Nutrition in the 21st century

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Nutrition in the 21st Century
Onesimus Applewhite
Nutrition for the Young Child
EC-205
Spring 2016
Instructor: Eddie Tate, Jr., Ed.S
Mississippi Valley State University

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What is nutrition?
When you think of nutrition, what comes to mind? Eating foods that are not fried and staying
away from beverages, but nutrition refers to energy. “The very functions of life are completely
dependent on energy.” (2003, May) Focusing on daily tasks, enjoyment of life, and operating
motor vehicles all require some level of energy. Our bodies are like vehicles, if we expect our
bodies to perform at a high level, we have to put the proper fuel in our bodies. If we expect our
bodies to perform like high performance vehicles, then it would not make any sense to put fuel
that is inadequate to our performance. Take for instance athletes, they perform at high levels, but
they train hard and monitor their intake. Dealing with nutrients which are “substances ingested
and necessary for the proper functioning of the body. Nutrition is a large and vital part of all the
medical sciences.”(2003, May) However, nutrition is constantly changing and it is hard to
determine with everyone not having good health.
Why are nutrients important?
Nutrients are important in our everyday lives. One of the most important nutrients that is
forgotten but is very vital in our existence is water. Without water we would not be able to
live. Water helps our organs and skin. Our bodies are majority water. “This precious fluid
keeps our blood flowing, our stomachs working, our skin supple etc.”(2009) The brain and heart
would not function properly without water. Vitamins are very essential and so is calcium. We
also need a certain amount of minerals. Protein is formed by amino acids which gives us energy
and supply nutrients to our muscles. In other words, if we want the right kinds of fuel to perform
the many tasks in our everyday lives, we need nutrients.

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How good or bad nutrition does affects children?
“Nutrition is important for children because it is directly linked to all aspects of their growth and
development.”(2007) A child is similar to a sponge, soaking up everything that they can. How to
feed themselves, associating names with faces, and grasping knowledge are some of the many
tasks that children have to perform. Learning letter sounds, applied mathematics, and so many
other things. Being able to use their memory is important with children. For example, children
who practice good eating habits are more likely to avoid health diseases than those who eat a lot
of unhealthy foods. Many children suffer from inadequate nutrition tend to have a harder time
focusing on school related tasks because of their inability to focus.
How does loss of sleepaffect our lives?
“Skimping on sleep has long been associated with overeating, poor food choices and weight
gain.”(2016, February 26) When sleep is restricted it releases a boosted signal in the brain that
causes overeating. Snacks like cookies, chips, and candy are the leading snacks that cause one to
over eat. These snacks are very unhealthy, and can lead to other health risks. Restriction of
sleep and obesity are becoming very common. When people deprive themselves of sleep, they
tend to wake up with a stronger appetite, thus leading to overeating. Actually trying to stay
awake uses a lot of energy, and causes an intake of extra calories.
What do we need to know about nutrition?
What you put into your body relates to your health, eating certain foods that contains enzymes
helps with digestion. Proper digestion is important to good health. Eating food that lacks the
proper amount of enzymes causes our bodies to retain food longer. Eating certain foods from

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supermarkets can be beneficial rather than fast food high in trans-fat. “The value of proper
nutrition cannot be emphasized enough.”(Nutrition, The Key to Energy)
References
Adachi,K.(n.d.). Nutrition,TheKey to Energy. RetrievedfromEducate-Yourself:http://educate-
yourself.org/nutrition/
getanswer.org.(2009). getanswer.org.RetrievedfromWhydowe NeedNutrients?
http://www.getanswer.org/why-do-we-need-nutrients/
The American Societyfor Nutrition.(2003, May).RetrievedfromThe AmericanJournal forClinical
Nutrition:http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/77/5/1093.full
Why Is Nutrition ImportantforChildren?(2007). Retrievedfromchildrensheartcenter.org:
http://www.childrensheartcenter.org/whyisnutritionimportantforchildren.html
Universityof ChicagoMedical Center.(2016,February26). Sleep loss boostshunger,unhealthy food
choices.RetrievedfromScience Daily:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160229221045.htm