With the release of the new dietary guidelines, in the form of the new food pyramid, I still find that many people don't actually understand what nutrition actually means. Because of this, dietary choices can seem overwhelming. Even greater confusion can be generated by prime time news specials which only strive to educate through clever sound-bites and diet fads which lead some to believe that all of their answers are found in one single "magic food." So what is nutrition and how can you understand it in a way that helps you apply it to your life and to the benefit of those you know and love? Here's an analogy I have found helpful in teaching those who attend my free Sunday Night Wellness Call.
Your body functions in a manner similar to a car assembly plant. At that plant, a steady stream of new parts, the correct parts and parts in the right ratios to each other are absolutely necessary in order to keep that plant open for business and running smoothly.
What would happen if someone in purchasing forgot to provide that plant with steering wheels? The cars would be almost functional. But because of a single part deficiency, that car would not be able to carry out its intended function.
If this only happened to a few cars, it probably wouldn't be a big deal. You wouldn't see any symptoms of a parts deficiency. But what if that plant had no steering wheels for an entire month? How about year? First the plant would probably close, the community would fail. Good people would move away and the "bad elements" would most likely take over the town. The lack of balanced parts would eventually lead to dire conditions.
What happens when the cells of your body are missing parts?
You eat to provide your cells with nourishment. It's not just about calories. That nourishment is the collection of parts every cell in your body needs to function properly. You provide your cells with parts and those parts are assembled according to instructions in your DNA to create a variety of finished products. That could include new cells, of which there are many kinds, anti bodies to fight disease, neurotransmitters to carry signals between nerves, and hormones to regulate your body.
So again, there are beneficial raw materials in foods, which our bodies use, and need, to carry out vital cellular functions.
These functions keep us alive.
These functions combat disease.
These functions allow us to heal.
These functions allow our cells to build new cells and all of the other finished materials that are necessary for normal life and optimal health.
And these raw materials are called nutrients.
We eat to give our body access to nutrients.
Sadly, our food does not contain the nutrients it once had in abundance, so it is necessary to supplement a good diet with quality nutritional supplementation to ensure that our cells do not suffer from a parts deficiency. We should still strive to have a good diet, from as many whole foods as possible, with supplementation being a means to supplement, not substitute, the benefits of a good diet.
Dave Saunders is a certified nutritional educator, wellness coach, member of the American International Association of Nutritional Education (AIANE) and author. He is also the host of a weekly, nation-wide telephone lecture on health and nutrition.
For additional information, please visit http://www.glycoboy.com or http://www.glycoboy.com or email Dave at http://www.glycoboy.com>
Wayne ohare limo service .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareLiquid vitamin mineralThe liquid vitamin mineral dietary supplement is a... Read More
To many people, this may seem a simplistic answer to... Read More
Although you may have heard about soy and all of... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
Female and male athletes respond to training in a fairly... Read More
Diet nutrition physiqueToday, learning about diet nutrition physique isn't all... Read More
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E.... Read More
In parts 1-4 of this series of articles titled "Take... Read More
Eating healthy is fast becoming a way of life. American's... Read More
On average 30% of foods in our daily diet are... Read More
LIFESTYLE WELLNESS = An Adventure of Health + Vitality!Not a... Read More
We've heard it not only once or twice or even... Read More
Salt is vital for our health. Right now, you have... Read More
Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules are a nutritious, all-natural alternative... Read More
Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have... Read More
They sit left behind on relish trays. They're often by-passed... Read More
Wow! Is it just me or? Wait! Let me start... Read More
The Omega Zone Diet and specialists' opinion"Omega RX Zone -... Read More
The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More
Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a... Read More
Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who's the healthiest of them... Read More
Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a common compliant of... Read More
Your magnificent machine is, in fact, a symbiotic collection of... Read More
Cholesterol is an essential building block of every cell in... Read More
Can we really stop the aging process, slow it down,... Read More
Albany Chicago limo service ..Can we really stop the aging process, slow it down,... Read More
Strict "no carb" phases of low carb diets have developed... Read More
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer... Read More
Students might start thinking a little differently, once they learn... Read More
I spent a few days at a resort in Mexico... Read More
The word herb is used to refer to any part... Read More
Most people understand that it is wise to limit the... Read More
Evidence for the importance of fruit and vegetable intake to... Read More
They sit left behind on relish trays. They're often by-passed... Read More
If you're suffering from constipation, you are no doubt looking... Read More
The best weight training and cardio workouts will do very... Read More
One way to combat the boredom many people complain accompanies... Read More
For a considerable amount of time, nutrition has not played... Read More
Nuts of all kinds (I am talking peanuts, cashews etc)... Read More
I am sure you have heard you have to build... Read More
Everyone can benefit from understanding how food affects our... Read More
With new research, new products and new skin protection advice... Read More
As you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
Most of us eat at restaurants for a variety of... Read More
I'm always amazed at how many people seem to know... Read More
"What exercises can I do to ?? As fitness professional... Read More
Since Dr Basant Puri, a consultant psychiatrist and senior lecturer... Read More
Increasing the fiber in your diet has been shown to:... Read More
Constipation is the passing of dry, hard faeces fewer than... Read More
The key to better health is learning the difference between... Read More
Nutrition |