Orthomolecular is a term that comes from ortho, which is Greek for "correct" or "right," and "molecule," which is the simplest structure that displays the characteristics of a compound. So it literally means the "right molecule."

Two-time Nobel Prize winner, and molecular biologist, Linus Pauling, Ph.D.,coined the term "Orthomolecular" in his 1968 article "Orthomolecular Psychiatry" in the journal "Science."

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body.

In 1969 Linus Pauling coined the word "Orthomolecular" to denote the use of naturally occurring substances, particularly nutrients, in maintaining health and treating disease.

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body.

The key idea in orthomolecular medicine is that genetic factors are central not only to the physical characteristics of individuals, but also to their biochemical milieu. Biochemical pathways of the body have significant genetic variability and diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, schizophrenia or depression are associated with specific biochemical abnormalities which are causal or contributing factors of the illness.

Here is a list of 15 principles that identify the 'spirit' of Orthormolecular Medicine:

1.) Orthomolecules come first in medical diagnosis and treatment. Knowledge of the safe and effective use of nutrients, enzymes, hormones, antigens, antibodies and other naturally occurring molecules is essential to assure a reasonable standard of care in medical practice.

2.) Orthomolecules have a low risk of toxicity. Pharmacological drugs always carry a higher risk and are therefore second choice if there is an orthomolecular alternative treatment.

3.) Laboratory tests are not always accurate and blood tests do not necessarily reflect nutrient levels within specific organs or tissues, particularly not within the nervous system. Therapeutic trial and dose titration is often the most practical test.

4.) Biochemical individuality is a central precept of Orthomolecular Medicine. Hence, the search for optimal nutrient doses is a practical issue. Megadoses, larger than normal doses of nutrients, are often effective but this can only be determined by therapeutic trial. Dose titration is indicated in otherwise unresponsive cases.

5.) The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of the United States Food and Nutrition Board are intended for normal, healthy people. By definition, sick patients are not normal or healthy and not likely to be adequately served by the RDA.

6.) Environmental pollution of air, water and food is common. Diagnostic search for toxic pollutants is justified and a high "index of suspicion" is mandatory in every case.

7.) Optimal health is a lifetime challenge. Biochemical needs change and our Orthomolecular prescriptions need to change based upon follow-up, repeated testing and therapeutic trials to permit fine-tuning of each prescription and to provide a degree of health never before possible.

8.) Nutrient related disorders are always treatable and deficiencies are usually curable. To ignore their existence is tantamount to malpractice.

9.) Don't let medical defeatism prevent a therapeutic trial. Hereditary and so-called 'locatable disorders are often responsive to Orthomolecular treatment.

10.) When a treatment is known to be safe and possibly effective, as is the case in much 0 Orthomolecular therapy, a therapeutic trial is mandated.

11.) Patient reports are usually reliable, The patient must listen to his body, The physician must listen to his patient.

12.) To deny the patient information and access to Orthomolecular treatment is to deny the patient informed consent for any other treatment.

13.) Inform the patient about his condition; provide access to all technical information and reports; respect the right of freedom of choice in medicine.

14.) Inspire the patient to realize that Health is not merely the absence of disease but the positive attainment of optimal function and well-being.

15.) Hope is therapeutic and orthomolecular therapies always are valuable as a source of Hope. This is ethical so long as there is no misrepresentation or deception.

The Orthomolecular Nutrition Diploma Course covers a wide variety of topics in basic nutrition as well as examining the complex field of neutraceuticals and the use of nutritional supplements, herbs and various formulations that have been found to work effectively in clinical settings. Here is the course outline:

ORTHOMOLECULAR NUTRITION DIPLOMA COURSE

PART 1 – THEORY OF ORTHOMOLECULAR NUTRITION

Lesson 1 – Nutrition: Choice for Health

1. The foods you choose determine which nutrients you consume. Nutrient-dense foods provide more essential nutrients in fewer calories.
2. Your nutrient intake affects your health in the short and long terms.
3. Nutrients fuel our bodies, provide structure, and regulate body processes.
4. A healthy diet is based on variety, balance, and moderation.
5. We choose foods for many reasons other than their nutrient content.
6. Advances in nutrition knowledge are made by using the scientific method.
7. Nutrition information should be critically examined before it is accepted as true.

Lesson 2 – Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

1. There are many types of nutrition recommendations designed to promote health by guiding nutrient intake and food choices.
2. The Dietary Reference Intakes are a set of reference values for the amounts of calories, nutrients, and food components needed in the diets of healthy people.
3. The Food Guide Pyramid is a tool to plan diets that meet nutrition recommendations.
4. Food labels provide information about the nutrient content of individual foods and how they fit into a healthy overall diet.
5. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a set of nutrition and lifestyle recommendations that help consumers reduce the risks of chronic disease.
6. The Exchange Lists are a food group system for planning and evaluating diets.
7. Nutritional status can be assessed by evaluating your food intake, body size, and medical history.

