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Nutrition, Diet and Exercise

All living things require some form of nutrition to carry out all the processes essential for the maintenance of life. Nutrients are classified into five major groups:

1)Proteins

2)Carbohydrates

3)Fats

4)Vitamins

5)Minerals

Proteins serve to build up and maintain the tissues of your body. They are essential for protecting the body against disease. Your muscles, your organs, even some of your hormones are made up mostly of protein. They are chiefly found in foods such as poultry, beans, chicken, fish and different forms of meats. They are also included in other foods such as nuts and dairy products like cheese, milk, and yogurt.

Carbohydrates come in generally two different forms: sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates). Simple carbohydrates are usually sweet tasting, like cookies, candy, soda, and other sugary foods. And some foods from nature - like many types of fruit - are sources of simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods like bread, noodles, and rice, and in many varieties of tasty vegetables.

Fats (also known as lipids) are a class of nutrients that are essential to the human diet -- although may lead to weight gain when consumed excessively. They are found mainly in various forms of meat and dairy products. Some of the richer vegetable sources of dietary fat include nuts, soybeans, and avocadoes. Eventhough fats are an important component of our diet, an excess in it's intake could potentially lead to obesity, cardiovascular disease, and certain forms of cancer.

Vitamins & Minerals are needed for the maintenance of our body's structures and their normal functioning. Some such as calcium, magnesium and potassium are responsible for sustaining strong teeth and bones, for aiding in muscular growth and contraction, for keeping a regular heartbeat and for transmitting nerve impulses throughout the body. They can be found in foods such as citrus fruits, bananas, and vegetables.

DIET

These various sources of nutrients are necessary for us to sustain normal growth and to stay healthy. Not only is it important how we take in these foods, but also how often we incorporate them into our diets that affects our well being. Some nutrients (particularly in the form of fats) should be consumed in moderation. Too much may lead to unwanted weight gain, cavities, heart disease, high blood pressure and other afflictions that may affect us later in our lifetimes.

Many nutritionists and other food researchers generally agree upon the idea that there is a set amount of each food group that we should try to weave into our diets on a daily basis. They’ve come up with a chart we know as the food pyramid which provides a guideline for the healthy consumption of food on a daily basis:

• 6 to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta

• 3 to 5 servings of vegetables

• 2 to 4 servings of fruit

• 2 to 3 servings of dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese)

• 2 to 3 servings of protein (meat, fish, eggs, poultry, dry beans, nuts)

• As few fats, oils, and sweets as possible

Many are concerned with losing weight or maintaining their current body weight. Even though our ability to gain or loose weight may be affected by our genetic make-up, our eating habits and physical activity level may also contribute to our physical state. Our genes affect our tendency to gain or loose weight and this tendency to gain weight is increased when we eat more food than the body needs and when we exercise less. If we are concerned about maintaining a healthy weight, it is suggested that we choose a lifestyle that combines sensible eating habits with regular physical activity.

EXERCISE
Sometimes the mere utterance of the word “Exercise” brings distress to some. For those of you who fit into this category – you’re in luck! Exercise does not have to be a source of displeasure. In fact according to , dancing is considered a form of physical activity through which we can burn off some of those unwanted calories. For those of us who aren’t much into athletics, playing basketball or running a few miles a day does not seem so appealing, but those aren’t our only options. Other activities such as rollerblading, swimming, also provide a way for us to be physically active. Being physically active may seem tedious to some of us especially when we don't enjoy what it is that we are doing.

Some ways to stay enthused about what it is that you are doing are: