The essential connection between health and diet

By: Belaar Jacqueline (Registered Nutritionist)

Health is defined as the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being of an individual. While diet, on the other hand, about health is the amount of food consumed by an individual. The food we eat as a diet can be anything solid or liquid, which when taken into the body and digested, provides the body with heat and energy, promotes growth, and repairs body worn-out tissues.
Eating good food provides all the necessary nutrients that are needed to provide good health. According to the Greek philosopher Hippocrates “Let thy food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food”, this statement explains the importance of food in terms of health. Improper consumption of food can either lead to over-nutrition (e.g., obesity) under-nutrition (e.g., kwashiorkor in the case of children), or low body mass index (BMI). On this note, energy intake should be equal to total energy expenditure. Hence, a nutrient should be taken in their right proportion.
Water also plays a vital role as it helps transport nutrients in the right quantities to the right places at the right time for effective utilization.
To equalize the total energy intake and total energy expenditure, one has to take into consideration the kind of work or physical activities he/she is involved in. For, the total amount of energy needed for someone working at the construction site will be different from that of someone who sits in an office. One should also note that sickness can hinder the rate of nutrient absorption, while poor nutrition can also lead to sickness.