Nutrition is the intake of food in relation to the body’s dietary needs. Good nutrition, an adequate well-balanced diet combined with regular physical activity is the cornerstone for good health. Poor nutrition can lead to reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired physical and mental development, and reduced productivity. Dietitians are health professionals who specialise in human nutrition, meal planning, economics, and preparation. They are trained to provide balanced dietary advice and are found in all health centres in Zambia. Their goal is to promote healthy habits for lifelong nutrition practices. Find the centres that offer services on nutrition and access a wide variety of affordable and appealing foods that meet your health and nutrition needs.
Nutrition, nourishment, or aliment, is the supply of materials - food - required by organisms and cells to stay alive. Because your body needs a variety of nutrient-rich foods to grow and prevent illness, good nutrition is key. Companies offering nutrition services are committed to providing the highest quality foods and supplements for you and your family. They work to create an environment where you can learn to make healthy decisions. Good nutrition means getting the right quantity of nutrients from healthy foods in the right combinations. Having nutrition knowledge and making smart choices about the foods you eat can and will help you achieve optimum health over your lifetime, and be a key to avoiding illness, obesity and many of today’s most common diseases. The essential nutrients for life include carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (fats), as well as fibre, vitamins, minerals, and water—the solvent for all soluble ingredients in the blood and cells. The absorption of nutrients starts the moment one begins to digest foods, as they are transported to assist all the metabolic processes in the human body.
Nutrition is key to developing and maintaining a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being — a healthy mind, body, and spirit. It is at work from infancy to adolescence, adulthood and in our senior years. Being healthy not only makes us feel great, it enables us to enjoy life to our fullest potential and to follow our dreams. On the other hand, a poor diet can have a serious impact on health and rob you of your freedom.
With registered dieticians, companies offering nutrition services will provide you with simple explanations on how to stay healthy with nutrition, and how the choices you make every day influence your body’s health. The amount, type, and route of nutrition are tailored specifically to each individual. Practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised lifestyle programmes rather than a ‘one size fits all approach. They will also frequently work alongside a medical professional and will communicate with other healthcare professionals involved in the individual’s care to explain any nutritional programme that has been provided.
Some of the effects of poor nutrition include: