Nutrition and Health (Research Paper Sample)

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Health Research Paper on Nutrition
How Nutrition Affects Your Health
Nutrition is an important aspect in one's health. Nutrition is known to affect the body's ability to maintain itself. Good nutrition helps a person to manage the risk of getting diseases. Any person who eats foods that lack nutritional content get several side effects that impact on their health negatively. However, people who consume foods of low quality for a long time will be impacted negatively, both short and long term (Annigan, 7).
Is Nutrition really important?
People get surprised when they hear that all the food taken affect their physical health, stress responses, the aging process and their appearance. There is a notion that only carbohydrates and fats affect one's health. The truth remains that any nutrient taken by the body becomes the building block of a healthy body. The best nutrition becomes a solid foundation for your health. In contrast, people with poor eating build weak foundations that become weak points for disease attack, a thin or a fat body and other side effects (Challem, 4).There are several risks that come because of poor nutrition on human beings. Good nutrition, which is based on healthy eating, enables individuals to remain active and stay healthy. There are many arguments that exist today. These arguments show the causes of poor nutrition. In many cases, poor eating habits such as over eating a certain type of food leads to poor health. In addition, lack of enough healthy foods, consuming too many types of drinks and food low on fiber, high in fat, salts and sugar contributes to poor health. Any person with unhealthy eating habits affects their nutrient intakes. It is thus important to have foods rich in energy, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fiber and essential fatty acids. Poor nutrition will impair the daily well-being and health. Poor nutrition reduces the ability to lead an enjoyable life (SA Health).
The short term effects of eating poor
Today, many people suffer from bad health because they cannot afford good food, but they have a poor eating habit. The habits have short term side effects on their health. The healthy diets include balanced foods that give different nutritional contents. These include fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and whole grains. Moderate amounts of low nutrient are seldom problematic. However, eating poor when in a hurry leads to negative consequences.Short term effects of bad nutrition results to poor brain function. The brain uses glucose coming from carbohydrates and other nutrients like antioxidants. People taking fatty foods get negative impacts on their brains. The second short-term effect of poor nutrition to your health involves poor exercise ability. If you eat too little or too much, it leads to lethargy and fatigue. These factors hinder physical activities. After taking fatty foods, you will exercise less. For those dieting, they experience poor muscle growth, oxygen utilization, endurance and coordination. The third short-term effect of poor nutrition for your health is insulin resistance and gaining of weight. Resistance to insulin means the body is scoring less insulin that helps in managing blood sugar. This increases chances of diabetes and obesity. For others taking poor nutrition foods, they get heartburn and indigestion. The most common causes here include taking fatty foods, eating in a hurry, taking excessive alcohol and caffeine. People also complain of nausea and acid influx from these poor diets. Additionally, when you take poor nutrition, it impacts on your health because you experience bad sleep. Taking a balanced snack enables you to sleep well. If you overeat or go to bed hungry, the sleep is distracted and leads to flare-ups. Many people complain of mood problems caused by taking poor nutritional foods. Serotonin and dorphine secreted in the brain control your moods. If you skimp on carbohydrates that promote the secretion of serotonin, it leads to depressive moods. Low-carbohydrate dieters show signs of depression, anger and tension which stress the body (Monsivais et al., pp2-5).
The cost of eating healthy and unhealthy
Many people stress that unhealthy habits arise because of economic hardships. They assume that a healthy food is expensive than the unhealthy one. Studies have shown that unhealthy food is cheaper by $1.50 each day. In one year, this comes to $550. In a research carried out, proteins and meat showed the biggest differences. Healthy options cost $0.29 for a single serving, less that the healthy options. Snacks and grain servings cost more for the healthy options at $0.02. If you compare unhealthy and healthy diet totals per year and the economic costs of managing chronic diseases related to poor nutrition, the cost of treatment is expensive. Therefore, those who choose unhealthy and affordable food take in bad nutrition. But in the long run, spend more on the treatment (Polish).
Good nutrition boost immunity
A network of tissue cells, proteins and organs such as the skin and digestive tracts remains the first line of defense. These elements work to protect us against antigens, viruses, bacteria and allergens that cause diseases in our body. If these organisms get past the first line of defense, they attack the white blood cells. If the white blood cells are to protect the body against any external threats, it requires good nutrition to make it strong. Eating a balanced diet helps to get the best prevention (The Nutrition Team).
Step to good nutrition and health
Every person can play a bigger role and contribute to a healthy life. It starts when you have a variety of healthy foods in five different categories each day. For example, have at least two servings of fruits daily and five vegetable serving. On an occasional basis, you have to take salt, fat and sugary foods in small amounts. Add fresh and clean water to your diet. Have tasty recipes that give your appetite. Eating healthy and nutritious food starts when you plan meals ahead and buy the healthy ingredients. To many people, they do not know how to cook. One should enjoy cooking and making the meals in a proper way and then eating slowly.
People at higher risk of becoming unhealthy ...