Nutritional disequilibrium
A nutritional disequilibrium takes place when the organism is not able to acquire all the necessary
substances.
When nutrition is unbalanced, either in quantity or in quality, it is liable to induce physical effects of
malnutrition.
A quantitative disequilibrium can be produced both in excess and in defect.
In industrialized countries the most common complaint is obesity, due to a quantitative disequilibrium deriving
from an excess of alimentation.
On the contrary, in the poorest areas of the planet an insufficient diet brings to under-nutrition: the supply of
fats which should constitute a reserve is consumed and the organism weakens..
Disequilibrium can be caused by nutritional pathologies
These pathologies can appear notwithstanding correct alimentation; they result equally in malnutrition.
They are: alimentary intolerances, alimentary allergies, and bad absorption syndromes.
Alimentary intolerances happen when the organism reacts negatively if certain aliments are introduced,
due perhaps to the presence of preserving substances, dyes, traces of insecticides, weed killers, and chemical
agents in general.
Alimentary intolerances.
Alimentary intolerances are dose-depending toxic reactions, and they are not controlled by immunologic
mechanisms.
Dose-depending means that the reaction worsens when the quantity of toxic substances increases.
Not controlled by immunologic mechanisms means that the organism does not react by producing antibodies,
and that the effects deriving from the ingestion of such substances can appear several hours afterwards.
Therefore, in case of intolerances the organism produces weaker symptoms then in the case of allergies, and
they are more difficult to detect; besides, they are related to the quantity of ingested food, and can appear
several hours after the ingestion.
Alimentary intolerances are therefore more difficult to detect then allergies.
The causes can be either of pharmacologic or enzymatic nature.
In case of pharmacologic intolerance the human organism reacts to certain particular substances.
- If the organism is unable to transform the histamine contained in certain foods, such as seasoned cheese,
‘salami’ and sausages, tomatoes, fish (herrings, tuna, salmon, sardines), there follows a histaminic
reaction that can generate itching, skin rash, nettle-rash, and rarely asthma and anaphylactic shock.
- If on the contrary the subject is unable to deactivate the tiramine contained in cheeses, bananas,
avocados, there follows a tiraminic reaction that can produce tachycardia, hypertension, throbbing headache,
fever and flushes.
- In addition there are reactions due to natural or chemical additives (nitrites, sulphates, nitrates, sodium
glutamat, dyes), added to aliments to improve flavour, aspect, preservation. These substances can cause
itching, nettle-rash, rhinitis, asthma, head-ache, hemicrania.
If alimentary intolerance is due to enzymatic causes, this means that our organism lacks the enzymes that
are needed to absorb aliments adequately.
Enzymes are substances produced by the organism that make it possible to decompose aliments.
Sometimes enzymes are lacking or don’t work properly:
- If the organism is unable to metabolize certain substances intolerance is of enzymatic nature. It is
sometimes congenital.
- Enzymatic reactions are the cause of digestive troubles or of absorption troubles.
For instance, intestine villi may lack the enzymes capable of decomposing lactose and saccharose.
In such cases there will be an increase of the contents of disaccharides in the colon and consequently intestinal
fermentation, flatulence, abdominal relaxation, pain, diarrhoea.
Alimentary allergies.
In the case of alimentary allergies there is a reaction to the antigens contained in food.
Antigens are substances capable of passing through the abdominal wall, that the body envisages as enemies of
our immunitary system.
In a healthy subject the antigens contained in foods do not usually pass through the abdominal wall because
they are deactivated by gastric juice, by enzymes of the pancreas and of the intestine, by the immunitary system
of mucous membranes, and by the bacterial flora of the intestine.
If on the contrary the antigens pass through the abdominal wall, in predisposed subjects there can be
sensitization and allergic reactions.
Aliments that are most frequently the cause of alimentary allergies are: milk, chocolate, cereals, legumes,
eggs, citrus fruits, tomatoes, crustacea, fish, peanuts.
Besides, various other aliments contain common antigens: for instance, gliadin is contained in barley, wheat,
rye; the antigens of cod-fish are contained in several other kinds of fish. This fact is at the basis of crossed
allergies.
Alimentary allergies can be caused also by polluting substances that are sometimes contained in foods, such
as dyes, preservers, or additives.
These substances can cause remarkable reactions in sensitized subjects even if present in very small quantity.
Allergic reactions can be immediate or delayed.
Immediate reactions appear immediately after eating certain foods and cause nettle-rash, oedema of the
larynx, respiratory difficulties, vomiting, eczema, oedema of the lips and tongue, nausea, abdominal pain, and,
sometimes, anaphylactic shock.
The foods liable to rouse these troubles are cow’s milk, wheat, peanuts, chocolate.
Delayed reactions appear a few hours later, with asthenia, anxiety, pains in muscles and joints, and otitis.
They usually follow an acute gastroenteritis.
It is very difficult to identify the aliments which are responsible for allergic reactions; they often remain
unknown.
The diagnose is achieved through tests that bring the skin into strict contact with the substances that are likely
to rouse the trouble, or through an ‘elimination diet’.
The case of malabsorption: when intestine does not work properly.
The absorption of nutritional substances is performed by the small intestine; this function may be upset by
certain diseases.
This is the case of malabsorption. The symptoms of this trouble are: loss of weight, glossitis, spasms in hands and feet, absence of tendon
reflexes, skin bruises, flatulence, abdominal relaxation, meteorism, diarrhoea or steathorea.
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