Importance of Health and Nutrition - Essay Example

HEALTH & NUTRITION HEALTH & NUTRITION BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE Life Learning Paper BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE HEALTH & NUTRITION Life Learning Paper Concrete Experience I take health matters really seriously. I have always been into health matters and keen on maintaining good health. I was an athlete from elementary school to high school. I played basketball, football, track and baseball. I excelled in all these sports. I really started taking health and nutrition serious during my late adolescent years, just wanting to bulk up. I dont eat pork, or drink a lot of fruit juices, soda or alcohol. And, I only eat sweets occasionally. My fitness regime really took off when I joined the military. I just wanted to challenge myself to be better than the competition. I wanted to be the best and most certainly look the best in uniform. I am a black male and my height is 6ft 2in. My weight is 245lbs. I run about 4 to 5 times a week, and workout 3 to 4 times a week. In the army I was a part of the Three Hundred Club. This is classed as excellence in PT (Physical Training). I did not keep any personal journals for my physical training lessons, but the instructors do keep a regular record of all our test scores. I am ranked in the top 10% of my base OE unit and scored a 300 on my physical training test 3 times. I won a patch for my uniform for the Three Hundred Club. This is regarded as perfect in all the physical training tests. I subscribe to numerous health and fitness magazines, such as Muscle Fitness Magazine and Men’s Health Magazine amongst others. I dont use many supplements. However, I do use protein powder. I am a member of a fitness club, called Aspen Fitness, in Tulsa. Observations and Reflections I decided to learn about health and nutrition because it was something I’ve always been interested in. I am very much attached to this concept of physical development, living a healthy life and being physically fit to the extent of being a competitive sportsman. This is precisely what I had always hoped to accomplish. I had some pre-conceived ideas about what would be involved when I come here, but they are more or less what I have experienced. The most enjoyable part of my study has been the physical training and competing against others. This is also the hardest part of my stay in the army because it is very tough and rigorous course, but at the same time it is very enjoyable too. The physical changes that have come about obviously relate to my fitness. My fitness has developed tremendously. I am grateful that I have been given this opportunity in life, and that I am being professionally trained to be fit and healthy. Concepts of, and thinking on nutrition and health have changed over time according to the prevailing knowledge and understanding. But, in my time, I have personally noticed that these years, there is a lot of emphasis on low cholesterol, low fat and fat free foods. As I have mentioned above, my greatest success to date was being ranked in the top 10% of my base OE unit and the patch I won for my uniform for the Three Hundred Club because I scored a 300 on my physical training test 3 times. I do not think that there has been anything I would describe as my biggest failure. But, perhaps I ought to pay even more attention to the nutrition side of my physical development as I do with the exercise. I notice that the others in this course are also in the same boat as I am. They too are here for similar reasons. Some are more keen on the exercise and fitness part of the training whereas some find it tough. Some are more careful about their diet and some are not. I place myself with those who are really enjoying the physical training and take part in it with a lot of effort. Abstract Concepts and Generalizations The importance of vitamins, minerals and water, how they affect the body, and in what kinds of food one can find these vitamins Vitamins, minerals and water have an important effect on the human body. The importance of each and how they affect the body will be explained, plus a mention of the kinds of food in which the first ones (vitamins) are found. Vitamins are micronutrients essential for life and healthy living. They neither provide the body with energy nor repair tissues, but their function is to aid the body to continue performing vital physiological processes. They are very important because a deficiency of vitamins in the body causes unhealthy states and can even be dangerous. Many diseases are attributable to vitamin deficiencies and are therefore curable by sufficient intake. Vitamins originate from plants and we obtain them from the fresh foods that we eat. There are different types of vitamins and they are obtained from different types of food. For example, green leafy vegetables are sources of vitamin A, B-2, K and Folic Acid. Vitamin C, which aids in the healing of wounds and is important for healthy blood vessels and gums is found in citrus fruits amongst others, tomatoes, green and red peppers and broccoli. Eggs are wholesome; a source of vitamins A, D and various forms of vitamin B. It is important to note that for us to derive benefit from the vitamins, they in turn require the support of minerals because all enzyme activities involve minerals. These dietary minerals are actually chemical elements that are needed by our bodies other than the most ubiquitous ones essential to carbon based living organisms, namely Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen. Some of the required minerals are required in relatively large amounts and some in only very small amounts, the trace minerals. To maintain physical health, appropriate intake level of each of these minerals must be sustained. And, it is not only deficiency but excess amounts too that can lead to illness in the body. Minerals are needed to maintain the delicate cellular fluid balance, to form bone and blood cells, to provide for electrochemical nerve activity and