Nutrition Guidelines

When you hear the word vitamin,you might associate iy with a pill.Although vitamins can be taken in a form of a pill,the term is defined as the organic substances necessary for life-not as pills for good health.Vitamins are essental for normal metabolism,growth,and development of your body.The most effective approach to obtaining all the necessary vitamins and nutritions for ptimal performance is to eat a well-balanced and healthy diet.

The established basic food groups and the Food Guide Pyramid are adequate guidelines for proper nutrition.Not following these guidelines can lead to eating too many wrong foods.An unaware indiidual can easily consume too much fat,cholesterol,and calories at the expense of complex carbohydrates.Prope nutrition begins with proper education,such as what to eat,what to avoid,and how much of a specific food to consume.The Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA's)were established by the Food and Nutrition Board and the National Research Council in order to define the daily amounts of nutritions recommended for generally healthy people to maintain good health.

Being responsible for your health means learning about how the foods you choose directly affects your energy levels and your ability to function.Many people don't understand the importance of balaced diet or know the foods needed for positive health.In an attempt to take shortcuts to obtain maximum results,people don't understand the importance often rely too heavily on nutrition supplements rather than learning about proper eating practices.Supplements arepills containg essential vitamins or minerals that might be beneficial people who can't eat a balanceddiet,whodon't don't eat enough food,or to overcompensate and take more than recommended daily amounts of nutritions through supplement pills.These megadoses contain 10 to 100 times the recommended daily allowance for a vitamin or mineral and can act like drugs with potentially serious results.As a fitness leader leader,you should warn your students  about relying on supplements instead of foods for nutritionts.Encourage them to eat a variety of foods,such as vegetables,fruits,and grains,to obtain nutritional benefits.Supplemens are rarely needed execpt in the following circumstance:

* Pregnant woman often need an iron supplement.

* Woman in childbearing years may need an iron supplement to help replace th iron that's lost in menstrual flow.

* People who are unable to be actve and who eat little food may need supplements to make up for their loss.

* People who take medications that interact with nutritions may need supplements.

*People who are on diets vey low in calories (1,200 calories or less)may need supplements.