Good Nutrition and Its Impact on Human Body

• General purpose: To inform
• Specific purpose: To enlighten the audience about the impact of good nutrition on the human body
• Thesis: Good nutrition enhances optimal body function, growth, and development, combats disease, and improves health and overall wellbeing.

Introduction

• Attention getter: a report by the WHO revealed that the typical diet of Americans comprises processed foods that have high amounts of saturated fats, unhealthy sugars, and calories. In addition, it lacks the recommended amount of fruits, whole grains, fiber, and other components.
• Reason to listen: according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, unhealthy eating is one of the major causes of deaths in the United States. More than 678,000 deaths emanate from unhealthy eating and lack of physical activity. Good nutrition is important in order to avoid these deaths and improve the health of Americans.
• Thesis statement: good nutrition enhances optimal body function, growth, and development, combats disease and improves health and overall human wellbeing.

Good nutrition plays numerous roles with regard to the function, development, and overall health and wellbeing of the human body

• Good nutrition enhances optimal body function, growth, and development through the supply of essential components.
  • The body needs nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, and minerals for proper growth and function (Carpenter 27). For example, the brain requires healthy fats and nutrients to boost its mental power and function properly. On the other hand, the body needs proteins for growth and carbohydrates for energy.
    • Research has shown that about 75% of the human brain is comprised of fats. Therefore, nutritional components such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids improve mental performance (Farrell and Nicoteri 42). These fats can be supplied to the brain through the consumption of foods such as fish, avocados, nuts, and seeds.
    • The mind and the body are interconnected and function harmoniously. Poor performance of one affects the performance of the other. A properly functioning brain is an indication of a properly functioning body and vice versa (Bender 57).
    • Good nutrition enhances the development and maintenance of body functions. In contrast, poor nutrition alters the growth, development, and maintenance of body functions thus causing illnesses, mental disorders, and other unwanted conditions such as obesity (Farrell and Nicoteri 71).
  • According to Farrell and Nicoteri (86), body functions such as digestion, respiration, circulation, and secretion of hormones require energy that can only be supplied through good nutrition.

Transition: good nutrition promotes the growth, function, and development of the body. It also aids in combating disease and aging.

• Good nutrition plays an important role in combating disease
  • In the past, food was considered only as a means of supplying the body with energy for growth and development. However, science has changed this perception by proving through studies that food prevents diseases and combats the aging process (Bender 64).
  • For example, cruciferous vegetables aid the body in fighting cancer, Omega-3 fatty acids prevent inflammation, berries slow aging, and avocados lower harmful cholesterol in the body (Shetty 49). Alfalfa sprouts prevent cancer and lower cholesterol, apples lower blood pressure and the risk of developing cancer, and beets protect against heart disease and inflammation (Allman 43).
  • Poor nutrition is a major cause of diseases. For example, consumption of salted and smoked foods increases the risk of contracting cancers of the liver and stomach.
  • Energy-dense foods such as red meat, processed foods, and mold cereals increase the probability of developing conditions such as obesity (Allman 45). Vitamins such as A, C, D, E, B6, and B2 have been shown to boost immunity and protect the body against diseases (Shetty 61).

Transition: Good nutrition helps to combat disease and control the aging process. Moreover, it helps to promote health and overall wellbeing.

• Nutrition promotes health and overall wellbeing
  • Nutrition improves overall human wellbeing by providing energy, improving physique, enhancing health, and promoting optimal body function.
    • Studies have shown that total health, fitness, and well-being cannot be achieved without incorporating good nutrition in everyday life.
    • Activities that promote fitness and health such as strength training, muscular development, cardiovascular conditioning, and aerobic conditioning all require proper nutrition in order to be efficacious (Farrell and Nicoteri 83).
    • The benefits of the aforementioned activities can only be enjoyed by eating foods that contain protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, fats, and carbohydrates in proper amounts (Shills and Shike 89).
  • Health and well-being are promoted by consuming appropriate nutritional foods that boost the body’s immunity, increase energy, and enhance physical and metal performance (Shills and Shike 92).
    • Good nutrition improves health and wellbeing and lowers the incidence of illnesses. The importance of good nutrition in life cannot be overlooked because nutrition contributes toward both preventive and curative aspects of disease control and health improvement.

Conclusion

• Review of main points
  • Good nutrition enhances optimal body function, growth, and development through supply of essential components.
  • Good nutrition plays an important role in combating disease and controlling the aging process.
  • Good nutrition promotes health and overall wellbeing.
• Thesis: Good nutrition enhances body growth, function, and development, combats disease, and promotes health and overall wellbeing.
• Closure: it is unhealthy for people to consume foods that have high amounts of saturated fats, calories, and sugars. Instead, they should increase consumption of healthy foods such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits.

Works Cited

Allman, Toney. Nutrition and Disease Prevention. New York: Chelsea House, 2010. Print.

Bender, David. Introduction to nutrition and Metabolism. New York: CRC Press, 2002. Print.

Carpenter, Elizabeth. Understanding the Basics of Nutrition. New York: Createspace Independent Publishers, 2008. Print.

Farrell, Marian, and JA. Nicoteri. Nutrition. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2001. Print.

Shetty, Prakash. Nutrition, Immunity, and Infection. New York: CABI, 2010. Print.

Shills, Maurice, and M. Shike. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006. Print.