More About Nutrition
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ABOUT NUTRITION
Explaining Organ Functions
Lungs: Provide oxygen to blood
Heart: Circulates blood throughout the body
Stomach: Helps digest food
Intestines: Absorb nutrients from food
Liver: Removes toxins from blood and processes nutrients from food
Kidneys: Filter blood of waste and extra fluid
Using Metaphors to Explain Nutrition
Metaphors and simple concepts are useful in teaching basic nutrition. An example of this could be conveying foods rich in carbohydrate as "go" foods, protein-rich foods as “grow” foods and colorful produce as "glow" foods. Health educators should emphasize that good nutrition requires eating at least one serving of these three types of food at each meal:
Foods Simple Concept of Function
Carbohydrate-rich foods -> FUEL
Protein-rich foods -> BUILDING BLOCKS
Fruits and Vegetables -> HELPERS & PROTECTORS
In other words, nutrients give our bodies instructions about how to function. In this sense, food can be seen as a source of "information" for the body.
Thinking about food in this way gives us a view of nutrition that goes beyond calories or grams, good foods or bad foods. This view leads us to focus on foods we should include rather than foods to exclude.
Instead of viewing food as the enemy, we look to food as a way to create health and reduce disease by helping the body maintain function.To lose weight, take in fewer calories than your body burns every day. To stop weight gain, don't eat more calories than you burn.
