Nutrition (also called nourishment or aliment) is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary (in the form of food) to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with good nutrition.

The diet of an organism refers to what it eats. Dietitians are health professionals who specialize in human nutrition, meal planning, economics, preparation, and so on. They are trained to provide safe, evidence-based dietary advice and management to individuals (in health and disease), as well as to institutions.

Poor diet can have an injurious impact on health, causing deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, and kwashiorkor; health-threatening conditions like obesity and metabolic syndrome, and such common chronic systemic diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. 

• Take time to chew your food: Digestion begins in the mouth. Chewing breaks the food into smaller particles and mixes the food with saliva that contains digestive enzymes. Thorough digestion is key to the absorption of nutrients and to good health! Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
• Avoid stress while eating. When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised. Avoid eating while working, driving, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Also avoid confrontations, serious discussions or worry during meals. If you feel stressed or upset, stop eating and relax before continuing with your meal. Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
• Listen to your body: Stop eating when you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eating slowly can help you get a more accurate read on this, as well. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a "food coma"!
• Eat early, eat often: Remember this old saying: breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating six small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.

Healthful Eating
- Which Foods to Choose? -

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR PLATE FOR A HEALTHY DIET
It's no surprise that eating fruits and vegetables is good for us. If you look at the MyPyramid, you see that we're encouraged to eat at least five or more servings a day (the amount of fruit you need to eat depends on age, sex and physical activity). The key is to not only eat enough fruits and veggies, but to get a good variety of these foods to get the most benefit. So don't stay stuck in the same old "apples and iceberg lettuce" routine. Branch out and help your health at the same time!

Many fruits and vegetables are termed "functional foods" because they not only contain important vitamins and minerals but compounds call "phytochemicals" or plant chemicals that may help prevent disease. Some of these chemicals are associated with the color of the fruit or vegetable.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk for:

• stroke and other cardiovascular diseases
• type 2 diabetes

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may protect against certain cancers such as mouth, stomach, and colon - rectum cancer.

Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss.

MAKE COLOR WORK FOR YOU!

Yellow/Orange: Some yellow or orange fruits may contain the phytochemical limonene that helps flush your body of cancer-causing chemicals and inhibit tumor growth.
Eat more: lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines.

Orange: Many of these fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, both promising with cancer prevention.
Eat more: sweet potatoes, butternut squash, yams, cantaloupe, carrots, pumpkin, peaches, mangos, apricots, and papayas.

Red/Purple: Purple produce may contain anthycyanins, and red produce may have lycopenes, both thought to be protective against some cancers.
Eat more: blueberries, tomatoes, canned tomato products, and grapes

Green: Green veggies may contain the protective compounds lutein or Sulforaphane.
Eat more: dark lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens and broccoli.

For more information on fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet, contact McKinley's Health Education Department at 333-2714 or; visit our Web site at: www.mckinley.uiuc.edu.

VEGETABLES FROM A TO Z
From A to Z - alfalfa sprouts to zucchini - foods in the Vegetable Group offer more variety and more nutrients than most people realize! Some also make good raw, finger foods. Cut them in interesting shapes. Pack them in lunches. Eat them as snacks. Perhaps serve them with dips. Look for these and other vegetables in stores and restaurants.

Source: The American Diabetic Association's Complete Food and Nutrition Guide

WHAT'S IN THE FRUIT BOWL?
Apples, bananas, and oranges: they're America's favorites! But there is a lot more in our fruit bowl. Depending on the season, sweeten your plate - and nourish your body - with a variety of fruit and juices made from them. Look for these and other fruits in stores and on restaurant menus.

* "Good source" means it contributes at least 10 percent of the % Daily Value, based on one medium fruit, ½ cup canned or chopped fruit or one cup melon.

HEALTHFUL EATING: EATING PATTERNS
Your body wants energy coming in on a regular basis. Skipping meals is a habit many university students get into - and it's not healthful.

When you skip a meal, you don't concentrate as well, you tire more easily, and it is harder to problem-solve. People have thousands of excuses to not eat. You have heard them all, and probably used most of them:

• No time
• I had to get to class
• I overslept
• I'm not hungry
• I forgot to bring cash
  

Occasionally skipping a meal is not a problem, but when it becomes a lifestyle it can lead to obesity and overweight (yes, skipping meals contributes to gaining weight) and poor nutrition. When you skip a meal, you tend to be overly hungry at your next meal and eat more than you usually do, and make poorer choices about healthful food.

As you get more in touch with your body's hunger, you may eat in a 3-meal a day pattern, or a 6 small meal a day pattern or even a "grazing" pattern which means you are eating mini-meals throughout the day, and making nutritious choices about the foods you eat.

BREAKFAST
The first meal of the day may be the most important. When you skip breakfast, you set yourself up for failure in many ways. Breakfast gets your brain and your metabolism going. Research shows us that people who eat a nutritious breakfast tend to be leaner, and think more clearly through the day than people who do not. If you "never eat breakfast," it will take your body a while to begin to trust you again and send you the message "I'm hungry." Hunger pangs are a healthy signal. Denying hunger can lead to overeating. Start small. Get your fiber. Don't limit yourself to cereal, toast, or bacon and eggs. A sandwich can be a great breakfast, so can leftovers or pizza.

SNACKS
Snacks have gotten a bad name. We often choose high calorie, empty nutrition snacks or we "snack" when we are really bored or frustrated, not hungry. Snacks can play a very important part in a healthy diet. Planning your snacks and making snacks part of your eating plan, according to MyPyramid, can improve even a healthful diet. Carry nutritious foods with you for snacks.

NUTRIENTS IN A HEALTHY DIET
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are the macronutrients that your body needs on a daily basis.

Certain macronutrients are important for the college-aged population. Vitamins and minerals play important functions in good health. Take a look at the food sources for calcium, iron, and fiber. Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of these nutrients every day.

Fruits and vegetables and whole grains contain vitamins and minerals that are necessary for good health. They also contain phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that we are just beginning to learn about. These phytochemicals and vitamins and minerals may protect us very powerfully from a host of diseases including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.