al., 2018). MNT usually requires a consultation with a nutritionist, who uses clinical tests to determine the condition (such as the number of vitamins or blood sugar). Following the recommendations makes it possible to achieve better nutrition and, consequently, to influence the body’s condition.
The Stages of Food Safety
Food safety is ensured by measures designed to make meals as safe as possible for consumption. The strategies and actions should cover all stages of the food supply chain. They include environmental conditions, agricultural production, processing, marketing, and preparation of foods for consumption (FAO, 2022). The steps are essentially the same for the mass consumer and each individual. They consist of evaluation, purification, separation, cooking, and freezing to keep products safe for consumption.
The evaluation phase is necessary to determine the product’s condition and includes an inspection of the exterior and interior filling. Evaluation is needed to determine the product’s visual quality and pre-screen potentially tainted products within. The cleaning phase involves removing contaminants from food of any nature. Various machines are used for this purpose, which remove non-food particles (e.g., sifting grains or removing leaves from fruits) and cleans the surface of products (rinsing, parasite treatment). The separation stage is necessary to sift out precisely identified non-food products. It allows the distribution of products by size, caliber, and grade (FAO, 2022). Cooking helps to make many products (vegetable, fruits, meat) ready to eat (boiling, frying, stewing, steaming) and keep them that way for some time. The harmful components that die at high temperatures are removed from the products at this stage. Freezing is necessary to preserve the food’s original form and reduce the risk of contamination.
Conclusion
It has been established that nutrition does affect a person’s health. For example, the GALIDRAA approach allows for a competent conceptualization of nutrition, and MNT instructs and guides the individual along this path. New food technologies are used for food processing and simple methods to avoid adulteration. Non-communicable and neuralgic diseases are closely related to nutrition, so attention to indicators such as sugar and cholesterol levels is recommended. With the help of methods to improve the safety of products, it is possible to preserve their quality and valuable properties.
Reference List
Amit, S. K. et al. (2017) âA review on mechanisms and commercial aspects of food preservation and processingâ, Agriculture & Food Security, 6(51).
Budreviciute, A. et al. (2020) âManagement and prevention strategies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk factorsâ, Frontiers in Public Health.
Burgos, R. et al. (2018) âESPEN guideline clinical nutrition in neurologyâ, Clinical Nutrition, 37, pp. 354-396.
Cunningham, K. et al. (2019) âFrom didactic to personalized health and nutrition counselling: A mixed-methods review of the GALIDRAA approach in Nepalâ, Maternal & Child Nutrition, 15(2).
FAO. (2022) Thinking about the future of food safety â A foresight report. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Rome.
Knorr, D. and Watzke, H. (2019) âFood processing at a crossroadâ, Frontiers in Nutrition.
Peters, R. et al. (2019) âCommon risk factors for major noncommunicable disease, a systematic overview of reviews and commentary: the implied potential for targeted risk reductionâ, Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease, 10.