Proper Nutrition

Consuming proper nutrients is essential for the human body to function.  Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains help not only to ensure that your body functions properly, but can also help in the treatment and prevention of a number of serious conditions.  Some conditions that can be improved with proper nutrition include cardiovascular disease, strokes and some types of cancer.

When you eat a meal, your body breaks up the food.  Some of this food is stored as fat, while other parts of it enter your bloodstream as sugar, and work to provide you with energy throughout the day.  When you skip a meal, your blood sugar drops dramatically.  This not only can make you feel sluggish and tired, but it can also wreck havoc with insulin in your body.  If you chronically skip meals, you can be setting yourself up for the development of diabetes later in life.  

On the other hand, overeating puts more than just your physical health at risk.  Overeating can effect your mental health, your self esteem and your social and family life.  Overeating occurs when you consume, over the long term, more food than you actually need to maintain good health.  The effects of overeating extend far beyond the health risks of obesity and disease.  Overeating often leads to obesity, which can put you at risk for diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and other health problems.  Overeating can also lead to acne, hair loss due to vitamin deficiency and other cosmetic problems.

What we eat is just as important as balancing how much we eat.  Poor nutritional habits can be a behavioral health issue, because nutrition and diet affect how you feel, look, think and act.  A bad diet results in lower core strength, slower problem solving ability, muscle response time and less alertness.  Poor nutrition creates many other negative health effects as well.  A healthy diet is one that provides adequate levels of vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats from a variety of foods.  An unhealthy diet, in contrast, is one that contains too much saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, added sugars and processed ingredients or contains too few nutrients.  Unhealthy diets result in a poor nutrient-to-calorie ratio, which can lead to weight gain and malnutrition, as well as related health problems.  A healthy diet provides the nutrition your body needs to grow, maintain itself and function properly.  A variety of fresh, whole foods serve as an abundant source of nutrients.  However, the typical American diet often lacks adequate levels of key nutrients such as potassium, dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin D. Over time, failing to get enough calcium can cause bone loss, low levels of vitamin D can cause bone weakness and not getting the recommended levels of potassium can lead to fatigue and muscle weakness.  Fiber helps keep your colon healthy and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.  A nutritious diet provides the nutrients that help your body ward off disease.  Over time, a diet lacking in nutrients and high in fat, salt or sugar can result in the development of chronic conditions.  Following an unhealthy diet increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010.

Water

Dehydration is the state of not having enough fluid in the body.  It is common for athletes who fail to drink enough water during strenuous exercise, but it can also occur in anyone who does not receive adequate fluid intake.  The elderly are especially susceptible to dehydration.  The normal aging process tends to cause a decrease in thirst, which results in several problems associated with dehydration.  Some symptoms of dehydration are dry skin, loss of appetite, headaches and confusion.  Drinking enough water can alleviate these symptoms.

The digestive tract is a very complex system that requires water to help break down food.  Heartburn, indigestion and constipation are some problems associated with inadequate water intake.  The stomach lining is 98 percent water and contains bicarbonate to protect against stomach acid.  This lining should be thick at all times to prevent stomach problems.  Water helps maintain the thickness of the stomach lining.  Not drinking enough water thins the lining, causing damage.

Cartilage in the body's joints consists of approximately 80 percent water.  This cartilage gives the joints a smooth surface and allows them to slide easily during movement, but they must remain lubricated.  Not drinking enough water causes less lubrication of the joints, resulting in a greater amount of friction.  When these joints lose their lubrication, they begin to degenerate quickly leading to arthritis. 

Insufficient water intake can lead to high blood pressure.  A shortage of water causes some capillaries to close, which results in a restriction in the movement of blood.  This restriction of blood results in higher blood pressure as the body tries harder to push the blood through.  Liquid in the arteries compensates for the lack of water in the capillaries.  Because the blood is primarily water, drinking water can help lower the pressure.  If blood flow to the kidneys is restricted due to lack of water, they react by constricting the veins and arteries making blood pressure even higher.