Water and Its Roles

It seems like every exercise routine or diet says to drink plenty of water, and this time they are absolutely right! Three-quarters of our entire body composition is water (one-quarter fat tissue) and we need it to power our normal bodily functions. Some of the functions include: Carrying nutrients and waste products, maintaining structure of large molecules, participating in metabolic reactions (condensation and hydrolysis), serving as a solvent, lubricating, aiding in body temperature (homeostasis=constant state), and maintaing blood volume. Where do we get water? We get it from obviously water, beverages, foods, condensation (building-up) reactions, and the oxidation of energy-yielding nutrients. The AI (Adequate Intake) of water for men is 3.7 Liters per Day and woman need 2.7 Liters per Day. Now, for a little chemistry review! I know you all are just jumping for joy! I'd assume most of you have heard of the pH scale and how it relates to chemistry, but did you know it also relates to our body? It's true, our stomach acid (Hydrochloric acid) is super acidosis! A neutral environment on the pH scale is 7, which is the pH of water. Your body is so precise that it needs to keep the pH of your body between 7.35 and 7.45. It is goes too acidic or basic, you will die. Water is so important and you need to be drinking more of it! We as Americans need to take advantage of our water supply because most people don't have the access we do. I hope this inspires you to go home and drink a glass because I know it made me. See you soon!

Welcoming You With Some Info

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog! I thought we would start with a basic discussion about nutrition and how we know what to eat and how much to eat. First of all, what is nutrition? Nutrition is the science of the foods we eat and the nutrients they contain. To understand nutrition, it helps to have some background in biology, physiology, chemistry, and biochemistry. I understand that most of you don't have a background in some or any of these areas, which is why I am here. There are two types of nutrients: Macronutrients and Micronutrients. Macronutrients (Macro=more) are the nutrients that are needed in large amounts and they include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Micronutrients (Micro=less) are needed in smaller amounts and they include your vitamins and minerals. Energy is yielded in calories, or as I will refer to them, kilocalories. Carbohydrates contribute 4 kilocalories per gram, proteins also contribute 4 kilocalories per gram, fats contribute 9 kilocalories per gram, and alcohol, which is not a nutrient, contributes 7 kilocalories per gram. I will dig into the nitty gritty of the macronutrients and micronutrients later, but for now let's talk about how much we need to eat. Most people have heard to the food guide pyramid or the my pyramid, but did you know they are now both extinct? Now, we had the Choose My Plate guide and you can find more about it here. This is an excellent tool because it shows us how much we need to eat without any numbers. We are visual learners and this tool is very helpful. Hope this helps you get started, and I will see you soon.
P.S. Ask questions!!!