Nutrition

The importance of good nutrition is familiar to us there is nothing new. Today, good nutrition is more important than ever. At least four of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S., heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes, are directly related to way we eat. Hippocrates said, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food."

Food alone is not the key to a longer and healthier life. An overall healthy lifestyle, must include regular exercise, stress management and not smoking or drinking alcohol excessively, limitig exposure to environmental hazards along with good nutrition.

The keys to good nutrition are balance, variety and moderation. Moderation means eating neither too much nor too little of any food or nutrient. too much food can be responsible for excess weight and eating too little can result in numerous nutrient deficiencies and low body mass.

The three main components of nutrition are carbohydrates, fats and protein. The right balance of these three components help us to keep our boday healthy. Our body also need vitamins, minerals and other substances from many different foods. Eating a variety of different foods is essential because though some foods have better percentage of vitamins and minerals, no single food or food group has it all.

For example, atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) can begin in early childhood, but the process can be halted and reversed by making healthy changes in you diet and lifestyle. Osteoporois, in which gradual bone thinning happen, may be slowed if you maintain adequate vitamin D levels and consume enough calcium and participate in weight-bearing exercise.