Blog Post #66 -Energy sources - what powers you

My son Arnav asked me why we eat "Iron" . 

I was curious why he was asking this question.

I can't imagine myself eating Iron .. and he showed the chex mix pack nutrition contents( So you know my style of writing always saying my son asked this and asked that- there is only one special kid and that is always your kid and if you have more than one it is the one you are talking about that  time that is most special!)

So this post about is about how we landed up eating Iron?


You are a furnace with limited capacity to store and an ever burning fire inside the belly.

A Famous tamil poet Pattinathar talks about how in Hindu Mythology Hanuman placed fire in Sri lanka and other famous fire and concludes the fire your mom placed is in your tummy.

What does your tummy need? 

For your body to function you need energy. 

You eat food in large quantities called Macronutrients = Carbohydrate,Protein and Fats .
All stuff is broken to sugar which is burnt using oxygen to give energy. 

What is energy? Anything that lets you do anything you want ( So boring but profound).

Your body needs ATP and ADP which is chemically energy.

ATP is the energy molecule that gives energy to the cells, while ADP has one less phosphate group and contains more potential energy because more bonds could be broken. 

ATP is the energy that powers your body ADP is what is left after the energy is released -- and AMP (adenosine mono-phosphate) is the result after ADP releases its energy.

There you go. ADP,AMP and ATP - Do you really care? You should as what gets left is what is in your body (around the belly)

CARBOHYDRATES 

• Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel.
• Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy.
• All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy.
• Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.
• Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.
• Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.
• Carbohydrates are mainly found in starchy foods (like grain and potatoes), fruits, milk, and yogurt. Other foods like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and cottage cheese contain carbohydrates, but in lesser amounts.

Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move waste out of the body. Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer. Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.

 PROTEIN 

We need protein for:

• Growth (especially important for children, teens, and pregnant women)
• Tissue repair
• Immune function
• Making essential hormones and enzymes
• Energy when carbohydrate is not available
• Preserving lean muscle mass

Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, meat substitutes, cheese, milk, nuts, legumes, and in smaller quantities in starchy foods and vegetables.
When we eat these types of foods, our body breaks down the protein that they contain into amino acids (the building blocks of proteins). Some amino acids are essential which means that we need to get them from our diet, and others are nonessential which means that our body can make them. Protein that comes from animal sources contains all of the essential amino acids that we need. Plant sources of protein, on the other hand, do not contain all of the essential amino acids.

(according to Mckinley Health Care http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/macronutrients.htm)


FAT 
Although fats have received a bad reputation for causing weight gain, some fat is essential for survival. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes published by the USDA 20% - 35% of calories should come from fat. We need this amount of fat for:

• Normal growth and development
• Energy (fat is the most concentrated source of energy)
• Absorbing certain vitamins ( like vitamins A, D, E, K, and carotenoids)
• Providing cushioning for the organs
• Maintaining cell membranes
• Providing taste, consistency, and stability to foods

Fat is found in meat, poultry, nuts, milk products, butters and margarines, oils, lard, fish, grain products and salad dressings. There are three main types of fat, saturated fat, unsaturated fat, and trans fat. Saturated fat (found in foods like meat, butter, lard, and cream) and trans fat (found in baked goods, snack foods, fried foods, and margarines) have been shown to increase your risk for heart disease. Replacing saturated and trans fat in your diet with unsaturated fat (found in foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts, and canola oil) has been shown decrease the risk of developing heart disease.



 Micro Nutrients 


Water, Minerals and Vitamins.


From WHO website - Micro nutrients are called micro nutrients because they are needed only in minuscule amounts, these substances are the “magic wands” that enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper growth and development. 

As tiny as the amounts are, however, the consequences of their absence are severe. Iodine, vitamin A and iron are most important in global public health terms; their lack represents a major threat to the health and development of populations the world over

Anti-Oxidants 

When you leave an apple exposed to the air, it turns brown. The damage to the apple is caused by oxygen in the air, and is called oxidation. A substance that can reduce oxidation is called an antioxidant. Antioxidants are said to help your body repair cells and may even reduce the effect of aging. Common antioxidants are nutrients like B vitamins including Beta Carotene, Vitamins C and E and selenium. Foods like grape seed extract and pomegranate juice are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants may be taken as supplements or ingested as food. Most experts believe that getting antioxidants from food is the most healthful way to obtain them.

If wealth is lost nothing is lost, Health is lost something is lost and if character is lost everything is lost 

So what do you plan to do with a healthy body?

Keep eating
Sivakumar Manikanteswaran