NUTR 1020 Signature Assignment : Extension of Nutrition Perspectives

Discover different ways of approaching nutrition, how it impacts our daily lives and what choices we can make to improve our health and our world.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate knowledge of human nutritional needs and the role of nutrition in improving individual health and the societal economic impact of food choices.

Human beings have nutritional needs, which unfortunately we often fail to meet as expected. We need to consume healthy foods with the vitamins, minerals, proteins, etc. necessary to live and maintain good health. Our bodies need nutrients to function, but above all, they need to satisfy those needs to live a full life, functioning optimally. Nutrition plays a very important role in improving our individual health, since our future health and quality of life depend on it. Proper nutrition can help us delay the signs of aging, reverse disease, and lead a full life.

2. Relate technological advancements in medicine and food production to the advancement of the science of human nutrition.

Technological advances in medicine have allowed us to gain ever-expanding knowledge about the human body. This in turn allows us to know more about how it works, its requirements to function (including nutrients), and how what you ingest influences your future. Technological advances in medicine have allowed the science of human nutrition to advance, answering questions about how food influences human beings, which foods are necessary, and which ones contribute positively. Advances in food production have also made food more accessible to people (transport, economic, etc.), and have also allowed the development of quality foods (fortified and nutritious) with what is necessary to provide greater nutritional support to people, thus contributing to the advancement of the science of human nutrition.

3. Explain the impact that the food industry has on human food choices and the subsequent relationship to health and disease at the individual, societal, and environmental level.

The food industry impacts human food choices in many ways. While there are still companies that are committed to providing quality food, they are overshadowed by the large number of large companies that are dedicated to producing unhealthy or unhealthy foods. Unfortunately, the latter have a lot of advertising and “good” flavors (due to the amount of additives and substances), which influences people to opt for this type of food. The food industry (mostly of bad foods), with its commercials, advertisements, and more, impacts people's decisions, influencing them to buy their products, which subsequently harms their health.

The constant production of the food industry (due to its high market demand) has been linked to an increase in obesity levels in the country, as well as an increase in the number of people with chronic diseases, reflecting the great damage that these foods produce. Likewise, the production of the food industries greatly affects the environment, as they make use of different substances that pollute the air, as well as the constant use of packaging that is discarded in ecosystems.

4. Provide examples of past and present nutrient and diet trends in modern society and the positive and/or negative implications on human health and the earth’s resources.

There are a lot of pseudo-nutritionists on social media, and the worrying thing is that the number continues to increase. One of the trends in nutrition and diet that became well-known was about sugar consumption. For a while, there was a strong tendency that everything, absolutely all types of sugar (including those in fruits) were bad, and should be avoided at all costs. This belief had a profound impact on human health, as many people began to share this message to the point of condemning anyone who consumed this type of sugar. Consequently, fruits and some healthy foods began to carry a negative label. Trends like these are seen every day in different types of food, which greatly affects people's health, including mental health, because it restricts and puts people in a stressful situation by not knowing what to consume.

5. Provide examples of positive and negative interactions of humankind with microorganisms regarding sickness, health and food production.

Human interactions with microorganisms have both positive and negative aspects in relation to health, disease and food production. On the one hand, the beneficial microorganisms in our intestinal microbiota protect against pathogens, keep the immune system alert and contribute to digestion. In the food industry, some bacteria and yeasts are essential for the production of fermented foods such as bread and dairy products. However, some microorganisms can be pathogenic and cause disease, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli, which can cause vomiting among other chronic diseases. Likewise, in food production, certain microorganisms can cause food spoilage, and poor food handling can spread bacteria and viruses, causing great harm to human organisms.

6. Address diet and nutrient issues and concerns for weight control, disease prevention, physical activity, food availability, and biotechnology.

Wanting to lead a healthy life, maintain a healthy weight, and eat good foods are actions that can bring many benefits to people, but when these are taken to the extreme and become a major concern, that is where a problem arises. In some cases, people have opted to follow miracle diets, take supplements and vitamins that promise quick results, restrict food, and do excessive physical activity to achieve their health goals, which is very dangerous, as it can greatly damage the health of these people. The ideal is to follow the process of a healthy life under the supervision of a doctor and/or a nutrition expert, who can guide the person with strategies and plans that allow them to achieve their goals healthily. Changes take time, so it is important to be patient and not give up, and much less fall for the hype of miracle diets and supplements.

Reflection

Last semester I took the PSY1100 class, in which we studied human growth and development throughout the lifespan. In the class, it was constantly mentioned how diet and lifestyle greatly influence the growth process of people; physically and mentally (something that surprised me quite a bit). Both courses, PSY 1100 and NUTR 1020 taught me the profound impact my dietary choices have on my life and future health, and how it is possible to delay the effects of aging and live a better life if we make the choices that benefit us the most. Another connection I was able to make was with my yoga class last semester. In class, we learned that taking time to meditate and rest our minds was very important, and so was the food we ate. In Yoga class, I learned that my diet influenced my mood and how my mind functioned on a day-to-day basis.

Everything I learned in those two courses, PSY 1100 and Yoga, enhanced what I learned in nutrition, as it allowed me to lay the foundations of the subject psychologically and biologically. Having taken both courses first allowed me to better absorb the knowledge. Likewise, the knowledge I learned in this course complements the information I learned last semester, all together helping me make better decisions.

Before taking this course, my knowledge of nutrition was basic. I understood that it was not good to consume too much of things like sugar, fat, salt, and caffeine and that it was important to consume fruits and vegetables.

I never thought beyond what nutrition meant, because I only thought that “everything in excess is bad, and that we need to increase our consumption of vegetables and fruits”. For me, thinking about nutrition was synonymous with expensive, since consultations with nutrition specialists and healthy foods are expensive. Throughout the course, I was able to learn, but above all, unlearn things that limited my start to a healthier life.

This course taught me so much. I learned about the nutritional needs of my body, about healthy habits, how to make better food choices, and that the key to good nutrition is in the balance of the food groups. One of the assumptions that this course helped me change was the belief I had that the only important foods for growth were proteins and carbohydrates. Throughout the course, in the book's chapters, activities and discussions, I was able to see how necessary it is to have a diet rich in the various food groups, and that the combination of all of them is what allows us to lead a healthy life.

Being able to leave that erroneous belief behind was what allowed me to move forward in my process of adopting a better lifestyle.

All the assignments, activities, and readings in general helped me in the process of learning what is right and unlearning what is wrong, but the two activities that stood out the most for me were the $10 challenge and the research paper. The first one taught me that it was not necessary to spend a lot of money when buying healthy products; there are healthy options at good prices, we just have to look for the available options that are often found in our nearest store. The second project helped me see a reality that I honestly chose to ignore. For my research paper, I chose to watch a documentary, which talked about the problem that the food industry is facing and the effects it has on people's health. The development of that assignment made me think about everything I had seen and how those concepts were mentioned in the book as well; thanks to that assignment I was able to learn the profound impact that the diet I follow has on my future.

I am deeply grateful for everything I learned on the course, and I wish more people had the opportunity to learn from it as well. I am committed to speaking and teaching people about the topics I learned in the course and how that knowledge can benefit them as well. After this class, I will continue to carry out the habits I developed based on the knowledge I acquired. I will continue to exercise, eat healthy, reduce food waste, lead a calmer life, and above all, learn more about nutrition because I believe there is still a lot of knowledge about it.