Nutrition is the process of nourishing or being nourished. It is the process the body assimilates food and uses it for growth and for replenishment of nutrients. It is the science of nourishment, including the study of nutrients necessary to maintain optimum health.
Apart from water and oxygen, we need a complex mix of substances including amino acids/proteins, carbohydrates, lipids/fats, minerals and trace minerals.
In modern times, the problem of sub-optimal nutrition has increased with the advent of technologically derived refined foods. These processed foods have lost their nutrients which were once present in whole foods from which they were derived. Modern dietary guidelines and nutrition education focuses substantially on replacing processed foods with whole grains, legumes, low fat meats and dairy products, fish, vegetables, fruits and nuts that retain their natural biochemical unity.
One of the bases for our interest in nutrition is the fact that individuals who have different genetic backgrounds have different nutritional needs; for this reason, various human ills may arise because the individuals concerned do not get all of the nutrients in amounts compatible with their own distinctive requirements.
It's clear that improper nutrition may produce or contribute to almost every conceivable type of illness. Nutritional and medical research is yielding important advances in using improved nutrition to prevent, cure and ameliorate disease.
At Integrated Health Center, we bring together the nutritional and medical advances and research to help you achieve optimal health and well-being.
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