MY SCHOOL by Dr .Nilesh Gopal das Joshi (beginner reading books for adults .txt) 📕

there may be slight variations for afew food items according to sex requirements. Principle of occupation, meaning that number of calories depends on the type of work involved, i.e., light work, heavy work and intellectual work. Principle of flexibility, which means that diet is determined by climatic and seasonal factors. Principle of economy, meaning thereby that inexpensive food-items can also give the same amount of calories as given by expensive food items. Efforts should be made to tap alternative sources of food items. Better food can be had at low costs. Principle of regularity in taking diet.

Nutrition Education

Health and nutrition are related to each other. Nutrition is the science of nourishing the body. Food in general terms is used to describe the nutritive material, solid or liquid, taken into human body. It gives energy, protection from diseases and helps in the metabolic activities of the body. Nutriion refers to various processes, concerned with digestion and assimilation of food in body.

Nutrition education plays a vital role, as far as the health of students is concerned. Nutrition education helps the students to understand the necessity of nutrition in the development of quality of life. Nutrition is defined as the process of assimilating food and all processes of growth, maintenance and repair of the living body which depends upon the intake of food. “ Good nutrition is the basic component of health. It is of prime importance in the attainment of normal growth and development and in the maintenance of health throughout life. Life cannot exist without food and it is for this reason that every living organization strives its utmost to obtain its food requirements. The health of a person depends on the type and quality of food stuffs he/she chooses to eat. The role of nutrition is in the promotion of health and prevention of disease. Nutrition provides the energy for work by an individual. The resistance power of the body is directly influenced by the foodstuffs.

Nutrients

The components of food which fulfill all the basic functions are known as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins and are collectively known as nutrients. They are present in most foods and in different amounts. These proteins form the chief substance of our muscles and organs and is an important body building material. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins constitute the fuels that are burnt inside the body and supply energy. Their burning also helps in maintaining body temperature. Minerals form the chief building materials of structures like bones and teeth. Vitamins are necessary to regulate the proper utilization and assimilation of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and minerals by the body to attain proper growth and also to prevent certain diseases. Besides these, water which forms nearly two-third of our body weight is also a necessary food element. Since it is an important constituent of body tissues, water also acts as a vehicle to transport the other nutrients.

Proteins

Proteins are important constituents of plan and animal cells. There is no known life without them. Muscles need protein for good growth and function.Proteinshelp in the formation of new tissues for replacing the old ones spent in work. They help growth in young children, produce digestive juices and resist diseases. They are needed in the healing of wounds and the formation of blood. They are important in the production of antibodies which fight agains disease causing bacteria. The tissues which cement one part of the body with another and keep them in place are made of proteins. Even the bones, teeth, hair and nails require certain amounts of proteins. Enzymes and hormones are composed of proteins. Proteins also supply energy, but they are costly items for being used as fuel. When the body runs short of proteins, the blood becomes too thin and the muscles in turn flabby. Children stop growing. Protein shortage also leads to edema, liver troubles and decreased tone in muscles.

There are different kinds of proteins, but all of them are needed for the body. All proteins are made up of a number of nutrients called, “Amino-acids”. Twenty two amino-acids are so far known to be present in food. Ten of these are essential for human life and growth. Therefore, they are called essential or indispensible amino acids. The rest are not so important for life but are necessary for building the body. They are called ‘non-essential or dispensible’ amino acids. Depending on the time and amount of amino-acids present, the different proteins are classified as ‘first class or complete’, ‘second class or partially complete’ and ‘third class or incomplete’ proteins.

The complete proteins are absolutely necessary for maintaining life and promoting growth. They are found in animal foods, pulses and some nuts. The partially complete proteins can maintain life, but not promote growth. Most of the protein in the vegetable kingdom belong to this group. The third class proteins can neither maintain life nor promote growth, but are useful as building blocks in the tissues. Zein, a protein of maize and gelation belongs to this group.

The good quality proteins are generally found in milk, eggs, meat, fish, soyabean, groundnuts, proteins are obtained from meat of all kinds, poultry and eggs, fish, milk and milk products. Vegetable proteins are derived from pulses, grams, legumes, seeds, nuts, yeasts, cereal and vegetables.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The combination of these three elements to form either sugar or starches provides a primary source of fuel for the body. Carbohydrates are chiefly of plant origin.

Carbohydrates are necessary for producing heat and energy to be utilised in work. They are usually available in the form of starch, which when taken is changed to sugar and later on into glucose. They are found in rice, wheat, bajra, ragi and other millets, oatmeals sugar, milk, potatoes and fruits, dals of red gram, black gram, green gram, masur and bengal gram, green peas, tapioca, banan, groundnut, cashewnut, walnut etc.

