Health and Nutrition

The American Heritage Science Dictionary defines nutrition as the process by which living organisms obtain food and use it for growth, metabolism, and repair. The stages of nutrition include ingestion, digestion, absorption, transport, assimilation, and excretion.

This is a very accurate description defining the role nutrition plays in the human body. While the overall knowledge of nutrition and it's correlation to living a healthy and disease free life are becoming more and more widespread, recent studies have statistically shown that a record number of Americans are nutritionally deficient.

Modern nutritional information was developed by Antoine Lavoisier who described the process of metabolism in exact detail. From this point forward, modern science continues to publish research related to the understanding and importance of a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and the roles that they play in supporting good health and wellness.

In fact, it seems almost paradoxical that as more and more Americans continue to learn of the healthy benefits associated with good nutritional intake, the nutritional diet of the average individual in America continues to become increasingly unhealthy.

The goal of this section of our website is to provide you with a comprehensive outline of exactly what is involved in creating a healthy, nutritious, and balanced diet. While there is a wealth of readily accessible, common sense information related to nutrition available, many important aspects associated with nutrition are still unknown by the average American. In order to live a long, healthy, and prosperous life it is vitally important that every individual gain an in-depth knowledge of exactly what types of foods provide the nutrients necessary for optimal health.

The data available within this category of our website is a collection of the most up-to-date, relevant, and researched information that science can offer on the topic of nutrition. Consuming foods that are natural, unprocessed, and free of chemicals and pesticides, a person will begin to consume the types of nutrients needed by the body into the body. 

By doing so, the beneficial properties associated with the consumption of nutritional foods will be realized virtually immediately and across a variety aspects. In addition, a healthy diet has also been statistically proven, through research, to reduce and eliminate a large number of the debilitating diseases that are currently affecting millions of Americans.

Common Nutrition Terminology

In order for you to gain the most information possible from this section of our website, it is important that you garner an understanding of the general terms that are often used in association with nutrition. The terms generally refer to the major elements of nutrition.

At the highest level, nutrition can be divided into few top level categories: protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber. Below is a brief explanation of each of the top level categories:

Protein

The first term to be discussed is known as protein. A protein supplies your body with the necessary amino acids needed to maintain healthy body tissue. While many of the amino acids that your body needs are produced within your body, there are a few that can only be obtained from outside food sources.

Fat

Fat is another term that must be fully understood. Many individuals view fat as a nutrient that is detrimental to their health.

While the over consumption of foods high in fat can lead to a number of debilitating health complications, the human body needs fat for a variety of different functions. For example, fat is responsible for storing and supplying energy throughout the body.

There are two main types of fat: omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. The average American consumes excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids and deficient amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates have received an increase in publicity with the advent of the Atkin’s Diet fad. Essentially, carbohydrates are responsible for supplying our bodies with energy.

Carbohydrates are divided into two distinct classes, simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are mainly found in foods containing sugars and complex carbohydrates are found in potatoes, pastas, and grains. Complex carbohydrates are the preferred source of carbohydrates as they contain fewer calories.

Fiber

Fiber is also a very important nutrient that very few people take into consideration. Fibers have a number of different digestive benefits.

Fibers are typically broken down into two classes: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and has been proven to effectively lower cholesterol. Insoluble fibers are unable to dissolve in water and have been proven to improve the overall efficiency of the digestive system.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are not only necessary for the human body, but they are also responsible for a large array of functions that take place within our bodies. For instance, vitamins and minerals are instrumental in the regulation of our metabolism and the maintaining of healthy cellular growth and functionality.

While several vitamins and minerals are produced within our bodies naturally, a large majority of them are not and can only be obtained through the consumption of nutritional foods. For this reason, it is important to ensure that you are consuming a well-balanced whole foods diet that is nutrient-rich on a daily basis.

By doing so, you will ensure that you are providing the nutrients that the body requires to effectively perform the various bodily functions required to sustain life, ward off disease, and support a life that is filled with good health and wellness.

In instances where you find it difficult to consume healthy foods or you are looking to increase the level of nutrients that you are providing to body, vitamin and mineral supplements are well worth considering.

The goal of this section of our website is to provide you with a vast array of information directed at defining how to go about obtaining a healthy balance of the various nutrients that the body needs to function at its optimal level.

Good health, fitness, and mental well-being are obtained through living a lifestyle that regularly engages in various forms of physical activity, regularly consumes well-balanced whole foods that are nutrient-rich, and regularly performs exercises that are designed to calm and center the mind.

It is our hope that you will learn as much as possible from our nutritional section, and thereafter, continue to peruse through the other fitness topic sections to gain a comprehensive understanding of how to live a lifestyle that is filled with good health and wellness.

Reference: https://www.fitnesshealth101.com/fitness/nutrition