When describing the concept of food, it can be said that this is the process by which living beings consume different types of food in order to receive the necessary nutrients to survive. These nutrients are those that are then transformed into energy and provide the living organism with whatever elements it requires to live. Food is, therefore, one of the most essential activities and processes of living beings since it is directly related to survival.
Feeding is always a voluntary act and generally carried out in response to the physiological or biological need to incorporate new nutrients and energy to function properly. The types of food can vary according to the type of living being that we are talking about. In this sense, we must mention food herbivorous (one that is sustained only by plants), food carnivorous (which uses only the meat of other animals) and finally food omnivorous (Combination of the previous two and characteristic of the human being).
While vegetables and animals resort to food as a simple physiological need that seeks to cover the basic needs of survival, human beings have transformed the feeding process into a social situation since time immemorial in which, in addition to ingesting the desired products and useful, experiences and situations are also shared with peers. To this end, the human being has developed not only instruments that allow him to obtain food more easily, but also spaces and practices specially designed for food, being able to find today different types of food according to each individual need.
A good diet for humans is considered to be one that appropriately combines all the different foods found in nature. The nutritional pyramid is in this sense a good method to establish which types of food should occupy a greater place in the diet of each individual and which a lesser place. Human nutrition is in many cases linked to emotionality and that is why health problems related to this issue can easily develop, for example eating disorders, obesity, diabetes, malnutrition and other problems that are not only a consequence of biological factors.
Promote a healthy and organized diet from the first years
Good nutrition and a balanced diet are two fundamental issues for a child to grow up in a healthy way, so it is essential that socializing agents, school, parents, take care of promoting the smallest healthy habits in terms of food and of course discourage those who are not in the least.
Among the most functional strategies to achieve this are: establishing a regular schedule for the intake of each meal, serving varied and healthy foods, being an example by following a healthy diet, discouraging fights that focus on food, encouraging children to participate in the process of preparing or selecting food, always following the guidelines of a balanced and healthy diet.
Another essential issue is to promote family food, that is, that the whole family sits down to eat and savor the same foods all together. This is also a good way to strengthen ties between members and control what children eat.
Typical eating disorders
Among the health problems linked to a poor diet are obesity, bulimia, and anorexia.
The obesity it is a chronic disease characterized by the accumulation of fat in the body. Meanwhile, among the causes of it, the inclination to eat foods rich in saturated fat is pointed out, that is, a greater amount of calories are entered into the body than it needs and is capable of synthesizing. Also to this tendency is usually added to lead a sedentary life, then, both issues have a certainly dangerous combo for health.
For its part, anorexia and bulimia are the main eating disorders that humans can suffer. It is worth noting that they have an important psychic component.
In the case of anorexia, the patient eats very little or does not eat directly because he looks overweight, although most of the time he does not have it.
And bulimia is characterized by consuming many foods rich in calories in a short period of time, and after that, due to the guilt that this generates, it is decided to eliminate them from the body causing vomiting.
Both diseases can be treated with a psychotherapy that is in tune with the case.
While obesity can be treated from a balanced diet, directed by a specialist doctor, performing physical activity and of course avoiding excessive consumption of foods rich in fat.
