I. INTRODUCTION
Proper nutrition – the key to human health, strength and beauty. However, many of us do not attach much importance to it, thoughtlessly refer to nutrition, do not think about its importance for a normal human existence, but after all nutrition is in first place in human health.
Some guys think that the correct, rational diet is determined only by the amount of food, others just rely on their appetite, forgetting that food is not only a source of energy, but also an important building material for growth and formation of the body.
It is essential for our health and well-being to become accustomed to proper eating habits. If you form the habit while you’re still young: to eat as you please, later this can lead to health problems.
For snacking, crisps, chips, soda and chewing gum are particularly popular among schoolchildren. But parents often tell me that these products are bad for health. How so? These products are sold at an affordable price for schoolchildren, they are advertised, they are so tasty. So I am interested in the questions: what is the harm of these products? Do my peers know about it? What foods are tasty and healthy at the same time?
Studying this topic in the encyclopedic literature, I learned that many people, including children, suffer from diseases of the digestive tract. Therefore, I felt it necessary to conduct research and tell my classmates about proper nutrition, about the harms and benefits of certain products.
1. Relevance of the topic
Our health is also determined to a large extent by our nutrition. Some students are often sick and have to miss a lot of classes, and it affects academic performance. Therefore, health and good learning are closely linked. Food is not only the main source of energy and building material for our bodies. Improper nutrition directly affects not only the physical development, but also the development of mental abilities. How should we eat to be and stay healthy? The answer to this question is relevant for any age. However, students in our class do not have enough knowledge in this area yet. To solve this problem I started working on this project.
2. The aim of the research
To prove that proper nutrition is the key to good health, to determine the rules of healthy eating.
3. Research tasks
1. To analyze the scientific information on this topic;
2. To clarify the concept of “Good nutrition”;
3. To study the composition of food and find out what products are necessary for the health of teenagers;
4. To study some products for their harmful substances content. 5;
5. To conduct a survey of classmates;
6. Suggest recommendations for healthy eating.
4. Hypothesis
Assume that if we eat right, we will get sick less, be stronger, cheerful, and do better in our studies.
II. MAIN PART OF THE RESEARCH
1. Good nutrition.
Health is the most valuable thing you have. Only one body is given to a person for life. If you are careless with some things, you can replace them, but you cannot replace your body. Many illnesses are just the result of improper nutrition. It is possible to stay healthy if you watch the nature of your diet.
Proper nutrition is a well-balanced, properly distributed in time and quantity meals that contain the amount of calories, nutrients, and vitamins the body needs.
Medics believe that people who eat four meals a day have the most favorable conditions for digestion. In this case, 25% of the food needed per day is eaten at breakfast, 50% at lunch, and the remaining 25% is divided between noon and dinner. Doctors recommend eating at the same time and at approximately equal intervals. In this case, incoming food is digested better and faster than for those who do not stick to a diet and eat at different times. Intervals between meals should not exceed 6 hours. Irregular meals cause digestive disorders and can cause gastrointestinal disease.
Next, I decided to find information on how a teenager should eat in order to be healthy and strong. I have already learned that nutrition is the foundation of a teenager’s health. Proper nutrition that gives the body the energy for physical work is the key to growth and support in the fight against disease.
About 50 nutrient components are needed daily to ensure proper growth and body function.
The most important nutrients are:
1) proteins
2) fats
3) carbohydrates
4) vitamins
Protein is the basic building material for our body. Protein makes up muscles, internal organs, circulatory and immune systems, skin, hair and nails. Fish, chicken, turkey, lean meat, low-fat dairy products, nuts, whey products, and egg whites are the best sources of protein.
Fats are the most powerful source of energy. In addition, fat deposits protect the body from heat loss and bruises, and the fat capsules of internal organs serve as their support and protection from mechanical damage. Sources of fat include animal fats and vegetable oils, as well as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and dairy products. Fats improve the taste of food and make you feel full.
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy. Approximately 60% of the body’s energy comes from carbohydrates, and the rest from proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are found in such foods as bread, pasta, cereals, sugar, honey, cakes and pastries, ice cream, and candy.
Vitamins strengthen blood vessels, ensure the normal functioning of the nervous system, and help maintain healthy skin. Many vitamins quickly break down and do not accumulate in the body in the right amounts, so a person needs a constant intake of them with food. Lack of vitamins in food can lead to various diseases, denoted as avitaminosis, in which impaired growth, impaired memory and reduced performance. Vitamins should be taken in strictly defined amounts. Consumption of a number of vitamins in large doses is as undesirable as their deficiency in food.
The right balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates – the basis for a healthy diet. Healthy children who receive a complete and balanced diet do not need additional intake of vitamins.
