What is Nutrition?
Nutrition is the process of nourishing or being nourished, especially the process by which a living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replacement of tissues.  Nutrition is also the study that deals with food and nourishment, especially in humans.  Lastly the only source of nourishment is food.

What are the benefits of nutrition?
The obvious benefit to nutrition is “better health”.  You can’t be guaranteed perfect health as there are other factors, (ie. Environmental, physical, psychological) but eating foods with nutrients reduces the prevalence of the more common diseases. 

I am sure you have come across the saying that ‘you are what you eat’ and again that you eat to live not live to eat. Both sayings point to the fact that the foods you eat ultimately end up giving you something which keeps you alive and kicking. Good nutrition helps to keep your body fit and healthy. For young people like you, your bodies are growing and renewing their parts all the time.

Each day, you gain some height and also replace old cells. Cells of the skin, blood and bones are constantly being replaced. The food you eat then becomes part of you because it provides certain chemicals known as nutrients. These nutrients help to provide you with energy and building blocks that make you grow.

The best food for you is therefore the type that makes you grow normally and maintains strong muscles, strong bones, healthy skin and enough clean blood. They are also the types of food that reduce your chances of getting ill later in life.

A rule of thumb in your choice of food is that you should eat a variety of foods. That way you will be able to obtain all the nutrients your body needs. No one food would provide all the nutrients. Eating a variety of foods would ensure that all nutrients are obtained.

When you do not get all the nutrients you need from your food, you may develop what is called nutrient deficiency or malnutrition. These deficiencies can slow the growth of children. Again a person who does not get proper nutrition during the adolescent year may never reach full height.

Please fill out both the Nutrition Paperwork and the 7 Day Food Intake. Paperwork is in PDF format. If you do not have Adobe Reader you can download a copy here.