Lesson 3 – The Digestive System: From Meals to Molecules

1. All plant and animal life is made up of cells, which form tissues that compose the organs and organ systems of a living organism.
2. The food we eat is digested in the gastrointestinal tract and its nutrients are absorbed into the body.
3. Hormones released into the blood and enzymes released into the gastrointestinal tract facilitate the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients.
4. Digestion begins in the mouth. Food is then swallowed and moves down the oesophagus to the stomach for storage and further digestion.
5. The small intestine is the primary site of digestion and absorption.
6. Water-soluble materials are absorbed into the blood. Most fat-soluble materials are absorbed into the lymph.
7. Changes in the gastrointestinal tract can alter digestion and absorption and affect nutritional status.
8. Nutrients delivered to the cells can be used to produce energy in the form of ATP and to synthesize molecules for immediate use or for storage.
9. Materials that are not absorbed pass into the large intestine and are excreted in faeces. The waste products generated inside the body by metabolism are eliminated via the lungs, skin, and kidneys.

Lesson 4 – Carbohydrates: Sugars, Starches and Fibres

1. Eating more unrefined grains, fruits, and vegetables and less added sugars increases the nutrient density of your diet.
2. Sugars are the simplest type of carbohydrate. Complex carbohydrates are made of many sugars linked together.
3. Fibre cannot be absorbed because it cannot be digested.
4. Carbohydrate's primary role is providing energy to fuel the body.
5. A steady supply of glucose is delivered to body cells by the blood.
6. Diabetes is a disease characterized by abnormally high levels of blood glucose; it is a major health problem in the United States.
7. Consuming a diet high in fibre may reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and intestinal disorders, including colon cancer.
8. The typical diet in North America includes fewer whole grains and more added sugars than is recommended.

Lesson 5 – Lipids: Fats and Oils

1. Too much of some types of fat may increase disease risk, but just reducing total fat intake doesn't make your diet healthy.
2. Triglycerides are lipids that contain three fatty acids.
3. Fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms bound together. The number of carbons and the types and locations of the bonds determine the properties of the fatty acid.
4. Phospholipids are important because they dissolve in both water and fat.
5. Cholesterol is made in the body and consumed in animal products.
6. Lipids travel in the blood in lipoproteins. The levels of various lipoproteins affect the risk of heart disease.
7. Lipids provide structure, regulation, and energy to the body. Certain fatty acids are essential in the diet.
8. A healthy diet is low in trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; moderate in total fat, and plentiful in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Lesson 6 – Proteins and Amino Acids

1. Both plant and animal foods provide protein.
2. Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids folded into three-dimensional shapes. Amino acids that cannot be made by the body in amounts sufficient to meet needs are essential in the diet.
3. Amino acids can be used to synthesize body proteins, to make non-protein molecules, and to provide energy.
4. Protein is necessary to allow for growth as well as to maintain structure and regulate functions in the body.
5. Animal sources of protein are generally of higher quality than plant sources.
6. Plant sources of protein can meet needs if complementary proteins are chosen.
7. Well-planned vegetarian diets can meet nutrient needs and promote health.

Lesson 7 – Managing Your Weight

1. More than half of the adults in the United States weigh more than are healthy.
2. Keeping body weight healthy requires balancing calorie intake with calorie expenditure.
3. The energy you obtain from food is used to keep you alive and moving and to process food.
4. Energy consumed in excess of needs is stored as fat; this stored fat is used when you eat fewer calories than you burn.
5. Genetics affect your propensity for storing excess body fat, but your food intake and activity level determine what you actually weigh.
6. The goal of weight management is to reduce body fat to a healthy level and maintain that level throughout life.
7. Weight loss requires reducing food intake and increasing activity; maintaining weight loss requires a permanent change in eating and exercise habits.
8. Eating disorders are psychological disorders that involve abnormal eating behaviors in response to an excessive concern with body size and weight.

Lesson 8 – The Vitamins

1. Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid are B vitamins needed to produce ATP from carbohydrate, fat, and protein.
2. Vitamin B6 is important for amino acid metabolism as well as energy production.
3. Folate is a coenzyme that is needed for cell division.
4. Vitamin B12, only found in animal foods, is needed for nerve function and to activate folate.
5. Vitamin C is needed to form connective tissue and acts as a water-soluble antioxidant.
6. Vitamin A is essential for vision, and it regulates cell differentiation and growth.
7. Vitamin D is necessary for bone health.
8. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant.
9. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting.

Lesson 9 – Water and Minerals

1. Water is an essential macronutrient; to maintain fluid balance, intake must equal losses.Sodium, chloride, and potassium are electrolytes. These and other minerals are important in regulating blood pressure.Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are minerals needed for bone health.Iron is a component of the oxygen transport protein haemoglobin.
2. Iron-deficiency anaemia is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide
3. Copper functions in iron transport, connective tissue synthesis, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant protection.
4. Zinc is needed for many enzymes and for the activity of a number of vitamins and hormones.
5. Selenium is an essential part of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.
6. Iodine is essential for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones.
7. Chromium helps insulin function.
8. Fluoride is important for healthy teeth and bones.

