Celebrate World Food Day Right by Eating the Right Meals!
By Precious Lucernas, The Spark
Health is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. As defined by the World Health Organization in 1948, it entails the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Without a doubt, food and diet play a crucial role in one’s health as it influences our physiological functions in various ways.
Food is essential to any being. It is a material that primarily consists of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and other nutrients that is used by an organism’s body to provide energy and sustain growth, crucial functions, and other operations. However, to maintain a fully functioning and healthy body, a healthy diet must be considered.
A healthy diet is one that enhances or maintains general health, giving the body the essential nutrients it needs. This aids the body in protecting against noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) that include diabetes, stroke, cancer, and heart disease. Two of the main causes of these diseases are unhealthy diet and malnutrition, which are driven by common dietary risk factors.
Dietary elements can have an impact on cognitive function. Foods with low glycemic index appear to enhance cognition, memory, and functional capacity, but those high in simple sugars are linked to attention and concentration problems. A high intake of meals high in saturated fats and processed sugars, as well as a poor intake of fruits, vegetables, and water, can, nevertheless, have a deleterious impact on cognitive function. Therefore, to maintain cognitive health and maximize brain function, an adequate diet is required.
In addition, food intake is a crucial factor in maintaining a high level of energy. However, some foods have an impact on your energy levels. Foods with carbohydrates and caffeine-containing foods accompanying physical activities provide the energy that a human body demands. While all foods generate energy, eating a balanced diet high in complex carbohydrates may be the best approach to avoid low energy throughout the day.
Ultimately, being physically healthy enables protection from various diseases, improves cognitive skills, and provides energy and nutrition that the human body requires on a daily basis. Nutritionists and other health professionals continue to highlight the advantage of some diets, despite the fact that medicine is developing and diversifying in many ways. As stated by B.K.S. Iyengar, “Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.”