Nutrition is variously described as a bodily process of utilizing food, as the actual supply of nutrients from foods eaten, and as the science of metabolism as it pertains to nutrients taken in, digested, and delivered for use by the body. For those of us who are not scientists, it means healthy food, supplements, and other necessary things that build health and improve the quality of life.
Most of us know that there are high and low calorie foods. Calories are used to measure how much heat is produced in metabolism. Calories are not all bad; the ones that are combined with valuable nutrients provide energy. However, 'empty calories' in foods devoid of nutrients are detrimental to health. They can even be negatives, if their digestion drains stored vitamins and minerals from the body.
Whole foods contain dense nutrition in their natural, fresh form. When people lived mainly on food they produced themselves, this was not as much of a problem as it is today. Fresh vegetables from the garden, fruits from bushes and trees, and meat from the barnyard or from wildlife were staples for many generations.
Today's store-bought food may have little natural goodness left in it. Foods are often modified to make them last longer on the shelf, to make them tasty, or to make them into snacks rather than main fare. Milk, for example, is no longer 100% pure, even though added ingredients do not need to be listed on the label. It is pasteurized, homogenized, and de-fatted, none of which is natural. White bread has lost the bran that provides needed fiber, is no longer partially digested before baking by beneficial yeasts, and may contain artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.
To extend shelf-life, essential fatty acids are removed, which has caused a general lack of these vital nutrients. Fiber is not popular with those who like soft or crisp baked goods, and vegetable oils used as common ingredients have been rendered unhealthy by processing. Sugar addiction is a problem for many and causes obesity, bone degeneration, and tooth decay, as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
To maintain or to restore health, foods must be gotten as fresh as possible, cooked carefully to preserve their wholesomeness or eaten raw, and consumed in the whole state, rather than after processing. Artificial ingredients should be avoided by both adults and children. Essential fatty acids should be supplemented, unless good quality fish can be obtained, and chemical-free produce used whenever possible.
Nutritional science involves more than food. Exercise such as walking, weight training, or body building is important; it tones muscles and the digestive tract and encourages regularity. It also results in deeper breathing, another factor for good health. Copious amounts of pure water, free of chemicals and impurities, are recommended by every health care professional. Getting enough deep, restorative sleep is also necessary for optimum well-being.
Anyone interested in a good quality of life, with freedom from pain and illness and enough energy to enjoy both work and play, must understand nutrition and assess their own diet. Much suffering and expense can thus be avoided.
Most of us know that there are high and low calorie foods. Calories are used to measure how much heat is produced in metabolism. Calories are not all bad; the ones that are combined with valuable nutrients provide energy. However, 'empty calories' in foods devoid of nutrients are detrimental to health. They can even be negatives, if their digestion drains stored vitamins and minerals from the body.
Whole foods contain dense nutrition in their natural, fresh form. When people lived mainly on food they produced themselves, this was not as much of a problem as it is today. Fresh vegetables from the garden, fruits from bushes and trees, and meat from the barnyard or from wildlife were staples for many generations.
Today's store-bought food may have little natural goodness left in it. Foods are often modified to make them last longer on the shelf, to make them tasty, or to make them into snacks rather than main fare. Milk, for example, is no longer 100% pure, even though added ingredients do not need to be listed on the label. It is pasteurized, homogenized, and de-fatted, none of which is natural. White bread has lost the bran that provides needed fiber, is no longer partially digested before baking by beneficial yeasts, and may contain artificial coloring, flavoring, and preservatives.
To extend shelf-life, essential fatty acids are removed, which has caused a general lack of these vital nutrients. Fiber is not popular with those who like soft or crisp baked goods, and vegetable oils used as common ingredients have been rendered unhealthy by processing. Sugar addiction is a problem for many and causes obesity, bone degeneration, and tooth decay, as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
To maintain or to restore health, foods must be gotten as fresh as possible, cooked carefully to preserve their wholesomeness or eaten raw, and consumed in the whole state, rather than after processing. Artificial ingredients should be avoided by both adults and children. Essential fatty acids should be supplemented, unless good quality fish can be obtained, and chemical-free produce used whenever possible.
Nutritional science involves more than food. Exercise such as walking, weight training, or body building is important; it tones muscles and the digestive tract and encourages regularity. It also results in deeper breathing, another factor for good health. Copious amounts of pure water, free of chemicals and impurities, are recommended by every health care professional. Getting enough deep, restorative sleep is also necessary for optimum well-being.
Anyone interested in a good quality of life, with freedom from pain and illness and enough energy to enjoy both work and play, must understand nutrition and assess their own diet. Much suffering and expense can thus be avoided.
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