Nutrition

So what does the word nutrition mean?

There are several ways of describing it.

It is the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished.
It is the science of study in nutrition and its effects on humans.
It is the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.

What are the reasons behind the escalating need to study nutrition?

Well according to most, to avoid disease and achieve the highest level of good health, in other words, to help you feel you're best!

The study of nutrition is an area of research that is rapidly changing and constantly revealing new results. The scientific study of nutrition and food is vital because of its direct affect on human welfare. The truth is that not until the last century has nutrition become of great concern. Even when the average individual did not have a 'scientific' grasp on the inner workings of nutrients, certain expressions where often used; drink milk it is good for your bones, eat carrots they are good for your eyes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Research has now taken our understanding of nutrition to levels of complexity so that for many it is overwhelming to remember what is good for you, what is not.

Nutrients are classified into five major groups: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals and each one of these have a function. So what is the problem? Consuming or obtaining them in the right amounts to make our human engines work right. That is when the problem starts. The key word here is 'right amounts'.

With education and awareness everyone is rapidly becoming aware of the need for a balanced diet and nutrition but are finding it more difficult to achieve. The availability of many vitamin supplements is a plus. It is the inability to achieve a good balance between the nutrient levels needed, food consumption levels, and exercise that is currently contributing to the weight gain dilemma. So begins the struggle for many. 'I know I need to eat right but I am late for work, I know I shouldn't eat junk food but I am exhausted and hungry and want a fast solution, I know I should exercise but I worked 10 hours a day all week and I just want to relax and watch TV'. Sound familiar? We've all said it more than once.

So now what? There are so many types of approaches to try for weight loss, but unfortunately there is no simple answer. One answer is for sure, whatever method you chose, if you look upon it immediately with utter disgust, it most likely is not going to work for YOU.

So in the end, what is the right approach?

"One that you can follow for the rest of your life. This is the key to all of our dieting discussion - we, humans, are trying to find a quick fix for our problems. We think that there must be a product or a secret formula that we can purchase and that will take our weight off and keep it off forever. In fact, we all know that losing weight is rather simple - eat less than you burn. But keeping it off is what troubles us, and there is nothing that can help you other than your own personal will and determination to change your habits and either eat different foods or different quantities."
quotation taken from: www.calorie-count.com