Nutrition

Don't run off now, I know this section is very important. Before we have looked at the mouth and with it the tongue and some other chewing or swallowing apparatus. Now let's say we get to the throat and there's some trouble swallowing for whatever reason. Sometimes the reasons are neurological, meaning they have to do with the brain. We'll look at that later, but first I want to finish out this. Then again the muscles in the neck can get weak as in disease or old age which further decreases the ability to control the swallow. A swallow is what it's called when food moves out of your mouth into your stomach or down deeper for further digestion. At this time, you can now put some more food in since your mouth should be empty. Swallows aren't involuntary nor do they happen by magic. Basic voluntary movement means you can control it. It's caused by your tongue and your neck muscles working together to force food to go down. Well, at least it shouldn't be forced. If it feels like it is you have either an appetite problem, don't feel well, are nauseous, or are caught up in your feelings. It's okay that you're feeling down or blue or even anxious and maybe a bit worried too. It's quite natural to feel all those things as a response to we go through in our lives. You shouldn't, however, be feeling like that all the time. Right now, it's affecting your appetite, your mood, and God only knows what else it's doing to you. My suggestion is simply this. If you're angry about something let it go. If someone has hurt you forgive. If you're bitter about the way things turned out, let's turn the page and start all over again. Maybe there will be a better ending next time. If you're sad, it's okay, we're all here with you too. If you're lonely, maybe you just simply needed a friend. If you're anxious and worried, let's find some faith and hope in the faith section. Then let's come back and change what we can or even try again. There's always tomorrow for things to get better. Now that's settled, so it's time to eat. Well, if you're having troubles eating that is due to emotions.

Moving on in the nutritional world, we come across what you should be eating. There's about four main categories or building blocks of food. These are what make up the food that you're eating.

Starch – wheat, rice, bread, potatoes, oats, cereal, pasta, chips, corn, alcohol made from grains

Basically, anything you type of grain or grain product is known as a starch. Starch is another word for a carbohydrate which is what these contain. It's a longer chain molecule than simply sugar but when it's broken down by the body, it becomes nothing more except perhaps in the way it's distributed in the body and also stored. Starch or carbohydrates get broken down by the body and turned into fuel. It's what the individual parts of the body use to power them and still keep them going.

Protein – beans, chicken, pork, beef, hot dogs, lamb, mutton, and any other sort of animal that can safely be eaten, fish, processed meats, eggs, tofu, peanut butter, nuts, and cheese. Here we see protein includes the meat itself as well as alternative forms. Protein is used primarily in the body to build up the muscles and structures.

Fiber – vegetables are anything leafy and green that grow things on them like fruits. Only problem is though that these aren't quite fruits. They often have a lot of fiber in them, so that is considered the primary building block of which these are made. Vegetables and also some fruits contain the majority of vitamins and minerals needed for sustaining life. The vitamins found in fruits are important for the immune system in warding off illness. On the other hand, some minerals are found in vegetables. These are important for the function of the heart as well as transport of fuel into the cells.

Each organ in the body is made up of something known as a cell. Hundreds of thousands of them all clump together to make up the organ, each with its' own distinct function and structure. I find it amazing that all cells are the same but the designs are so different. To me, it speaks the truth of an intelligent design. Here are the basic vitamins and minerals along with their function and source.

Vitamin K - short for potassium

used to open the gates into cells

without it the heart would stop beating and the cells would all starve

found in green leafy veggies and bananas

Glucose - the starch and the sugar get broken down into glucose

this is the thing that powers the cell

transporter molecules bring this thing in the blood to the cells

once the gates have been opened, the transporter brings it on in

Calcium - found in milk and cheese and also some meat

it strengthens or builds up the bones

without it, bones become brittle and break very easily

Protein - help make up the muscles, organs, and even the cells

these are broken down into their simplest forms and then combined to make everything

Vitamin C - found in fruits

helps support immune health and function

without it, the cells become much more prone to catching disease

the body's immune system fights against the disease once it has entered the body

it is also aided by the memory of the body in response to prior pattern recognition of the disease

Vitamin D - found in the sunshine

helps to strengthen the bones

helps vitamin C to be absorbed by the body

Sugar – fruit, juices, honey, candy, sweets

can weaken the immune system making the body more susceptible to disease

is considered bad in excessive amounts

contributes to diseases of many types

best when given as an occasional treat

Some people like to put deserts in the same class as sugar. That is not usually the case unless you're putting more sugar in them than anything else. Most deserts have more bread in them than anything else, or at least the ones that I've seen still do. A lot of things are made up of one or more of these basic four classes. For example, an animal eats a plant which in turn becomes food on your plate. That is an example of a food that is in multiple categories or has more than one thing used to build it. Overall, each item in these categories contains the majority of what it is made up. It is recommended to eat everything in moderate amounts to avoid disease of excess nutrition or not enough nutrition.