An Introduction to the Concept of Nutrition
In order to be considered healthy, we must be eating the right kind of food and the quantity of that food consumed on a daily basis. Ideally, food is any substance taken in to give nutrition to an organisms, usually for a living. Generally speaking food is of animal, plant or fungi origin, and has vital nutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, or even minerals. The food diet of humans should contain more of vegetables and less of animal products, although this is the most difficult diet to maintain for a healthy individual.
Since humans are by nature social animals, the need for food production is closely related to how well an individual’s social existence is being sustained. Humans have an innate need for food, which is fulfilled through hunting and gathering food. Primitive man often had to fight for the food they needed to sustain themselves and their family members. In later years food became a very important commodity for people across the world, and even today many people face food shortages due to over consumption. The challenge faced today by many individuals and families is how to balance food production with the resources available to them, to ensure food security and a healthy life.
Hunger is often defined as the hunger felt throughout the day, causing severe pain and disrupting normal activities. There is an array of diseases and illnesses that can result from severe hunger, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension and osteoporosis. Some diseases that are associated with severe hunger include cancer, HIV, tuberculosis, meningitis, herpes, typhoid fever, and HIV/AIDS. Obesity is often a symptom of malnutrition, whereby fat deposits in the body accumulate to a point where the body’s metabolism is impaired and energy is not properly used. Similarly, deficiencies in nutrition lead to weight gain, which is an indicator of poor health and greater risks for various kinds of diseases, both physical and mental.