ChrisMost of us consider ourselves ‘healthy’ individuals. We may, however,
just be blissfully unaware of the grim reality!
According to the World Health Organization, health is a ‘state of
complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
Our health is not only maintained because of the advancement and
application of the health and medical sciences. We also need to make
intelligent lifestyle choices that will ultimately affect our health. It is our
responsibility to look after different aspects of our health. Of course,
advances in medical science and research can help us help ourselves in
our efforts to maintain health.
Food or nutrition is the primary source of energy and hence health for
our body. Nutrition is the science that studies what and how we eat and
the effects it has on our health, such as what food or food components
may cause disease or adversely affect health. It also studies food and
dietary supplements that can help us to improve our performance,
promote our health and help in the cure or prevention of disease.
For example, eating food that is rich in fiber can reduce the risk of colon
cancer. Also, supplementing daily food intake with vitamin C
strengthens your teeth and gums and improves the immune system of
your body.
There is a variety of diseased states that can be caused by and cured by
changes in diet or supplements. Imbalances in our diet, deficiencies of a
particular kind or the excess of a particular form can equally affect our
health negatively as they can lead to conditions such as scurvy, obesity
and osteoporosis.
In today’s polluted environment, the ingestion of elements that play no
role in maintaining or protecting your health such as lead and mercury
is also a major health hazard.
Exercise is crucial to maintaining physical fitness. It helps maintain a
healthy weight, promotes the building and maintenance of healthy
bones, joints, and muscles, engenders physiological well-being, reduces
surgical risks, and strengthens the immune system.
Proper nutrition is no less important to good health than exercise and when you are
exercising regularly, it is even more important to have good nutrition.
This helps the body recover after strenuous exercise. On the other
hand, proper rest is also important.
We have established that proper diet and nutrition are crucial to
maintaining your health. Maintaining a healthy diet involves making
4choices of what to eat and in what quantity, with the overall aim of
maintaining your best and most healthy condition.
This involves the intake of necessary nutrients by eating the right amount of food from all
the food groups and drinking the right amount of water. Often, we need
to consume these essential nutrients as additional supplements to
ensure that the body is at its best.
You might be surprised to learn that a lack of proper ‘nutrition can also
be responsible for weight gain. Our modern diet is unfortunately rich in
carbohydrates, fats, and sugars but lacking in crucial nutrients such as
vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are responsible for ensuring that
your body performs at its best. They are the crucial ‘supplements’ that
your body needs to survive the stressed-out, badly nourished life that
most of us lead.