Energy and nutrition

Good energy is closely linked to good nutrition. If our energy is down, even if we feel well we know that something is wrong. 

Energy means to get up in the morning feeling completely refreshed, ready to face the day. When energy is down we are staying in bed for for five minutes longer as it takes time to wake up properly.

Lack of energy and fatigue is the number one complaint of today’s society. 

Activities of life in relation to energy

Movement - Every organism moves about.

Growth  - It takes an enormous amount of energy to grow.

Feeding  - Process of digestion and absorption requires a lot of energy. 

Breathing - Basic life activity.

Elimination - Waste products that arise from taking in all the foods.

Reproduction - Synthesising another whole organism takes huge amounts of energy.

I would like to explain in general about the work of our cells in our body. We must look at cellular nutrition all the time.   

The cell is a very small subdivision of us. It is a fragment of living matter which is bounded by a membrane. 250 billion cells make the human body, and there are many different types, with different dimensions and shapes which carry out different functions. The membrane acts as a barrier between the cell and the world outside.

If your digestive system is not working properly you may not be getting the nutrients you are feeding your body. Cells may not receive the nutrients. Having nutrients in the blood stream does not mean you have it in the cells. It has got to be possible for the nourishment to be transferred into the cell so you have to get it through the membrane. Cells are not nourished until nutrients are in the cell.

Cells can divide into two in order to replace those cells that die.

Cells are important to nutrition because it is nutrition at cell level that matters. What matters is how well nourished our cells are because our body is as healthy as the cells that make it up. If our body cells are supplied with enough nutrients and the balance of the nutrients is right - provided that they have the ability to keep out the toxins - this will make us have healthy cells.

The cell is a self-maintaining, self-regenerating, self-repairing and self-duplicating structure.

Oxidation is the burning of food in the body to produce energy, this takes place in the Mitochondrion of all cells.

The three things our cells searches for in the foods we eat are: glucose from carbohydrates, amino acids form proteins and fatty acids from fat intake. These foods turn to fuel for our body so it is important to get the right raw materials for energy.

Cells need oxygen. The oxygen is carried through the body after it is carried to the main organs via haemoglobin in the blood. If any part of the blood is lacking oxygen than this part of the body is not functioning properly. Oxygen burns the raw materials to release energy.

Enzymes plus raw material plus oxygen= fuel.

We also need co-factors for enzymes that are micro-nutrients e.g. vitamin and minerals.

Perfect functions to obtain healthy body cells are:

  • Good digestion.
  • Perfect assimilation.
  • Efficient transport of nutrients into the cells.
  • Proper elimination of toxins from our body.

We must make sure to give the body high quality foods so that our cells can use them efficiently. If we eat too much, consume too much of one type of food, or eat foods low in nutrients, after a period of time our cells will be overworking - using vital energy and leaving us feeling depleted.

The organs of our body rely on the energy that comes from the cells to perform their functions.

In the past two decades we have begun to understand the link between diseases and nutrition. Doctors are realising their attention should also be focused on prevention of diseases and not only to treat the body.

Today in the food chain we have too many toxins added to the foods and many unnatural procedures done to them. We can only digest for what we can produce enzymes, unfortunately  we don’t have enzymes for altered foods. 

EATING FOR ENERGY

MACRONUTRIENTS

Macronutrients are the building block materials for growth, repair and supply energy for all body functions. They are called macronutrients because they are the biggest portion of the human diet, as we require them in a large amount.

Macronutrients are generally provided by the food we eat. They are always accompanied by other macronutrients and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

Macronutrients are: Carbohydrates, proteins, fats and water.

Energy requirement varies with age and the type of activities.

How many times have you turned to refined carbohydrates for energy? Eating products day after to day that are made with white flours (such as: white rice, white bread, white crackers, refined cereals, biscuits, cakes and pastries) can have a devastating effect on the way we feel and lead us to vitamin and mineral deficiencies and digestive problems.

The reason is because these products are stripped of valuable nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, oils and essential fibre for the good work of the digestive system.

All biochemical reactions require a good balance of specific vitamins and minerals. If the foods we eat do not contain the nutrients they were given by nature, our cells and organs may be deprived of components essential to their optimal performance.

Bleached or enriched products are processes not natural and therefore if eaten as part of our daily diet lead to predictable ailments. The biochemical processes in our cells work inefficiently. 

Carbohydrates are the number one provider for energy and it is the body’s principle fuel.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author. All articles published on Nutritionist Resource are reviewed by our editorial team.

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