Eating poorly for a day or two isn’t going to have much effect on overall health. It has been estimated that eating well 80% of the time will cover your nutritional needs. Usual habits of eating poorly are a different story. The effect of marginal intake over time has a predictable effect on what happens in the cells and to health. This sequence of gradual depletion of nutrients in the body has been called the Stages of Nutritional Injury. Gradual accumulation of excess (excess calories, vitamins, minerals, etc.) may also result in nutritional injury.

The early stage could be called Predisposition. No nutritional depletion has occurred, but genetic inheritance leaves an individual disposed to perhaps needing more of a nutrient than the average person. The “average” healthy person is used in determining the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances). An example of medical problems which have inherited qualities include pernicious anemia, or metabolic and mental changes found in untreated phenylketonuria. Bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders, alcoholism and schizophrenia have also been reported to have genetic factors.

Medications and nutrients often interact with one another. This interaction may involve absorption in the intestines, competition for binding sites in the cells, or inhibition or stimulation of an enzyme or neurotransmitter. If a nutrient changes the level of circulation or activity of a medication, it may change the effectiveness or the dose needed. Be sure to understand the directions from the physician, pharmacist, or dietitian for best results.

One example is lithium. Lithium and sodium compete with each other. Since salt is a major source of sodium, a person’s salt intake can influence the blood level of lithium. (A high intake of sodium causes lower blood level of lithium; a lower intake of sodium causes a higher level of lithium in the blood.) Since lithium levels that are either too high or too low (ineffective or toxic), it important to keep a consistent sodium intake to help keep lithium in the desired range. “Consistent” doesn’t mean an exceptionally low sodium intake, but means a moderate intake over each day. Moderate (or average intake) is often defined as around 1800 to 2300 milligrams of sodium per day. This is a little less than one teaspoon of salt, although sodium is found in many processed foods, not just in the salt shaker.

Fortunately, generalized nutrition advice such as “don’t eat fat” is being replaced by “eat the good fats.” For years, Americans have focused on eating polyunsaturated fats, which ended up being mostly Omega-6 fats. The proportion of Omega-3 (O-3) to Omega-6 (O-6) became out of balance, with O-3 fatty acids becoming in short supply in many people’s diets. Scientific studies often show that this lack of balance between O-3 and O-6 fats occurs in individuals with mental illness. Research regarding schizophrenia has shown many interesting, but inconclusive, results. Alteration in metabolism as well as dietary and supplement intake are being studied. Both O-3 and O-6 fatty acids are Essential Fatty Acids (EFA).

It isn’t that O-6 fats are “bad,” it is just that they are out of balance. The head of The National Institute of Mental Health, Joseph Hibbeln, MD, and colleagues, estimate that a healthy dietary allowance for O-3 fatty acids for current U.S. diets was estimated at 3.5 g/d for a 2000-kcal diet. This allowance for O-3 fatty acids can likely be reduced to one-tenth of that amount by consuming fewer O-6 fats. A healthy ratio of O-3:O-6 is said to be 1:2 or 1:1-this is the estimated ratio in the human diet in Paleolithic times. When reading labels, remember O-3 fatty acids include ALA, EPA, and DHA. O-6 fatty acids include GLA and AA.

What would you notice if you didn’t eat enough essential fatty acids? You may notice dry hair and skin, brittle nails, eczema, and asthma among other things, as well as abnormal lab findings, especially in red cells.

People may say “I feel low in energy,” or “I feel energetic today,” but may mean different things by that. Depression may be experienced as “not having any energy.” The manic phase of bipolar disorder may be described as “having very high energy.”

“Energy” is defined in science as the ability to do work. For example, “Person A is able to lift 50 ft./lbs. over a one-minute period.”

In the field of nutrition “energy” refers to calories or kilocalories. For example, “Fat provides 9 calories/gram, while carbohydrate provides 4 calories/gram.” A person burns energy/calories as a part of sustaining life, maintaining body temperature, and during activities.

These two definitions do not seem to totally describe mental or emotional energy as experienced by individuals.