In parts I and II of this 3-part series, I covered macronutrients and micronutrients. In today’s final installment of “What is Nutrition?,” the topic focuses on the final 2 key pieces in the nutrition puzzle; water and fiber.
Last week, in part I, I discussed macronutrients and several reasons why good nutrition is important. As a reminder, nutrition is the supply of materials, as food, required by the body’s cells to stay alive. Stated differently, nutrition is the science of consuming and utilizing foods. This week, the topic will focus on micronutrients (vitamins …
What is good nutrition? Human biology requires seven types of nutrients, which includes the 3 macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), and water and fiber. This article will cover the 3 macronutrients as well as several reasons why you need to pay attention to what you eat.
In 2018, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) published weight loss data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. According to the CDC web-site, the “National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The …
Read moreWhat is the Current State of Weight Loss in the U.S.?
Nutritional genomics, also known as nutrigenomics, is the science of studying the relationship between the human genome, nutrition, and health.
Why is Nutrition Important
Scientists and medical professionals may not always agree on which foods are best for us, but there is general agreement that a healthy diet will prevent malnutrition and protect against many diseases. Below are several important reasons to consider cleaning up your diet and improving your nutrition.
Good Nutrition Improves Both Physical and Mental Health
It’s obvious that good nutrition leads to better physical performance, in the sense of less bodyfat, more muscle and lower disease risk. However, the Mental Health Foundation reports that approximately 65% of those who eat fresh fruit and vegetables daily report no mental health issues. This is significant because mental health issues are rising dramatically in the western world.
The Cost of Poor Nutrition
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, good nutrition could prevent at least $71 billion per year in medical costs and lost lives, by reducing diet-related coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. What’s perhaps most remarkable about this statistic, is that it does not include other diet-related illnesses, so is likely understated!
Maintains Your Immune System
The immune system is the body’s defense against disease, and poor nutrition is the number one cause of immunodeficiencies worldwide. Maintaining a healthy immune system requires an adequate consumption of vitamins and minerals.
Healthy Diets May Lengthen Your Life
Food is necessary for humans to survive, but the process of breaking down food, metabolism, causes stress on the body. Research done at Columbia University showed that 18% of deaths among Americans can be attributed to obesity. Diets that are rich in nutrients have been found to have a positive effect on life expectancy.
Summary
There are many good reasons to improve your nutrition, and hopefully, this article has helped to provide you with the motivation to do so. If you need help getting started, please contact me for a free consultation.
We have this huge disconnect in modern day life because we should be moving a lot but we often do not. Having a body that moves well is the answer to a life in which you feel more capable, confident, and free. And unfortunately, if you neglect it when you are younger, you may pay the price as you age.
One area of regulation, that seems to be less objectionable is food labeling. Both parties seem to agree that it is important, and it’s hard to disagree with the idea of making consumers more aware through transparency. However, it’s also quite clear that food labeling is a complete failure when it comes to educating the public in order to change behavior.
Today’s article is all about intelligent training for specific goals. And it’s research based. It may fly in the face of the normal stuff you see/read in the media, and that’s OK because most media sources are junk (in my opinion). So, put aside Runners World and toss out Muscle and Fitness and instead base your training on my science-backed article!
Most people generally know what “healthy” foods are. Everybody knows that an apple is healthier than a bag of potato chips, right? So, if you accept that, then why are we faced with an obesity epidemic in the western world? Why are so many people suffering from chronic preventable diseases? And why are people eating so poorly?