to regulate muscle tone and activity. This includes key organ muscles like the heart, stomach and liver. (Family Nutrition Online) The passage of vitamins and minerals is from the stomach to the intestines. Here, they are distributed to certain parts of the body as and where they are needed. Minerals are mainly stored in bone and muscle tissue. If a particular nutrient is needed by some organ, and the body considers this to be a higher priority than its need by other organs, the system’s inbuilt transport mechanism will even re-allocate the nutrient to the most needy organ. For this reason, it is very important to maintain proper vitamin and mineral levels in the body to prevent deficiencies in any one area. And, when any nutrients, be they vitamins or minerals, are lacking in the body, the whole body system suffers due to the imbalance. Vitamins and minerals are processed by the body and used up in this way. The disease fighting anti-oxidants are used up more readily. Stress and exercise also consume a lot of nutrients whereas some substances like alcohol and drugs wash them out of the body through the extra discharge of urine. The distribution of the vitamins and minerals around the body is taken care of by water. In fact, water is such an essential resource, that it is responsible for and involved in nearly every internal bodily process. And, it is vital, without which the body cannot survive more than a few days. Drinking adequate water has numerous benefits. Besides the distribution of nutrients around the body, it does the same for hormones, electrolytes and other chemical messengers. It is also involved in producing cellular energy, regulating body temperature, and in removing waste products of the body and thereby eliminating toxins. It is also an important structural component of skin and other tissues. With respect to fat control, water also helps the body to metabolise stored fat. And, hyper-hydrating yourself is a useful technique that can help competitive sportsmen perform optimally. A healthy cardiovascular system and what effect exercise, good nutrition and stress management have on this system The cardiovascular system comprises of the heart, blood and blood vessels. It is important to health because it is responsible primarily to transport oxygen to all parts of the body as well as for removing metabolic waste products from tissues. A healthy cardiovascular system is one that can perform these important functions effectively. For example, normal blood pressure is necessary to ensure a proper blood flow to the tissues and organs. In a healthy cardiovascular system, the smooth and regular pumping of blood by the heart, the clotting of blood, the exchange and transport of oxygen, normal levels of blood pressure and blood flow etc. are all important features. A Health conscious people should especially strive to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. Factors that can impede the healthy functioning of the cardiovascular system are high levels of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste in the body and coping with stressful situations in life. On the other hand engaging in sufficient physical exercise, taking in good nutrition and positive management of stress levels all have positive effects on the cardiovascular system. Exercise places an increased demand on the cardiovascular system. Oxygen demand by the muscles increases sharply. Metabolic processes speed up and more waste is created. More nutrients are used and body temperature rises. To perform as efficiently as possible the cardiovascular system must regulate these changes and meet the body’s increasing demands. (Wilmore, 2005) Physical activity such as exercise makes such demands on the heart that only makes it stronger and able to function better. Aerobic exercises in particular are specifically focused on raising cardiovascular endurance. The sports fitness advisor website (Sports Fitness Advisor) identifies the following as 6 main aspects of the cardiovascular system that are affected by repeated exercise, both as an immediate response and as long-term adaptations that take place: heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, blood flow, blood pressure, and blood. During exercise the heart rate increases rapidly before reaching a steady state; the stroke volume (amount of blood ejected per beat from left ventricle) and cardiac output (amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute) “both increase proportionally with exercise intensity; blood flow is redirected to the skin to promote heat loss” (Wilmore, 2005); systolic blood pressure (during contraction of the heart) increases; blood plasma volume decreases, thus increasing the concentration of hemoglobin and thereby raising the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity. The likely long term adaptations in the cardiovascular system as a result of repeated exercise include most importantly, an increase in the heart’s mass and volume; hypertrophy of the cardiac muscle; a possibly significant reduction in the resting heart rate; a general increase in stroke volume; skeletal muscles have an enhanced capacity to receive blood supply; blood pressure at rest decreases; and, actual blood volume in the body is increased. Nutrition and stress management similarly have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. Stress is linked to depression and a depressive state of mind can only cause deterioration in the state of the body through neglect of the body and negative feelings, emotions and thoughts. Furthermore, unmanaged and prolonged stress increases the likelihood of heart disease as a result of high blood pressure, chest pains and irregular heartbeats. Stress also has the effect of increasing the body’s requirement for vitamins and minerals due to the deficiencies created. Therefore, if a person is experiencing a stressful period in life, stress management helps to limit these harmful effects on the body and in particular the cardiovascular system. Stress management