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NUTRITION

NUTRITION

As the name suggests, ‘nutrition’ includes in itself’ nutrients’ which can be broadly classified as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, roughage, and water. A balanced amount of these nutrients in the right proportions constitute a healthy diet.

The words’ balanced’ and ‘right proportions’ mentioned previously are key to life when it comes to consuming nutrients. ‘Optimum Nutrition’ is defined as eating the right amount of nutrients in a proper schedule to achieve the best performance and longest possible lifetime in good health. The importance of nutrition can be visibly highlighted by the increasing number of nutrient deficiency diseases such as night blindness, scurvy, cretinism, anemia, and nutrient excess health-threatening conditions like obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other cardiovascular anomalies.

Undernutrition in underdeveloped and developing countries has been marked by malnutrition due to lack of even the basic staple nutrients causing diseases like marasmus and kwashiorkor. Animal nutrition on the molecular level comes from nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen compounds. Nutrients are the building blocks of the food chain, which interlink to form food webs and influence world food production via biodiversity.

Similarly, plant nutrition is referred to as the chemicals that are necessary for plant growth and other physiological processes in plants like metabolism, transport, photosynthesis, etc. Nutrients essential for plants are obtained from the soil, air, sunlight, and as a whole from the earth; thus, the nutrients can be recycled and renewed, making it easily available for sustenance of life.

Fatigue, tiredness, and apathy are common among the working class as well as students. To feel refreshed, motivated as well as reenergized, all we require is the proper nutrition for our systems. Nutrition helps an individual attain optimal health throughout life as well as boost self-esteem.

There are six essential nutrients for the proper growth, development and functioning of our body. They are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.

Carbohydrates: They are considered as the main source of energy. Carbohydrates are very important for our brain. It is because of carbohydrates that our body is able to be function properly. We can get carbohydrates in sugar items, vegetables, fruits, grains and breads. We should eat those food items which contain whole grain. Whole grain helps us in many ways and is very important as it protects us from many diseases.

Proteins: They are responsible for building our body, development, growth of the body cells and also help to repair the tissues of our body. They are called as the body building food. The food items which can give us proteins are eggs, dairy items, meat and beans.

Vitamins: Vitamins help our ligaments, bones and blood vessels to structure properly. There are different types of vitamins that are needed for our body. They are Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K. All of these types of vitamins have different functions in our body.

Minerals: There are different minerals which help us in various ways. For example: Our bones become strong by the intake of calcium. We can get calcium by taking milk, yoghurt and cheese that contains less fat.

Water: Water has many benefits. It helps to maintain our body temperature, digestion and excretion of the waste products from our body. We should regularly drink water as it will help us to be protected from many health problems.

Eating a balanced diet improves a person’s health and well-being and reduces risks of major causes of death. The other benefits of nutrition include a healthy heart, strength in teeth and bones, maintains good brain health, boosts immunity, bolsters the body to fight against diseases, keeps higher energy levels, and keeps the bodyweight at check. With such a minimum as maintaining our diet comes the strength of independence or self-dependence. The topic of nutrition has gained its importance by being studied and researched over for years. Nutrition is taught as a subject in various levels of education, and professions such as farmers, scientists, nutritionists, dietitians, health counselors, and doctors who form the pillar of our society are all based on nutrition fundamentals.

Progressive research works from various parts of the world on ‘nutrition’ has helped in aiding health conditions for the living, yet a big section of society is not reached out for proper food supplies. With the current progressive rate of scientific enhancement in the field of nutrition, resulting in increasing food production, we should be able to reach out to those who are dying due to the lack of something as basic as food, which should be available to everyone equally.

Good nutritional habits and a balanced diet aren't developed in one day, nor are they destroyed in one unbalanced meal. Healthful eating means a lifestyle of making choices and decisions, planning, and knowing how to make quick and wise choices when you haven't planned.

It is a challenge that should not be taken lightly. The nutritional habits you develop now will be difficult to change in the coming years when your body stops growing and your lifestyle may become more sedentary. Learning to make sensible choices from a confusing array of options is not easy, but the rewards are great. Eating nutritious and healthful food while maintaining your proper body weight will contribute to a better performance in the classroom, in the gym, and on the dance floor. You will feel and look your best.

In contrast, a poor diet can lead to insidious health problems that can interfere with success in academic and social performance and may eventually mean confronting a serious long-term illness, such as heart disease or diabetes. Knowing how much and what to eat is important knowledge.

 

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