Lesson 10 – Meeting Our Needs: Food, Fortified Food and Supplements

1. We consume nutrients found naturally in foods, those added in fortification, and those contained in supplements.
2. A well-chosen diet can provide all of the nutrients needed by most healthy people. Food contains substances such as phytochemicals that are not nutrients but can be beneficial to our health.
3. Functional foods are foods that provide benefits beyond those supplied by the nutrients they contain.
4. Fortified foods are foods with added nutrients.
5. Dietary supplements are a source of nutrients; many also provide substances that are not classified as nutrients.
6. There are no mandatory standards for the manufacture of dietary supplements, the FDA regulates their labelling and monitors them for safety once they are on the market.
7. Supplemental nutrients are recommended for nutritionally vulnerable groups.
8. Dietary supplements must be chosen carefully to assure that needs are met without toxicity.

Lesson 11 – Nutrition, Fitness and Physical Activity

1. The combination of good nutrition and regular exercise works together to promote fitness.
2. Activity requires ATP generated from carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the diet and body stores.
3. The ability of the heart and lungs to provide oxygen to tissues affects which nutrients can be used to produce ATP and how much is produced.
4. Physically active individuals need extra energy to fuel their activity but the recommended proportions of carbohydrate, fat, and protein are the same as for the general population.
5. Exercise increases the amount of water needed to transport nutrients, eliminate wastes, and cool the body.
6. Appropriate food choices before, during, and after competition can help optimize athletic performance.
7. Performance-enhancing (ergogenic) supplements are popular among athletes; before they are used, the risks should be weighed against the benefits.

Lesson 12 – Nutrition, Pregnancy and Infants

1. Over the 40 weeks of pregnancy, a single cell develops into a fully formed child and the pregnant woman's body undergoes many changes to provide for the growing foetus.
2. Energy, protein, water, vitamins, and minerals needs increase during pregnancy.
3. The developing child is vulnerable to nutrient imbalances and toxins.
4. High blood glucose or high blood pressure during pregnancy put mother and child at risk.
5. Nutritional status, income, and age affect the risks to mother and child during pregnancy.
6. Nutrient needs are even greater during lactation than pregnancy.
7. A newborn infant's energy and protein needs are higher per unit of body weight than at any other time of life.
8. Breast-feeding is the ideal way to nourish most infants.
9. Infants' growth rates are the best measure of the adequacy of their diets.
10. After 4 to 6 months of age, solid foods can gradually be introduced into the infant's diet.

Lesson 13 – Nutrition from 2 to 102!

1. Eating patterns can affect health and nutrition throughout life.
2. Children's nutrient intakes must meet their needs for growth and development as well as for maintenance and activity.
3. Normal growth is the best indicator of adequate intake.
4. Sexual maturation affects nutrient needs.
5. Eating disorders and the use of fad diets, sports supplements, and alcohol use all increase during adolescence.
6. Americans are living longer than ever before; good nutrition can help to increase the number of healthy years.
7. The physiological, social, and economic changes that occur with aging increase the risk of malnutrition.
8. Older adults need to consume nutrient-dense diets to meet nutrient needs without exceeding their calorie needs.
9. Alcohol consumption can affect nutritional status, judgment, and health.

Lesson 14 – How Safe is Our Food Supply?

1. Any illness related to the consumption of food is called food-borne illness.
2. The safety of our food supply is the responsibility of federal, state, and local government organizations as well as individual consumers.
3. Bacteria, viruses, moulds, and parasites all have the potential to cause food-borne illness.
4. Care in choosing, preparing, cooking, handling, and storing food can reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
5. Chemicals used in agriculture and industry can make their way into the food supply. Technologies such as heating and cooling food, adding preservatives, and packaging are used to protect the food supply.
6. Biotechnology is the newest tool used to enhance food safety but some are concerned that it may introduce new risks.

Lesson 15 – Feeding the World

1. There are two faces of malnutrition in the world today – over-nutrition from too much of the wrong foods and under-nutrition from too little of the right foods.
2. Under-nutrition is primarily a problem in developing countries where a cycle of malnutrition produces poorly nourished children who grow into unhealthy adults.
3. Under-nutrition can be caused by food shortages, which are due to an imbalance between the number of people and the resources available to feed them.
4. Under-nutrition can be caused by poor-quality diets, especially in people with high nutrient needs.
5. Preventing under-nutrition involves short-term relief to feed the hungry and long-term policies that work to balance the number of people with available resources.
6. In the United States, the majority of the population is at risk for over-nutrition, but some segments also suffer from under-nutrition.
7. Solutions to hunger at home involve providing access to affordable food, education, and medical care.

Lesson 16 – Food Pyramids

1. How are population-wide nutritional recommendations developed
2. Standards making up Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
3. The purpose of the Dietary Guidelines.
4. MyPyramid recommendations for activity, variety, proportionality, and moderation.
5. MyPyramid recommendations for someone of your age, gender, and activity level.
6. Nutrition Facts on a food labels - fats
7. Use a food label to distinguish which ingredients are present in the greatest and least amounts in a food product.
8. Use a dietary supplement label to determine the types and amounts of ingredients in a product.
9. List the parameters that foods in the same Exchange List have in common.