strategies include reducing uncertainty, improving personal skills and abilities, confidence building measures, better time management, and coping with fears. Good nutrition has a direct bearing on the cardiovascular system. By means of a balanced diet, eating less saturated fats, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more fish, less sugar and calories etc. it ensures adequate supply of nutrients so that the heart continues to function healthily. There are certain foods that are said to be particularly good for the heart as well as the rest of the cardiovascular system. For example, salmon fish, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, keep cholesterol levels low and reduce the risk of blood clots. And, tomatoes contain lycopene, which is believed to reduce the risk of heart disease. Eating plentiful of these and other such foods affects the cardiovascular system in a beneficial way. How one can determine whether or not he/she is in good physical health Good physical health is a state of fitness of the physical body. It may be a state that has specifically been developed for performance related activity such as sports, or it may be a general physical condition that is considered to be healthy. Such a state comes about as a result of good nutrition, a proper diet, personal hygiene and sufficient rest. It is enhanced by regular exercise. External factors also impact on one’s physical health, for instance healthcare provision, water quality and the living environment in general, and social relationships. But as far as personal involvement is concerned, it takes an active effort to be and to remain in good physical health. The specific indicators that determine whether or not one is in good health include body weight, body fat, cholesterol levels, heart rate, blood pressure etc. For sportsmen, this additionally includes adequate glycogen levels, optimised energy levels and muscle tone. A physically fit person would be identified as such if all these indicators show normal levels. Moreover, his or her organs and tissues would be functioning at optimum efficiency. In particular, the heart and blood vessels, the lungs, the muscles and so on would show all signs of being healthy. In other words, if these parts of the body are themselves healthy; they are functioning normally, and all the aforementioned health indicators are at normal levels, then the host body can be considered to be in good physical health in general. Outwardly, good physical health is characterized by being able to carry out the daily work without getting tired (by old definition of fitness), that is, functioning efficiently and effectively, and being able to resist diseases. It is possible that a person is in good physical health in some respects but not in all. In this case we could distinguish between good physical health in general and good physical health in certain regards only. Thus, good physical health can be tested for in specific areas such as body composition, flexibility of the body, muscular strength and endurance, and aerobic fitness. Also, overall good health has other aspects to it besides the physical, viz. Spiritual, mental and emotional health, but this is beyond the scope of this work. The kinds of tests that are available to determine physical fitness and whether there are any problems with the current methods of testing Various kinds of physical tests are available that are designed to determine a person’s level of physical fitness. However, these are more common in professional physical training courses. For this reason, the description will be geared to performance testing especially for sports. For fitness or performance testing for sports, a group of tests is arranged, called a battery that is designed to closely represent the typical physiological demands of that particular sport. Performance tests are designed to gauge such qualities in the performer as strength, physical endurance, power, speed and flexibility. Therefore, the kinds of tests available can be categoirsed into these areas, in which the tests attempt to gauge the quality of. For example, sit ups and press ups are common tests that aim to measure the strength of a person’s level of physical fitness. Many timed tests, such as a 30m sprint, seek to measure speed and power, whereas others, such as the Cooper 12 minute run, seem similar but are specifically designed to measure the quality of endurance. Flexibility is a difficult quality to measure, but there are nonetheless some tests designed to measure it. An instrument such as a goniometer may be used to measure the flexibility of body joints and the range of movement for a set of different movements. The sit and reach test is the standard flexibility test for testing the flexibility of the lower back and the hamstring. Usually, a set of tests are prescribed instead of just one, and this battery of tests is used to evaluate the performer as part of his or her physical training program. As with any kind of tests, there are issues of validity and reliability that define the standard of quality of the tests. By validity is meant the degree to which the test accurately measures what it is supposed to and reliability refers to how well the test can be replicated and whether or not the results yielded are consistent. Many test experts would like to reform the traditional fitness tests to make it more suitable for today because they feel it lacks in properly assessing the trainer. For instance, Keating (2003) states in ‘Problems and future of fitness tests in physical education reviewed’: Sponsors of the nationwide youth fitness test programs need to (a) carefully examine the efficacy of youth fitness test batteries in promoting student health-related fitness, (b) increase the accountability of youth fitness testing, (c) add a written test on student fitness knowledge to the fitness test programs, and (d) select and develop more efficient test items in each test component. (Keating, 2003) Fats, lipids, triglycerides and cholesterol including