Introduction
Upkeeping of nutrition as well as physical activity is a secret to a healthy lifestyle. However, managing both of these in daily life is not an easy task to do but a self-disciplined person can achieve this lifestyle. Over the last 50 years in the United States, eating patterns have changed significantly and the number of unhealthy populations has increased to a great extent that every 2 out of 3 people have shifted towards greater consumption of fast food around the United States which has also promoted overconsumption. People are shifted towards foods that are low in fiber and nutrients but high in energy that is mostly derived from animal sources and a greater intake of caloric sweeteners. Physical inactivity and poor dietary patterns are the leading causes of obesity and disability and even lead to preventable death in adults (McNaughton et al., 2012). This paper reflects on how a healthy diet improves the quality of nutrition and physical activity adds much to promote healthier lifestyles in correlation with healthy people.
Nutrition and Health
Nutrition is meant to what is being consumed and in how much quantity of any food is being consumed. In the United States, most people do not have access to fresh food so they prefer consuming fast food or processed food which has unhealthy fats, sodium, and added sugars along with beverages. The overconsumption of such food is coupled with a lower intake of high-nutrients but low-energy dietary components may have disastrous impacts on an individual’s life who may be already suffering from cancer, bipolar, or heart disease. However, people around the globe and in the United States in particular do not know what to do about it and how to prevent the overconsumption of unhealthy food items. The research has determined that physical activity such as exercise is one of the important interventions that people can adopt to improve their healthy lifestyle. It is a low-cost alternative for the prevention and disease treatment such as obesity but 90% of the people of the United States do not consider this alternative and do not consider exercising as recommended for a minimum of 120-150 minutes per week. Thus, poor diet, no exercise, and lack of physical activity are the critical drivers of unhealthy and obese populations in the United States (Kohl III & Cook, 2013).
The unhealthier a person eats the more likely he is to reach some serious health conditions such as high cholesterol, stroke, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. If a person has any one of these bad health conditions, he must balance his nutrition and control his obesity problem to prevent the condition may not worsen over time. So, it is crystal clear that maintaining a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and physical activity such as exercise is crucial for every person around the globe to mitigate the problems people are suffering from around the globe (Meredith & Dwyer, 1991).
Importance of a Healthy Diet and Physical Activity
Exercise, proper nutrition, fitness, and a healthy diet are vital components to make up a healthy lifestyle which can only be achieved by keeping them in order for positive well-being. With a healthy lifestyle, several other benefits come into play at every stage of an individual’s life such as improved muscle development, good heart health, tremendous bone growth, a strong immune system, and healthy weight. People who consume healthy food and exercise regularly not only prevent the dangers of bad health conditions but also maintain the decreasing risk of depression throughout their life that may be caused due to obesity. Thus, physical activity and healthy food consumption can potentially lead individuals to good health and longer life spans.
The biological impacts of physical activity are extremely positive and healthy for the body as well as for the mind. Therefore, physical activity and a healthy diet are associated with better quality of life and better health outcomes. Biologically, any kind of physical activity seems to give the body a chance to relieve stress and deal with everyday problems with high morale and strong stamina (Meredith & Dwyer, 1991). Moreover, pregnant women should also adopt a regular plan for their diet as well as exercise because a bunch of research regarding nutrition and physical activity has suggested that women get plentiful benefits if they practice physical activity along with healthy and organic dietary options. Regular exercise throughout their pregnancy journey can help pregnant women in reducing the risk of postpartum depression. Besides, a pregnant woman practising regular physical activity has a positive and comfortable labor experience and has a reduced risk of pregnancy complications.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, nutrition and physical activity go hand in hand in their way to create a healthy lifestyle. Happiness is related to having good health as a person who is healthy feels good about himself and his surrounding and the individual who does not have this luxury always feel gloomy and sad. Thus for the substantial physical as well as mental health benefits, it is suggested that adults should participate in at least 150 minutes of weekly aerobic activity at the moderate-intensity level and at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity for a good aerobic system. Pre-workout nutrition is important to boost energy and also helps prevent muscle protein breakdown and depletion of muscle glycogen during the workout. However, eating immediately after physical activity is not recommended as a person who already has a low carbohydrate level can potentially become sick (McNaughton et al., 2012).
References
Kohl III, H. W., & Cook, H. D. (2013). Physical activity and physical education: Relationship to growth, development, and health. In Educating the student body: Taking physical activity and physical education to school. National Academies Press (US).
McNaughton, S. A., Crawford, D., Ball, K., & Salmon, J. (2012). Understanding determinants of nutrition, physical activity and quality of life among older adults: The Wellbeing, Eating and Exercise for a Long Life (WELL) study. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 10(1), 1–7.
Meredith, C. N., & Dwyer, J. T. (1991). Nutrition and exercise: Effects on adolescent health. Annual Review of Public Health, 12(1), 309–333.
