Body 101: What I Learned Today

Since I believe that understanding one's body (and

 its needs) is important to overall health and happiness, I wanted to share this with the people I care about. I read posts on Facebook about people trying to "get healthy," "lose weight," and "eat better" all the time. As my good friend Spock always says, we all want to "live long and prosper." So, I wanted to help those interested in doing so by providing information now and then. I'm not trying to preach or anything. I just really like learning about this stuff (I think I want to pursue this as a career) and it helps me to type it up and share it with others. Plus, as I said before, I feel this information is important and I would be upset with myself if I didn't share it with you. 

• There are 45 essential nutrients that must be provided in the diet because the body either cannot make them or cannot mke them in sufficient quantities to satisfy its needs.
• There are 6 classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals.
• Diets high in saturated fats increase the risk of heart disease whereas those high in monosaturated and polyunsturated fats may reduce risks.
• Protein is needed for growth and maintenance of body structures and regulation of body processes.
• Malnutrition (which includes both undernutrition and overnutrition) can affect our health today and can impact our health 20, 30, or 40 years from now.
• Too little calcium in the teenage years causes no immediate symptoms but can cause bones to be weak and break too easily when people reach their fifties or sixties.
• Over 65% of the U.S. population is overweight.
• Your genetic makeup determines the impact a certain nutrient will have on you.
• A healthy diet is one that provides the right amount of energy to keep weight in the desirable range; the proper types and balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; plenty of water; and sufficient but not excessive amounts of essential vitamins and minerals. A healthy diet is rich in nutrient-dense foods.
• Eating a variety of foods helps ensure an adequate nutrient intake. Variety means including grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meats in the diet.
• Any food can be part of a healthy diet as long as overall intake over the course of days, weeks, and months provides enouch of all of the nutrients needed without excess of any.
• There is no such thing as a good food or a bad food--only healthy diets and unhealthy diets.
• Moderation means everything is okay, as long as you don't overdo it.
• When judging nutrition claims, first consider whether the information makes sense and whether it comes from a reliable source, such as educational institutions and government and nonprofit organizations. Individual testimonies cannot be trusted because they have not been tested by experimentation.