LDL, HDL and what this means to one’s health Popular conception is that fats are linked to weight and obesity and manifest themselves by the size and shape of the body. And, for a health conscious individual, these are conditions to be avoided as a priority. However, not all fats are the same or produce the same effect. Therefore, a proper understanding of the different types of fats, their sources and uses, and their need and effects on the body is essential. This is particularly true for those who are conscious of which foods they eat and the impact on the body, and those who are on a diet program with certain health targets set to be achieved. Cholesterol is a fat like substance (lipid) found in our blood that is mainly produced in the liver, and is also found in our food. The body actually makes cholesterol itself according to its need, such as for the formation of cell membranes and production of vitamin D. It has other important uses too. The chemical form of most fats is as triglycerides because this is the form in which the body stores energy for when it is needed. From the food we eat too, the fats are converted into triglycerides. And, whenever our body requires energy, the triglycerides are released and consumed as fuel. The question arises, that why are people so concerned about fats (triglycerides) and cholesterol if the body needs them. Like anything else, they are required up to certain amounts, but it is the excess amounts that are not good for a healthy body and can even become a threat to it. Abnormally high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides can lead to clogged arteries, stroke and heart disease. So, too much fat in this way is detrimental to health. On the other hand, there are certain types of fat that are good for health, and some are even known to decrease the risk of heart diseases. The two types of cholesterol thus need to be distinguished. It is important to know what can safely be eaten and how much is safe to eat. Understanding the lipid profile can be complicated. The two types of cholesterol are LDL and HDL. LDLs are Low Density Lipids and are the ‘bad’ cholesterols whereas the second variety, the HDLs (High Density Lipids) are ‘good’ cholesterols. LDLs increase the risk of heart disease because these lipids carry cholesterol to the body tissues and vessels and get deposited on the vessel walls. With too much of this circulating in our bloodstream, this can cause clogged arteries. In contrast, HDLs carry harmful fatty deposits away from the cells and tissues; to the liver for excretion from the body. Diets that are high in fats or carbohydrates can lead to increased cholesterol levels. So, it is important to control our cholesterol levels because of the potential negative impact on the heart, the main organ of our cardiovascular system. Saturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, where they are found and their role in the body All fats are concentrated forms of energy. They protect body tissues and organs, help transport vitamins in the body and help maintain body temperature etc. Any excess calories we obtain from proteins and carbohydrates though, are converted in our bodies and stored as body fat. This process itself consumes energy. These are of three kinds viz. saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fats have the tendency to increase blood cholesterol levels. They are found in dairy products and meat, also in some vegetable oils. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature (with the exception of tropical oils). Polyunsaturated fats have the tendency to lower blood cholesterol levels. They are found in mostly plant sources, such as corn, sunflower and soybean. Monounsaturated fats have the tendency to lower the Low Density Lipids. They are found in olive oil, peanut oil, and certain fruits such as avocado. The best way of reducing body fat is to engage in such activities that burn more calories than are consumed such as physical exercise. Applications to New Situations I plan to continue to expand my health and nutrition program by learning more about what it is that makes someone healthy, how to go about becoming healthy and especially learning about good nutrition – the numerous foods that are good for health. I believe this will help me to complement my physical training program so that I can become more healthy, be more aware of my nutritional intake and eat good nutritious foods. I always strive to tell others about the benefits of good health and nutrition. I will continue to do so, especially to those people who are in need of good health advice. Learning about health has certainly made me a better consumer because now I am more aware of the value content of foods than I used to be. I have no specific nutrition plans at the moment to be on some special purpose diet, but I will continue to take the protein supplement that I am already taking and little carbs too. I also plan to totally eliminate alcohol consumption and cut down on sweets. References Family Nutrition Online. Whole Food Nutrition. Retrieved September 1, 2008 from Family Nutrition Online Web site: http://www.familynutritiononline.com/Vitamins-Minerals/vitamins_minerals.html Keating, X and colleagues at California State University of Los Angeles Problems and future of fitness tests in physical education reviewed Retrieved September 4, 2008 from Access My Library Web site: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-4140030_ITM Sports Fitness Advisor, Sports Training Tips For Athletic Peak Performance Retrieved September 1, 2008 from Sports Fitness Advisor Web site: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/cardiovascular-system-and-exercise.html Wilmore JH and Costill DL. (2005) Physiology of Sport and Exercise: 3rd Edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Quoted in Sports Fitness Advisor Retrieved September 1, 2008 from Sports Fitness Advisor Web site: http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/cardiovascular-system-and-exercise.html Read More