Health is Wealth

• Health is wealth. We all know it. But as long as we are healthy we never think of protecting that wealth. When we are about to lose it, then we think of taking all precautions.
  ‘Healthy mind in a healthy body’. So, the body to be healthy good nutrition is essential. Under nutrition and over nutrition both are malnourishments.
  As poor nutrition is the problem of poor people, over nutrition is the problem in less educated rich population.
  Over nutrition leads to obesity and is the problem in developed countries and some class of people in developing countries.
  Obesity or overweight is having more fat in the body and weight being more than ideal bodyweight.
  Ideal body weight – Body Mass Index – weight (Kg)/Height in Sq. M. eg; 60/(1.6x1.6)
  Normal BMI = 18.50-24.99; 25-29.99 = increased weight; >30 obesity; with increasing BMI, moderate, severe and morbid obesity.
  Ideal body weight – Broca index – Height(Cm)-100 ex. 160-100 = 60Kg. >5% overweight is obesity, double the ideal weight is morbid obesity.
  Risks of obesity –> hypertension, diabetes, gall bladder disease and coronary heart disease, certain types of cancers especially large bowel cancers. In females it leads to metabolic syndrome, lowered fertility, increased complications in pregnancy and increased risks to the fetus – baby.
  To maintain ideal body weight proper diet and physical exercise are important.
  As for nutrition is concerned, the daily requirement of nutrients with appropriate number of energy calories is taken.
  An adult healthy man weighing 60Kg, doing moderate work eight hours a day will need 2875Kcal, and adult female weighing 50Kg doing moderate work for eight hours a day will need 2225Kcal. In women, additional requirement of 300-500Kcal is required during pregnancy and lactation.
  Major components of nutrients are
  Carbohydrates – 1Gm = 4Kcal - cereals, roots and tubors
  Proteins - 1Gm = 4Kcal - milk,eggs, meat, fish etc; pulses, cereals, nuts, beans
  Fats -- 1Gm = 9Kcal - animal fats ghee, milk, cheese, veg.oils –sesame,gnut
  Vitamins - from cereals, pulses, egg, meat etc; fruits and vegetables
  Minerals. – milk and milk products, fruits and vegetables, non-veg foods, eggs.
  A balanced diet should have 55%calories from carbohydrates, 25% from proteins and 20% from fats.
  The daily requirement of proteins, body building units, is 1gm/kg body weight. Extra 20Gm allowance added during pregnancy and lactation. Pulses and non-veg foods give about 20gm proteins per 100gm consumption. Highest protein content is in soyabeans, which give about 43gm.proteins/100gm.
  Cereals also give proteins, 5-7gm/100gms. Nuts and oilseeds will have more of fats and to some extent proteins. Fruits and vegetables give more of vitamins and minerals. Milk is the richest source of calcium. Cereals, pulses, non-veg, eggs and nuts and oils seeds will also have vitamins and minerals in variable quantities. Fruits and vegetables give less calories, 1cal or less/gm. Banana, sitafal and sapota give almost 1cal./gm. Dry fruits give almost 3-4cal/gm.
  Food items when taken in combination in appropriate quantity will give, apart from calories, all other nutrients – carb, proteins, fats, vit., minerals to keep body healthy.
  Fast food and aerated drinks give only empty calories as they have only sugars that will give calories and no other nutrients. Even alcohol gives 7cal/gm. So these fast foods, cola drinks and alcohol can lead to obesity and nutritional imbalance and ill health.
  All this is in short to know the value of food and to maintain good health by taking healthy diet.
  Eat healthy. Be healthy.