One of the biggest concerns that a person has before embarking on a healthy lifestyle change is where to start. You hear terms like nutrition and calcium and protein and other common health terms that generally don’t mean anything to you. Well, we are here to help you, as we will discuss some of the common terms about your health that will help you plan the best way to live a healthy lifestyle. As the saying goes, your body is a temple, and it’s really true. What we eat impacts the insides of our bodies in ways that most people don’t know and very few people can really understand if told. However, one of the important things that a person should take care of when eating is to make sure they are getting the right amount of nutrition in their diet. Nutrition facts refer to a science that attempts to determine how and why specific diets influence a person’s health. Diseases that have been attributed to a deficiency in nutrition , excesses in nutrition, or nutritional imbalance have been: obesity, osteoporosis, and scurvy. When it comes to understanding nutrition, you should know that there are six main classes of nutrients that your body requires: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Your body requires the consumption of these six nutrients daily for it function properly. Carbohydrates are the most common source of energy in your body, as they require less water to digest compared to proteins and fats. While it is possible for your body to obtain all of its energy from proteins and fats, it is still recommended that you still make sure that you eat foods that have some carbohydrates in them. Food nutrition that are high in carbohydrates include such items as: beans, bran, bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes, and rice. You don’t need to be a nutritionist to understand how important protein is for your body. Proteins are one of the essential nutrients that your body requires to produce energy. They are vital building components for body tissue and cells. It is highly recommended that you have the necessary amount of protein in your diet, especially if you are going to the gym and are involved in fitness classes. Foods that are heavy with protein include meats, fish, and cheese. Remember that Health Nutrition is vital to how your body functions. When people hear the term fats, they often cringe. After all, isn’t a part of eating healthy reducing the amount of fat that you eat? However, there are certain fats or fatty acids that your body requires. These essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) are crucial in maintaining your body’s health, particularly cardiovascular health. Good sources of these essential fatty acids include corn oil, fruits, grains, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, soy beans, spinach, sunflower oil, and vegetables. Ever since we were kids, we have all heard about how important vitamins are for your body. Vitamins play a number of roles as they help strengthen bone structure, affect your vision, impact your immune system, and helps produce energy in your body. Foods that are heavy with the different vitamins you need include: apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, chicken, citrus fruits, eggs, fish, milk, nectarines, nuts, pork, spinach, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, vegetables, and whole grains. One of the most important nutrients that a person can take are minerals. Such important minerals that food provide include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium. These minerals are responsible for many different bodily functions from making hormones to maintaining a normal heart bean to transmitting nerve impulses. Foods that contain a large amount of minerals include: broccoli, dairy products, eggs, fish, meat, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains.