In the modern world, people realize that the basis of a quality life and the foundation of their health is proper nutrition. Nutritional science first emerged more than a hundred years ago. As a scientific doctrine, it has been developed with the support of other sciences, such as biology, chemistry and food hygiene, and has gained popularity in our time. By definition, nutrition is the science of food and its consumption, food products and their components. Nutrition studies how the components of different foods interact, how they are absorbed and excreted by the human body, how they affect health and whether they can cause diseases.
Experts divide nutrition into general and practical nutrition.
General nutrition deals with the study of food, different foods, their types, estimates the amount of nutrients and studies different types of metabolism.
Practical nutrition is concerned with the practical side of the science and investigates how malnutrition affects the development of diseases and, conversely, how a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle can have a therapeutic effect.
Nutrigenetics
With the development of genetics, another area of research has emerged that is based on the study of changes in genes and changes in human metabolism under the influence of nutrients. This science is called nutrigenetics. Its main task is to analyze genetic differences that translate into differences in response to certain food ingredients. Nutrigenetics is mainly based on pharmacology, genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Together with another science, nutrigenomics, it focuses on the study of the interaction between food and the human genome.
Animal studies and numerous scientific observations have shown a high correlation between maternal nutrition during pregnancy and the health of the offspring. More and more studies show that many chronic diseases that manifest themselves in adulthood are caused by poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy. This includes a predisposition to obesity, overweight, diabetes, or acne.
Individual predisposition has a huge impact on the body's response to nutrients. It is possible that checking our genome will soon become the standard for the treatment and prevention of many diseases.
Dietetics
Dietetics is a rapidly developing field of science that deals with the nutrition of both healthy and sick people. It is based primarily on medical, biochemical, and technological knowledge, but also draws on information from many fields of science, industry, and services. Due to the growing threat of civilizational diseases and the simultaneous cult of the slim figure, the nutritionist is becoming increasingly important, if not crucial, to the health of society.
The development of medicine and nutrition provides indisputable evidence that a rational, healthy diet is the most important factor in reducing the risk of obesity and chronic non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and caries) and at the same time helps to prolong life and improve its quality.
Essential nutrients and their role in metabolic processes
Nutrients are nutrients and trace elements that every living organism needs, as they ensure its normal functioning. Therefore, if you decide to eat healthy and monitor your food composition, you should not only count calories, but also evaluate foods for their nutrient content.
Nutrients are divided into two groups:
micronutrients, which include vitamins and a number of minerals. Although they are sufficient for the body in minimal amounts, they are necessary to ensure the body's absorption of energy and to coordinate growth and developmental functions;
macronutrients are fats, proteins and carbohydrates, which are the main elements for the body's functioning.
Nutrients can also be divided into substitutable and essential. Substitutable ones can be partially produced by the body itself, but only partially, so they must also be in the food. Irreplaceable or essential nutrients are vital for the human body. They include amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids. If they do not enter the body with food, human health will be at risk.
The importance and role of dietary supplements in maintaining and improving health
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to fully provide the body with all the nutrients it needs through food. We're used to eating canned and processed food on a daily basis, which often loses its nutritional value afterwards. This is when biologically active supplements, or BAAs, come to the rescue. They are special food products that are added to a person's usual diet in small quantities. They contain nutrients, fiber, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, etc. in concentrated amounts. As a rule, dietary supplements consist of natural or identical to natural components. They are not medicines, but they can be prescribed by doctors and nutritionists as a preventive measure and to improve human performance.
The purpose of using dietary supplements is to supplement a person's diet with nutrients to maintain proper metabolism and maintain the body's health.
The value of a nutritionist consultation
A nutritionist mainly plays the role of an educator, providing information about healthy eating to both healthy and sick people. However, the main task of the specialist is to work on changing eating behavior so that it is beneficial to the patient's health. As the incidence of diet-related diseases increases, society is increasingly realizing that a nutritionist is the most competent source of nutrition information.