2. The Laws and Rules of Healthy Eating
All of our life is governed by certain laws. Nutrition is an integral part of our lives, and therefore it is natural that there are laws governing the proper diet. And then solved at once a lot of problems: appearance, weight, health. The food should be varied, and, of course, need to take into account age, national traditions and place of residence. In general, these recommendations come down to the food pyramid recommended by the World Health Organization.
At the base of the food pyramid are bread, cereals, and pasta.
Preference is given to varieties of bread made from wholemeal flour. They are rich in vegetable protein, vitamins and fiber, which helps eliminate cholesterol, “cleanses” the intestines and has a choleretic effect. The daily diet of both adults and children at least once a day should include porridge: oatmeal, buckwheat, millet or corn. Pasta and noodles are better to buy from first grade flour, they will do the body more good.
The second step of the pyramid is fruits and vegetables.
On average, an adult should eat 180 kilograms of fruits and vegetables during the year, and then spring avitaminosis is not a problem for him. Berries are a real treasure trove of vitamins. Raspberries can be used as natural aspirin, blueberries, cranberries and cranberries – as antibiotics. Sea buckthorn, blackthorn and red mountain ash are not less useful. Vegetable and fruit juices are useful for everyone if they are drunk 30 minutes before a meal or 1.5-2 hours after a meal.
In the next step of the pyramid are meat, fish, poultry and dairy products.
Regular consumption of meat stresses the metabolic processes in the body, which leads to premature aging. It is rational to eat meat 2-3 times a week in the amount of 100-150 grams per day. Sausages, frankfurters, sausages and other meat “delicacies” include a variety of artificial food additives, preservatives, fillers, and therefore are unlikely to be beneficial. Fish is another matter. It contains protein, fluorine, copper and zinc – these substances make fish necessary for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and atherosclerosis. The body’s resistance to infections is increased, the twilight vision improves, and the metabolism of phosphorus and calcium is regulated. Seafood is also useful – calamari, mussels, seaweed. Milk is ideal for the growing body. At a mature age, when the building and growth of organs is completed, it is preferable to eat dairy products – yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese, sour milk, which are designed to support and provide intestinal microflora, acid-alkaline balance and influence fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
At the top of the pyramid of healthy eating are salt, sugar and sweets.
Excessive consumption of salt leads to hypertension and obesity. Sugar lovers get metabolic disorders, diabetes, obesity, migraines and tooth decay. Instead of sugar, cakes, and candy, it is better to eat jams and fruits.
It’s never too late to try to change your lifestyle and eating habits for the better, to be healthy spiritually and physically, to live a long and happy life!
3. A survey of my classmates
During my work I took a survey of my classmates to find out their attitude towards eating right.
In the survey were involved 17 guys, 4 of them got from 15 to 21 points, 11 people got from 22 to 28 points and 2 people got from 29 to 44 points.
According to the results of the questionnaire, I have made the conclusion that in my class the nutrition of the majority of the students cannot be called nutritious, they are not conscious of their own health. But if they listen to the recommendations of a healthy and proper nutrition, their diet will be replenished with the necessary substances for the body.
4 classmates are conscious about their own health, because with food their body receives a variety of nutrients with bioactive substances preserved in them.
The 2 classmates also need to think about their nutrition, both about their regimen and their diet. The sooner they do this, the fewer problems with excess weight, nervous diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, various skin rashes they will have.
5. Recommendations for a healthy diet
In conclusion, I would like to offer simple recommendations for a healthy and proper diet:
1. Observe your eating habits! Eating at certain hours improves digestive function.
2. Eat a variety of foods! A variety of nutrients and vitamins ensures a balanced intake of necessary substances in your body. Include vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products in your diet every day.
3. Chew your food thoroughly! Chewing prepares food to pass through your digestive tract. Shredded food is easier to digest.
4. Don’t overeat! The digestive system cannot cope with too much food; the food undergoes fermentation and putrefaction and the body is poisoned.
5. Don’t rush during meals! The duration of a meal should be at least 20 minutes for one meal, and 30-40 minutes for two. This way you will achieve fullness without overeating.
III. CONCLUSION
Improper nutrition is one of the first causes of many diseases. Fatty foods lead to excessive weight gain, substitutes, flavorings and all kinds of colorings play the role of poison, destroying our body from within.
The right balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins is the basis of a healthy diet. Every health-conscious person needs to know his or her daily caloric intake and the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
The lack of vitamins slows down growth and reduces the body’s performance. Therefore, you need as much as possible to consume foods that contain vitamins. A lot of vitamins are found in meat, fish, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits. Vitamins are very important for health.
Food is a source of energy for a person, and its excess or lack is a problem. We must learn from an early age to keep the “golden mean”, without overeating or undernourishment, otherwise you can get serious illness. It is necessary to live in harmony with ourselves and with the food around us!
So, if we eat right, then we will get sick less, we will be stronger, cheerful and do better in school. So, my hypothesis is correct.
