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Climate Change and Our Health: Understanding the Invisible Threat Imagine a world where the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat are increasingly affected by an invisible menace—climate change. Beyond its environmental impacts, climate change now poses a significant and growing threat to human health. What is Climate Change? NASA defines climate change as "a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional, and global climates. These changes have occurred naturally over time, but since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have increasingly influenced the climate." How Does Climate Change Affect Human Health? 1. Heat-related Illnesses and Mortality: Recently, temperatures soared to 52.3°C in New Delhi, resulting in over 216 deaths and 25,000 cases of heatstroke across India. Rising global temperatures are intensifying heatwaves, posing severe risks to vulnerable groups like the elde...
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There's an English saying, "You are what you eat," which essentially means that your health largely depends on your nutrition, and your nutrition depends on your diet. The mantra for healthy living is proper nutrition. Although the topic might seem complex and challenging, we tend to ignore it until we fall ill and a doctor advises us to take it seriously. However, being aware and knowledgeable about this beforehand is undoubtedly beneficial. This article aims to provide a basic understanding of nutrition for everyone.
Understanding Nutrients in Simple Terms
1. Proteins:
- Vegetarian: Low-fat dairy, tofu, almonds, lentils, seeds, and other legumes.
- Non-Vegetarian: Meat, chicken, fish, turkey, and other meats.
- Bread, potatoes, pasta, soda, chips, cookies, puddings, cakes, sugar, bananas, etc.
- Saturated Fats: Cream, cheese, butter, and certain chocolates.
- Unsaturated Fats: Soybean, safflower, sunflower, and corn oils.
5. Minerals:
- Calcium: Essential for healthy bones and operations.
- Magnesium: Enzyme reactions.
- Sodium: Blood pressure maintenance and fluid balance.
- Phosphorus: A component of cell membranes.
- Potassium: Muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission.
- Chloride: Promotes the production of digestive juices and maintains fluid balance.
- Sulfur: Found in all living tissues.
- Selenium, iodine, zinc, manganese, copper, and iron.
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- Reduce sugar intake; if you drink tea, opt for herbal tea.
- Include plenty of fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet.
- Focus your meals on high-fiber starchy carbohydrates.
- Eat whole grains and legumes.
- Include fish in your diet, especially oily fish.
- Try to reduce saturated fat and sugar intake.
- Drink plenty of water regularly.
- Limit salt intake to no more than 6 grams per day for adults.
- Regular exercise or physical labor can help maintain a healthy weight balance.
Malnutrition cases arise due to a lack of a nutritious diet or inadequate supplementary nutrition. When we see individuals or children with low weight, we often say they are malnourished. However, many people don't know that obesity is also a form of malnutrition. Both obesity and underweight conditions invite various diseases. Hence, we need to focus on a nutritious diet and proper nutrition.
Human health development depends on nutrition, and improved nutrition boosts immunity, enhances mental stability, and helps protect against diseases such as vascular diseases, ear and respiratory infections, asthma, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in children. Examples abound of people who live longer and face fewer severe health issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity due to healthy eating habits.
You might wonder how to ensure proper nutrition without any prior knowledge. Let's break it down using food products as examples. Most food products have a table labeled "content" (we usually just check the price and expiry date). This table lists terms you're likely familiar with, making it easier to understand.
Food products typically contain seven main types of nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. These nutrients are essential for the human body, and understanding their roles is crucial.
Proteins strengthen our immune system and muscles. They help repair damaged cells and create new tissues. Proteins contain amino acids, necessary for the body to function correctly.
Sources of Proteins:
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body. They serve as the primary fuel source because of their ease of conversion into energy. Up to 65% of your energy comes from carbohydrates, primarily in the form of glucose, which all tissues and cells can use immediately.
Sources of Carbohydrates:
Fats help provide energy and are necessary for hormone production and growth. They store energy and absorb vitamins, contributing to healthy skin and blood pressure control. There are two types of fats: saturated and unsaturated fats.
Sources of Fats:
Vitamins such as A, B, C, D, E, K, B-6, and B-12 are essential for the body's proper functioning. While most vitamins are obtained from our daily diet, the body can naturally produce some, like vitamins D and K.
Minerals are inorganic nutrients found in soil and food, necessary for the proper functioning of animals and plants. There are two types: macrominerals and trace minerals.
Macrominerals (needed in larger amounts):
Trace Minerals (needed in smaller amaunts but crucial):
While nutrition is a vast topic, here are some straightforward tips to help you maintain good nutrition:
By following these simple tips and understanding the basics of nutrition, you can take significant steps towards better health and well-being.
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