Module 1: Fuel Don't Fluff-Pick Nutrient Rich Food

The foods we eat and beverages we drink are delicious and satisfying to our palates, but they have so much more significance than just that. They give us the nutrient-building blocks that we need to stay healthy. Our bodies use these nutrients to create tissues, regulate chemical processes, boost our immune system, and generate energy to warm and move our bodies, so that's why it is important that we choose foods and drinks that fuel our bodies (aka are nutrient-dense), more often than we choose "fluff" foods (those that are not nutrient-dense). Nutrition is important in preventing many diseases and health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Some experts estimate that dietary changes could prevent as many as 35% of cancer deaths in many Western countries each year. Other studies show that eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 60%. When combined with other healthy lifestyle habits, healthy eating is also essential in treating diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Let's Fuel not Fluff these bodies! In order to ensure our bodies are performing at optimum levels, it is imperative that we give them the nutrients they need in the appropriate quantities. Over the next 16 weeks, the goal of this module is to help you begin to create new healthy nutrition habits and gain knowledge of the quantities of the foods you need to stay healthy.