Alpha Nutrition

Alpha Nutrition Changing Eating Behavior
The basic problem with proposing diet revision as therapy is that eating behaviors are deeply rooted in a psychosocial matrix and are not rationally determined. Diet revision attempts to introduce rational determination of eating behaviors and food selection. The social basis of eating patterns often conflicts with individual needs and opposes the attempts made by an individual to modify diet as a means of restoring or maintaining health.

Stephen J. Gislason MD

Food sharing has deep biological roots. Eating is a social activity and it is difficult for anyone to eat alone. Food selection is a kind of social cement. Eating patterns are determined by social forces including ethnic traditions, religious rules, family traditions, etiquette, and the habits of the local community. Sharing food with others is a prerequisite of close social grouping. The best way to become a social outcast is to eat differently.

The social basis of eating patterns often conflicts with individual needs. The biologic need is to self-regulate - to find an individual, adaptive path. Individual needs may differ from the needs of the group. When a patient is ill and needs to change food choices support tends to be short-lived. Therapists need to work with couples and families to modify one person's diet long-term. Usually there are group benefits. The best way to proceed with diet revision is with the full understanding and support of a social group. When this is not possible, the individual needs extra understanding and motivation to cope with social pressures that resist changes, however beneficial they may be.

Alpha Nutrition Instructions

While important health benefits can be achieved through diet revision, there is resistance to lasting changes in food habits. Basic knowledge presented in the Alpha Nutrition Manual invites you to consider the psychological and behavioral aspects of eating. While important health benefits can be achieved through diet revision, there is resistance to lasting changes in food habits. You consider concepts such as:

Different eating patterns go with different lifestyles.
Eclectic eating patterns
Disorganized and Dysfunctional eating
Compulsive eating and food addiction

Food and beverages contain a variety of molecular switches that are usually well-concealed in the course of day-to-day living. In children on controlled diets with parents and teachers monitoring closely, flip-flops are obvious and can often be related to eating or drinking specific foods. To keep matters simple, we refer to a "food reaction" which triggers behavior change, but we infer that many changes are going on at the same time in the child's brain

It is as if the child's entire identity shifts, complete with totally different attitudes, thoughts, and personality characteristics. Younger children have less ability to smooth their transitions than adults. The 4 year old child who spends 10 minutes screaming loudly and then bites her mother, shouting "I hate you" will be excused by most loving parents.

But adults displaying the same behavior in the wrong context may end up in jail or the psychiatric ward. The child's behavior was triggered by chocolate cake, jello and ice cream at a birthday party. The adult's outburst may be triggered by lasagna, red wine, cheese, and chocolate mousse at an expensive restaurant.

The children we observe doing flip-flop, food-triggered personality shifts, also have fits of rage, and the worst-afflicted display frighteningly aggressive behavior, attacking other children or their parents. Children's temper tantrums can be fully developed rituals of hate, violence and self-destructive behavior and often contrast remarkably with the "normal" state. The children who continue to be volatile and flip-flop in an uncontrolled fashion soon get the reputation for being "bad" and tend to develop negative, antisocial personalities. The worst afflicted may end up as some of our more destructive citizens, sometimes in jail. The tragedy of these destructive outcomes is that it may be preventable by an early change in the child's food supply. Similar shifts from state A to state B occur in adults. Adults report different sets of thoughts in the different states. More insightful adults will describe distinct personalities. An angry, gloomy side may alternate with a happier, more affectionate, generous personality. Women have been generally more forthcoming in describing their personality shifts.

There are typical emotional experiences during diet revision. Certain foods can trigger flip-flops and that thinking and feeling can change remarkably as the molecular contexts in the brain change. Rather than pretending that patients ( an physicians) are perfectly integrated, rational creatures, totally in control, we acknowledge that all human beings can be irrational, compulsive, unstable, and vulnerable to incoming molecular influences. Several two-state descriptions are helpful, although no single two-state description is ever completely true. We will notice, for example, that most people, as they change, will flip-flop between an adult and child mode. The adult reads this book, develops interest and understanding of change and plans a health-seeking transformation. The child is resistant to change, petulant, irrational, and demands instant gratification.

Men and Women Are Different

There are important differences between the experiences of men and women. Women may be more likely to eat food when they are short of love and affection, when they feel oppressed, or depressed. Sometimes food abuse is connected to alcohol and drug abuse in both men and women who have had terrible experiences as children, especially sexual abuse. Oppression tends to push women especially into compulsive and disorganized eating. Too many women are trapped at home living an emotionally impoverished and constrained life with few rewards except food. For some women even then food pleasures may feel illicit. Some women attempt to hide their indulgences or go to extreme lengths to conceal evidence of over-eating (especially weight gain) by inducing vomiting, purging, or exercising in a fanatical manner. A host of desires, fears, frustrations, and inhibitions tend to get focused on food and body image. Food can become a comforter and saboteur at the same time.

Men's denial tends to be more complete, and they seldom admit to feeling guilty. Men tend to become angry and withdrawn whenever their eating and drinking habits are challenged. Anger replaces guilt. Men turn their anger into an eating or drinking binge and feel totally justified. They are less motivated by body image, but often want to be associated with an athletic image and identify strongly with sports. Even the most overweight, out-of-shape man can still imagine himself on the football field, calling the plays - with beer in one hand and hot dog in the other, he will protest loudly when the quarterback fumbles the ball. This is an emotional point-of-view that requires no physical fitness.

The Alpha Nutrition Program

The Alpha Nutrition Program notes explains the psychology of eating patterns, eating problems and suggests way of dealing with the resistance to change. The supplemental notes for each disorder addressed by the program also describes the psychology of change in that specific disorder.

Elemental Nutrient Formulas

Alpha Nutrition specializes in elemental nutrient formulas, the pure expression of nutrient biochemistry. We use the concept of nutrient modules to create nutrient formulas. A definition of modules is: a unit that is combined with others to form a larger structure or system, and is self-contained enough to be easily rearranged, replaced, or interchanged to form different structures or systems.

We provide a choice of nutrient modules so that food can be replaced, nutrient intake can be supplemented and balanced in a variety of ways. These precise nutrient sets are formulated by assembling nutrients into modules that supply energy, electrolytes, antioxidants, phosphate, vitamins, minerals, neurotransmitter substrates and amino acids as the protein building blocks. The formulas are all packaged as dry powders to be mixed with water or juices and taken orally.

We provide a choice of nutrient modules so that food can be replaced, nutrient intake can be supplemented and balanced in a variety of ways. These precise nutrient sets are formulated by assembling nutrients into modules that supply energy, electrolytes, antioxidants, phosphate, vitamins, minerals, neurotransmitter substrates and amino acids as the protein building blocks. The formulas are all packaged as dry powders to be mixed with water or juices and taken orally.

We provide a choice of nutrient modules so that food can be replaced, nutrient intake can be supplemented and balanced in a variety of ways. These precise nutrient sets are formulated by assembling nutrients into modules that supply energy, electrolytes, antioxidants, phosphate, vitamins, minerals, neurotransmitter substrates and amino acids as the protein building blocks. The formulas are all packaged as dry powders to be mixed with water or juices and taken orally.

Nutrient Formulas, Meal Replacement

Alpha ENF provides a complete set of nutrients whenever it is used. Alpha ENF and Alpha PMX are hypoallergenic, meal-replacement formulas that supply nutrients in their elemental form - bottles full of nutrients. The high nutrient density of Alpha ENF and PMX can be used strategically to support nutrition whenever nutrient or caloric deficiency is a concern and can curb appetite when weight loss is the goal.