Nutrition, the functional unit of human health is the supply of food to the cells of organisms in order that they can grow as well as improve and replace worm out tissues. It also aids respiration. Living things feed or take in nutrients for survival. The mode of nutrition varies from one organism to the other, but each possesses features of adaptation which enable it to feed.
Man depends either directly or indirectly on plants for food as they can not manufacture their own food. They are thus referred to as heterotrophy. Nutrition plays an important role in the body, as well as it’s impact in national education and healthy growth.
Education serves as one of the major instruments of nutrition for inculcating in the people the mores, norms, and other behavioral patterns that is necessary for the survival of the people as a nation. Consequently the role of nutrition, which is dictated by the cells and tissues of the body development, is significant and ever-present in human society.
In traditional societies where education is informal and there is collective responsibility of the people, nutrition ensures that the brain is fully integrated into the culture of the people. Nutrition manifests the enforcement of sanctions on people for antisocial behavior.
It is nutrition that defines the role of the central nervous system and other agents of specialization in education. In the brain, for example, the cerebrum of the fore brain is the seat of reasoning and intelligences. Before the cerebrum in the brain could co-ordinate properly an adequate nutrition is needed for the fluid lubrication and servicing. As the engine cannot generate or function properly without the fuel or engine oil, likewise, nutrition is the fuel of the body, i.e. nutrition is the backbone for education. That is why many useful talents are waste to day because of malnutrition.
Education requires a lot of energy for brain power. It is believed that a hungry man is an angry man. A typical example is a student in the class for about twelve hours in lecture, or teaching with an empty stomach, finds it difficult to comprehend. The supporting systems and tissues will be uncomfortable and result in general body fatigue, even stomach ulcers. This condition is not different to a student in the examination with an empty stomach, also applicable to lecturers, teacher’s and commissioner for education etc, that involves in teaching, lecturing or even planning for the development of education in the society under malnutrition is likely to end up achieving nothing, because the brain, will be in total confusion and dormant. That is why a person without a meal brake is not advised to involve in any educational work, because it is dangerous and over stressing of the brain.
The body system is a delicate balance of different substances, each of which must be kept within certain levels regarded as normal above or below those levels; it may become dangerous for life. It is true that, your greatest wealth is your health. Nutrition has played a great role in the health of human being and animals.
Nutrition provides energy to the body, it builds certain body parts, which made possible for skin grafting, and is component of mucus for lubrication in our body. It provides adequate growth for young one. Apart from gene, nutrition determines the growth of young one’s. For an example, if a twin baby were given birth, and one was kept under a condition of malnutrition while the other was kept under a condition of favorable nutrition. The one under favorable nutrition grows and faster than the other twin-mates, despite the genes inherited from both parents.
Nutrition also repairs worn-out tissues and cells during metabolism of the body and is capable of producing hormone, like pituitary gland for growth of long bones. Adrenalin, which is linked to autonomic nervous system, for fright and emergency. Also the pancreas which controls oxidation of sugar in the blood and for digestion of food in the body, converts sugar to glycogen, thereby preventing the body against diabetes mellitus. Nutrition is one of the agents of reproduction, it produce sperm and energy for fertilization of the ovary, other wise resulting in sterility and impotent. Nutrition also aids for tissues and cells formation i.e. bodybuilding.
Nutrition also balances the body temperature; adequate nutrition maintains the body temperature to 370 c I.e. nutrition regulate the internal and external environment of the body to a constant. Nutrition provides fat soluble vitamin, and essential fatty acids to the body.
It also provides essential minerals. Calcium and phosphorus is produce for bone and teeth formation and development. Normal functioning of the heart, nervous system, muscles, and blood clothing, DNA and RNA requires nutrition to function, even respiration. It also provides magnesium, potassium, sodium and chlorine for muscle contraction, transmission of impulse in nerves, and maintenance of osmotic balance of the cells.
Nutrition also provides retinol and thiamine which keeps skin and eye healthy, helps night vision, and cell respiration. It provides vitamin B complex and ascorbic acid, for health of digestive system, increases resistance to diseases and help in healing wound. Nutrition aids excretion of metabolic waste and transportation of hormones.
Nutrition is a vital component in human life. For the characteristics of living things stated that, they all must undergo nutrition for continuity of life.
Even the dead knew the importance of nutrition, and then allow it to be fed by decomposers. For the same reason, nutrition is the brain – child and unit of health. Nutrition has no mind or will, its mind is that the body therefore, the government and world at large must give nutrition its shape, color and honor. Nutrition has always been, and will ever remain the instrument of the body and this means that the body must continue play a dominant role to nurture nutrition.
