Dietary Lexicon

Dehydration - an abnormal loss of fluid or water from the body. A very high level of sugar (glucose) in the urine leads to severe water loss, and the individual becomes extremely parched.


Fluorescein - a harmless yellow-colored dye that is used to outline the vessels of the eye. Bulimia Nervosa - an eating disorder characterized by compulsive binging on food (eating large amounts very quickly), accompanied by a feeling of being utterly out of control during the food encounter, and feelings of self-condemnation based on discontent with one`s physical appearance. Two variants of this eating disorder are prevalent: purging and non-purging. In the former, the individual frequently voids the body of the foods consumed by self-inflicted regurgitation, or frequently misusing laxatives or diuretics. Conversely, in the non-purging type, the person avoids putting on weight through rigorous dieting, going on periodic fasts, or a disproportionate amount of exercise. This binge eating before self-inflicted vomiting, and a sense of depression, guilt, and self-loathing, are frequently linked with another eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. Many times there is no noticeable loss in weight and the syndrome might go unnoticed until the person seeks help.


Anaerobic Threshold (or Lactate Threshold) - the point during high-intensity activity when lactic acid starts to accumulate in the blood stream faster than it can be metabolized. It is the point at which an individual starts exercising the muscles on stored energy alone.


Endocrine Disruption - the possible adverse effects that may result from exposure to a group of chemicals that have the potential to alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system in wildlife and humans and lead to toxic outcomes, like cancer or adverse reproductive effects. Ultralente Insulin - a class of insulin that has long-term action compared to regular or intermediate-acting insulin compounds.


Overweight - describes the condition of being too heavy for an individual`s height or weighing too much for one`s age or build. The Federal Obesity Clinical Guidelines released by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) define overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25-29.9 kg/m2 for men and women. Body weight is comprised of fat, muscle, bone, and body water (body mass index does not measure muscle mass and body fat). Being overweight does not invariably mean having too much fat. Excess weight might be due to an above average amount of muscle, not fatty tissue.


Body Mass Index (BMI) - a method used to calculate overweight and obesity in adults. BMI is a computation which divides a person`s weight (kilograms) by height (meters) squared (BMI = [kg/m²]). BMI can also be calculated in pounds and inches: BMI=[lbs/in²] X 703. The general guideline presently advocated by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) is that individuals who have a BMI of 25-29.9 are considered to have excess weight and those people who have a BMI in excess of 30 are said to be dangerously over their ideal body weight. BMI enables people to understand their risk for certain diseases, including diabetes and hypertension.


BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - the rate at which the body uses calories to function normally when it is at rest. BMR is the level of energy needed to keep involuntary body processes going. These processes include heartbeat, inhaling and exhaling air, emitting enough energy to maintain body heat, perspiring to regulate the body`s temperature, and sending messages to the brain. The basal metabolic rate is usually computed according to the quantity of oxygen that is used. For a sedentary person, BMR uses up around 60 - 70 % of daily energy expenditure; the remaining 30 - 40 % is utilized in physical movement and action and from body heat produced after a meal. Physical activity exhausts as much as 50-60 percent of the of the total energy expenditure in people who include frequent aerobic activity in their daily routine.


Isometrics - a system of muscle-building exercises involving the application of muscular tension from opposing muscle groups. It entails minimal movement (because the muscular contractions do not affect the length of the muscles) even though the two muscle groups are being worked against each other.


Acetone - a chemical that forms if the body breaks down fatty acids in lieu of glucose for energy. When this happens, ketone levels increase and acetone `spills` into the urine and is breathed out, producing a `fruity` smell. (See Ketone bodies.)