Wellness and the Body

Today there are many ways to consume nutrition from eating whole foods to taking supplements. The brains of young adults and children are still developing and are seeking lots of nutrition.

Many young adults and children are not fully aware of the reasons why they consume so much food besides the fact that they are hungry for instance after a physical activity or why they feel “…sluggish, tired and overwhelmed.” Their brains are telling them they need proper nutrition. Instead of allowing students to consume food unknowingly each day for its energy, teachers in school should organize a comfortable group for students to discuss about their daily diets and how nutritious food choices can promote ones “…energy, mood, and overall sense of wellness.”

Both Ana Homayoun and Erik Strand say that eating healthy food will build the foundation of nutritional wellness as the young brain is still in development. Ana Homayoun points out that her Girls Group consists of intense female athletes, yet the girls are unaware that nutritional choices could help improve their energy, focus and stamina in sports. When Homayoun brought up the subject of better nutritional choices and its benefits, her girls became interested and implemented changes over the next few weeks. These changes improved their energy level and mood. Not only did Homayoun’s Girls Group provide beneficial tips for the girls, her group was also a comfortable place for girls to open up, share and speak.

In addition to overall wellness and less of supplements, Erik Strand provide ways to gain energy and maintain overall wellness by recommending several healthy tips such as drinking four cups of green tea per day, eat fish on a weekly basis, include berry fruits in your diet and a few more are effective ways of getting your nutrients than in-taking supplements. Drinking four cups of green tea per day may ward off Alzheimer’s disease, eating fish provides you omega-3s, and berry fruits contain antioxidants that can improve memory, coordination and “…increase production of new brain cells.” Although supplements are an alternative method in providing nutritional value, both Strand and Homayoun believe eating whole foods is the most efficient way of promoting “…brain power that you won’t find in nutritional supplements”. Strand brings up two major reasons why supplements are not the best choice. Even though supplements include antioxidants that “…mop up cell-damaging free radicals in the body,” Strand argues that the supplement form is dubious and lacks synergy, “an interaction of multiple elements that when combined produce a total effect greater than the sum of individual elements.” Another reason Strand brings up is the fact that one-month supplies cost too much for dubious outcomes, therefore nutrition should come from whole foods.

Not only is having groups like Homayoun’s allow students to feel comfortable and share their daily diets to a group of other students, learn how nutrition makes a huge impact in their performance and what’s behind the supplements, they’re also making changes to themselves after being educated about proper nutrition. Just like what Ana Homayoun and Erik Strand said, nutritional choices are beneficial for young people as their brains are still developing and seeks the need of proper nutrition.