Nutrition - The Medical Solution

Nutrition and modern medicine do not align, or so it would seem. Many doctors would scoff if you spoke about nutrition in an emergency situation, though it is changing now. Say someone had a heart attack.

Surely, you are not thinking about nutrition at this point; a doctor may inquire.

But what is wrong with this picture? It took my son asking me a fascinating question to help me bridge the gap. 

His insightful question, while watching a movie, was: What is the water they have in a packet that they are feeding injured soldiers even before they get to a hospital? 

Of course, he was talking about IV fluids. 

Dr. Latta first developed intravenous technology in 1883. However, it took over seven decades for IV fluid, as you and I know it, to become widely used. 

IV fluids contain salt and sugar. IV fluids have the essential nutrients required.

Or nutrition in a bottle. 

If you have had the misfortune of having a loved one visit a hospital, you know the first thing they do after checking basic vitals is administer IV fluid.

The doctors know that stabilising your minerals and ensuring that your body is getting vital nutrients is essential. They need the body to be functioning well to ensure that anything they may need to do is feasible. 

As soon as any procedure is done, and frankly, during the procedure as well, you remain on IV fluids. The doctors want to make sure that your body is getting the basic energy you need. 

IV fluid is designed in such a way that the fluid and what it contains are easily able to enter your cells. So you are directly feeding your cells, bypassing your digestive system. Your cells need the nutrition. 

So, in reality, the doctors are not ignoring nutrition; they just found a medical solution for it.

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