How food sustains your body
The human body is a wonderful example of ingenuity. Our cells act individually in their environment and then collectively as organs. Organ systems are then intricately connected to create a functioning human body. To keep the mechanisms of life going, raw materials are required for the processes occurring within the body.
These raw materials are the nutrients derived from food and water. The nutritional content of food is usually oversimplified when we categorize them into broad groups: carbohydrates or starches, proteins and fats. This limits the complexity and the blending of categories that actually exist in food. For example, lentils contain protein as well as carbohydrates and so do sweet potatoes. Both have a unique complement of minerals and vitamins.
Your digestive system takes on the task of breaking down food into its simplest forms and facilitating its absorption by the body while discarding any waste produced. These raw materials, minerals, vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates are then carried by the blood to the individual cells so that they can perform required tasks. These tasks may include manufacturing hormones, like insulin and testosterone, or transmitting a spinal signal so you can move your hand.
You are what you eat, literally. Not only do some of these raw materials facilitate processes, but they are also incorporated into your structure through growth and repair. It is, therefore, important to consume quality foods.
But quality isn’t the only factor to consider. Variety is just as critical. Many people in our society limit their access to vital nutrients by restricting the intake of fruits and vegetables, which are necessary for the proper functioning of the body. The other consideration is that when you consume any form of processed food, while it is true you take in some basic raw materials, you also take in harmful chemicals. These chemicals have the opposite effect on the cells. They disrupt normal function which, over time, can contribute to the formation of disease.
Society can no longer ignore that the root causes of most of our chronic conditions are poor dietary choices; foods high in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates; and coupled with insufficient activity and high stress.
The average diet in today’s society, unfortunately, doesn’t meet the body’s basic requirements for health. This imbalance plays a massive role in the development of chronic non-communicable diseases; such as diabetes, coronary artery disease and cancer.
Consider your own daily diet. Do you think you are meeting your body’s daily needs? To achieve good health, it is critical to eat a wide variety of high-quality nutrient-rich foods and limit your intake of processed nutrient-deficient foods. This way, your diet does more than keep you alive; it allows you to thrive.