Fats

Fats produce heat in the body and energy for muscles. They protect against heat and cold. Vegetarian fat is found in butter, ghee, mustard oil, coconut oil etc. Non-vegetarian fat is found in eggs, meat and fish. Fats are the most concentrated form of energy giving foods. They are not soluble in water. All fats have the same fuel value. Being concentrated fules, fats reduce the total bulk of food in the meal. They are stored in the body to be used as reserve in time of need and emergency such as starvation and sickness. Fats act as padding material and give protection against injuries to the vital organs. As insulating material, fats guard the body from effects of exposure to cold and heat. Fats give roundness, beauty, shape and contour to the body. Fats lend staying power, that is, satisfaction to apetite for a longer period because they are digested and absorbed slowly. Fats are solvents for vitamins A, D, E and K.; they add to the taste and f;avour of the diet.

Mineral

There are about thirty minerals present in the human body. Out of these, some are regarded as absolutely essential for the proper functioning of the body.

These mineral salts include iron, manganese, copper, cobalt, zinc, phisphorous, calcium, iodine, sulphur, sodium chloride, magnesium and phosphate. All the mineral elements are parts of the structure composition of the body and regulate several physiological processes. They activise digestion, balance acids and alkalies, strengthen muscles and bones and help in general development. Lack of calcium results in weak bones. calcium is found in milk, green vegetables, orange and fish. Lack of iron causes anaemia.Iron is found in meat, egg, spinach and carrot. Lack of iodine causes goitre. Iodine is found in water and vegetables. Magnesium and phosphate are needed for bones and teeth. These are found in milk, cheese, meat and eggs. Sulphur helps in formation of brain, nails, hair and helps in the digestion of food also. It is found in eggs,mpulses, cabbage, spinach and radish.

Water

Water is very important since several body processes are being carried out in a fluid medium. Seventy percent of the total weight of the body is water. Body gets water from the fluid, food and as a by-product of the oxidation of food-stuffs in the body. Water is excreted from the body through the kidneys, intestines, lungs and the skin. In normal persons, there is a balance between the intake and off-take of water. That balance is one of the factors which control and maintain body temperature.

Water is an important part of the digestive fluids. It helps in the absorption of digested foods and their distribution in the body and utilization of body temperature. A person should take six to eight glasses of water daily.

Vitamins

Vitamins are known as life giving matter. They help in the proper growth of the body, in resisting diseases, facilitating the digestive system and toning the nervous system. They are named as A,B,C,D, E and K. Vitamin A is needed for eyes, lungs, intestines and skin. It increases apetite and builds resistence against diseases. It is found in milk, vegetables, eggs, fish and tomatoes. Vitamin B, which is of 15 different types is the most important of all the vitamins and is needed for all the systems of the body. It is found in eggs, fruits, vegetables and pulses. The deficiency in vitamin C causes the disease scurvy. It is found in uncooked food, and is totally missing in tinned food. Vitamin D is needed for the development of bones and teeth. Its defieciency causes rickets. It is found in milk, vegetables, butter, cream and egg yoke. Its defiency can be made good by sunlight also. Vitamin E relates to reproduction and Vitamin K to coagulation of blood. They are found abundantly in vegetables.

Malnutrition

Meaning: Malnutrition means insufficient and unwholesome feeding. When a person does not eat the right food or does not eat enough, he/she is said to be undernourished. In our country, a large number of people are unable to get proper diet. They are ill-fed,ill-clothed and ill-housed. They are unable to give proper diet to their children with the result that they are malnourished. This affects their physical and mental health.

Causes of Malnutrition

There are a number of causes of malnutrition, such as:

Food of poor quality and quantity is the main cause. Malnutrition is caused when a person does not get proper food according to his age and nature of work. Due to poverty, parents cannot afford proper nourishment for their children Unhealthy physical surroundings and insanitary conditions inside and outside school is another cause. The children do not get fresh air, sunlight and likeable surroundings. Meals taken irregularly and untimely may cause indigestion. Some children are otherwise unhealthy. They do not benefit even from the most nutritive food. This may be due to lack of appetite, indigestion, constipation or any other cause. If the child remains over-burdened, worried and upset due to any reason, and does not get adequate rest or sleep, malnutrition will be caused in spite of good nutrition. The adulteration of the eatables is another reason why even the costly food articles obtained from the market do not provide expected nutrition.

Symptoms of malnutrition

The main symptoms of malnutrition are of two types- physical and mental. The physical conditions are laziness, dry hair, loose skin, depresses eyes and pale face, below normal weight, drowsiness, extreme weakness, fatigue and exhaustion, attack of diseases like rickets and beriberi, bad postures, unable to stand the strain of drill or sports in the sun, charmless and sorrowful face.

The mental conditions are lack of concentration, irritability, unenthusiastic, gloomy nature, forgetfulness, slow comprehension and maladjustment.

Deficiencies and Problems of Malnutrition among Children

Failure of the child to grow or gain weight. Slowness in talking, thinking or walking. Thin arms and legs. Swollen bellies. lack of energy. Swelling of face, feet and hands. Often marks or sores on the skin. Thinning or loss of hair or loss of its color or shine. Dryness of eyes and sometimes blindness. Night blindness.

Diseases Especially Infections Caused by Malnutrition or Poor Nutrition

Poor nutriton weakens the ability of the body to resist the following diseases:

Poorly nourished children are much more prone to severe diarrhoea and also to die from it than children who are well nourished. Measles are especially