E-Magazine: Nutrition in Healthcare
Nutrition in Healthcare
Oftentimes, when we think of healthcare, we think of doctors, medicine, and being sick. We think of going to the hospital when a traumatic event has occurred, and we think of finding cures to different illnesses. However, there is one aspect of healthcare that we do not think much of, and that is nutrition. According to MedicalNewToday, “Nutrition is the study of nutrients in food, how the body uses them, and the relationship between health, diet, and disease.” It may not be the first concept you think of when you think of healthcare, but that is exactly what it is: caring for your health. You do this by consumption of nutrients that make you feel healthy and happy. How can you tell what nutrition is necessary for healthcare?
Nutrients
In nutrition, there are two types of crucial nutrients that will tell you what nutrition is necessary for healthcare. These are macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the types of nutrients that humans typically need in large quantities, while micronutrients are those which are crucial in smaller amounts.
Macronutrients
Carbohydrates are the first form of macronutrients. There are three types of carbohydrates, which are sugars, fibers, and starches. One of the main purposes of carbs is to fuel our bodies, and the glucose in these nutrients can be broken down to provide energy for our bodies to function. Common examples of carbs include bread, pasta, potatoes, popcorn, and cereal.
Proteins are another form of macronutrients. These are essential to the body because they are necessary in the structure, function, and regulation of our bodies’ tissues and organs. A few examples of proteins that we find include beans, eggs, fish, poultry, lean meat, milk, and yogurt.
Fats are essential macronutrients, as well. They help the body absorb essential nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E, and they can help reduce blood pressure and inflammation in the body. Some examples of food with fats can include butter, milk, chocolate, and avocados.
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are typically vitamins and minerals, and since they are needed in smaller amounts, you will usually see them added into different foods or taken as supplements.
Common minerals that are necessary in nutrition include potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, and selenium. These minerals work together to ensure that all of the parts of our bodies are developing and functioning properly.
Forms of essential vitamins include Vitamin B-1, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin B-3, Vitamin B-5, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-7, Vitamin B-9, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K. Vitamins are essential to repairing damage and improving your immune system so that your body has a safe response to illness.
Water
Besides food that is eaten, water is another extremely essential part of our nutrition. In fact, up to 60% of our bodies consist of water! Because of this, it is imperative to maintain our routine water levels and stay hydrated. Water plays an important role in our bodies’ functions by assisting in digestion, absorption, circulation, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. These factors make water a crucial part of our daily nutrition.
While it is overlooked at first, nutrition is an important aspect of healthcare that must be taken into consideration. Nutrition allows for us to watch over our bodies, and it is very beneficial because controlling our body intakes is an area of your health where you actually have control. Along with that, taking your body into consideration and being aware of your nutrition can be a fulfilling experience, and trying new foods for your nutrition can be fun, as well! Check out the recipe below, and let us know what you think!
Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oats
Nutrition Facts: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calories.asp?recipe=2559714
Ingredients (for one serving):
½ cup oats
½ banana
1 egg
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp peanut butter
¼ tsp baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
¼ cup almond milk
Pinch of cinnamon
2 tbsp chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add all of the ingredients except for the chocolate chips into a blender and blend until the texture is smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate chips onto the smooth texture.
Pour the mix into a bowl and put it in the oven for 25 minutes.
Take the baked oats out of the oven and add extra chocolate chips on top.
Enjoy!
https://healthyfitnessmeals.com/chocolate-chip-baked-oats/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water#1
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160774#micronutrients
-Nika Shekastehband