The Importance of Nutrition
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| Hippocrates |
The importance of good nutrition is nothing new. Back in 400 B.C, Hippocrates said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." Today, good nutrition is more important than ever. At least 4 of the 10 leading causes of death in every country is - heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes - are directly related to the way we eat; diet is also implicated in scores of other conditions. But while the wrong diet can be deadly, eating right is among the cornerstones of health.
Of course, food alone isn't the key to a longer and healthier life. Good nutrition should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle, which also includes regular exercise, not smoking or drinking alcohol, stress management and limiting exposure to environment hazards. And no matter how well you eat, your genes play a big part in your risk for certain health problems. But don't underestimate the influence of how and what you eat.
The keys to good nutrition are balance, variety and moderation. To stay healthy, your body needs the right balance of CARBOHYDRATE, FATS, AND PROTEIN - the three main components of nutrition.
You also need VITAMINS, MINERALS and other substances for many different foods, and while some food are better than others, no single food or food group has it all. So eating a variety of different foods is essential.
BUT REMEMBER EAT IN MODERATION QUANTITY!!
MODERATION means eating neither too much nor too little of and food or nutrient. TOO MUCH food can result in EXCESS WEIGHT and event too much of certain nutrients, while eating TOO LITTLE can lead to NUMEROUS NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES and LOW BODY MASS.
MAINTAINING A BALANCED DIET BY HEALTHY EATING CAN:
- Give you vitality and energy for life
- Help you stay at a weight that's right for you
- Boost your immune system
- Improve sports performance
- Delay the effects of aging
- Keep you active and fit into old age
- Help beat tiredness and fatigue
- Protect teeth and keep gums healthy
- Enhance your ability to concentrate and possible alter mood
- Ward off serious illnesses like heart disease, certain cancers, mature-age onset diabetes, and gallbladder disease
Basics of Health Eating for Today
LOW FAT
Cutting down on all fats from fatty and fried foods, butter, cream, margarine and oils is agreed on by nutritionists the world over as a way of making the modern diet healthier and reducing weight. Cutting down on saturated fat in particular is important for the heart.
LOTS OF STARCHY CARBOHYDRATES
We have forgotten how important rice, pasta, potatoes, bread and cereals are to our health. Forget the stodgy image of starch from years gone by! Starch is in again and may turn out to be just as critical as fibre is now.
HIGH FIBER
Not just bran! Fiber, that largely indigestible part of our food and often the part that really gets us chewing, is responsible for so much good. It not only keeps our insides moving smoothly but it helps to lower cholesterol, prevent gallstones and bowel cancer, and keep our weight in check. Wholemeal and grain breads are full of it, as are brown rice, barley, lentils, beans and vegetables. To start your day, there is a wonderful array of wholegrain and bran breakfast cereals.
VITAMINS, MINERALS, AND ANTI-OXIDANTS
Vegetables, fruit and grains carry an abundance of vitamins, minerals and numerous other natural substances (called phytochemicals) which scientists are only just beginning to discover. Phytochemicals function as anti-oxidants, which fight off free radicals that could otherwise damage our cells, membranes and DNA. Numerous studies show that people who eat lots of vegies and fruit have lower rates of heart disease and cancer.
VARIETY
Variety doesn't mean 10 different cereal packs in your cupboard, but rather a variety of botanically different foods. Pasta, bread, puffed wheat and couscous all look and taste different but are all derived from the one basic (but versatile) grain (wheat). So they all provide similar nutrient Substituting other grains like oats, barley, corn or rye for some wheat adds diversity to your diet and ensures a wider range of nutrients. The nutrients you miss from one food, you can make up from another.
MODERATE SUGAR AND SWEETS
Sugar in modest amounts adds to the flavour of cooking and is a useful fuel for athletes and other active people. In excess, however, sugar adds unwanted kilojoules and can displace other more important foods - particularly for children and teenagers. In chewy and sticky form, sugar also can cause dental caries (or tooth decay).
LIGHT ON SALT
Our modern diet is laden with salt. It's not until you avoid salt for a few weeks that you notice how it masks the true flavour of foods. As 75 per cent of our total salt intake comes from everyday commercial foods (including bread, biscuits, cereals, butter, deli meats and snack foods), it is imperative to buy salt-reduced or no-added-salt products.
DRINK PLENTY OF FLUID
2-3 litres of fluid a day is needed to keep the body hydrated and the kidneys working efficiently. In hot weather or after exercise, even more fluid is required. Alcohol, beverage, soda and strong coffee do not count, as these act as diuretics and force the kidney to excrete more fluid than normal.
ENJOY MEALTIMES
Stress, tension, rushing and eating on the run all take their toll on your digestion and health. Try to relax and take the time to really appreciate the food in front of you.Not only will it increase your enjoyment and satisfaction by having a "comfortably full" stomach, this technique is often recommended as a strategy to help people lose weight.
These are some video about the important of nutrition:
Find More about the Nutrition on Youtube.com there alot of videos about nutrition in Youtube. (^_^)
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