N105: Essentials of Nursing Care - Health Differences

Essentials of Nursing Study Guide

©2017 Achieve Test Prep Page 9 of 160 is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow. Nutrients are used to build and repair tissues, regulate body processes, and are converted to and used as energy. Organic nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, proteins (or their building blocks, amino acids) and vitamins. Inorganic chemical compounds , such as dietary minerals, water, and oxygen, may also be considered nutrients. A nutrient is said to be "essential" if it must be obtained from an external source, either because the organism cannot synthesize it or produces insufficient quantities. Nutrients needed in very small amounts are micronutrients and those that are needed in larger quantities are called macronutrients . The effects of nutrients are dose-dependent and shortages are called deficiencies . Micronutrients Micronutrients are essential for good health and deficiencies can cause serious health problems. Micronutrients like zinc and iodine are necessary for promoting healthy functioning of major body systems. They also help with brain growth and bone development. Micronutrients are generally referred to as vitamins and minerals. The body also uses micronutrients to support metabolism. The vitamins, compounds, and minerals that support metabolism include: • Dietary minerals like salts or ions such as copper and iron • Vitamins which act as coenzymes or cofactors for various proteins in the body • Water which allows chemical reactions of life to take place Macronutrients People need a variety of macronutrients. The largest quantities of chemical elements consumed are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, and sulphur. Chemical compounds like water and atmospheric oxygen must also be consumed in large quantities, but are not always considered food or nutrients. Sometimes calcium, salt, magnesium, and potassium (along with phosphorus and sulfur) are considered macronutrients because they are required in large quantities compared to other vitamins and minerals. They are sometimes referred to as the macro minerals. Process #5 Elimination is composed of two processes, excretion and egestion. Excretion is the process of eliminating or removing waste products from the body. This is most commonly done through urination and sweating. It can also be done via exhaling, when carbon dioxide is let out through the nasal cavity. Elimination can also occur via egestion. Egestion is the discharge of undigested food from the body. During egestion, any undigested material exits the digestive track via the anus. 1.2 Nutrients A nutrient