CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are one of the macro-nutrients, needed by body in larger amounts for energy production. They provide 4 calories of energy per gram. They are made from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. There are three main types of carbohydrates present in food. These are monosaccharide, disaccharides and polysaccharides.

Monosaccharide or simple sugars are sweet in taste and present in sugary foods. They are the simplest kind of carbohydrates and can’t be hydrolyzed further. Therefore, they provide instant energy to the body. They are naturally present in large amounts in fruits, honey etc. Their main forms are glucose (present especially in grapes and other fruits) and fructose (present in honey, molasses and fruits).  

Disaccharides or complex sugars are made from joining of two monosaccharides. The two main types of disaccharides are sucrose and lactose. Sucrose is present in sugar-cane and made from the combination of glucose and fructose. Lactose is present in the mammalian milk and composed of glucose and galactose. Lactose is less sweet than sucrose due to the presence of galactose.

Polysaccharides or starches are carbohydrates that are produced by joining of large number of monosaccharide. They are complex carbohydrates therefore their digestion and release of energy is slower than sugars. They are most commonly found in cereals (wheat, rice, maize, oats), pulses (chickpea, mung, lentils), peas, beans, bananas, potatoes, nuts etc. 

Body Storage of Carbohydrates

If carbohydrates are consumed in amounts more than required to produce energy, then these extra carbohydrates are stored in body as glycogen or fat. Glycogen is mostly stored in muscles and liver. When the maximum amount of glycogen is stored in body (12-24 hours energy supply), then additional carbohydrates are converted in liver into fats and stored in fat cells. 

Healthy Tips

·         Simple sugars, especially glucose, should be used when instant energy is required for body. It is also used in hospitals to supply instant energy to several patients.

·         World Health Organization (WHO) recommends acquiring more than 50% of total energy from carbohydrates but it should not be more than 10% from sugars.

·         Diabetic patients should avoid sugars in their food as it triggers the glucose level in blood. They can get energy from starchy foods.

·         Starchy foods are also good source of dietary fibers. They keep the GIT healthy.

·         Carbohydrates also satiate the body.

IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE

Physical Exercise is any such bodily activity that uses the body in an organized way and thus helps to enhance or maintain fitness of body and overall health. It helps to regulate all functions of body and also benefits all body systems. Primarily, exercise is divided in to three main parts. These are Aerobic exercise, Anaerobic exercise and Stretching Exercise.

Types of Exercise

Aerobic Exercise is an exercise which uses large quantity of oxygen and is performed for longer duration of time. This exercise is especially beneficial for circulatory system and respiratory system. Few examples of aerobic exercise include brisk walking, jogging, long run, swimming and any such physical activity that continues for long time due to low-intensity.

Anaerobic Exercise is any exercise that could be continued from few seconds to few minutes. It is also known as strength training. This type of exercise uses very little amount of oxygen as compared to aerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise is especially beneficial for muscular system and skeletal system. Few important anaerobic exercises include push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, Olympic weightlifting and any such high-intensity and short-duration exercise. 

Stretching Exercise is used to increase the range of motion of muscles and joints. These exercises are very important before and after hard physical activity as it reduces the chances of injury.

Physical Exercise can also be divided into Dynamic and Static (or Isometric) types. Dynamic exercise like jogging lowers the diastolic (relaxing) blood pressure during exercise while static exercises like weight-lifting and plank raises the systolic (contracting) blood pressure during exercise.  

Benefits of Exercise

·         Aerobic Exercise especially is very beneficial for cardiovascular health. These exercises gushes the blood forward in the blood-vassals and thus helps to reduce diseases like stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc.

·          Anaerobic exercise increases the size and strength of skeletal muscles.

·         Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises are useful for heart. Aerobic exercises increase cardiac volume while anaerobic exercises increase myocardial thickness.

·         Apart from exercises like swimming and cycling, all other exercises either aerobic or anaerobic are beneficial for bones.

·         Studies have proved that vigorous exercises help to make better mood by increasing the release of endorphin. 

Precautionary Measures

Though, there is no doubt about the importance and benefits of exercise but few precautionary measures should be taken in order to prevent from any damage.

It should be noted that exercise, especially strength training, causes tearing of muscle fibers which in turn causes muscle fatigue. Proper rest and healthy diet should be given to body in order to prevent any injury and achieve benefits from exercise. Aerobic exercise for very long duration without proper rest and diet are also harmful as they can cause heart problems.

