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Samantha Edmonds
Professor George
English 1010
3 November 2015
The Body and Nutrition
The key to good health is getting proper nutrition from an early age. If good habits are
formed early then it is easier to continue these habits as an adult. Proper nutrition means eating
healthy food that contains everything the body needs to survive. When people dont get proper
nutrition their body becomes malnourished. When the body is malnourished, growth and
prevention of diseases is very difficult. The body is also more prone to hereditary disease when
malnourished. Most Americans dont get their daily intake of the essential nutrients. About 88%
of Americans admit to not eating the recommended amount of fruits or vegetables for the day.
Medical Daily wrote The study, completed at the University of Illinois, discovered that many
American adults fell short of consuming enough vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and
iron. In addition, Americans have a tendency to eat far more saturated fat, cholesterol, and
sodium than is normal or recommended. Why are so many Americans living such unhealthy
lifestyles? First of all, eating healthy is a lot more expensive. Second, laziness is a huge factor.
The average adult would rather pick up something at a fast food place after an eight-hour work
day, than go home and prepare a healthy and nutritional meal. Third, many Americans do not
know the basics of a healthy diet and proper nutrition. Only about 33% of Americans get their
proper nutritional requirements, what are these requirements and how much do we need?

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According to CookingLight.com, the average moderately active (30 to 60 minutes a day)

woman, age 19 to 50, should get at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 cups of vegetables a day. A
moderately active man, age 19 to 30, should get at least 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of
vegetables a day. Only about 3% of adults get their recommended fruit intake, and 9%
recommended vegetable intake. Fruits and vegetables are important to consume daily and to get
the recommended amount based on your age, gender, activity, and weight. Fruits are important to
our health because they contain many vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Apples are low in calories but come with a lot
of vitamins, including Vitamin C and B. Apples also contain numerous minerals such as
potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. Bananas, on the other hand, are high calorie but contain
tons of potassium and fiber. You can also find about 28% of your daily recommended intake of
Vitamin B-6 in a single banana. Oranges contain about 90% of recommended Vitamin C, more
than any other fruit. Oranges are also rich in Vitamin A and fiber. Strawberries are an excellent
source of the mineral Manganese, but also low in calories and fats. Strawberries contain lots of
Vitamin A, C, and D.
Vegetables are important because they are loaded with nutrients. Some even have antiaging properties. Five servings of the most nutritious vegetables can help you stay young,
healthy and trim. Vegetables also help protect you from things such as cancer and heart disease.
You can eat veggies raw, steamed, grilled, or in soups and stir fries. Broccoli is rich in vitamins,
minerals and fiber, and also loaded with anti-oxidants. Broccoli also contains folic acid, which is
important for pregnant women to prevent birth defects. Plus very high levels of Vitamin A, C, E
and also Iron. Carrots are the richest food in Beta-Carotene, which is a precursor of Vitamin A.

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Carrots improve eyesight, especially night vision, and help keep your skin healthy. Also, carrots
are rich in fiber, which helps maintain the intestinal tract. It boosts the immune system and
lowers blood cholesterol levels. Spinach is a leafy green vegetable, which is important for skin,
hair, and bones. It provides protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. Peppers are an excellent source
of Vitamin A and C, folic acid and fiber.
When it comes to protein, adult men need about 56 grams a day and adult women need
46 grams or 71 grams if pregnant or breastfeeding. Protein helps your body build and repair
muscles. Proteins can be found in lots of foods. Red meats including Steak (23g per 3 oz),
ground beef (18g per 3oz) and pork chops (26g per 3oz) are the most common protein sources.
Seafood including Halibut (23g per 3oz), Salmon (23g per 3oz) and Tilapia (21g pre 3oz) is
another good source. Last but not least, dairy including Greek yogurt (23g per 8oz), cottage
cheese (14g per cup) and eggs (6g per 1 large egg).
A person can survived for a week without food, but only three days without water. Our
bodies and brains are made up of approximately 75% water. Throughout the day our body is
using a significant amount of this resource and if we are not replenishing our water source then
serious health issues could occur. The minimum recommended amount of water a person should
drink is half of their body weight in ounces. For example, if a person weighs 150 pounds, they
should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water a day. Because of its ability to dissolve various
substances, it allows our cells to use essential nutrients, minerals and chemicals biologically. In
Tufts Universitys article How Much Water Do You Really Need? they state The most obvious
way in which hydration affects health is in the function of the kidneys, which play a key role in
regulation of the bodys fluid balance. The kidneys work more efficiently when the body had

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plenty of water. Deprived of adequate fluids, the kidneys must work harder and are more
stressed.
Proper nutrition is a key factor in changing your life. My aunt, for example, was never
taught good diet habits as a child and these bad habits were carried with her over the years. When
she was about 26 years old, she had hit the heaviest weight of her life at 233 pounds. She began
to have several health problems, including heart problems. She began working out every day, up
to two hours, with no change. Thats when she realized diet and health go hand in hand. She
began to change her eating habits. As she began to educate herself more and more about
nutrition, she applied it and began to lose weight. Over the past year and a half, my aunt has lost
over 70 pounds and still counting. She no longer has health problems, but continues to work out
and eat healthy every day.
Even though many Americans have serious health problems due to bad diet habits, they
continue to stick to their old ways. With only a basic knowledge of nutrition, a person can
significantly improve the quality and quantity of their life.

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Works Cited
Bushak, Lecia. "Most Americans Dont Get Enough Nutrients, But They Consume
Over-The-Top Levels Of Fat And Sodium: Study." Medical Daily. MedicalDaily.com, 28
Oct. 2014. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.
Friedman, Gerald J., and Dorothy R. Friedman. "How Much Water Do You Really
Need?" Health Source: Consumer Edition [EBSCO]. Tufts University Health &
Nutrition Letter, July 2014. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
Fry, Sidney. "Ask Our Dietitian: How Many Fruits and Vegetables Should I Eat a Day?"
Cooking Light. N.p., 2015. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.
Kadey, Matthew. "The Ultimate List Of 40 High-Protein Foods!" Bodybuilding.com.
Bodybuilding.com, 25 Aug. 2015. Web. 03 Nov. 2015.