Nutrition. What do you think of when you hear that word? Well, what I think of when I hear that word is my diet and food. I think about how in order for something to be nutritious it needs to be healthy but most people are unaware of what that means.

I think that we as people need to do a better job of communicating what good nutrition is because there are a lot of fast food places that people might think have healthy foods. However, they are not advertising those foods to the people. They are advising the fattening foods that people should really not be eating all the time. We need to start advertising the more healthier foods that we have access to.

We all have our own personal definition of what we interpret nutrition as being. However, nutrition is a key factor to living a healthy lifestyle as well as helping you stay in the best shape possible. Eating healthy provides the body with energy, which the body needs to function.

Upon entering college, I would say that my nutrition was average in that I would eat healthy here and there not really thinking about all the junk food that I was putting into my body. However, as my first semester unfolded I realized that my eating habits would worsen and I would start to notice this because my weight started to increase.

Being a Health Science major in college, I was required to take a Human Nutrition class that has allowed me to fully understand what a nutritious meal truly is. The class really was eye opening in that we learned how the foods are broken down in our bodys. We also learned about all the key nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals that are essential to our diet. The class is a way for me to look at my diet and help guide me to make decisions to choose foods that will make my diet overall healthier.

Leading a healthy lifestyle, starts with healthy nutrition. Yes, I understand sweets are good, but they are not made up of the essential nutrients that the body needs. So go out to the strawberry farm and pick a few strawberries for a snack instead of a bag of chips. Or start your own garden where you can grow the fruits and vegetables that you like right in your own backyard.

As I mentioned in my last article, I began leading a way healthier lifestyle than ever before this past couple months. I knew that in order to become a healthier me, I would need to alter my nutrition habits. I was able to adjust my diet to eat foods that would provide me with energy and good nutrients. I wanted to eat foods that were nutrient-dense, meaning that they are full of nutrients that are beneficial to the body.