People of older age or with some disease should choose low-intensity exercise after consultation from a medical practitioner. 

IMPORTANCE OF DIET

Diet and nutrition plays a crucial role in the health and well-being of a person. Without proper diet, one would remain unhealthy and his body could not resist everyday physical and mental stress and fall in to several diseases. Following are the major components of food daily needed by every person for a healthy life.

Macro-Nutrients

Macro-nutrients are the components of food needed in larger amounts. These include; carbohydrates, fats and protein.

Carbohydrates are basic component of human diet. Providing energy to body is their main characteristic. They provide 4.5 calories of energy per gram. Grains, fruits, sugar-cane, honey etc are best source of carbohydrates. Sugar foods provide instant energy to the body.

Fats &oils are another macro-nutrient. They provide larger amount of energy (9 calories per gram). Oils (liquid at room temperature) are better than fats (solid at room temperature) as they’re more easily digestible and absorbed by the blood vessels. Consuming higher amount of fats can lead to diseases like high blood pressure, stroke etc.Fats are precursors of steroid hormones. 

Proteins are body-building components of food. They also provide energy equal to carbohydrates but their main function is to repair the damaged cells of body and create new cells. Muscles, bones, hairs, nails etc are largely made from proteins. They are also precursors to many hormones. 

Micro-Nutrients

Micro-nutrients are those components of food required in smaller amounts. These are vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins are needed for different important body functions. There are divided in two parts: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin A, D, E and K are known as fat-soluble due to their solubility in fats. Vitamin A is important for vision and skin. Vitamin D is needed for bones. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant while deficiency of Vitamin K can create bleeding tendency. They can be stored in body if taken in amounts more than required.

B Vitamins and Vitamin C are soluble in water. Therefore, they can not be stored in body. B Vitamin are required for metabolism while deficiency of Vitamin C can lead to scurvy (bleeding from different body organs).

Minerals are also important components of food required for different body functions. Iron is important for Red Blood Cells, Calcium and phosphorus are necessary for bones, while Iodine, Sodium, Chloride, Magnesium, Zinc etc are also important minerals required for multiple important purposes.

Other Major Food Components

Water is an important solvent and necessary to perform major functions of the body. It transports different hormones, enzymes and dietary substances to their required places in the body. It plays a vital role in circulatory, excretory, digestive and other systems of body.

Dietary fibers are type of carbohydrates that can not be digested. They are necessary for digestive system as they prevent constipation and other intestinal diseases. Recent researches also prove their benefit in diabetes and cardiac health. 

IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH

Health is a precious gift of Allah (God). Nobody can deny the importance of health either old or young, man or woman. A student can’t study well if he has high temperature, a worker couldn't do his job efficiently if he’s having headache and a house-woman will remain disturb while feeling abdominal discomfort. These are just small illnesses but even these can make us fatigued and depress and deprive us from joys of life. You can understand through these examples that what would be the feelings of those persons who’re suffering from grave diseases like HBP, diabetes, stroke, hepatitis, cancer etc. Therefore, it’s important for every person to remain healthy in order to do his/her job well and enjoy the joys and pleasures of life. Given below are few important basic tips to remain healthy and happy.

Tips for a Healthy Life

·         The first and foremost thing for a good health is proper and healthy diet. Your daily diet should be complete in all aspects. It should contain macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins), micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and dietary fibers in necessary amounts. Also, try to take your diet from the most possible natural sources as they are free from dangerous chemicals present in artificial foods or foods acquired from artificial sources.

·         Good health cannot be achieved without exercise. It’s important to do daily exercise as it will keep your circulatory system, digestive system, nervous system and other important systems and functions of body in a proper way. Young people should do hard exercises like brisk running, calisthenics, weight lifting etc. while older people should make themselves busy with walking, jogging, light strength exercises etc.

·         Always take proper sleep according to your body need and at right time. One would feel fatigue and low performance in case not taking proper rest. A recent study shows that improper sleep would produce irreparable damage to the brain cells of rats.

·         Always avoid things that are injurious to health. Alcohol can damage brain and lever badly while tobacco can create lung cancer and heart failure. Caffeine is also bad for health if use in larger amount.

·         Always try to remain calm and cool. Things like anger, hatred and superiority complex are not only unethical and bad for society but they are also very harmful for your mental and physical health.
    
·         A religious person is happier and more hopeful than a non-religious person as he always believes help from Almighty Allah (God) which doesn't let him disappoint at any stage of life.